Chapter 91
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Chapter 91
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Play (1)
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[Endex's Mysterious Teddy Bear Examiner]
On Friday morning, precisely at 07:35:33 AM, a certain video was uploaded to YouTube.
It was footage of Endex's "5-star prospect" getting utterly demolished by some mysterious examiner.
"What the hell is this? Embarrassing as fuck, you moron. Wow... He got smashed so satisfyingly."
Kain let out a hollow laugh in disbelief. This damned video had already shot up to YouTube's trending page and spread like wildfire across virtually every community.
"But dude, it was seriously different, okay?"
Esher tore at his hair and shot Kain a glare.
"You'd lose too, you idiot."
"Was it a current ranker?"
"...Probably. Not a college student. At least 4th rank."
Definitely a current top ranker.
But weren't the active rankers swamped right now? All those dungeons popping up lately. Why bother showing up at the Endex festival to stir shit up?
"4th rank my ass. So, what're you gonna do about it?"
"...Gonna try taking the video down first."
He'd already looped in his dad's company's legal team.
Videos like this spreading could tank his image down the line. Branding was everything these days if he wanted to sling signature shoes, swords, armor, and the like. Had to get this crap yanked.
"Take it down or not, whatever. Hey, when's Elise's play again?"
Kain asked. Esher checked his watch too.
"...Starts at 7, so seven hours left. Ah... But who the fuck was that guy? Honestly, first master like that I've ever run into."
"Nah, you're just trash?"
"Fuck off. For real."
Esher glared daggers at Kain. Kain flinched and looked away.
"It was a legit master, I swear. One hit and you'd be done too, moron. Can't you tell from the video? Here, watch it yourself."
Esher shoved his smartphone in Kain's face.
Right from the first strike, it was bizarre—like a snake. It looked super slow at first, then suddenly whoosh, blazing fast.
"That variable sword caught me off guard, honestly?"
"Sure looked like it."
"But check this out, fucker."
The second one?
No joke at all.
It was the real deal.
Just a simple draw, and his guard shattered to pieces. The timing completely stolen—no room to react.
A true master, plain and simple.
A master who'd forged his own unique swordsmanship and wielded it flawlessly.
"Yeah, it does look solid... But I bet I'd win?"
"You fucking dick, you've been grating on me all morning—"
"Whoa? Hey. New comment."
Kain's eyes went wide.
"What comment?"
"Look."
He showed Esher the comments section.
Oh ho
Verios. Edshila's No. 2 rank knight and a mega-YouTuber with 5.8 million subscribers. Among the continent's famed knights, he was one you could call a bona fide superstar.
What happens when a celeb like that drops a comment on your video?
Views explode~
"...Ah, what the actual fuck is this guy's deal—!!!!"
Esher wailed in despair.
The festival's final day—Friday.
Endex was dazzling from every corner. Tourists who'd come from afar to play or gawk, couples, friends, college students—they swarmed every nook and cranny. Meanwhile, the students hawked their wares, begging for attention and spare change.
The vast Endex grounds were utterly soaked in festive vibes, but Elise couldn't care less.
No plans or time to enjoy the festival.
With just six hours until showtime, the Palette Theater buzzed with final rehearsals.
Tickets ran 60 Ren apiece—steep for a high school festival play.
Yet they'd sold out completely, with scalpers snapping up the prime seats. Big props to Libra's Jade for that.
Elise couldn't help wondering.
Would her father maybe come watch her?
"Huu..."
Those thoughts kept building tension, so she focused on deep breaths. Right now, mind control trumped practice. Calm the body and spirit...
—What?! No way, what the hell is that?!
A shrill scream pierced from the back of the theater—like shattering glass. Elise and the other actors whipped around. It was the lead sound tech.
Elise narrowed her eyes.
"Thanks. Finally got some peace back—"
"Disaster! Total disaster, Elise!"
The staffer came sprinting up, practically shrieking. Only then did Elise clock the panic.
"Mil—Miller!"
"Shh. No hysterics—tell me slowly."
Elise steadied the staffer.
Whatever it was, this kind of freakout looked bad.
"Miller—he got in a car crash on his way here!"
"What?!"
Elise's eyes bulged. A shout she hadn't planned surged from her core.
"...Ahem."
She glanced around, cleared her throat.
"What exactly do you mean?"
"I just got the text!"
The staffer thrust their smartphone forward. Photos showed a mangled wreck of a car and Miller being wheeled into the ER.
"...Should've just taken the subway."
Elise ground her teeth. A headache slammed in. Miller, Miller, Miller. She scanned the theater.
"..."
Every actor and staffer stared right at her, clutching scripts and blinking vacantly.
"What... should we do?"
One staffer asked Elise. Even bubbly Rae sidled up, face etched with worry.
"...Elie. What now? We're fucked?"
"Fucked... Haa."
Elise let out a long sigh. Her nape burned. Felt like one massive betrayal—like everything could ignite at a spark.
"What can we do."
Miller played the Duke—second lead, crucial role. No him, no show.
Sion Askal, the writer, had officially dubbed him the "spoiler character."
No clear path forward.
"The play..."
Cancel it.
She couldn't voice the end. Eyes shut, she gazed at the script clutched in her fist.
They'd poured their hearts into it.
Started for Sermones La Eterni, but real passion bloomed over time.
Ditched tutoring sessions to grind. All those hours of sweat... ruined by one accident.
—That's when it hit.
"What're you agonizing over?"
A casual voice drifted in, like it was no big deal.
Elise turned. There leaned Sion Askal against the Palette Theater wall.
"Ditching the play now? You'd lose out big time. Just go for it."
When did he show up? Popping in out of nowhere with that nonsense.
Elise shook her head in frustration.
"...You don't even know your own script. What're we supposed to do without the Duke?"
Couldn't just grab a replacement on the spot. Duke demanded solid acting and decent Latynel chops—30 seconds of humming plus weaving Latynel words into lines.
"Yeah. Like you said. My script."
Sion hopped onstage. He picked at his ear and said,
"So I'll do it."
"..."
"Sound good?"
Elise stared. His eyes were chill. Brimming with ease and certainty.
But it wasn't the right fix.
"Doesn't matter who wrote it—you, anyone. Acting's got nothing to do with Latynel—"
"It's fine."
Sion Askal. His mind held the full blockbuster musical, already a smash hit in his memories.
He'd reviewed the script countless times while writing it.
His reviews weren't your average ones.
"I can nail it."
He remembered every beat of those actors' performances.
Remembered them, so he could mimic perfectly.
"But."
"...But?"
Elise knit her brows. But what? It was a team play.
Sion stepped closer and murmured,
—After the play wraps. Lend me ten minutes of your time.
Elise shuddered. Goosebumps prickled her earlobes. Her spine crawled.
"Are you insane?"
She scrubbed her ear furiously. Rub-rub—rub-rub—
"..."
Sion watched her, face turning thoughtful for a beat.
To say it or not. He stroked his chin, mulling it over.
"...There's a group planning to kidnap you during the festival. Cancel the mana tower tour, or if you insist, pile escort knights into the sedan."
"You're talking like a lunatic."
"Knew you wouldn't buy it. That's how shit always goes down. Try to help, but no trust."
"You're the lunatic here?"
She said it, but Elise had a hunch.
What he wanted from her—what he was after.
If anything, it was a setup she knew all too well.
She knew exactly how to handle it, how to turn it to her advantage.
"Fine. Ten minutes."
Meaning she'd lend them. Sion exhaled in relief.
This nutcase got weirdly straightforward at times like this. If anything, it creeped her out more.
"But the play has to succeed. You could tank the whole damn thing."
"Yeah."
Right on cue, a staffer climbed onstage. Assuming they were done, he handed Sion a script.
"H-Here's the script."
"Nah, no need. Got it memorized. I wrote the thing."
The rest of the crew piled onstage. True pros, they inspected Sion's mug, hair, outfit, skin, even his eyeballs.
"Hair first—time for a trim. Got a shop nearby."
"What's wrong with my hair—"
"It's filthy."
"Hm..."
Sion fiddled with his locks. Yeah, they had grown out grubby.
Makes sense—nearly three months since the buzzcut.
"Gotta shorten the stage costume hem too. Or insoles?"
"Other outfit might fit better? You clean up nice, Sion."
"What? Insult or compliment?"
"C'mon, let's move. Shower first, probably..."
The staffers bantered on their own, hauling Sion off somewhere.
Elise scanned the baffled cast. College kid Sasha piped up, worried.
"Elise. This okay? We've drilled two weeks straight... Be real—I got my career riding on this. He fucks it up, it's bad."
Elise felt much the same.
Too sketchy to bank on fully, yet he flashed needle-sharp talent now and then.
"No other options."
More than anything, they were out of moves.
She shrugged and muttered,
"We'll trust him. Least on Latynel—he's the best in the room."
Everything else? Who knew. But that much was rock-solid fact.
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