What different species find attractive varies widely and is often hard to understand from an outsider’s perspective.
This concept is especially pronounced among non-humanoid species, those referred to as inhuman types.
Take, for example, a tree spirit: what’s considered the most beautiful tree among their kind might seem grotesque to humans.
Similarly, the aquatic features of rfolk may appear indistinguishable to us, despite their intricacies.
Just as humans can’t fully grasp the aesthetic sensibilities of inhuman species, the reverse is also true.
The idea of beauty being decided by subtle differences in facial features? To tree spirits, whose faces twist and warp as they grow, such debates might seem trivial.
Thus, even the most captivating human may be as unremarkable as a pebble on the roadside to an inhuman species.
This is why idols targeting these species—like Codria’s Maximized Idol Aisha of Destruction—had to abandon conventional beauty standards altogether.
For those who struggle to discern subtle facial differences, bold, painted-on makeup beca the norm.
A soft, lodic voice was replaced with sothing akin to nails on a chalkboard, designed to demand attention.
As for the traits these idols exemplified: overwhelming strength, unconditional acceptance, and universal love.
Aisha was created as a symbol of these ideals, designed to appeal across species barriers.
***
Aisha’s Post-Performance Apology
After the intense promotional video shoot ended, Aisha summoned us to a waiting room where she seed far removed from the commanding presence she displayed monts ago.
“I… I’m so sorry for showing you such an unsightly performance… It’s all part of my public image, but still….”
Gone was the guitar-smashing, throat-shredding powerhouse; in her place was a timid girl speaking hesitantly.
The shift was so dramatic that it was hard to believe she was the sa person.
But we weren’t here to hear apologies, and Alice and David quickly reassured her.
“Huh? No, no! It was really amazing!”
“Yes, as a professional, I found it quite fascinating. It was a rare glimpse into an effective approach for appealing to non-human audiences, showcasing the potential power of a universal idol.”
“O-oh, really?”
“That’s… uh, quite the way to put it….”
Delighted by David’s enthusiastic words, Aisha clapped her hands together like a young girl.
However, her heavy makeup made the cheerful gesture look sowhat unsettling, leading Raven to press his fingers to his temples with a sigh.
From my perspective, the performance was genuinely impressive. The makeup was admittedly off-putting, but if you considered her as a unique representative of her species, it made sense. Ꞧ𝔞ＮȪʙĘṥ
Her dramatic act of smashing a guitar on the ground was reminiscent of a great general rallying troops on a battlefield.
Of course, as an idol, it was unconventional to the point of absurdity. But if it worked, who was I to question it?
David’s passionate interest seed to inspire the head manager of Codria, Bold, who enthusiastically agreed with him.
“This young man gets it! Yes, indeed! Idols are ant to be icons for the people! A figure of strength that transcends beauty and species alike! Aisha will beco the indomitable force that pushes the hesitant forward!”
Good grief, his voice was so loud it felt like it had a built-in speaker.
I winced, rubbing my ears, prompting Alice to scoot closer and gently cover my ears with her hands.
It wasn’t exactly necessary, but I nodded my thanks to her nonetheless.
***
A Serious Question
While Bold waxed poetic about Aisha’s role as an idol, Raven’s calm voice cut through the noise.
“Setting that aside for now, did you know Aisha was being harassed by a stalker?”
Bold’s exuberance deflated instantly, replaced by a look of deep regret.
“N-no… I only found out when Aisha confided in recently. To think soone would stoop to such shaful acts against one of Codria’s idols! It’s unforgivable!”
“Hmm, I see. Aisha ntioned the stalking began around her second month post-debut, so about a month ago. It seems she’s been dealing with it alone until now.”
“That’s correct….”
“Gah, Aisha! I’m so sorry! I should have noticed your suffering sooner! I’ve failed you!”
Tears streaming down his face, Bold bowed deeply to Aisha, who, flustered by his display, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“Please, it’s okay! Really, you don’t need to do this!”
Their interaction, more like a father and daughter than a manager and idol, was heartwarming.
Alice, ever empathetic, looked visibly moved.
But Raven wasn’t one to let personal feelings cloud his judgnt during work.
Unlike his usual headshakes at emotional monts, his expression remained stoic as he casually continued.
“That being said… while I’m not certain yet, I suspect the stalker might be soone within this company.”
“What?!”
“W-what are you saying?! How could that be?!”
Aisha and Bold reacted with shock and disbelief, as expected.
It was a natural response—hearing that soone within their own circle might be responsible for death threats and stalking.
To make them believe his theory, Raven needed evidence. He turned to David, signaling for him to proceed.
David, prepared for this mont, pulled a laptop from his bag.
He typed quickly before swiveling the screen toward Aisha and Bold.
“These… These are photos from inside our company?”
“Yes. These are comparisons between the photos the stalker sent and ones we took from the sa angles during our investigation. As you can see, it’s clear that these shots could only have been taken from within the building.”
“Then… that ans….”
“The stalker harassing Aisha is likely soone working inside this company.”
Although it wasn’t definitive proof, Raven’s claim was backed by strong reasoning.
Turning to Bold, he requested a list of employees present at the ti the photos were taken.
For now, the investigation was progressing smoothly. The pieces were beginning to fall into place.
To minimize the risk of harm from the stalker, Alice was assigned as Aisha’s bodyguard. anwhile, Raven, David, and I headed out to gather more evidence.
“U-um, Jin… Couldn’t Yuria…”
“She’s working, Alice.”
“…Alright….”
Alice’s desire to keep by her side was evident, but Raven’s firm tone left no room for argunt. She reluctantly accepted the decision, looking dejected.
To be honest, I also wanted to stay with Alice. But the way Raven’s gaze silently asked, “Do you want to have two people to protect?” made it clear I had no choice.
Even if I could fend for myself, staying with Alice would only increase the burden on others.
Once outside, Raven quickly laid out the plan. It seed he and David intended to split up to cover more ground.
“David, go to the locations where the stalker’s photos were taken and see if there’s any evidence left behind.”
“Yes, understood.”
“I’ll check the area’s CCTV footage using my fixer privileges. If anything cos up, contact . Yuria, you… want to stay back at the office?”
“…!”
“Not a fan? Then you can either co with or tag along with David. Your call.”
Raven gave a choice with a casual shrug. Clearly, he didn’t expect much from beyond tagging along since I couldn’t exactly handle investigations alone.
After a mont’s thought, I hopped over to stand next to David.
Between sifting through hours of CCTV footage and taking a walk around town, the latter sounded much more enjoyable.
Raven smirked at my decision, waving us off with a hint of amusent before leaving for his own task.
His lightheartedness stung just a little—he looked far too relieved to have off his hands. But I couldn’t argue; without using telekinesis, I really wasn’t much more than dead weight.
***
The Investigation Begins
“Let’s get going, Yuria.”
“…!”
With David leading the way, we headed to the various locations where the stalker had photographed Aisha. Our task was to comb through these spots and uncover any potential clues.
The locations varied greatly: restaurants, cafes, clothing stores, costics shops, flower shops.
What amazed the most was that Aisha visited all these places wearing her dramatic makeup.
Perhaps it stemd from her personal philosophy of always being an idol, no matter the circumstances.
Except when she was about to sleep, she never removed her makeup—a level of dedication I couldn’t help but admire.
“Hmm, there doesn’t seem to be any significant evidence left behind. Perhaps too much ti has passed.”
“….”
Indeed, despite visiting several locations, finding decisive clues proved difficult. The photos were old, and the locations were too generic—places anyone could frequent.
Eventually, David switched tactics, questioning shop employees to see if they rembered Aisha or noticed anyone suspicious following her.
Given Aisha’s striking appearance, most employees did recall seeing her. However, few noticed anyone suspicious in her wake.
It seed that Aisha’s extre presence overshadowed everything else.
Still, persistence often pays off. At the fifth location, a café, we finally stumbled upon sothing useful.
“I see. Thank you for your ti.”
“Oh, wait! I think I just rembered sothing!”
“…Yes? What is it?”
“You’re asking about soone suspicious following that scary-looking lady, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Well… there was this scruffy-looking guy with reddish hair. I think he might’ve been following her….”
“Oh? Really?”
David thanked the shy employee profusely, his expression lighting up.
anwhile, I watched the scene unfold with so amusent. Looks like the employee has a little crush on David. Too bad he’s already spoken for.
Still, I followed him out of the café, genuinely pleased by our progress.
“A man with reddish hair… That’s a solid lead. We’ll check a few more locations and report this to Raven.”
“…!”
I gave David a thumbs-up in approval.
***
Continuing the Search
We visited more places after that—restaurants where Aisha had been photographed eating, costics shops where she had hesitated over products, and more.
Finally, we arrived at a bookstore Aisha frequently visited. As David and I stepped inside, soone exiting the store bumped into .
“Ugh… Watch where you’re going, will you?”
“…!”
The collision was with a girl about my height, wearing a butterfly-patterned half-mask that obscured her eyes.
Her black hair frad a face that, even behind the mask, radiated irritation.
Wait. I knew this person.
The mont I realized who she was, a chill ran down my spine.
Oh no… this might just be the biggest crisis of my life.
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