Free Web NovelChapter 194: Working hard is different from copying.
Samuel paused as he looked.
The silhouette was just as familiar as he remembered.
But what he couldn’t understand was why Onyx would show up here.
Was she ...?
Before his mind could even complete the thought, his feet had already begun moving, as if driven by instinct, to confirm it.
As he approached closer—
He called out, "Onyx?"
The woman didn’t turn toward him. But she didn’t walk away either. She simply stood there.
That alone made Samuel feel even more certain.
He stepped forward, moving to stand in front of her.
"Onyx, I—"
However, his words halted the moment he saw her face clearly.
"Sorry, sir," Amelia spoke, her brows knitting in slight confusion. "Were you calling for me?"
Samuel quickly shook his head, an apologetic smile forming on his lips. "I’m sorry. I mistook you for someone else."
Amelia simply nodded, offering him a polite smile. "It’s alright."
Samuel gave a small, respectful bow before turning and walking back the way he had come.
He didn’t dwell on it.
After all, why would Onyx appear here in Ashvale, Vabraria? The last confirmed reports had placed her in Saint Martin, Belmar—
A country far to the extreme west of Vabraria.
Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought and walked away without turning back again.
However—
Just as he left, Adelyn appeared from the corner.
Amelia glanced at her, her gaze dropping immediately to her shoes. "Have you tied your laces?" she asked.
Adelyn nodded. "Yes. Let’s go."
And with that, they left as well.
Outside—
As expected, Freya was already waiting with the car.
This time, Adelyn didn’t refuse the ride. She slipped into the back seat, while Amelia took the passenger seat beside Freya.
Soon, the car drove out of the premises.
Not far away, Edic caught sight of them.
Freya had once been the top talent manager, and he had personally long admired her, so he recognised her immediately. His gaze shifted to the back seat, trying to catch a glimpse of Adelyn.
Though he couldn’t see her clearly, he could guess who she was.
"Oh ... so that’s her," he muttered.
Ethan stood right beside him. Hearing that, he turned slightly, confusion evident in his eyes. "Who are you talking about?" freёweɓnovel.com
Edic tilted his chin toward the direction of Freya’s car, which was already heading toward the exit.
"Freya Finn’s new artiste," he said.
Ethan turned to look as well.
But by the time he did, the car had already driven away. He caught only a fleeting glimpse of it before it disappeared from sight.
"Freya must’ve brought her here to practice. She was probably training in the same arena as you. We missed the chance of seeing her."
Ethan turned back to him, his brows drawn together tightly.
Edic understood that look and immediately added, "Oh, don’t give me that expression. I’m not telling you something out of context. Later, you’ll be seeing her more often anyway. I heard she’s been signed for The Empress’s Grief too. As for what role..." he paused, shaking his head, "they haven’t announced it yet."
Ethan didn’t respond.
But something seemed to strike him suddenly.
He turned again, looking toward the direction where the car had vanished.
His eyes turned cold.
Edic noticed the shift immediately. "Why do you look like that all of a sudden?" he asked, following his gaze. After a moment, he frowned. "Did she offend you somehow? Do you know her?"
He paused, then shook his head on his own.
"No ... that can’t be it. You didn’t even get a proper look at her. You probably don’t even know who she is. Then why are you acting like she offended you in the worst way possible?"
Ethan’s voice turned colder.
"One who only knows how to copy others isn’t worth offending me."
His words left Edic completely baffled.
He tried to make sense of them —but the more he thought, the less sense they made.
"What does that even mean?" Edic asked. "She might just be a supporting cast for now, but you can’t look down on her like that. If Freya chose her, she must have talent."
Ethan clearly didn’t look convinced.
Seeing that, Edic frowned and pointed at him. "You ... since when did you become this arrogant? I didn’t groom you like this. Weren’t you always supportive of people who worked hard?"
Ethan might appear cold on the surface, but as his manager, Edic knew him better.
The boy wasn’t heartless.
He might act bluntly, but he wouldn’t belittle someone without reason.
"Working hard is different from copying," Ethan said, his tone laced with quiet accusation. "Mimicking someone else’s moves can take a person forward —but only for so long. She may start as a supporting character ... and remain one forever."
Edic didn’t know where all of this was coming from.
And frankly, he didn’t have the energy to dig deeper at the moment.
So, he let it go.
If Ethan was mistaken, he would realize it himself soon enough.
After all, they would eventually meet on set.
And as for Edic—
He trusted Freya’s judgment. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
If she had chosen someone, there had to be something exceptional about that person.
"Alright, let’s drop it," Edic said, waving a hand dismissively. "Let’s talk about your upcoming schedule instead."
Meanwhile—
Inside Freya’s car—
Amelia suddenly turned in her seat.
"Wait ..."
Adelyn looked at her.
Amelia continued, her curiosity getting the better of her,
"Earlier, we saw you handling the sword so skillfully ... have you ever competed in any tournaments before?"
She knew it might be slightly off-topic —but she couldn’t help herself.
After all, every time she underestimated Adelyn—
The girl proved her wrong.
"If you have any notable achievements in this field," Amelia added, "we could use them for your promotion later. People love versatile actors. So ... have you participated in any major competitions?"
Freya, too, glanced at Adelyn through the rearview mirror, clearly interested in her answer.
Adelyn met Amelia’s gaze and thought for a moment.
And just when Amelia was about to elaborate further—
Adelyn spoke.
She gave a small nod.
"Yes," she said simply, "I’ve won a few championships."
"Championships?" Amelia nearly gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief.
