Ch 21: Meeting to Discuss Countermeasures Against the Backlash
“Oh, Manager. Good morning.”
“Good morning, Botan-san.”
Two days after the incident, a meeting was held at Denjilas’ office to discuss the company’s policy on dealing with the situation.
It’s quite impressive how fast they were able to come up with a plan, considering the involvement of the industry’s largest player, LiveLa. The speed of decision-making is directly proportional to the effectiveness of the countermeasures, but there may be regret at the root of it all. The efficiency that comes from bitter experiences in the past is reassuring, yet also somewhat sad.
Well, I shouldn’t say anything unnecessary. It’s the right choice as a working adult to follow quietly behind Manager-san. There are things in the world that shouldn’t be discussed.
“Here, please wait. Other members will arrive shortly.”
“Understood. Uh, what should we do with this one? Is it okay to leave it in the corner of the room?”
“Meow.”
──And on the contrary, there are also things that I have to talk about. In this case, it’s about the kitten squirming inside the pet carrier that I have.
“Oh, is that the one?”
“Yes, he’s the kitten who became a sort of trigger, or rather the source of the commotion.”
As a gesture of introduction, I held up the case and showed it to Manager-san. She looked interested and peered into the mesh section. Then, as if she could confirm the little kitten bouncing inside, her cheeks visibly relaxed.
Whether she likes cats or just loves cute things, it’s clear that the kitten has captivated Manager-san.
“As I mentioned beforehand, this little one is still too young for solid food. So, I can’t leave him at home at the moment.”
「For now, it would be great if you could just leave him by your feet during our discussion.」
“Understood. I’m sorry for the trouble.”
「No worries. We can’t leave such a cute little one alone, right? You don’t want to be lonely either, do you?」
“Meow”
After all, it’s not that I feel lonely or anything, but the fact is that I can’t leave him alone for a long time ecologically. He’s so small that it’s normal for him to get weak or something when I come back from being out. …I guess it’s one of those things that’s better left unsaid.
Anyway, Manager-san is really taken with him. Well, objectively speaking, the kitten is a beautiful tabby cat, so I think those who like him will really like him.
Still, my true feeling is that it’s a little different from what I had imagined.
“Do you like cats?”
「I would say I want to try having one someday. What’s the name of this little one?」
“…we haven’t decided yet.”
「Is that so?!」
I see. So, it’s at the level of just calling him ‘kitten’. …Because it’s not inconvenient that way. And since I live alone, he’s the only one at home.
Yesterday, I was busy buying additional pet supplies and rearranging furniture, and taking care of the still-unfamiliar kitten… To be honest, I didn’t have time to think about a name or anything like that.
“Anyway, until a name that fits him comes to mind, I guess ‘Koneko-kun’ will do. “
“He’s such a cute little thing… It’s a shame not to give him a name soon.”
“Well, since he’s my first pet ever, I’m still groping around a bit. Oh, would it be okay if you name him, Mane-san?”
“Huh… That’s a very tempting proposal, but I’ll have to decline. I think it’s up to Botan-san, who is a member of the family, to give him a name, and if I named him, I might get too attached to him.”
“Oh, okay. I’m sorry for suggesting it.”
I didn’t expect to be turned down with such a heartbroken expression even though it was a relatively light proposal. Sorry for making an unreasonable request without much thought.
Anyway, “Koneko” is my family… I understand that it is generally recognized as such, but it feels strange to hear it said directly like this.
I sometimes watch videos of rescued cats, but I never thought I would actually end up owning one. I love animals, but I thought it was enough to admire my friends’ pets. Plus, I believed that cats could feel stressed if they were cared for too much, and that it wouldn’t be good for a kitten as small as “Koneko”. So, I thought that this level of care might be just right.
「…It’s unforgivable that such a small child is being criticized on the internet, isn’t it?」
“Yes, that’s true.”
─Even so, even if I don’t fully realize it, the fact remains that the kitten is under my protection. That’s why I strongly agree with Mane-san’s tweet.
「I wish they had used the potion on our favorite character rather than on a kitten with no connection to us. I understand their feelings to some extent, so I wouldn’t mind just laughing it off and letting it go, but…」
“Huh…!?”
Oops, I shouldn’t have. It seems that a little irritation has leaked out. Mane’s cheeks are slightly twitching.
But, you know, I’m still a bit angry, aren’t I? I’ve had a lot of slander in the past, ‘dating kitchen’, ‘harem guy’, ‘cheater’, ‘criminal’, ‘die’, you know, all sorts of things. Even so, the target was me, and I just took the fish traps with the reverse side of interest, thinking that they like to play chicken with me.
But this time it was different. There are a lot of people spreading hate towards Koneko, saying things like ‘Let the cat die’ or ‘I hate the cat that was saved instead of Uta-chan so much I want to kill it’.
“That’s crossing the line. Regardless of the circumstances, it’s unbelievable that someone could spew such venom towards a life that another person saved.”
That’s something I can’t overlook. Saving a life also means taking responsibility until the end. At least that’s what I believe, and I’ve been demonstrating that in my tweets.
However, there are so many idiots who are posting aggressive comments towards the kitten. Some of the worst ones are saying things like “I want to kill the cat.”
Taking responsibility means protecting it. As its protector, I have an obligation, but do these people even understand that?
Honestly, it’s just unpleasant. What gives them the right to say such things about someone else’s pet? Did they get cocky because their insults towards me were being ignored? Did they mistake my measured response as weakness? Even though the management has made it clear that they will not tolerate harassment and abuse?
And another thing. I don’t like it when these idiots are using Utachan’s name, and by extension, Liveira’s name. We don’t need you to shout it out for us to move forward.
But don’t cause unnecessary trouble. Don’t put a person who may not even be aware of what’s happening or able to defend themselves on a palanquin and start causing trouble. Don’t cause trouble for my oshi.
「I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Yamagami-san…!?」
“Huh…!?”
The door to the room opened, and the three people who entered gasped for breath. The young woman even let out a short scream.
Oh no… The gradually rising discomfort seemed to naturally show on my face. Even though I didn’t have the kind of intimidating appearance that would be called a “strongman,” it seems that the strange sense of pressure would seep out when my mood became bad, probably because of the fighting to the death with monsters.
I’ve been trying to be careful about it since my friend pointed it out, but this time I was a little careless. Keep calm, keep calm.
“Ah, good morning. Nice to meet you today.”
「Y-Yeah. Nice to meet you too, Yamagami-kun.」
The person greeted with a smile. Then, my company’s president responded. Although he is a very young person as the head of the company, he quickly adapts, probably because he carries the burden of the employees’ lives.
「Let me introduce these two. This is Sato-san from the Legal Department of LiveLa and Mizuno-san, the manager in charge of Irohane Uta.」
“I am Sato from the Legal Department of LiveLa. We caused you trouble regarding one of our affiliated live streamers, and I apologize for that.”
“I’m Mizuno, the manager of Irohane Uta. I’m really sorry for getting you involved in the trouble.”
“I’m Yamagami. No need to apologize. Regarding this matter, it was just a matter of bad timing. LiveLa is also a victim.”
I strongly conveyed to the two who bowed deeply that I was not bothered by it.
However, they were surprisingly humble. It was hard to believe that they were the top players in the industry. Although I was informed in advance, it seemed that LiveLa was taking this issue quite seriously.
But of course, it was natural. It was a crisis for one of their main players, a VTuber with over one million subscribers. In a desperate situation where they could lose one of their biggest earners, they couldn’t afford any unnecessary trouble.
Especially when the other party was me. Even though my agency and my track record as a VTuber were far inferior, I was currently the only key person who could lead to a happy ending.
It would be unbearable for LiveLa, considering that our relationship was already strained due to the outside interference.
Therefore, LiveLa was on our side. At the very least, they should be able to match our pace.
“Let’s have a proper discussion for now. Let’s talk thoroughly about our future response.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Thank you very much!”
Huh? I thought I was coming across as friendly and approachable, with the understanding that we were on the same side. Why do LiveLa and the president and manager seem a little hesitant?
“… Koneko-kun. Am I really that scary?”
“Meow!”
… Did he just nod?
You can get Advance Chapter – Patreon
Also be sure to join the discord server – Here