Chapter 12. Idol?
When he got home, Corvos was indeed still awake. He sat leaning against a chair, the light from his reading lamp casting shadows on his high nose. His eyes were clearly too alert to be considered preparing for bed.
Juwel's earlier sarcastic remark had no effect on him, but Juwel didn't need to be angry about that.
Juwel didn't want to talk to him. They had reached a "ceasefire" agreement, at least that was the outcome of the discussion that morning but he had never thought that his hatred would disappear under any circumstances.
Corvos closed the book in his hand. The title was War and Peace. A somewhat deliberate choice. Yet every detail in the book satisfied him.
He glanced over and noticed that Juwel had returned. As always, the energy from this person seemed to pull the whole room down a level. It felt like stepping into a swirling low-pressure zone.
"Anything interesting?" Corvos asked, hoping that this new world could make Juwel feel even a little bit alive.
Knowing that Juwel wouldn't answer, Corvos changed his question.
"You have work tomorrow," Corvos said, his tone seemingly just a light reminder. "Do you want me to explain anything?"
As Corvos had mentioned, Juwel's job did not require him to go in every day. It seemed that the original body's owner was on some sort of periodic vacation because Juwel had seen his request for leave.
Juwel did not answer immediately. His face was indifferent, his gaze drifting aimlessly, letting the previous question fade into the background. After a moment, he furrowed his brow slightly – the kind of frown you make when a grain of sand falls in your shoe. Not painful enough to bother you, but still quietly annoying.
"Not necessary," Juwel said dryly. "I have already researched it."
The tone clearly carried a subtle irritation. He did not like the feeling of having to ask, of having to rely on Corvos – even if it was the minimum to adapt.
And indeed, Juwel had researched the job using Google.
From the start, Juwel couldn't even imagine what an "idol" was as a profession until Corvos showed him a clip of the original body performing on stage.
It was a strange experience. Juwel did not receive memories from the body, so he could not feel anything from the original owner except for his own reasoning and traces in his imagination. This was his first direct contact with Juwel's original self.
Moreover, the profession of the original owner was entirely unfamiliar to him.
A long afternoon was spent painstakingly on Google, researching everything he could about the upcoming job: concepts, industry overview, necessary skills.
The original owner of this body had a profession called "idol" – translated literally as "thần tượng."
The word "thần" (god/spirit) is linked with religious beliefs, while "tượng" (statue/image) can imply admiration or symbolic representation of someone. He wondered if this idol profession was somehow related to the church.
He could guess that this "idol" job might be someone worshipped or beloved, possibly playing a role similar to a pastor in a church.
In his perception, most people in religion came from noble or prestigious backgrounds, usually children without inheritance rights, chosen to serve the divine. So Juwel's first impression of the "idol" profession of the original body was not bad.
When he researched more, Juwel felt his assumption was fairly accurate. However, what puzzled him was that the local belief system seemed surprisingly rich. Although there were only a few high-level "idols," most were "minor idols" who had not formed a sect with many followers. But perhaps thanks to the "internet," idols could connect more easily with fans, which explained why there were so many idols here.
Of course, he also knew that online knowledge had limits. But at least it made him feel not entirely clueless on his first day at work.
Juwel suddenly paused, tilting his head slightly. Not to think about industry knowledge, but for something more practical.
"This body…" he asked calmly, "Does it tend to behave differently at work compared to at home?"
This was a practical question. Some people behave differently when working than when at home. Corvos rifled through his memories before replying.
"Nothing special," he said. "Basically, you're still in control. Ah…!"
"?"
"When smiling, you must smile brightly, that is basic."
Smiling brightly was not a difficult requirement… that was for other people. For this, Juwel didn't even know if it should be classified as difficult. He had long forgotten whether he had that expression.
"Remember to practice the old routines," Corvos added lightly, almost like instructing a novice about to be thrown onto a battlefield.
Juwel looked over, thought for a moment, and then nodded slightly.
The variety of "belief systems" made Juwel understand that idols here were not rigid and harsh like religious sects in his past life. But there were probably still standards. Learning the performance rituals of a belief system was one of the necessary requirements to connect with followers.
Juwel suddenly remembered the pope he had once respected. He was a respectable man, though he had flaws like everyone else, yet the things he did brought joy and happiness to people. Juwel had long stopped visiting church, but he knew the pope was still in good health.
The form of "scripture" in this world was completely different from his past life; it had transformed into songs rather than passages to read. However, what Juwel could not imagine was that the content of these songs was… rather shallow.
But perhaps this was also a new feature stemming from the overabundance of faith in this place. Although slightly shallow, Juwel could still see the intended message. It was not as obscure as in his past life. Everything has gains and losses, and this form might suit the world's circumstances better.
When he turned around and walked away, that muttered line accidentally reached Corvos's ears.
"Practice the idol hymn again, then perform the ritual dance ."
Corvos lifted his eyebrow, just for a blink.
He understood now and almost laughed.
It was because Juwel seemed to have misunderstood something about the nature of his job.
That way of thinking was exactly the color of Juwel. It was strict, stubborn and so straightforward that it became a little foolish.
Corvos rested his chin on his hand and quietly watched Juwel's silhouette fade behind the doorway. The hallway light spilled in and stretched that slim shadow into a strange curved shape on the floor.
He said nothing more.
He knew that whether he spoke or not, tomorrow Juwel would still step forward by himself, stumble by himself and then stand up again to adjust his own path.
After all, for someone who had only just heard of the concept and had never actually seen what it looked like, the entertainment industry was truly a tangled maze.
After that Corvos kept flipping through his book until one in the morning yet his face was still clear and he did not feel like sleeping.
Sometimes his mind had to be sanded down by Juwel's off-key singing voice.
"Yehh!! I'm too good, and I already finished editing it in one day!"
The female staff glanced at the clock. It was only 23:56. Looking back at the video she had edited, she was sure it would go viral; her experience had already given her the answer.
The only thing she did not know was that the video she had edited, even after more than a decade, was still trending. People hailed it as the most artistic footage. A single video that made viewers imagine 7749 different scenarios.
The female staff pressed upload, then started brushing her teeth, washing her face, and doing skincare. She was a little tired from having to work while staying up late.
By now, the night owls had also seen the shares from their friends. In less than half an hour, the video had been shared by over 1,000 people.
[No way this is AI]
[That's Juwel from PRINZE, the group where no one can be chosen as the main visual because everyone is insanely good-looking]
[Whoa, looks different from before]
[I remember my Juwel had the aura of a white horse prince, but now he seems darker, feels so new]
[Which ad shoot is this leak from? Juwel usually does a lot of ads. Can't believe he's more famous in ads than as an idol, kaka]
[Nope. This clip is of Juwel secretly smoking. I watched it live. Peak level]
[Don't believe it. A secret video that good?]
[Oh that aura… no wonder people said he hypnotized the manager!!]
[Not even a fan, but honestly, those eyes… one look and you remember for life. Omega charm really is something else 😭]
[Hey, non-Omega people can be good-looking too, it's not only Omegas who are pretty]
[When did this visual debut? Gen 2 idol looks, but flop… karma I guess 😩]
[Has anyone written a fic for this scene yet? My heart is still fluttering, I want to see 7749 different fics]
[When he looked at my heart, it skipped a beat… felt like he was a predator targeting its prey]
[An idol smoking? So unprofessional. How long does he plan to be a singer if he can't protect his voice?]
[Smoking ruins the vocal cords, also affects breathing when dancing. Fans don't need a careless singer like that]
[I quit being a fan. I was waiting for a comeback to shut up people saying he's talentless, but now he acts like this, totally careless about image]
Many longtime fans felt betrayed because, in their eyes, an idol had to be perfect, maintain their voice, their body, and even their lifestyle. That cigarette was not just a cigarette, it was like a knife cutting through the idealization they held for Juwel.
At the same time, another debate erupted. Some insisted that Juwel was "spoiling" younger fans, that an idol smoking would make kids imitate him. Immediately, the other side rebutted:
[But if he really smokes, then this idol is done. A celebrity promoting smoking, kids will copy]
[There it is again, blaming everything on idols. Kids won't necessarily copy, parents just don't know how to educate them]
[Sorry, but the government doesn't ban regular cigarettes. Only e-cigarettes are restricted]
[Putting all responsibility of raising kids on an idol is absurd. Smoking doesn't mean he loses the right to be a singer]
The argument grew increasingly heated. One side shouted from a sense of lost faith, the other mocked society's absurd strictness toward idols.
The shrill ring of the phone shattered the quiet. Juwel, not the type to be easily woken, frowned slightly as he tried to open his eyes. The clock showed exactly 6:00 a.m. Outside the window, the sky was still wrapped in the cold darkness of night.
He slowly picked up the phone from the table. A man's high-pitched, agitated voice came through, frantic from the other end.
"Juwel! Something happened, something happened! Hurry, come to the company!"
The man's words were tangled and chaotic, hard for Juwel to fully understand. He forced himself to focus harder to grasp the content. Nevertheless, because of the urgency in the man's tone, Juwel assumed it was something important that needed to be handled seriously.
Juwel hurried to prepare himself, changing into warmer clothes because the morning was quite cold.
He guessed that something might have happened yesterday, when he could not go to work because he was busy adapting to this newly received life. Perhaps his absence had caused trouble for the other side.
Regarding this matter, he had prepared himself to take responsibility for any mistakes in the job when becoming the original body owner. Not because he lacked confidence in his abilities, but because there was an unavoidable truth: he was not omniscient.
Even if he had memories, the skills and knowledge accumulated over the years by the original body owner could not be transferred perfectly and instantly. Not to mention that he had no prior understanding of the original body at all.
Work was not a simple game.
Although Juwel had talent and intelligence, that did not mean he could immediately perform the work of someone more experienced like the original body owner.
And no one would give him enough time to relearn all the things he did not know, especially if the original body's field was entirely new to him. Taking it over would certainly be even harder. Therefore, the best approach was to honestly admit mistakes and learn from them. At the same time, Juwel also had to ensure that before he could truly take over the position of the original body owner, he would not be removed from it.
When Juwel left, it was still before sunrise. Corvos's room was closed but not locked. This was Juwel's requirement; of course, he did not allow Corvos to operate secretly and escape his control. Before going out, Juwel stopped by Corvos's room to see if he was really there and left a handwritten note, pasted in a visible spot.
The small meeting room at the end of the fourth-floor hallway was sealed off, completely blocked from natural light. Juwel entered after a polite invitation from the assistant, seeing the CEO already seated at the head of the table, her hair tied neatly, so perfectly that it almost made others feel suffocated.
Her face was icy, nodding instead of greeting verbally. In front of her was a tablet and a cup of coffee still steaming.