Chapter 9: A hundred thousand eyes.

Frozen Princess’s triple million-won donation.

Overwhelmed by the sudden shower of money, Scarlet Lily retired from the stream without regaining her composure.

What’s their relationship?

Even if fans wanted answers, both stayed silent.

But perhaps because of this, the situation fueled the fans’ fervor.

[She never shows her face on streams but debuts as a big spender.]
[Is Frozen Princess a rich heiress?]
[No known details.]
[Magical girl personal info is top secret.]

[You’re saying it’s not that kind of relationship?]
[If she hadn’t streamed during the sleep stream, who knows what would’ve happened.]
[They totally did it.]
[Heh.]
[Suspicious since she added Lily to her name.]

They crafted the truth they wanted, hoping it was real.

Meanwhile, some analyzed it coldly.

[Frozen Princess isn’t known for splashing cash; could it be a fake?]
[An imposter?]
[Ask Aurora Lora.]
[Turn on your stream already!!!!]

If it was real, opinions aligned on Scarlet Lily’s conduct.

[Next time you’re dispatched, you better lick her boots.]
[Three million doesn’t grow on trees lol.]
[Not boots… muffled!]
[You’ll get sued.]

[Did she confirm it’s her and go to repay her?]
[What kind of repayment, I wonder.]
[Frozen Princess is like a sky-high senior; that’s some pressure.]
[She took down a dinosaur; what’s there to fear?]

Opinions on Scarlet Lily started shifting.

[Seems pretty calm.]
[Her 90-degree bow for 50,000 won is legendary lol.]
[Wouldn’t even bow like that to a yakuza boss lol.]
[Not calm, just normal.]
[It’s all an act.]
[If it’s an act, that’s even more impressive.]

[Her room looks like a regular person’s.]
[Could believe it’s a guy’s room.]
[Just didn’t have much stuff.]
[Wasn’t it a hotel during the sleep stream? Did she move?]

Everyone hoped for follow-up stories.

Netizens let their imaginations run wild as always.

“You don’t show up on my streams, but you do this?”

During dinner at a buffet, Haeun Gil pouted across the table at Yusia.

“That’s why I’m treating you to dinner.”
“You should treat me to three million won’s worth! No, double for the audacity—six million!”
“Were you that jealous?”
“Of course! You collabed with her first and got donations!”
“I didn’t collab.”
“You showed your face, that’s a collab!”

Haeun was being unreasonable.

As they bickered, a slightly younger girl spoke up.

“Streaming looks fun. Should I try it?”

Sofiya Viktorovna Petrova.
Sonya for short.

She’s a fifth-gen magical girl, Parfait Alpha.

Living nearby, they often treated her to meals like this.

“Don’t. Once you start, you get too hooked,” Yusia advised.

“But you threw in a ton of money, Sia-unnie.”
“That’s different. I was just supporting a junior.”
“Is it?”

Sonya looked thoughtful, then—

“Isn’t it weird you only get support if you stream?”

She sharply poked at the logic.

“Right, right! Special treatment for Scarlet Lily! Do you know what people are saying online?”
“Don’t. It’s a misunderstanding…”

Haeun wasn’t one to let it go.

“You’re being called a senior seduced by a junior! What’s gotten into you? Just days ago, you were grumbling about fakes and disrespect to a legendary senior!”

Even if she saved your life, wrong is wrong.

Yusia had planned to scold the self-proclaimed Scarlet.

But after meeting her, her attitude flipped.

“Lily’s… reflecting on impersonating a great senior.”
“Sia-unnie called Scarlet Lily casually!” Sonya pointed out.
“I heard it too!” Haeun chimed in.

“Why are you both like this? Is caring for a junior that bad?”
“Sonya’s a junior too! Give her three million! Six for me!”
“Exactly!”

Yusia sighed softly, exasperated.

“Lily’s in a tough spot. No family to help, barely got a place. Giving money directly looks bad, so I used donations.”

It was the safest excuse.

“Is your family rich, Sia-unnie?” Sonya asked with innocent eyes.

“Didn’t you know? It’s obvious. Her name’s literally Princess,” Haeun said.
“Oh, you’re right!”
“A million’s pocket change for Sia. Billions in her account, maybe more.”
“Now it makes sense why you’re so close, Haeun-unnie!”
“What are you saying… I’m not friends with her for money!” Yusia glared.

“Stop making stuff up.”

It wasn’t entirely wrong, but exaggerated.

“So, what’s the truth?” Haeun pressed.

“I told you. I wanted to indirectly support her.”
“For good?”
“Until she’s stable.”
“Jealous!” Sonya nodded vigorously.

“—And you think I’ll buy that?” Haeun narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

“I’m not falling for it. Spill! What happened that day?”

She interrogated fiercely.

She’d heard from Armo that Yusia met Scarlet Lily.

But unlike her usual wariness, the talk was mundane.
Just that Yusia introduced her to the mascot for an official debut.

No way it’s that simple.
There’s definitely more!

Haeun’s instincts screamed.

“No secrets between us, right? I’m disappointed.”

She stared, as if saying don’t dodge.

“I don’t know what you mean…”
“Your joy’s obvious. You can’t fool me!”
“Nothing joyful happened…!”

The magical girl she admired confided in her alone.

That precious secret was at risk of exposure.

Yusia scrambled for excuses but was cut off.

“Tch, so stubborn. Forgot it’s all thanks to me? I’m the one who got you to meet Scarlet Lily, and this is my reward?”
“Ugh…”

They’ve known each other forever.

Haeun knew Yusia’s Scarlet obsession better than anyone.

She couldn’t deny that spotting her stream led to their miraculous meeting.

“Spill it.”

I earned three million won in a day.

Enough for 300 bowls of gukbap.
Or twice that in convenience store bentos, enough for a year of lunches and dinners.

It’s a fortune for someone with my simple mindset.

“She won’t ask for it back, right…?”

I didn’t withdraw it.
I doubt she’d demand a refund, but just in case.

Why’d she donate such a huge sum?

Frozen Princess looked like a college student.

If she contracted in her mid-to-late teens, five years later would make her about that age.

Is it really her?

Can’t rule out someone faking the username.

“Might as well ask directly.”

I opened the messaging app on my phone.

One friend in the list.
I sent a message to Yusia’s number.

[Lily: You might’ve heard, but I got a three-million-won donation from ‘Frozen Princess.’ Was that you?]

One minute, two, three.
I sat politely on the floor, waiting.

Thinking she might be busy, I stood, and a reply came.

[Yusia: It was me.]

A straightforward admission.

A few seconds later, another message.

[Yusia: Can you talk now?]

A refund request?

I know she’s not that type, but I couldn’t guess her intent.

[Lily: Sure.]

As soon as I replied, the phone rang.

“Hello?”

Silence on the other end.

“Hello? Can’t hear you?”

I tried again.

A faint sniffling sound.

“…Sorry.”
“What?”
“I’m so sorryyyyy!”

Not the cool demeanor she usually shows.

“I’m sorry. I told Haeun and Sonya you’re the real Scarlet…!”
“Who’re they?”
“My friend and junior… Aurora Lora and Parfait Alpha.”
“Magical girls.”
“We had dinner together today—”

Yusia confessed.

Aurora Lora’s relentless probing forced her to spill everything.

She revealed I’m the first-gen Scarlet.

“That’s what you were stressing about?”
“…Yeah?”

No big deal.

“If they’re your friends, it’s fine. Just be careful from now on.”
“But you wanted to retire quietly…”
“If it gets loud, I’ll retire loudly. I haven’t found a way to untransform yet.”

I shifted my stance because my own situation’s uncertain.

I don’t want to be a pathetic senior begging for help.

“Got it. I’ll keep donating, even more, to repay you…!”
“No, don’t.”

Why’d it come to that?

I can’t let another incident like last time happen.

People saying I seduced a senior or visited her nightly for donations.

I want to stop absurd rumors from spreading further.