"Idol Producer???" Mira exclaimed in confusion as she read Alex's Job status. The other robed women also gathered around to inspect the holographic display after hearing about Alex's Job from Mira.
Name: Alex Lee
Race : Human
Job : Idol Producer
Level : 1
HP : 100
MP : 100
Stats
STR : 10
INT : 10
AGI : 10
END : 10
LUK : [?]
Skills
- Talent Scouter's Eye (Idol Producer), LVL. 1
- Idol Producer's Charisma, LVL. 1 (Passive)
- Musical Mastery (Idol Producer), LVL. 1 (Passive)
- Arcana Realm: Idol Stage, LVL. 1
- Item Box
"Idol Producer? What is that?" said one of the robed women, sparking a chain reaction of questions and discussions.
"I know what an 'idol' is, but what the heck is a 'Producer'?" another chimed in.
"And what's up with these stats? They're barely above a human peasant's stats... Not to mention, why does his 'Luck' have a question mark instead of an actual number?" another said, examining his stats.
"Scratch that! Look at his skills! I know about the 'Item Box' skill that those pesky heroes possess, but what do any of these other skills mean?" Another pointed at the skills displayed in Alex's status.
"But wait... isn't that an 'Arcana Realm' skill? Isn't that supposed to be an advanced magician's skill?!" another exclaimed, a mix of confusion and awe evident in her voice.
Everyone clamored at the enigma of their summoned "hero". They had never heard of this 'Idol Producer' Job. They had expected that the "hero" they summoned would at least have a Job befitting a strong summoned entity or at least one related to the 'hero' status. The "hero," or to be more precise, the 'Idol Producer' Alex, was just watching the whole thing with confusion on his head. He was amazed at first, seeing something that looks pretty futuristic in a supposedly fantasy "world" that he got "supposedly" summoned into, but then seeing the Status of his stats in the holographic display made his initial assumption of all of this being some elaborate prank even stronger.
Meanwhile, Mira was deep in thought as she examined their summoned 'Idol Producer's' status. She herself had never heard of this 'Idol Producer' Job, nor had she ever heard of the concept of a 'Producer'. But she knew she couldn't let this situation become any more chaotic than it already was.
And she had a gut feeling that maybe this man had more to him than meets the eye.
"Enough," Mira said to the other robed women, silencing them all. "Bring me the 'Status Card'," she ordered the robed women. "Yes, ma'am." One of the robed women then brought another, albeit smaller, trolley and moved it towards Alex. The trolley was stopped in front of him, revealing a card-like object on top of it. It was colored white and appeared blank, with nothing on it.
"Sir Alex, please take the 'Status Card'," she said, referring to the white, blank card in front of him. With slight hesitation, he picked up the 'Status Card', but nothing happened when he touched it. He half-expected it to react in some way.
"Sir Alex, please infuse your mana into the 'Status Card'," she said nonchalantly, but Alex was confused about what she was talking about. He barely understood what was happening, and this lady was asking him to perform some fantasy magical act out of the blue.
Sensing his confusion, Mira approached Alex, "My apologies. I forgot that Sir Alex is from a world where magical properties don't exist. I should have explained it properly to you," she said, trying to ease Alex's confusion. She also opened the hooded part of her robe, finally revealing her face to him, and he did not expect to see the sight that was beyond his wildest dreams.
Mira possessed fair white skin that glowed softly in the dim light, complemented by neck-length blonde bangs framing her face. Her deep green eyes exuded intelligence and curiosity. One thing that really stood out was the fact that she had blonde cat ears on top of her head, signifying her existence as being from a fantasy world. Though hidden by her light gray robe, looking at her figure showed how she was pretty well-endowed.
Alex was a bit taken aback by this Mira woman approaching him, not just because of the whole 'isekai' stuff but also by Mira's beautiful appearance. It also took a lot of his willpower to not immediately try to fondle Mira's cat ears, which didn't help that they also moved and twitched like an actual cat's ears. He couldn't help but wonder if they were as soft and cuddly as the ones that cats have.
Mira herself didn't know that her appearance had an adverse effect on Alex, or she might be oblivious of her own charm.
Mira continued to approach Alex, not noticing his bewildered expression. Alex himself was still trying to hold back his intrusive thoughts of touching Mira's cat ears. "Sir Alex, in our world, mana is the essence of magic, and it flows within all living beings, whether it's from animals or even the very grass that we stepped on," Mira explained to him about her world that was different to his.
"To tap into your mana, you must learn to feel its presence within you." Alex furrowed his brows from Mira's explanation. "Feel it? How do I do that?" Alex said with a bit his curiosity evident in his tone.
Mira continued to approach Alex, not noticing his bewildered expression. Alex himself was still trying to hold back his intrusive thoughts of touching Mira's cat ears. 'Sir Alex, in our world, mana is the essence of magic, and it flows within all living beings, whether it's from animals or even the very grass that we step on,' Mira explained about her world, which was different from his.
"To tap into your mana, you must learn to feel its presence within you." Alex furrowed his brows at Mira's explanation. "Feel it? How do I do that?" Alex asked, his curiosity evident in his tone.
Mira showed a gentle smile, pleased of seeing Alex cooperative and invested in her explanation. "Please close your eyes and then focus your mind on your inner self. Imagine a gentle energy flowing through your body, like a warm stream of light." Mira's instructions were wise and precise.
Alex then followed her instructions, closing his eyes and attempting to concentrate. But, after a moment, he shook his head with a hint of frustration. "I'm... not sensing anything..."
Mira nodded understandingly, given his world non-magical upbringing. "It may take some time, but please clear your mind of any distractions and try again." She continued to guide him, helping him tune into the subtle mana within him, which should be there considering the amount of mana displayed in his status she and the others have seen from the appraisal ball.
Alex continued trying to feel his mana and concentrated even harder. Soon enough though, he finally felt a warm feeling flowing inside him. That was his mana. "H-hey! I can sense something!" Alex exclaimed with joy and excitement. Mira also felt joy of seeing that her teaching actually worked. "Yes, that's your mana, Sir Alex," she confirmed with a smile.
"Now, Sir Alex, please try to direct your mana to the Status Card," Mira instructed Alex once more, gesturing towards the blank white card that he was holding in his hand. With a sense of excitement, Alex focused again on controlling his newfound mana, feeling its warm energy pulsating within him. He closed his eyes to help himself focus, imagining the flow of mana, trying to direct it like a stream of river to his fingertips, and then channeling it into the Status Card. Slowly, he felt a connection forming between his mana and the card. He then imagined pouring his mana into the card, as if he were pouring water into a bowl.
The Status Card finally reacted and began to glow. After a few seconds, the glow subsided, revealing that the previously blank white card now had something written on it, two simple lines in fact.
Alex Lee
Idol Producer
'Wait, doesn't this look like a business card...?' Alex thought to himself while looking at the card with a mixed of deadpan and incredulous expression. Mira, in the other hand again, either was ignoring his expression of was just oblivious to it. "Now then, Sir Alex... try opening your Status Card by imagining that you are opening a book." She instructed again, though Alex was a bit bewildered about this whole Status Card thing.
Alex then try to imagine 'opening a book' to the card as instructed by Mira. As soon as he did, the status card reacted and then it showed a holographic display similar to what the Appraisal Ball had shown, albeit smaller.
'Idol Producer, huh...?' Alex thought to himself reading his status. He did understand the concept of an RPG game's mechanic with their 'Job' and 'Stats' stuff, but he was wondering to what's up with this 'Idol Producer' Job that he got. 'Wait... don't tell me...!?' He soon realized the implication of the job.
"Sir Alex, you can touch the displayed status for more information about your status, especially about your Job and Skills," Mira continued her instruction on using the Status Card, but she also had a hint of curiosity and excitement to learn more about Alex's unique job. Alex then "clicked" on his 'Job title' section of his Status, and it showed another holographic "window" that explained his Job. Both Alex and Mira took a closer look at the Idol Producer's description.
Idol Producer
Tap into mystical inspiration and charisma to shape aspiring gals into shining stars! Blend music and magic seamlessly to unlock the full potential of idols under your guidance. With enchanting melodies and bewitching choreography, weave spells that captivate audiences and elevate your idols to new heights!
o You can recruit idols under your guidance! Idol Producer can grant someone as 'Idol', and it will serve as a secondary job that you and your idol(s) can develop.
o Both you, as the Idol Producer, and your idol(s) receive and share EXP. Also Gains EXP for any idol-related activity.
"Eh...?" Both Alex and Mira expressed their confusion with an incredulous look. They were both puzzled by the Idol Producer's job description, although Alex had an inkling of what it meant.
"A-anyway, how about we check your skills, Sir Alex?" Mira attempted to divert the strange atmosphere. Alex simply nodded along, already resigning himself to the fact that it was futile for him to question these things.
With a gesture as if he were controlling a PC's windows or a smartphone, he swiped to close the job description window and then clicked on the skill section of his status, only to find that the displayed skills in another holographic window made no more sense.
Skills
Talent Scouter's Eye (Idol Producer), LVL. 1
Unveil raw talent amidst the masses, seeing potential where others see none! Enables the discernment of latent abilities in individuals. Additionally, as an Idol Producer, gain insight into their Idol Power Level and Idol Potential Rank. Continues mana usage: 1 MP / minute.
Idol Producer's Charisma, LVL. 1 (Passive)
Radiate an enchanting aura of charismatic leadership, inspiring idols to reach unparalleled heights of success!
o Increase EXP gains by 5% for Idols under your guidance.
o Increase Stats gains by 10% for Idols under your guidance.
o Increase EXP gains of Idol Related skills by 15% for Idols under your guidance.
Musical Mastery (Idol Producer), LVL. 1 (Passive)
Attune yourself to the very essence of music, mastering both its composition and performance. As an Idol Producer, you possess a unique inclination to create enchanting melodies that resonate with the essence of idols, bringing out the best in your chosen idol!
o Increase musical mastery EXP gains by 10%.
o The music produced by you increases the stats of your allies by 10%. However, when played for the idol(s) under your guidance, their stats receive a 25% increase instead. Furthermore, if the idol(s) sing the music you've provided for them, the stat increase will rise to 40%.
o Idol Producer starts with Sub-Skills Guitar LVL. 3, Bass LVL. 3, Piano LVL. 3, Drum LVL. 3, Trumpet LVL. 3
o Sub-Skills
> Guitar LVL. 3 (Passive)
> Bass LVL. 3 (Passive)
> Piano LVL. 3 (Passive)
> Drum LVL. 3 (Passive)
> Trumpet LVL. 3 (Passive)
Arcana Realm: Idol Stage, LVL. 1
Summons the bounded realm infused with your magic, the Idol Stage. Idol Stage, a mystical stage, complete with dazzling lights, enchanting stage effects, marionettes band, and an atmosphere that enhances your idols' performances, captivating audiences and elevating your idols' talents to new heights. Mana usage upon summoning: 50% Max MP. Continues usage: 1% Max MP / minute. Cooldown: 1 day.
o Idol(s) under your guidance have increased stats by 25% inside the Idol Stage realm.
o 10% chance to charm individuals other than yourself and your Idol(s) inside the Idol Stage realm. o Charm chance increases to 40% if an Idol(s) performs inside the Idol Stage realm.
Item Box
Store items inside a dimensional storage space.
"Ehhh...?" Once again, both Alex and Mira expressed their confusion with incredulous looks. These skills were even more convoluted than the Idol Producer's job description. All of them were more or less related to these 'Idol' entities, and only Alex had any inkling of what they meant.
Mira, not comprehending any of these "idol" references that were a bit different from the 'idol' term she already knew, then turned her attention to Alex. "Sir Alex... do you have any clue what any of these means?" Mira asked, hoping that perhaps Alex would be familiar with the "idol" term that was most likely the version from his world, which was true. Truer than she could have imagined. Alex could even be considered an aficionado of these "idols". However, even so... he had never imagined that he would manage an actual "idol", let alone be their producer.
"Well... I do actually," he answered Mira's question, although unsure whether to feel excited or worried about this type of job he had acquired. Mira smiled at Alex's confirmation, again and again, either ignoring his expression or simply oblivious to it.
"Then, Sir Alex... how about you test your 'Idol Producer' skill on me?"
"Wait, really?!" Alex exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Yes. At least from what we have read about your skills, none of them seem to be offensive. So... I don't mind if you test it on me," she assured Alex. Truthfully, she herself was curious about this whole 'idol' stuff, and it seemed that it could be a powerful support job. Her irises even transformed into vertical slits like those of a cat's when they see something they like. "To activate one of your skills, try channeling your mana as you did with your Status Card. However, instead of directing it toward a magic item, focus on visualizing one of your skills," Mira instructed with a wise expression, though her cat-like vertical-slit eyes somewhat betrayed her sage-like image.
"Alright... I'll give it a shot," Alex said, his voice tinged with a bit of uncertainty. He tried to recall Mira's lesson on using his mana. Then, he imagined opening his Skill window, but in his mind instead of from the Status Card. Selecting the first skill, the Talent Scouter's Eye, he directed his focus towards Mira. Suddenly, a status window appeared above her, displaying her information, albeit different from what his Status Card had shown.
Name : Mira Clementine
Race : Cat Beastkin
Job : High Mage
Level : 45
HP : 1800
MP : 4500
Talent : Gourmet
Idol Power : 700
Idol Potential : B+
"Huh... interesting," Alex commented on Mira's status. The Talent Scouter's Eye displayed almost the same information as the Status Card. The difference was that while the Status Card showed the user's stats and skills, the Talent Scouter's Eye instead revealed the target's talents and idol prowess. He couldn't shake the feeling that this idol prowess measurement resembled something out of an anime or a 'gacha' game.
While she did ask for Alex to use his skills on her, Mira was beginning to feel a bit self-conscious under Alex's gaze. A subtle warmth crept up to her cheeks as she sensed his intense scrutiny, causing her heart to flutter with a mixture of surprise and intrigue. It was as if his eyes were peeling away the layers of her very being, leaving her feeling strangely exposed yet undeniably flattered by his attention. Mira wondered... Was this the effect of his Job/Skill, or was it purely from his gaze alone?
"Uhm... Sir Alex...?" Mira called out to Alex, breaking his intense gaze on her, which seemed to have absorbed him entirely.
"O-oh! Yeah?" Alex hurriedly replied to Mira, realizing that he had been lost in his own thoughts.
"How did it go?" Mira asked a simple question regarding the result of his skill usage on her.
"Oh yeah, sorry. Well... It showed that you have the Talent for 'Gourmet'..." He said to her, noticing her slight blush upon hearing about it. Was she self-conscious about being called a foodie?
He then continued his explanation, "Your Idol Power Level is about 700... and you have the Idol Potential Rank of 'B+'." Mira stopped blushing and instead wore an expression of curiosity after hearing about her idol prowess.
"What do any of those mean, Sir Alex?" Mira said, her tone filled with curiosity. Alex paused for a moment, thinking about how to explain these idol concepts that sounded almost like a game mechanic to Mira.
But, before they could continue, a sudden booming voice resonated throughout the entire stone structure, shaking everyone to their very core.
"MIRA, WHERE IS THE SUMMONED HERO!?!"
"Oh no! I almost forgot! It's her majesty, the Demon Queen!"