[Silver Wolf: Yo, I didn't expect you to actually be that famous singer. I thought the one online was just some random person with the same name.]
[Robin: (๑˙ー˙๑)...]
[Robin: So? Mind helping me out?]
[Silver Wolf: Hey, hey, hey. What do you take the Stellaron Hunters for?]
[Robin: ...I was too hasty. Then what are your terms?]
[Silver Wolf: After it's done, we split the profits eighty-twenty.]
[Robin: You get twenty, I get eighty?]
[Silver Wolf: Tch...]
[Robin: Speaking of which, do the Stellaron Hunters even need money?]
[Silver Wolf: Sam had some issues a while back, and a bunch of new skins just came out in my game. Anyway, everything costs money.]
[Robin: (*ﾟﾛﾟ)!!]
[Robin: I thought you guys never paid for anything you wanted.]
[Silver Wolf: ঌ(ᗜ`˰´ᗜ)໒]
[Robin: ♪(´▽｀) Haha, just kidding.]
[Robin: How about it? We're all family, aren't we? No need to make things too difficult.]
[Silver Wolf: ...]
[Silver Wolf: Deal. (ᗜ ˰ ᗜ)b]
[Robin: Deal. (๑•̀ㅂ•́)b✧]
...
"Well, the Stellaron Hunters aren't as difficult to deal with as I imagined."
After reaching an agreement, Robin finally relaxed, her mood brightening considerably.
Even so, she didn't allow herself to slack off. She immediately threw herself back into preparations, carefully checking every detail to ensure nothing would go wrong afterward.
Meanwhile, a piece of news quickly stirred up a massive wave online.
Miss Robin would be releasing a new song today.
Not only that, but she would also be holding her first-ever face-reveal livestream within the next few days.
Although the exact date had yet to be announced, it was confirmed to happen within the week.
The moment the news broke, it spread across the internet like a stone thrown into a calm lake.
"I knew it. How could Robin possibly run out of inspiration? Another new song already."
"Hmph. Who knows if it'll actually be good? Maybe she's just rushing something out this time."
"Where'd this hater come from? She's released nearly ten songs this month, and every single one has been a hit. Why would this one suddenly be bad?"
"Exactly. Even if it's only average, look at how fast she writes. We should be grateful there's new music at all."
"Forget the song, brothers! The important part is the face reveal!"
"Holy crap! Miss Robin is finally showing her face?!"
"Wait, isn't her profile picture already a real photo?"
"Come on, bro. That's obviously just an illustration. If you believed it was real, that's on you."
"Oh my God, I'm actually nervous. I became a fan because of her music, but what if she doesn't look good?"
"Get out of here. With a voice that beautiful, there's no way she looks bad."
"That's not how it works, little bro. Haven't you heard of a 'back-view beauty'? For all we know, Robin could even be a guy."
...
The announcement was posted around noon.
Yet within only a few hours, the singer known as Robin had unexpectedly surged onto the trending charts.
Even Robin herself was stunned when she saw the results after finishing her rehearsal checks.
She stood there in complete bewilderment.
"Wait... didn't I just ask for a little promotion and traffic? It's only been one afternoon. How did it turn into this? Is making a bit more profit really worth creating such a huge commotion?"
The current level of publicity was so explosive that it felt as though several top superstars had suddenly announced a joint concert.
"But I'm just releasing a new song and doing a face reveal. Is all this really necessary?"
Thinking this, Robin frowned slightly and immediately contacted Silver Wolf to find out what was happening.
[Robin: Was all of this your doing? If so, I'll give you another ten percent. Honestly, I feel a little bad otherwise.]
[Silver Wolf: (๑•̌.•̑๑)ˀ̣ˀ̣]
[Silver Wolf: Uh... yes and no. But regarding that extra ten percent you're trying to give away for free, my advice is not to waste it.]
[Robin: ...]
The root of this entire situation was Robin's upcoming debut.
Because she had previously rejected invitations from numerous entertainment companies without hesitation, she understood one thing very clearly:
There would always be people unwilling to watch her rise peacefully.
If Robin had been an ordinary newcomer, things might have been different.
But her songs were not only incredibly numerous—they were also absurdly high in quality.
As a result, it was inevitable that certain narrow-minded individuals would attempt to use underhanded methods behind the scenes.
Some hoped to force Robin into backing down.
Others planned to play the role of savior later and reap the rewards.
In that situation, no matter how talented Robin was, she was still a newcomer with no apparent background.
Therefore, she needed not only publicity and momentum but also protection against potential risks.
Which was why she had turned to the only "backing" she possessed—
Silver Wolf of the Stellaron Hunters.
Judging from the results, asking Silver Wolf for help had truly been a dimensionality-reduction strike.
The only issue was that the scale seemed to have become a little excessive.
[Robin: Explain, Silver Wolf.]
[Silver Wolf: (ᗜ ˰ ᗜ)]
Under Silver Wolf's explanation, Robin quickly learned the truth behind the sudden explosion of public attention.
Aside from Silver Wolf herself, there had indeed been another force moving behind the scenes.
And unsurprisingly, that force consisted of competitors who had grown jealous of Robin's rapid rise.
However, above all of that, a third and completely unexpected force had suddenly entered the picture.
What shocked Robin even more was the identity of that force.
It was the Dragon Nation Ability Bureau.
According to Silver Wolf, when the second group had only just begun stirring up trouble, the Ability Bureau had already quietly stepped in and suppressed the situation.
Not only that, they had even given Robin a subtle push, directing additional attention toward her.
Then, at precisely the right moment, Silver Wolf had added a gentle nudge of her own.
The result was the current situation.
A perfectly controlled explosion of popularity.
"How unexpected..."
Robin sighed softly.
Her fingertips unconsciously rubbed against her chin as surprise and confusion flashed through her emerald eyes.
"I never thought...Even the Ability Bureau would take notice of me."
To be honest, the surprising part wasn't that the Ability Bureau had noticed her.
It was how quickly she had entered their field of vision.
Robin frowned slightly.
Absentmindedly twirling a strand of pale-purple hair around her finger, she murmured softly to herself:
"So...Is this an olive branch[1]?"
[1] Universal symbol of peace, reconciliation, and goodwill.