RP.

It’s a word quite well known in the VTuber industry.

– Hello there! A firm and fine morning to you! I’m LaQuryung, a pro gamer who crossed over from the world of games!

That’s what a certain VTuber would shout.

– Ah, that kind of concept?

That’s what most people familiar with VTubers would say.

And of course, that’s natural.

It’s been about twenty years since the VTuber industry began with K***na Ai and grew so much that it evolved into the form of VR K-POP.

By 2035, the VTuber scene had become a leading industry, thanks to the virtual reality technologies that began being properly implemented around 2030.

If you ask just how prosperous the VTuber scene is now—

– Uh… among our proud K-pop culture, there was once a cyber singer named Adam…

It’s even been mentioned in political circles.

– Hello, everyone! I’m Kkuggum, the official PR VTuber of Seonghwa District Office! Oh no, I’m not the district mayor~

Some local governments have gone so far as to not just use VTubers as promotional models but to make people joke that the “district mayor” is secretly the VTuber behind the avatar.

Even in the entertainment industry, some existing idols have been virtualized, or entirely new idols are being trained as virtual specialists.

Though, strictly speaking, that’s slightly different from the traditional definition of a VTuber.

If there’s one thing that matters most to a VTuber, it’s the character.

Animal ears on top of the head are nothing special anymore, and hair and eye colors come in every shade imaginable.

Some aren’t even human at all.

They’re usually designed to be as handsome or beautiful as possible for the audience’s enjoyment, but each still comes with its own unique backstory and quirks.

The individuality of a VTuber.

If all of those backstories were actually true, humanity would’ve been watching people from other dimensions or mythical beings broadcasting themselves since 2017.

Creatures from Atlantis, gods of death, phoenixes, priests of the void, British detectives—you name it.

And while countless other types have entered the VTuber industry since, every single one of them hides one thing deep down.

The red pill.

The “person inside.”

I worked in a field where I literally saw those red pills in person—the people behind the avatars.

So, to me, a VTuber’s setting was always just a marketing gimmick, a business front.

They’re beings who sell dreams to their viewers.

People who create “concepts” that make audiences say, “Ah, that kind of setting,” and just accept it.

That’s why, when faced with the being sitting before me now, I really didn’t know what to say.

"So you’re saying you’re a great mage who crossed over from another dimension?"

"That’s correct. A being of this dimension."

Sitting across the table from me was a woman.

Her blonde hair and blue eyes gleamed with colors so vivid they’d be rare even overseas. Her pale skin and sharply defined features made her the very image of a beauty.

You could easily call her a “goddess.”

Honestly, if you took a full-body shot of her and turned it directly into a VTuber avatar, no one would complain.

"I was studying magic that opens dimensional gates and connects different worlds. Are you familiar with magic?"

"You mean, like, wielding a staff, shooting fire, launching ice missiles, and finally casting Meteor?"

"Ah, good! You know it well. I was worried, since there’s almost no mana in this world."

"...It’s not that mana is scarce. It’s that it doesn’t exist."

"What…?"

The being from another dimension looked flustered.

"I see. So artifacts here function without mana… meaning this civilization developed through technology, not magic. Understood."

Even while confused, she quickly absorbed and organized new knowledge and information.

Her blue eyes glimmered with insight as she scanned every inch of my house.

"A civilization that evolved not by harnessing lightning-attribute mana, but by directly using pure electricity itself… Fascinating. Perhaps this is what the world would have become if ancient alchemists had advanced their craft without mana."

"Uh, excuse me—"

"Ah, forgive me. I haven’t even introduced myself."

The self-proclaimed interdimensional being bowed politely.

"I am Rasianne von Arphios, Tower Master of the White Tower, known in my world as one of the Five Great Sages."

"...Kang Minhyuk."

A Great Mage.

Impressive, sure—but not entirely shocking.

After all, there are VTubers out there who claim, “I barely escaped being burned at the stake, but I can only use magic if I stream.”

"Crossing dimensions must take extraordinary magic. It’s an honor to meet you, Great Mage."

"Tell me, does this dimension have others who, like me, crossed over from another world?"

"No, not really."

Some idols perform live across both 2D and 3D stages, but if I told her that, she’d probably interpret it as a declaration of war.

"It’s a bit hard to explain, but from our perspective, traveling to other worlds or fantasy realms isn’t physically possible. We imagine it instead—through stories, art, or theater. For example…"

As I took out my smartphone to find a fitting YouTube video—

Ding.

A notification popped up.

"Ah."

The moment I tapped it, the screen switched.

[CHIAAAAAAAA!!]

A loud woman’s voice echoed.

A cute anime girl avatar popped up, and comments flooded the chat window.

"Ah, sorry. This is, um…"

"So this world also…"

The Great Mage, Rasianne, grew tense.

"Has demons?"

"……"

Because I accidentally tapped a live broadcast, the avatar on screen was a red-skinned, horned demon girl.

Even as she tried to hide it, I could sense Rasianne’s instinctive discomfort and tension.

"No, it’s not that kind of demon. I don’t know if it matches your concept of a ‘demon,’ but it’s definitely not one."

"Then what is it?"

"There’s… a person inside."

"A person? Are you saying a human is talking while appearing as a demon?"

"That’s—"

I wondered where to even start explaining.

But from the look in her eyes, I could tell that if I didn’t explain immediately, she’d cast a spell right then and there.

So I said it.

"This is called a VTuber…"

And just like that, the first thing I ever taught an interdimensional being about Earth was not its history or culture—but VTubers.

"Here, take a look at this video."

"What’s this?"

I played a clip.

< A Guide for Otherworld Travelers Visiting Earth >

[Hello, travelers, drifters, and dimension hoppers from other worlds! I’m the foreign correspondent who arrived on Earth before you—Ryurparta!!]

"Oh? So someone has already mastered dimensional travel magic?"

"Not exactly. That’s just their concept."

About five hours later.

"I see. I understand now."

The sun was setting, evening drawing in.

"There’s a person inside the VTuber avatar, then."

"Well—"

"Ah. That might have sounded disrespectful to the profession. My apologies."

After roughly five hours of explanation, the Great Mage Rasianne had grasped both Earth’s reality and the concept of VTubers.

"Thank you for the thorough explanation. I now understand my situation much better."

If I had to gauge how much she understood—

"First, I’ll need to find a broker and sort out my resident registration."

"Wait, what?"

For someone from another world to immediately identify bureaucratic issues in Korea—astonishing.

"Why? Do you happen to know a broker?"

"Uh…"

"I may be a Great Mage, but I can’t directly tamper with digital record systems."

"I have so many things to say right now, but isn’t your understanding a bit too fast?"

"I’m a Great Mage. I don’t mean to boast, but I’m one of the top five minds in my world."

Rasianne raised both hands in a V-sign.

"I’m smart."

A smug double peace pose.

It wasn’t a gesture from her world—it was clearly something she’d picked up from watching VTuber clips.

‘Of course, the reference videos I showed her were all Japanese ones I’d seen back when I worked at that company.’

"Fortunately, unlike that Demon King-senpai, I don’t have to lose all my mana and get stuck working part-time at a burger joint."

"Seems you’ve understood everything without needing my help anymore."

"Not at all. I still have much to learn. Everything about this world—Earth, Korea, and VTubers—I’ve learned thanks to you, Mr. Kang Minhyuk."

Rasianne reached out her hand to me.

"Please, will you help me? If you do, I promise to reward you in any way I can."

"Any way?"

"Yes. Let’s start with monetary compensation."

Rasianne extended her finger and played another video on my phone.

"If you teach me about this ‘capitalism system,’ I’ll make you rich."

"…Usually, people offer gold or jewels."

"My reference materials said jewel exchanges aren’t possible. When in another world, follow its laws and customs."

"I get what kind of help you’re offering—but I’d like to know why you need help in the first place."

I clasped her hand.

"Are you trying to build a life here? Or conquer the world?"

"I’m not a Demon King. I’m a witch—or rather, a Great Mage."

"Still, with your magic, couldn’t you—"

"I can, to some extent. Like this."

Rasianne waved her hand sideways.

Whoosh!!

Without touching anything, the blackout curtains slid open, and the sofa floated into the air.

"With magic, I could easily cause local disturbances. If I had enough mana, I could even summon a meteor from the sky."

"……"

"Ah, don’t worry. That was just using the mana remaining in my body."

So Meteor was real after all.

"Of course, considering the military power of, um… ‘America,’ I suppose any meteor would be shot down before atmospheric entry. Still, the possibility alone is dangerous. That’s why I’d rather cooperate with you, Mr. Kang Minhyuk."

"So what kind of cooperation?"

"I’d like your help so I can quietly live here and study. I’m curious about this world—especially…"

Was it my imagination?

"This thing called a VTuber. I’m deeply intrigued. The idea of elves streaming, though they aren’t really elves…"

Her fascination was obvious.

"Like this one—"

[Ah, food’s here!!]

A VTuber stream popped up. The avatar suddenly dashed off-screen for a delivery.

[LOL]
[She left her avatar again.]
[She’s a good one though. Cheers.]

The avatar froze mid-frame, as if smacked by a strong gust of wind.

A common rookie mistake—or a veteran’s comedic trick.

What people call the “gone-to-pick-flowers moment.”

"What kind of food could make an elf—no, a person—run off like that?"

"That’s magic. The ultimate magic that lets you save time, labor, and effort with money."

I switched to another app on my phone.

"Alchemy of the modern age."