Chapter 16

Professor Cheon Kyujin’s year was, as always, nothing special.

Once, when he was hired as a successful university professor, it felt like he had fulfilled all his childhood dreams, but as human nature goes, everything dulled over time.

His passion for academia had not waned, but it made him sad to see the number of students decreasing day by day.

He always described himself as a boring person.

That was why, unlike his younger sibling, he had not built a family.

To avoid going home, his only solace came from occasionally ordering late-night snacks for the struggling graduate students in the lab.

If there was a slump in life, this was it. Having experienced “numerous slumps,” he found it hard to grasp how to accept this one.

With next year being a sabbatical, he thought he would take some time aside from his main work and reflect on his future.

Until a suspicious auditing student appeared in his last class.

[You don’t have to stick to the material, I think.]

A student wearing a minimum age avatar supported by virtual reality.

Geniuses often tended to be eccentric.

Such tendencies often arose from loneliness.

They desired social interaction like everyone else, but communication barriers were presented by differing ways of thinking, values, and linguistic or mathematical abilities.

Eventually, they became engrossed in one-way interests.

Be it animation or sports cars, in those otaku-like pursuits.

Could this student be one of them? But her responses were always remarkable.

Unlike in America, Korean students really dislike being questioned.

Students grow weary in their own ways, and professors become isolated in theirs.

In a bid to bridge that gap, the Natural Sciences Department at Korea University introduced a virtual reality class, which he was almost the first to implement.

As you can see, the results had not changed significantly, however.

But one day, she, who was not even a current student, infused new energy into Professor Cheon Kyujin.

There were barely any students who not only understood and applied what they learned but also raised dilemmas for him.

But look, this student was different!

[No matter how I think about it, the formulas are too inefficient. If it takes 0.3 seconds to activate, there’s no reason for this neo-formed progression to be at 5 circles.]

After saying he would review her question until the next time, he spent two nights awake to prove her claim.

But on the same day, when she showed him her identical formula, he could not hide his astonishment.

“This student is really a genius.”

Although the operators she used in her progression were somewhat unique, they were fundamentally the same.

Thus, Professor Cheon Kyujin had been waiting for today.

Two hours passed, and she had not shown up in the assembly hall. Just as he wondered if she was not coming, he spotted a child who looked just like her avatar.

‘Did she use her younger sibling’s account all this time?’

But why did her sibling come instead of her?

Thinking it would be too apologetic to have called if it was due to not being well enough to make it here, he kept his thoughts to himself. Then, shocking words came from the child’s mouth.

“I’ve been late in introducing myself; I’m No Name. I came to check my grade in the progression class.”

“You’re Na-me?”

“Yeah, is there a problem?”

At first, he thought she was mocking him.

Looking at her small stature, she could easily pass for five or six years old as she confidently looked up at him.

Since one could use virtual reality starting at age seven, she must have been no older than seven or eight.

Na-me wrote her progression formula on a sheet of paper placed next to a large pile of grading sheets.

It was her favorite “Kaizen Transformation Matrix.”

“The handwriting will be the same; please check.”

Professor Cheon Kyujin, seemingly entranced, flipped through the answer sheets until her name appeared.

[Name: No Name (NO Name)]

“…”

But suddenly, Na-me’s expression changed drastically.

Professor Cheon realized it stemmed from her grade.

[195/200]

“Where did I go wrong?”

She argued as if she had just been told a 90:10 blame verdict for a car accident, insisting meticulously that she was not at fault, not even at one percent.

“Let’s see. It’s this part here.”

“I can’t see it well.”

Na-me stretched on her toes as much as she could, but it didn’t help her view.

Seeing her shivering, the professor finally recognized his mistake and handed her the answer sheet directly.

With her small hands, she picked up the paper and had to stretch her arms as wide as possible to barely see the answers.

It was both amusing and intriguing.

“That part has confused many students.”

Yet Na-me wore a more serious expression than ever.

“Stop talking nonsense; why is this incorrect?”

Na-me’s face contorted with anger.

* * *

Mistakes were unacceptable.

It was a kind of obsession.

[This time, Princess Esthesia really must be reprimanded thoroughly. Until when will we allow the commanders of the north to associate with the barbaric tribes?]

One mistake could lead to death in this barbaric world.

[What should I do… It has come to a point where your one life will not suffice.]

My hands held more than just my own life.

[I’m sorry, princess, but I cannot delay the northern campaign any longer.]

I understand, yet I cannot.

You all wouldn’t understand me either.

Every day felt like walking on thin ice.

Would the world without me ultimately face a disastrous end, or would it find new hope?

I do not know. I no longer wish to care.

Yet, the habits carved into my soul over twenty-five long years still composed a significant part of me, and that nature had not disappeared.

My heart raced uncontrollably, and anger surged within me.

Did I do something wrong?

Really?

No, I did nothing wrong.

Not a single thing.

I cannot be wrong.

I must be perfect.

“Hey, calm down…”

“Why did you say my formula was incorrect? Do you think we can’t use Lagrange multipliers because of the boundary points? If you think that, you’re absolutely wrong. The optimization condition I wrote includes the boundary points as a sufficient condition. Still not getting it? How long do I have to keep repeating myself!”

My vision blurred.

What am I doing right now?

My consciousness felt hazy, and the world swayed like a wave, melting away like ice cream on a hot summer day.

The world was too hot to be called cold, and too bright to be called dark.

I had felt this unpleasant feeling before, like forcing someone awake in the early morning by shining a light in their eyes.

Mana withdrawal symptoms.

Mana withdrawal symptoms deprive you of reason and paralyze rational thought, often culminating in extreme discomfort before unconsciousness.

Why now…? I just remembered I forgot to take the potion this morning.

The alarm had gone off during the broadcast, and I rushed out.

I desperately needed that absolutely disgusting mana potion.

* * *

[Mana withdrawal symptoms? Isn’t that more like a rampage? Can one even be addicted to mana?]

Right? Isn’t it fascinating?

[So, you eat monster blood every day?]

Yeah, it’s not like I eat it out of desire.

[That sounds very painful. I learned that a monster’s blood is toxic.]

Magic is nothing. Mana is far more dangerous.

[That’s the first time I’ve heard that. The guildsmen said the more mana, the better.]

Shall I give an example? The air we breathe is not just one type. Many types of air are mixed together.

[Really? I didn’t know that.]

Among them, there’s oxygen. What we need is only oxygen.

When we breathe, our bodies automatically select the oxygen. It’s designed that way from the start.

[That’s interesting. So, the other types of air aren’t needed?]

No. If one only breathes oxygen, they will die.

Breathing becomes difficult, vision blurs, and eventually, consciousness fades.

You simply die in the midst of life.

[Mana is the same, then?]

Yes.

Do you know why people cannot use ninth-circle magic?

Because our bodies don’t have the organs to refine mana.

The more high-level magic one uses, the more a person deteriorates.

Outwardly, they may appear more powerful, but inside, they are slowly crumbling.

[That’s a bit scary. Are you alright, though?]

Don’t worry. I can still fight the Demon Lord.

[You’re okay, but you always exaggerate like this in the end.]

You will have no dinner tonight.

[Ahhh! Why? Cancel that! You’re awesome, sis!]

Anyway, there’s nothing unnecessary in this world.

Just as air isn’t solely composed of oxygen, this empire cannot consist only of royalty and nobles.

Even amid heavy rain, plagues, or wars, there are always people looking toward tomorrow, which is why the nation exists.

[I hope the lofty ones above me understand your words. Will there ever come a day when the royal family understands us?]

You need to work hard.

[What do you mean by working hard? Can you go right now and say that to the baron? I feel like I wouldn’t even be able to meet his eye.]

I can do it.

[You’re bragging again.]

Shall we make a bet?