8 PM.
I blinked several times, hoping I was just seeing things, but once reality settled in, a groan escaped my lips. I wasn’t imagining it.
…I had really slept through the entire day.
“And I just managed to fix my sleeping schedule.”
Tossing right and left, I eventually kicked the sheets away and got out of bed. I couldn’t exactly say that I was refreshed, but considering how sleep deprived I had been, I was certainly feeling a lot better than before.
“Right, there’s that too.”
My head drooped as I recalled the new quest I had just received.
“Sell the game.”
That was easier said than done.
Games weren’t easy to sell unless they belonged to a reputable gaming studio with a large enough fan base.
Although I was more confident about the game, considering that the system had approved it, if I suddenly released it like this, I was sure it wasn’t going to gain any traction. Perhaps in the future, but I didn’t have the luxury of time.
I needed to find a way to market the game and make it gain traction.
But that was easier said than done.
I scrolled through the system shop, hoping to find something useful, but when nothing caught my eye, all I could do was sigh in disappointment.
“I guess I’ll try asking Kyle. He might have some connections.”
Although I wasn’t exactly hopeful.
After all, he knew nothing about games.
*
Finding Kyle wasn’t exactly hard.
After changing and making my way into the office, I found him loitering around the kitchen area, making himself some powdered coffee. Surprisingly, the Guild was still quite full in spite of it already being closing time.
“Thanks.”
“Uh? Ah…? That’s mine!”
“Very kind of you.”
I took a sip of the coffee.
Tasted like shit.
“…Why are you looking at me like that? I’m doing you a favor. It’s already nighttime—if you drink coffee now, you won’t get any sleep.”
“I already can’t get any sleep.”
“Then this should help.”
I took another sip.
No, seriously. This was really bad coffee.
“…..”
Kyle stopped saying anything then. He looked torn. He seemed to agree and also disagree at the same time.
I didn’t bother with his expression and got straight to the topic.
“I’ve finished my game.”
“…Oh.”
Kyle flinched slightly upon hearing that.
‘Ah, right. He hasn’t tested the completed version yet.’
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to test the game again. I’m here for something else.”
“Really?”
Kyle’s eyes lit up.
Why did he look so happy?
“Yeah…”
I tried my best to keep his expression out of my mind.
“I just wanted to know if you know someone who can help me market the game. I am planning on releasing it soon, but without any proper way to advertise it, I doubt it’ll gain any steam.”
“Marketing…?”
Kyle’s brows furrowed all of a sudden as he brought his hand to his face. He appeared to be in deep thought, but soon shook his head.
“Nothing really comes to my mi—Ah.”
As if something had suddenly hit him, Kyle smacked his fist against his open palm. However, his expression quickly turned strange.
“What? Why are you making a face like that?”
“That’s…”
Kyle scratched the side of his face while mumbling, ‘It could definitely work, but I’m not sure if she would…’
Pausing, Kyle looked in my direction again.
“…I might not be able to help you, but I know someone who might be.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, but…”
“But what? Why are you dragging your sentences so much?”
“Well, fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though.”
Kyle pulled out his phone and started typing something in a hurry. Within seconds, he brought up a page and turned the screen toward me—it was a profile page on some sort of social media app.
─────
[Zoey Terline]
Posts: 73 Followers: 21.3M Following: 2
─────
“…If you want help, then she is the right person.”
I opened my mouth, but almost as quickly closed it. 21.3M followers? That many…?
Although I knew she was popular, considering her character profile and looks, I didn’t think it’d be to this extent.
She was a full-blown celebrity.
‘One that probably hates me.’
I nearly groaned out loud. I knew her well enough to realize that asking her would only make things worse. She’d drag things out endlessly just to get back at me for what happened before—and chances were, she’d never promote it at all.
Asking her was like asking for a headache.
“Forget about it.”
In the end, I could only look for an alternative.
I was just about to head back to my office when I bumped into a figure.
“Ah, sorry.”
“Watch where—”
I came to an abrupt stop, bracing myself for the guy I’d just bumped into to blow up at me. He was just about to when he suddenly froze, his eyes shaking for some reason.
“Eh…?”
Confused by his reaction, I reached out to him—but he instantly took a step back.
“Don’t. touch. me.”
There was a subtle tremble as he spoke.
But more importantly…
“Stay away from me.”
Why did he look so scared of me?
“Terrance?”
Kyle stepped up shortly after, as he looked at Terrance with a confused look.
“Did you just come out of a gate? Why are you acting like this…?”
“No, I…”
Terrance stared at me, his eyes trembling once again. The longer he looked, the more fear seemed to creep into his expression. Then, shifting his expression towards Kyle, his lips parted.
“You two… Neither of you is normal.”
He left it at that, brushing past the two of us as he made his way back to the field agent area. I could only stare at his departing back for a brief moment before meeting Kyle’s gaze as he looked to be in deep thought.
“What the hell was that?”
“…He’s probably suffering from the side effects of a gate. PTSD is quite a common side-effect of our job.”
He spoke so calmly and convincingly that I almost nodded along. That was until I realized what he had said.
PTSD? Normal…?
“What?”
Kyle innocently tilted his head.
“… Never mind.”
I stopped trying to understand and just nodded before bidding him goodbye and heading back to my office.
‘I don’t think I’ll ever get accustomed to this world’s common sense.’
I really didn’t think so.
“Hm?”
I came to a stop in front of my office, my eyes instantly landing on a small black stick lying by the door. My thoughts blanked for a moment before I hurriedly checked my back.
“Oh, crap!”
That was my USB!
I quickly snatched up the USB, giving the top a few hurried blows before unlocking my office door with the keys. The moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by the same chaotic mess as before.
I was just about to boot up my laptop to check if the USB’s contents were still intact when I suddenly froze.
My thoughts stalled as my gaze shifted to the wall—the one where the blood markings had been.
The VI was gone.
In its place was a single, blood-red V.
But that wasn’t all.
Right beneath the markings was a black square, covered in a black cloth.
I felt my chest squeeze.
When…?
When did that get there?