The Granddaughter of a Chaebol Family Is a Genius Child Actress - Chapter 14

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Chaebol Heiress is a Child Acting Prodigy
14
“Hello. I’m Seo Yujin……!”
Clap, clap, clap—!
From across the room, applause erupted toward Seo Yujin, who bowed so deeply that the crown of her head was visible.
Kwon Ijun also clapped in ritual fashion while staring intently at Yujin without quite knowing why.
His hands pressed tightly together trembled with tension, and his lips, clamped shut, quivered almost imperceptibly.
To anyone watching, it was clear he was thoroughly nervous.
‘Seo Yujin…….’
Watching her, Ijun found himself turning the name over in his mind.
Embarrassed by the rush of applause, Yujin quickly returned to her seat.
Her cheeks had flushed a deep crimson.
At the sight of her, soft laughter rippled through those nearby.
“She’s really adorable.”
“Right? The director praised her so much too.”
“…….”
The murmured voices of the adults sitting close by drifted over.
It seemed as though everyone’s attention at the Script Reading Venue had converged on Yujin.
This was an unfamiliar situation for Ijun.
Normally, wherever he went, adults’ attention and praise belonged to him alone.
But Ijun lifted his chin with affected indifference.
‘……Well, she does have a cute face, I suppose.’
It wasn’t that he found her cute or that she’d caught his interest—it was purely objective observation.
Her eyes were enormous, her cheeks looked soft, and she resembled a beautiful doll; it was only natural that people would call her adorable.
Just then, as if catching the murmurs of the adults, Yujin tucked her head down.
The small face that was already flushed turned a vivid red all the way to the tips of her ears.
“…….”
The corners of Ijun’s mouth twitched upward, trembling slightly.
But he quickly suppressed it, letting out a small, deliberate cough and forcing his gaze downward.
‘Now’s not the time for this.’
That was right—this wasn’t the moment to be distracted.
The Script Reading would begin soon.
Especially since his role in this drama was significant, requiring even greater focus.
Typically in dramas, Child Actors either appear briefly at the beginning or show up sporadically through flashbacks.
But There Are No Good Children was different.
It was a project being actively promoted by SBC, one of the three major terrestrial broadcasters, and furthermore, the childhood of both protagonists made up the bulk of the early episodes.
For that reason, the competition for the Child Actor roles had been extraordinarily fierce.
‘Of course, I performed the best.’
Ijun’s shoulders tensed unconsciously.
Among so many applicants, he’d beaten them all and secured the role.
The director and writer had praised his acting extraordinarily, calling it excellent.
‘It’s not even that difficult.’
Ijun couldn’t understand why other children found acting so challenging.
You just spoke the lines as written and made the right facial expressions—yet other kids stumbled even over something so simple.
‘……I wonder what she’s like.’
Having thought that far, Ijun glanced over at Yujin again without meaning to.
Over the past several days, Ijun had heard an enormous amount of talk.
They’d finally found a Child Actor perfectly suited for the role of Seo Young, and that Child Actor had exceptional acting ability.
The role of Seo Young had been a source of considerable worry for the adults these past few weeks.
They’d said it was such an impossibly difficult part that they couldn’t find a Child Actor willing to take it on.
Yet honestly, Ijun hadn’t been particularly impressed.
‘Why is that supposed to be so hard?’
If the child was emotionless, wouldn’t you just keep your expression rigid and deliver the lines?
He couldn’t fathom why such tremendous skill was supposedly necessary.
And when that supposedly difficult role had gone to her of all people, doubt had preceded expectation.
‘She’s a stupid kid.’
It had seemed that way the first time he’d met her, and again today.
To Ijun, Yujin seemed dull and foolish.
How could someone who looked so docile and kind pull off cold, emotionless acting?
“…….”
It didn’t seem likely at all.
Ijun absently pursed his lips and fiddled with the script.
And then, a moment later.
“Darling, should I put the luggage over here?”
“Yes, please. Phew, the house is really quite spacious.”
The Script Reading began in earnest.
Everyday dialogue flowed back and forth naturally.
Ijun held the script tightly, waiting for his turn to come.
Soon, the actress playing Jihun’s mother spoke.
“Jihun. Isn’t this place amazing?”
Finally, it was Ijun’s turn.
He swallowed a light cough inwardly and steadied his voice.
This scene showed Jihun, the housekeeper’s son, entering the grand Mansion for the first time, utterly overawed.
“Yeah, it’s really wide…….”
Ijun lowered his voice and spoke in a trembling, creeping tone.
It was the voice of someone frightened by unfamiliar surroundings, carefully reading the room.
The moment his brief line ended, Ijun felt satisfied.
‘Yeah, that was good.’
After all, acting was just about doing whatever came to mind.
Ijun glanced around at the adults over the edge of the script.
They weren’t showing it while the Script Reading continued, but they were surely taken aback internally — a child pulling off this level of performance.
Ijun’s shoulders rose a little, pleased with himself.
“Hello, ma’am. We’re here.”
“Oh, welcome.”
Flip—
The script turned as the dialogue continued.
Without realizing it, Ijun glanced at Yujin.
The other adults’ gazes had already shifted toward her too.
The scene had changed now, and this was the first scene where Seo Young appeared.
But in this scene, Yujin had only a single line.
Everyone seemed to be wondering how Yujin would perform it.
And then, it happened.
…….
The moment Ijun looked at Yujin, his body went rigid.
Something strange had brushed past him.
Yujin was clearly just sitting still in her chair.
Yet somehow, the air in the space seemed to sink, and everything around drew inexorably toward Yujin like a strange, hypnotic gravity.
In that instant, Yujin, who had been looking down, lifted her head, and their eyes met.
……Ah.
Ijun inhaled without realizing it.
In that moment, a single line from the script flashed through his mind.
The distance narrows. Jihun, terrified, stumbles backward. Finally his legs give way and he collapses. Seo Young approaches and stands before Jihun, gazing down at him quietly.
Ijun’s body went rigid with tension.
An overwhelming pressure radiated from the gaze with which Yujin was staring at him.
The gentle, anxious face from moments before had vanished without a trace.
Two eyes empty and hollow, as though devoid of any emotion whatsoever.
Then Seo Young raises her index finger and touches it to Jihun’s lip.
Yujin slowly extended her hand toward the frozen Ijun.
And then came a soft whisper.
“……Shh.”
At the same moment, a faint smile spread across Yujin’s lips.
Though her mouth corners were clearly lifted in a smile, it was an eerie and unsettling smile that sent chills crawling across the skin.
…….
Ijun stared blankly at Yujin.
His heart pounded heavily.
His entire body understood it.
That girl’s acting was in an entirely different dimension from his own.
***
……Huh.
I exhaled softly.
It was incredibly grueling, but now I was finally starting to understand.
‘Right, so that’s how you use it.’
-Yes, you did perfectly!
The fox’s enthusiastic praise echoed in my mind.
-When you channel your ability against many people at once, it drains far more energy, so you must learn to control it carefully!
Ah, I see.
‘No wonder I felt so drained.
I stared down at my hands for no particular reason.
They trembled faintly, visibly shaking as though every ounce of strength had been wrung out of me.
Just now, I’d used the ability the fox gave me—Fascination—for the first time.
Of course, according to the fox, the effect wasn’t supposed to be that powerful.
I was still far too small, and the fox itself had very little strength to spare.
The fox said it would only make people concentrate a bit more on my performance.
And yet my entire body felt hollowed out, heavy and drained of all vigor.
‘Next time, I really need to be more careful.’
Yes, yes.
I made a mental note and lifted my head again.
‘Oh.’
Then I froze.
Everyone around me was staring directly at me.
The director, the writer, all the senior actors—every single one of them.
‘What, what is…’
The silence terrified me.
Had I made some mistake? Did I make the wrong expression? But I was sure it was my turn just now….
Tense with anxiety, I darted my eyes around, trying to gauge everyone’s reaction.
That’s when it happened.
Pop!
[Objective Achieved!]
You demonstrated acting that overwhelmed the veteran performers!
A familiar blue window suddenly appeared before my eyes.
“…?”
My eyes went wide without thinking.
Why did I already succeed?

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