Unlike what he had braced himself for, Harley's first day at the broadcasting station concluded without any major trouble.
This wasn't particularly strange. While anonymity and safety might embolden some online, it was difficult to openly express malice face-to-face.
'Especially in front of someone with the power to harm you at any moment.'
This was a world accustomed to violence, where most shops opened for business the day after a large-scale terrorist attack devastated the capital.
Despite their recent shift towards a more moderate stance, vampires were still predators. If someone provoked one and got hit in retaliation, it could be a disaster. So, it was natural for people to be cautious around him.
"Of course, there are occasionally some friends who lose their minds like this."
"Ugh…!"
In the broadcasting station's underground parking lot, Harley scratched the back of his head with one hand while holding a struggling man's face in his other grip. The captured man frantically clawed and kicked, but Harley didn't budge. He simply applied a little more pressure with his fingers to subdue him.
"Hmm, I did anticipate this possibility."
Several days had passed since Lycoris began their official activities.
Until now, there hadn't been any particularly noteworthy incidents. They simply commuted to various broadcasting stations, making appearances as intended by the idol project.
'To foster familiarity, we must start by becoming familiar faces.'
As the group was already a hot topic, there was no need to worry about invitations. Rather, it was more bothersome to weed out the hidden malice among the pouring offers. It would be troublesome if they worked with someone harboring ulterior motives and ended up victims of malicious editing.
Such issues could be somewhat mitigated by investigating program managers and their associates, but... it was impossible to preemptively identify incidents like this one, involving lower-level staff.
"Even so, I never imagined someone would try to plant a bomb in a vehicle."
And not just any bomb, but a special magical bomb enhanced with cloaking and firepower amplification spells. Harley looked at the unconscious man with a strange expression. No matter how he looked at it, the man wasn't an Awakened. He was just a staff member in charge of various chores at the broadcasting station. He didn't seem like someone who could acquire artifacts from another world, let alone a bomb like this.
'I think we need to have a serious conversation.'
Conversation was the best way to resolve misunderstandings and settle matters amicably. Of course, even with a conversation, there would be limits to what he could find out. He didn't expect this man, who seemed to have been used, to possess much information.
'Well, that's inevitable. I have no choice but to unravel this one step at a time.'
Now that he had sensed danger, he couldn't just stand by. An enemy capable of acquiring such an item was lurking somewhere, targeting them.
'Perhaps the Heavenly Change Society is starting to test the waters.'
Harley tossed the subdued man into a vehicle and headed back to where the idols were filming.
'I definitely need to expand my intelligence network. It would be best to form a team composed of individuals with abilities related to that field, like Andrew Weber. Where can I find such people?'
Although the Blood Alliance ruled the Korean night, strictly speaking, it was a figurative expression, referring to their status as the largest underground power. This was a democratic country, and the government still maintained control.
'I need to put Andrew to work. He would also be happier working with others in the same field. Once I've somehow expanded the personnel…'
As Harley walked, making plans, his steps faltered. His sharp senses focused on a particular spot. His brow furrowed beneath his sunglasses.
"Well, well, well?"
A dry laugh escaped his lips. What was going on while he was briefly away? He strode forward, cracking his knuckles. It seemed he would have to do some cleaning up today.
A chilly atmosphere permeated the entertainment filming set. However, the broadcasting station staff, including the PD in charge, could only fidget and watch the center of the commotion, unable to speak.
"Tsk, they're monsters, after all. How dare they glare at us?"
"It's ridiculous. Who knows how many people these demons have devoured just today, and here they are, brazenly parading around the broadcasting station."
"Kyahaha! That just means they have powerful backing, right? We might be the ones getting blacklisted from the entertainment industry!"
"Hmph, then we'll just emigrate. I'll pass on a country controlled by vampires."
"Oh, then I should seriously consider emigrating too."
It couldn't be helped. The five men and women who suddenly barged in and froze the filming set were individuals of considerable power and influence.
'Famous personalities rarely seen together!'
If they hadn't come for such an unpleasant reason, they would have tried to send a casting request. But the PD and the staff could only hold their breath and observe the situation.
They weren't merely cautious because of the opponents' reputations; there was a more practical reason.
"Oh my? What are you going to do if I stare at you? Want to fight?"
The woman at the forefront of the group frowned and poked Lycoris' leader, Yoon Seol, on the forehead. Despite knowing that Yoon Seol was a vampire, she showed no sign of hesitation in her demeanor.
"..."
Yoon Seol and the other Lycoris members remained silent. They weren't holding back their power to avoid causing a scene. They were silent because they knew. They knew that even if they resisted with all their might, they wouldn't be able to defeat even that one woman in the lead.
'Sword Saint Chun Seol-hyang…'
Chun Seol-hyang, the actress who had retired from her career as a Guardian hunting demons in the early days of the Great Change due to an unfortunate accident, and then transitioned to the entertainment industry, reaching its pinnacle. She was a returnee who had reached Sword Master, the limit of human potential, far stronger than Yoon Seol, who had reached level 6 thanks to the Lord's grace.
The emergence of returnees had a significant impact on all walks of life, and the entertainment industry was no exception. Lycoris had become a hot topic simply because they, vampires framed as demons, had declared their entry into the entertainment world. The number of Awakened individuals who had already entered and established themselves in the industry worldwide was not small.
Among them, Chun Seol-hyang was a leading figure who had been active in the entertainment industry for well over a decade. Her beautiful appearance and outstanding acting skills, combined with her overwhelming ability to perform action scenes without the need for CG or wires… And this powerhouse, who had the title of former Guardian, was openly displaying hostility.
'And that's not all. Everyone here is stronger than Yoon Seol… We can't compete with them.'
Lee Na-hee, standing behind the group, bit her lip. Frustration welled up inside her at the fact that she couldn't do anything, even as her eldest sister, who stood at the forefront to protect the members, endured all the humiliation.
'I knew it. I knew we would be treated like this…'
Even if their debut song had been a huge success, it wouldn't change the perception of vampires. That's why this project was created in the first place – to accomplish that difficult task. She had been prepared to face this kind of hostile reaction.
"It's unpleasant, so why don't you stop polluting the air and disappear from this place? I'd be even more grateful if you just died…"
"…"
The face of Jin So-ran, who had taken care of her like an older sister since their time in the moderate faction's crew, came to mind. Along with it, the yearning for the "world of stars," which she had nurtured little by little through conversations with her.
'But I…!'
Until now, she had been resigned. A vampire as a celebrity? She thought it was absurd. She blamed herself for harboring such excessive desires, even though she had survived until now thanks to her father's sacrifice.
"I'm also disappointed in you, PD. Even if you're desperate for ratings, calling in demons is too much."
"Th-that, I…"
"Hmm, I need to talk to the director… no, the CEO separately."
"Gasp! A-Actress Chun!"
It was no joke that she, who had worked as an office assistant for Heterosis, was the first to volunteer for this project. The image of Jin So-ran, delighted as they proceeded with this plan, and the members who had worked hard together flashed through her mind.
'How did we get this far? Are we going to give up because of something like this?'
Memories of the past overlapped with the present reality. Something snapped in her mind.
"Sigh."
That's why… Lee Na-hee stepped forward, letting out a deep sigh, and a bold statement erupted from her lips.
"…Lady. We have to work now. So, would you mind stating your business briefly and leaving?"
The air froze instantly. The people who had been noisily picking a fight, the staff who had been watching from the sidelines, and even the other Lycoris members stared at her with wide eyes.
"L-Lady…? You…!"
Chun Seol-hyang's eyes twitched. Although she maintained her youth thanks to her realm, she was already in her 40s. So, those words from a girl who looked like a middle schooler hit her even harder.
"N-Na-hee? Even so, she's a senior…"
"Oh, right. My bad, my bad. But isn't that right? Can't you see what's going on around you? Because of you, Se.ni.ors, everything has come to a standstill. If you have complaints, why don't you come back later when we're done? Seriously, how many people are you inconveniencing? Are you even a senior?"
Although her tone was a bit harsh, her words resonated with everyone. Those who had been through thick and thin in this industry couldn't possibly be unaware of how damaging it would be to their reputation to come here in a group and cause a scene.
Nevertheless, they had done so because they had judged that it would be more advantageous to their objective, even if they had to endure some damage to their reputation. They were confident that they could smooth things over to some extent, given their accomplishments.
However, regardless of that…
"You're impertinent."
With Chun Seol-hyang's cold voice, Lee Na-hee's throat tightened. She came to her senses too late, but the damage was already done. The cold gaze looking down at her, her body stiffening. Along with it, a frosty aura swept through the surroundings, engulfing the area in silence.
"Oh dear, the little one has touched a nerve."
"Unnie~ Take it easy. You can't kill her, can you? It'll be troublesome to clean up."
"Sigh, this is going to be a bother."
The world was different now than it was before the Great Change. The Supernatural Management Bureau and the Guardians were working day and night to maintain social order, but many things had inevitably changed with the times.
One of those changes concerned disputes between Awakened individuals. There were no monsters to defeat on Earth, nor a Demon King threatening the world. In such a situation, it was impossible to indefinitely suppress the use of abilities by those with supernatural powers.
"It seems she's getting cocky, relying on that Phantom… She needs a little lesson on how dangerous it is to ride on someone else's coattails."
Chun Seol-hyang casually raised her hand, forming a blade with her fingers. Casually, by her standards.
"Wait…!"
"Na-hee!"
A sharp wind swirled. The Lycoris members surrounded the frozen Na-hee and pulled her back. At the same time, three of them, including the strongest, Yoon Seol, raised their blood magic and blocked her path.
'It's not a full-powered attack! We can block at least one hit…!'
It was an attack from someone who was at least level 7 by vampire standards. Even if they managed to block it, they wouldn't be unscathed. If they were to end up in such a state, how would they continue filming…? Such escapist thoughts flashed through their minds.
"Hey, what's a grown woman doing to a kid just because she said something true?"
The familiar man's indifferent voice reached their ears.
Crack
A broad back blocked their path, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. A crunching sound echoed as the man stretched out one hand and clenched it in the air.
"Manager Ha!"
The large man with slicked-back hair and sunglasses glanced back at the calls. He looked them over once, then calmly nodded.
"Everyone's alright? Just fix your hair, and filming should be fine."
"...Manager, are you a psychopath?"
One of the members blurted out, incredulous at his attitude. As if filming were even possible in this situation.
"Hahaha! Well, that's not entirely wrong. But what can we do? We have another schedule, so we can't waste any more time."
"No, the filming will naturally be canceled…"
Ignoring her protest, Harley turned his gaze forward, toward the five men and women who were staring at him with furrowed brows.
'Are these people in league with the ones who tried to plant the bomb?'
His eyes quickly scanned his opponents. The returnee celebrities who had come were all of a certain age. In other words, they were from a generation that had experienced the cruelty of "demon" vampires firsthand. They were people with sufficient motivation to act out of a sense of justice.
'Especially that woman…'
His gaze settled on the actress at the forefront. Information gathered through Hesperon was instantly relayed to him.
'Chun Seol-hyang, strong and popular enough to be nominated as the next branch manager of the Guardians, but…'
She was someone who had retired from the Guardians and entered the entertainment industry after losing all her squad members in a trap set by the Blood Alliance, which was rampant more than a decade ago.
An opponent who was difficult to deal with carelessly, both in terms of ability and connections.
Of course, Harley didn't care about such trivial matters.
"…Who are you? You don't look like a vampire…"
"Forget it, let's wrap this up quickly! We can do individual interviews during filming."
He tossed his suit jacket aside, rolled up his sleeves, and cracked his neck. His white teeth gleamed dazzlingly under the studio lights, framed by a bright smile.