#1

A long and narrow hallway.

In the rooms that are tightly packed together, each has a piece of paper with a performer's name written on it.

This is the view of the 《Music City》 waiting room that I've only heard about.

《Music City》 waiting room, the epitome of differential treatment, where the inside of the waiting room is filled according to the singer's fame and level.

Sure enough, the waiting rooms glimpsed through the occasionally open doors had different atmospheres in each room.

"Wow, hyung. Did you see the K-MAX waiting room over there? There's even a vending machine and a game machine inside."

Jaewon, leaning closely against the wall, said excitedly with wide eyes. 

At that, Roa immediately chimed in.

"Yoon Ahyeon's waiting room even has a massage chair. They even set up a buffet-style party in the DAS 17 waiting room."

"Roa hyung, even MuteSeven has a waiting room."

"Of course, they released their song yesterday and got confirmed to appear today."

"That's what I'm saying. We're the only ones without a waiting room."

As Jaewon got excited, his Gyeongsang-do accent became more pronounced. 

Siu added a comment to the conversation Roa and Jaewon were having.

"They're with HS, after all."

HS affiliation. Was everything summed up in that one phrase?

The two kids who nodded their heads while making an "ah" sound soon became sullen and closed their lips.

Siu spoke again. 

His voice was very gentle, as if trying to console the disappointed kids.

"We just need to get on stage. Then we'll get a waiting room."

"We're going to be on stage today."

Jaewon, with an excited voice, trembled his shoulders. 

Then, Hanjoon, who had been silent until now, casually threw in a comment.

"We perform because we have to. We are literally a ddaembbangjo. A ddaembbangjo that fills in for singers who cancel their broadcasts."

T.N.: Ddaembbangjo is a slang term that refers to a substitute or a group that fills in when someone else cancels or is unable to perform. It conveys a sense of being a temporary replacement, often with the connotation of being less important or less prestigious than the original performer.

Ddaembbangjo. With that one word, it was as if the kids had been doused with ice water, their faces freezing.

They had finished preparing their songs but hadn't yet made it on stage, still stuck as trainees.

Even as substitutes, they wanted to be on TV just once, enduring the uneasy life of keeping to the backstage hallway.

That was the current situation for the idol group L.I.T, to which these kids belonged.

'Being teamed up with kids like this, I must be really unlucky too.'

I glanced sideways at the endlessly chattering kids and then threw my gaze back into the air.

I felt like I wanted to erect a barrier right away.

I also felt like a pathetic existence being mixed in with these guys.

I sighed.

"Ichan hyung."

The youngest of the team, Jaewon, called me.

"Hyung, you should say something too."

Jaewon, who had been sullen just moments ago, was now smiling brightly and chatting away again.

"Somehow, I feel like if you say something, everything will work out."

What nonsense is he going to spout now?

I didn't really need to hear the rest, but this seventeen-year-old kid was surely going to keep talking.

"Hyung, you’re our team's 'symbol of luck,' our 'jujube tree struck by lightning' you know."

T.N.: In Korean culture, a jujube tree struck by lightning is considered to be especially lucky. It’s a way of saying that the person has been through something extraordinary and is now seen as a bearer of good fortune.

The jujube tree struck by lightning? How dare he.

Hiding my displeasure, I turned my head towards the opposite side of the hallway with an indifferent expression.

Ignoring a kid like this is the best course of action.

Noticing my mood, Roa nudged Jaewon's side.

"Hey, Kim Jaewon. I told you not to say stuff like that to Ichan hyung."

Jaewon, now blatantly showing his Gyeongsang-do accent, grumbled.

"Ah, why? It's something we always do."

"Didn't you notice after the accident… Ichan hyung is completely different now? He's completely, completely changed. He's like a completely different person."

A completely different person.

Yes, that's the right answer.

I'm not the kind of person you guys think I am. I am a 9-circle Archmage who has lived for 318 years.

The Guardian of the Armania continent, Jesquière.

A 9-circle Archmage revered by all. The extraordinary hero who succeeded in subjugating the Demon King faction. The icon of self-sacrifice who threw himself for the extinction of the Demon King.

Of course, due to the side effects of the extinction ritual, I ended up in this cursed world, reincarnated into this pathetic body.

That was when.

Jaewon stretched out his index finger and shouted brightly.

"Oh, it's Gyuhyung hyung."

At the end of the hallway, our manager, Gyuhyung, was walking towards us.

Seeing his face, which had become even darker like a black bear, he seemed to be bringing bad news.

Sure enough, Gyuhyung sighed deeply and smiled awkwardly as he approached.

"Guys, let's go."

"Why are we just leaving? What about the stage?"

Once again, it was Jaewon, with a bright face, who asked first. Hanjoon then tapped Jaewon's beret.

"Why ask? We drank water again, right?"

T.N; "drank water," is an idiomatic expression meaning to fail, to miss out, or to come up short often used when someone doesn't achieve their goal or is disappointed in the outcome.

This happened twice already, from last week to this week.

Other broadcasting stations wouldn't even give us a chance, so KBC, where they had connections, was the only place they could at least be substitutes.

"Everyone's attendance is confirmed for today too."

At Gyuhyung's dispiriting words, the kids' shoulders slumped endlessly.

Even the usually bubbly youngest couldn't keep his bright demeanor.

Seeing his sullen expression made me feel a twinge of pity.

What's the big deal, getting all dressed up, polished, and even made up from early morning?

And on top of that, wearing such flashy clothes.

I glanced sideways at Gyuhyung and clicked my tongue.

"Let's go. Before the assistant director starts complaining about us blocking the way."

I patted his shoulder and started walking first.

The kids, observing the mood, followed me quietly with their shoulders drooped.

It was when we reached the exit door at the end of the hallway.

"Kang Ichan?"

A stranger, just entering through the door, called out to me.

A face I had never seen before. I had never encountered him, and he wasn't on the list of people I recently started to memorize.

I stared blankly at his pale face and asked.

"Who...?"

Not recognizing him seemed to shock the stranger.

He opened his mouth in surprise, his brows furrowed in confusion.

At that moment, Roa leaned in from behind me.

"It's Wooyoung from MuteSeven."

MuteSeven's Wooyoung? Is he a famous guy? Do I have to know him?

"He was a trainee with you hyung at HS."

HS trainee...? What's that supposed to mean?

"So what?"

When I looked at him with a somewhat cold expression, the guy from MuteSeven, Wooyoung, stepped closer.

Almost close enough to touch noses, and asked with a frown.

"They said you had an accident, did you hurt your head or something?"

There was a faint sense of 《contempt》 from him.

"A guy who is not in good health even got into an accident? Makes me worried."

He tilted his lips up in a sneer and tapped my shoulder.

The《contempt》in his voice grew stronger.

"But why are you leaving so soon? What about the stage?"

It didn't seem like he was expecting an answer.

"Oh, another failed ddaembbangjo?"

Wooyoung of MuteSeven, who answered on his own, this time, I felt a faint sense of 《joy》.

This bastard, finding joy in contempt. Just what kind of relationship did he have with Kang Ichan?

"MuteSeven's Wooyoung."

I called out his name in a disinterested voice as Roa had told me. 

At that, Wooyoung's eyebrows furrowed crookedly.

This time, I could read a faint sense of 《anticipation》 from him.

Pervert. He mixed joy with contempt, and now anticipation? Is he looking for a fight?

But I can't give him what he wants.

I mustered the brightest smile I could and placed my hand on his shoulder, lightly tapping with my fingertips.

"Do well on stage today."

Kid. This body has no intention of playing with greenhorns like you who still smell like milk. I'm enjoying my first emotional vacation in 318 years. 

So please, don't touch me, okay?

"I'll be looking forward to it."

I gave Wooyoung a faint smile and leisurely walked out the door.

"Hey! Kang Ichan."

But the brat just couldn't help but provoke me.

I tried to ignore him and walk past, but my body stopped on its own.

"Did you call me?"

When I turned around, Wooyoung from MuteSeven was standing with one leg propped up.

"Yeah. Kang Ichan. You."

Then he snickered.

"No, it was puppy, wasn't it? Couldn't even grow up to be a dog."

With a sneer on his face, he approached me with a swagger.

"A mutt that broke its leash and ran off, did you grow up a lot?"

He then extended his finger and pushed my chest.

Once, twice. Oh, three times.

"No matter what, you're just a mutt, you bastard."

A mutt, a bastard.

He shouldn't be treating me like this...

I am a being that receives so much love from mana so much that I wasn't even allowed to choose annihilation.

"From now on, stand in the hallway like today and watch who comes and goes, okay?"

I caught his finger as it poked my chest a fourth time.

"Yeah."

My response was plain. My expression was calm.

"Got it."

But my irritation wouldn't subside easily.

This bastard. Should I break his finger?

Swallowing the emotions I couldn't voice, I instead mustered a brighter smile.

"If I can, I will."

I flicked his finger away lightly and patted his shoulder.

"So you should be careful too. Don't mess up on stage, okay?"

I said it as kindly as I could. I couldn't curse him outright.

But it seemed to seriously provoke him. His eyes rolled back as he grabbed me by the collar.

"You crazy bastard..."

Just then, someone grabbed Wooyoung's arm.

"Wooyoung-ah."

A small figure with fair skin and eyes slanted like a weasel's but quite cute, spoke in a nearly tearful voice.

"Don't. Don't do that to Ichan. Ichan is also..."

The way he shook his head looked so pitiful.

"...a victim."

With that, Wooyoung's grip on my collar loosened.

As Wooyoung stepped back, the cute and gentle-faced guy looked at me.

"I'm sorry, Ichan-ah."

His eyes trembled, and his voice quivered as he tried to show his sincerity.

"I'll apologize for him. Wooyoung is just... upset. You know that too. We really liked you."

What are these bastards trying to pull now?

Do they think I'm a fool? No, what kind of life did this Kang Ichan live?

How is it all filled with《contempt》, 《disdain》, and 《ignorance》?

That smiling face is the dirtiest one. His words sound nice, but inside, he's twisted.

I let out a thin sigh and lightly dusted off my crumpled clothes from being grabbed by the collar. Then, I drew another bright smile.

"Sure, keep liking me. Forever."

Barely suppressing my anger, I turned and walked away.

I'd like to break his finger, but for now, patience is a virtue.

Because there is still no clue to this mysterious phenomenon.

Why am I, who opened the gate to the other world, still alive?

Can I go back?

Or is this the punishment given to me who chose to disappear?

Until I find the answer, I have to be cautious.

It won't be too late to break the fingers of that guy who dared touch this body later.

First, I need to find out why the Archmage who protected the Continent of Light has been reduced to a mere beggar Kang Ichan.

Even in this incomprehensible phenomenon, there must be divine providence.

Let's go back to the beginning.

Yes, the beginning of all this. That happened three weeks ago.