The Genius Composer Starts Again - Chapter 85

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Ding!

[ New Email Received: SLO ]

As soon as the notification popped up, a sigh escaped me involuntarily.

“Haah.”

Shin Ha-yeon, who was working on an assignment beside me, tilted her head curiously.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just another work email.”

“Ah, that thing about working with SLO? Didn’t you already send them several revised versions?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

I’d lost count of how many times this was.

It had to be over 5 times already. Even though I replied within 2-3 days whenever revision requests came in, they kept demanding new changes every time.

“Usually there’s a limit on the number of revisions specified to prevent this kind of thing, but since it’s a ‘collaboration’ or ‘joint production’ format, the revision limit clause is missing. That’s the problem.”

More precisely, it had vague phrases like ‘mutual agreement,’ which gave the other party plenty of room to exploit.

The reason I accepted the proposal despite this was because it was a good offer, and I never imagined a well-known composer would stoop to such underhanded tactics.

“Besides, in advertising and drama OST work, it’s industry practice to keep revising until the client is satisfied.”

Though they usually charge higher fees or have separate revision fee clauses for that.

“Haah. More than anything else, I have no idea what they actually want.”

Requesting revisions until the desired quality is achieved is understandable, even if I’m being generous about it.

But SLO’s current demands were too chaotic, and sometimes they even contradicted their own previous statements.

One time they asked me to make a part faster, then another time they wanted it slower. It was completely arbitrary.

“I’ve been reflecting all their requests in the revisions as much as possible. But I can’t see an end to this.”

“What should you do? Is it okay?”

Shin Ha-yeon looked worried.

“You look really tired.”

“Yeah. I suppose so.”

It was because I’d been overusing the skill ‘Spark of Creation (A)’ to speed up my work.

Since it was physically draining, I’d been falling asleep like I was passing out lately.

Without doing that, the workload was simply impossible to handle.

‘The promised 2 weeks have already passed by a whole week.’

At this point, it was time for SLO to put an end to this.

“I really hope they give the okay sign this time.”

I opened my email with a prayer-like hope.

Click.

The subject line of the unread email was highlighted in bold.

[ Regarding Damage Compensation Claim Due to Delivery Delay ]

“…Damage compensation?”

I muttered quietly and opened the email. My head went blank since this was completely unexpected content.

[ Despite exceeding the delivery deadline for this project (based on Article 4 of the contract), the final deliverable has not been submitted. Accordingly, we hereby notify you of a compensation claim of 43 million won based on the pre-agreed delay damage ratio. ]

“…”

I couldn’t say anything for a while.

I read the email several times over, wondering if I had misunderstood something.

This couldn’t be right.

A damage compensation claim to a composer who had worked with reduced sleep to meet harsh deadlines and complied with unreasonable revision requests?

“Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped me.

My fingertips trembled, and my vision shook. The back of my neck felt like it was burning with a stinging sensation.

The absurd feedback flashed through my mind, intensifying my anger even more.

At that moment, a translucent window blocked my view.

[ SYSTEM – SUB QUEST ]

> Find the loophole in the contract!

> Content: The path a rookie composer must walk is treacherous beyond measure. Survive against the competitor who is attacking you using the excuse of exceeding the delivery deadline.

> Achievement Condition: Nullify the damage compensation claim

> Rewards:

– Industry Reputation +300%

– Industry Credibility +100%

> Penalties:

– Industry reputation damage (Rumor generation: “A rookie who doesn’t keep promises”)

– Production company preference decreased by 20%

‘It’s a Quest.’

My surprise was brief. I was now accustomed to scanning through the Quest window’s contents.

‘I wondered why. This time, even when I received a new commission, no Quest window appeared.’

I thought it passed without any particular issues. Did it know things would turn out this way?

The timing was exquisite.

‘Both the rewards and penalties are industry-related. If I fail this Quest, it’ll take much longer to establish myself in the industry.’

The penalty was particularly devastating. “A rookie who doesn’t keep promises.”

Being a rookie was already fatal, but combined with contract breach, there wouldn’t be many places willing to hire me.

Even production companies wouldn’t prefer me. Not only direct proposals but collaborations would likely fall through.

‘And if I actually had to pay the damage compensation on top of that.’

I wanted to avoid becoming someone everyone would shun.

It would completely tarnish the name of YULE that I had started anew.

Thud.

I closed the laptop.

“Seol?”

I could feel Shin Ha-yeon looking at me with a surprised expression. I smiled brightly and answered.

“I have somewhere urgent to go. I’ll head out first.”

“Huh? Oh, okay. Nothing serious happened, right?”

“It’s nothing major.”

“Got it. See you tomorrow!”

I nodded and turned around quickly. At the same time, I took out my phone and called somewhere.

Ring ring.

-Hello?

“Min Producer. Do you have a moment? There’s something I’d like to visit and consult you about.”

***

V-Tunes Studio 2nd Floor.

Min Chan-hyeok was leaning back on the sofa, sipping his coffee.

“…Damage compensation?”

He asked as he put down his cup.

I nodded heavily.

“It’s exactly as I told you. This is the email I received.”

Min Chan-hyeok took the email and was silent for a moment.

“Huh. 43 million won. That’s quite a hefty amount.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Yeah. It is ridiculous.”

Min Chan-hyeok’s voice sank low.

“I never thought my worries would become reality this quickly. The industry is in such a state that I can’t even lift my head in front of you.”

It seemed Min Chan-hyeok had also noticed that this was deliberate harassment meant to keep a rookie composer in check.

“But that doesn’t make this bill that flew your way disappear. Sigh. What can we do when reality is like this.”

“What should I do?”

“This part is the problem. The sentence in the contract that says ‘considered delivered upon approval from collaboration partner.’ That’s the key.”

Min Chan-hyeok spoke in a firm tone.

“With this sentence included, even if you sent results dozens or hundreds of times, it’s invalid unless the other party gives their okay.”

“….”

“The other party never once used words like ‘confirmed’ or ‘accepted,’ right?”

“No.”

Min Chan-hyeok nodded.

“Then it’s over.”

At this unexpected reaction, I found myself biting my lips without realizing it. This was a problem that arose from only knowing how to write music but having little experience with actual contracts.

This was something I’d never heard happen to Mun Ah-rin in my previous life either.

Mun Ah-rin had Jeong Do-hyun backing her, so there probably weren’t any bold groups who would play games with contracts like this.

I newly realized how much I was left alone in this treacherous wilderness.

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do. Since you’ve already signed, this contract has legal force. They probably inserted that contract clause knowing you were a rookie.”

Min Chan-hyeok looked at me for a moment, then quietly added a word.

“You did nothing wrong.”

“….”

“But things like this will keep happening in the future.”

That was the cold reality.

“Just don’t get caught next time. Think of it as paying expensive tuition.”

With that, Min Chan-hyeok added that the income from the previous songs was quite decent, and that just paying them off to shut them up would be the easiest method.

‘But then the Quest would fail.’

I clenched my hands on my knees tightly.

“Is there really no other way?”

“You have two choices you can make.”

Min Chan-hyeok held up two fingers.

“One, acknowledge it appropriately and smooth things over. You’ll lose some money, but you can get through it relatively quietly.”

His middle finger folded, leaving only his index finger.

“Two, fight. But half the people in the industry will avoid you.”

His gaze was cold. It was also a gaze that could only come from someone who could tell me the reality of the industry most accurately.

I kept my head down as I mulled over those words.

The desk lamp scattered light, and the illumination falling on the sheet music trembled violently.

All of it seemed to be mocking me. Before this harsh reality, I was once again being thoroughly broken down.

…But.

I slowly curled my hands into fists. As my whole body grew cold, heat circulated through my fingertips.

“I won’t just take this lying down.”

I muttered through gritted teeth.

“This time, I don’t want to have anything taken from me. Nothing at all.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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