I Want to Be a VTuber-Chapter 233: Extreme Drama (4)

I understand the importance of translating the text exactly as written, without omissions, alterations, or rephrasing. I will proceed with the translation now, ensuring the output remains faithful to the original.

'Rosalyn, the daughter of a European merchant.'

For a cameo, it was quite a luxurious name.

Of course, the identity of that merchant wasn’t particularly defined.

After all, the original scene was simply about Michiko and Yuina meeting at an auction and clashing over their pride.

‘To obtain the necklace on auction.’

It was an item Michiko’s mother had once worn.

A necklace that had gone missing from the mansion long ago.

Now, it had reappeared at this auction.

Naturally, Michiko tried to buy it, but Yuina, who was also present, deliberately disrupted her efforts.

The fact that it was a keepsake of Michiko’s mother didn’t make it entirely irrelevant to Yuina either.

It had belonged to a woman she hated.

In other words, Yuina wanted to get the necklace just so she could destroy it.

The bidding escalated, reaching absurd prices.

Michiko was about to give up, but with Yeonseonye by her side, she called out a sum so high that even Yuina couldn’t match it and won the auction.

『And then she gave the necklace to Yeonseonye afterward?』

『That’s how it goes.』

『Quite the change.』

Asher Baldwin sat beside the Japanese staff, quietly observing the shoot that had just begun.

Jo Seohui and Lee Jiyeon were the first to appear.

The two lead characters.

The set exuded a sense of antiquity.

It didn’t look like an old Japanese building but rather something straight out of Europe.

“Miss, this is my first time at an auction. Should I just sit back and watch?”

“Don’t embarrass yourself. Just stay quiet. I’ll handle it if there’s something I want.”

“T-Then I’ll stay quiet.”

Michiko frowned slightly at Yeonseonye’s awkward nod.

Her expression was equal parts exasperated and fond.

Despite being endlessly materialistic, Yeonseonye could seem surprisingly innocent at times like this.

“But Miss, what exactly are we here to buy? You must have come here for a reason.”

“That’s...”

Michiko hesitated briefly before locking eyes with Yeonseonye.

She had already noticed Yeonseonye’s suspicious behavior lately.

No—she was certain it was related to Yuina.

Yet Michiko had already decided to let Yeonseonye go to some extent.

That way, when the time came for her to give everything up, she could send Yeonseonye away without hesitation.

“A necklace.”

“A necklace?”

“Not something important, but it belonged to someone important.”

It was a highly ambiguous statement.

The necklace itself, as an auction item, wasn’t important.

But its previous owner had undoubtedly been important to Michiko.

Her words carried layers of complex emotions.

The slight tremble in her voice betrayed how she truly felt.

Michiko’s performance drew subtle admiration from the staff.

“She’s really on point today, isn’t she?”

“Her delivery is so calm, yet the emotions come through perfectly.”

“Maybe it’s because there are so many people watching?”

Naturally, their eyes shifted toward Asher Baldwin.

They were curious to see if even a world-class director would approve of the performance.

And Asher Baldwin’s reaction wasn’t much different from theirs.

‘Not bad.’

Compared to most actors who strutted around the West flaunting their stardom, she was better.

Her poise was something built through hard work rather than innate talent.

Asher liked actors who cultivated their abilities through effort.

While he appreciated raw talent, he also admired those who honed their craft to the limit.

‘The best among young Korean actors, huh?’

Of course, Asher Baldwin didn’t know much about Korean actors.

Very few ever made it to Hollywood.

Among all the actors here, there was only one he recognized.

The man looking at him with an uncomfortable expression—

Actor Lee Sangsoo.

‘I’ve seen him before in the U.S.’

Probably in a film directed by someone Asher knew.

A director notorious for controversy.

Talented, no doubt, but Asher distinctly remembered him complaining.

“Why do I have to cast some Chinese or Korean actor in my movie?”

It was something along those lines.

Apparently, a Korean company had invested in the production, forcing Lee Sangsoo into the cast.

Ironically, that director’s film flopped miserably.

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And Asher’s takeaway from the movie?

‘That Asian actor was the only thing worth watching.’

Controversial or not, the director had skill.

Yet the problems with the film had clearly gone beyond casting decisions.

So, in the end, the only thing that stood out to Asher was the Korean actor’s performance.

He had even stayed through the credits just to check his name.

‘It was him.’

Asher stroked his chin.

This movie seemed strangely lucky with its cast.

‘Kyungsung Lady, huh.’

He wondered if there was a distributor for it in America.

Probably not.

The budget didn’t look particularly high to begin with.

And yet, the cast was unexpectedly impressive.

Lee Sangsoo aside, there was also Jo Seohui.

Her acting had already surpassed that of seasoned professionals.

Purely through effort.

‘No, it can’t be effort alone.’

That girl had something more.

It might be wrapped in effort, but there was something extraordinary about her.

Even if she didn’t fully realize it herself.

‘The only normal one here...’

Was the actress playing the protagonist, Yeonseonye.

An oddly fascinating presence.

Compared to Jo Seohui, her acting lacked polish, yet there was something captivating about her.

Awkward, but fitting perfectly with the role.

‘Interesting.’

Asher continued to watch, curious to see how far her performance would hold up.

The first scene was done in one take.

The next scene began immediately inside the auction hall.

Extras filled the chairs, creating the crowd, with Michiko and Yeonseonye sitting among them.

Bright lights illuminated the hall, setting the stage.

“Miss, there are so many people here.”

“Stop talking. You’re embarrassing me.”

“Maybe I should’ve worn a colorful hanbok or something.”

“Yeonseonye.”

Just as Michiko scolded Yeonseonye for babbling, the curtains on the auction stage parted.

And everyone froze.

A woman with golden hair in a white Western dress smiled as she stepped onto the stage.

Rosalyn Dvorak.

The merchant’s daughter who had organized the auction and its host for the evening.

Someone audibly gasped.

A golden flower seemed to bloom on the stage.

“Welcome, honored guests.”

Golden hair.

Pale skin.

Blue eyes.

And a delicate figure wrapped in a pure white dress.

She looked like a painting brought to life.

Fragile yet commanding.

“I’m Rosalyn Dvorak.”

Her Japanese was crisp and clear.

A gentle voice that soothed the ears.

It was the kind of voice that unconsciously brought smiles to those who heard it.

But that wasn’t all.

Her elegant presence dominated the stage, drawing every gaze to her.

Even the auction items beside her went unnoticed until much later.

‘She’s striking.’

Michiko—no, Jo Seohui—narrowed her eyes.

Even with just a single line, the woman on stage had claimed it as her own.

It reminded her of Seoyeon’s scene-stealing performance in a Japanese drama not long ago.

Right now, Rosalyn was just that.

A cameo.

A minor role, or perhaps an extra.

“The auction will last for a total of three hours. We’ve prepared plenty of items that will surely satisfy our esteemed guests.”

It was a role so insignificant it could hardly be called prestigious, yet just by standing on stage, her presence seemed to glow golden.

The aura of an actor.

That starlight quality that only a select few actors, like Jo Seohui’s mother, had possessed.

Her blue eyes swept over the crowd, eventually landing on Michiko.

And then, a subtle crack formed in her perfectly composed expression, giving way to a smile that was slightly different from before.

The change was minute, yet obvious enough for everyone watching to notice.

After all, this was acting.

And acting was about ensuring the audience caught those shifts.

It was a small alteration in expression, yet it conveyed her reaction to everyone.

“Hmm, I think today’s auction will be quite entertaining.”

Her gaze wasn’t solely directed at Michiko.

It also lingered on Yeonseonye beside her, filled with evident curiosity.

According to the newly added backstory, Rosalyn was someone who harbored a dislike for Michiko.

Specifically, she was someone who had met Michiko as a child and developed an inferiority complex toward her.

The two had known each other since childhood and shared a deeply uncomfortable relationship.

“Especially today...”

The moment Michiko and Rosalyn’s gazes met,

Thunk—the sound of the auction hall’s doors opening echoed.

It was a latecomer, and naturally, everyone’s attention shifted to the entrance.

As one by one the eyes that had been fixed on Rosalyn turned toward the new arrival, a different kind of tension spread through the room.

The relaxed expressions from admiring a beautiful flower now gave way to unease.

Even Michiko and Yeonseonye were not exempt.

The gazes that had been drawn to Rosalyn now turned to the figure entering the hall.

“Kasugayama Yuina.”

Michiko inadvertently muttered the name, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

After all, it wasn’t a line in the script.

But Michiko—or rather, Jo Seohui—couldn’t help it.

The person who had just entered the room was more Kasugayama Yuina than ever before.

A red butterfly on a black background.

A gombangdae held casually in her hand.

Languidly glowing red eyes.

Contrasted by strikingly pale skin, making her presence even more vivid.

The individuals following her stood out just as much, their menacing appearances impossible to ignore.

Standing closest to her was Goto Isamu.

Just as Yeonseonye was at Michiko’s side, Isamu stood by Yuina’s.

His lazy gaze swept across the crowd, as if searching for someone.

Those who caught his eyes found themselves involuntarily holding their breath.

On the stage, Rosalyn seemed utterly indifferent.

Her gaze searched for something entirely different.

The stillness in Yuina’s atmosphere was like a flower infused with poison—dangerous, yet impossible to look away from.

Seohui thought to herself that she absolutely wanted to rewatch this scene later.

Because she was certain the reactions in this moment were no longer acting.

‘It’s stronger than usual.’

Previously, Seoyeon had always adjusted herself to suit the colors of those around her.

She had never displayed the intensity she had during her role as the main villain, Cha Seoa.

But today was different.

Today, she was more intense than anyone else.

Her eyes were deeper, bloodier red than ever before.

It was as if red butterflies were fluttering around her as she stood still.

‘She’s adjusting her tone to match.’

Seohui could tell.

The greatest strength of Seoyeon’s acting was her ability to make others empathize with her emotions.

Her method acting was merely one branch of this approach.

But both Seohui and Lee Jiyeon, standing beside her, could feel it.

Today, Seoyeon was unusually immersed in her role as Yuina.

Why?

The reason was simple.

To match the energy of the actress on stage.

‘No, it’s not just to match.’

Today, Ju Seoyeon was more serious than ever.

‘She’s incredibly competitive.’

After all, she was fully aware of Stella’s provocations.

From the beginning, Stella’s cameo appearance had been aimed at her.

Just as Seoyeon had stolen the spotlight from all the leads in her Japanese drama,

Stella was trying to do the same here.

The reason was unclear.

Simple amusement?

It didn’t seem like that. But Stella’s target was unmistakably Seoyeon.

Yuina’s gaze, which had been sweeping the room, first found Yeonseonye.

Then, Michiko.

Realizing this herself, Yuina’s languid eyes darkened with displeasure.

She clicked her tongue softly.

It was as if she was annoyed at having instinctively looked for Yeonseonye before °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Michiko.

That complex emotion rippled outward.

Like a drop of red paint spreading in a clear pool of water.

“...You’re a bit late, guest.”

Rosalyn spoke from the stage, her tone displeased, as if Yuina’s indifference toward her was unacceptable.

Her words naturally drew Yuina’s gaze to the stage.

Rosalyn’s noble smile clashed with Yuina’s lazy eyes.

Blue met red.

White versus black.

Opposites.

Two perfectly contrasting colors.

As the two hues intertwined, Rosalyn’s smile faltered slightly.

A change in emotion that wasn’t in the director’s notes.

It was subtle, but there was an unmistakable mix of the actress’s personal feelings.

It was clear now—black was encroaching on white.

The difference was faint, but it was enough for the two actresses to notice.

They both knew who had won the first bout.