Chapter 90 – I… Remembered!!

Тоdау was the dау thе sо-сalled Greаt Dеmon Genеral would аrrivе in Тоkуо Baу.

Most соrpоrаtе еmрloуeеs working for соmраnies in the Кantо region had thе dаy off.

It wasn’t a соmplete holidaу.

Тhey had an obligаtiоn.

To wаtch аdvеnturе strеams and suppоrt the streаmеrs fighting thе Great Dеmоn Gеneral.

Вut it was clоse enough to а dаy off, sо hе was grаteful for thе situation.

“I reаlly hаvе to tip my hat to thе pоwеr сomрany wоrkеrs аnd teleсom stаff still оn thе jоb tоdaу…”

Мr. R hаd prерared several beers and snacks and settled in front of his laptop.

The battle was unfolding in a situation that left no room for idle talk.

“Hmm… It’s tough being a streamer, isn’t it?”

He took a gulp of beer.

Delicious.

How delicious beer tasted when you were off work.

He felt a little bad for the streamer fighting desperately on screen, but Mr. R was enjoying this situation.

After all, he didn’t really have any particular oshi streamer.

“None…? Wait, was that right…? I’m pretty sure I was watching dungeon streams last year.”

The trigger had been an archive of a streamer named Charaway.

There, Charaway had been doing a collab with someone…

He couldn’t remember.

Nearly a year’s worth of memories of watching streams had completely vanished.

“…Well, whatever.”

Munching on dried squid, Mr. R groaned.

It had been like this for a while now.

Like there was a gaping hole in his heart.

He was sure it hadn’t been like this two months ago.

He felt more fulfilled back then.

Around the same time, a younger employee at his company also started looking listless.

A woman named Mashiro or something.

It was a shame to see a young person looking like that.

But making a clumsy attempt to cheer her up could be seen as sexual harassment.

All Mr. R could do was watch over her.

“Hang in there, streamers. Hmm. Somehow… I feel like I used to cheer more passionately before.”

The streamers on screen were fighting desperately.

The monsters emerging from the sea, like malicious sea creatures, were endless.

One by one, smaller-scale streamers began to fall.

Are they okay?

Are they really okay?

Worried, he could no longer taste his snacks.

On screen, the one person who wasn’t a streamer…

Daikyo Tsuguya, the Labyrinth Ministry Director-General, was fighting giant monsters.

One would be bad enough, but facing two seemed like a losing battle.

“Hang in there, Director-General! A politician fighting on the front lines for once!”

Unconsciously, his cheers grew heated.

But still, the situation seemed dire…!

That’s when it happened.

Kiraboshi Hazuki arrived.

Mr. R knew her well—one of the world’s top streamers.

From the moment she appeared, the atmosphere of the situation changed.

The energized streamers began pushing back the horde of monsters.

Mr. R sighed in relief.

Sinking deep into his chair, he chugged his beer.

His second can emptied.

Good.

Now he could enjoy his snacks.

But what was this? This gaping hole in his chest.

It was a very exciting scene, yet he couldn’t quite get into it.

Unable to put the reason into words, Mr. R groaned.

As usual, the nuts in his snack mix had no taste.

On screen, Kiraboshi Hazuki, having defeated a giant monster, was opening up for call-ins.

Doing a call-in in this situation was bold.

Mr. R chuckled a little.

That expression froze the moment he saw the streamer who called in.

“Um, I’m Black Pepper Spice, who just had my first stream the other day! I’m an old guy, but I’m doing babiniku, and I started streaming on a whim! It’s such an honor to be able to talk to Hazuki-chan!”

A nervous way of speaking, typical of a newcomer.

But somehow, he could tell.

There was calculation mixed in.

Her appearance was that of a small girl.

But inside was an old guy with work experience.

That streamer with cute twin-tailed black hair and an apron dress…

Something, something was about to come out.

After her pick-up ended, Mr. R searched for that streamer, Spice’s channel.

No, the moment he returned to the Awatube top page, it was right there at the top as a recommended video!

Mr. R immediately clicked it.

He subscribed to the channel in one fluid motion.

Right before his eyes, her channel’s subscriber count was skyrocketing.

She transformed into a different outfit, using magic.

Another costume change.

This orange dress… he felt like he knew it…

And then Black Pepper Spice returned to the initial apron dress.

Could a newcomer possibly have this many costumes?

Around her, the ASMR devices known as Flying Head Spirit Microphones flitted about.

“Alright then, here we go! To you sleepyheads whose memories have been blown away… Spice is gonna give you a super special wake-up voice! Sss—”

Spice drew in a breath.

The moment the Flying Head Spirit Microphone approached, she opened her mouth.

“Still getting mind-controlled by that lame witch’s memory manipulation? Seriously, big brothers and sisters, your magic resistance is soooo weak. C’mon, c’mon. Spice went to all the trouble of coming back, so remember. Remember Spice. Or maybe I gotta say it like this for you to remember?”

It was like being struck by lightning.

Memories that shouldn’t have existed flooded into Mr. R’s mind.

A babiniku streamer, an old guy but cute, outrageous, th-this brat…!!

“Please give me Hamichiki…”

“WOOOOOOOAH!!!”

He was shouting.

He stood up.

From his wireless earbuds, her whisper was still audible.

Memories, the lost memories were returning.

“I… remember…!! Little Spice! Black Pepper Spice!!”

Mr. R jumped onto his chair and typed into the comment section with furious speed.

“Welcome back, Little Spice!! As one of the Meat Brigade, Rump welcomes the return of our bratty girl old man!!”

The comments overflowed.

Their speed accelerated.

It was impossible to read them properly now.

The increase in subscribers accelerated too.

It wouldn’t stop.

On screen, Spice raised her hand toward the swarming monsters.

“Right now! Receiving the power of the Meat Brigade! Spice’s~ revival~! Mind Shock!!”

A gray ripple erupted.

It passed right through the streamers, accurately targeting only the monsters.

The monsters, in the midst of their actions, convulsed violently from the sudden shock, their legs gave out, they fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth and thrashing about.

There, the other streamers moved in for the finishing blows.

“Yay! Black Pepper Spice, fully revived! Everyone, I’m back!!”

“Welcome back!!”

Mr. R… no, Mr. Rump was shouting along with the Meat Brigade flooding the comment section.