Chapter 392: – Everything Goes On

Chapter 392: – Everything Goes On

A renaissance of creativity. One where anyone could fulfill their dreams by doing what they loved and sharing it with the world.

It had already begun with the start of UTube and streaming. But now with the advent of Project MirAIs, the MIRAIZ app and streaming service, as well as the massively popular VRMMORPG <World Line>, practically anyone could make a living as a content creator.

The next tech bubble. A digital gold rush.

And the man behind it all was John Smith. A name as generic as could be, but a man anything but with all of his accomplishments.

"That's why we're here today, folks!" Poppy Gloria stood up and clapped her hands. "Give a round of applause for our guest, the man, the myth, the legend... John Smith!"

John waved as he slowly turned around, looking at the surroundings.

A flashy studio with expensive cameras and lighting. A set with comfortable couches and decor fit for a television talk show. And a live studio audience standing and applauding as John walked on from off-stage.

John flashed his best winning smile as he waved at the audience.

The audience applause instantly ramped up in volume.

"WE LOVE YOU JOHN!"

A few middle-aged housewives as well as some university-aged young women.

"YOSH! ALFI'S PAPA! GOOOOOOOOO!"

A group of completely shredded athletes wearing white headbands and waving flags with a chibi Alfi.

"THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR IMOUTO!"

A group of university students and high school students in the middle of the audience, holding a banner that said 'Thank you John!'

"GIVE QUEEN A RAISE!"

And then a group of people that looked like either ex-yakuza, wannabe yakuza, or general misfits shouted from the back.

Of course, that was only audible to John. To everyone watching at home, John was sure that it just sounded like a roar of applause.

Still...

'A lot's changed, huh?'

There were a few fans of the Prodigy girls mixed into the audience, but they weren't as passionate as the Prototype fans.

John saw a few people wearing Tsubame's lucky charm merch hanging around the corners of the audience. There were some people with Rhea's abstract 'modern art' t-shirts. Some people repped Kuromi with her training hoodies. And then there were fans of Miya... carrying life-sized cardboard cutouts and body pillows of her?

Huh.

'I guess Yuri does give off the most waifu appeal when she's streaming as Miya...'

He shifted his gaze away from the audience and then walked over to Poppy, holding out his hand. "It's a pleasure to be here, Poppy."

Poppy shook his hand and said, "Please, the pleasure's all mine, John!" She gestured towards the chair and said, "Make yourself comfortable, because we've got a hot seat for you tonight with heavy hitting questions."

John chuckled and sat down. "Well, I'll see what I can do."

Poppy took her seat and waited for the applause to die down. After it did, she looked at John and said, "You've been quite busy recently, Mister Smith."

John waved his hand and said, "Just John's fine. I might be in the limelight right now, but at the end of the day, I'm just another guy, you know?"

Boos immediately echoed from the audience.

John held out his hands and said, "What? It's true. I wake up, check on my baby girl and cute wifey, call my daughters, go do some work, and then try and have as much family time between the craziness that seems to have crept into my life with recent events."

Poppy laughed and said, "Well, John. I think most of us just find it hard to believe that such an accomplished man like yourself lives like us mere mortals."

John shrugged and said, "I guess that's true. People always want to believe the story instead of the reality... But enough about me." He gestured around the set and said, "You've been busy too, it seems. A proper set, live audience, and even a whole studio streaming to the world... I would have thought you'd want to live a quiet retirement life like Pewdi- I mean, PewPewPie."

Poppy laughed and said, "Well, I'm a sucker for drama. And with all the drama going on in the world right now, I couldn't just sit back and watch, could I?"

"True, true." John smiled and said, "Some people get the content creating out of their system, but others can't breathe without it, right?"

"Oh?" Poppy leaned forward and said, "You speak like you have experience, John... Is it because of your cross-dressing history?"

John furrowed his brow and said, "Okay, that was ONE time. And my lovely eldest daughter's been having a bit too much fun throwing her dad under the bus, so don't take what she says too seriously."

Jeers and boos echoed from the audience again.

Poppy laughed and said, "Well, it seems like our friends here don't quite buy it, John."

John sighed and said, "The story of my life..." He paused and then said, "Which, come to think of it, probably wouldn't be taken seriously even if I published it..."

"Oho?" Poppy raised an eyebrow and said, "Do we have a teaser for the Life of John Smith in the works?"

John shook his head. "I'll think about it." He chuckled and said, "The world might not be ready for that just yet."

Maybe when Titor finished Project Babel and started introducing the idea of isekais being real to the public as a whole...

Poppy sighed and brushed a strand of her sandy blonde hair out of her eyes. "That's a shame. I think the world wants to know more about the mysterious Mister Smith." She looked towards the audience and said, "Don't you agree?"

An immediate roar from the audience.

"YES!"

"SPILL THE BEANS!"

"LORE DUMP! LORE DUMP!"

...Was that last guy Loreowl?

Needed to bring that guy on board soon to help with the lore videos for the girls...

But anyway.

John smiled and said, "Maybe soon. I'll see if I can convince the wifey for some cute family streams every now and then to reminisce about the past."

Roaring applause and cheers.

Where the hell was that damned uniform...?

xxx

John waited as he heard Meggie slam things around and curse, rummaging for her uniform.

...She'd probably take a while considering how messy her room was.

Since that was the case, John turned on the TV again, flipping back to the news section that Meggie was watching.

"They really rebroadcasted it, huh?"

It was an old interview with Poppy Gloria shortly after the Project MirAIs girls opened their memberships. Sort of a retrospective on the infamous 'John Smith' that came in like a bolt out of the blue.

Oh if only they knew...

But in any case...

John watched the interview play out and sighed. "Time really waits for no one, huh?"

Since that time, winter had turned to spring, the Valentine's Day and White Day chocolate incident occurred with the girls, and auditions opened up for the experimental male idol branch of Project MirAIs.

Though at this point, John wondered if they were still an idol company...

He shook his head and turned off the TV before pulling out his phone to check the time.

8:30 AM, April 7th, 2025.

The opening ceremony was at 10 AM, so there was still a bit of time.

In the meanwhile...

John swiped down on his phone to check his notifications.

There were a lot.

The usual business emails, texts, voicemails...

But there was also a stack of messenger notifications from someone that he hadn't opened quite yet.

---

[The 'MAD SCIENTIST' Sunnuvbeesh]

> Hey! Hey you bastard!

> I know you're reading these!

> Answer me, dammit!

> How tf did you know she was pregnant?!

> What do I even do?!

> OI!

> Dammit, John, istg!

> Ama-chan's nauseous and throwing up all the time!

> WHY DOES SHE LIKE PICKLES AND ICE CREAM?!

---

John chuckled and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

At that time, Meggie opened her door and walked out.

Like John suggested, she was wearing a hoodie over her school blazer and skirt uniform.

It was a different hoodie though since the first one had been a slip-on. This one was a black zip-up hoodie with tiny CapsuMon decals all over.

Seeing that, John seriously stared at Meggie and frowned, rubbing his chin.

Meggie stared at John and then blushed. "W-What?" She tugged down the hem of her hoodie before saying, "I-I promised to match with Tsuki, okay?!"

A cute and very tsun response. Considering how she had also just been protesting about going to school but now was talking about matching with her bestie doubled-down on her tsun factor.

...And she was even wearing thigh-high stockings with a dress instead of pants?

Meggie stuffed her hands into her hoodie pockets and said, "S-Stop staring! I-I don't look that weird, Dad!"

John nodded. "Yes. You just look stunningly adorable in the best gamer girl way and I'm thinking real hard on whether or not I'm comfortable with that fact and the thought that my cute Meggie is likely to bring back home four different guy friends on the first day of school."

Meggie just had that female main character look and atmosphere around her.

Unique hair from the green and gold highlights. Unique gold eye color. Stunningly beautiful looks that were played down a bit because she didn't bother to style her hair or really coordinate her outfit.

A tomboyish personality with her tsun responses, but also a surprisingly girly side since she chose to wear a skirt instead of pants with her blazer...

John nodded. "Yeah... Might need to bring Kiri and the others back to introduce to your new friends..."

Meggie rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever. Let's just go already. I wanna grab a coffee before the opening ceremony."

"Of course, Princess."

"Could you not?"

"But it's the day my beloved Princess makes her debut to society. As a father, I have to treat you extra nice, don't I?"

"...I hate you."

"Those words hurt more than you know when you say them to a parent, Meggie. But it's okay. I know you really love me."

Meggie's ears turned a bright red and she started stomping towards the door. "Just come on already, Dad! Sheesh!"

John laughed and followed after her.