Chapter 97: A Voice Heard Before

SBC Rainbow Tower Underground Public Hall Studio.

Early dawn on the day of the broadcast.

– Novior, this is the last shoot.

Novior’s pre-recording was in progress.

Appearing on music shows for only one week.
Even that was a pre-recording, clearly demonstrating the status of a top-tier idol group.

They had already finished the rehearsal and filmed the performance once.
With this shoot, their activities for SBC’s Star Gayo would conclude.

“Guys, let’s get ready.”
““Yes.””

At leader Ian’s words, all the members loosened up their bodies again—

“But, isn’t the atmosphere among the fans strange since earlier?”

One member voiced what everyone had been thinking.

It was a pre-recording starting at 5 AM.
The fans participating here were filled with that much devotion.

Usually, the studio would be filled with the heat of cheering.
Even though they had to cheer quietly during pre-recording, the heat couldn’t be hidden.

Usually, that is.

“Right? Today, strangely, they seem frozen.”
“They must really be worried about injuries.”

[SBC 1st Place Nominee Injury Ghost Story]

It was spreading little by little, centered around the fans of groups that actually became 1st place nominees at SBC.

“There were a lot of fans talking about that on Drop too.”

Drop, where they communicated one-on-one with fans.
Idols who communicated diligently could hear various stories.

“They said not to get hurt.”
“They said to look carefully for anything sharp.”

And—

“I heard Zion was saying strange things.”

Leader Ian’s gaze landed on Zion.

“…….”
“Zion, it’s not you, right?”
“…….”
“Don’t tell me you told the fans too?”

Zion solemnly declared.

“Maybe half?”
““Ugh!””

The members were appalled.

“You told them that story?”

The story they were referring to was—

“You told them to put Sun-woo’s photo in?!”

No matter how much the friendship between Novior and Pantheon was accepted by fans, this wasn’t it.
This, if fans knew, would really raise some, well, not-so-good suspicions—

“No. I told them not to worry because there’s a way.”
““Phew….””
“Then the fans just thought I was saying it to reassure them.”

Zion smiled meaningfully.

“It’s real though.”
““Ugh—””

The members’ faces distorted all at once.

If there were a counseling program for golden child idols, they would have said this:

– Teacher, our kid has changed. In a strange direction. Is it because he met the wrong friend?

Then the teacher would have answered.

– Members, you might hate to admit it, but Zion is exactly that kind of friend.

“Ian Hyung, you put Sun-woo’s photo in like I said, right? Everyone put it in, right?”

He was that kind of friend.
A friend who forced group members to carry his bias’s photo.

However, this time, the intention wasn’t bad.
It meant to avoid injury.

Why that meaning led to Sun-woo’s photo,
those who did not worship could not understand, though.

“Because of what you said, everyone put one or two in.”
“I’d rather you bought amulets. It feels kinda weird.”
“I even go to a temple….”

It was an evil deed(?) he could absolutely never tell the head monk.

“Still, since you said so, we’re doing it.”

Either way, Novior had good relationships between members.
They carried the photos with the mindset of playing along with Zion’s fangirling.

‘Yeah, look at him smiling so contentedly.’
‘Since Zion has found something to be this engrossed in, it’s okay to listen to him a bit, I guess.’
‘Great mercy and great compassion (Om Mani Padme Hum).’

Just then, the in-ear monitors buzzed.

– Novior, to the stage.

“Let’s go.”

And, contrary to the fans’ worries, Novior finished the stage wonderfully and came down.

The status of a top-tier idol was revealed in their capability before their treatment. The capability Novior had built up while coming this far was not light.

Novior, having come down backstage, gathered their heads together.
It was time to encourage each other and resolve for the next stage.

Usually, that is.

“Earlier? Did you feel it?”
“Did we feel the same thing? It was weird, right?”
“Something—, it was cold.”

While performing, they experienced the surroundings turning chilly at some moment.

Temperature wasn’t the only problem.
They felt an ominousness, as if someone was watching, as if someone was about to commit something.

Of course, it was fortunate they finished the stage well without incident and came down.

“What do you call this feeling?”

Novior felt a certain malice.

Meanwhile.
Unlike the unknown malice Novior felt.

Here, there was a transparent malice that was very easy to know.

“Got it? Today, we must definitely show Pantheon who’s boss.”

A frantically busy schedule since debut.
The van EXI rode in was speeding on the road at dawn.

Seven members usually split into three vans. An exceptional treatment hard to believe for rookies. Support so immense one wondered if it made sense.

Fans thought the members split up and rode in groups of two, two, and three.
Actually, when getting off in front of fans, they did get off with that member composition.

However, in a situation like now where they didn’t need to mind gazes,

“Did you hear me, Kang-yul?”

Kang-yul used one van entirely by himself.
And filled with all sorts of goods for convenience at that.

Wiiiiing—
Kang-yul, who was lying on the massage chair, took off his eye mask and abruptly sat up.

“What did you say just now? Pantheon? Do we meet Pantheon today?”

A face full of gladness and joy.

EXI debuted through public broadcast and wasn’t doing the cable circuit.

On the other hand, Pantheon had been doing the cable circuit and entered their 2nd week, appearing on SBC for the first time.

Because of that, even though their promotion periods were the same, they hadn’t seen each other’s faces until now.

“Yes. You meet Pantheon, whom you’ve been singing songs about wanting to see, for the first time today.”

The man who had been speaking to Kang-yul from earlier, Director Jang Young-bae, smiled bitterly.

Even if they meet, it likely won’t be a pretty sight.

“Will they smile and welcome you like you do?”
“Wouldn’t they?”

Kang-yul lifted a hand mirror and examined his own face.

“We have so many good memories.”

Isn’t that the problem?

Kang-yul remembers only what he wants to remember and forgets bothersome things.

Is there another guy like this?

“Hmm, hmm, hmm. I should ask for the music show makeup to be done well. It’s been so long since I’ve seen my members. Director, do you know Pantheon has become really cool? They must have changed their styling team.”

Kang-yul chattered whatever came to mind, then suddenly looked at Jang Young-bae.

“But by the way, why are you here, Director? This isn’t a rank where you should be here.”

Izm wasn’t a small company, and there had never been a case where a company director sat inside an on-site van until now.

“It’s the CEO’s order.”

Jang Young-bae smiled bitterly again.
This time it was self-mockery—

Oops, he thought.
Beyond the hand mirror, Kang-yul was looking this way with a smile that was far too bright.

“Ahahaha! As expected, Director, you have a dog-face! How about a Schnauzer?”

Jang Young-bae pressed his lips tight.

“Because you’re like a dog. Come here and you come, go there and you go. Follow Kang-yul! and you follow!”

He says such things with a truly bright face.
The worst part was that he had no particular intention to insult.

Even saying he’s like a dog isn’t a curse but an honest impression.

“Anyway, I don’t know what the CEO is thinking. Why the Director—”

Kang-yul tilted his head and buried his body back into the massage chair.

That was it.
He poured out what he wanted to say and returned to his comfortable time.

Inside the van running through the dawn, Jang Young-bae watched his own reflection in the car window.

***

Idols appearing on the live music broadcast began to enter Rainbow Tower in earnest.

“Be careful? This body?”

The Demon God lightly ignored the message from Zion.
It was a message relaying the feeling Novior experienced and telling him to take care of his body.

Insignificant human.
Such a sense of threat is something you guys should be wary of.

Look.
How the petty spirits infesting the broadcasting station are acting now.

The three spirits the Demon God brought along looked around and spoke.

– What is this, yo. There are tons of guys like us in the broadcasting station? Yo.
– I knooow…. I didn’t know there would be this many spirits in a broadcasting station…. It feels unfair that I couldn’t come until now.
– Swarming! Swarming! But, when Demon God-nim appears, scurry-scurry!

It was so.

A broadcasting station is a place where so many people come and go, and is filled with that much desire and frustration, passion and conspiracy.

There was no need to mention the number of spirits or thought forms attracted here.

Yet, the reason the Demon God hadn’t paid attention to this until now was simple.

There was no occasion to meet.
Just by revealing his presence from afar, spirits and thought forms ran away, so there was no encounter itself.

In this situation, what dares to attack on stage?

‘Well, if it’s creating cut wounds, it must be a guy beyond a petty spirit. But it falls short of being an evil spirit. Furthermore, even if I try to catch and dissipate it if seen, there is one problem.’

“It should start with the 1st place nominees.”

It is a phenomenon that appears only to 1st place nominees, but Pantheon was not a 1st place nominee today.

It seemed they would easily become a 1st place nominee next week, though.

This week, both 1st place nominees were top-tier idols and appeared via pre-recording.

Pantheon had no relevance whatsoever.

So, the Demon God was leisurely introducing the broadcasting station to the three spirits.

Moreover, there was a reason for being more generous today.

More Pantheon fans gathered on the way to the music show, and there were fans answering the signature question for the first time.

Creaaak—
The sound of chains cracking always pleased the Demon God.

“Hmph. How is it? The atmosphere of the broadcasting station?”

– Ooh! It’s good! Yo! If only I were a performer here! It would have been better! Yo!
– Still, it’s nice going around like this.
– It’s thanks to Demon God-nim!

“Thanks to you guys, I obtained good songs and am receiving worship. Me going around inside the broadcasting station as a performer is no different from you guys going around as performers. So enjoy it.”

– Ohhh!
– Long live Demon God-nim!
– It’s awesome!

Of course, the Demon God couldn’t show them every place.

– Where is that over there? Yo?
– Demon God-nim? Why are you suddenly looking somewhere else?
– There’s nothin’ there though?

“…….”

It was the Demon God’s first time here too….
He confidently dragged the three spirits along, but he didn’t know well even when asked questions, and the path was a bit confusing.

‘Was there a limit to just watching via Nutube…. Then it can’t be helped.’

The Demon God is a Grand Commander.
He was an existence who knew how to admit his deficiencies.

“From now on, it is free viewing.”

He admits it only inwardly.
He did not admit it outwardly.

The Demon God made excuses as if it were the original plan.

– Huh? Such a schedule?

“Is it not obvious. Would I, with a music broadcast ahead, continue to guide you? If not for the reward, I wouldn’t have even led you this far.”

– But the one who said to follow behind was Demon God-nim…

“My composure is being disturbed.”

Just yesterday, the three spirits saw what happened to ‘Miser’ due to the Demon God’s simple change of heart.
Return? Exchange? Refund? No, it was dissipation.

– Free viewing! I wanted to do it! Yo! That’s what I wanted to do most! Yo!
– How great is that? Going wherever we want to go!
– That’s right! Free viewing is the highlight of travel! Finally, that time has come!

“You understand well. Watch moderately and return to the waiting room. Ah, Ji-ho has symptoms of a cold, so do not enter but stay in the hallway.”

Because if the spirits enter the waiting room, the temperature will drop.

The Demon God was absorbed in managing his troops.

– Yup!!!

Like that, the three artists disappeared into the hallway.

“Hmph.”

Satisfied with his appropriate measures, the Demon God laughed softly and looked around.

“I do not know where this is.”

That didn’t mean he couldn’t find the way to the waiting room.

Tracing his memory, the Demon God headed toward the waiting room.

“As expected, it is this body. Was it not over there?”

The Demon God triumphantly turned into the hallway—

He heard a conversation.

– Get lost!

Ha-gyeom’s voice.

– Why are you like that? Aren’t you glad to see me after a long time?

And a voice he had only heard in videos, Kang-yul’s voice.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

A 90-Year-Old Ace Agent Retires to Become a Mom in a Gacha Game

another worldGender BenderOriginal

Read Now →
Not interested