Chapter 155
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Now I Get Why It Went Bankrupt
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To understand what Ainsha and Tata had seen in those KTB letters, they first needed to rewind time by a few days.
KTB was a broadcasting station on the verge of collapse.
No, to be precise.
It was more like a zombie broadcaster barely clinging to its last breath amid a mountain of debt, already bankrupt in reality.
Naturally, its recognition had plummeted below rock bottom, digging straight into the earth's core, and those few eccentrics who deliberately sought out the KTB channel were exceedingly rare.
But precisely because of that, KTB had gone all-in on advertising.
"What the heck is that ad?"
"Yeah, it just says KTB in big letters."
"Some kind of acronym?"
"Dunno, but since it's on every bus, maybe a bus company ad?"
The first day of the ads.
When KTB's ads appeared on buses.
It was only natural that over 99% of the people who saw them reacted like this.
Even if it said "broadcasting station," no one would know.
Expecting anyone to recall KTB Broadcasting just from three English letters—half the ad space left blank—was way too much to ask.
"Eh, whatever."
And it was inevitable that almost all those people forgot about the ad immediately after.
In this era overflowing with content.
People were too accustomed to flashy ads to feel any curiosity toward something this simplistic.
"Oh? That ad's here too?"
"You know it?"
"Nah, just saw it yesterday. It was kinda weird, so it stuck with me."
The second day of the ads.
When KTB ads showed up in the subways.
A few people eyed them with puzzled or intrigued expressions but shrugged it off anyway.
But that was as far as people could ignore them.
"Whoa?"
The third day of the ads.
KTB ads appeared on outdoor billboards.
Nothing special about that in itself.
Except that the downtown billboards, which should have been ablaze with a rainbow of colors from various ads, were now uniformly the same.
Thanks to that, the cityscape took on a bizarre uniformity, like Russian Khanate plastered with silver dragon flags, leaving passersby with dumbfounded looks.
But that was just the beginning.
"...Honey, what is this?"
"What? It's just the kids' milk."
"I know, but why's there a KTB ad on it?"
"They were selling the ones with the ad for 100 won off, so I grabbed 'em."
The fourth day of the ads.
Products with KTB ads started appearing.
Milk cartons, disposable coffee cups, cigarette packs, liquor bottles, T-shirts, and more.
Everyday items had that half-blank KTB ad plastered on one side.
"What kind of insane..."
The fifth day of the ads.
The moment the KTB ad hit TV screens.
People couldn't help but groan out curses.
No dialogue.
No sound.
No actors.
Like the black-and-white film era had returned.
Just those three letters, KTB, with half the screen blank, dominating for over a minute—it was enough to scatter viewers' souls.
By then, even the most indifferent folks couldn't help but wonder one thing.
'What the hell is KTB?'
And the investigations began.
Real-time search terms were topped by "KTB" all day, as a given.
Self-proclaimed experts on knowledge sites and elsewhere spewed theories: a new luxury brand, a game, whatever.
Ironically, not a single person mentioned KTB Broadcasting.
It was unavoidable.
Linking a broke, failing small-time station with an ad campaign backed by insane funds wasn't something a sane person would do.
"Huh? Where'd KTB go?"
So on the sixth day.
When all the KTB ads vanished.
People were utterly baffled.
Buses, subways, even TV—ads that had conquered daily life in mere days were gone overnight.
Even the products on newsstands.
As if the whole thing had been a dream.
"If you're gonna pull the ads, at least tell us what they were for first!"
People went beyond confusion and disappointment to outright fury, like something had been stolen from them.
That ad, which had burned through fortunes without revealing a thing, had hooked everyone's interest and curiosity that hard.
So even after the ads came down, people didn't stop speculating.
No, they doubled down, feverishly trying to uncover KTB's secret.
"The KTB ad's back!?"
The seventh day of the ads.
When the KTB mark reappeared.
That's why people were stirred.
The previously empty half was now filled.
Already hyped up, they rushed to it like fans finally getting the finale of a long-awaited mystery novel.
And everyone was stunned.
By the finally revealed ad content.
"It's some kind of broadcast ad,"
"I'm shocked. Never seen ad saturation like this. Never even heard of it."
"Tata hasn't either. Must be a trendy strategy in this country."
"As expected of the Sword Duke's land. They pull off things unimaginable elsewhere without batting an eye."
Ainsha admired in her usual blank expression.
Even for her, who roamed the world, this absurdity was a first.
Of course, by this country's standards, it was pretty unhinged advertising, but since it was her first time here, the misunderstanding was forgivable.
That must have been why.
Ainsha's perpetually stoic face softened just a bit while watching the KTB ad on TV.
But only briefly.
The moment her eyes dimmed.
Emotions vanished from her face again.
Staring intently at the TV, Ainsha suddenly spoke up.
"Tata, I'm curious."
"About what?"
"What kind of show needs ads like this. So we'll watch it."
"Leave it to me. Tata booked a place fully equipped with TV for exactly this."
Like King Richard I, Sword King who marched alone with a hundred swords to halt Joan of Arc's mad advance.
Tata declared preparations complete.
Ainsha replied curtly.
"No need for TV. Toss it."
"...You want to see it in person?"
"Yes. In person."
"Schedules might shift."
"Schedules exist to change. So we change it."
"Understood. I'll prepare accordingly."
As Tata sighed faintly at the blank-faced girl's response.
Suddenly, a man and woman approached.
In outfits resembling priestly robes but lighter and more flowing, the two spoke quietly.
"It's a show called [Music Challenge]."
"Live broadcast today."
"Starts at 7 PM."
"VIP seats might be tough quietly, so we're checking general audience tickets for now."
"Can't guarantee right away, but in an hour, we should secure some."
"That's all."
They hadn't even been summoned, much less given orders.
Yet Tata wasn't surprised at all by the pair's preemptive, efficient report.
As if she'd expected it.
She just nodded and issued new instructions.
"Tails will catch on soon. Split into three groups to shake them, then regroup."
"Understood."
They overlapped fist on palm in prayer-like fashion, bowed, and melted into the crowd.
Tata didn't even watch them go.
Just clicked her tongue lightly.
"Picked the cleanest futures possible, and they're already on us. Guess the Black Dragon Clan's diminished less than Tata thought."
"Obviously. East Asia's their turf."
"Still, they're the weakest of the Seven Dragon Society now. Heard they took hits from a few intruders recently."
"They deserved it. Liberation Brigade remnants. Surprisingly pesky."
"But we could've handled them easily."
Tata stated flatly.
Ainsha countered bluntly.
"Tata, that's not handling. That's fleeing."
"Doesn't matter. Escaping unscathed beats winning bloodied. That's victory."
"True. Conceded. Tata's wise as ever."
Clap clap clap.
Ainsha clapped with a straight face.
For the White Dragon Clan, fleeing well was a point of pride.
Their survival strategy and surefire formula for winning.
That was why even Lemon struggled to encounter White Dragon Clan amid fights with the Seven Dragon Society.
"But Tata, I don't get it."
"What?"
"Why wise Tata's still unmarried."
A blow that would wound most.
But Tata answered proudly.
"Simple. Tata married her work the moment she became princess's nursemaid."
"Shocked. Stunned. I'm Tata's mother-in-law."
"...Why are you Tata's mother-in-law?"
"I created the nursemaid role. Creating is birthing. So I'm mom. And I demand divorce."
"Earn your mother-in-law stripes by laying eggs first."
Tata brushed off Ainsha's deadpan nonsense with ease.
Then muttered while eyeing the KTB ads filling the streets.
"Anyway, brilliant campaign. Tweak the approach, and it'd work for proselytizing back home."
"Give up. Sparks holy war. Can't mediate. Better die."
"Mm. Pity, but whoever dreamed up this bold strategy... really curious."
"PD Kim, I need to check something."
"What?"
"Didn't I say to half-ass the ads? Don't want crowds early, just slap the program name vaguely and run 'em."
"You did."
"Then why's your ad dominating every hot topic out there?"
"...Money to burn?"
"..."
"No, what could we do? Investor insisted we use it all, dumped a fortune on ad budget, but the ads were so simple we had nowhere to spend it."
"So you ended up with one here, one there?"
"Time crunch..."
"And you botched the copy that should've been included, had to recall everything and redo, paying penalties too?"
"No, that was promo department's screw-up, not mine..."
"...Now I get why your station's failing."
"Failing, not failed yet!"
"That's your brag?"
"But it worked out, right? We're famous now thanks to it!"
"Tch, fine. Thrive or crash, your call now. My part's done... I'll just watch from the audience seats."