Advent of the Three Calamities

Chapter 205 Whistle [1]

I stood in the middle of the stage with my breath caught in my throat. My mind was a jumbled mess, and the world around me appeared to spin.

I could hardly focus on what was ahead of me as sweat trickled down the side of my face.

My legs felt weak, and wherever I looked, I'd see the faces of the audience staring at me with looks of confusion.

.....It was a strange feeling.

I couldn't quite describe it.

I was there and yet didn't feel there.

All I could think about was the man who had been clapping just moments after.

'What was that...?'

From the overall relaxed attitude, and its presence.

I could only think of one person, and I forgot to breathe.

"Excuse me."

I was only able to snap out of by a certain tug at my shoulder and when I looked, Jeremy, the one who had handed me the award appeared beside me.

"Is everything alright?"

".....Yes "

Though I said that, I was anything but okay.

I could hardly think or move.

It took every part of me to keep myself on the stage.

"It's alright to be nervous. Everyone is watching you. Please give the speech. We also don't have a lot of time."

".....I understand."

His words were a bit hazy to me.

But I nonetheless understood them.

Turning to face the crowd again, I opened my mouth and started to say the words that I had rehearsed beforehand.

It wasn't a long speech.

.....It was in fact a lot shorter than the rest of the candidates, but it was good enough.

The moment I finished, the crowd began to clap.

Clap, clap, clap—

Rather than joy, I felt chills run down my body the moment the clapping started.

I was suddenly reminded of the scene that had happened moments prior and my entire body shuddered.

'I need to go down.'

The longer I stayed on the stage, the weirder I felt.

Walking down the flight of stairs, I tried my best to keep myself composed.

It was hard.

Really hard, but I was somehow able to do so.

"Congratulations!"

"Well done!"

"You deserve it! Your performance was outstanding."

The people around me started to whisper words of congratulations. On any normal occasion, I would've thanked them, but I was in no state to do so.

"Are you okay...?"

Sitting down, I heard Aoife's voice coming from my right.

I didn't turn to look at her and just handed her my trophy.

"Keep it."

"....Uh?"

Aoife sounded stunned by my actions.

I couldn't blame her. But at the same time, I really couldn't care less about the trophy. I cared more about the money.

That was all that mattered to me.

'Take it as an apology from me.'

"B-but.. this, isn't this...?"

"I don't need it. You deserve it."

The awards we were nominated for were different.

My role had been bigger than hers.

It was for that reason that I was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor Section.

She on the other hand was only eligible for 'The best extra' Award. A certain minute was required for best-supporting which she didn't meet. But I didn't really think it mattered. In the grand scope of things, it was an acting award, and she had been great.

"Even if you don't end up winning, you did great."

"..."

Aoife turned quiet after that.

I didn't know what sort of expression she was making, nor could I care enough to know.

Sitting down on my seat, my entire body was tense.

Grabbing onto the sides of the chair, I remained unmoved while the sound of my very own heartbeat drummed loudly within my mind.

Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!

***

The event proceeded from then on.

Awards were given out, and speeches were given. Aoife sat on her seat while staring at everything that was happening.

Her previously nervous mind had calmed down somewhat as she lowered her head to stare at the trophy in her hand.

Even now, she didn't understand why he had given it to her.

'You deserve it.'

His words repeated in her mind.

Like a broken record, they continued to echo in her mind as she stared at the trophy in her hand. The trophy wasn't very big.

It fit snugly in her hand, and it was cold to the touch.

"....."

Aoife had mixed emotions while staring at the trophy.

A part of her really wanted it.

She wanted to accept it.

But,

'I don't want it to be this way.'

What she really wanted was to get the award with the aid of her own skill.

But it wasn't as though she wasn't happy.

A... little, I guess?

"Next up, we will be announcing the results of the best supporting actress."

Aoife unconsciously found her back straightening at the category.

This was her category.

She had no expectations about her ranking, but she wanted to see... See just how many people had voted for her in the end.

How many people had seen the effort that she had put into her performance.

"For the first nominee, we have written by Cassandra James who played the role of Alex in 'When the Night Falls'."

The projection changed, and an actress appeared in it.

There were several scenes played out, and when Aoife stared at the scene being played, she could only bitterly smile.

She could see the clear differences between her and a real actress.

But even then, Aoife turned her head slightly, her eyes peeking at the man who sat next to her.

Compared to him...

Aoife pursed her lips.

There was nothing that she needed to say about his performance. The fact that he had won was a testament to that.

"For the second nominee, we have..."

The nominees continued to be mentioned, their faces appearing on the projection behind them.

Aoife sat by her seat with an impassive expression. She couldn't show her nervousness. At the very least, she didn't want the world to know just how much she cared about this.

At least, not her family.

"And lastly, we have Aoife K. Megrail who played the role of Emily in 'Enigma of the Midnight Manor.'"

When her name was called up, Aoife felt her back straighten further.

Multiple gazes fell on her, and she appeared on the projection at the center of the stage.

Compared to the other candidates, her role was a lot smaller, with few scenes, but staring at herself in the projection, Aoife felt her heart beating faster.

That was her.

She was... Good.

Really good.

"And the award goes to...

'Maybe...'

Hope started to kindle within her chest.

Could it be that perhaps...?

"Cassandra James!"

Aoife's hopes were quickly dashed at the winner's announcement.

Clap, clap, clap—!

She looked blankly at the stage while her surroundings bloomed with the sounds of applause.

It took her a moment to snap out of it, and she soon followed the rest with the applause.

'Right, this is to be expected.'

She was a little disappointed, but this was the expected result.

Soon, the chart tally appeared.

│The Best Supporting Actress Rankings

1. Cassandra James「Votes: 5617」

2. Lila Harrington「Votes: 4981」

3. Isabella Cortez「Votes: 4777」

4. Fiona Blackwood「Votes: 3091」

5. Miles Anderson「Votes 1907」

6. Ethan Ramirez「Votes: 1759」

7. Aoife K. Megrail「Votes: 1」

Scanning the rankings, Aoife felt her heart drop.

'One vote...'

Her grip over the award tightened slightly.

While it wasn't out of her expectations, it still hurt a bit.

No, rather... It was a little humiliating.

Was her acting that bad? Were her efforts really that meaningless in the end?

.....Aoife bit her lips and struggled to keep herself composed.

But it was hard.

Really hard.

The only thing that was keeping her from breaking down was the one vote that she received.

It was just one, and while she knew who had voted for her, it was more than enough to keep herself composed.

And it was also then that she realized;

'That's right. I'm not the only one who put effort into this.'

Looking up at the stage, and seeing the recipient of the award, Cassandra, receive it with tears in her eyes, Aoife felt a little bit of her gloom vanish.

'.....Why did I even think for a second that I was the only one who put on effort in the role?'

The people who had all been nominated had been in the industry for far longer than she had.

On the other hand, she was just a newbie who had spent at most a couple of weeks in the role.

Were her effort and their efforts truly the same?

'No, they're not.'

It was this realization that made Aoife calm down.

"Hoo."

Taking a deep breath and leaning against her chair, she finally was able to muster up a smile and started clapping alongside the audience as the winner's speech came to an end.

Clap, clap, clap—

As she clapped, she held tightly on the trophy in her hand.

At least, she knew that there was one person who thought her acting was great.

The unlikeliest of people.

***

The Award Ceremony lasted for a total of three hours.

I sat in my seat while blankly staring at the stage the entire time. My thoughts continued to drift towards the scene from before, and I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of dread creeping from the deepest parts of my body.

"Julien."

It crawled towards my chest, slowly entangling every part of my heart. It felt suffocating, and looking around, everything felt so constricted.

"Julien...!"

"Uh!?"

Startling me out of my thoughts was Olga who was staring at me with concern.

"Are you okay? Do you need some fresh air?"

"Ah, yes..."

Looking around, I saw that there were hardly any people left around me.

The show must've ended some time ago

I had just stood up from my seat when Olga tugged me on the shirt.

"I have something to talk to you about. You remember, right?"

"Oh, right."

"Let's go outside. I'd rather keep this between us."

I tilted my head slightly, confused by her words.

Nevertheless, I followed her out of the building and took a deep breath of the fresh air that lingered outside.

"This is good."

Looking around and seeing no one around, Olga sighed in relief before she looked at me with a smile.

"Julien. There's something that I'd like to ask of you."

"...."

I narrowed my eyes without saying anything.

I was just waiting for her to finish.

"How would you like to perform as Azarias in the Four Summit Event?"

Her words took me aback.

Me, perform...?

"That's..."

"I know that you're also participating, which is why I won't ask you to practice with us. I'd just like it if you took part in the play. You will be paid a good sum."

"...I will be paid?"

I pushed any thought of rejection to the side.

"Oh, yes."

"How much exactly?"

"Well, usually around 20,000, but for you? I can make it more. What do you think?"

As if she had realized my weakness, Olga's smile deepened.

I pursed my lips and inwardly sighed.

'I can't reject this offer.'

That was how much I was in desperate need of money. I really wanted to buy a new manual to improve my strength.

".....Can you give me some time to think about it?"

Still, I didn't recklessly jump into the situation which Olga was fine with.

"Of course, of course."

Patting onto my shoulder, she put on her coat.

"Take as much time as you want. We still have a lot of time before the Summit. You know where to contact me."

And with that, she left.

As her back gradually faded from my view, I shook my head.

"This... Haaa."

Who would've thought I'd have to act again?

Bitterly shaking my head, I walked back towards where the hotel was located. The streets were strangely empty as I walked, with the only sound that I heard being the rhythmical sound of my footsteps clicking against the ground.

At least, that was until,

"Whoo~"

I heard a whistle, and the hair at the back of my neck rose.