Chapter 87
Chapter 87
Translator Penny
Chapter 87
chapter title It Might Be More Fun Than You Think?
“Um, then, about the appearance fee…”
“Ah, I may not look it, but I'm a public official. You don't have to pay me. Besides, don't cameos usually appear without getting paid?”
“Ah, right……. No, it's different for each case. Some people get paid for their cameos, and some don't.”
“I see……. Anyway, I'm a public official, so I'll get in big trouble if I accept money.”
The director nodded at my words.
“Really, thank you for everything.”
“……Thank you.”
Knowing that I didn't have to step up for a cameo but did anyway, Tae-hoon thanked me.
“Don't mention it. When else would I get to be on the big screen? You owe me one, you know?”
“……That's separate from you coming here today, right?”
“Of course.”
“Ugh, fine.”
Was there any need to say something so embarrassing? We’ve known each other for a long time now.
I know she’s grateful, and I know she’s not the type to just forget about it later.
And that she's the type who can't stand being in debt.
I wonder if there will ever be a time I need to make use of her… but if the opportunity arises, I plan to work her to the bone with glee.
Now, it was time to discuss my appearance.
I asked the director.
“By any chance, what scene should I appear in?”
“Ah, I just thought of it. There's a scene in the scenario where the protagonist confronts a Dragon. We were originally planning to use CG for that part… but it would be great if you could appear in that scene.”
At that, the director’s eyes lit up.
Wait a minute, there’s a scene where they meet a Dragon?
But… is there a place here where I can transform into my true form?
“Um, in that case, I think I’ll have to return to my true form. Is there a place big enough for my true form?”
“Of course, there is.”
“That’s a relief.”
As long as there’s a place to bring out my true form… the filming probably won’t be that difficult.
But there was still one thing that was the biggest problem.
“But, will it really be okay? If it’s a role with lines, I feel like there will be a lot of NGs because of me. The only acting I’ve ever done in my life was in a school play in elementary school…”
“It’s fine. You’re gracing us with your presence, so we can’t complain about that.”
…You might be fine with it, Director, but the staff might not be so pleased.
But surprisingly, while the staff and actors’ expressions would usually stiffen at the prospect of many NGs… the people were instead looking at me with wide smiles, as if they found it amusing.
Somehow, they seemed to be enjoying it.
Well, it’s not a common occurrence.
Anyone would be intrigued to see a real Dragon filming for a movie without CG.
Ju So-hyun, in particular, was staring at me with sparkling eyes.
“Then, when does filming start? If you have a script, could you give it to me?”
“Ah, here you go.”
I received the script and opened it. Memorizing the script wasn't a problem.
I could memorize it just by skimming it once.
But, as expected, the problem was how to act it out.
…There are more lines than I thought.
For a simple cameo, it had a surprisingly significant role.
Should I call it the role of a being who grants power in exchange for a price?
After the protagonist suffers a humiliating defeat at the hands of the main villain, Hyunhwa, the protagonist realizes they cannot defeat Hyunhwa as they are and contemplates how to win.
That’s when the protagonist, Lee Yul, hears a rumor… a rumor about a Dragon.
A rumor that one could gain immense power by meeting a Dragon and paying a price.
Thus, I would be acting opposite Ju So-hyun.
The one saving grace, as is typical for acting scripts, was that it included stage directions.
From the directions, I could get a rough idea of what kind of character the Dragon was.
A lofty, arrogant being who enjoys observing humans.
A being who finds everything boring, yet watches Lee Yul, who is burning herself out and dedicating everything to revenge, with an interested gaze.
In other words, a being who looks down on Lee Yul from the perspective of a Transcendent.
That fact alone was enough for me to know what kind of performance I had to give.
It’s not like I had ever acted professionally.
But still… I naturally knew what to do, how to deliver the lines, and where to direct my gaze.
I had checked the script and confirmed the character.
Now, all that was left was to act.
It was a rather refreshing feeling.
When would I ever get to have an experience like this?
I felt it when I appeared on that variety show before, but it felt like my craving for new things had become much stronger since becoming a Dragon.
Seeing how often I acted on a whim, maybe it was because of the original Dragon's personality.
Well, it wasn't that it was a bad thing.
If anything, I was glad to be able to feel things I couldn't before.
In any case, it was about time to get ready.
Since filming in my Dragon form had location constraints, I first quickly put on the clothes the production team had prepared.
It was a garment that felt like… the Clerical Robe of a divine hermit.
It was the same outfit that Lee Yul wore.
It’s pretty cool.
It was clear they had paid attention to the details. I put on the clothes without hesitation.
In that moment, I felt that I, too, had become a member of this film set.
My reflection was brief. It was almost time to shoot.
I hope I do well… but, what should I say.
Still, I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be.
Tae-hoon watched Seo-hyun with a slightly anxious gaze.
‘…Can she really act well?’
Tae-hoon’s own acting was quite decent for someone who had only learned for a month at an acting academy, but there were bound to be flaws, known or unknown.
Didn't the director say so at the audition?
That while her shortcomings were noticeable, he chose Tae-hoon because he thought her flashes of brilliance were more important.
But what about Seo-hyun, who was acting for the first time today?
There would probably be quite a few mistakes.
Tae-hoon felt as if she was more nervous than Seo-hyun was.
She hadn't even trembled this much when she was acting at the audition.
However, Tae-hoon’s worries were unfounded.
From the moment Seo-hyun began to act, everyone’s gazes were inevitably drawn to her, as if sucked in.
“That bastard, she’s pulling another fast one.”
That thought just couldn't help but pop out.
What is acting?
Ultimately, it means becoming the character yourself.
To be honest, I don't really know what acting is.
That’s only natural. What would I know?
But, at the very least, when I immersed myself in the character.
I could judge whether my actions fit the mood of the drama or not.
The character I was to play was one who watches as Lee Yul burns her life away.
I heard the sound of the slate clapping.
At the same time, I felt the air around me change.
I also felt the person in front of me become not Ju So-hyun, but Lee Yul.
I felt a strange, unknown power.
It was as if a seeker of vengeance, not the person who had been smiling brightly just moments ago, was standing before me.
Yul, or more precisely, the Hanja character for Yul, means to shine.
She could truly be called a vengeful demon burning her own life away.
And the Dragon’s name is Hyun.
The Hyun from the character for ‘profound blackness.’
A Dragon born from the gathering of the world’s dark aspects.
The script said that this dark, dark being watches with interest the one who burns herself to illuminate the world.
The current scene could be described as the Dragon, having shared its power with Yul, watching with interest as she handles that power.
The price Hyun demands for giving Yul power is Yul’s lifespan.
Her life ends the moment she kills Hyunhwa. She is, in a word, a moth to a flame.
It was my turn to start the conversation.
I sat perched on a rock, gazing into the distance and muttering.
“How is it, you. Are you satisfied with the power I have given you?”
In that moment, I had to become not Seo-hyun, but Hyun.
A being that looks down on its opponent, yet watches with interest.
And that wasn't a very difficult task.
After all, the Dragon in the dream I once saw was also a supreme being.
I had indirectly experienced the kind of gaze with which such a being viewed the world.
Was that why? More easily than I thought, I was able to become Hyun.
What’s so special about immersion? As long as I don't break the tension of the drama, it's enough.
In the first place, what they wanted from me wasn't a professional-level performance.
Just acting that wasn't awkward. As long as I met that standard, it was fine.
“……This is enough.”
“I see. Do you think you can defeat Hyunhwa with that?”
“Do you know of her?”
“How could I not know what happens in my domain? She is a ferocious human. Behold, this scar.”
Hyun raised her arm. Yul’s eyes widened upon seeing Hyun’s arm.
A rather large scar was carved into her arm.
“Hyunhwa is a strong one. Her craving for power led her to become something beyond human. A being not fundamentally different from myself.”
“I don't care. Instead, let me ask just one thing.”
“Well, I suppose there’s no need to wonder what you will ask. The only thing you would be interested in is… who won, is it not?”
Yul nodded at Hyun’s answer. Hyun smiled faintly.
“Of course, I won. The reason she goes around in that grandiose outfit, deliberately not exposing her body, is to hide the scars I gave her.”
That answer was enough. Hyun was stronger than Hyunhwa, so now that she had received power from a being stronger than her, she should be able to defeat Hyunhwa.
But Hyun scoffed at Yul’s thought.
“What a naive thought you have. The thought that since I am stronger than Hyunhwa, you, who have received my power, might be stronger than Hyunhwa…”
“Then, does that mean it’s still not enough?”
“Why do you ask something so obvious? You have merely earned the right to challenge Hyunhwa.”
“……That’s enough.”
“No, it is not enough. Therefore, I shall personally train you. You had best look forward to it.”
“……Why are you going to such lengths?”
“Why, you ask? Is there anything more unsightly than a being who has received my power losing to an enemy I have defeated? That sort of thing is not very amusing. Above all… it just seems like it would be fun to watch you suffer.”
Hyun laughed like a mischievous child who had found an amusing toy.
Author's Note
Thank you always for reading.