Chapter 124: He Was Born For This
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"Don't you think I am starting a little too late?" Nanami asked, the question slipping out quietly as he sat down, towel still around his neck, hair damp from a quick wash.
Regal didn't even flinch. "Of course you are."
Nanami blinked. The honesty was blunt, but not cruel. Just... matter-of-fact.
He was in his mid-thirties now. Not old, not yet, but in an industry that prized young prodigies and polished veterans, it was a strange middle ground. Too late to be called a beginner, too early to be wise.
Still, he nodded, resolute. "Okay. I will give it everything. Let me start practicing now."
Regal shook his head, handing him a warm bottle of water. "No. Don't push your voice. At least not until we finish this first job of yours."
Nanami frowned. "What do you mean? As you said I am already late... So shouldn't I be training non-stop this week? I thought the point was to get better - to be ready."
Regal leaned back in his chair, letting out a short breath. "Nanami, you are not going to become a voice artist in a week. The job now is to understand it. Shape it. Lightly. We will figure that out in the booth. For now, just focus on memorizing the lines. Let your instincts do the rest."
"But that doesn't make any sense." Nanami said, frustrated. "If you trust me with this, I have to put in the work. I have to earn it."
"You are already starting late." Regal said with a shrug. "So being a little more late won't matter. Just take it slow. What's the worry? You rush now, you will burn out before you even begin."
Those words... Somehow, they made sense in a way they shouldn't have.