Contract (4)
It was hard to tell how much time had passed. My breathing often faltered, and the muscles all over my body were so stiff that they barely listened to me.
[A few Constellations marvel at your survival skills!]
[The Constellations have sponsored 100 coins.]
But I endured. I endured because I believed I could. In the darkness, the light emitted by the thorns confirmed I was still alive, and the falling temperature of the stomach walls assured me that the creature was dying.
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire,' admires your perseverance.]
[The Constellation has sponsored 100 coins.]
When hunger struck, I licked the concentrated fluid forming at the tips of the thorns.
The fluid contained the life force extracted from the entire body of the sea monster. I had consumed the seahorse's mucus in advance precisely to absorb this fluid safely.
[You absorb the power of the sea monster. Your stamina slightly increases.]
The effect wasn't enough to immediately level up my stats, but by the time I escaped from the sea monster, my stamina level would probably have increased by about two levels.
It wouldn't work at higher levels, but it was one of the few tricks to boost stamina without using coins.
…It's not a dream, right?
Was this really something I could pull off?
I'm just an ordinary reader.
I'm not the protagonist.
I felt like I could scream and wake up under my blanket at any moment, but no matter how many times I blinked, that miracle didn't happen.
…Mother, I hope she's okay.
She must be. It's her, after all.
Each time the digestive fluids pooled on the ground drained away, I would drift off, and each time the cold river water seeped into my mouth, I would wake up.
And finally, the digestive action of the sea monster stopped. The warmth of its intestines that had been heating my back rapidly cooled, and the stomach walls, once full of elasticity, gradually hardened. That's how I was sure.
The creature was dead.
[…Truly remarkable.]
A bright current whipped through the darkness. Bihyung floated midair, barely maintaining a blurry form.
[To use the Stone Hog's thorns like that… I never would've thought of it. Isn't that right, dear Constellations?]
Bihyung spoke while gazing at the thorn from the Stone Hog, which was faintly glowing.
[Stone Hogs usually inhabit coastal areas and prey on small marine species. They implant their thorns into the prey's skin and dry them out. But to think you'd lodge it into the acid outlet like that…]
Bihyung's gleaming eyes were not looking at me.
Thus, these words weren't directed at me either.
[A few Constellations smile knowingly as if they already knew.]
[The Constellations have sponsored 100 coins.]
[A few Constellations belatedly understand your judgment.]
[The Constellations grumble, asking you to explain such things in monologue next time.]
Ignoring the messages from the Constellations, I drank the last of the concentrated fluid.
[You absorb the power of the sea monster. Your stamina slightly increases.]
[Your Stamina Level has increased!]
[Stamina Lv.11 → Stamina Lv.12]
With this, my goal was achieved.
Bihyung, who had descended beside me, continued talking while touching my blackened, burnt arm.
[And this mucus… I didn't know the mucus from the Hammer Seahorse, a sub-species prey of the sea monster, had such properties.]
Normally, my skin would have melted away with the digestive acid. I spoke up in Bihyung's place.
"The Hammer Seahorse's mucus has an immunity to digestive fluids. Since they're often preyed upon by sea monsters, they must have evolved that way."
[A few Constellations admire your vast knowledge.]
Bihyung looked at me with an expression as if he'd been struck in the back of the head.
[Hey, explaining is supposed to be my job…]
"You didn't know, so I did it for you. We're done explaining now, right?"
[…Fine.]
"Then give me my reward."
[Damn brat.]
At Bihyung's grumbling, a reward message filled my vision.
[The Hidden Scenario has ended.]
[You have obtained 9,000 coins as a reward.]
[You have successfully hunted a Grade-7 sea species for the first time.]
[You have obtained 1,000 coins as an achievement reward.]
9,000 coins plus an additional 1,000 coins. A very satisfying haul.
[Current coins: 14,800 C]
Including the extra 500 coins I gained from some unexpected survival content, the total profit came out to 10,500 coins. I had easily exceeded my goal.
[Haha, dear Constellations. Did you enjoy the show? Let's watch a short ad before moving on to the next scenario!]
With that, a faint ad jingle began to play from somewhere.
A new scenario opening special package for 8,800 coins…
While the Constellations' attention waned, Bihyung descended beside me and struck up a conversation in a friendly tone.
[Whew… That was some amazing survival content. The Constellations' reactions were insane too.]
"How much time has passed?"
[Four days. I was nervous the whole time. You really didn't notice?]
"My smartphone battery died."
It took much longer than expected. I had originally aimed for two days... but even Yoo Joonghyuk of the 4th regression took four days to beat it, so this wasn't exactly slow.
Either way, I did it.
A pleasant sense of fulfillment washed over me, and confidence swelled within.
I was an ordinary person with ordinary abilities. But that didn't mean I could only do ordinary things.
"…How ridiculous."
It was a strange thing. Fiction, which had been useless for 28 years, had now made such an ordinary person like me extraordinary.
[Oh, you're already talking to yourself?]
"…"
[You're pretty good. If you're a proper Incarnation, talking to yourself is a must. Of course, there are some Constellations who dislike it for being too theatrical, but usually...]
"Shut up and open the Goblin Bundle."
[Why? You got something to buy?]
"I have stuff to sell and buy."
[Damn it, I guess I'll have to turn down the ads for a bit. Constellations, please hold. Adjusting the volume.]
While Bihyung opened the Goblin Bundle, I examined the spikes embedded in the wall.
As the stomach walls solidified, deep cracks had formed around the spikes. The softened walls were now weak enough that I could break through them with just my physical strength.
I started advancing slowly, smashing the wall with the last remaining spike.
And before long, I encountered the brilliantly glowing blue core of the sea dragon.
[Sea Dragon's Core]
It was an Aether Core typically found in Grade 7 or higher sea monsters. Once refined and consumed, it could increase magic power without using coins.
Being a Sea Commander-class sea dragon, its core was in excellent condition.
After carefully cutting out the flesh surrounding the core and stepping out, Bihyung looked at me in disbelief.
"I'm selling this."
[You really are something...]
"Not to you, of course. Put it on the Goblin Auction."
Bihyung looked like he was too tired to question me anymore and just went along with it.
[Sigh... Do whatever you want. So how much are you listing it for?]
"I'm not selling it for coins. I want a trade."
[Shit, you know all kinds of stuff, don't you.]
Though he grumbled, Bihyung uploaded the item to the Goblin Auction. Maybe because his desires were simple, he was more obedient than expected.
"Someone will show up to buy it soon. And make sure the item I trade for is Broken Faith."
[Broken Faith? Not sure if anyone has that... Anyway, it's registered.]
"Good. Now for the stuff I want to buy..."
I looked at the item [White Pure Stream Qi] sitting in my wishlist. As expected, no one had bought it yet. Most Constellations don't know much about the value of coin items. Just because something's expensive in the Goblin Bundle—which is loaded with pay-to-win traps—doesn't mean it's any good.
[Wait a sec. Before that, can we talk for a bit?]
As Bihyung spoke, the ad volume—which had been lowered—was turned up again.
[Constellations complain about the prolonged ads.]
Seeing a repeated commercial, I already knew what Bihyung wanted to talk about.
"This is about the contract, right?"
The only way to mask our conversation from the Constellations without cutting the stream was by running ads. What we were about to discuss wasn't something the Constellations should hear.
[Yeah. I was uncertain at first, but after this scenario, I'm pretty confident. Let's give it a shot. If need be, I can lend a bit of help.]
"That would violate the Storyteller's Oath, wouldn't it?"
[Ah, of course I can't really help, it's just a figure of speech. So, are we doing the contract?]
"What are the terms?"
[Read it yourself.]
Of course the goblin came prepared with a fancy contract.
I started reading the translucent screen that floated in the air:
The Incarnation, Kim Dokja (Party A), enters into an exclusive contract with Goblin Bihyung (Party B) until all scenarios end or Party A dies.
"...I'm Party A?"
[Haha, humans like that kind of thing, right? It doesn't actually mean anything. Just keep reading.]
Party A must never choose a sponsor until all scenarios are completed or until death.
As expected.
Party A can only operate within the channel of Party B, Goblin Bihyung.
Profits generated through the Stream Contract will be shared between Party A and Party B, with the exact distribution ratio to be decided by mutual agreement.
...
If either Party A or Party B breaches the contract, they will be subject to dissolution according to the laws of the .
I carefully read all the clauses. I thought Bihyung might try to pull a trick on me, but there were no underhanded clauses—except for one missing detail.
"There's something important missing here."
[You mean the signature? You just have to verbally agree. A Stream Contract is a soul-bound oath—]
"I meant the revenue split."
[Ah, haha. Right.]
Trying to play dumb, huh?
That's the most important part.
[How about a 50-50 split? I'll even waive your channel fees. You know how it works, right? If you get 100 coins, you get 50 and I get 50.]
That's how most work. Constellations sponsor incarnations on a goblin's channel, and the goblin and incarnation split the coins. That's the standard.
"You think I'm a pushover? I'm not doing it."
[What? Come on, that's standard industry rate—]
"I don't have a sponsor. And when Constellations support unsponsored Incarnations, they pay massive commission fees to the goblin. You've already profited plenty thanks to me, haven't you?"
Bihyung's jaw slowly dropped. But it was too late for that look.
"10 to 0. You only get the commission. I don't split a single coin."
[What?! That's insane... How about 70-30?]
The split suddenly got more generous. But I wasn't backing down.
"10 to 0."
[What the hell are you saying! That's an absurd—]
"Then forget it. I'll just go with another channel. That guy 'Gil-dal' is doing pretty well these days. I might ask him."
[...80-20. I can't go lower than that.]
"10 to 0."
[...]
Bihyung's expression turned threatening, like he might crack my skull. But I knew. He couldn't afford to lose this contract. I was his last chance.
"The ad's about to end. See the Constellations complaining?"
Finally, Bihyung raised his hands in surrender.
[Damn it, fine. You'll sign now, right?]
Huh. That was easier than expected.
Honestly, I was planning to settle at 90-10...
...Maybe he's skimming more off the top than I thought. That's annoying.
"Yeah. One more thing."
[What? There's more?]
"You gotta pay a signing bonus. Hand over 5,000 coins."
Bihyung's face went blank for a moment.
[Y-You're serious.]
I grinned.
Let me show you why the person called 'Party A' is called that, and why humans obsess over a title that means nothing.
[The Stream Contract has been completed.]
[You have received 5,000 coins as a signing bonus.]
As the ad ended and the Constellations returned, I patted Bihyung on the shoulder.
"Alright. Let's go outside."
Now is when the real journey begins.