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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: The Preview Star and the Online Frenzy
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"Haa..."
Chief Video Mage Belrix let out a deep sigh.
In front of him was a pile of crystal orbs.
They were the raw footage from today's teaser shoot.
"How am I supposed to edit this..."
The assistant mage beside him asked.
"Is there a problem?"
"Problem? It's a mountain of problems."
Belrix tore at his hair.
"Do you know what this season's Fate's Red Thread is?"
"Yes... It's a romance show hosted by the Imperial Family..."
"Romance show?"
Belrix snorted.
"This isn't just any romance show."
He picked up a crystal orb.
"Her Highness the First Imperial Princess is starring in it herself. The Tower Lord's daughter, the Saintess, the lady of the Goldwin Merchant Guild."
"Th-that's right..."
"Do you know what that means?"
Belrix's eyes gleamed.
"It's the biggest project in Imperial history. The budget's unprecedented. The promotion's on another level. The expectations are sky-high."
The assistant mage swallowed hard.
"So... the teaser is crucial."
"Exactly. One teaser has to grab the attention of the entire Empire."
Belrix stared at the crystal orbs.
"But the problem is..."
"What problem?"
"The male contestants are all so underwhelming."
Belrix played one of the orbs.
The face of the Eastern Count family's third son appeared.
Blond hair, ordinary features.
A tense expression.
"Look at this. Who is this guy?"
"Eastern Count family's third son... Leon von Kreutz."
"Count family's third son? Is he handsome?"
"Well... averagely handsome, I suppose..."
"Average won't cut it. He has to stand next to Her Highness the First Imperial Princess."
Next orb.
Viscount family's second son.
Skinny build, wearing glasses.
"This one?"
"Central Viscount family's second son."
"...He looks like a bookworm. Who'd watch a romance show with that?"
Next.
Baron's fourth son.
Bulky build, rough features.
"What is this? Did he come to audition for the knight order?"
Next.
Western Viscount family's third son.
The most ordinary appearance.
"This one... who was it?"
"Western Viscount family's third son."
"I don't even remember him. Zero presence."
Belrix sighed.
"A show with Her Highness the Princess, and the guys are all like this. Count families, viscount families, barons... They've scraped together all the spares."
The assistant mage asked cautiously.
"So... what are you going to do?"
"That's what I'm agonizing over."
Belrix rummaged through the orbs.
"I need something... that grabs the eyes right away. Something to hook the viewers from the first scene..."
His hand stopped.
"...What's this?"
He picked up one orb.
Played it.
A silver-haired man appeared on screen.
He was entering the hall.
His gray eyes shone.
A wolf-like gaze.
Striding confidently.
"..."
Belrix's eyes widened.
"Who... is this?"
"Let me check..."
The assistant mage reviewed the records.
"Northern Grand Duke family's second son, Kasian de Valentine."
"Grand Duke family?"
Belrix shot to his feet.
"There was a Grand Duke heir?"
"Yes... the only one. Everyone else is from count, viscount, or baron families."
Belrix looked back at the screen.
Silver hair fluttering in the wind.
Cold demeanor.
But with a wild allure somewhere.
And an atmosphere utterly different from the other men.
"...This is it."
Belrix muttered.
"Pardon?"
"This guy."
Belrix's eyes sparkled.
"Count family's third son? Average. Viscount family's second son? Bookworm. Baron's fourth son? Send him to the knights."
He held up the orb high.
"But this one's different. From a Grand Duke family. The wolf of the North. The ice prince. Wild handsome. Promote this guy right, and we're golden."
"Ooh..."
"Pair it with the eye-contact scene with Her Highness the First Imperial Princess?"
Belrix grinned.
"The Empire will lose its mind."
The assistant mage was impressed.
"As expected of the chief..."
"Alright. Direction's set."
Belrix rolled up his sleeves.
"The teaser's main focus is the Northern Grand Duke family's second son. We'll finish it overnight if we have to."
"Yes, sir!"
The crystal orbs began to glow.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Irene la Imperia.
The Empire's First Imperial Princess.
She sat by the window, gazing at the night sky.
"...I'm tired."
There had been a teaser shoot today.
Frankly speaking.
It was a show she'd joined without much expectation.
Fate's Red Thread.
A massive Imperial Family project.
The goal was simple.
'Improve the Imperial Family's image.'
Public sentiment toward the Imperial Family had soured lately.
Tax issues, noble abuses, all sorts of complaints.
So they'd planned this show.
'If Her Highness is seen mingling with ordinary nobles, won't public opinion improve?'
The Emperor's aides had suggested it.
The Emperor approved.
And she was cast.
Looking for a match?
No.
Of course not.
The First Imperial Princess finding a partner on a romance show?
Ridiculous.
Just show her face a bit.
Manage her image moderately.
And quietly wrap it up.
...That's what she'd thought.
"..."
Irene's eyes narrowed.
The men she'd seen today.
Frankly.
Disappointing.
Count family's third son.
The blond youth sweating from nerves.
Trembling before the princess.
Pathetic.
Viscount family's second son.
Skinny guy with glasses.
Eyes darting calculatingly.
Didn't like him.
Viscount family's third son.
...Who was that?
Couldn't even remember.
All of them were unremarkable.
Fawning before the princess.
Desperately trying to flatter.
And then.
Northern Grand Duke family's second son.
"..."
He was the only different one.
The other men looked tense.
Because it was the princess.
In front of the Empire's top powerhouses' daughters.
They had to be nervous.
But that man.
Wasn't tense.
He looked annoyed.
Like 'I hope this ends soon.'
And above all.
The only Grand Duke heir.
Yet he didn't strut at all.
He seemed to want to hide.
...Interesting.
So she'd stared.
Their eyes met.
His expression changed.
Tense?
No.
Flustered.
No, not quite.
Closest to 'fear.'
...What?
Scared of me?
Other men make 'honored' faces at the princess.
'Opportunity' in their eyes.
But that man.
His eyes said 'Please don't look at me.'
"...Intriguing."
Irene murmured.
Different from ordinary men.
No ambition.
No, more than that.
Actively avoiding it.
Why?
Grand Duke family's second son.
Most advantageous position in this show.
Others are sons of counts, viscounts, barons.
The sole Grand Duke heir could monopolize attention.
Yet he's avoiding it?
"..."
Couldn't figure it out.
But intriguing.
First interesting person in ages.
Irene stood.
A crystal orb sat on the table.
'For Ethernet access.'
Her attendant had left it.
"Your Highness, this is hugely popular these days."
"Hugely popular?"
"Yes. Especially among ladies Your Highness's age—it's in short supply."
She'd brushed it off then, uninterested.
"..."
Irene picked up the orb.
She wanted to know more about that man.
Northern Grand Duke family's second son.
Kasian de Valentine.
What did ladies her age think of him?
The orb glowed.
[Ethernet Access Complete] [Recommended Gallery: 'Red Thread Gallery' - Current Users: 12,847]
...12,847?
Why so many?
Did every lady in the Empire gather here?
Incomprehensible.
Irene logged in.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇💬 Red Thread Gallery - Live🕵️ [Northern Young Master's Hand Vein Master Capture]Posted by: VeinAestheticsEnthusiast [Image: Close-up of hand back] Can you see this? The vein line running from the back of the hand to the forearm. You don't get lines like that without swinging a sword every day. A hand tempered hunting monsters in the North... Ah, if only that hand would grab my neck...— AnonHand veins? What are you on about lololol— AnonI know... I know too... That's a premium hand...— SilverHairGrayEyes_Mine_YESWhat do you mean grab my neck lololol I want it too lolol— EasternMarquis_3rdDaughter_PseudonymI want to be escorted by that hand...
"..."
Irene's eyes widened.
What is this?
Hand veins?
Grab my neck?
She scrolled down.
📏 [Northern Young Master's Nose Bridge Height Measured]Posted by: CapitalArchitectureScholar [Image: Side profile with angle lines drawn] Measured the angle from nose bridge start to end. Exactly 34 degrees. Golden ratio is 33-35 degrees—smack in the middle. Empire average is 28 degrees, so nearly 6 degrees taller. Breathing through that nose must get heaven's air first.— AnonHeaven's air lololololol— AnonOh damn lololol architecture scholar why are you here doing this— NorthernWolf_BiteMePleaseI want that nose bridge to pierce my heart.— AnonHow do you pierce with a nose bridge lololol— AnonPossible. At that angle, totally possible.
"......"
Irene's expression turned peculiar.
Nose bridge angle?
34 degrees?
Heaven's air?
What is all this?
She scrolled further.
🔊 [[Notice] Northern Young Master's Breathing Sound 1-Hour Loop Magic Circle Distribution]Posted by: Rofan Gal Jju-dak (Admin) Successfully recorded breathing close to the crystal orb during today's shoot. Made a 1-hour loop magic circle. Play it while sleeping, and it's like the Northern young master is right there beside you. Download link below.— AnonGod admin— AnonWhat am I supposed to do with breathing sounds lololol— AnonDownloaded— AnonMe too— AnonMe too...— SilverHairGrayEyes_Mine_YESIf I sleep listening to this, will I meet him in my dreams?— EasternMarquis_3rdDaughter_PseudonymDownload complete. Looking forward to tonight.
"...A place like this existed?"
Irene murmured.
Unbelievable.
The Empire's noble ladies.
Writing things like this?
Analyzing hand veins?
Measuring nose bridge angles?
Recording and sharing breathing sounds?
"......"
She scrolled more.
👁️ [Northern Young Master's Gaze at Her Highness Analyzed]Posted by: GazeInterpretationExpert [Image: Eye close-up] Look at this. Know what this gaze means? 'Flustered.' But not just any flustered. 'Ah damn, why are you looking at me?' flustered. That's not an ambitious man's gaze. A gaze from a man uninterested in power. Ah I love it... so pure... freaking kills me...— AnonGaze analysis lolololol— AnonBut it feels right lolol yeah, total 'why are you looking at me' vibe— NorthernWolf_BiteMePleaseMan uninterested in power... yes...— AnonGuts to make that face before Her Highness ㄷㄷ— EasternMarquis_3rdDaughter_PseudonymAs expected, Northern men are different... No fawning like central nobles...
"..."
Irene's eyes narrowed.
'Ah damn, why are you looking at me?'
...Damn?
A word she'd never seen.
From context, like an exclamation.
What does it mean?
Irene opened the search bar.
[Search: Damn] [Search Results] [Damn - Vulgar slang. Commonly used among commoners and low nobles. Expresses strong emotions. Used in anger, shock, frustration, etc. Taboo in Imperial Family and high nobility circles.]
"......"
Irene paused for a moment.
What the dictionary said about 'damn':
Vulgar slang.
Used for strong emotions.
In situations of anger, shock, frustration.
...So...
'Ah damn, why are you looking at me' means...
'Ah (vulgar) why are you looking at me.'
In other words, 'Damn it, why are you looking at me?'
"...Shocking."
"...Truly shocking."
Irene kept murmuring.