WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: smol_anon

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 13: Episode 3 - Contract (2)

Star Stream System.

This system was essentially a broadcast to the entire universe. The subscribers were the constellations seated at the top of distant galaxies. The actors were humans like me. And the storytellers connecting the two were the dokkaebi, like the one standing before me.

[Ha, hahahaha! You’re insane! A lunatic! I should’ve realized it when you turned down sponsorships from other constellations!]

Bihyeong laughed maniacally for a while before speaking again.

[I don’t know how you know about the Star Stream, but I can’t accept your offer. I’m a dokkaebi, not a constellation, so I can’t become your patron.]

“You’ve misunderstood me. I never said I wanted you to ‘sponsor’ me.”

[What?]

“I know you’re just a weak dokkaebi. I don’t need your power. I need your ‘channel’.”

[My channel?]

“Seems like your Korean patch hasn't been fully downloaded, huh?”

[Hey, now…]

“I’ll make it simple. I want to sign an exclusive contract with your channel.”

Bihyeong’s vacant expression changed as he finally understood.

[Wait. Are you saying you want to make a Stream Contract with me?]

“That’s right.”

A Stream Contract was usually formed between a dokkaebi and a constellation. The constellations would place their incarnations on a channel, and the dokkaebi would take a portion of the coins earned by those incarnations as commission. Naturally, there was no room for the incarnations themselves to interfere with this contract. In reality, the incarnations were little more than slaves to their patron entities.

[Hah, this is ridiculous.]

Bihyeong covered his eyes with his small fingers and laughed. The atmosphere began to shift.

[I don’t know where you heard that nonsense from, but how dare a mere human mention a Stream Contract? A worthless bug without even a patron?]

His tone changed, and the air around us filled with killing intent. Even a low-ranking dokkaebi was far stronger than a human. But if I were the type to back down because of that, I wouldn’t have brought this up in the first place.

“It’s because I don’t have a patron that this contract is valuable.”

[...What?]

“Why do you think constellations enter your channels?”

Bihyeong gaped like a confused student, unsure of how to answer the sudden question. Time for a special lecture for this low-ranking dokkaebi.

“No need to get so tense. It’s all information you already know. Let’s go over it again, just as a review.”

Bihyeong, now drawn into my pace, nodded without realizing it.

“There are two main types of constellations subscribing to the Star Stream channels. One group seeks entertainment, wanting to alleviate their boredom. The other is looking for incarnations to contract with. Isn’t that right?”

[Yeah. That’s right.]

“Therefore, to become a popular channel in the Star Stream, you need to satisfy one of these two groups. In other words, you either need to focus on providing entertainment or find promising incarnations to offer sponsorship to. You have to excel in at least one of these areas.”

[You're pretty knowledgeable. But so what? What does the constellations’ purpose have to do with this contract?]

“I can’t believe you still don’t get it after all these hints. No wonder your subscriber count still hasn’t hit triple digits.”

[...Shut up. Get to the point already.]

Bihyeong, who had previously crushed someone’s head, now looked oddly cute as he pointed his tiny horn at me.

Enough teasing. It was time to get serious.

“What if there was a channel that could satisfy both the entertainment seekers and those looking for incarnations?”

[What nonsense is that? It’s impossible. Even if it were, it’d only be temporary.]

Bihyeong’s response wasn’t wrong. The reason it was impossible to satisfy both types of constellations lay with the nature of the ones seeking incarnations.

Those who only wanted an incarnation would leave the channel as soon as the Patron Selection was over, no matter how fascinating the incarnation was.

As such, the incarnation-seeking constellations were, at best, temporary customers. But...

“That’s only true when the Patron Selection proceeds normally.”

[What?]

“What if there was an incarnation who never formed a contract with a constellation? And what if that incarnation displayed abilities surpassing all those with patron entities?”

A powerful incarnation could draw the attention of constellations by mere existence. If that incarnation continued to reject forming a contract with any patron, the constellations looking for an incarnation wouldn’t leave the channel—they’d keep subscribing.

[You... Are you saying that’s why you didn’t choose a patron?]

“That’s right.”

[Ha... This is absurd.]

Bihyeong laughed incredulously.

“The strongest incarnation without a patron... If something like that were possible, sure, it’d make for the most popular channel in the Star Stream. But such an incarnation doesn’t exist.”

“Do you really think that?”

[...I admit you’re not ordinary. You’ve caught quite a bit of attention from the constellations since the beginning, and thanks to that, I’ve had plenty of fun too. But there’s a limit to delusion. Haven’t you learned anything from what just happened? A normal human can never beat an incarnation with a patron. That’s a fundamental law of this world.”

“You can’t say that for sure.”

[You’ve already missed your chance. Look at you now. You’ve failed not even a main scenario, but a mere sub-scenario, and now your life’s on the line. Do you really think any constellation would be interested in you now―]

“Are you sure about that?”

[...?]

“I bet the constellations are losing their minds right about now. Don’t you hear them clamoring for you to reopen the channel?”

Bihyeong was silent.

“They must be dying of curiosity by now. Who the hell is this lunatic defying a regressor? Is he really a prophet? Can he truly see the future? If he can, why did he let himself get eaten by a Sea Dragon?”

[W-wait a minute! Who exactly are you...?]

“I’m about to show them. So shut up and do as I say. I’ll make you the king of the dokkaebis.”

Bihyeong’s eyes were changing. I could hear him swallowing hard. He was debating with himself. In the end, he had nothing to lose by trusting me here. His eyes darted back and forth.

[Let’s settle the scenario failure first. If you give me 5,100 coins, then...]

“What are you talking about? I didn’t fail.”

[...What?]

“I think the conditions should be met by now.”

I stretched and stood up. My body, stiff and frozen, creaked in protest. Bihyeong still looked dazed.

“Open the channel. It’s about to start.”

[Start? What’s starting―]

And then, a voice came from the air.

[A Hidden Scenario has arrived!]

+

<Hidden Scenario – Commander Slayer>

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: A+

Clear conditions: Kill the sea dragon, Sea Commander, and escape from its belly.

Time limit: 10 days

Rewards: 9,000 coins

Penalty for failure: Death

+

“I told you to be ready, didn’t I?”

There were three types of scenarios in TWSA.

The Main Scenario drives the main story forward.

The Sub-scenario handles minor events.

And the Hidden Scenario can only be unlocked under special conditions.

[What the hell... How do you know about something even I didn’t...?]

Bihyeong’s lips trembled in disbelief. Unlike the Main and Sub-scenarios managed by dokkaebis, Hidden Scenarios were triggered automatically when certain conditions were met.

“It makes sense you wouldn’t know. You’re just a low-ranking dokkaebi.”

[Who... What are you?]

“Anyway, if I clear this, I think I’ll have more than proven I’m capable of forming a contract. Don’t you agree?”

Bihyeong glared at the scenario screen with a gloomy look. After scrutinizing it and giving me a worried glance, he asked:

[This scenario is rated A+. Do you really believe you can clear it?]

“Of course.”

The water in the sea dragon’s stomach sloshed, creating small waves. Bihyeong spoke again just as the ripples settled.

[...Fine. If you clear this scenario, I’ll agree to the contract.]

“We’ll discuss the terms once I’ve cleared it.”

[How arrogant... Fine. I’ll reopen the channel, so do your best.]

“Wait a second.”

He couldn’t leave just yet. I had one more thing to take care of.

“There’s something else I need you to fix.”

[...What now?]

Bihyeong’s voice sounded annoyed.

“There’s a system error. My Attributes Window won’t open.”

[A system error?]

“The Attributes Window won’t display.”

[That’s impossible. The system is flawless. There’s no way it could malfunction.]

“Check it for yourself.”

Bihyeong gave me a suspicious look but soon began muttering something into the air.

[Dokkaebi Bihyeong has attempted to interfere with your system.]

System interference—a skill only dokkaebis with scenario authority could use.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure if my inability to open the Attributes Window was really due to a system error. But if anyone could find out, it was a dokkaebi. And if not, I’d still gain something valuable.

[The exclusive skill Fourth Wall has been activated!]

The next moment, sparks flew in the air as Bihyeong gasped in shock.

Footnotes:

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