“I’m just asking to confirm, you’re George, right?”
“π (pi) is quite large, huh.”
“O-oh. I should be George. I still remember my real name and most of my life up until now. It’s definitely my memories as a man.”
That much is certain. I feel a bit relieved that the “me” in my memories hasn’t been replaced by the elf on the screen. Judging by the reactions from the viewers, it seems like the man named George, aka Joji Kihara, hasn’t disappeared.
…However, now that I feel reassured, my mouth feels a little lonely. Oh, there’s still beer left in this can.
“Is this really the time to drink?!”
“But there’s still alcohol left…”
“The person involved should be more panicked!”
“I didn’t know magical mushrooms had that kind of effect.”
“If someone else sees this, won’t it go viral?”
“Yeah, probably…”
I gulp down the remaining beer, feeling an unpleasant premonition. Hmm, I was surprised by turning into an elf, so I guess the drunkenness wore off. Maybe I’ll drink again. There should still be some Chu-Hi left in the fridge, so I should go get it.
“Sorry, I’m going to get some more drinks and snacks.”
“You’re really not panicking?!”
“Seriously?!”
“Wait, is your jacket that oversized, but are your pants okay?!”
“It’s fine, it’s elastic waistband pants. I’m good! Also, I’m a boxer shorts guy.”
“No need to mention your underwear!”
I’m happy to return to the streaming room with my Strong Zero lemon and some crunchy black pepper chips. Now, I’ve got to figure out what to do with the viewers. Should I contact the hospital too?
Hmm? The comments section seems weird. It’s hard to see since I’m still standing, but is it moving quickly?
“I-I’m back?”
“Woooooooow!!! The elf is here━━━━(゜∀゜)━━━━!!”
“Whoa, seriously, the ears are pointy, lol”
“Elf-chan, prpr (licking sound)”
“No way, this has to be fake. I’ve never seen an elf before.”
“Then what do you think this is, lol?”
…Wait, what is this?
I glance at the concurrent viewer count… huh? 1,000? Eh? It’s still going up? I’ve never seen numbers like this, is it a bug? No, it doesn’t seem like it. It looks like that many people have really tuned in. If it weren’t real, comments wouldn’t be moving this fast.
That means there’s only one possibility.
“Did it already go viral?”
“Check Twitter.”
I take out the smartphone that I had kept nearby and open Twitter… and there it is! “Elf Stream” is trending! Number 1!? What? Number 1!?
Wait, it hasn’t even been 30 minutes since I appeared on stream in this form! What is with the speed of the internet spreading things? It’s scary!
“Ah, okay, I’ve checked. To those who are new, nice to meet you, I’m George… I know it’s hard to believe, but just 30 minutes ago, I was a guy.”
“Liar!”
“Are those ears real?”
“There’s no way such a cute girl was a guy, lol.”
So many comments are flooding in. Normally, reading this fast would be tough, but now it’s easy to follow. My reflexes are sharper?
Still, it’s hard to believe people think it’s a lie. I understand, but I’m not lying here.
“I’m not lying! Also, I’ll keep drinking as usual, so don’t worry about that.”
I open the bag of chips and crack open the Strong Zero. I take a few chips, chew them, and wash them down with the drink. Ah, that feels good.
As I drink, the comments keep flying in.
“Drinking while streaming, lol!”
“You’re drinking so fast, is that okay for an elf? I thought elves don’t drink.”
“Is that so? There are plenty of elves who drink in some stories.”
“I’ve been drinking a lot even before turning into an elf, so this is nothing.”
“It’s more like you’re a dwarf than an elf.”
“I’m sorry, but have you ever seen a dwarf as slender as me?!”
By the way, it’s said that dwarves and beastmen don’t exist in this world. Monsters appear in dungeons, but why don’t races like elves and dwarves exist? Well, I guess now there’s an elf — me.
But anyway, there are too many comments, it’s getting hard to keep track. Maybe it’s time to end the stream.
“Alright, everyone, since a lot’s happened today, I’m going to end it here. But I’ll leave the archive up, so if anyone’s doubting, check that out! I’ll just have another Chu-Hi or two and go to sleep. See ya!”
“Aww, come on, talk more!”
“Huh? That was way too short. Explain properly!”
“You’re running away!”
“Later!”
“I’m subscribing.”
“It’s going to be a crazy time for a while. Be careful not to get doxxed.”
Ignoring the comments, I end the stream.
The last comment I see… Doxxing, huh? It feels like it’s inevitable. That thought weighs on me.
Hmm? My phone is buzzing. What’s this, a notification storm!? Whoa, my followers are growing rapidly! Oh, right, I had my channel name in the account info! That’s how they found me and now I’m getting a follow spree.
I should probably turn off notifications, or my battery will die.
Alright, what should I do next? I should go to the hospital, but if I go outside, I might get recognized. Wait… is this it? Have I screwed up?
I feel the cold clarity hit me as my head, now sharper after the Strong Zero, clears. I feel a strange sweat on my skin, and my fingers tremble. This isn’t alcohol dependency.
Then, my phone rings. It’s not a LINE message, but a call. It’s from Takeo Wato, the person I usually work with at the mountain dungeon. Given the timing of the call, I have some suspicions, but Takeo is someone I trust. Rather than keep pondering, I decide to answer the phone.
“H-Hello…”
“Ah! That voice… so you really did turn into an elf, Joji!”
Wait, did Takeo just say “really” just now?
