Chapter 41: The Surge of Worship

The news spread to every corner it possibly could.

Accompanied by the video that PD Kim Ji-hu had directed with all his soul, the visual impact was immense.

Communities, portal sites, and social media timelines were instantly covered with the names ‘Pantheon’ and ‘Sun-woo,’ while real-time comments exploded.

[ Did he really subdue someone with a knife that easily? You couldn’t even do that in an action movie. ]

[ He saved lives too. He saved the writer and only knocked out the assailant. ]

[ But are they actually idols? This is seriously, truly cool. ]

[ I’m stanning from today. What’s the group name? Pantheon? ]

[ Seeing things like this, he deserves an award. Shouldn’t they give him a Brave Citizen Award or something? ]

Amidst these comments, others appeared.

[ They should just give them the MAMA Rookie Award. ]

[ I think they’d like the Rookie Award more than a Citizen Award. ]

[ Voting GO GO. Here’s the link to the official MV. Here’s the voting link. ]

[ Watch the stage video and if you like it, vote GO GO. ]

Pantheon’s fans appeared everywhere and actively provided information.

Because they kindly attached links, even people among the general public ended up clicking through.

[ I watched the stage video. I don’t know much about idols, but they seem really talented? ]

[ Yeah. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. ]

[ Sun-woo has incredible charisma normally, too? The other members are also charming. ]

[ Sun-woo is insane… I just came back from voting. ]

[ Right, he should get an award. I voted too. ]

Good deeds and an idol’s primary job are separate.

However, Pantheon was even good at their primary job.

People who witnessed Pantheon’s skills cast their votes for MAMA with a comfortable heart.

And if the general public was this involved, it went without saying for those already interested in idols.

For example, in a middle school classroom, a conversation like this was being held.

– In all my life, I never thought I’d stan someone because of the news.

– What are you talking about? You’re young. What do you mean ‘in all your life’ at fifteen?

– The point of my words is the news. Don’t you watch the news?

– I watch it too! You’re talking about Pantheon’s Sun-woo. I already voted anyway!

So many voters flocked to the site that MusicNet’s servers temporarily stuttered.

Previously, among the candidates for the MAMA Rookie Award, Pantheon’s ranking was 2nd out of six teams, with a vote share of 18%.

It was an incredible defense considering their album only blew up in November.

It was a result made possible because there had been continuous buzz since August when the Demon God joined.

However, a few days after the news aired, clicking on the vote share that was revealed once a day showed—

“60%?!”

They had risen to an overwhelming 1st place.

“Are my eyes deceiving me?”

The CEO, checking the results alone in his office, rubbed his eyes.

Even after rubbing them again and again, it was 60%.

The remaining five teams were splitting 40%, and among them, the lower-ranked teams were splitting a mere few percent. A team like Ennexion was barely hanging on with 1%.

“Just keep going like this, just like this.”

If things continued this way, the MAMA Rookie Award was no longer just a dream.

This promotion, which he had considered a success if they just finished without any friction from the member change, had passed a cable 1st place win and was now heading toward MAMA—

Whirrrr.

The CEO’s pleasant imagination was stopped by the vibration of his phone.

However, the CEO’s mood did not change.

His good mood remained exactly as it was.

“Hehehehe. Isn’t this Director Oh?”

If, until their cable 1st place win, only those who originally had good relations had sent congratulatory messages, this time, even those who had been quiet for a long time were suddenly calling.

It meant they felt the urge to get back on good terms with CEO Gu.

Why would they do that?

Because Pantheon’s momentum was extraordinary.

The CEO put his phone down on the table.

Whirrr, whirrr, the phone kept ringing, but the CEO only smiled.

He would play a little hard to get here.

That was how Pantheon’s value would go up.

As mid-December approached, the CEO’s heart was nothing but warm.

***

“Phew—, we went out at dawn and only returned when it was dawn again.”

Yoon-seo spoke with a tired but pleasant sigh.

Scouting offers for interviews, pictorials, and various events were pouring in.

Even though they were selecting only the best ones to attend, Pantheon had become incredibly busy.

It was proof that their popularity was rising that much.

It was evident just by looking at the fact that Dongju Confectionery, which collaborated with Pantheon, had decided on additional production of the limited edition packages.

“Everyone’s exhausted, right? Let’s take a breather for a second and then go straight to showering and sleeping. We have to head out again in a few hours.”

Tae-young, the leader, reminded them of the schedule.

“Must we sleep? Humans are truly weak.”

At the Demon God’s words, Ha-gyeom and Ji-ho gave him exhausted looks.

“Ugh, Sun-woo, how are you so energetic. I’m jealous.”

“Is it actually possible that you don’t even need to sleep?”

Everyone except the Demon God collapsed onto or around the sofa.

“Hmm, are there no snacks?”

The Demon God looked for snacks not because he lacked energy, but simply because he wanted to eat something delicious.

“Ah, I haven’t bought any lately because we’ve been so busy.”

Yoon-seo shook his head.

Not just the Demon God, but the members were also craving snacks due to their massive energy consumption.

However, it was almost time to sleep, making it too late to order delivery.

“Wait a minute.”

Suddenly, Ji-ho sat up.

“?”

The members were puzzled.

Ji-ho usually had a small appetite and was far from being a snacker; he wasn’t the type to bring out food either. They had never seen him get up at a time like this.

“Eat this.”

What Ji-ho brought out, filled to the brim on a tray, was crispy crackers.

His personality was revealed as he had stacked them high in perfect rows and columns even in this situation.

The members forgot their bewilderment.

Even if it wasn’t the sweet snack they expected, now was a time where anything would taste good. The members all reached for the crackers at once.

““Thanks, Ji-ho.””

After the greetings, munch munch munch.

In an instant, the bottom of the tray was revealed.

“Hold on.”

“?”

Ji-ho stood up again.

Question marks appeared over everyone’s heads.

“Here.”

Once again, he brought a mountain of crackers stacked in perfect rows on the tray.

““Th-thanks.””

This time, their bewilderment hadn’t completely vanished, but eating was the priority for now.

Munch, crunch, snap.

In that way, the crackers disappeared again.

“Wait.”

Ji-ho was standing up with the tray yet again.

They could no longer suppress their curiosity.

“Ji-ho, stop!”

“Hmm?”

“Where exactly are you bringing those from!”

At that, Ji-ho visibly flinched.

“Wh-what, why! Why does it matter where I bring them from?”

“It is not that it matters, but it is suspicious. Furthermore, saying that makes it even more suspicious!”

Ji-ho sought help from the members with his eyes, but for once, everyone was agreeing with the Demon God.

“E-everyone?”

Ji-ho trembled with a sense of betrayal, but it was no use.

“Ji-ho, you have been entering your room with the tray and coming back, have you not? I must open that room.”

“No! Stop!”

No one stopped.

“Now that I think about it, he hasn’t let anyone into his room lately.”

After moving to the mansion, it was one room per person.

Ha-gyeom, who used to visit Ji-ho’s room often, offered significant testimony.

The members, led by the Demon God, raided Ji-ho’s room.

Bang!

Upon opening the door.

““Eh?””

Courier boxes were stacked all the way up the wall.

The members also ordered things often, but the number of boxes in Ji-ho’s room was unusually high.

““These boxes? Oh? There’s an open one over there.””

Inside that very open box.

“Crackers?”

The crackers he had been bringing out until just now were visible.

“Are these all crackers then?”

Yoon-seo said as he picked up a box of crackers from the open carton.

While absentmindedly turning it around.

“Oh? This is from Dongju Confectionery?”

On the cracker box was a photo of Ji-ho smiling while pushing up his glasses.

It was the collaboration product with Dongju Confectionery.

“They give us these if we ask for sponsorship, so why did you buy this many?”

“I-it’s my business!”

In that moment, the Demon God signaled the loyal Ha-gyeom with his eyes.

Understanding the meaning, Ha-gyeom slid behind Ji-ho.

“Wh-what are you doing!”

Ha-gyeom put both arms under Ji-ho’s armpits and restrained him!

And the Demon God appeared before Ji-ho.

“Su-Sun-woo? What are you doing?”

“I have quite an expertise in torture.”

Ji-ho’s face turned pale.

When Sun-woo spoke like that, it felt strangely real, and he had no way to resist.

And as expected, the Demon God commenced the most cruel torture: tickling.

“Aaaah, eek, heeheehee! What! Why is it so ticklish!”

The Demon God’s fingers moved as if they were living creatures.

“I told you I had an expertise. How is it? Do you feel like speaking now?”

“Heeheehee! Fine! I’ll talk!”

Finally, Ji-ho surrendered.

The Demon God pulled away from him, and Ha-gyeom released his arms.

Ji-ho wiped away the tears he shed from laughing and looked at Ha-gyeom.

“Ha-gyeom, even you…!”

“I don’t know anything.”

Ha-gyeom simply feigned ignorance.

“Now, speak.”

At the Demon God’s prompting, Ji-ho opened his mouth.

“People don’t eat crackers that much….”

He had a slightly pouting face.

“If I don’t buy them, the sales volume won’t go up. What if I’m the only one left out when it’s time to renew the contract with Dongju Confectionery?”

“Hmm? You could just ask them to change the product for you.”

“I’d be too ashamed.”

The Demon God clicked his tongue.

“Is it because you are usually rational? You are unnecessarily enveloped in strange worries.”

However, the Demon God also felt like he understood why the boy thought that way.

Because they were a team, he didn’t want to fall behind that much.

He wanted to keep pace with the other members and didn’t want to be the only one asking to change his product.

He wondered what to do about this.

But the Demon God didn’t need to do anything.

“That’s not true. Ji-ho, you don’t have to worry.”

Because they were a team, there was a member.

Tae-young, who had been watching, spoke up.

“I’ve been talking about the sales figures with the Team Leader occasionally.”

“!”

The leader was indeed a leader.

Tae-young was even keeping track of the sales trends of the products they were modeling for.

“While Sun-woo is overwhelmingly successful, all of our sales volumes are decent. I heard Dongju is happy because even the crackers that didn’t sell are moving now.”

Ji-ho’s face brightened instantly at Tae-young’s single sentence.

“Hyung, really?”

“Really. If you’re curious, ask the Team Leader too.”

Tae-young looked after the members well, but he didn’t tell lies about facts.

If he said it was real, it truly was real.

“Tae-young, are you sure those were not all bought by Ji-ho?”

“…….”

Of course, the Demon God might have been better off telling a few lies.

“Phew, fortunately not. Company sales figures don’t move like that just because one person buys this much.”

Ji-ho, whose heart had momentarily dropped, brightened again.

“Ah, so people actually eat crackers with my face on them….”

He felt a surge of emotion toward his fans.

To think they became fans and bought crackers for him.

Tae-young saw this and nodded.

“It’s true that Sun-woo has many fans, but everyone’s fandom has grown.”

Everyone’s fandom had grown.

It was felt not just in product sales, but on the internet and in daily life.

The number of articles about them increased, and comments mentioning members’ names were being posted. Now, many people recognized them on the street, and the voices shouting for Pantheon at events had grown louder.

In the end, everyone reached one conclusion.

“The fan meeting is coming up soon, and I have high expectations.”

.

.

And at that fan meeting.

“Are you fans of Pantheon?”

““YES!!!!””

The Demon God was enveloped in superior power.

“Oh?”

He had stepped into a new domain.