Chapter 254

[Did you think raising a child would be easy? It was a struggle to raise just one Semin.]

[But father, while I can understand that feeling, I can’t help but think it is an obstacle to forming a bond with your child.]

Professor Cheon Kyujin had been pacing back and forth in the living room with his hands clasped behind his back for ten minutes.

‘Is it really a good thing to let Name be free?’

He hated the word ‘restraint’ more than anything in the world.

There was nothing more terrible than forcing a child’s life into a predetermined mold according to someone else’s values.

Therefore, Professor Cheon always prioritized Name’s opinions and believed that a guardian’s role was merely to quietly support their child from behind, ensuring they did not fall.

But this time, the video Name uploaded had already gone far beyond Professor Cheon’s ability to intervene.

Clack—

Name, who had just been discharged from the hospital, changed into her indoor clothes and came out to the living room.

There was no way it had taken her ten minutes just to tidy up her things and change clothes.

Name’s expression also revealed a complicated inner turmoil.

“Name, can you come here for a moment?”

“… Didn’t we already finish that conversation in the car?”

Name squinted one eye and openly expressed her displeasure.

On the way back home, Professor Cheon had asked Name to take down the video she uploaded.

For half an hour, their positions did not narrow at all.

Name had logically explained her intention for uploading the video, but this time Professor Cheon could not back down.

This was a matter of Name’s safety.

“I wish you would take down the video even now.”

“I won’t. I told you, it wasn’t an impulsive upload. I thought deeply before taking it.”

Professor Cheon pressed his temples as if he had a headache.

Was Name always this stubborn?

‘There was that one time. When she brought up a claim about the final exams.’

But back then, it was due to the withdrawal symptoms from mana, so her reasoning had completely gone haywire. It was the first time Name had displayed such intense emotions in her everyday life.

Perhaps his persuasion hadn’t been sufficient, and it didn’t reach her.

Professor Cheon slowly explained the situation to Name again.

“It’s not that what you’re saying is wrong. I’m sure you had your reasons, Name. But not everyone is as smart as you. Why do ski athletes wear safety gear? To avoid getting hurt when they fall?”

“…”

“It’s because they fear an inexperienced beginner might crash into them. There’s a limit to how much I can protect you, Name. You need to be careful yourself as well, right?”

“I don’t really know what skiing is.”

“Ha…”

Name deliberately turned her head away, pretending she didn’t know.

Ultimately, as the conversation returned to square one, Professor Cheon grabbed his head in frustration.

Walpurgis is a terrorist organization filled with fanatics.

He understood that she was determined to take revenge, but Name was still young and vulnerable.

He was dissatisfied with the way the child, who kept forgetting that she was supposed to be under protection, was escalating the situation to an uncontrollable level.

“Noname.”

At the low tone of his voice, Name flinched and looked up at him.

It seemed she hadn’t expected such a firm stance from him.

“Yes.”

“Delete the video.”

“No.”

“Am I making an unreasonable request to you right now?”

“No…”

“Name, this is much more serious than you think. Do you not understand what kind of mess this has caused?”

“I know well—”

Vroom—

Professor Cheon’s phone, which was on the living room table, vibrated and rang.

Name glanced at it with her eyes to check the caller.

[Member Bae Seong-jun]

Professor Cheon had been responsible for all communications regarding Name up until now.

He couldn’t even imagine how many messages had been exchanged recently.

Feeling unexpectedly guilty, Name’s spirit was somewhat dampened.

Professor Cheon flipped the phone over and hung up, continuing his lecture to Name.

“The world is not a game, Name. You only have one life.”

“I know that much. I’m not a fool.”

“Can you take responsibility for that statement? The soldiers defending the borders have been on alert since yesterday. Why? Because the nation must always prepare for the worst. The world does not flow according to convenience. If a war breaks out and people start to blame you, will you be able to accept it?”

“…”

“Name, it would be better if you were a bit more humble. There are many people around you who recognize your abilities. There’s no need to drag others into this and create friction.”

“Professor, I’m not trying to create friction. It’s just that I don’t know what they’re up to, so I mean for everyone to stay vigilant—”

“Noname! Get a grip!”

In the end, Professor Cheon raised his voice decisively.

No matter how justified Name’s reasons might be, Professor Cheon could only perceive them as stubbornness.

There were dozens of methods that came to his mind for urging everyone to be alert.

[Student Name tends to ignore any level of pain unless it’s a serious illness, as indicated by her remarkably low scores.]

[I’ve heard she experiences feelings of depersonalization, as if someone else is controlling her, as well as occasional auditory and visual hallucinations.]

The child genuinely seemed to be under the illusion that she was strong.

As if she were at the top of a ranking board in a game.

She might have been intoxicated by her sense of power because she had never experienced a painful defeat.

Recently, she had gained a bit of weight on her previously skinny body, but Name still had the smallest stature in school.

Moreover, it seemed that the influence of virtual reality games made her unexpectedly aggressive.

The intention she expressed in the video was nothing like that.

‘Does she really hold a desire for Walpurgis to come find her?’

She had to be firmly told off.

She couldn’t afford to lose her family for the same reason again.

“Don’t kid yourself, Name. You’re just eight years old—a sick child of eight! Do you understand what I’m saying? Out in society, you’re still just a weak little child!”

A brilliant blue aura emanated from Professor Cheon.

As the cold rage of the aura slowly spread, pressing down on Name, she too began to emit her distinctive golden aura, mercilessly dissipating his aura.

Her unwavering gaze was undeniably rebellious.

“Noname, retract your aura.”

“You retract yours first, Professor.”

“Don’t make me say it again. Put your aura away right now.”

“I’m not weak. The one who knows me best is me, not you, Professor. Don’t make arbitrary judgments about me. We’ve only known each other for a year.”

Ultimately, Name’s last statement triggered a furious response from Professor Cheon.

The pure white aura he created swirled intensely like a snowstorm.

The beautiful blue color from earlier was nowhere to be seen.

In the wake of the storm, Name’s golden energy froze completely.

The lightless aura of Name soon scattered into the air, vanishing without a trace.

An alarm sounded in the apartment before a transparent liquid sprayed from the sprinkler mounted on the living room ceiling.

Since neither her clothes nor her skin got wet, it seemed to be a substance closer to the form of mana.

In an instant, the concentration of atmospheric mana returned to normal.

Name remained silently grinding her teeth, not even blinking.

She glanced at her school uniform sprawled on the sofa and picked up the entire hanger, running toward the entrance.

Wearing her fluffy chick-yellow shoes, she glanced back over her shoulder.

“I’m off to school.”

At two in the afternoon, while others were already leaving school, Name left the house.

* * *

How petty to think of competing with the amount of aura.

Doesn’t that make it seem like I lost in a battle of wills? I can’t hide my displeasure.

I fully understand that Professor Cheon got upset out of concern.

However, I couldn’t help but feel my emotions boiling when he said I was weak.

In my previous life, I never had any true friends.

Thus, my achievements forged through sword and magic were not only the results of my lifelong efforts but also companions in my life.

Isn’t it a good thing to be able to start all over again?

If someone were to say something so absurd, I would break into their home and delete all their game accounts immediately.

Ever since my argument with Professor Cheon, nothing much had happened.

Here and there, I casually greeted the children at the academy as if nothing was the matter.

I spent some time with Ms. Jacqueline Carroll, who had not yet left, managing my gloomy mood in the empty 2nd Grade A Class.

She did not ask me what brought me to school.

Perhaps she already inferred it from my expression.

The academy was the perfect place for children who had run away from home.

With lockers and even a makeshift bed and blanket in the small classroom, it was far from lacking.

I sat by the window where warm sunlight poured in like stars, staring into the scenery outside the academy blankly.

“Ms. Jacqueline, shouldn’t you be going home now? Shouldn’t Name be heading home too?”

“I’ll stay a little longer.”

“Hmm… Then how about we go to the principal’s office?”

I accepted her opinion, considering her position of having to lock the classroom door.

When I knocked on the principal’s office door, Principal Gu Onyu welcomed me with a bright smile.

From there, I could tell she had already received prior notice from Professor Cheon.

She offered me a small room adjacent to the principal’s office.

I enjoyed a little diversion, frequently visiting the principal’s office and skimming through comic books.

In the end, even that got boring, and from the next day, I sat directly on the floor of the principal’s office.

“Why have you never read such interesting comics, Principal?”

The principal, who was busy with paperwork, paused her hands for a moment.

“Does Name find it interesting?”

“Yes, there’s a reason it’s called a masterpiece.”

“What scene did you find the most interesting while reading?”

It was a type of response I personally disliked, where a question is met with a question. However, since I hadn’t asked it expecting an answer, I let it slide.

“Rather than a scene, there was a line that really resonated with me. It said that humans become dark in heart if they don’t talk to someone every day, even trivial chit-chat. Additionally, it mentioned that engaging in conversation with someone automatically fosters a sense of connection, making them feel grateful for being alive.”

“That’s a really good saying.”

“Yes.”

At this age, it felt a bit cheesy, but I could still appreciate the unique charm of Japanese manga that tickled my heart with lines like that.

“Do you also think I’m not humble, Principal?”

“Why? Why do you think Name is not humble?”

“I guess I’ve heard such things often before.”

Recently, I frequently encountered disparaging comments in V-tubing, especially phrases like ‘elitist’ or ‘arrogant’ becoming quite common.

Hearing similar admonitions from Professor Cheon, the closest person to me, doubled my mental scars.

“Did your friends say that to you?”

“Not friends… I heard it from someone I know indirectly.”

Reflecting on human relationships in my previous life, it was a recurring theme that always held me back.

Ultimately, I had never truly bonded deeply with anyone.

Most often, there were either those who blindly pledged loyalty to me like Ruri, or those who left in disappointment like Cloud.

I had heard similar things from many socialites as well.

At that time, I dismissed it as people merely envy and resenting my abilities, but I’ve started to question if it wasn’t exactly the case recently.

I couldn’t break free from the confines of superficial relationships.

Ultimately, am I merely a person who is only superficially charming?

Knock—

A sound broke my contemplations.

Principal Gu Onyu pushed a stack of documents to one side and stood up.

The sound of her heels echoed rhythmically.

She sat behind me, grasping my shoulder and leaning my body backward.

In a somewhat awkward position, I found my head resting on her lap.

“Second grader Noname.”

“Yes?”

“In such times, it’s best just to honestly say you feel lonely.”

“Loneliness… Though it feels a bit different, it might be somewhat similar under a larger category.”

“Is that so? I thought it was all the same, but I’m not sure.”

I opened my mouth to explain it accurately but then shut it tightly again.

Principal Gu Onyu didn’t seem to want to hear me recount such trivial tales.

Suddenly, she leaned forward and pulled a thick book from the bottom shelf of the bookcase.

Brushing off the copious dust it had collected, she showed it to me. It seemed to be an old book at first glance.

“Is this the academy’s graduation album?”

“Doesn’t this seem much more interesting? Professor Cheon is in here too.”

“Wow!”

What a cheat code…!

My eyes sparkled as I nodded vigorously.

The principal gazed at me with a meaningful smile and slowly turned the cover.

From this, it was clear that Professor Cheon and Principal Gu Onyu had been enemies in their youth.