I failed.
I failed, failed, failed, failed, failed.
I failed.
Elder Frontiers.
The world’s first fully immersive game.
When the job offer for this game came from the office, I rejoiced.
Entering a fantasy world and adventuring there.
Romantic, right?
No man wouldn’t like that.
So I jumped right in.
I even asked my office friends and seniors, unit members, juniors, and even my little sister.
Then, I participated in the game—
“You cannot log out. That function has been deleted!! Yay!!”
The worst time began.
The game, which should have been fun, became a real-life Isekai survival.
Three seniors I respected died right in front of me.
They had been active since long before Vtubers became mainstream.
That broke the hearts of many livers.
My sister and I couldn’t even think about streaming anymore.
I couldn’t think about our characters or how the listeners perceived us.
I’m a professional failure.
Knowing it was being streamed, I showed the listeners that sight.
But I was too scared to move.
I couldn’t leave the house provided in this world.
Then, I saw that video.
I was preparing my sister’s meal, warming up tasteless soup while she wouldn’t come out of her room.
The video, which the operators called a “clip,” showed—
“Was that a scream!? And a shitty-smelling poison!! It’s like a mist sauna with your scream!”
It showed my ideal.
Real Isekai transfer, a life-or-death survival.
But, regardless of that, their figure fighting monsters.
It was shocking. Looking it up, that person wasn’t a liver.
One of the early players.
I felt ashamed.
I was cowering, hiding in my house, what was I doing?
The next moment, I found myself storming into the livers’ meeting place.
Fortunately, when we checked our Status, we learned that we were quite strong in this world.
The operator’s information, the Star Pillar.
Clearing that would allow us to return to our original world.
We discussed it with the livers at the meeting and selected a raid team.
We bravely challenged the Star Pillar—
Ah, damn.
It was awful.
Even though I streamed games, I should have understood the unwritten rules.
The cocky ones usually die.
Once the Isekai fantasy became reality, it was no good.
We made the wrong choices.
It’s simple.
Insufficient level, insufficient training, insufficient experience.
Ah, I’ll say it.
I underestimated this world.
All the livers—were given the special class of Hero.
Everyone had strong Skills and special items.
So we got carried away.
Goblins, orcs, slimes, bats.
Monsters that are just early-game trash mobs in an RPG.
We couldn’t even beat them.
The raid team was completely wiped out. Retreat.
Because we scattered and fled, I don’t even know who survived.
On top of that, I got caught in a trap along the way.
A transfer trap.
While escaping from monsters, the moment I stepped on the magic circle— I was in the air.
Just when I thought I had escaped thanks to my pet wyvern, the wyvern was shot down.
Ah. Sorry, I’m so sorry….
Because I’m stupid, foolish, and incompetent.
I killed them, I killed them….
So embarrassing…
Everything I’ve done since coming to this world has been a failure….
I just realized.
I seem to be more pathetic than I thought.
So, this might be a punishment.
Punishment for me, who caused so much trouble with my incompetence.
“Gegegegegege”
“GOBBBBBB”
“Gehihihihi”
A stale smell.
Damp, stagnant air.
The smoky scent of torches.
I’m surrounded by goblins with distorted faces.
My hands are tied with rope, and I have a collar around my neck.
The collar is connected to the wall, and it doesn’t seem like it’ll come off.
A cave…?
No, considering…it seems like it’s been worked on by humans.
In an RPG, would it be called an underground tomb?
Ah. Damn, I remember streaming a lot of dark fantasy games.
What happens to adventurers taken to places like this.
It’s a given, they usually die.
I’m going to die here.
“GOBBBB”
“GORB”
The goblins are surrounding me.
No, I’ll be killed by the monster that commands these goblins.
“Beautiful. Beautiful things are valuable simply for being beautiful…don’t you think so? Dragon-Blood Knight.”
It’s sitting on a Throne made of bone.
Long white hair, a muscular physique, black wings and a long tail on its back.
A demon…a strong character in a game.
“Oh? You seem surprisingly knowledgeable. You’re a diligent student.”
…This is awful, this guy.
Can it read my mind, my thoughts…?
“It’s the application of magic. I control these filthy goblins with the same mechanism.”
“……That’s bad.”
“Hahaha, the more I look, the better it gets. Truly beautiful. Are you truly a male? Silver hair like combed mercury. White skin like moonlight…cherry-blossom colored lips that seduce men, eyes like rain on a wet day…it’s rare to see such a beautiful human.”
“……My mother was skilled…I may look like this, but I’m definitely a man.”
All the Vtubers are in this world with the character avatars they actually use for streaming.
I’m no exception.
“Beautiful…true beauty transcends gender. I am truly lucky to meet such a beautiful knight with Dragon Blood…you are very beautiful, may I have your name?”
“Ah. If you uncuff and uncollar me, I’ll tell you my name…”
“Hahaha. Cute. Truly cute. You’re pretending to be brave even though you’re terrified. That’s also a kind of beauty.”
Click.
The demon snaps its fingers.
At that moment, the ropes and chains binding me came undone.
“Huh?”
“GOBBBBBB”
“GOB”
“In consideration of your beauty, I shall grant you one chance to survive.”
“……What?”
“Escape. If you can escape from these goblins and leave my sanctuary, you win.”
“……What do you want?”
“—I love beautiful things. That’s all.”
The demon, wearing an overcoat, smiles gently.
A woman, perhaps?
A terrifyingly beautiful, small, oval face.
Blue skin, black wings—truly a demon….
It crosses its long legs and looks at me with a relaxed expression.
I know.
If this were a game, I’d be attacking them.
But I can’t.
“GOB”
“Hi”
They’re looking at me.
My face, my neck, my arms, my legs.
There’s also a particularly large goblin, like a giant.
White breath, dripping drool, bloodshot eyes—a loincloth, for some reason, the lower part of its body was swollen.
“GOB”
“GOBBBBBBBB”
“GOBU!!!!!!!!”
Weapons.
Ragged spears, swords, hammers, spiked clubs.
Holding them aloft, smeared with filth.
“Hahaha, it seems they…are very interested in you. They want to be friends.”
I understand the meaning of the demon’s words.
These guys, even males, are indiscriminate…
“U, u, uah, uwaaaaaaaaaaa”
My feet started moving on their own.
I have to escape, I have to escape, I have to escape…
I turn my back to them, the exit, the exit, the exit, the exit!!
Thud….
“Eh…”
What…wh-what’s wrong.
My body won’t move!!??
No, I have to stand up quickly….
“Oh…this is…what’s wrong? You don’t need to run?”
“M-my body, wa-wait, it won’t move…”
“Hahaha, your scared face is beautiful. I really can’t believe you’re a male…!”
“Paralysis Poison…sometimes, do you know that poison can mix with the air?”
Chime, chime.
The female demon holds in her palm a small…bell?
From it, yellow smoke rises….