Chapter 293

It was a sorry state of affairs for Ms. Jackie, but most of her passionate lessons were things unnecessary for me.

“The first effect the sun gives us is helping plants create required nutrients using sunlight. Also, using sunlight, we can create ‘blank blank.’ Raise your hand if you know the word that goes into this blank.”

I quietly shouted “Electricity!” in my head and returned to zoning out.

Of course, I personally enjoy these moments of spacing out.

Daydreaming activates the brain’s default mode network (DMN), enhancing memory and creativity, so it’s not necessarily that bad.

“Me! It’s electricity!”

A monster born out of attendance scores, Seoyuna, once again raised her hand and spoke.

Reflecting on Korea from my first life, I realize there are subtle differences between then and this current world.

Firstly, the education curriculum.

The college entrance exam was manageable in about a month for a full review of all subjects, with a narrow scope but questions demanding deep thought.

However, the current KGSAT bundles vast amounts of subjects into broad categories like ‘Magic Studies’ and ‘Enhancement Studies,’ challenging even the toughest civil service exams.

Therefore, if students miss one section, they’ll likely never catch up.

Of course, one’s quality of life drastically improves if you don’t choose magic subjects for university entrance, but thinking about the status held by theoretical magicians and military mages in modern society, it feels like a waste to give it up.

In politics, the mage and non-mage camps are sharply divided, desperate to strip each other of their rights, but that’s another world’s story. This morning’s news was about that as well.

What else?

Probably due to inflation, the age of ten million won tuition has opened in almost all universities.

I don’t quite remember, but the university I attended back then cost about 12 million won a year.

Ding-dong!

“Namaya, let’s go! Hurry!”

The school bell signaling the end of the 4th period stimulates Pavlovian responses.

When I came to my senses, the majority of the students were already rushing out of school.

Though eating lunch a little earlier than others may not seem like a big issue, to children, it’s one of the most important matters.

I was pulled by the wrists by friends and unwillingly joined the lunch race, finally arriving in front of the cafeteria.

Still, geographically, our 2nd Grade A Class is the farthest, so avoiding last place is difficult.

“If we’re going to do this, wouldn’t it be better to just come late and have more freedom when getting served?”

“No!”

“Why?”

“Just no! We have to eat early!”

Once an idea sticks in their heads, it’s hard to shake.

With a mindset of “you do you,” I reviewed the academic journal I had seen that morning while waiting in the cafeteria line.

[Envious…]

Adella’s weak voice came from the drone.

“Huh?”

[Envious. Of your friends.]

“Why?”

[It’s just something I feel. Anyway, it seems like you don’t really do much at the Academy, do you? When I look at other vlogs, they’re diligently taking notes and things like that.]

“All the content is already familiar to me. I just like sitting amidst these kids.”

[Wow…! That was a totally criminal statement just now!]

Adella’s grumbles continued throughout lunch.

She seems to be reverting to her usual depressed mode, so I asked her to change the atmosphere.

“By the way, when’s your YouTube debut? You said October, right? The month is almost over.”

[Whoa… how disappointing. Maybe I’m hurt right now?]

“Why?”

[Tomorrow! Tomorrow! How could you not know this?! Ahhh! I’m just a data fragment without a body! If I disappear, no one will look for me! Huhu…!]

Just then, the drone doing acrobatic flights lost control and crashed to the ground.

“I’m sorry.”

Before more people could notice, I quickly ran to the spot where the drone had fallen and retrieved it.

I turned on my phone and called Adella for a video chat.

[Y… Yes?]

“It’s tomorrow, isn’t it? Adella, I apologize sincerely for not knowing. You’ve been busy recently, so I couldn’t take good care of you. Will you forgive me?”

Of course, apologies thrive on speed.

[I… When have I ever asked you to take care of me? I just blurted it out because I was feeling left out, so don’t take it too seriously.]

“Will you forgive me?”

[Ah, okay! I forgive you! Yes! Go eat your lunch already, you lowly humans stuck in this material world!]

“Adorable, right? Call me whenever you want tomorrow. Let’s broadcast together.”

[What? I can handle it alone, you know?]

This is why I like people like Adella— they’re simple and bring a sense of ease.

There’s no significant emotional drain, and just being with them makes you feel comfortable.

As I ate rice grain by grain, my friends looked at me quizzically.

“Why?”

“Namaya, you can smile?”

“Yeah, I’m the kind who smiles often.”

“No! You never smile normally. Once? Twice?”

They counted quickly with their fingers. Their five fingers never fully extended.

“But you look really cute when you do.”

Yuna said, smiled sweetly.

“I’ll try to smile more often then.”

As I finished my meal and set down my chopsticks, five or six upperclassmen from the elementary school gathered around us with something in their hands, standing behind them with folded arms.

“Hey, you talk!”

“You’re the one who suggested I come…”

“Are you handing this over to me? Hmm… Namaya, could you sign something for us?”

Clack—

Kneeling as if proposing, the boy presented me with paper and a pen.

“Huh?”

“You see… I have an older sister in high school who wants your signature… Of course, I want it too, but it was her suggestion—”

“I’ll do it. Hand it over.”

“Really? Waaah!”

“My turn, my turn…!”

I picked up the pen and tapped the table briefly to think.

How does one sign?

Until now, I’ve only used my seal for contracts.

But I need to consider the sensibilities of this age group that appreciates cuteness and uniqueness.

Under extreme time pressure, I was able to simulate and derive an appropriate result.

I took the letters of ‘NoName’ and rearranged them naturally.

I made the ‘N’s stand up like cat ears and drew a cat’s face inside the ‘O’.

Of course, I didn’t forget to add three whiskers on each side.

Finally, I connected the end of the ‘e’ back to the head part, completing the bread cat.

“Wow! Amazing!”

“Here you go.”

“So cute! Thank you, Namaya!”

Just as I was about to take the next paper, I noticed a long line stretching behind the children and regretted designing that signature.

Twenty, thirty more, with more students gathering every moment.

“Hey guys, go back to the classroom first.”

“Uh-huh…! Hang in there!”

“We’ll bring your tray back, Namaya.”

I have a feeling my wrist won’t survive today.

A faint sense of fatigue seeped into my sigh without my noticing.

* * *

Adella and Nam could perhaps be seen as sharing similar circumstances.

Adella is an artificial neural network created by indiscriminately cloning people’s brains in Falphurgis’ laboratory, while Nam was trapped in a capsule for seven years by Falphurgis, forced to struggle for survival in virtual reality.

Nam is the only one who truly understands Adella’s pain and loneliness.

Only Adella knows that the shocking streamer was once an elementary school girl, and only Adella knows that she was a victim of the Falphurgis terrorism.

When Adella first heard Nam’s past from her, she sobbed for days under the covers.

But as Nam’s identity is revealed piece by piece to the public, and this information no longer feels special, Adella is once again engulfed by intense loneliness.

Still, knowing that everyone harbors a touch of loneliness, she chooses not to show it.

Anyway, getting a body would solve all her problems.

“Filming Nam’s vlogs is, in a way, part of overcoming myself. I’ll try just a little harder.”

Nam was truly a quiet and well-behaved child at the academy.

During most class times, she daydreamed and indulged in her own contemplation.

However, there was a time when she would pour out all the energy she had—magic practice sessions.

The class had ended long ago and transitioned into break time, yet Nam showed no signs of closing her mouth.

“Iharu, start over from the beginning. Who devised such a half-baked reverse current prevention spell? It’s clearly stated in the safety textbook that you should never omit it. Are you defying your mom right now?”

“Wha—! Wait! Is this still pretend? You’re taking this too seriously, Nam… Mom!”

“How dare you answer back…?”

“AAHHH! Save me!”

The pretend play that continued from lunchtime.

Nam played the role of the mother, while Iharu was forced into the role of the youngest daughter, resulting in a scene of child abuse under the guise of teaching.

“Iharu, if you don’t listen, you won’t grow any taller like Mommy here. Teehee.”

Playing the role of the father, Seoyuna held Nam under her armpits and swung her around in the air while speaking.

“Seoyuna, get on the ground.”

“Hey Nam! You’re supposed to call me ‘Dear’ or ‘Dad Haru’ when speaking to your husband—”

“Three, Two, One.”

“Yeah!”

The two promising talents of Korea obediently followed her every command.

“Reverse current prevention spells are especially crucial when handling water-based magic. Do you know what happens if you interrupt casting halfway?”

“What happens?”

[Spell Activation: Stratified Flow]

Nam incompletely drew a magic circle and fully channeled her mana.

She raised her left arm and forcibly struck her right arm down with it.

Squaaak!

The mana circuit spiraled out of control, making Nam’s right arm flail around like an octopus tentacle.

Already pale from overexertion, her arm grew even paler as the blood flow was blocked. Nam caressed her arm with an aura-infused hand to calm the chaotic mana.

“Got it? This is only a 2nd Circle magic spell. Imagine you’re handling a 5th Circle spell. Would it be dangerous or not?”

“It would be dangerous…”

“Alright, get up. This is the last time I’ll pretend with you. Haven’t you had enough fun now?”

“Yeah, yeah…! One time is enough. Pretend play isn’t really that fun, haha!”

“Huh? I thought it was fun?”

“Seoyuna, please start noticing things…!”

Haru pulled on Yuna’s ear.

It was to protect Haru’s mental health from further pretend play.

As Nam rotated her shoulder to stretch, she whispered to Adella while cradling the drone.

“It’s time to go home. Thanks for controlling the drone all day.”

“It’s not really that tiring, I’m just gently flicking my fingers. And by the way, I plan to film you until you go to bed tonight.”

“I usually sleep after midnight. Won’t that be exhausting for you?”

“I’m unemployed for now too. Ah, you have a call coming in.”

“I’ll answer it after I finish the announcements.”

Children gathered their schoolbags happily sat in place.

Anyway, the excitement of marking the end of a school day was always palpable.

“Let’s applaud Nam once more for their hard work during the Academy Competition, shall we? Everyone, clap!”

As the children enthusiastically clapped their hands to outdo each other, Nam shyly waved her hands but held a bashful smile on her face.

Adella caught glimpses of Nam’s childlike moments occasionally emerging.

‘She really is adorable.’

Adella thought it was very fortunate to have such a child as family and launched the drone high into the sky again.

One day hopefully, she would be able to feel Nam’s warmth on her skin.

* * *

“Hello. Yes, yes. Embassy? Ah, Israel…”

“What is it? Sister, why are embassies calling you so often?”

The call sounded unclear, so Nam pushed the drone away and covered the other ear to focus on the phone.

“Ah, I’m a bit busy tomorrow. Yes, even some virtual reality stuff… Could you postpone the award ceremony?”

Her eyebrows furrowed into a slight frown, signifying the seriousness of the discussion.

“What should I do then? I guess you’ll proceed without me. Yes, yes. No, I’m not refusing the award… Just go ahead without me. I don’t mind whether I receive it or not. Yes, always a lot of hard work.”

She nonchalantly slipped the phone into her pocket, as if it were nothing.

Nam’s wooden doll-like expression only fueled Adella’s curiosity more.

“So what was that then?”

“There was a call from the Wolf Foundation. They’ve chosen me as the recipient of the Wolf Mathematics Prize and want to prepare the award ceremony immediately tomorrow.”

“Wolf Mathematics Prize? Is that famous?”

“It’s quite renowned if you consider this field. But tomorrow, you and I agreed to broadcast together, so I told them to handle it themselves.”

“But… isn’t that too much? I don’t even know what it is. It’s awkward for me to say anything… Is it okay though?”

“Of course, it is.”

Nam answered confidently.

Adella was deeply moved by the fact that she was prioritized over something she didn’t fully understand.

[Heehee. Debut day tomorrow.]

Thinking she was recognized as an essential presence, Adella couldn’t help smiling all the way until Nam got home.