"Gyeoul, can you see the send button here?"
"Yes."
"If you press this, the photo will be uploaded to my SNS."
"Ah, I see..."
The operation of the device was similar to what I knew from my previous life.
I nodded my head as it was familiar yet new to me.
"You can try uploading a photo yourself, Gyeoul, or if it seems too difficult, you can just leave the uploading to me."
"Okay. For now, I'll just try taking a photo."
"Sure."
I wore the smartphone given to me by Yeoreum like a necklace.
The thought of having an item worth over a million won hanging around my neck made me anxious.
Wasn't this smartphone the most expensive thing I'd ever owned in this life?
I held it close to my chest as if it were a treasure.
I planned to cherish it more than my own life.
"Don't be too nervous. You can really take a picture of anything."
"Okay..."
Holding the smartphone, I looked around.
After pondering what to shoot first, I decided to take a picture of the showerhead, from which warm water flowed.
Some might question why I would take such a photo, but it had recently brought me the greatest ecstasy.
It was enough to be the model for an everyday photo.
Click-
After taking the photo of the showerhead emitting warm water, I stood there, lost in thought.
I had no idea what else to take a picture of.
'Maybe I should go outside.'
The range of photos I could take inside the house was limited.
It seemed better to go outside, where I could be more free.
After all, it was part of the mission to clear up the guild's misunderstanding.
But before that, I decided to wander around the house a bit more.
< + >
Yeoreum and Sophia sat on the sofa, watching Gyeoul roam around the house with solemn expressions.
The sight of the small and cute child toddling around was quite endearing.
"Sophia."
"What is it?"
"Just look at Gyeoul's expression."
"Hmm..."
Sophia's gaze turned to Gyeoul.
Gyeoul was trying to look serious, but to the adults watching, it was nothing but adorable.
It was like a child imitating a focused adult.
Sophia nodded as if she understood something.
"It's not just because she's our child, but Gyeoul seems much nicer and more adorable than other kids."
"...That's true."
Her outstanding appearance also played a part.
Sophia thought this to herself, deciding it was best kept unsaid.
"Isn't it wonderful to have so many cute kids around these days?"
"...Are you excluding yourself from that?"
"Um, yes?"
It was actually inclusive, but better not to say it, right?
Yeoreum, avoiding Sophia's gaze, casually pulled out her smartphone.
It was a secondary phone used for work.
"Oh?"
Her eyes widened as she checked her personal SNS through the smartphone.
She had checked the SNS, wondering if Gyeoul had uploaded something, and found that the personal broadcast on the SNS was turned on.
The broadcasting feature was meant for influencers.
'Is this my ID?'
Who could have started a broadcast using my ID?
Yeoreum realized through the shadow projected on the floor who had started the broadcast.
"Gyeoul?"
Pointed ears perked up on her head.
It seemed the broadcast's low angle was due to the smartphone hanging around her neck.
'When did Gyeoul go outside?'
Was I too focused in our conversation to notice?
The front door was ajar, not properly closed.
'Ah.'
The kids must not have closed the door properly when they came in.
Yeoreum casually watched Gyeoul's broadcast, not taking it too seriously.
As long as she didn't stray too far from the guild, Gyeoul would be safe.
'...It seems the broadcast turned on by accident.'
Maybe she accidentally turned it on while trying to upload a photo.
The broadcast icon is right next to the upload button, after all.
It was an understandable mistake for Gyeoul, who was not familiar with phones.
Yeoreum couldn't help but laugh.
"Why are you laughing?"
"It seems like Gyeoul started a broadcast. Want to watch?"
"Hmm..."
Gyeoul, in the screen, was wandering near a pond.
Although her face wasn't visible due to the camera angle, the occasional glimpse of her small, white hand was proof enough it was Gyeoul.
-Twenty mackerels... Fifteen sauries...
She licked her lips while looking at the fish, then headed towards a bench nearby.
Picking up trash on the bench, she promptly threw it into a bin.
"Oh, how nice."
Gyeoul was unexpectedly cleaning up the park.
The newcomers to the broadcast seemed to think so too, as they started chatting actively.
-Judging by the shadow, I know who it is. Isn't it that beast-kin child living in Daybreak Park?
-Probably? I've seen her cleaning the park like this before.
-The kid even does the cleaning, so admirable.
-Honestly, it's like a cat's point of view cam, lol.
-Look at that shadow of the wagging tail, lol.
Fortunately, there were no malicious chats.
Although I wanted to keep watching because she was cute, for Gyeoul's safety, I decided to stop the broadcast.
"Sophia, I think I need to go to Gyeoul."
"Go ahead. I will enjoy this high-rise building a bit more."
"Okay, do that."
So, it was Sophia's first time in a high-rise building.
Yeoreum smiled and moved to find Gyeoul.
< + >
While shooting the water-spraying showerhead, an idea struck me.
Videos might be more lively than photos.
I wasn't sure about this world, but smartphones have editing features.
Cutting the video into short clips might be better.
Thus, began my everyday shooting.
I filmed the pond, picking up empty bottles, and even the well-grown lettuce.
I had filmed quite a lot, after all.
I might be able to salvage one or two good videos.
I hoped the videos turned out well and would be helpful to the guild.
As I was having these thoughts, a grasshopper suddenly leaped out of the grass in front of me.
"Wow."
That brought back memories.
When I first arrived in this world, I was so hungry I had to catch and grill them to eat.
And now, here I was, able to eat fish to my heart's content.
Life is truly unpredictable.
'I don't have fond memories of it, but somehow I miss it.'
Feeling an inexplicable nostalgia, I chased after the grasshopper.
It was a meaningless act, following it as it hopped around.
"Hmm..."
Even people who were once poor often eat cheap, nostalgic food to reminisce about the past after becoming rich.
Maybe I should eat grasshopper again after such a long time?
I reached out to catch it before it could leap again.
Using my quick reflexes, I lunged towards the grasshopper, resting on the grass.
Thump!
I caught the grasshopper, tearing out a chunk of grass with it.
The sensation of the insect wriggling in my hand felt strange.
Where should I put it?
While I was looking around, I spotted Yeoreum approaching from a distance.
"Gyeoul."
"Yes."
"What did you just catch?"
"This, I caught this."
I showed the plump body of the grasshopper to Yeoreum, holding it in my hand.
The grasshopper wriggled its legs in an attempt to survive.
"Were you catching insects for fun?"
Fun?
It was serious food hunting.
Perhaps due to her wealthy upbringing, her perspective was different.
"I caught it to eat."
"Eat, eat it...?"
Yeoreum's gaze shifted to the smartphone hanging around my chest.
I couldn't tell if she swallowed hard because she wanted to try the grasshopper or out of nervousness.
"It's edible if you grill it well. Want to try?"
"Do, do we really need to eat insects...?"
"Yes. If there's nothing else to eat, you have to survive on things like this."
"Uh..."
Yeoreum's pupils shook violently.
She seemed averse to eating insects.
I didn't want to force someone who disliked it, so I just hid the grasshopper in my pocket.
"Look, Gyeoul. I'll buy you something really delicious, so can we not eat insects?"
"...Insects might look disgusting, but they're actually considered a future food source, rich in protein and other nutrients."
I remembered seeing it on the news once.
Insects might be used as food in the distant future, even in space.
They are life forms rich in protein and other nutrients.
However, Yeoreum remained pale, unconvinced by my explanation.
"Right. Insects are remarkable, but there's plenty of other food around now."
"Yes. There is."
"Right. So, let's not eat insects. We need to be mindful of hygiene now."
Yeoreum glanced at her smartphone nervously.
Her eyes moved minutely up and down, as if she was reading something.
"Should I let it go then?"
"Yes, release it, release it."
"Re-release..."
Release, huh.
It sounded like something you'd say to kids.
It felt strange, but I decided to follow her advice.
I agreed that insects living in nature are dirty.
"Shall we release the insect now?"
"Yes..."
As I let go of my hold, the torn grass scattered, and the grasshopper leaped far away.
Somehow, it felt like my impoverished past was disappearing as well.
'It's time to let go...'
Farewell.
My poverty.
Lost in emotion, I unknowingly waved my hands towards the grasshopper.
"Did you let it go?"
"Yes."
Relieved that we didn't have to eat the insect, Yeoreum smiled with her eyes and tapped the smartphone hanging around my neck.
"Should we turn off the broadcast now?"
"Broadcast?"
"Yes. Gyeoul, you turned on a broadcast with my account."
"What?"
I started a broadcast?
People have been watching everything I've been doing up to now?
Shocked, my mouth opened wide and I looked up at Yeoreum.
Then, like a series of images flashing before my eyes, all the things I had done since stepping outside began to replay.
<+>
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