I May Be a Virtual Youtuber, but I Still Go to Work
Chapter 200

First Broadcast.

First Serialization.

First Day of School.

First Presentation.

No matter what it is, the first time in life always causes immense nervousness in people.

However, it’s not just life’s first moments that bring on the pressure. Those tasked with the beginning of a major event also feel the same way.

The first 3D debut broadcast.

The first relay singing contest.

And the first song of the concert.

Yes.

Magia, who was assigned to kick off this offline concert, was undoubtedly feeling a tremendous amount of pressure, or at least that was the thought of Maru, who, among the first-generation members, was the best singer but the weakest in terms of mental strength.

“Do you think Gia will be okay...?”

Of course, unlike her worries, others didn’t think much about it. They were too busy thinking about their own performance orders, lyrics, and choreography.

“She said she’ll do it. It’ll be fine. There’s zero problem. But Maru, did you memorize the choreography?”

“I-I memorized it all.”

“Liar. That sister still hasn’t memorized all of her choreography.”

“Hey, did you memorize it all?”

“I’ve had it down for a while, and now I’m even teaching her the moves for the group song.”

“Ah.”

“Maru, how about just getting your personal choreography down first? For the group part, just follow us and do the moves at the front, okay?”

Maru scrunched her face and looked around.

It was to avoid hearing more nagging from Do-hee.

“The CEO said she’d really kill me if I mess up the choreography...”

“Well, I told you to cut back on your broadcasts and practice more. Now you regret it, don’t you?”

“But... how can I say no when I keep getting offers for collabs?!”

“I get that it feels good, but you have to turn down collabs when you can’t. You always have trouble cutting things off because you’re soft-hearted.”

“Yes, that’s totally right. Maru, you’re like a softie.”

“Ugh, what am I even saying to these kids...”

Fortunately, Do-hee had gone upstairs to meet guests from various places, so no one would be there to nag Maru.

But they had practiced so much for this offline concert.

Though Maru wasn’t confident with the choreography,

Today, she had to act like someone who was confident from the start.

“Alright, just like Dora said, let me practice my solo song again first.”

Maru immediately rushed over to the dance instructor and began reviewing her solo choreography.

Watching that, Komari muttered.

“Of course, she’s the one most urgent and yet is worrying about Gia...”

“She’s the kind of person who worries every day, so it makes sense.”

“Hehe, but I bet she won’t make a mistake during the actual performance. Maru performed flawlessly during the online shows, after all.”

But Komari, too, was barely holding back the nervousness in her heart.

It seemed like the entrance was starting because the sound of the crowd began to filter through to the temporary motion capture studio set up inside the Hwaryeong Gymnasium, where the concert was being held.

The repeated MR tracks and the noise of people mingling together began to weigh heavily on them, growing into a tremendous sense of pressure.

“Yeah, I’m definitely nervous...”

“Off-concert special, the live sound is tough at first, but after a while, it powers you up.”

“You’re so confident like you’ve done tons of performances already.”

“Yes! Saying the obvious with confidence. No nerves here.”

Dora, who had been standing by the camera set up in the temporary studio, said while watching the scene.

“Gia, you still have to go up on that stage, right?”

“She’s supposed to perform behind a translucent panel, but it’s basically right in front of the stage. It’s going to feel real.”

“And this is her first actual performance...”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

The more they talked, the more they realized how much pressure Magia was facing as the first performer.

They were all so busy preparing themselves for the stage that they hadn’t been able to give her even a single word of encouragement.

She left with no sign of emotional disturbance, but it was her first live performance.

They couldn’t help but wonder if she was trying to remain calm for the sake of the others who would be coming up next.

*

But, ready to go up on stage, Magia was now checking her equipment for the last time, and her mind was completely empty.

She had already rehearsed the song so much that it was etched into her body whenever there was no noise to worry about.

She couldn’t let anyone find out that Fanxi was her other identity, so she controlled all unnecessary movements.

No need to do the choreography separately either.

She just had to sing while standing behind a panel and under a slightly hot light.

No big deal.

She had memorized her dedication to the Parallel members so well that she could now say it out loud even with distractions around her.

Right now, Magia was in Parallel mode.

Even if she started off well, what if she makes a mistake later?

Everyone else looked nervous, didn’t they?

Perhaps she was thinking that.

— When they did online concerts in the past, Magia had been the one helping the members, fetching them water, towels, and alleviating their nervousness with jokes.

But since Magia and the others were switching after their performances,

Magia was hoping that during their next group performance, Finish Line, the others wouldn’t make any mistakes.

It was going to be tough, but she could do it if she just pushed through.

After the concert, they would be free for a while.

Well, as long as Magia could start off well, the rest would go smoothly.

Even though she was nervous, worried, burdened, and trembling,

Once the actual performance began, no one could stop the Parallel members.

And then Maru said:

“Stop worrying about us and worry about yourself.”

“Your main job is as a manager. How can you be like this?”

“And! Don’t slack off just because you’re nervous and think you can’t perform well. If you do that, I’ll seriously slap you after the concert.”

“Give it your all.”

She understood Magia’s desire to lift up the group,

But she urged her not to undermine her own abilities.

‘Although I could’ve done it half-heartedly, I won’t.’

Magia was confident that there wouldn’t be any issues for her, especially with the next song being the first-generation group song that she had featured on.

She’d made sure to give the members room to shine, so there was no way she would outshine them, even if she sang with all her heart.

Besides, she had received a directive from Cat Entertainment.

“Gia said that Maru from Parallel is an excellent singer who could rival Gia.”

“Right.”

“Then, for the opening performance, give it your all. If the rest of Parallel’s performance is perfect after that, we’ll capture both rabbits at once.”

With Kiri’s cover, Fanxi’s name value had skyrocketed.

If Parallel could follow up with a performance that wasn’t overshadowed by that one?

Not just Fanxi, but Parallel would rise as well.

As Na Hyun-gon, the producer, said, it was a win-win situation.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

And many industry experts from the Korean VTuber scene, either invited by the CEO or attending voluntarily, were here today.

With Bachubachu having dominated the local VTuber market,

It used to be unthinkable to challenge them, but Parallel had risen rapidly and was now becoming a serious competitor.

They were either looking to model their business after Parallel’s or considering partnerships.

Various business collaborations were on the table.

Even the Minister of Culture and the chairperson of the Cultural Arts Committee had come,

And it was clear that they were watching Parallel’s rapid growth closely.

“If we’re lucky, we might get national support.”

“But if they push too obviously, won’t it be suspicious?”

“Of course, they’ll take precautions to avoid that. For example, they might invite both Bachubachu and Parallel to a national VTuber festival.”

Since Bachubachu’s fandom was huge, they probably wouldn’t want to participate,

But naturally, Parallel and other domestic VTuber companies would be invited instead.

This would accelerate the growth of Parallel and other companies in the industry.

The government didn’t aim to completely push out Bachubachu but wanted to ensure that both companies could grow together.

...Anyway.

This concert was full of potential.

Having cleared the full house mission, all they needed now was to perfect the main performance.

“5 minutes until the main performance! Gia, standby!”

“Yes.”

Magia stood on the platform that would lift her up to the stage and took a deep breath.

“Life really is unpredictable.”

The vicious person who used to enjoy Silahoshi Momo was now a middle manager at a small company, becoming a super rookie utaite who was passionate about Parallel.

As the days passed, her time to watch broadcasts grew shorter.

She had to substitute with clips when she couldn’t watch live, but still,

She couldn’t stop.

Everything Magia did was for Parallel.

Because everyone at Parallel was in this together.

She knew that even if she didn’t debut as a VTuber, she would always jump into opportunities she thought were good for Parallel.

Although she hoped she wouldn’t have more work,

If the opportunities came, she wouldn’t turn them down.

In the meantime, the lights on the stage and in the audience went out,

And the countdown began two minutes before the performance.

Then, the intro video for the concert began to play.

Magia’s voice, previously recorded in English, was broadcasted.

— Another is my shining star, and I’m just an ordinary fan of Another.

The screen transitioned.

The prelude for Common Fan started.

Since the sequence wasn’t disclosed, the audience, who hadn’t expected Fanxi to appear so soon, greeted her with cheers.

The platform gradually rose, and Magia finally stood behind the translucent panel.

Lights exploded behind her, and her elongated shadow was cast on the panel.

“Chance led me here, everyone was there—.”

Magia sang shyly, as if reading her most embarrassing diary aloud, approaching the fans with a soft voice.

“You came to me, and in my dark sky, the stars arose.”

*

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the audience section, facing the stage.

Do-hee, who had been nervously chatting with those around her, finally sighed in relief upon hearing Magia's first verse.

Phew...

If there was anyone among the people present today feeling the most pressure, it would probably be Do-hee.

After all, the people she was meeting were far from ordinary.

There were some who simply came because they were interested in Parallel,

but there were also many industry professionals with over 15 years of experience, recommended by Producer Na Hyun-gon, who had connections across various fields.

They had been bombarding her with questions non-stop,

and answering them without making mistakes had been no easy task.

She had been talking with them for over an hour now.

So, when Magia’s performance began, the short break that followed felt sweeter than anything to Do-hee.

But it was still too early to relax.

The performance had only just started, and to satisfy these discerning, high-profile attendees with the art of performance,

every upcoming program needed to be flawless, without a single mistake.

This was a crucial turning point for the future of the members who had trusted Do-hee and joined the company.

It would determine whether the wishes they made to Taro three years ago, when they chose their own paths, would come true or not.

For now, Magia had successfully started.

That was clear just by the praise from those around her as the song was nearing its end.

“Wow....”

“Wow, this is really exciting.”

The lyrics of the song, about a child who grew up with Parallel’s idols gaining the courage to step into the world, seemed to stir up old memories,

and the chairman of the Cultural Arts Committee, as the song entered its second half, spoke with a nostalgic expression:

“It’s clear that the emotions of the person singing are being conveyed. You’ll go far.”

The first song, full of high quality, ended amidst an uproar of applause.

With a short bow to the audience, Magia freely expressed her feelings for the members.

[Now, let’s officially begin the first offline concert of my beloved idol, Parallel Another, with <Another World>.]

The prelude for the next song, Finish Line, began to play.

At that moment, Do-hee tightly clasped her hands together.

Fighting... guys...!

It was now clear that the true start of today’s performance had begun, as the members would now have their opportunity to shine without being overshadowed by Magia.

Parallel Another was not just a “bedroom idol”; this was their chance to prove that they could shine on a real stage as well.

Amidst the intense focus of everyone’s attention,

the latest hologram technology allowed four figures to appear in the air above the audience.

As the spotlight illuminated their positions, the crowd erupted in a thunderous cheer,

each member leaping toward the stage.

Elf Komari landed gracefully.

Rain, the fairy of rain, glided gently.

Dora, the dragon, landed with flair.

Lastly, Maru, after landing, wobbled and fell, causing laughter.

But it was with Maru’s bold shout that Finish Line began.

The person who had been so frantic moments ago delivered an unforgettable performance,

and it was impossible for anyone not to feel the thrill coursing through their spine.

Sitting right next to Do-hee, Producer Na Hyun-gon, who had helped her today, shook the cute support stick he had been given at the entrance and said to Do-hee:

“It’s over.”

“But it’s just beginning...”

“No, the concert is basically already a success.”

When he first chose Parallel,

the thing that interested him the most was the stage dominance of the first-generation Another members.

Considering the constraints VTubers faced compared to other idols,

how well they could capture the audience’s attention was the most important factor to Na Hyun-gon.

After watching the first-generation’s online concert, Na Hyun-gon was convinced of one thing.

“Another will never make a mistake as long as they start off strong. At least, that’s what I believe.”

Do-hee nodded.

“Even Maru, who makes a lot of mistakes in rehearsals and broadcasts, never messes up on stage. At least, they’re all professionals when it comes to live performances.”

“Exactly. Trust them, everyone else is already captivated by Another’s charm.”

Looking around, even those ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) who had previously questioned the business viability and popularity of VTubers were now fully focused on the performance.

They couldn’t take their eyes off it.

It was clear how much effort had gone into the preparation,

and with the immense support from Cat Entertainment, which had decades of experience in offline performances, everything was on track.

But Do-hee still couldn’t relax.

“Thanks for your words, but I’ll save my proper thanks for later, after everything is finished.”

Perfect events always seem to go awry when no one is paying attention.

Even though Magia was on the ground, she, as the CEO, had to stay on high alert until the very end.

In reality, Do-hee’s concern lay in the middle of the concert.

It was time for the second-generation members to make their guest appearances.

[CEO, we have an emergency. You should come to the backstage for a moment.]

From behind the stage,

Magia, who had been taking care of the members in the temporary motion studio, sent word.

[Miho is so nervous, she can’t stop hiccupping.]