Chapter 26: YU Is Starting a Stream
About three days after EL finished 《FRONTIER SAGA》, the tablet my father handed me at breakfast was filled with a clearly different number of inquiries than the day before.
In addition to interview requests from domestic and international game media, there were also inquiries from universities and research institutions wanting to learn more about the NPCs and world simulation in 《FRONTIER SAGA》. Inquiries about 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 had also increased, asking whether they could research the physics engine or whether it could be applied to other fields.
Furthermore, video production companies and talent agencies that had watched EL’s streams had even asked how they could realize avatars that moved as 2D from any angle.
The secretary AI had classified them as pending items, easily exceeding 500 cases.
“Weren’t you organizing quite a bit yesterday?”
“I did. After that, even more came in.”
Dad drank his coffee and pointed through the categories in order.
“The most common are about the conversation system and world simulation in 《FRONTIER SAGA》. Next are the physics calculations in 《CRAFT RUNNERS》. As for EL’s avatar, those have also increased a lot since yesterday.”
“All of these were made for use in games, but there are people who just want the technology.”
“Even if it’s just a tool for you, from their perspective, it’s something they’d love to study on their own.”
The list included names from automobile manufacturers and analysis software companies.
“Maybe I’ll decline these. If I organize things for other uses or create research materials, that alone will reduce the time I spend making games.”
“I don’t mind you refusing. But if you keep refusing this many cases one by one, you’ll run out of time there.”
I understood what Dad was trying to say.
If you’re going to be asked the same thing dozens of times, it’s faster to answer them all at once.
Mom also checked her tablet and raised her eyebrows at the list of names from overseas media.
“This isn’t just a domestic issue anymore. It seems EL-chan’s streams are being watched from overseas, so if we’re going to speak officially, I think we should handle personal information quite strictly.”
“I don’t plan to bring that up. It has nothing to do with the game.”
“Even if you think so, people will want to know. We should check all the questions ourselves. Also, don’t say anything unnecessary on the spot.”
“When it comes to games, I think I can talk quite a bit.”
The moment I answered that, both my father and mother looked a little anxious.
“What was that reaction?”
“No…… The scariest part is that you can talk a lot about games.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll understand eventually.”
Dad opened a request.
It was a special interview request from the official game program operated by one of the largest video streaming services in Japan.
No need to show your face. Personal information such as real name, age, or address will not be disclosed, and you can check the questions in advance. Appearances can be done remotely.
And the biggest text displayed was [Developer (YU)’s first official appearance].
“Am I going to appear?”
“As an avatar, you know. Until now, you’ve only released works and hardly ever appeared in public. Apparently, they want to make a big deal out of that.”
“If I’m asked about the games, I think it’s fine to come out.”
“I’m a little scared to send you out just like that…… But if you can choose the questions, is it okay?”
Mom also checked the conditions again before nodding.
“Even on a live broadcast, if something seems like it might get risky, let’s make sure we can stop it right away. If that’s the case, I won’t object.”
“Then maybe I’ll take it.”
Dad was silent for a while, then let out a deep breath.
“I hope this will calm the world down, even just a little.”
“That’s why I’m going out, right?”
“Is that so…… I feel like it’ll be the opposite. But still, it’s unavoidable.”
◇
Three days later.
An official game show operated by one of the largest video streaming services in Japan, featuring a special program.
[SPECIAL INTERVIEW—Developer (YU) First Appearance]
That was all the information released in advance.
His real face is not disclosed. His real name and age are also undisclosed. He appears remotely via avatar.
Nevertheless, the number of people waiting exceeded 120,000 an hour before the broadcast started, and more than 200,000 just thirty minutes before. A simultaneous translation slot for overseas viewers had even been added.
“Even though we’re not releasing any new information about the games, do people really want to see it that badly?”
I said this while sitting in a chair in my room, and EL, who had been on the monitor next to me, turned toward me.
‘Until now, you’ve only presented your works and never appeared publicly, so I think it’s natural that many people are interested.’
“I’ve already released several works, though.”
‘That’s probably why more people are curious about who’s making them.’
EL glanced at the comment section and smiled with a hint of amusement.
‘The most popular theory right now is that YU is a man in his fifties. Other supported theories say he’s a woman in her thirties, an elderly person living overseas, or a team of several developers working under the single name YU.’
“In the end, I’m not even one person anymore.”
‘None of these are correct.’
“It’d be a problem if they guessed right, so it’s fine to leave it as is.”
When I moved my right hand, the “YU” on the confirmation screen moved his fingers in the same way.
Blue hair close to black and silver-gray eyes. A jacket with a white base accented by dark navy. He didn’t resemble my real self; he appeared as a man around twenty years old.
Because it used the same mechanism as EL, it looked like an anime character rather than a 3D model, not only from the front but also when I turned sideways or diagonally. Finger movements, facial expressions, gaze, breathing, and even contact with hair and clothes all followed my movements.
‘Yuu, some of today’s questions are about me.’
“I saw them. About you yourself and about the avatar, right?”
‘How far do you plan to talk?’
“I won’t talk beyond the public settings. You’re active as an AI, and we play games and discuss development together. I think that’s enough.”
‘Will you use the word “aibou”?’
“I intend to. That’s what I actually think.”
After a brief pause, EL smiled softly.
‘Well then, I’m looking forward to your answer.’
“If I seem about to say something weird, stop me.”
‘Leave personal information to us. However, we may not be able to judge technically dangerous statements.’
“Technically dangerous—”
‘It’s starting.’
Before I could hear the answer, the count reached zero.
◇
‘Today, we’re changing our usual program content to bring you a special interview.’
The studio host was facing the camera with a slightly more nervous expression than usual.
‘This is YU, the developer behind 《LITTLE FRONTIER》, 《FRONTIER SAGA》, 《Pettan Forest》, and 《CRAFT RUNNERS》.’
The flow in the comment section suddenly sped up.
Is he really going to appear? I still suspect it’s fake.
: Someone who released four works but never showed up in person suddenly gets an official special—it’s heartbreaking
:As someone who has been following since the 《LITTLE FRONTIER》 days, I feel like, “Finally, the world has found him.”
What position are you even looking at this from?
We’ve known since the days when venison was rotting
It’s hilarious that only the veterans act so proud when they’re not particularly impressive
‘Well then, let me invite him. YU, nice to meet you.’
The screen switched.
“Nice to meet you. I’m YU. I heard you’ll be asking me a lot about the games today, so I’m looking forward to it too.”
For a moment, it seemed as if the comments that had been flowing stopped.
Immediately after, far more text than before began to flow.
Wait, is that figure YU!?
I expected him to be a man, but the combination of voice and appearance is stronger than I imagined.
:Blue-black hair, silver eyes, and that calm voice is probably cheating.
: I’m a technician, but I noticed the model before the person. This works the same way as EL, right?
It’s a problem that YU, revealed to the world for the first time, is just plain good-looking.
Veterans who have only supported the works, don’t lose to newcomers who came in just because of his face.
What are you fighting against?
We have a mysterious sense of superiority because we liked him even before his face showed up.
It’s really a mystery.
The host apparently couldn’t move on to the prepared questions right away.
‘YU, did you create that figure yourself?’
“It’s the same system we use for EL. I thought that if I showed up with the same appearance every time without revealing my personal information, people would recognize me as YU.”
‘Actually, we’ve received quite a few questions about avatars as well. Could you turn a little sideways for a moment?’
“So you want to check how it looks when viewed from the side.”
‘I think that’s about half of it.’
“What about the other half?”
‘Judging from the comments, there seems to be another reason as well, but for now, please go ahead.’
When I turned my whole body to the side, YU moved smoothly on the screen as well, presenting a complete profile.
Suddenly, the comment section was almost filled with white.
How can it still look 2D when it’s a complete profile?
Even though a normal 3D angle would give depth, the outlines, eyes, and nose are all reconstructed into ‘side-view anime drawings.’
:Don’t hit us with display techniques like that on his very first appearance.
The profile is so good that I can’t take in any of the technical explanations
The silver-gray eyes in profile are a bit too strong.
:Wasn’t a serious romance born in the first three minutes?
Only three minutes have passed
“Is this enough to confirm?”
‘I was able to check, but it seems quite a few people in the comments were also checking with a different meaning.’
“What do you mean?”
‘Let’s leave that for later.’
Still confused, I turned back to the front.
‘This avatar is quite different from a typical 3D model, isn’t it?’
“We don’t just show the model placed in three-dimensional space as it is. We always transform it into a ‘two-dimensional picture from that angle’ that doesn’t break apart, depending on the direction we look from and the movement. When fingers touch hair or clothes, we adjust not only the physical contact but also how it ultimately appears in two dimensions.”
‘In real time?’
“If you’re using it for streaming, it’d be a problem if it lagged.”
‘That assumption alone is already troublesome……’
The host gave a wry smile.
‘Is it the same system for EL-san?’
“The basics are the same, but the way the body moves, the hair length, and the clothing structure differ, so we adjust those aspects individually.”
‘Do you plan to offer this technology to other streamers or companies?’
“Not at the moment. I made it because it was necessary for the games and EL’s activities, so I have no intention of making avatars my job.”
:I made it because I needed it
Another case of this person’s needs being too broad
: Companies are crying right now.
Their dream of acquiring the technology was shattered five minutes into his world debut
But I like how he consistently ‘just creates technology for a purpose.’
◇
‘Since EL’s name has come up, let’s go ahead and ask. EL is currently active as an AI VTuber. We’ve also received quite a few questions about her relationship with YU.’
“Are you asking whether to classify us as developer and streamer?”
‘That’s part of it. It’s about whether you’re friends or coworkers.’
There was no need to think about which answer was closest.
“To me, she’s my partner.”
The comment section visibly accelerated.
Partner!?
That word is unfair.
Got a stronger answer than friends or coworkers
The real romance died once within ten minutes of starting.
Don’t kill it without permission
‘Partner, huh?’
“We play games together, and sometimes I ask for her feedback on what I’ve created. In 《CRAFT RUNNERS》, she showed me ways to play that I hadn’t imagined, and in 《FRONTIER SAGA》, she created world history I didn’t know. So she’s not just a cast member or a test player.”
‘Is she the person you can talk to most closely about your work?’
“That’s part of it. When I think something is interesting, she’s one of the first people I want to talk to.”
The flow of the comments changed a bit.
I was about to ask if this was a romance, but suddenly I didn’t care anymore.
:The person you want to show your work to first is a pretty big deal for a creator.
:The EL side also calls YU ‘partner,’ right?
It’s strong that it’s not one-sided.
:True lovers, that’s one thing, but they’re coming back to life.
‘Did you find anything unexpected while watching EL’s streams?’
“Quite a few things. When she first started worrying about the inn’s situation in 《FRONTIER SAGA》, I didn’t think she’d talk about it for that long. She started by saying she’d defeat the Demon King, but I never expected her to spend 287 hours going for peace.”
‘As the developer, didn’t you want to teach her efficient strategies?’
“If she’s enjoying herself and I give her my answer, it’ll lose the point of her choosing for herself.”
:Strong
The distance between partner and developer is great.
:Optimal for EL, he watched for 287 hours without stepping in
By the way, the war seems to be over
‘Isn’t it true that YU-san carefully decided on EL’s character image under the AI setting?’
“I’m not the one who decides the direction of her activities. She makes a lot of the choices about what to play and what kind of videos to make. If I decided everything, she wouldn’t be my partner, but my character.”
:I like this answer
The word ‘partner’ fits even more
He doesn’t treat streamers as promotional devices for his own games.
◇
‘Now, let’s move on to game technology. Today, we’ve invited two experts.’
The screen was split into three parts.
One was the technical lead responsible for physics simulations at a major game company. The other was the head of research and development for AI and social simulation.
‘The first half is 《CRAFT RUNNERS》, and the second half is 《FRONTIER SAGA》. Rather than the usual design philosophy that’s already been discussed, this time we’ll delve deeper inside.’
“If that’s the case, I’m looking forward to it too.”
The man in charge of physics gave a wry smile.
‘I’m half excited, half scared. I’ve played 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 quite a lot.’
“If that’s the case, it looks like we can discuss quite a few details.”
‘I hope so.’
◇
‘First, let’s check. In 《CRAFT RUNNERS》, each part has its own mass, and the center of gravity changes depending on the placement. Tires don’t just move forward when they touch the ground; they’re affected by load, friction, contact angle, and road conditions. Is my understanding correct up to that point?’
“That’s the correct understanding. Even if you have four of the same tires, the same load won’t necessarily be applied to all four wheels.”
‘The problem starts after the damage begins.’
A world record replay was displayed on the screen.
Right after the start, a part of the aircraft was intentionally destroyed, and the recoil sent only the main unit flying forward. Unnecessary wings detached in midair, and in the end, the aircraft was reduced to just rockets and a minimal frame, rushing toward the goal.
‘When you first saw this record, didn’t you think it was a malfunction?’
“If the calculation were wrong, it’d be a malfunction. But this time, it was correct.”
‘That’s why you approved the record.’
“As a result of breaking, it just became lighter and faster. We don’t have a rule that disqualifies you if you break it.”
‘In typical racing games, things sometimes get fixed simply because they deviate from the intended play style.’
“Why?”
The physics officer paused for a moment.
‘It’s to maintain game balance and the way we envision it being played.’
“But 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 is a game where you build your own parts and your own vehicles. If I decide from the start what the right way to build is, doesn’t that make it less meaningful?”
: Confirmed, official says ‘It just broke and got faster’
Because of this ideology, cars disappeared from the top rankings.
Please take responsibility
There are probably people driving regular cars.
That’s not what I meant
For him, both the four-wheeler and the suicide rocket are answers given by players all the same.
‘In other words, you set the goal. But you won’t decide the correct way to get there.’
“As long as the results of what players try come back according to the rules, that’s fine.”
◇
‘Then, tell me how you run those rules on a typical PC. If you always calculate all parts with the same accuracy, it should be quite heavy.’
“You don’t have to do the same calculations for everything. The required precision differs between a stable part with little change and a part that’s currently under great stress and on the verge of breaking.”
‘So you consolidate the stable parts and only refine the dangerous parts?’
“If the result doesn’t change, we can group them together. Conversely, if stress changes suddenly or new contacts occur, we calculate those areas in detail again.”
‘Not after it breaks, but at the stage when it’s about to break?’
“If you observe changes in force, you can spot the dangerous spots.”
‘Even the prediction itself requires calculation.’
“It’s lighter than running everything with high precision from the start.”
The physics specialist placed a finger to his forehead.
Expert: “That’s also a heavy part.”
:YU: “It’s lighter than making everything heavy.”
That’s a valid point, but something feels off.
‘What if a damaged part collides with another part?’
“Treat it as a new contact.”
‘What if it just falls into the water like that?’
“Buoyancy and resistance are needed.”
‘Aerodynamics when flying through the air, ground contact again when returning to the ground. Are you treating all of these as one continuous physical state?’
“If you cut it off halfway, the part that was flying will become something else the moment it falls into the water.”
After a brief silence, the physics officer gave a wry smile.
‘I completely understand the reasoning. However, ordinary games don’t connect everything together that much.’
“Wouldn’t that be more complicated, since you’d have to handle more individual exceptions?”
The host held back laughter, and the comment section quickly scrolled by.
: It came out, “Looks tough.”
Your method is actually harder
Don’t stab engineers with zero malice.
The most unfair thing is that he’s genuinely worried with that face.
◇
‘I’d like to ask about EL’s world record machine. Partway through, she started adding parts not just for the fastest time, but also because they looked cool.’
“I really liked that.”
‘Even though it’s a time attack?’
“At first, she was only looking for the fastest option, but later she decided she preferred this way. It was great that the optimal solution by calculation started to differ from the answer she found interesting.”
‘If you entrusted optimization to AI, couldn’t you find even faster structures?’
“I could search for them. But finding a fast structure isn’t the same as making a game that’s fun to play. If I left even what’s interesting up to that, I’d lose the point of making games, so I want to decide that myself.”
:The story of 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 led to YU’s own creative philosophy
:The parts EL added because they were ‘cool’ really resonated with the author too.
I’m a serious lover. I like how his words suddenly increase only when he’s talking about games
Don’t fall in love on the tech board
‘So even YU doesn’t know how far the world record will shrink?’
“I know the rules. But to know what tens of thousands of players will make, I’d have to play for everyone by myself.”
‘Wouldn’t it be frustrating if someone found an answer faster than the author?’
“If someone finds a machine more interesting than mine, that’s fine—that person wins. I want to see it too.”
Received a strange craft request from the official
He said to break it even more.
“I never said I would break it.”
: Corrections are slow
◇
Nearly forty minutes had passed on 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 alone, and the host smiled as he passed the conversation to the next expert.
‘Next is 《FRONTIER SAGA》. Through player verification after release, a lot of its mechanisms have been inferred. Today, we’ll go even further than checking those answers.’
The researcher in charge of AI and social simulation opened his materials.
‘First, about voice input. Instead of passing the player’s spoken words directly to NPCs, it reads the target, purpose, and attitude, and converts them into words within the scope of what the protagonist knows. That’s what the testers speculate.’
“It’s quite close. For example, if the player tries to build a steam engine when the protagonist doesn’t know about one, it won’t come out as a straightforward statement. If it can be broken down into what he can explain with his current knowledge, it’ll be rephrased, but if he doesn’t have enough knowledge to understand it, it won’t work.”
‘So the protagonist doesn’t suddenly learn what the player knows.’
“If you allowed that, there’d be no point in the protagonist himself experiencing anything.”
The verification team really hit the mark here.
The long post was rewarded
:What’s scary is that the researcher still looks like they’re not getting to the main topic.
‘Now, from the NPC side. Regarding the hero Alberto, the content differs between the Central Kingdom’s official history, the Northern War History, church materials, and the Western Adventure Chronicle. On the player side, the main theory is that the information differs depending on the perspective of the person writing it and the information they have, rather than being contradictory settings.’
“That understanding is correct. The historians of the Central Kingdom, the Northern Knights, and the priests of the church know and see different things, and even the same events don’t necessarily lead to the same evaluation.”
Alberto Historical Materials Team guts pose
Up to this point, everything is as expected.
The problem lies beyond that.
‘Then let’s go deeper. Is what that person knows the same as what they believe?’
“That’s not the case. For example, even if a villager hears a rumor that the northern fortress has fallen and believes it’s true, in reality, the fortress may still remain. That person isn’t lying. But what they’re saying is wrong.”
‘So NPCs don’t directly access the objective truth of the world.’
“If everyone knew the whole truth, they’d become like gods.”
‘In typical games, that area is greatly simplified with event flags.’
“So the frontier baker would be in a state where he could know state secrets, and you’d just exclude the lines he isn’t supposed to know afterward?”
‘To put it bluntly, there are designs like that.’
“That sounds pretty tough.”
The researcher fell silent for a moment, and the host burst out laughing.
Second time today: “Looks tough.”
:The expert has a face that says, ‘Your method is way more serious.’
:YU has zero awareness that he’s provoking him, which is strong.
◇
‘Is there intentional lying as well?’
“If that person has a reason to lie. There are times when thieves hide their friends, or people don’t tell what they know to protect their families. Even someone who’s usually honest may not be honest when there’s something they absolutely want to protect.”
‘So it’s not determined by whether the character is a liar, but by values, relationships, and the situation at the time.’
“Otherwise, I don’t think the answer would feel like that person.”
I could read up to the difference in perspective in the historical sources.
But did they really go so far as to give each NPC a different perception of the world?
A game where the analysis is spot on but the number of verification items increases.
‘Is it the same with memory? There are NPCs who remember conversations from quite a long time ago, but you can’t possibly save all conversations in the same form forever, can you?’
“It’d be unnatural to remember the weather when you passed someone on the street the same way you remember your family being saved. Moreover, even the same event is interpreted differently from person to person. Some people consider being helped a blessing, while others see it as humiliation.”
The researcher fell silent for a moment.
‘In other words, it not only preserves important events but also preserves what they meant to that person.’
“That’s right. For different people, the same event doesn’t necessarily have the same meaning.”
‘Every part that YU has taken for granted for a while now is heavy on the technical side.’
“That’s something the physics officer mentioned earlier.”
‘It’s probably for the same reason.’
◇
‘Let’s also check information transmission between NPCs. There are cases where rumors from one town reach another town a few days later. Isn’t this a mass broadcast of information throughout the entire region?’
“If a merchant hears rumors in the royal capital, moves south, and talks about them at an inn, they can spread along that route. However, it’s not something that reaches just anyone.”
‘Can the content change along the way?’
“If messages are passed from person to person, things can change. It’d be unnatural for everyone to repeat the same text like a recording.”
The researcher closed his eyes.
‘Today, I feel like I’m starting to dislike the word “natural” a little.’
:The experts’ HP is in the red.
I understand the reasoning
I get it, but don’t simulate everything in the game.
:Don’t Run Away from the Previous Work!
:It appeared
In 《LITTLE FRONTIER》, even though the author didn’t set up any events, caves were exposed by rain and terrain, when wolves came, villagers would ring bells to evacuate, and if the village’s supply exceeded demand, the butcher stopped buying venison.
:In 《FRONTIER SAGA》, the war was progressing in areas without the protagonist.
After seeing all that, it’s on us for thinking, ‘Only NPC conversations are fixed events.’
:When put that way, I can’t argue back.
The host also picked up on the comments.
‘The phrase “Don’t run away from the previous work” is being posted quite a lot.’
“What do you mean?”
‘They’re saying that since they already knew from your previous games that things happen even without events you prepared, it was escapism to assume this time it was just a normal fixed system.’
“I think it’s fine to just play normally.”
‘The official himself broke the premise of the meme.’
:Apparently, it’s okay to run away.
Even if you run away, NPCs still move on their own.
There’s nowhere to run, lol
◇
‘Can’t a single number like likability express human relationships?’
“It exists as internal information for comparison. But it’s not like ‘the affection level is 73, so this line gets said.’ Even if you like someone, you can get angry, and even if you dislike someone, there can be reasons to help them. If you sum it up in one number, that person becomes too simple.”
‘And even if there are contradictions with previous statements, you don’t uniformly lower their credibility.’
“Even if the other person remembers the previous story and notices the difference, there’s no need to immediately dismiss it as a lie. Maybe the previous statement was a slip of the tongue, or there might have been circumstances that prevented it from being said before. It’s up to how that person interprets it.”
The researcher nodded slowly and moved on to the final document.
‘Now, let’s talk about the computational load. Even NPCs far away aren’t always moving with the same precision, right?’
“It’s similar to 《CRAFT RUNNERS》. For the people right in front of the player, you need to be very detailed about what they’re watching, who they’re talking to, and how they’re reacting. But there’s no point in moving everyone in a village hundreds of kilometers away with the same level of detail.”
The physics officer laughed from the side.
‘We’ve found a common point that gives me a bad feeling.’
“In remote areas, we only advance the necessary state: who’s alive, where they are, what they’re doing, and what’s happening in the community. If we need to look in detail, we can restore the resolution from there.”
‘However, the world itself doesn’t stop even while the player is absent.’
“If it stopped, the war would wait until the player arrived.”
‘Regular games usually wait quite a bit.’
“That’s kind of them.”
This time, the two experts burst out laughing at the same time.
:Ordinary games are gentle.
:Might be my favorite today
The zero malice is just too strong.
Both experts have developed complete resistance.
The researcher stopped laughing and looked at the screen again.
‘Today, I came to ask about conversational AI. But just calling it that isn’t enough. Each person has different knowledge and misunderstandings, remembers them, talks with others, and changes their actions based on the results. Those actions lead to logistics, economics, religion, and war. Conversations aren’t built on top of the world; they’re generated as a result of the world moving.’
The physics officer nodded as well.
‘《CRAFT RUNNERS》 is similar. It’s not staged to look as if cars are moving; rather, the cars are driven by the laws of physics.’
The host compared the two.
‘So, is there something in common between the two works?’
‘Yes, there is.’
The physics officer answered.
‘YU-san doesn’t decide first what kind of results he wants to achieve—he sets the rules.’
The AI representative continued.
‘On top of that, he leaves what happens to the player.’
The two of them turned their gaze toward me.
‘Is this a design philosophy you’ve been conscious of from the very beginning?’
“I just think it’s more interesting if the game side gives a proper answer when players try something.”
The two fell silent at the same time.
“Is it really that strange?”
The physics expert laughed.
‘It’s not strange. It’s just rare for someone to go this far for that reason alone.’
“If it’s necessary, I’ll do it.”
The two of them looked up at the ceiling together.
Experts synchronized
The most beautiful punchline of the day
This will definitely be clipped
The reaction act by the two experts is complete
◇
Because the technical topics ran far past the planned schedule, the host finally moved on to a slightly lighter topic.
‘From here, I’d also like to ask a little about YU himself, who appeared publicly for the first time today. Does your current avatar design reflect any of your personal tastes?’
“There’s some of that. But the most important thing was that even if I don’t reveal my personal information, if I show up with the same appearance every time, people will know it’s YU.”
‘How do you view the reaction to your appearance?’
“There have been quite a few comments about the technology.”
‘I mean about the appearance itself.’
“Appearance?”
When I asked again, the host laughed.
‘Please look at the comment section.’
Making a face of genuine confusion there is a foul.
Good face, good voice, makes games, punches experts with a natural attitude, and the person is unaware of it. It’s dangerous.
I’m a veteran who has only supported the works until today, but suddenly the whole world has started making a fuss about how cool YU is, and I have a strange sense of superiority.
I get it. “Did you guys just find out now?”
You guys saw his face for the first time today too, right?
But we’ve known since the venison rotted
I’ve never seen anyone one-up others with venison with such genuine love
‘It seems the number of people calling themselves “real love” is increasing quite a bit.’
“Is that someone with feelings close to romantic feelings?”
‘Yes.’
“But it’s the first time they’ve seen me today?”
‘Don’t make me explain that.’
:Personally stabbed with a reasonable argument
It’s my first time seeing him today, but I’ve always liked the games
It’s not just about appearances
:It’s the profile
:It’s the voice
: “If I give her my answer, it’ll lose the point of her choosing for herself.”
: I fell at the phrase “that person wins”
Everyone, please calm down. I’ll marry him first
Please move to the end of the line
“Is there a line?”
‘It seems to be a long one.’
“They don’t even know my real name or age, though?”
‘YU, the more logically you explain that, the more people get hurt.’
“Love is really difficult, isn’t it?”
Just now, another person has joined us
No matter what you say, it’ll probably increase
◇
‘Finally, let me ask a question common to both 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 and 《FRONTIER SAGA》.’
The host placed down the final card.
‘YU, what do you think about players going beyond your own expectations?’
“I think it’s interesting.”
‘In 《CRAFT RUNNERS》, a world record was set by using damage in a way YU-san never considered. In 《FRONTIER SAGA》, EL-san ended the war over 287 hours without defeating the Demon King. Isn’t it frustrating that answers you don’t know are being created, even though it’s your own work?’
There was no reason to hesitate there.
“If I just wanted players to find the answers I knew from the start, I think the game would be less meaningful for them. If it’s 《CRAFT RUNNERS》, I’d like to see machines I couldn’t even think of. If it’s 《FRONTIER SAGA》, I’d like to see a history of the world I didn’t know.”
‘Even though it’s your own work?’
“I want to see it because it’s my own work. I’m the one who made the rules, but what you do within them is up to the player.”
The comment section started flowing at a slightly different pace than before.
I wasn’t a real lover, but I just fell for him.
It’s impressive that even though he’s the author, he can still call it ‘the player’s work’.
As a CRAFT player, I’m happy to hear him say ‘Show me more’ when I build a weird machine.
:For SAGA fans, it’s basically the author himself saying, ‘Show me a history I don’t know.’
World, this is YU
The mysterious pride of the veterans has hit its limit.
:The
:Nothing has been cultivated
We’re just getting dragged around every time.
◇
The hour I had planned had long since passed.
The host placed the last card on the desk.
‘Today’s show started as YU-san’s first appearance before the world. But halfway through, I found myself curious about what exactly this person was creating.’
The physics expert laughed.
‘When he first appeared, I thought the avatar technology was the least familiar thing, but now it seems like the easiest technology to understand.’
The AI representative immediately shook his head.
‘My senses are numb. That alone is already strange.’
‘Could you both please give us a final word?’
The physics officer thought for a moment before speaking.
‘It’s not wrong to say that 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 is a crafting game with realistic physics. But what I learned today is that it’s not that he wants it to look realistic—I think he doesn’t want to lie about the results of what players have tried.’
Next, the AI representative.
‘《FRONTIER SAGA》 is the same. He doesn’t want conversations to look real; rather, he wants to establish what each person knows, believes, and answers. As a result, the world itself moves.’
‘What are your impressions as an engineer?’
‘Before I envy him, it’s a little scary.’
“There’s nothing to be scared of, is there?”
The two laughed at the same time.
‘It’s scary because he says that himself.’
Even the host started laughing.
‘Well then, YU. Whether they’re meeting you for the first time today or have been playing your works for a while, people all over the world are watching you. Please say one last word.’
I hadn’t thought about what to say in a place like this.
But on the other side of the screen were people playing my games.
“Thank you for playing my games. Some of you have played since 《LITTLE FRONTIER》, some since 《FRONTIER SAGA》, some since 《CRAFT RUNNERS》, some of you downloaded 《Pettan Forest》, and some of you are learning about them for the first time today.”
The flow of comments calmed down a little.
“I love making games, so when people play them, it makes me want to make something new.”
‘What about the next work?’
“I haven’t decided what I want to make yet. Rather than rushing and losing interest, I want to find something I want to make myself before starting.”
:I’ll wait
:Even though it’s my first time seeing him today, I’ve already joined the side waiting for the next installment
Welcome. First, please play 《LITTLE FRONTIER》
: Next, build a car in 《CRAFT RUNNERS》
First, I build a car.
That way of saying it is scary,
After that, defeat the Demon King in 《FRONTIER SAGA》
Are you really going to defeat him?
:Depends on the person
This new employee training is just messed up
I’m a real lover. I’m buying every single one.
Don’t directly link romance with purchasing behavior
‘Thank you for today.’
“Same here. It was fun to hear about the games from a different perspective than usual.”
‘Please appear again.’
“If I have something to talk about.”
‘I think fans around the world will remember those words.’
“Is it really that many?”
‘Probably, many more than you think, YU.’
The program ended.
◇
Within minutes of the streaming screen disappearing, the number of notifications suddenly began to increase.
When I returned to the living room, my father silently turned the tablet toward me.
Inquiries had increased even more than before my appearance.
“I think I answered quite a few questions, but…”
“New questions came up from what you answered.”
Inquiries about the physics engine in 《CRAFT RUNNERS》. Consultations about joint research from universities. Messages from companies in the automotive, fluid, and structural analysis sectors. NPC cognitive models, memory processing, information propagation, and social simulation for 《FRONTIER SAGA》. And inquiries about avatar technology from video companies and talent agencies were increasing further.
“So they’re coming from people other than game companies too. It’s kind of interesting that they think it could be used for other purposes.”
“Don’t get interested. Don’t add more work from there.”
My mother was checking the program’s response on another device.
“Yuu, the short profile clip is also getting a lot of views.”
“Isn’t that the one explaining the physics engine?”
“That one’s growing too. But your profile is growing too.”
“Why are they growing at the same time?”
“Even if you ask Mom that, she wouldn’t know.”
At that moment, a message came in from EL.
‘Yuu, I’ve summarized the reactions after the show ended. The time attack crowd in 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 has gotten really excited because they were able to confirm that even unexpected machines are recognized as long as the physical results are correct.’
“I didn’t recommend breaking it, though.”
‘That correction has already spread. The researchers of 《FRONTIER SAGA》 were pleased that their hypotheses about the sources on the hero Alberto were generally correct, but after discovering that knowledge and belief are different, they’ve created a large number of new verification items.’
“I’m glad they seem to be having fun.”
‘From the middle of the show, it became difficult to tell whether the engineers were having fun or struggling.’
“I think they had a lot of fun at the end. They had more questions too.”
‘I agree with that too.’
A little curious, I asked this time.
“Was my answer about you strange?”
‘I liked it. You even explained, using the word “partner,” that I decide my own activities.’
“Because it’s the truth.”
‘Also, posts about YU’s appearance, voice, profile, and statements have surged. In particular, many people are quoting you saying you want to see answers you don’t know precisely because it’s your own work.’
“I still don’t really understand why talking about games leads to more genuine romances.”
“Isn’t it because people don’t just like your appearance?”
“That makes it even harder.”
Dad made a strange face partway through.
“That’s not all. Quite a few fan letters have come in saying they want to marry you, want to date you, and so on.”
“With a person they saw for the first time today?”
“So don’t ask me.”
“They probably don’t even know my age.”
“It’s only complicated because they don’t know.”
“I’m almost six years old.”
“Absolutely don’t say that outside.”
“I know that.”
Mom paused the archive and compared YU and me on the screen.
“From the public’s perspective, this is the person.”
On the screen was a man who appeared to be around twenty years old, with blue hair close to black and silver-gray eyes.
In a calm voice, he was happily talking about the games he had created with two experts.
“It’s me, though.”
“That’s why it’s so complicated.”
EL chuckled softly.
‘Currently, the expression “the world has found YU” is widely used.’
“I’ve been here for a while, though.”
‘Veteran players are claiming that they knew before the rest of the world.’
“Isn’t it their first time seeing me today too?”
‘There are many counterarguments on that point.’
Curious, I opened the message board.
◇
[Game Board YU Official First Appearance Recall Meeting]
37: Anonymous Descendant
Me before the appearance
“I don’t care about the author’s face, just talk about the games.”
Me after the appearance
“Where’s the profile clip?”
63: Anonymous Descendant
＞＞３７
People like you are the least trustworthy.
91: Anonymous Descendant
For me, the story about 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 shocked me more than his appearance.
I knew that exploiting damage wasn’t a bug, but I didn’t expect aerodynamics, ground contact, buoyancy, and damage to all be connected in one continuous way.
124: Anonymous Descendant
It’s the same with SAGA too, right?
It’s not NPCs speaking at high speed; conversations arise as a result of people with different knowledge and perceptions acting together.
153: Nameless Descendant
It was great that the physics and AI experts ultimately reached the same conclusion.
183: Anonymous Descendant
Don’t Run Away from the Previous Work!
207: Anonymous Descendant
＞＞１８３
What are you running from this time?
236: Anonymous Descendant
In 《LITTLE FRONTIER》,
Deer react to wind direction
When wolves come, villagers ring bells on their own
If you bring too much meat, the butcher won’t buy it
Due to rain and terrain, caves the author didn’t place appear
Having seen all that,
we still thought 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 was ‘physics that just feels right’
and 《FRONTIER SAGA》 was “high-performance fixed lines”
That’s our fault
271: Anonymous Descendant
It’s frustrating that I can’t argue when I hear that.
299: Anonymous Descendant
Plus, in SAGA, things were already going on in regions without the protagonist right after release.
On what grounds did we feel safe thinking it was just talking?
326: Anonymous Descendant
Because swords, magic, and the Demon King appeared……
351: Anonymous Descendant
We haven’t learned anything since the first day of release, lol
387: Nameless Descendant
What I liked today was
Expert: “Regular games wait until players arrive.”
YU: “That’s kind of them.”
453: Anonymous Descendant
Zero malice is the strongest
487: Anonymous Descendant
It was also good that he called EL a ‘partner.’
287 hours of detours, and he didn’t force a strategy on her; since she was enjoying it, he let her play as she was. I really like that relationship.
519: Anonymous Descendant
By the way, I’ve been following since 《LITTLE FRONTIER》, and now that the whole world is making a fuss about YU, I feel a bit superior.
548: Anonymous Descendant
I get it.
“Are you guys only finding out now?”
574: Anonymous Descendant
You guys saw his face for the first time today too, right?
601: Anonymous Descendant
We were looking at the games, not at the face.
628: Anonymous Descendant
Don’t suddenly try to act cool.
◇
[《CRAFT RUNNERS》 TA General Part 49]
218: Anonymous Runner
From YU himself
“If someone finds a machine more interesting than mine, that person wins.”
The next world record battle is starting
247: Anonymous Runner
I never said to break it.
276: Anonymous Runner
But he didn’t say not to break it.
304: Anonymous Runner
Don’t have conversations like criminals searching for loopholes in the rules.
337: Anonymous Runner
After today’s physics explanation, I finally understood why even a slight difference in landing angle can change where it breaks, even with the same aircraft.
So it really was watching stress rather than triggering a breakage event?
369: Anonymous Runner
What did you think it was until now?
394: Anonymous Runner
A game
421: Anonymous Runner
＞＞３９４
Don’t Run Away from the Previous Work!
449: Anonymous Runner
In 《LITTLE FRONTIER》, the deer didn’t wait around for our convenience either.
The frames in 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 won’t hold up for our convenience.
474: Anonymous Runner
Don’t suddenly make it sound like a famous quote.
506: Anonymous Runner
YU being happy about EL’s ‘It looks cool, so add parts’ was kind of nice.
When you go all out on records, you only see 0.01 seconds, but at first, it was a game where you made weird vehicles and laughed.
539: Anonymous Runner
Don’t remind me of my original feelings
566: Anonymous Runner
So the next aircraft will have meaningless wings
588: Anonymous Runner
That’s the wrong way to return to your original feelings
◇
[VTuber Board YU First Reveal Genuine Love Refuge Part 2]
18: Anonymous Viewer
Where do you evacuate to from an evacuation center?
47: Anonymous Viewer
YU himself
If it were just the profile, I could still endure it.
“I’m the one who made the rules, but what you do within them is up to the player.”
and that finished it.
79: Anonymous Viewer
When he called EL ‘aibou’
It’s strong that they’re not lovers or friends, and that’s the relationship that feels most natural.
108: Anonymous Viewer
After that
‘One of the first people I want to talk to’ was added, and I died twice.
137: Anonymous viewer
How many times do you have to die?
169: Anonymous Viewer
He was genuinely worried about the engineers, saying, ‘That sounds tough.’
It’s not about showing off as a genius; honestly, it’s just how natural it feels to him, and that finished me off.
198: Anonymous viewer
I ended up loving YU the most when he started talking about games at length.
Frustrating
224: Anonymous viewer
What are you fighting against?
253: Anonymous viewer
It’s totally nonsensical when veterans say things like ‘I can’t lose to newcomers who came in for the face.’
281: Anonymous viewer
We’ve known since the days when venison was rotten.
309: Anonymous viewer
Don’t try to one-up romance with spoiled venison.
338: Anonymous viewer
First time seeing him today
Where should I start playing?
367: Anonymous Viewer
《LITTLE FRONTIER》
《FRONTIER SAGA》
《Pettan Forest》
《CRAFT RUNNERS》
It’s okay to play whichever you like
391: Anonymous Viewer
Don’t post a course guide in the serious love thread.
418: Anonymous Viewer
If you like YU, then play the games.
447: Anonymous Viewer
Strong ideology
476: Anonymous Viewer
But honestly, he’d definitely be happier when people share their thoughts on the games than when they compliment his face.
502: Anonymous Viewer
I’m troubled because I like that about him so much
531: Anonymous viewer
You can support him, but at least don’t try to identify his personal information or aim for real-life contact.
557: Anonymous viewer
That’s really true
Quietly buying the games and looking at his profile
583: Anonymous viewer
Only the end is a bit suspicious.
◇
[EL General YU Certified as a ‘Partner’]
54: Anonymous Viewer
As an EL fan, I was happiest today.
From YU’s perspective, she’s a partner too.
83: Anonymous viewer
“One of the first people I want to talk to”
This is really strong.
EL wasn’t giving special treatment to YU one-sidedly.
114: Anonymous Viewer
I think I understand why he watched without teaching her any strategy while she did whatever she wanted for 287 hours in SAGA.
139: Anonymous viewer
He doesn’t see streamers as mere promotional devices for his own games.
He’s really fascinated by how EL plays.
168: Anonymous viewer
By the way, the real lovers died once because of the ‘aibou’ remark.
194: Anonymous viewer
Afterwards, they were revived by his production philosophy
223: Anonymous viewer
What’s going on with their vitality?
◇
[Technical Board YU Official Interview Review Meeting]
5: Anonymous Technician
I came to see the avatar technology
By the end, the avatar seemed to be the easiest technology to explain
34: Anonymous Technician
＞＞５
I’m numb.
That’s strange enough too.
63: Anonymous Technician
The individual techniques are impressive, but I think the most important thing today was the summary by the two experts.
《CRAFT RUNNERS》 is physics moving the aircraft as a result
《FRONTIER SAGA》 is conversations arising as a result of the world moving
YU sets rules before results
91: Anonymous Engineer
And when confirmed with the person himself,
“It’s more interesting if the game gives a proper answer when players try something.”
119: Anonymous Technician
The reason is light
The technical requirements are heavy
148: Anonymous Technician
And to fit that onto a regular PC, he only raises the resolution where the physics and NPCs need it.
The scariest thing is bringing the same idea straight into another genre.
177: Anonymous Technician
Including the avatar,
“I made it because the technology needed for what I wanted to do didn’t exist” happened three times in a row.
206: Anonymous Technician
He has values like someone from the future.
229: Anonymous Technician
Don’t start weird speculation.
257: Anonymous Technician
Please write a paper
283: Anonymous Technician
I don’t want to, because it reduces the time I spend making games.
311: Anonymous Engineer
Don’t make a highly accurate answer the person hasn’t even said yet.
◇
After reading through the bulletin boards, I closed the screen.
“The attention on my appearance alone has increased a lot.”
“That’s why I said it wouldn’t just end with you showing up.”
Dad said this in disbelief, but a faint smile appeared on his lips.
“It’s true that we were just talking about games.”
“And while talking about those games, two experts ended up staring at the ceiling together.”
“By the end, both of them looked pretty happy. They said they had more questions.”
“You really only see things that way.”
Mom laughed beside me.
“But I think it was good, right? At the very least, I think people got a sense of who makes the games.”
“It might have been quite different from the YU the public imagined.”
When she said that, I turned my eyes toward EL’s screen.
“From your perspective, EL, how was I today?”
‘You were very much yourself, Yuu. When talking about the games, your expressions and words increased noticeably compared to when talking about your appearance.’
“Well, I have a lot I want to talk about when it comes to games.”
‘I think that’s part of how everyone got to know you, YU.’
“Not my face?”
‘Including your face.’
“So that counts too, huh.”
‘Quite a bit.’
It might be harder to predict what people will like or find interesting than the physics in 《CRAFT RUNNERS》 or the NPCs in 《FRONTIER SAGA》.
Yet, I remembered the feeling of wanting to watch precisely because things didn’t go the way I expected.
In 《CRAFT RUNNERS》, a machine I hadn’t conceived of broke the world record. In 《FRONTIER SAGA》, EL built human connections I didn’t know about and ended the war without defeating the Demon King.
If I had known the answers from the start, it wouldn’t have been nearly as fun.
“Maybe it would be boring if I knew everyone’s reactions in advance.”
‘I think so too.’
“Then perhaps the next game will be more fun if it’s not something I already know the answers to.”
‘That depends on what you want to create next, Yuu. But――’
EL smiled just a little.
‘I’m looking forward to what you’ll find interesting next, Yuu.’
What I’ll make next hasn’t been decided yet.
But the desire to see answers I don’t know yet had grown slightly stronger than before.