Lilith Entertainment

"…You want to hold me?"

Lilith looked at me with an amused expression.

"That's not going to happen."

"Then the contract is off."

"Hold on a second. Hear me out to the end. I said not right now — not never. You don't even know who I am, do you?"

"Aren't you the CEO of Lilith Entertainment?"

"That's right. And I was once ranked among the best actresses in the business."

"…So you were a celebrity. Are you not active anymore?"

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"I slapped some bitch across the face on live broadcast and fell straight into hell. When I apologized to the public, I said I'd never work as a celebrity again… so I can't make a comeback. That's why I started an agency."

Lilith was completely unapologetic. Not a shred of remorse.

"That's surprising. Can't you just ignore what the public says?"

"It's not that easy. Once this place digs up dirt on you, it never lets go. And I've got way too many enemies."

"But what does that have to do with turning down sexual favors?"

"The numbers don't work out. And why should I trust you? You could just take the money and run."

I flinched.

Because that was exactly what I'd been planning. The contract? Once I left this district, it was goodbye. Afraid of Lilith tracking me down? Not even a little. She was almost certainly a Wishin bound to this district. Like most Wishin, she'd have restrictions on crossing into other districts.

"Once Ju Seo-hyeon becomes a top-class celebrity… I'll spread my legs wide open for you."

"Oh… ohhh…"

I couldn't help but admire her brazenness.

"You know what? I'm still a virgin. I've never had sex in this body."

"You've never done sexual entertainment?"

"I've got talent. Sexual entertainment is for girls who don't. Well — sexual entertainment is a kind of talent too, I guess."

"Hmm. Fine. Let's do the contract."

"Good. I'll talk to the lawyer and bring a revised contract. Wait here. Oh, and there's no signing bonus. Revenue split is seven-to-three. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

I answered casually. She sprang up from her seat and left the hotel. Only afterward did I realize I hadn't mentioned Etwall.

"Seong Yujin! Have you lost your mind?!"

Ju Seo-hyeon, who'd been sitting on my lap, spun around, grabbed both my cheeks with her hands, and shouted.

"We're here on vacation! We didn't come here to become celebrities!"

"It's fine. If it looks bad, we just run."

"You think I don't know you only agreed because of that woman? Why do I have to become a celebrity just so you can get your rocks off?!"

"Because you lost to me, obviously. If you didn't like it, you should've won."

"…Ugh. Our duel is in three days. You know that, right?"

"Haha. Has it already been that long? Well, I'll win again this time too."

"I am not losing this time."

"I've heard that line about a hundred times."

I pulled Ju Seo-hyeon into my arms and kissed her. Moments later, the suite filled with her moans.

Lilith brought the contract, and Ju Seo-hyeon and I both signed it.

Ju Seo-hyeon became a celebrity, and I became her manager.

I skimmed the system windows as they appeared.

In District 6,700 — the Kingdom of Entertainment — a celebrity's popularity was power itself.

The way to clear this district was to claim the number-one popularity ranking. At this point, though, that was nearly impossible. The current number one was an absolute wall.

So Ju Seo-hyeon's popularity isn't zero. Well, we did pass a few people on the way from outside the city to the hotel at the center. Some of them probably took notice of her…

Ju Seo-hyeon's looks were S-class. Plenty of people who'd only glimpsed her would have fixed their eyes on her face. Some of them might even have assumed she was already a celebrity.

"Good. From now on, you're both with Lilith Entertainment. Check out of the hotel and stay in the company dorms. It's safer there."

Lilith smiled brightly, clearly pleased with the signed contracts.

"I feel like this place is safer."

"Maybe so. But if a rookie hangs around this hotel, all you'll get is gossip. Those trash journalists will be all over you. If sponsorship rumors start before you even debut, it'll be a real headache. Oh, and you already know this, but… keep your relationship quiet. I'm not telling you not to have sex. Just do me a favor and don't get caught."

"Yeah, yeah. Fine."

"……"

I answered casually. Ju Seo-hyeon's face went bright red. She couldn't keep up with Lilith's rather blunt way of talking.

"Come on. Let's test what you're good at. The singer scene is bone-dry these days. If you can sing even halfway decently, we'll debut you as a singer."

"…I can't sing."

Ju Seo-hyeon said it flatly. She clearly had no interest in debuting as a singer.

"That's fine. Then we debut you as an actress."

"……I'm even worse at acting."

"Still fine. Your face and body are killer. Debut as a model. The second you step out, the ad offers will pour in."

"……"

I could practically hear Lilith's wishful thinking spinning at full speed.

"By the way, Lilith."

"Call me CEO, Manager Seong."

"Yes, CEO. You said you'd found Etwall, didn't you? Where is he now?"

"Ah, that fashion designer? Just in case, I brought him into the agency. You'll meet him once we get to the company."

"Were you planning to use Etwall to blackmail us?"

Lilith's smile deepened.

"Director Seong. The entertainment industry is a filthy place."

"Haha. I'm starting to feel like running off in the middle of the night."

"Director Seong! I'll honor the contract, so don't worry!"

We rode to the company in a luxury SUV driven by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one of Lilith's subordinates. The building was a massive ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠structure over ten stories tall, designed with the kind of flair you'd expect from an entertainment agency. The claim that it ranked among the top five agencies in the district didn't sound like empty boasting.

Before Ju Seo-hyeon's tests, I met with Etwall first.

Etwall was a gaunt blond man. He was tall as a beanpole, and his cheeks were sunken like a hospital patient's.

I offered him a recruitment deal.

"…I see. So that's how it is. CEO Lilith used me as a bargaining chip for your contract… Of course she did. There's no other reason she'd bring someone with no real skill into the company…"

Etwall spoke in a gloomy voice.

Before coming here, I'd gotten his background from Lilith. Etwall had entered District 6,700 three years ago and worked as a designer. As a designer, though, he had not a scrap of talent.

The only reason an exile like him had survived in District 6,700 was that he'd taken the capital he brought with him and invested it across various companies in the district, making money that way. It was enough to cover the special exile tax, but it hadn't exactly made him rich.

"Etwall. Come with us to the A-Plan Legion. The A-Plan Clan promises to give you the best possible treatment."

"…I know I have no talent as a designer. But I can't give up like this. This is my dream. If you help me achieve it… I'll join the A-Plan Legion with no conditions attached."

I held back a sigh. The thought of just kidnapping him crossed my mind, but… Etwall had lasted three years in this district. That meant he was stubborn as hell. Drag him by force and he'd refuse every order and cause nothing but trouble.

"What's the dream?"

"I want to see the greatest idol of all time take the stage wearing clothes I designed."

What a pathetic dream.

I glanced at Lilith beside me.

"We'd have a hard time helping with that. The top girl group right now — Pink Love — is under Venus Entertainment."

"Couldn't we just throw money at it?"

"Frustrating as it is, they're the number-one entertainment agency in District 6,700. Lobbying doesn't work on them."

"Doesn't our company have any idols?"

"No. We had two groups, but… they signed with other companies. Ugh, just thinking about it pisses me off. …We do have trainees, though. The problem is they're nowhere near ready to debut. And even if they did debut… the odds of them surpassing Pink Love are… honestly zero."

Lilith's assessment was bleak.

I seriously considered storming Venus Entertainment and turning the place upside down.

"I will not leave District 6,700 until I've achieved my dream."

Etwall's voice was firm.

"…Understood. I'll look for a way."

I answered reluctantly.

"I'll be looking forward to it, Manager Seong Yujin."

The one silver lining was that Etwall was the type who didn't care about means or methods when it came to his goal.

"If nothing else works, I guess I'll just have to rape every member of Pink Love, film it, and blackmail them…"

Zeus agreed with me. As expected of the supreme god of Greco-Roman mythology.

After that, Ju Seo-hyeon's tests began.

Surprisingly, she sang well.

"This level would be fine for a singer debut. Well, we'd need a few tricks, but the important thing is still the visuals."

"CEO. Isn't her dancing perfect?"

"It is. She moves her body incredibly well. Is that sex-honed dancing?"

"When she's having sex, she's basically an animal."

Hearing the dirty talk, Ju Seo-hyeon's face flushed crimson and she yelled.

"S-stop it already!"

Next came the acting test.

Her acting was a disaster. Her voice shook when she delivered lines, and her face locked up like a doll's.

"Acting is a complete no. Editing and magic can't cover this."

"Well, nothing we can do."

It was decided that Ju Seo-hyeon would debut as a singer.

But I was uneasy. Ju Seo-hyeon was stunning, but could she really become a top-class celebrity as a singer?

Lilith boasted that it was possible, but I knew the entertainment industry wasn't that easy. And from Lilith's perspective, if she wanted to squeeze every last drop of use out of Ju Seo-hyeon, she couldn't actually let her become top-class.

On top of that, I still had to deal with Etwall.

…Come to think of it, there's no reason I can't handle both at once, is there?

I looked at Lilith with a serious expression.

"CEO. Let's debut Seo-hyeon as an idol."

"What? No, that seems a bit difficult…"

"You saw her singing and dancing. Her visuals are perfect too. She can do it."

Ju Seo-hyeon was openly scrunching up her face. Her whole body was broadcasting that she did not want this. But Ju Seo-hyeon had no say in the matter.

"Ju Seo-hyeon isn't the problem. The problem is… the trainees."

"Are the trainees that bad?"

"Yeah. Pretty serious."

"Then we bring in other girls and debut them together."

"You make it sound so easy. The hardest thing in this industry is finding people. Debut Seo-hyeon as a solo singer."

"It should be written in the contract. I'm in charge of Seo-hyeon. I want her to be an idol."

"Hmph. Then find the members yourself and debut them."

"Haha. Don't go back on your word later."

I spoke with full confidence.

An idol group raised by my own hands!

I'd always wanted to try it at least once.

The problem was that I'd have to find idol members who met my standards myself…

If it comes down to it, I can use the Leisure Life app. Summon Yuria through Fate Summon. Elena would come if I called her too… And with the leftover points, I can guarantee-summon Mi-ryeong as well.

Ju Seo-hyeon, Yuria, Elena, Mi-ryeong.

On visuals alone, they'd be the greatest idol girl group of all time.

Well, that's a last resort. For now, I should head outside and see if there are any decent girls. Pulling trainees from other agencies is also an option.