novelraw Chapter 145 : What's With That Voice
Chapter 145 : What's With That Voice
What's With That Voice
The right decision comes from the right reasons. In other words, decisions without basis should be avoided.
The executives gathered in the meeting well understood this as decision-makers.
"Then, let's hear reports on the status of each branch. We'll begin with the Korean branch."
At the head office executive's request, the Korean branch executive stood up. When he manipulated the Smart Link, a hologram graph was projected.
[Capsule Room Game Rankings]
[1. Mystic League – 31.77%]
[2. Gunner Ground – 21.41%]
[3. Lost Arcana – 14.57%]
[4. Dungeon & Champion – 9.18%]
[5. Outlaw Universe – 7.36%]
...
These were the capsule room game rankings in Korea.
"As you can see, online games are the mainstream in Korea. While the package market is not insignificant, there's an obvious gap in comparison."
It was a trait that had persisted since the days of PC rooms before capsules appeared.
"Package games are still niche in Korea. Among them, a title with a long hiatus like the current work, demon Must Cry, was just a relic of nostalgia."
Other executives nodded in agreement. Soon after, the hologram switched to other data.
"However, things are different now."
The hologram displayed related communities such as Demerk Meta and screen captures from Tri.
"This is the number of posts in related communities and the viewer count for console version streams. From the experiential broadcast announcement up to now, the indicators that were previously flat have skyrocketed."
Smiles spread among the executives as they saw the graph shooting up, almost vertically.
"But even more important in the Korean market is the new influx. We sought general data to support this."
With those words, another graph appeared.
[Qoogle/Never Related Keyword Search Volume Comparison]
This was data from search portals used by not just gamers but the general public.
"The first sharp increase was right after the game show presentation. We took the search volume up to a day afterwards as the basic metric reflecting core gamer interest. As you can see, even after the experiential stream, search volume remains, on average, 273% higher than the baseline."
If it had been only the attention of existing fans, such a surge would not have occurred. New users who became interested in the game after the stream must have searched for it.
"Our Korean branch sees this as very meaningful. We believe awareness of Demon Must Cry has risen, and the customer base has broadened accordingly."
The Korean executive summarized the report and bowed lightly. The others nodded back in satisfaction.
"Thank you for your efforts. As you said, we were concerned about the long gap, but it seems there's nothing to worry about."
The head office executive spoke appreciatively on behalf of everyone. Soon, his gaze turned to the North American branch.
The North American executive stood up with a faint smile.
"This is rather ironic. The reaction is stronger on our side than in Purple's homeland, Korea."
Having started thus, he cleared his throat and brought up some data.
"The North American market is balanced between online and package games. Interest was considerable even from the initial reveal."
[Qoogle/Leadit/Tweety Related Keyword Analysis]
This was data from search engine Qoogle, north America's representative community Leadit, and the short-form SNS Tweety.
"Initially, game-related keywords made up most of the searches. After webzines published articles, keywords related to streamer Purple showed a response, but the amount was minimal."
The difference was stark.
The graph, divided into two colors, revealed the contrast unmistakably.
"However, the change began after the first broadcast."
With a quick move on the Smart Link, the graph stretched forward in time.
Purple's graph, previously crawling along the bottom, leaped upward and, as time passed, soared further as if gaining momentum.
"As soon as the first broadcast ended, the two graphs reversed positions."
Immediately after the broadcast, Purple's graph looked like a rocket. The game graph was rising steadily, but it couldn't compete with that explosive growth.
Yet another dramatic difference had appeared.
"Viewers who watched the stream, and those who heard about it, must have wanted to know—Who is this streamer Purple? What kind of person could show such gameplay?"
When he moved his hand, the Purple-related graph was enlarged.
"We felt the need to look more closely."
The graph split into several branches.
"People searched for items related to Purple. Notably, our company's game Bio Crisis, and Fromme Studio's Elden Soul. They began unearthing Purple's past achievements."
Most of those who watched the stream were package gamers. Naturally, they looked up Purple's other package game playthroughs.
"Fortunately, interest in other companies' games disappeared quickly. Elden Soul did not provide official subtitles, after all. This, I believe, is thanks to the Korean branch's response."
The other executives turned toward the Korean branch at these words. The Korean executive gave an embarrassed smile.
"As a result, it was proven that his skill was not just a fluke. People seemed eager to share this amazing discovery."
Smiling, the North American executive switched to another file.
"Creating memes was only fitting. The keyword 'Perfect Durante' spread instantly."
Accompanied by memes created by people, search volume for 'Perfect Durante' stood out.
Curiously, however, the search volume for Demon Must Cry itself dropped.
"At this point, the game and Purple became inseparable. People searched for 'DMC' and 'Purple' together."
While separate search counts declined, co-occurring searches soared.
Among those, one keyword especially stood out.
"The keyword we should focus on is this: 'Voice', meaning Purple's voice."
Having steadily risen since the first stream, this keyword exploded once it was announced Purple's dub video would be released.
"Search volume for Purple's Q-tube, q-tube membership, and the voiceover soared by 951% in just one day. It's probably still climbing in real time. With such clear data, analysis was worthwhile."
The executives' eyes sparkled.
No doubt, their business instincts detected "profit."
But instinct alone could not justify a decision.
"Looks like you've all picked up on it. What we're seeing now is 'identification'. That's the most important factor in the virtual reality game market."
With a light gesture, he switched data. In the center of the conference room, an image of the protagonist Durante and the streamer Purple appeared.
"The customers do not simply want to experience 'becoming Durante'. Maybe they did at first, after the announcement, but now, after the stream, things have changed."
He smiled and superimposed the two figures.
"Not just Durante, but 'Perfect Durante'. Now the customers want to become as close to perfect as possible."
"But for ordinary gamers, catching up to that level must be difficult."
The head office executive observed, and the North American executive nodded.
"That's right. Many might think it's impossible. That's why customers want Purple's 'voice'. It's the easiest way for them to immerse themselves."
It was hard to play as well as Purple. Compared to that, acquiring the voice was easy.
"Interestingly, after the dubbing was announced, we saw a surge of posts on Leadit about how to sample voices from Q-tube videos, and questions about making and applying voice mods. I don't think this is a coincidence. That's all for the report."
"I see, so the response is similar in North America. People's minds do seem alike."
The head office executive replied with a smile to the explanation.
"As some of you know, Japan has many who get deeply attached to characters. Sometimes, their affection even extends to the voice actors behind those characters."
No wonder some voice actors' albums reach the charts, or there are people active as both voice artists and idols.
"Japan's response isn't much different from North America's. In fact, given that context, it might be even bigger. Aspiring voice actors are already posting videos analyzing his vocal techniques or practicing impressions."
He stroked his chin and surveyed the other executives.
"To sum up: in Korea, game awareness and demand have increased, while in North America and Japan, interest in Purple himself is particularly strong."
Everyone nodded at his summary.
"In this situation, the way for us to boost sales is clear."
The other executives beamed as if they had been waiting for this.
"We need to provide what the customers want."
The head office executive's lips curved upwards.
"Though we presented it as a test build, the game is actually already finished. If there are no big issues in upcoming streams, we'll open preorders."
"Yes, we'll prepare accordingly."
"It certainly seems like the right timing."
The Korean and North American branch executives, in charge of distribution, promptly agreed. But the real point came next.
"Yes. And in addition to the existing preorder bonuses, we'll add Purple's 'voice pack' as a supplementary reward."
The analysis gave clear direction.
Purple's 'voice' could be a purchasing factor for customers.
"Excellent decision. User-made mods wouldn't be as polished. If we support it officially, it'll be enticing enough."
The North American branch welcomed this actively. The head office executive was also enthusiastic.
"We should support sampling and production, and secure the data rights. Since it's a win-win for all, we could also cut down on the fee payable to Purple."
Growing profits and shrinking costs was business 101. But that plan soon needed revision.
"Unfortunately, Purple's side has already completed preparations for voice sampling."
"What?"
"But with ordinary equipment, that shouldn't be possible, right...?"
The Korean executive's comment left the other two confused.
"Sampling done personally cannot guarantee quality. How about beginning negotiations as soon as tomorrow?"
"That's right. If we sign a promotional contract and the sound quality isn't up to par, we'd end up doing the work twice."
The two executives spoke rapidly to the Korean branch executive. He shook his head, looking troubled.
"I, well, I don't know all the behind-the-scenes, but... The studio Purple's team prepared is one of the best in Korea."
Their eyes went wide at that answer. Was he not just a streamer, after all?
"Regrettably, our Korean branch's equipment doesn't even match that studio's level. And if we try to rent an equivalent studio, we'll actually incur extra costs, defeating the purpose of reducing costs in the first place."
Their eyes darted quickly. Experienced in business, they quickly understood.
"Hm, then there's no choice."
"In this case, we'll have to include recording expenses in the contract sum."
They immediately accepted the situation and started calculating an amount Purple would accept.
* * *
The next day, early afternoon.
Lee Gyeongbok and Park Juho arrived in Sinsa-dong.
"Is this the place?"
The place they came to was the audio studio Yoon Nara had booked for them.
"Oh... so this is what a studio looks like."
As Lee Gyeongbok strode to the entrance, Park Juho hurriedly grabbed him.
"Hey, what's going on here?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean... This doesn't look like a place just anyone could walk into!"
Glancing at the interior beyond the door, Park Juho muttered quietly.
He had researched other studios in case there was a problem, so he could feel the difference.
"How did you manage to—well, never mind, if the reservation's made it's done. If I'd known it was this fancy, I'd have bought pricier coffee!"
Park Juho adjusted his Anqing and shook the coffee carrier in his other hand.
"Come on, we're the clients. Why are you so nervous?"
Lee Gyeongbok didn't get his friend's reaction at all, prompting Park Juho to sigh.
"You don't get it. Equipment matters, but so does the engineer's skill in recording."
"Skill?"
"Yeah. Especially for voice sampling meant for digital data—the engineer's sense practically determines the quality."
Glancing again at the coffee, he added,
"It's all intricate work, so we should at least show some courtesy with a gesture. Hm..."
"Forget it, just come in. Being late for an appointment is more rude."
At his friend's concern, Lee Gyeongbok let out a stifled laugh and opened the door.
Park Juho didn't know, but this was a studio under exclusive contract with Sweeties' agency.
Yoon Nara herself couldn't meet them in person due to her schedule.
'Which is why she said she made solid preparations.'
She had insisted on thoroughness to prevent any problems, so there was no reason for the engineer to treat them carelessly.
"You're always so confident..."
In the end, suppressing his anxiety, Park Juho followed behind.
"Ah, welcome!"
Fortunately, things unfolded as Lee Gyeongbok had predicted. The engineer greeted them with a bright expression.
"Wow, you said you were civilians so I wondered, but—are you still a trainee? When's your debut?"
"Huh?"
After a brief greeting, Lee Gyeongbok's eyes widened at the question.
"Oh, I'm not an aspiring celebrity."
"Huh?"
When Park Juho answered instead, this time the engineer's eyes widened.
He looked at Lee Gyeongbok's face in puzzlement, but did not ask further.
"Well, understood. Shall we get started with the work right away?"
"Oh, we can start right away?"
"Yes, actually it's smoother to begin sooner. Voice sampling seems easy, but it eats up quite a bit of time."
The engineer explained as he sized up Lee Gyeongbok again.
"If you're a civilian who hasn't had vocal training, it may take even longer."
He still looked skeptical. Park Juho handed over the coffee he'd brought, wearing an office smile.
"Yes, please take good care of us."
"Oh, thanks for this. Coffee's just what I needed, actually."
It seemed the comment about long hours was no lie.
The wastebin overflowed with empty coffee cups and energy drink bottles, suggesting late-night shifts.
"Step into the booth and just follow my directions."
"Okay, got it."
Lee Gyeongbok entered the recording booth, adjusted the headset, and stood before the microphone.
〈Alright, we'll start by sampling consonants and vowels. You see the screen in front of you?〉
"Yes, I see it."
Through his headset, the engineer's voice reached him. As if in response, a sentence appeared on the screen in front of him.
[Nothing expresses the calm of night like the sound of burning oak and the night view.]
〈That's a pangram containing all consonants and vowels. Just read it calmly, it's your first time.〉
"Understood."
Clearing his throat, Lee Gyeongbok read the sentence. The engineer nodded and spoke again.
〈Yes, that's fine. Now, try again, paying a little more attention to pronunciation.〉
"Yes."
He had thought he'd been accurate, but apparently there were rough edges. Lee Gyeongbok focused on the sentence again.
'Might as well do this right.'
He thought of the international viewers who would listen to this dubbing. He couldn't understand all their chat, but—
'Joy knows no borders.'
To Lee Gyeongbok, they were people who would appreciate him, just like Korean fans.
This was not about increasing Q-tube membership numbers or raising profit.
'I want viewers to enjoy it as much as I do.'
Firming his resolve, he read the sentence again. His intonation and enunciation didn't feel especially different from before.
But in that moment, a change occurred of which even he was unaware.
"The sound of burning oak and the night view..."
The divine energy within him stirred.
It followed Lee Gyeongbok's thoughts and desires, infusing itself into his voice.
"Nothing expresses the calm of night like this."
The divine energy released along with his voice did not return. Accordingly, there was no recoil as he had sometimes felt previously.
So it was not Lee Gyeongbok, but another party, who sensed the change.
'What's happening?'
Park Juho, watching from a careful distance so as not to interfere, noticed the engineer's expression shift.
'Why is he smiling?'
A faint smile formed on his face. Perhaps the result was good this time.
But oddly, the feedback didn't come right away.
"Um, engineer?"
"Yes? Oh, hang on."
Finally, when Park Juho tentatively called, the engineer responded. Yet he looked more flustered than satisfied.
"Just, please wait a moment."
He said the same to Lee Gyeongbok, then quickly worked the computer.
Though Park Juho knew nothing about audio programs,
'Hm, it doesn't look that different.'
Even with just a glance, he could see the recorded data didn't appear much changed from the first take.
At this rate, as the engineer had said, the work could drag on.
"What on earth..."
But the engineer did not give further directions. Instead, looking serious, he put on his own headset and clicked his mouse.
'There's barely any difference in the data...'
Pitch, pronunciation, even the tiniest breaths—almost nothing had changed from the first recording. But the second take felt different.
'My head feels clear, somehow?'
He was so physically run-down that he normally needed caffeine to function.
While he put on a brave face for customers, fatigue weighed heavily on him.
Even so—
'This is really strange.'
As he listened to the recording, he felt energy returning to his body. Momentarily, caught up in this strange sense of fullness, he forgot that he was supposed to be analyzing the track.
'Is this some kind of music therapy?'
But music therapy was usually for calm, not this kind of revitalization.
He soon found himself conflicted.
'Technically, I could fix everything in editing...'
The data indicated further improvement was possible. But his instincts resisted.
As it stood, it was already enough. He felt that if he touched it, the fullness would vanish.
"... That's good, let's move on."
In the end, he followed his instincts.
Not the knowledge from experience and study, but intuition. More than anything, for one reason only:
'I just want to keep listening to this voice.'
If he gave any extra instructions, something might change. He wanted to continue sampling like this.
"Um, engineer?"
"Yes?"
"We only did it twice—are you sure it's okay to move on?"
Unaware of this, Park Juho could only feel puzzled. If anything, it might have looked like the engineer was being lazy.
But the engineer did not take offense. Feeling re-energized, he was more relaxed.
"Have a listen."
"Huh?"
"Try it for yourself."
He even handed over his own headset, something he almost never did for others.
Without further explanation, the engineer played the second recording for Park Juho.
And as if he too felt something, a faint smile quirked Park Juho's lips.
"I've worked with a lot of people, but this is the first time I've ever thought, 'This is it!' after just a recording. You understand what I mean, right?"
"I'm not an audiophile so I can't offer much insight, but..."
Park Juho trailed off, but nodded. The engineer gave a brief laugh.
"The raw base is terrific, though a bit rough. But this coarse naturalness is perfect as is."
He exhaled sharply, shaking his head.
"My job has always been to polish and bring out the best results. And yet... this time feels different."
Reason and feeling struggled within him. He smiled, but his brow remained furrowed.
"It's as if my years of experience have just been... overturned."
"I think I know how you feel."
Park Juho smiled gently at him.
"There are times I feel the same watching that friend of mine."
A genius exists far beyond the realm of the ordinary. If you're trapped in the old mold, there's no reason to call someone a "genius".
"I don't say this lightly, but—"
The engineer lowered his voice, looking serious. Nervous, he licked dry lips before continuing.
"Would you ever consider becoming a singer or idol professionally?"
"A celebrity?"
"Yes. You have an amazing mask, clearly take care of your body, and with a voice like this—"
He rattled it all off, eager not to let an opportunity slip.
"Well, that's a sudden suggestion..."
But seeing Park Juho's face and hearing his reply, he quickly changed course.
"Of course, it doesn't have to be decided now. Just know the option is there. Even if not, please reach out if you ever need help with anything audio-related."
He didn't want to lose a chance just because of an unexpected encounter.
"Yes, thank you."
Park Juho nodded as well.
'For an engineer of a studio like this to offer a love call...'
It was surprising, but natural.
A genius is easy to spot; the more discerning your eye, the more details you see.
〈Is there a problem? Should I redo it?〉
Just then, a question came from Lee Gyeongbok in the recording booth.
He must have misunderstood, seeing the two outside talking with such serious faces.
Park Juho and the engineer exchanged stifled laughs.
"No, it's perfect. Let's move on."
Genuineness is, in itself, more than enough.
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