Novel Bin
Chapter 401
Chapter 401. [The Place I Return To]
From then on, I was incredibly busy.
After all, there were only two weeks left until the recording.
I was immediately transported to the recording location via military helicopter, accompanied by military escorts.
Perhaps the fact that it wasn’t a private jet was a consideration for me.
Or maybe it was simply because there was no nearby airport—only a helipad on the hospital rooftop.
But that’s beside the point.
《Yes, Iroha-san! 1, 2, 3, 4, and turn there!》
As soon as I arrived, meetings, lessons, and recordings began.
However, having escorts constantly watching me made me a little self-conscious.It seemed like those thoughts showed on my face.
One of the military escorts scolded me.
《Miss Iroha. If anything were to happen to you now, we’d lose our jobs. You need to understand that you are currently the number one VIP in the world.》
《M-me, number one...?》
《That’s right. We’ve been ordered by Mam to treat you with even more care than her.》
《More than the President!?》
《In fact, right now... media and agents from all over the world are targeting you. Their motives vary, but...》
《I-is that so...?》
《That’s also why Little Mam and her friends are accompanying you. We can’t rule out the possibility that someone might try to harm not only you but also those around you.》
《...》
Hearing that, I turned my gaze in their direction.
From there, I could hear the lively and cheerful voices of the group.
“Gyaaaah, Miss Iroha!? My precious Iroha fleet, nooo!?”
“It’s rare for someone as good at rhythm games as you, Ogu-san! This is my chance... eek!? Anego, you idiot!? Your hand hit mine!!”
“Take this! Ugh! Mugii!? Hah, take that, and this!”
“Onee-san, you’re playing the same game as us, right...? Why are you moving your body so much?”
“......Huh, this looks kinda fun. Maybe I’ll give it a try too, Mom.”
The four of them were happily playing a social rhythm game featuring various VTubers, called “Let’s Build the Ideal Box!”—commonly known as Hakotsuku.
Even my mom, watching them, started downloading the game on her smartphone.
《Miss Iroha!? What’s wrong!? Why are you crying tears of blood!?》
《I-I’m so jealous... ugh, ughhhh! Ever since I returned, I’ve been so busy that I haven’t even had time to boot up “Bagozugu”...!》
《Oh my god......... I’d heard she was obsessed with VTubers, but this is beyond rumors.》
I was crying uncontrollably.
These weren’t tears of sadness—they were tears of jealousy and anger.
In fact, I was crying more now than when I first returned and reunited with them.
Right now, I felt like I could kill someone with just my gaze.
Ah, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this... I hate Angu and Aug so much......!
I’m so resentful of them that I don’t even care about the man who killed my past self anymore!
If I had a smartphone in my hands right now, I’d definitely be playing.
But I don’t! My smartphone is still broken!
“What’s with Iroha’s scary eyes...?”
“Iroha-sama’s intense gaze...... Hah, hah. For some reason, I feel a little heated up...”
“Take this! Hah! Hohoi, hoi!”
“.........Onee-san, the game’s already over, you know~? And just so you know, of course you came in last place~?”
“Huh? Right now, they’re doing a festival for the ‘VTuber International Live’... My kids and you all are on a limited-time pickup—so you’re more likely to get them in the gacha.”
Ah, no... Listening to this is triggering my withdrawal symptoms.
Shaking, trembling, bubbling......
《Hey, Miss Iroha! Pull yourself together!? Medical team, hurry! She’s foaming at the mouth and collapsed! Damn it, what’s the cause!? Is there no antidote!?》
Well, even with that incident, I managed to push through the recording.
It was truly a hellish, grueling schedule......... The only reason I could keep up was probably because my time in the jungle had built up my stamina, even if just a little.
By the way, the reason Angu and Aug were accompanying me wasn’t solely for security purposes.
The songs I had to record included duets with them.
So, while receiving advice from them—who had already completed their lessons—I danced and sang.
............I know, deep down, that I’m not the only one having a hard time.
“Aug...”
Angu and Aug also had recordings and their usual streams to handle.
Especially now, with everything going on with me, even when they weren’t bringing me up, questions kept pouring in... Their comment sections were in chaos.
But they couldn’t stop streaming because they also had to promote the VTuber International Live.
And besides.............
—They also had to convince “everyone”.
I hadn’t realized.
That they had been doing so much for me.
“Mai......”
To stop the war... To buy time until I returned, they had been working tirelessly. Just like back then, they had persistently kept reaching out to the world.
“Aah, sis.........”
On top of that, they were in an unfamiliar environment, with the constant threat to their lives.
The mental strain must have been immense.
“Ilyena-chan............”
But even so, they found moments to joke around and laugh together......
They all knew.
—That such “ordinary days” were what I needed most to keep going.
Ah, that’s right.
That’s why I have to see this through.
Finish everything, save everyone, and return to that place!
To the “ordinary days” where I can laugh together with everyone!
What do you think?
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