translation by mourningmoor
Siu's answer was shocking.
Fainting.
The guy, an idol, has stage fright and camera fright.
Is he crazy?
[Before the accident, you had stage fright. And camera fright.]
[That's why during the last music video shoot, you suddenly fainted and caused a big mess. The next day, you took a ton of sedatives and resumed shooting, but...]
I didn’t need to hear more.
I immediately understood why Kang Ichan in the music video looked so off, why there was something wrong.
This loser.
He’s scared, timid, gloomy, and on top of that, he has stage fright and camera fright.
"Ah, this brat."
No wonder the staff's gazes toward me seemed so uneasy.
Even though I had lived for 318 years, this was the first time I felt such impure stares directed at me.
"Of all the bodies to end up in."
Kang Ichan was a person with nothing good about him, except for his decent face.
From top to bottom, there wasn't a single corner that didn't make my hands itch.
This was the emotional vacation I'd been waiting for after 318 years, but I was so anxious, it felt like the gates of hell were about to open.
"Ichan-ah!"
After we were dropped off at the studio, Gyuhyung, who hadn't been seen at all, suddenly appeared.
How could a manager just leave their post? Isn't that a bit unprofessional?
I was about to say something, but Gyuhyung, panting heavily with his thick chest heaving, shoved a paper bag in front of me.
"Eat."
"What is it?"
He just told me to eat, but what is it?
"Your medicine."
"Medicine?"
"Take it before the shoot. It takes about an hour to kick in, so it'd be better to take it now."
He then opened a bottle of barley tea and handed it to me.
It seems like he went back to get this medicine after dropping us off. So, this must be the sedative that Siu mentioned earlier, huh?
"It's okay."
I smiled coldly and pushed Gyuhyung's hand away.
What kind of medicine do you take to calm down? How primitive.
I should save my magic for later.
No, more importantly, I'm not Kang Ichan.
Inside this loser, there's a great wizard like me.
"Hyung, you should take it instead."
That kind of medicine might be needed by a loser like Kang Ichan, but not for me.
"I'm fine."
"Ichan-ah, still..."
As I tried to turn around, Guhyeong grabbed me.
His face, dark like a black bear, was filled with worry.
I understand what he's worried about, but that kind of concern is what this world calls "giu"—unnecessary worry.
"You said it yourself. I seem a lot different since the accident."
I casually smiled and gave Guhyeong's shoulder a light tap.
"Don't worry, it's nothing."
Don’t be surprised.
I’ll show you how an ordinary human changes once they’re under the control of a great wizard.
That pathetic side will be forgotten forever.
"I'll do well."
Yeah, I believed I would.
I believed I could do well.
But damn it. This fucking shit.
It wasn’t.
* * *
The cue was given, and the camera started rolling.
But what the hell.
Against my will, my heart was pounding like it was about to explode.
My muscles were trembling, and my mouth was parched.
Why is my body suddenly like this when it was fine during yesterday’s rehearsal?
Cold sweat trickled down my spine, and beads of sweat formed on my forehead.
My head was spinning, and I felt a bit nauseous.
It was probably because of that huge camera…
I tried to subtly channel mana, but it was no use.
It seemed that the little pep talk I had given to the kids before the shoot had backfired. If I had known this would happen, I would have prepared myself beforehand.
If things continued like this, I might faint again.
But there's no way this noble body of mine would embarrass itself in front of humans.
I gritted my teeth, determined to burn all the remaining mana until it was completely depleted.
"Cut!"
Fifteen whole hours.
Having exerted superhuman strength, I collapsed right where I stood as the final cut sign was called.
The first to rush over was Gyuhyung.
"Ichan-ah, are you okay?"
His face, which was usually dark, was now flushed with worry. He must've been really stressed.
I didn't want to cause any more trouble for him.
I barely had the energy to take a breath, but seeing Gyuhyung look like he was losing years off his life from worry, I forced a faint smile.
"I'm fine. Of course."
"Hyung-nim."
It sounded like it was Roa.
"Channie hyung."
Jaewon was here too.
"Ichan-ah, are you okay?"
That voice—it's Siu.
"Hey! Leader, are you alright?"
Oh, even Hanjoon too.
I should tell them I'm fine, but somehow my vision is turning yellow and getting blurry.
No, this isn't right. I can't let this happen.
This is... too embarrassing.
* * *
It seems like I lost consciousness.
I, the Guardian of Armania, the Grand Wizard of the 9 Circles, the Earth Goddess's beloved Grand Master, I...
To be defeated by a camera of all things.
Ah, how embarrassing.
I can feel the presence of five people nearby, probably Gyuhyung and the kids, but I just can't lift my eyelids.
Should I just pretend not to notice and sleep until morning?
But something feels off since earlier.
By the way he moves, it's Jaewon, and he's pulling my hand, making it stroke my chest over and over again.
As if doing that weird thing wasn't enough, he's been repeating the same words with a flat voice.
"It'll be okay. It'll be okay. It's okay. Kang Ichan is okay."
It's almost like he's casting a spell to summon the Demon King, like a black magician.
Anyway, this weird rabbit of a kid is always strange no matter what he does.
In the end, I lifted my eyelids and stared at the youngest.
But even though I opened my eyes, he didn't stop. Looking closely, it's almost like he's praying, with his eyes tightly closed and putting all his energy and effort into it.
"It'll be okay. It'll be okay. Kang Ichan is okay."
"What are you doing?"
I asked casually, and Jaewon quickly opened his tightly shut eyes wide.
"Hyung."
With his light brown eyes trembling, Jaewon soon had tears gathering in his eyes.
"I thought you were dead."
Seventeen, though the youngest, Jaewon was taller than Roa, yet he was acting like such a child.
I gently pushed him away as he tried to hug me, then rose to my feet.
"What are you doing?"
"I was raising your consciousness so you'd feel better quickly."
I knew he was an odd one, but this behavior was beyond my understanding.
"Raising consciousness?"
Was he actually performing a ritual to summon the Demon King?
His answer was so absurd that it made me think some absurd thoughts too.
But then, the words that followed were even more absurd, clogging my nose and ears.
"Yes, like how a lightning-struck jujube tree is said to drive away ghosts and be sacred, right?"
If it's a joke, I should scold him, but his expression is so serious that I can't even figure out when to reprimand him.
"So, it brings good luck and wards off bad things. It's like... a talisman. A talisman."
I can't help but frown.
"I'm telling you, it's real. The fact that you're coming to your senses is proof!"
Then, once again, he takes my hand and slowly runs it over his chest.
"If you touch the lightning-struck jujube tree with your hands and make a wish..."
There's a limit to how much I can tolerate.
I clenched my hand tightly, gritting my teeth.
"Do you want to die?"
At those words, Jaewon quickly hid his hands behind his back and shook his head.
"No."
He quickly tucked his tail between his legs, looking somewhat cute despite the situation.
"What about the others?"
The noise outside the bedroom had been relentless.
"What are they doing out there?"
"Gyuhyung hyung bought us chicken to thank us for working hard today, so everyone is eating chicken."
"Chicken? What chicken?"
We have a shoot tomorrow, and chicken? Not salad?
Is he really a manager?
I couldn't even move a finger earlier, but somehow, I felt a surge of energy.
* * *
These filthy bastard.
After I used up all my mana for them and lost my consciousness, they dare eat chicken? Does that even go down their throats?
No, as if that wasn't enough, they turned the place into this mess?
"These filthy rabbits."
Once again, I rolled up my sleeves and grabbed the cleaning sponge and spray cleaner.
"Why the hell are you living like this? Why?"
The fried food crumbs, sauce, and even oil stains spread all over the living room table. I don't know how much more I have to tolerate these filthy dungeon rabbits.
"How many times do I have to explain this for you to understand?"
Wearing an apron and scrubbing the table vigorously, the four kids stood behind me, staring blankly.
"Don't you know that living like this, being filthy, will eventually ruin your health? I've told you countless times that your skin will get worse."
The children's pale faces and rough skin were not unrelated to this filthy environment.
The refrigerator was filled with mold, and the bathroom was so unsanitary I couldn’t even step inside.
And don't even get me started on the laundry basket. It was truly a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and insects.
It was the worst kind of living space.
And this noble body of mine had to spend three days cleaning, sweeping, and washing...
I just realized these guys have no conscience.
Not a single one of them is helping, even though I'm the one cleaning and scrubbing?
I threw the sponge on the floor and sprang to my feet.
"Hey, you filthy rabbits. Am I your mother?"
At that moment...
Roa, with tears welling up in his eyes, rushed over and hugged my waist.
"Hyung, you really got better."
Then, Jaewon joined in and hugged me too.
"Just like a lightning-struck jujube tree. You're immortal."
Ah, now it's Siu's turn.
Siu, spreading his arms wide, pulled both me and the other two into a hug, his voice trembling.
"I was worried."
What is this, suddenly turning into some melodrama?
The ones hugging me were all sniffing, their shoulders trembling.
This, this body isn't one that you guys can just hug like this so recklessly.
And that rabbit on drugs, why are you wiping your tears and snot on the hem of my clothes?
Frozen in shock, I was quietly stared at by Hanjoon.
Then this guy, slowly approached.
With a really, really awkward expression on his face, he gently patted my head with an even more awkward gesture.
"As long as you look okay, it's fine. Leader."
Ugh, ugh, uuuuh, aaaaaaaaaah, uuuuuuuhhh—AAAH!!!