It took two more days for everything to finally cool down.
Despite that, my name was still within the celebrity rankings. I was solidly placed in the 500th position. After a brief discussion with the Chief of PR, I came to learn from them that on average a person would drop out of the rankings after a week of inactivity.
It was a bit odd seeing my name there, but I learned to ignore it with the passing days.
There were other things that were taking my attention at the moment.
"Here, this is the list of projects that matched with what you requested. I've managed to find three."
I took a look at the files Dean passed me over.
Three projects; [Stars Aboard], [X-Star], and [The Real One].
I carefully read through each project script and It took me no time to identify the one that I wanted. I turned to look at Dean as I passed the project over to him.
"It's this one."
There was no doubt in my mind that it was this project.
"The Real One. This is the project that I want."
Out of the three projects presented to me, it was the one that seemed to be the closest at 'emulating' Top Star's concept, but at the same time bringing a more exciting twist to the genre.
[Top Stars] was the standard project. One who's format was already known to work. It had worked for 23 editions, and counting. Still, the format had now grown old.
On the other hand [The Real One] presented a similar concept, missions, trials, individual, leadership testing, and the like with added games and ideas that weren't the same 'cut-board cutout' concepts that [Top Stars] kept using each and every year.
I knew the moment that I laid my eyes on the project that it was going to be the one.
"...Are you sure this is the one you want?"
When I noticed the uncertainty in Dean's gaze as he looked at the project, I nodded my head and reaffirmed.
"Yes, this is the one that I want."
"But isn't this..."
"The same as Top Stars?"
I finished the sentence for him. When I saw him nod, I explained,
"It definitely is. However, if you look carefully, all the games and missions are completely different from [Top Stars] who keep using the same games over and over again. As I said, people are tired of seeing the same games being used every year. I think this will do great because the idea of [Top Star] is still a good one. It's just that viewers want something new to add to that idea."
I pondered for a moment before adding,
"Imagine eating pizza. The same flavor for every single day of your life. Wouldn't you get tired after a while?"
"Yes...?"
"Then, what do you think would happen if you suddenly added pepperoni?"
"The flavor changes?"
"Right. While you still might be bored of pizza, at the very least, you're adding a new flavor profile to that very same concept. This is what [The Real One] is trying to do, and instead of adding just pepperoni, they're adding all the best toppings you can want."
"Ah."
Seemingly understanding what I was trying to say, Dean leaned back on the sofa. Then, pondering over something, he squinted his eyes,
"I get your example, but... How do you know the topping you're adding is a good one? I'm not sure about you, but I would quite dislike it if that topping ended up being pineapple."
Dean visibly shivered.
"I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it."
"Eh..."
I didn't know how to reply to that.
In a way, I sort of understood what he was trying to imply. Pineapple didn't belong on pizza. Dean was obviously afraid they'd add something that didn't belong to the show and as a result, ruin it.
He was perfectly highlighting the risks that came with this project.
Just what sort of toppings were they going to add to that plain pizza?
Still, I was confident.
Mainly because of the vision I had telling me that it was going to succeed, and the fact that well... even if pineapple didn't belong on pizza, some people still enjoyed it.
"It has to be this one."
"...Are you sure?"
Dean asked one more time. I was a bit taken aback by the resigned sigh he was giving me. It was as if he was going to accept what I asked.
Was he...?
"If I say yes, will you accept?"
Dean looked at me and didn't say anything.
Then, as he slowly stood up from the couch and stretched his back, he grabbed the script and made his way out of the apartment.
"You've proven to me that you're quite reliable. I'll trust you one more time. I won't promise you I'll be able to get this project since they didn't contact us at all, but I'll see what I can do."
"That's enough."
I stood up and stared at his departing back.
He continued,
"We'll probably also get a lot of backlash for selecting his project, especially from the ones who chose [Top Stars]. But I'm sure you'll be able to handle that, right?"
If I could, I would've smiled.
Backlash?
As if I cared about any of that.
The last thing I cared about was what people said about me behind my back. If they had enough time to do that, it only meant they had too much time.
"Well... Suit yourself, then."
And with a lazy wave of his hand, he directly left the apartment.
Click.
There, I stood in silence in the middle of the living room.
The entire place was empty at the moment. Olivia and Mia were at the Academy while Sarah was training by herself, and Joana was taking care of Lyla.
It was oddly silent.
Something that started to feel weird to me.
I had grown so used to the chaos that surrounded the girls that the silence felt oddly unsettling.
I was kind of starting to miss the usual chaos.
"I think I'm going crazy."
I sat back down on the couch and let out a tired breath.
'I can't believe I'm having such thoughts. I think I need another day off.'
With the project selected, I felt a lot more at ease at the moment. That was one trouble out of my mind. At least for now. We were still not guaranteed the project. However, I hoped that the sudden rise in the girls's fame could push us into getting it.
But despite that, I couldn't be completely at ease.
There was something else gnawing at me at the moment.
Guild Master Evon.
It had been a couple of days since he had called. His call was so abrupt and unexpected that it took me by complete surprise. Even now, I was still having a hard time trying to come to terms with what he had asked me.
'Would you like to manage 'Tears of the Wild'? They're currently without a manager, and I was curious if you'd want to take that position. I asked them about it, and they didn't seem to be particularly against the idea. What do you say?'
Even now my hand shivered at the offer. It was an extremely tempting offer. One that most people wouldn't refuse, but...
It just wasn't what I was looking for.
My dream was different.
As tempting as that offer was, it didn't align with what I desired.
I wanted to mold anyone under me into becoming the very peak of this industry. Sure, taking up on his offer would certainly bring me closer to that dream, but I wanted to build them up from scratch.
I wanted to do everything myself.
It was crazy, I knew that. But still, it was something that I had made up my mind to do.
Plus...
Joining 'Tears of the Wild' meant that I had to leave Blue Daisy.
And, I wasn't so sure I could do that...
"No, I guess not."
Though they were messy and gave me headaches every other day, I couldn't see myself leaving them.
I guess, I had grown quite attached to them.
The thought made me chuckle.
Who would've thought?
Bang―!
The door came bursting open all of a sudden and I jumped out of my seat.
"What's going on?"
Startled, I looked toward the door where the noise came from and there I saw Dean standing with heavy breaths.
His clothes were all messed up, and his hair was also disheveled. From how heavy his breaths were, and the state of his clothes it was obvious that had run all the way from wherever he was back to the girl's apartment.
I approached him with a frown.
Why was he like this?
Had something serious happened?
For some reason, I was starting to get a bad feeling.
"What's going on did something happen?"
"You..."
Dean managed a few words in what seemed to be an animalistic growl, and the ominous feeling started to intensify.
"Yes...?"
"What... haaa... have you... haa... done?"
"What?"
Dean caught his breath before repeating. This time, his voice was much louder than before.
"What have you done?!"
I was taken aback.
What have I done?
"What are you―"
"Did you reject Tears of the Wild?"
I was interrupted before I could finish my sentence. But it was all it took for me to understand, and my frown deepened.
"How do you know that?"
That had been a conversation with me and the Guild Master.
Had someone overhead?
Dean stared at me with his mouth hanging open. Like a fish, his mouth opened and closed several times before he eventually managed to find his words.
"So... you really did reject them."
"Yes, but how do you know?"
I stared intently at Dean, waiting for his answer. Then, to my utter shock, he flipped the screen of his phone over where I saw a massive headline.
Rumor ― [Emblem of the Sun Manager Liam Marken rejected Tier 4 Tears of the Wild scouting offer! Arrogance, or Self-awareness?]
I raised up to meet Dean's gaze.
He was staring at me with an equally shocked look and before I knew it, his hand clasped against my shoulders as my body started to shake.
"You crazy bastard! Is this real!? Did you really reject them??"
"I... did."
"What!? Are you out of your mind? Why would you―"
"Why wouldn't I?"
At that, Dean stopped shaking me, and I pushed his hands away from my shoulders.
"Let's set aside the fact that I have no chemistry with them since I'm a new manager and they're an experienced team. My current focus is on Blue Daisy, and I don't want to leave things that I've already started. it would leave a bad taste in my mouth if I suddenly ditched the girls for a better group."
I could probably list several hundred different reasons why I rejected the offer, but I only laid out the ones that would sound more reasonable to Dean.
And that worked as Dean managed to calm himself down somewhat.
"But still, Tier 4. We're talking about―"
"I know what it means. You don't have to tell me about it."
"So..."
"I've already rejected the offer. What? You want me to go back and accept them and leave you hanging here all by yourself?"
"Ha."
Dean could only let out a soft sound as his body slumped down on one of the chairs near the kitchen while he mumbled repeatedly,
"Crazy. You're crazy. An idiot."
I had long since taken my attention away from him and focused it back on my phone.
There was something bothering me at the moment.
How did the news leak?
The conversation was private. No one else should've been able to know about the conversation besides the Guild Master and me.
I was sure back then that no one else had heard my conversation since I went to the bathroom the moment I knew it was the Guild Master on the phone. I didn't want the girls or anyone else to hear the conversation.
I also highly doubted there was a wiretap in the Guild Master's office, which meant only one thing.
'It's him. He leaked it.'
Evon Elsher.
The Guild Master of Emblem of the Sun.
He was the one who had leaked the fact that I had rejected 'Tears of the Wild'.
But why?
Why had he done that?
For revenge? No, that seemed unlikely.
So why?
Why had he...
Ding―!
A notification appeared on my phone all of a sudden. Opening the message, I felt my face stiffen, and everything became clear to me then.
The reason behind the leak and everything.
I finally understood.
[Prove to me you're worth investing in]
A test.
This was a test for me.