Chapter 309

[NoName_11]

[NoName · 7.15 million followers]

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-(pianovel) Found it, the next baby princess.🍼👑[♡5958]

-(waresoft) Pure, exploration, and the last remaining is name. [♡2194]

-(nyke)👟 If you’re with Nike, no one can stop name, haha. [♡4602]

-(modernoutlets) We will serve you as a VVIP! [♡3370]

-(tiqtoq_kr) Adele Challenge! Let’s create it together! [♡6851]

-(kobacomain) How about going to get the Nobel Peace Prize, name? Ding ding~♬ -Public Advertisement Council- [♡2928]

“Isn’t all of this from big corporations? What I mean is real corporations, not big streamer ones!”

Kariri’s eyes widened as she looked at my Instagram account.

“Not everyone who commented is inquiring. Just by commenting, they can promote their own companies, that’s probably why they did it.”

“Still! I really didn’t know name was this popular.”

It’s not that fame came gradually; it jumped up like hopping several stairs at once.

The first leap point was the Takapda interview, and the second was the Academy对抗赛.

“So have you decided which ad to appear in first?”

“There are so many I haven’t even reviewed them all. And more than that, everyone hasn’t specified their appearance fees.”

“Right. Usually, most advertisement contracts are handled by entertainment agencies. Things like appearance fees can vary based on contract duration or frequency of exposure.”

“Is an agency really necessary?”

“Usually, having an agency allows you to separate the profit-driven image from the affiliated celebrities, making it easier to sign fair contracts based on market prices without worrying about public opinion.”

“Oh, that sounds smart. But I’m not planning to be affiliated with anyone right now. Even if it’s a bit tough, I want to try doing it on my own.”

Being affiliated with the Academy is enough.

There was no need for unnecessary self-restriction.

“Then at least we need to establish selection criteria. It can be categorized by industry type. Corporate size, social reputation? Of course, the appearance fee would be the most important among those. Have you thought about what the minimum should be?”

I sat cross-legged, deep in thought.

In my past life, the merchant guild lobbied for me to open trade routes between the empire and the kingdom, which was about 600,000 gold, so converting it to current value…

“About 500 billion?”

“Uh?”

Kariri made a noise in surprise.

So that wasn’t it.

“50 million. That’s really the minimum.”

“Hmm… Well, since it’s name! I also think I should at least get that much.”

Then came the final step: it’s time to announce the appearance fee.

“There are people who look down on making a lot of money even while living in a capitalist society. The moment you reveal your appearance fees, there are tons of media that start criticizing.”

Especially the younger the target, the greater the backlash. Kariri was concerned about this aspect.

“You just need to get the first button right.”

In fact, I had already made up my mind long ago about where to go.

The first destination was the Public Advertisement Council.

* * *

A 3-minute short advertisement film titled “Rest Assured, Seoul is at War” created in collaboration with the Public Advertisement Council and Save the Children.

The content depicted the life of a child living in a peaceful and happy daily life, brutally destroyed by war.

However, they were on the verge of having to reshoot the video from the beginning.

It was because a 13-year-old child actor, a genius who had starred in a million-view film, had perfectly fallen from grace due to a double whammy of school violence and molesting an 8-year-old girl.

“Ugh, if it wasn’t for this public advertisement, I’d have given up long ago! How many people are doing unpaid labor right now because of that scumbag!”

Degu-rur—

A red plastic megaphone rolled on the floor.

Director Jang Pyung-sik, who had thrown himself into reviving a declining public advertisement, lowered his head and scratched his smooth head.

Creating a good advertisement wouldn’t bring him more money.

After all, the shoot he had conducted out of obligation had gone awry due to unexpected circumstances, and he couldn’t sleep without sleeping pills.

“Well, it’s a relief that Kobako managed to find a temporary replacement. They even said they’d support us more if the budget is tight.”

“You can’t believe that at all. Getting a talented child actor is way harder than casting a star actor, you know?”

“In ‘Seoul is at War,’ they demanded advanced acting skills from the child actor.”

Due to the director’s stubbornness, they couldn’t overturn the script now.

“Actually…”

“What, why! Please don’t make me anxious. I’m in a fragile mental state.”

“The temporary replacement is 8 years old…”

“Haah…”

With a deep sigh, the cinematographer slumped like a limp vegetable.

Even the best child actor in South Korea was barely meeting Director Jang Pyung-sik’s standards, and with an 8-year-old, it was probably too much to even think about.

“In the end, this is how bureaucratic tasks turn out. Not one thing I like! With an 8-year-old child actor, if I say a bit, they’d just whine, right?”

“In fact, they’re probably not even a legit actor, so this might be their first shoot…”

“Stop there. I feel like I might blow my top if I hear more.”

The assistant director zipped his lips shut.

Nonetheless, Director Jang Pyung-sik was one of the more gentle personalities among film directors.

Since there were even directors who slapped their staff.

But whether this child would genuinely be able to withstand all of his pickiness was another question.

Creak—

Kieeeek—

The central iron door swung wide open, and sunlight streamed into the dark set.

Although the backlighting made it hard to see her face, it was clear that her figure was small.

The girl toddled in under the lights.

The director, sitting on a camping chair, finally lifted his head to see her face.

“You look familiar. Are you NoName?”

A question for confirmation. It seemed certain based on the murmurs from the crew.

“Hello. I’m NoName, and I’ll be participating in the anti-war public advertisement. Nice to meet you.”

“Ahhh, hey, nice to meet you. I really didn’t expect you to come. I’m Director Jang Pyung-sik.”

So young. Too young. That was my first impression of name.

Of course, this advertisement needed child boys and girls as protagonists, but the director wasn’t ignorant of the limitations of reality either.

So they compromised with 13, but what were they thinking sending this little one?

“‘Well, what fault does the child have? It’s the irresponsible Public Advertisement Council that’s the problem…’”

Director Jang Pyung-sik rubbed his hands against his face, then turned his attention towards the script that NoName was holding.

“Is that the script? It’s your first time seeing it, right? There are a lot of unfamiliar terms, aren’t there?”

“There were many, but the kind staff who brought me here explained it well, so I got the general meaning.”

“Right. You probably heard from your uncle how things are going now, huh?”

Nod—

NoName nodded solemnly.

“We don’t have much time, you know? But everyone here has experience shooting at least once. So if our friend NoName works hard, I think we can wrap up quickly. You can do well, right?”

The assistant noticed that Director Jang was subtly putting pressure on NoName.

It seemed they aimed to break their spirits from the start.

While it sounded like a transfer of responsibility, there was no choice if they wanted to maximize operational efficiency.

“Yes.”

“I won’t ask you to call me director. You’re not a legit actor, anyway.”

“Yes.”

“We just need to reshoot the parts with NoName. We’ll keep repeating the process of memorizing lines, shooting, and memorizing again non-stop until you say it’s too hard. Okay?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, we’ll start from Scene 13. Go memorize it quickly.”

Director Jang put a pink sleep mask over his head and leaned back in his chair.

The presence of the set still felt strong.

He briefly lifted the mask and glanced at NoName, who hadn’t yet left.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“I’ve memorized everything, so let’s start right away.”

“Not the front part, it’s Scene 13.”

“I memorized it all. The headlines, lines, stage directions, and even scene transitions.”

NoName fluttered the script as she spoke.

“… Can I see the script?”

He jumped up and grabbed the script.

“Scene 23.”

“Scene 23, residential area, night. A child is curled up in the backseat of a car. The child hugs a doll, trembling hands clasped together, eyes closed. The sounds of police sirens and ambulances pierce loudly. The child, with a frightened expression, slightly opens their eyes. Where is this? I’m going to mom, right? Right?”

The response flowed out in a consistent tone like flowing water.

Not a single word was incorrect.

“Wow… in my life… you memorized the whole thing…”

Director Jang was at a loss for words.

Was it true that geniuses were just on another level from the start?

Half of acting is memorization.

Director Jang believed that it wasn’t the method acting that mattered, but rather how faithfully the actors could execute what was written in the script.

“You mustn’t be too good at acting.”

Then there would definitely be several actors envious of that talent.

But if there was one fact no one in this world knew…

NoName was a direct survivor of war’s PTSD.

* * *

I had dropped out of the Academy and wandered without a destination.

I walked east without cease until the blisters on my feet burst.

What difference does it make to have horns on my head?

If they hated seeing me so much, couldn’t I just disappear?

I met an old Mazzak couple in a border town.

Although administratively it was part of the Kaizen Empire, the border distinctions often weren’t clear.

I introduced myself as a half-Mazzak.

Because I still had my guard up against the Mazzak.

They treated me to rye bread and warm oatmeal.

The food wasn’t much different from what the citizens of the empire ate.

The old couple told me they had lost their grandson and son to the war.

Mazzak weren’t originally devoid of family love.

For Mazzak, family was an eternal friend.

I decided to empathize with their sorrow of losing a friend and be their friend.

I learned how to gather raspberries and apricots, how to sneakily take eggs from under hens, and how to make salad with lentils and cabbage.

At night, I taught them how to read while occasionally fending off invading monsters.

On days when I gathered truffles from the mountains, I explained with knowledge from my past life that this was a rare ingredient only the wealthy could eat.

Their smiles never ceased.

The laid-back rural life was an escape from reality.

While they might have thought of me as a somewhat unusual friend, I cherished them like grandparents, even without knowing their names.

But cruelly, happiness didn’t last long.

The grandmother got caught by the Mazzak guard while crossing the border to visit the market.

She was taken to the eastern land.

Tears streamed from the deep wrinkles of the grandfather, whose legs ached.

I promised to bring back the grandmother and left for the east.

Following her traces, I arrived at a certain cemetery.

Ah.

The remains of my grandmother, turned to white ashes.

I gathered them into a bag without realizing my nails were breaking.

Carrying a pile of dirt on my shoulder, I returned to the village.

In my absence, the empire’s army had turned the village to ruins, branding them as colluding with the Mazzak.

Silver crosses erected by inquisitors stuck out everywhere in the village.

The grandfather, with nothing left but skin and bones.

I knelt before him, apologized, and scattered the ashes.

I wished that absurdly, I could either laugh at the situation or cry profusely with a sorrowful heart.

But I truly did nothing.

I merely wished this whole situation was a dream and sat still for days.

If I kept this up, I thought I might wake from the long nightmare.

I wanted to return to a time when the three of us could laugh together again.

“Hey, where are your parents right now?”

“…”

* * *

In the heart of Seoul, the girl who lost her parents in a mass bombing spell had eyes devoid of any emotion.

Under the ashen sky, her shrunken lips trembled weakly.

Her pupils, expanded to extremes, and black eyes finally lost focus.

NoName was awake but saw nothing.

Every breath felt like a bitter pain.

Her mind seemed to have crumbled like a sandcastle.

Dark dust rolled down her cheeks, and a small droplet fell helplessly from one eye.

The other had already dried up like a desert, having lost its function.

NoName turned her head slightly, opened her eyes wide, and gazed into the camera.

The cameraman, who was doing a close-up from the front, leaned his face slightly to the side.

He aimed to directly confirm the girl’s face with his naked eyes.

“Wow…”

It was shocking. How could an 8-year-old make such an expression?

The longer he stared, the more horrifying it became, and he felt nauseous, barely managing to exhale a breath he had been holding.

“It’s happening now. It’s happening here. The war.”

With those tearful words, NoName waited only for the director’s cut signal.

And,

“… Cut!”

A long silence ensued.

The director, who had been watching NoName all this time, was filled with emotion and admiration.

As if witnessing a brilliant gem of talent.