Debuting by Riding the Returnee’s Bus – Chapter 20

Author: LyraDhani

‘Is this really okay?’

The words had come out of my own mouth, but no matter how I thought about it, they definitely sounded strange.

‘Dark mage was a bit much, wasn’t it?’

It was only natural that Joo Wooyoung and the Hopeless Trio reacted with bewilderment. The atmosphere felt like they could have just brushed it off as nonsense and moved on. Just when the awkward silence felt like it would never end, fortunately, Joo Wooyoung spoke up.

“A dark mage…? I think that’s what I heard, but Unha, did you really say ‘dark mage’?”

“Yes, a dark mage. You can think of it like a puppeteer. Everyone has seen a performance like that at least once, right? I think they started popping up here and there after some famous dancers did something similar a while back.”

“There have been dark mage performances before?”

“No, no. I misspoke, so please forget the ‘dark mage’ part. The mage isn’t the point. The point is that you, hyung, are controlling us. Imagine you standing heavily in the center, and with just a flick of your hands or feet, we move around you like bees. Wouldn’t that be a cool image?”

“Hmm…”

“Lee Unha… do you… like that kind of stuff?”

“What kind of stuff?”

“You know. All that… dark mage… Puppeteer… stuff.”

‘No. 98 is trying to mess with me right now, isn’t he?’

“It appears a lot in games, manga, and novels. If you’re asking if I like subculture… of course I do. Do you… hate it, Hyung? Do you not really like people who are into that stuff?”

‘Take a taste of your own medicine.’

“A-ah, no! I… I don’t hate it! I’m not criticizing you at all! I’m just not familiar with it.”

“Wait a second. I think it would be better to show you a video of what I mean…”

Just then, No. 45, who had been fiddling with his phone, suddenly shouted.

“Ahhhh! You mean a marionette!”

“Yes! That’s exactly it, hyung!”

Only then did everyone nod in realization.

“A puppet show?”

“Yes. That! That’s it!”

Why did I have to say dark mage or puppeteer? It had slipped out without thinking, but it made me realize I really needed to watch what I said. It wasn’t that I was worried about having a subculture geek image—that wasn’t really a flaw, and in some cases, it could actually gain favor.

The reason I felt I needed to be careful was… Joo Wooyoung, who was standing not far away, lost in deep thought. Fortunately, the mood shifted naturally, but having the word dark mage come directly from the mouth of Lee Unha—who he suspected of possessing [Succubus Eyes: D-Rank]—clearly left him feeling uneasy. I had inadvertently made myself more suspicious.

I didn’t know if I should call it Other World terminology, but I felt it would be better to avoid those kinds of words for a while. That said…

“I think it sounds good?”

The atmosphere was positive.

“I think it could work.”

“Then we just need to fix Wooyoung’s choreography?”

“Yeah. He’ll be joining the formation in the latter half anyway, so during the beginning he just needs to maintain a commanding presence. Honestly, I don’t think you could even call it choreography.”

“Okay.”

“I think it’ll be enough if you just move a little more subtly than in the original choreography. Instead of looking dynamic, you should project authority.”

“Authority?”

“Yes, authority. Honestly, we’re all just playing pretend here, but our situation is literally four trainees from the Slave class who were bought by a Noble.”

“Is it okay to say it like that?”

“They’ll probably edit that part out anyway, right? Anyway, that’s why you have to go with the feeling of showing authority as a member of the Nobility.”

“Didn’t you say ‘dark mage’ earlier?”

“I-I mean… a noble who gives off the feeling of a dark mage. Someone frightening, intimidating, someone who treats slaves as worthless with nothing more than a wave of his hand or foot… like a lord marching off to war with another territory and using slave soldiers as human shields…”

No. 98 chimed in.

“Unha… you really do like this stuff, don’t you?”

“I only explained it that way because it fits the situation perfectly. It’s easy to understand. A concept is always better when it’s clearly defined. Anyway, what do you think, Wooyoung hyung?”

“Hmm…”

All eyes turned to Joo Wooyoung. As usual, he gave a slight smile and then spoke.

“I think it’s good. Let’s go with it.”

Without realizing it, I clenched my fist tightly.

‘It worked.’

Of course, the final product wasn’t out yet. We hadn’t even started practicing properly, but the important thing was that Joo Wooyoung expressed satisfaction. I didn’t know if he was hiding his true feelings or if he was just nodding along for the cameras. However…

‘He’s not so stupid that he’d ruin a stage just for his image.’

Joo Wooyoung wasn’t a Yes-Man. If he cared that much about his image, he wouldn’t have told Writer Kim Jaehee that the other stages were mediocre.

‘He truly accepted it positively.’

I judged that he had accepted the situation in a positive light. Though it felt like I was constantly rationalizing things to myself, the feeling that I had crossed a small ridge made a grin spread across my face.

“Alright, shall we start practicing?”

“Yes, Wooyoung hyung.”

“Yeah. Let’s do it.”

Clap! Clap!

No. 98, who had been sprawled out all morning, raised his energy—perhaps conscious of the cameras.

“Let’s get fired up!”

No. 45, who had only been taking selfies, threw out his usual line.

“Should we take a group photo before we start?”

No. 78 was warming up his throat.

There were no major problems. Everyone was motivated, and the atmosphere was decent. There was only one variable I hadn’t accounted for.

‘Sigh….’

Even thinking about it again, it was such an absurd variable…

The problem was that Joo Wooyoung was playing the role of the dark mage too well. So much so that it actually reminded me of my former Master.

“Stand up! Turn around! One, two, three!”

‘It’s distracting.’

“Unha. To the side. Side. Side. Move out.”

‘It’s so distracting it’s driving me crazy. Seriously.’

“Turn back! Side! Side! Foot! Foot! Knee! Foot!”

‘Seriously, f*ck….’

“Lee Unha.”

‘How can he be so similar?’

“Should we take a short break?”

“No.”

“No, let’s stop for a moment. Not a long break, just about 30 minutes.”

‘Why is he still in dark mage mode even during the break?’

Did Joo Wooyoung have a talent for acting? No, actually, it was less about his eyes and more about the atmosphere. I could clearly feel that distinctive, clinging aura that only a mad dark mage possessed. Not just any ordinary dark mage, either, but the kind of high-level dark mage who had made a contract with a greater demon—or who commanded the demon they had contracted as if it were their own servant… something unexplainable in words.

Perhaps he was keeping my feedback in mind, but he had even equipped an expression that openly looked at the slaves as worthless. Eyes that looked at humans not as people, but as pets or lumps of meat.

Not only was it a drastic departure from Joo Wooyoung’s usual demeanor, it was also uncannily similar to every dark mage I’d ever seen besides my Master that I briefly wondered if the Hero had a hidden sub-class like dark mage.

Of course, I knew that wasn’t the case.

‘He must have clashed with them that many times….’

It was inevitable. In the battles against the Demon King and the wars against the demons, he must have encountered and cut down countless dark mages…. He probably knew them better than anyone. He had likely observed more dark mages than I had—I who had only seen my Master and his few acquaintances.

I figured Joo Wooyoung was currently imitating the most impressionable dark mages he had ever seen.

I hated to say this, but… thanks to Joo Wooyoung giving his all to the roleplay, I felt a wave of nausea rising. I wanted to run straight to the bathroom and vomit everything I’d eaten. My head was spinning, and it was hard to calm my body, which felt like it was on the verge of a seizure. Honestly, right now, I couldn’t even look Joo Wooyoung in the face.

I wasn’t the only one sensing the strangeness. I felt the Hopeless Trio suddenly keeping a bit of distance from Joo Wooyoung as well. While they didn’t seem to feel the same level of repulsion I did, the important thing was that Joo Wooyoung’s aura had changed enough for even them to notice.

“Ugh….”

“Are you okay, Unha?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“What happened all of a sudden? If you’re not feeling well….”

“No. It’s not that I’m sick, it’s just… because of the Master….”

“Master?”

“No, no. It’s nothing. Don’t mind me.”

‘No. Don’t pay it any mind. It’ll be easier if I just openly think of him as the Master. Actually, it’s more comfortable this way. It’s a familiar feeling. It’s okay.’

The pressure was almost too much to bear, but a certain amount of tension actually helped. Objectively speaking, the performance didn’t look bad at all. In fact, it was being shaped so well that you could call it polished. Even after heavily restricting Joo Wooyoung’s movements, he still managed to make his presence known, which was admittedly unsettling, but it was an undeniable fact that the performance was gaining its foundation because of it.

I could tell just by looking at the camera that was constantly filming our team’s practice.

‘It’s not like I’ll die if I fail. Joo Wooyoung is not a dark mage. Joo Wooyoung is not that mad Master.’

“Whew….”

‘Why am I acting like this now….’

After slapping my cheeks as if casting a spell on myself, I immediately lined up in formation. Joo Wooyoung walked over and spoke to me.

“Will you be okay?”

“Yes.”

“If it’s too hard, you must tell me, Unha.”

“…….”

“No. I’m really not… ugh.”

I tried to hold it back, but a dry heave escaped me involuntarily.

Sure enough, the cameras immediately locked onto me, and Joo Wooyoung, with a serious face, raised his hand and looked for the staff.