Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 136

Another One! (1)

136. Another One! (1)

2022.03.16.

This was Dongja-ryeong’s diagnosis, and he knew more about the entertainment industry than Yeon-woo, who was actually working in it. As expected, the manager’s story confirmed Dongja-ryeong’s theory. “It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but… I was actually quite confident in my abilities. That’s why the director scouted me directly. I had some pride… but no one seemed to notice…” The manager’s voice trailed off. It wasn’t hard to understand what she meant. ‘Probably no one did.’ She’d mentioned it was the first time Yeon-woo had directly praised her. Combining that with Dongja-ryeong’s words, she likely focused on other things. For example, “I don’t really… have any interest in the entertainment industry, so it felt more like a burden.” Something like that. As someone who’d heard countless times that if you weren’t an entertainer, you were destined to be a shaman, I felt a strange sense of kinship. ‘She can completely relax someone with just one touch. It would be strange if she wasn’t proud of that.’ But if she only received attention for things other than what she was proud of? It’s only natural her pride would be hurt.

The manager, who had been hesitant, suddenly looked at Yeon-woo. “And more than anything… I really wanted to take care of you, so I even asked the shop manager to let me work here.” She stared with sparkling eyes, her enthusiasm almost overwhelming. [Wow… this is really… so this was all a premeditated plan? She targeted him and came here on purpose.] Dongja-ryeong spouted more nonsense. Listening to him, it sounded like the manager deliberately sought out a target to commit a crime. “It would normally be rude to say all this, but for some reason, I ended up telling you everything. I hope I’m not imposing…”

“No, not at all,” Yeon-woo replied calmly. He had a rough idea of why she was acting this way. It was probably because of… ‘Worship for a forgotten god…’ A whopping S-rank additional stat. The very stat he had obtained after barely catching the culprit who had caused him to be stranded in a remote overseas region.

-It contains the power to make others feel attracted to you and worship you in some form.

The description included this phrase. Of course, there was a caveat. Since it was an old god who had already disappeared, only a fraction of its power remained. ‘Still, is it because it’s an S-rank stat?’ It was highly likely. And with the timely fertilizer of ‘praise,’ her affection was bound to grow rapidly. ‘There are other stats too…’

Yeon-woo also had the stat ‘An alluring voice that is hard to escape once heard,’ created by a combination of stats.

“Then how…?”

“I understand.”

“……!” The manager’s eyes widened at Yeon-woo’s answer. Her face, which had been tense and anxious, was now filled with clear joy. “I would be even more grateful if someone as meticulous as you could do it for me. Getting continuous care from the same person would also allow you to understand my body condition more accurately. For me, it would be even better if you could do that.”

“No, it’s *me* who should be thankful for your trust…! Then I’ll let the director know. If you have any preferred body products, we can continue with those… I will definitely work hard to make you shine from head to toe.”

“No, you don’t have to go that far…”

“I heard the premiere is next week. I will work hard to make you the most radiant person at the venue by then…!”

“No. I said you don’t have to go that far…?” The manager, who seemed overwhelmed, continued to talk for a long time. She mentioned all sorts of oils and aroma products, but frankly, I didn’t understand any of it. ‘Sea buckthorn oil? Tamanu [a type of oil extracted from the nut kernels of the Tamanu tree]? How can there be so many oils? Weren’t olive oil and canola oil all there was?’ Yeon-woo knew about grapeseed oil as a related product. ‘Carrier? Isn’t a carrier something you pull? What is carrier oil [a vegetable oil used to dilute essential oils before topical application]? And what’s essential [referring to essential oils, concentrated plant extracts]?’ Tired of listening, Yeon-woo told her to take care of it, and the manager replied with a very happy expression. After leaving with a promise to repay him with the best care, Yeon-woo sighed in exhaustion. [Tsk tsk tsk…] A clicking tongue was heard from above. “Why, what? Why are you picking a fight again?”

[It’s not a fight, I just feel sorry for that poor soul. Why.]

“What’s so pitiful about her? Aren’t *I* the one who’s pitiful? I didn’t know there were so many oils until today.”

[Oils! How can you call oil ‘grease’?!]

“Oil or grease…”

[The feeling is different, the feeling! There’s a completely different feeling between saying you’re putting grease on your face and saying you’re putting oil on it.]

There are many other things. When Yeon-woo showed a listless expression, Dongja-ryeong narrowed his eyes. [Anyway! The important thing is not that. I think I should tell the actor about this.]

“What? Why?” It’s not like there’s a big accident. It’s just that he received the manager’s kindness. [Why? Don’t you know your sin?]

“What sin do I have?”

[Oh… alas. To be charmed again without knowing it. The sin is even worse.]

“…?”

[I told you. That young man, he’s completely charmed.]

“Hey. Let’s get the words right. You know I’m not trying to do that, right? And what’s with the word? Am I some kind of fox [referring to a mythical fox known for seduction]? To charm someone?]

[So there’s no fault?]

Dongja-ryeong’s eyes narrowed. Fault? No matter how much he thought about it, there was no fault. What’s wrong with accepting goodwill? How is this a violation of the agreement with Dongja-ryeong? However. [Then it’s okay to tell the actor?]

“…I’m going crazy.” Why is Kwon Seong-hyeon coming out of there? [You have to be careful with your behavior. Kang Yeon-woo!]

“Okay. Never mind.”

[Our actor will be furious if he finds out. Oh my. There’s no peaceful day. Huh? Yeon-woo, where are you going now?]

“To change clothes.” He was going to change clothes and go to the next schedule. If it hadn’t been for the person he met while going to the dressing room. To be exact, if it hadn’t been for the person he almost bumped into.

*

“Ah, what!” Yeon-woo stopped reflexively, so there was no collision. But he almost crashed heavily into the corner. The other person was upset and burst out in anger. “Where the hell are you looking with those eyes?!”

Yeon-woo hadn’t even apologized yet. It was also because Yeon-woo’s reaction was a beat late. It was natural. ‘A person?’ It’s been several times since he’s been here. A shop where privacy is so well protected that Kwon Seong-hyeon recommends it and the shop’s director is proud of it. So it was the first time Yeon-woo had met someone other than the shop’s staff here. He naturally didn’t think there would be anyone. Especially if it’s someone who doesn’t look like a person. ‘Is this a person or a mass of thoughts?’

The man’s body was covered in so many clinging thoughts that his face was barely visible. It was questionable whether he was breathing properly. ‘It’s best not to get involved with humans like this.’ Unless they have a lifespan. If it’s a thought without a lifespan, it’s best to pretend you don’t know. What he wanted was a lifespan, not to be a shaman. “Excuse me.” It’s not even worth apologizing in polite terms. A human who carries around that many thoughts can’t be a good human. Frankly, there’s no need to say excuse me from this side. Wasn’t the other person also careless when turning the corner? Nevertheless, the reason he said a word was, ‘Let’s just get rid of the annoying thing quickly.’ That’s all. Just as he was about to pass by with a simple nod and perfunctory greeting. “If you know it’s something to be sorry for, you should have been careful from the beginning? The problem is that these days, people think they’re everything just because they have a pretty face!”

How the other person misunderstood it, his voice suddenly grew louder. But the content of the words was a bit strange. “You must think you’re too good to look up and down now that you’re a bit popular? You’re so arrogant that your neck will break? Huh? There must be a reason why there’s smoke without a fire [a Korean idiom meaning there’s no smoke without fire, implying rumors have some basis in truth] after hearing such dirty rumors.”

[Yeon-woo, I think he’s picking a fight with you?]

Dongja-ryeong muttered as if he was seeing something amazing. [He’s not afraid. What is he believing in to pick a fight with him? If it wasn’t for the no-injury order, he would have been struggling with thoughts by now.] There is sincerity in the words he says while clicking his tongue. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.” First, Yeon-woo put on a smile. There was no need to use a poker face. Maintaining an expression even in front of someone who spews out hateful words was as easy as pie. ‘It’s best to avoid annoying things.’ But the other person didn’t let it go. “What. Is that how Kwon Seong-hyeon taught you? To hold your head up high and ignore your seniors when you see them because he’s raising you?”

“…What?” Kwon Seong-hyeon. Those three words stopped Yeon-woo’s steps. “Did Kwon Seong-hyeon teach you that? There’s a rumor that he cherishes a new rookie, did that bastard teach you that? To put steel bars in your neck [implying arrogance]?” What is it? Is he a new kind of crazy guy? Yeon-woo frowned as he looked at the person who suddenly appeared and picked a fight. ‘I wondered why I was running into someone in a place that boasted so much about privacy.’ No matter how you look at it, this is intentional. It seemed like he had been waiting diligently to pick a fight on purpose. “You act all aloof and make the rookie bring in sponsors. Kwon Seong-hyeon must be dead now, right? But even if he’s rotten, he’s still good, so he still has money to send here. Ah. Well. You need to invest to look good to the sponsor.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I would choose to shut my mouth right now if I were you.”

Your face, which is already covered in thoughts and looks black, is not visible at all. When the person who seemed to be listening quietly gave a warning in a chilling voice, the other person seemed to be intimidated and stopped momentarily. “Didn’t you learn from a young age? To be careful of your mouth. Since you say you’re a senior, I have no choice but to tell you as a junior. Senior, you seem to have a dirty reputation, so if you don’t want to add to it, be careful of your mouth.”

Smiling brightly. A smile that anyone would find likable. But his eyes were as cold as ice. Even the gentle words contained venomous insults. Moreover, it didn’t end there. Insults delivered with a smile. There was an irresistible force melted into it. A threatening coercive force that made the other person turn pale at Yeon-woo’s words. It was a clear sense of crisis that made it seem like he had to shut his mouth. His lips were stuck together as if they would never come off. Yeon-woo smiled briefly again as he saw the other person’s flustered expression. ‘I wondered what kind of great senior he was to say such things.’ He can’t even handle the slightly used stats properly. The stat Yeon-woo used was none other than the D-rank stat, Roar. It was a stat he received from an ancestral god when he appeared on the internet broadcasting program ‘TV in Your Hand’. ‘To think he can’t even handle a D-rank stat properly.’ The application of stats is usually limited according to the rank of the stats. If the other person’s mental strength was strong enough to respond to the D-rank Roar or if he had a corresponding stat, the result would probably be different now. But the other person couldn’t even handle the D-rank stat. Even though it’s a stat that’s no different from Choi Hana. [Ah, what. I thought he was full of fighting spirit because he was picking a fight, but he was just trash?]

Even Dongja-ryeong’s will to fight was broken, he was such a low-level person. Yeon-woo smiled briefly as he looked at the person who couldn’t even make eye contact. And he just passed by. But. “…Kki…” Something was mumbling from behind.