Into the Hands of Kegen's Worst Merchant
Actor: Derek Walker
Running into someone unexpected in an unexpected place happens more often than you'd think. The moment Isabel Benellia laid eyes on Derek Walker's face, she flushed red and averted her gaze on reflex. Why the hell was he here?
"This is the male lead you'll be shooting with. We cast him recently, just like you, miss."
Pushi introduced Walker to Isabel. But she couldn't bring herself to look up. Luckily, Walker didn't seem to notice the change in her demeanor right away.
"I'm Derek Walker. Nice to work with you."
Walker extended his hand to Isabel. She took it without lifting her head, giving it a quick, light shake.
"She's a shy one, huh? Think she'll make it through the shoot?"
Walker tilted his head toward Pushi with a grin. Pushi gave a wry smile in response.
"It's her first time. She'll get used to it."
"Got it."
Pushi handed Isabel the script he was holding.
"This is the script for today's shoot. It's the first in the Demon Merchant series. Take your time reading it. It'll take about two or three hours to set up the scene. You two can run lines in the meantime."
With that, Pushi left the waiting room. Walker sat down across from Isabel. She still couldn't lift her head.
"Huh? Have we met somewhere before?"
Walker peered at her. At his question, Isabel's shoulders trembled violently. She forced out a high-pitched voice as best she could.
"N-no…."
Walker barely suppressed a laugh. Isabel had zero talent for voice disguise. Still, he played along.
"What's your name?"
"T-Tiffany."
Isabel pulled out her prepared alias. Walker nodded and continued.
"Tiffany, got it. Alright, let's get into the script."
Walker opened the script Pushi had given him. Isabel turned her head away to avoid meeting his eyes and flipped hers open too.
The cover read: Demon Merchant: The Future of the Noble Lady Fallen into the Hands of Kegen's Worst Merchant? It was pretty thick.
The paper quality was top-notch too. You could tell Pushi put real effort into the AV industry, even in these little details.
Walker sitting right next to her made it hard to focus, but Isabel did her best to stay calm and read slowly.
As the title suggested, the plot was about a sleazy merchant toying with a noble lady. It hit way too close to her own situation—like some cruel twist of fate.
"Tiffany."
Walker suddenly spoke up while she was reading. Isabel flinched at every word, like a frightened baby bird.
"Y-yes…? What is it?"
"Just reading silently isn't helping me concentrate. Wanna run lines back and forth to practice?"
"Huh…?"
"If we rehearse thoroughly, we can wrap the shoot faster."
Isabel nodded at Walker's words. The quicker the shoot ended, the better for her.
"O-okay."
She answered without realizing her shaky voice disguise had slipped.
"Great. Let's start from the top."
Walker cleared his throat a few times, then shot to his feet. Isabel jumped and turned toward him at the sudden movement.
"Kukuku! Finally in my clutches. The fairest flower of the Minolla Count family, the heavenly poet who makes even birds sing, the diva of every bard in Kegen! Eri Minolla! How's it feel to tumble off that cliff!?"
Walker's voice matched the script's sleazy vibe perfectly. Isabel blanked out for a second, forgetting her line.
"Ahem! Tiffany. Your turn."
"Ah! R-right!"
Isabel fumbled through her next line.
"J-just as the rumors say. Kegen's black-hearted merchant Shylock… Even if you've caught me, I won't submit to you. If you thought I'd kneel at the feet of a vulgar pig like you, whose cheapness no amount of money can hide… you'd be gravely mistaken…."
She stammered it out. Just reciting the lines without any acting was tough enough. Walker shook his head at her performance.
"Tiffany, say that part with more confidence. See the stage direction? (Proud, spirited voice showing her nobility unbroken.)"
"Oh… right. It's my first time acting."
"Let's go again."
Walker and Isabel ran lines back and forth. She started off clumsy, but true to her status as a marquis's daughter, she picked it up quick after a few tries.
Of course, to Walker, her acting still had plenty of flaws, but it was passable enough.
"Think that'll hurt? You think torture will break me? What a low-class merchant idea. Listen up, Shylock. There are flowers in this world that won't break, no matter how hard you try."
"Puhaha! Hilarious. Unbreakable flower? I've snapped every flower and weed I've ever wanted. And you, Eri bitch, will be no different. Yeah, guess I'll have to check for myself if you're really unbreakable!?"
Walker finished the first scene's lines, snapped the script shut, and grinned in satisfaction.
"Good. If we keep that energy, we'll be fine."
"Haa… Good work."
"You too, Tiffany."
Once the quick rehearsal wrapped, silence settled between them again. This time, Isabel broke it first. The awkwardness from practicing lines had eased up, making it easier to speak.
"Mr. Walker… Do you normally do this kind of work?"
Walker shook his head at her question.
"Nah. I'm a merchant by trade. A merchant playing a sleazy one? Suits me pretty well, huh."
"If you're a real merchant… why do this?"
"Needed cash in a hurry. A big sum, too."
Isabel shut her mouth at his words. Probably scrambling to cover the shortfall from her request. It wasn't hard to guess.
"What about you, Tiffany? Why this gig?"
When Walker turned the question back, Isabel startled and babbled incoherently.
"I-I got scouted on the street by chance…! The pay was so good, I went for it…!"
"I see."
Luckily, he didn't pry further. They spent the rest of the time memorizing lines. After about two hours, the waiting room door opened again, and Pushi returned.
"Set's ready. Change and come out. Clothes are in the wardrobe over there."
The wardrobe was packed with outfits. Isabel slipped into a simple white dress—soft silk that radiated an air of nobility just by wearing it.
"Mr. Walker, yours is this one."
Walker's was baggy leather merchant garb in dark tones. Dressed up, he looked every bit the part. Pushi led the costumed pair to the set.
The set evoked a dingy underground dungeon: weathered stone walls, a straw-stuffed bed, rusted iron bars. The kind of cell you'd find in any noble house. That was the backdrop for the Demon Merchant series.
"You both read the script?"
Isabel and Walker nodded in unison. It had some dialogue up front, but the back half was all sex anyway—no heavy memorizing needed.
"Oh, one thing I should've checked earlier. Tiffany, you a virgin?"
Pushi's sudden question hit like a shockwave. Isabel felt her hackles rise as she slowly nodded yes.
"Oho! A virgin! This AV's gonna be my masterpiece. Walker, you good leading a virgin partner? No cuts in the middle."
"Leave it to me."
Walker thumped his chest confidently. He was pretty damn good with virgins, after all.
Leaving the frozen Isabel behind, Pushi clapped to summon the crew—five guys total for support.
"Alright! Focus up. No crystal glitches mid-shoot. Screw up like last time, you're fired."
"""Yes, sir!"""
The crew's roar made Isabel shrink a bit. But backing out now was impossible. She swallowed hard and steeled herself.
Yeah. All for family.
"Shoot starts now. Walker, Tiffany—up on stage."
The crew positioned them precisely.
Isabel stepped onto the set. Over ten eyes bored into her. She gulped. Her memorized lines blurred.
Get it together!
She slapped her cheeks lightly to snap out of it. Finish without mistakes, as fast as possible. That was her goal.
"Good. Action!"
Pushi clapped the slate, and filming began.
"Kukuku! Finally in my clutches. The fairest flower of the Minolla Count family, the heavenly poet who makes even birds sing, the diva of every bard in Kegen! Eri Minolla! How's it feel to tumble off that cliff!?"
Unlike rehearsal, Walker hammed it up, nailing the sleazy merchant vibe. Even Pushi gasped in surprise.
"Whoa. You a comedian or something? Insane acting."
The stiff Isabel shook herself and delivered her line.
"Just as the rumors say. Kegen's black-hearted merchant Shylock… Even if you've caught me, I won't submit to you. If you thought I'd kneel at the feet of a vulgar pig like you, whose cheapness no amount of money can hide… you'd be mistaken!"
Much better than rehearsal. Walker spotted flaws, but it passed muster. AVs cared more about the sex than acting anyway.