Chapter 2: Kiruyuu [World Tree Test Tube]
“Hey, Kurenai… What’s going on here?”
After signing an employment contract with Kurenai, I was then busy with the handover of my part-time job.
I finally got through it, and I got to the point where I started a part-time job for Kurenai…
“Do I have to go out of my way to explain it verbally to a cockroach or what? It’s the transfer gate is managed by the government’s Pandora Division, you know?”
“I know that. It’s connected to Pandora, right? But I’m sure you can’t enter without a government-approved adventurer’s certificate.”
“I’ve already prepared it, okay? For me and cockroach’s too.”
With that said, what Kurenai handed me was a genuine adventurer’s certificate.
By the way, it is listed as the lowest rank G.
This girl… How did you get my adventurer certificate without my knowledge?
Is it possible to make a government-issued identification card without my consent in the first place?
I wanted to make various remarks, but… I guess as the daughter of Yuuki Zaibatsu, she could somehow pull strings with the dark side of the government. I don’t want to carelessly poke the bush and have a snake come out, so for now, I’ll try a roundabout jab.
“I understand that you are going to Pandora as an adventurer from now on. However, my job description was supposed to be playing with Kurenai. And video editing…?”
“I’ll explain it in a way that even a cockroach would understand. Did you know that about two years ago there was a worldwide natural disaster called the Otherworld Update?”
“Eh, everyone knows that.”
“So even you cockroach knew it. That’s impressive.”
Kurenai spits out poison with a smile.
“It is said that the Otherworld Update is similar to various elements that appear in the once-popular VR game Reincarnation Online: Pandora.”
“Well, I know that too.”
Two years ago.
The world shook when mysterious structures, dungeons, and monsters appeared. At the same time, it became a hot topic because the names of places, monster types, and magic were exactly the same as those in the VR game Reincarnation Online: Pandora, which was extremely popular at the time.
Furthermore, the status has manifested in certain people, and all of them were players of Reincarnation Online: Pandora… It is believed that there is some kind of connection between the Otherworld Update and the VR game.
“Going to Pandora is the same as playing Reincarnation Online. Do you get it?”
“Hey, come on, that’s just ridiculous.”
It’s nonsense to equate reality, where there is a risk of death, with a VR game that has been discontinued. If one has a status, they might be able to make it as an adventurer, but I ——
“Cockroach. You are also a former player of Reincarnation Online: Pandora, right?”
“…How did you… Know.”
“That’s not important. If you have status, then there’s no issue with becoming an adventurer.”
“W-Well…”
A person who has obtained status becomes the same as the character they used while playing Reincarnation Online. Also, I think it was basically impossible to change the skills or stats you had acquired.
And most of my main skills and status were…
I have no obligation to explain to Kurenai the reason why I quit Reincarnation Online before the service ended.
There is no need to talk about why I did not try to become an adventurer, even though I have status.
So, I just nodded quietly.
◇
“Whoaa… What an incredible scenery…”
When I passed through the transfer gate, the world of the game that had fascinated me when I was a middle school student spread out before me.
No, it was even more than that in terms of realism and impact.
One of the four starting cities in the game, World Tree Test Tube Lynx.
“There is a row of five stupid big beakers, and there’s too much novelty in the fact that there’s a city inside of them…”
I was a little excited.
Although I have a lot of complaints about Kurenai, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited by the fantasy-like scenery.
First of all, the huge test tubes is boasting a height equivalent to that of a building. There’s me inside, and this big tree that’s too big is growing beyond what I can see.
“Are they growing the World Tree in five test tubes?”
Looking to my left and right, I saw a giant test tube standing next to the one I was in, and a similarly large tree growing vigorously. Of course, if you look up, you can see a wide variety of wooden buildings on the trunks and branches of the great trees, where many adventurers and people of Pandora come and go.
“The bottommost part of the Lynx is the water’s edge and the roots of the world tree… It’s the same design as the game.”
Right now, I’m standing on huge roots.
It could almost be mistaken for a giant tree growing out of a lake, but the truth is that the city is essentially a giant test tube filled with water in which the World Tree is planted.
As expected, the world-building is incredibly interesting!
As I walked, I gently collected the sap and other collectible items into my bottle or bag.
Since I’ve come all the way to Pandora, it would be a waste not to get souvenirs for my family!
My characteristic of being poor is being triggered, but I don’t care.
Oh, that looks kind of tasty delicious fruit.
Huh, does it look like an apple!?
“Well, cockroach. Let’s talk about business.”
“Ah, Yes.”
Of course, Kurenai, my employer immediately lowered the excitement that was about to rise to below freezing.
“First of all, you should spend about two hours a day with me.”
“That’s about it… And an impressive base salary of 800,000 yen for working just two hours a day, that’s amazing, young lady…”
“Also, look at me during work hours. More specifically, have me in cockroach’s field of vision.”
“Why?”
“Recording Magic—— [Memories in Your Eyes]”
Suddenly, the Kurenai’s index finger flashes and the light converges into my eyes——
“Aahhh! W-what did you do!?”
“I activated the recording magic on cockroach.”
This girl… You have already mastered some magic?
Could it be that you’ve come to Pandora quite a lot, and that you’ve been conquering Japan’s dungeons?
“And this is the Memory Crystal (Yues Memory).”
“Ahh… So this is the rumored Pandora USB memory, huh?”
“What you see with your eyes will be stored in this memory crystal (Yuess memory) for the next three hours.” This is an excellent item because it can also be plugged into a PC, and you can even start streaming right away with it.”
Stuff from another world sure is amazing.
In particular, some extraordinary devices have been invented through the fusion of materials from the other world and modern science.
Therefore, materials that can be obtained in other worlds are sometimes traded for high prices, and it is said to be a get-rich-quick dream, an adventurer’s dream.
Well, setting that aside——
“Why do you go out of your way to use my field of vision as a camera…?”
“Do you have the leisure to be looking through the camera while fighting monsters? If you mess up, you could die, you know?”
“I see… So I do a job like being Kurenai’s personal cameraman.”
“That’s right. That’s the basic duty.”
After that, Kurenai coughs slightly and then blushes a little.
“C-continuing on, in the recorded video… Y-you cockroach, take the moments when you thought I was the cutest and edit it into a video!”
“Cute moment…?”
I tilted my head in confusion at the extremely sudden request.
And for some reason, Kurenai’s face turned very bright red.
“W-what is it? There’s nothing odd about it. I am active as a VTuber. Cockroach does the job of advertising and public relations for me, I will let the foolish masses fully experience my charm.”
“Ah, yeah…”
If I were to summarize Kurenai’s words, I record videos and streams of Kurenai spending time on Pandora. Then I edit the video and upload it to YouTubo.
I’ve never even heard of ‘being a VTuber’ before, but is the business that Kurenai was talking about related to VTubers?
“I’ll be starting a VTuber agency soon, so the first thing I’ll do is raise my profile as a VTuber. I plan to have cockroach do manager-like work eventually.”
“Ah, I see… Hm, wait a minute? If you are going to be active as a VTuber, Kurenai, showing the real you isn’t being virtual, right?”
“I forgot to tell you, but I’m a magical girl.”
“Seriously!”
It was a bit of a surprise.
I knew Kurenai from middle school, but I never dreamed that she was a magical girl.
Although the presence of magical girls has diminished because of the increased prominence of adventurers, they remain rare, with a ratio of about one in 300,000 people.
This is the first time I’ve seen a magical girl in front of me.
“If you’re a magical girl, why are you going out of your way to be a VTuber? How about doing streaming activities simply as a magical girl?”
Even though I’m not really in a position to say anything as someone who has a favorite magical girl VTuber, when you actually become part of the production team, you start to see a lot of things.
Well, I’m pointing it out simply because it seems troublesome.
“This is why cockroach are stupid. Magical girls have the same status as ordinary people if they don’t transform.”
“I know?”
“…Adventurers have strong bodies by default, but for us, it’s only when we transform. We can’t go on fighting for a very long time. The magic power to maintain a transformation can’t last forever.”
“Ah… That’s why VTuber typically does activities like streaming games, ah, I see!”
“When it comes to safety, we magical girls don’t grow from our initial specs.”
“I know that?”
“If our real face gets exposed, what if someone attacks us when we haven’t transformed?”
“Ah… If they were an adventurer with a power you couldn’t handle, that might be bad.”
“There might be those kinds of people among the viewers, haters, or fans, right?”
“So they put on the virtual skin for safety reasons…”
“There are many other reasons, but for now, that understanding is fine.”
It seems like being a magical girl is tough.
Next time, let’s send a supportive tip to my favorite, Kirurun. I can’t afford it right now, but after I get a million from Kurenai, I can give generously.
I hope this will help even a little for Kirurun’s sake.
“I understand that Kurenai will be doing a magical girl VTuber. What name are you going to give it?”
“I already have a name. My VTuber name is Tekubi Kiruru.”
“…A Menhera!? Is that name okay from a compliance standpoint!? But to begin with, there’s already a magical girl VTuber with the same!?”
I could already hear all sorts of comments, such as “Her name is the same as an existing magical girl VTuber” and “Don’t make fun of our favorite.”
However, Kurenai deflects my argument with a calm demeanor.
“A VTuber named Tekubi Kiruru, that’s just me, okay?”
“Haa?”
What are you talking about?
Kirurun is very different from you, she’s a kind and energetic girl who pretends to be a bit extreme and cruel. Yet, she has a weak mentality and easily gets sulky and gives up, but she still challenges herself to play difficult games and struggles, saying, “I was only able to clear it because everyone cheered me on!” She’s such an incredibly sweet girl who says things like that, I can tell you!?
Although her initial number of subscribers was less than 100, she has now become quite famous among independent creators, and has exceeded 100,000 subscribers! This time, to commemorate it, she is working hard to start a dungeon stream—— huh, a dungeon stream?
“Proof is better than arguments for a cockroach like you—— [Magical Armament (Magical)]!”
Kurenai is enveloped in a brilliant light, and the flashy transformation scene typical of magical girls begins.
The lovely outfit is armor that can even crush iron.
Her round, dazzling crimson eyes are a halo of justice that tolerates no evil.
Her limbs that extend gracefully are so dazzlingly white and beautiful to my eyes.
Her long ruby-colored hair flutters in a phosphorescent glow, a complete change from her black hair——
A beautiful young girl with an aura of ephemerality and ill-fated charm makes a grand appearance.
And then, striking her signature pose with precision.
“Kirurun Kirurun Magical Kirurun☆ Here is the magical girl VTuber, Tekubi Kiruru!♪ Your wrist is also kirurun-ruun☆”
No, seriously.
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