Chapter 115
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 115
Chapter Title Celestes Final Member
Huff.
I gasped for air and opened my eyes.
Idol Training Simulation, the winner and number one spot goes to trainee Karis von Walden. But we still have one spot left. Now, who will be the seventhplace trainee joining Celeste as its final member...?
Choi Sia was handling the proceedings for the seventhplace announcement.
That meant almost no time had passed since Id sat down on this throne.
I tried my best to control my expression while working to calm my racing heartbeat.
Only after several deep breaths did my pounding heart begin to settle down bit by bit.
What I just saw...
My mind was still foggy from suddenly losing consciousness.
But as I pieced together my memories, scenes came back to me as if Id observed them from a thirdperson perspective.
A conference room in the Demon Kings castle.
The demons scrambling to prepare countermeasures, anticipating that my strike team would target the western wall.
Yet no matter how they maneuvered their forces, the Demon Kings armys defeat was inevitable.
The seed created from Demon King Seirs life force.
And the power of that seed damaging the system.
I recalled the god flailing his hands in panic.
Hed said it was a system hed poured his heart into, one where errors like that were impossible.
The chances of a system made by the god himself breaking down for no reason had been slim to none from the start.
In other words, Demon King Seir had foreseen his own death and sought a way to harass humans even after his demise.
And the answer to that dilemma was that seed.
The seed, activated by the Demon Kings death, had damaged the system created by the god who made Grand Quest Saga.
And I, who had demanded the gods system as a reward for clearing Grand Quest Saga, had returned to the real world with a broken one.
No wonder it didnt make sense.
The system Id obtained from the god was, quite literally, a reward.
A reward should naturally only contain beneficial elements for me.
It was utterly bizarre for my stats to drop two levels out of nowhere for failing a hidden quest, complete with physical pain.
In the end, the penalties that had been hindering me were just side effects from the damaged system.
As I calmly sorted through these newly uncovered facts, a system notification appeared.
As you have seen, the system is currently damaged.
If the broken parts are not repaired within a set period, this system will be automatically deleted.
System Damage Level 70
Time Remaining Until System Deletion 600 days
My lips twitched at the word deletion.
If I had failed the Grand Quest, my body was fated to be sent back into that trash game, Grand Quest Saga.
No sooner had the forced repatriation penalty lifted than this system deletion alert popped up.
If the Possessor agrees, we will issue new quests required for system repair.
Quests tailored to the Possessors current situation will be set...
Quest settings complete. Would you like to begin the new Grand Quest like this?
I stared at the system window and clenched my fist.
If I refused this offer, my system would automatically vanish after 600 days.
Then I wouldnt be able to use the status window, and my passive skills would naturally disappear too.
Moreover, the crown princes ego still lingered in my mindwhat might happen if the system vanished? I had no idea.
In the worst case, I could lose consciousness and collapse.
Or maybe I wouldnt even be able to open my eyes.
And there were still many things I needed the systems help with, like information on this worlds Karis and the whereabouts of my original body.
It was the only direct link to the god.
...No choice but to do it.
I took a breath and clicked the Accept button.
A new Grand Quest, Repair System Damage, has been created.
Quests for achieving the Grand Quest will begin after a set period.
Please rest easy until further notice, Possessor.
What a completely arbitrary system.
But now that I knew it was damaged... I couldnt exactly complain about it.
If I wanted to vent, I should curse Demon King Seir, whod dumped this crap on me right up to the moment of his death.
I swallowed a sigh and closed the status window.
It felt like something enormous had stormed through me like a typhoon.
I turned my slightly dizzy mind back toward Choi Sia.
Before announcing the seventhplace trainee who will become Celestes final member, well reveal the lower rankings. Please give a warm round of applause to the trainees who showed such wonderful performances throughout Idol Training Simulation.
Just like in previous rounds, they started calling from 14th place and worked their way up.
I clasped my hands together and watched the remaining trainees.
From the previous Top 7, the ones whose names hadnt been called yet were Yoo Minha and Kang Donghwi.
Especially surprising was Yoo Minha, whod held onto fifth place every time, still standing on that stagean unexpected twist.
Part of it was surely because Heo Yubin, whod been eighth, had debuted, and Kang Siyoon, whod been seventh, had climbed higher.
Besides Yoo Minha and Kang Donghwi, Hashimoto Ken and Kwon Daehyun hadnt been called yet either.
Please, please. Just one of them.
I heard Heo Yubin praying desperately from below me.
He was probably hoping his sameage friends, Yoo Minha and Hashimoto Ken, would miraculously join Celeste.
Fourteenth place in the final round is trainee Baek Sihwa.
Baek Sihwa took fourteenth in the Idol Training Simulation final live broadcast.
Baek Sihwa nodded with an expression that said shed expected to drop.
The personality controversy from the third round caused an irreversible plunge in her ranking.
With this, Baek Sihwa had been eliminated twice in a row from the survival show.
In terms of skill alone, she had what it took to debut easily.
But her mentality was shockingly fragile.
And her notsobright actions had sent her straight to rock bottom.
I felt nothing, vividly remembering everything shed done to Yoo Minha.
It was just her paying off her own karma.
Rankings were announced one by one, and the moment to reveal the seventhplace trainee arrived.
Among the remaining trainees, who will join Celeste as its final member? Before announcing seventh place, well reveal the four candidates for seventh.
The candidates had naturally been narrowed down through elimination.
Soon, the four trainees whose rankings hadnt been announced appeared on a split screen.
Trainee Yoo Minha, trainee Kwon Daehyun, trainee Kang Donghwi, and trainee Hashimoto Ken are the final candidates for seventh place.
As the candidates were revealed, sighs of relief rose from here and there around me.
At least we made the candidates. Ah, please.
This is more nervewracking than when they called my name.
All four had ties to me.
As wed already seen from the current debut lineup, the results from past rounds meant nothing.
In this completely reshuffled game, no one could predict the outcome.
I simply waited with a calm face for Celestes final member.
And the seventhplace winner of the final round is!
Tension peaked.
Choi Sia finally revealed the name of the last member.
Congratulations! Trainee Yoo Minha!
The moment Yoo Minhas name was called, cheers and screams filled Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium.
Minhaaa!
Minha! Wow, its Minha!
Hyung, if I watch this more than twice, my hearts gonna explode.
Similar scenes unfolded among the members.
At the news of his friends debut, Heo Yubin sprang forward like a spring and slid right under his chair.
He landed on his palmslooked painfulbut Heo Yubin, tears already streaming from his eyes, didnt seem to feel it.
Chae Eungyu, whod suffered alongside him, let out an enthusiastic cheer for Yoo Minhas debut.
Ji Yuncheol, whod bonded with him while preparing for this final stage, quietly clapped.
I too clapped my palms together vigorously, sending out resounding applause.
Congratulations, Minha.
The passionate trainee Id first seen at nametag removal had survived to the end.
Yoo Minha, who was nothing without his passion and grit, would surely always inject vitality into Celeste.
The moment his name was called, Yoo Minha collapsed onto the stage.
Probably from standing so longhis legs had given out.
The other trainees rushed over, warmly grabbing his shoulders and head in celebration.
Though Baek Sihwa just pretended while using Kwon Daehyuns back as a shield.
After sobbing while clinging to his fellow trainees for a while, Yoo Minha finally walked toward our stage.
Barely holding back tears, Yoo Minha slowly began sharing his thoughts.
Its just... I cant believe Im even standing here. I think I could endure because of all my great friends, dongsaengs, and hyungs who ran alongside me until now. Thank you so much. Ha, I had so much I wanted to say...
Yoo Minha trailed off and wiped his eyes again.
Normally, his speech wouldve poured out like a machine gun, but his mind had gone completely blank.
Even Choi Sia, who always reined in his overtalker tendencies, set down the mic with a pleased smile this time.
To the National Producers who sent me endless love, thank you from the bottom of my heart. And to my mom and dad, who always cheered on and believed in your immature son with all your heartsI love you! Really... I had so much I wanted to do if I debuted. Now that Ive become a member of such a proud group like Celeste, Ill show all of you National Producers everything Ive dreamed of in my heart. Please keep believing in Celeste going forward! Ill never lose my, fulfill my duties as an idol, and pour passion into every moment of my activities! Thank you!
In the end, he regained his usual pace.
Bowing 90 degrees to the National Producers, Yoo Minha ran straight to the stairs where we waited.
We welcomed our final member with warm hugs.
Minha, you worked hard!
With Minha here too, our activities ahead are gonna be so much fun.
Minhaaa! Hngh hngh!
Why are you crying enough for both of us, Yubin?
Yoo Minha wiped Heo Yubins tears.
Then he snapped his head up and met my eyes.
...You did it, Minha.
Of course! To perform alongside you, hyung, this is a given!
Yoo Minhas passion warmed my heart too.
Unfortunately, Kwon Daehyun took eighth, Kang Donghwi ninth, and Hashimoto Ken tenth, bringing Idol Training Simulations long journey to a close.
Hoping we meet on stage someday.
After the eliminated trainees interviews ended, Choi Sia picked up the mic for closing remarks.
And so, the boy group Celeste, crafted directly by the National Producers, has been born. I want to sincerely congratulate the seven trainees who achieved their dreams, and please send lots of cheers and applause to all the trainees who joined us in Idol Training Simulation so they can achieve their debut dreams too!
Hot applause and cheers poured from the audience.
Idol Training Simulation will end here, but please give your boundless love and attention to the group Celeste made by the National Producers. To all you National Producers who ran alongside 96 trainees until nowthank you from the bottom of our hearts!
We all stood from our seats, waving continuously to the National Producers.
To remember this moment forever.
To engrave this beautiful scene deep in our hearts.
Celeste, congratulations on your debut!