Chapter 76: The Decision for a Full-Length Album

“Farewell, Lucio.”

“Ah… finally… so this is what sunlight feels like….”

In front of the Pantheon dorm, a moving moment of liberation was unfolding as Lucio was finally released from his long period of self-exploitation.

He had offered a total of five songs to the Demon God.

Only after the fifth song was finally selected as the title track for the next album did he regain his freedom.

“You truly went through a lot. As the CEO, I am deeply ashamed.”

CEO Gu bowed his head on behalf of the Demon God.

Since he was also a composer and producer, he empathized with Lucio’s hardships more deeply than anyone else.

In a short span of time, Lucio had written five high-quality songs.

Watching from the side, CEO Gu had felt pity, cheered him on, and felt personally stimulated every single day.

Watching from the side, every single day.

Which meant—

“CEO… you didn’t stop Sun-woo until the very end… didn’t you just pretend not to notice until the title track came out?”

“…….”

Empathy, pity, support, and stimulation—none of those could defeat the desire for the success of the next album.

“Is the translation app acting up suddenly? Is the battery low?”

The CEO quickly turned off the translation app.

Of course, the battery was at a full 100%.

“It is fine…. It is all done now….”

Lucio shook his head as he watched the CEO pointlessly fiddle with his phone.

“In the end, it was I who chose to stay without leaving….”

It was true.

The Demon God had neither tied Lucio up nor locked the doors.

He had simply visited occasionally and unleashed his [Aura].

Every time that happened, it was Lucio himself who had refused to leave, addicted to the overflowing inspiration.

“Instead, I… saw a new realm… I… transcended myself….”

Perhaps because he was out of his mind from exhaustion, Lucio was muttering strange things.

His eyes were dazed, and his body swayed.

His close friend, Rodrigo, who had come to pick him up after receiving his call, held onto Lucio with a worried face.

“Hey, you’re going to fall. I don’t know what happened inside, but you’re not in a state that’s easy to support right now.”

Rodrigo scanned Lucio’s entire body.

Gulping at the shocking change in his friend, he slowly continued.

“You’ve become quite… plump.”

Back at the abandoned performance hall, Lucio had been a tall, slender South American beauty, but now he had transformed into a portly corn farm owner.

“What did you feed him? This guy is as picky with his food as he is sensitive.”

Rodrigo asked in bewilderment.

“Ah, that was me.”

“?”

Yoon-seo stepped forward.

In his hands was a lunch box wrapped in a traditional cloth.

“Composer-nim, you worked so hard staying with Sun-woo Hyung. I packed this for you, so please eat it with your friend.”

“Oh, fried dumplings. Yoon-seo, thank you.”

Yoon-seo’s fried dumplings had successfully targeted even the palate of a South American.

Thanks to enduring the grueling hours of creation by binge-eating fried dumplings, Lucio had achieved significant weight gain.

It was as if he had exchanged weights with the CEO, who had managed to maintain his prime physical condition.

“Well then, I shall truly take my leave.”

Lucio, happily receiving the lunch box, climbed into the car.

““Composer-nim! Thank you! Goodbye!””

Tae-young, Yoon-seo, Ha-gyeom, and Ji-ho shouted their farewells with deep gratitude,

“Come find me whenever your inspiration runs dry.”

And the Demon God’s farewell, eyeing another opportunity for exploitation, intersected with theirs.

Lucio Moreira waved his hand with a hollow smile through the car window and departed.

***

One title track.

Four B-sides.

Should the album be composed of a total of five songs?

The Demon God clenched his fist.

“Representative!”

“Gah! Why are you suddenly shouting when I’m right next to you!”

It had only been a moment since he counted the songs after waving goodbye to Lucio.

The CEO, who was still looking at the retreating back of Lucio’s car, was startled.

“Are the preparations complete!”

“What preparations?”

“How frustrating you are!”

The Demon God glared at his foolish subordinate.

“Did I not entrust a mission to you as well? Did you intend to make an album with only Lucio’s five songs?”

“Ah, you mean the arrangements.”

The CEO nodded, finally understanding.

He had been tasked with arranging the three songs requisitioned from the abandoned practice room in Hongdae.

That would make eight songs in total.

He didn’t know if the trot song could be included, but even without it, there were seven.

That was a sufficient number to release an album.

“Surely you haven’t failed to finish even the arrangements while Lucio was crafting five whole songs?”

“How could that be? Who do you take this CEO for?”

“If they are lacking, you shall pay the price.”

“I feel like I’m already paying the price for the sins of my past life with you….”

The CEO gestured for them to follow him.

“Since everyone is gathered, shall we go up and listen?”

The members were equally curious about the songs.

They all followed behind him in unison.

However, Tae-young pointed out one thing with a worried voice.

“CEO, are you sure it’s okay to follow up right after that? Everyone’s expectations will be very high.”

Honestly, Lucio’s songs surpassed everything prior.

Since a composer with great spiritual sensitivity had created them while being stimulated by the Demon God’s demonic nature, the results were magnificent.

But for the CEO to present his songs immediately after?

Unless they were exceptionally good, they were bound to be undervalued.

Perhaps Tae-young’s question acted as a provocation, for the CEO snorted.

“What? Is it okay? Of course it’s okay! Do you guys not trust this CEO?”

“It’s not that. It’s just, you’ve been going through a slump recently.”

“It wasn’t a slump. It’s called a period of patience and growth.”

The members didn’t bother to stop the CEO’s posturing.

They knew it was useless to say anything more.

Tae-young, Yoon-seo, Ha-gyeom, and Ji-ho exchanged glances.

‘Let’s lower our standards a bit before listening.’

‘Let’s boost the CEO’s confidence.’

‘Don’t say anything mean, and if it’s really bad, let him down gently. Ji-ho, you get it?’

‘I’ll just keep my mouth shut.’

And then, they all looked at the Demon God.

The Demon God, with a disinterested expression, met the members’ eyes.

‘You get it too, right, Sun-woo?’

‘Hmph.’

Ah….

It wasn’t working.

Since he had said he would make him pay a harsh price if the work was lacking, it seemed he was ready to drive a nail into the CEO’s slump—

“I agree with the statement that it is a period of patience and growth, Representative.”

““?!””

The Demon God understood the CEO’s words.

He simply needed time to break through his own limits after the second album’s title track and to stabilize those achievements.

“If it is you, Representative, you must have passed through that period well. Members, be at ease.”

“As expected, Sun-woo recognizes my true worth!”

Not only the joyful CEO but also the members set aside their anxiety at the Demon God’s words.

If Sun-woo said so, it must be true.

He might be a bit strange, but his discerning eye was certain.

However, that wasn’t the end.

“As I said before, if it is lacking, I shall simply make him pay the price. Harshly.”

“…….”

He had added ‘harshly.’

He trusted him.

And because he trusted him, his wrath would be equally immense if that trust was betrayed.

“Representative, lead the way.”

“Ah, wait. If you give me a little more time, I’ll look over—”

“You are too late.”

“…….”

In the end, the CEO led all of Pantheon to his studio inside the mansion.

“Phew.”

Exhaling a sigh, the CEO placed his hand on the mouse.

He didn’t know how he, the CEO, had ended up walking on eggshells around a young member of his own group, but—

“Listen.”

In the end, he just had to satisfy their expectations.

Not as CEO Gu Hu-shik, but as the composer-producer Hoon, he played the songs.

The three rearranged songs flowed by quickly.

“…….”

After a moment of silence, the reactions from Pantheon began to emerge.

“CEO, these are magnificent arrangements.”

“Truly….”

“Wow! I knew I could trust you!”

“Objectively speaking, they are excellent.”

While the CEO was satisfied with the members’ admiration, he watched the Demon God, who had not yet opened his mouth.

The CEO had noticed the members’ exchange of glances earlier.

He knew that as long as the songs weren’t a complete disaster, they would say something positive.

How would the Demon God evaluate them—the one who would judge most coldly and was preparing a harsh price?

“How is it, Sun-woo?”

“Hmm, in my opinion—”

The answer the CEO heard amidst the tension was—

“It is splendid.”

“I knew it!”

The CEO pumped his fist.

The original songs, which were already great, had been reborn as idol tracks by the hands of Producer Hoon.

The rock and indie tracks gave Pantheon a more diverse array of colors.

The trot song had also changed into something lighter. Even if it couldn’t be included in this album immediately, it was good enough to be released as an event song someday.

“Excluding the trot song, there are seven in total. Are we prepared now?”

The Demon God counted the number of songs again.

Securing songs had been difficult from the start due to Izm’s interference.

But it ended here. Seven songs were prepared, but—

“No. It’s not seven songs.”

“What?”

Is there another problem?

They were all original songs, so there was no room for Izm to interfere.

“Listen to these as well.”

The CEO played two additional songs without hesitation.

“This feeling?”

These songs felt different from Lucio’s or the three spirits’ works.

Yet, they felt familiar. To put it simply, whose style did they resemble?

“Representative, could it be?”

“That’s right. I wasn’t just playing around either. I was stimulated while watching Composer Lucio, and I’ve been putting in the effort myself. These are my songs.”

The songs carried the color of Producer Hoon and felt like they were in the same vein as Pantheon’s second album.

During the period of securing songs, the CEO had truly broken through his time of patience and growth.

“CEO, congratulations. So that’s why you snorted at the mention of a slump.”

“Because I had already broken through it….”

“Representative! Then you should have just said so!”

“The environment was quite favorable for breaking through a slump.”

Congratulations poured in from the Pantheon members.

“Hmph.”

The Demon God also smiled with satisfaction.

He had believed the CEO would eventually break through, but to do it so opportunely.

“You truly are a capable subordinate.”

“Well, I’m still a subordinate, I guess.”

The CEO felt a bit complicated despite his joy, but as usual, he decided to let it go.

Since Sun-woo was smiling like that.

“Representative, then what happens? Will all these songs be included in this album?”

The Demon God’s ambition blazed.

It had been difficult to secure even one song, and now there were ten in his hand?

His momentum surged at the thought of recording them all immediately and dropping them on the fans and the public.

“No? We’ll have to select from these, right?”

“What? Why is that?”

“Nine songs—ten if you count the trot—would make it a full-length album, not a mini-album.”

“A full-length album?”

Another imbalance of common knowledge appeared.

As the Demon God tilted his head with a look of total ignorance, Tae-young explained the concept of a full-length album from the side.

Mini-albums were mostly released for promotions, to test concept changes, or to maintain the fandom.

On the other hand, a full-length album served to officially showcase the group’s concept and music.

In addition, it served to expand the base by presenting various songs to the public and to secure a repertoire for concerts.

“Is that so?”

“Why are your eyes sparkling suddenly?”

Why, he asks.

“A full-length album. Is it not perfect for beginning the spring?”

To make a comeback with the spring.

Is it not truly perfect for surprising the public beyond Pantheon’s fans?

The Demon God glanced behind his back.

Countless chains, invisible to the CEO and the members.

The fans who had increased since Pantheon’s second album had allowed him to break one chain each through the fan meeting and the surprise concert.

Of course, the chains had been constantly making cracking sounds since then, but none had been destroyed yet.

To break another chain and recover his power, activity was necessary.

And not just activity at the level of maintaining the fandom, but activity at a level that would raise the group’s status and increase fans.

Turning the public into fans.

Turning interest into fandom.

Into worship.

For that, the Demon God had never stopped.

When he moved a bit slowly, it was also to adapt to the world and perform even greater activities.

All to return to being the Demon God.

“A full-length album. We shall go with that.”

“Eek!”

The CEO made a strange sound.

“Sun-woo, that’s not something you can just choose because you want to.”

“Hmm? And why is that?”

The CEO listed the reasons why it was difficult to release a full-length album one by one.

“First, the concept has to be clear.”

“Is our concept blurry?”

It wasn’t.

Their demonic nature was clear—too clear, in fact.

“Well. There have to be songs that fit the concept and songs that show various sides of the group.”

“Are they not right here?”

They were.

They had been talking about that until just now.

“There also needs to be capital to support a full-length album and promotions.”

“Squeeze Samgang.”

No, well, even without squeezing, Samgang was the one investing.

“And? What other difficulties are there?”

“Eh?”

The CEO was momentarily dazed.

Everything else could be resolved internally.

For example, the will of the Pantheon members?

The CEO looked at the members.

Tae-young, the leader, answered on behalf of everyone.

“CEO, we are ready.”

They said they were ready.

“Huh? Then?”

The CEO was even more flustered.

The group, the concept, the songs, the capital—everything was gathered.

It felt a bit rushed, but was there any reason to delay? Shouldn’t they do it when the conditions were met?

“Incapable subordinate, do you intend to throw cold water on this?”

“I’m back to being incapable….”

At the Demon God’s words, the CEO made his decision.

“Fine, I’ll dec—”

“I have decided. The next album will be a full-length one.”

The Demon God’s decision was slightly faster.

Because when it came to drawing out worship, there was no hesitation.