Chapter 299

Once upon a time, talent became a national strength.

Therefore, the unexpected announcement of No Name winning the Wolf Prize opened an era of unification for both nationalism and criticism of the country.

[Shout out to God Han Min-Guk!]

[So, you’re saying it’s not 38 years old, not 28 years old, not 18 years old, but 8 years old…? Ugh, even dramas don’t write it like this!]

[Korea has truly been blessed, haha. The gifted education system relies on America, and the country doesn’t provide a single penny in support. But talent springs forth from this desolate land, you know?]

[Why did heaven give birth to me and then give birth to No Name again!]

[Wow, what the heck, proving a mathematical problem wasn’t just clickbait, huh?]

[Look at how they didn’t use magic at all… No Name is ‘real’…]

[How smart is this kid? Has anyone like this existed until now…?]

Mathematics was not a particularly attractive field for the general public, let alone for highly intelligent, highly educated individuals.

In the early 20th century, with the invention of techniques to replace the ZFC axiomatic system with equivalent runes and magic circles, many difficult problems could be solved in advance.

When it is uncertain whether a proposition is true or false, human intellectual curiosity reaches its peak.

Naturally, those with a strange disposition who attempt to prove something they already know to be true are few and far between.

However, no matter how much mathematics lagged behind theoretical magic studies in popularity, everyone agreed on one point: It remained a challenging discipline to learn.

Marketing teams from various companies prepared to work overtime, trying to associate themselves with No Name’s national glory.

“How about a lifetime supply of Kumon worksheets for free?”

“What Kumon! The kid doesn’t have the brain for Kumon! Look into other subsidiaries!”

“There’s adult Kumon too…”

The Presidential Office’s SNS, quick with fingers in South Korea, immediately posted a congratulatory message.

[Lee Jo-Won @2trillion365]

[Congratulations to No Name for being awarded the Wolf Prize in Mathematics in 2051, from all the nation. This award reaffirms South Korea’s status as a developed nation in fundamental sciences to the whole world…

I wish for you to continue to be a compass that illuminates the path on the map of human intellect. Once again, congratulations on your award. – President Lee Jo-Won]

But perhaps because their fingers were too quick,

Countless insults flooded in on SNS, aimed at the president.

– No Name is currently in the emergency room, so what is this?

– Truly amazing;; Is it necessary to try to milk this while the person is suffering?

– I’ve never seen someone get forcibly logged out during a broadcast… I was shaking myself…

– Delete the post. Get a clue.

Unfortunately, right after the announcement, breaking news reported that No Name, who had continually refused to give an acceptance speech, was suddenly taken to the hospital.

Regrettably, what could they do? They had always found themselves in trouble when they tried to go against public opinion, so they quickly took down the post.

Once misfortune struck, it continued to rain down.

[Announcement of No Name’s broadcast suspension… Is the health crisis real?]

[Fact Check News: No Name shows symptoms of general amnesia.]

[No Name’s foster father investigated for child abuse.]

[No health issues found… but will Ham Chorol’s nightmare be recreated?]

As if the gods had not allowed such talent in South Korea, as No Name’s health and mental state were revisited, public anxiety grew increasingly rampant.

– What if memories never return?

In the worst-case scenario, the Wolf Prize could become No Name’s last achievement and final activity.

Leaving behind the chaotic world of speculation and finger-pointing on the internet,

There were those working tirelessly behind the scenes to restore No Name’s memories.

* * *

I had a short and sweet dream where my mother appeared.

Upon waking, the vividness of the dream began to evaporate, and the moments spent with my mother started to fade from my mind.

I don’t want to forget this memory forever.

I recalled everything my mother had said, replaying the situations I had experienced from the beginning.

Once electrical signals have been incorporated into the memory storage, they will be with me until I die.

If my mother were truly alive, would she have treated me like her own daughter?

An eternally unanswered question gnaws at me from within.

Just as my chest felt heavy, I suddenly became acutely aware that my body wasn’t moving as I willed it to.

It seemed the remnants of erosion were still holding on to my ego.

What is this feeling…

It felt as if I had possessed a traffic light emotion character residing in the emotion control headquarters.

And now,

The name of the person imprinted on the film of my retina was Dan Ni El.

“No Name, I once thought music was everything in the world.”

She held my hand tightly and said.

“All the efforts I made were so precious that I couldn’t even consider another path. That would be betraying the parents who sacrificed their entire lives for me…”

Indeed.

People who walk only one path typically don’t have the leisure to look around beside or behind them.

“We went on a trip together, and I missed my mom and dad so much that I stopped by the house. We fought all the time over the phone, but when I came home, they set a warm dinner table for me. Both my mom and dad got up early to go to work to pay off debts… When I finally had a moment to breathe, I started to see my surroundings. Classical music doesn’t exactly feed you, huh… Once I admitted that I was starting from a different starting line than my friends, my heart became much lighter.”

Ni El hugged me.

The scent of shampoo, reminiscent of Yoonseul, brushed past my nose.

“Thank you so much… No Name, I hope you remember soon. Then I can properly say thank you. And I’m not giving up on classical music yet! I plan to earn a lot of money and participate in the Maestro Competition someday. Make sure to come watch.”

As I was pulled away from Ni El again, I noticed that his eyes were already moist.

Makeup will smudge.

I wanted so much to wipe those tears away with my own hands, but my body still didn’t move as I intended.

* * *

Unlike Shardenfroide and Sekhmet, Astarte was relatively less contaminated by erosion.

The erosion of ‘lust’ gains strength by feeding on the desires of those around it.

Conversely, in a society that imposes purity, it rapidly loses power, so I encapsulated lust in a doll with an unprovocative figure that does not evoke desire and sent it to the polity that values purity the most.

Perhaps because that memory remains.

The current ‘me’ exhibits a strong aversion to people’s exposure.

“Pervert…”

“Huh?”

‘Me’ pointed a finger at a woman’s navel.

Ban So Wol, dressed in a crop top, tilted her head.

When Shin Yeon Ho covered her with a nearby blanket, I felt much calmer.

“I reminded the kids at Altear Academy not to lose to No Name, but if you win that overwhelmingly, what am I supposed to do? Do you know how embarrassed I was back then?”

Shin Yeon Ho burst into laughter.

“No Name is stronger than she looks. She didn’t even fully utilize her power during the competition.”

“Is that what you call not using power fully? Are you sure we watched the same match? The final moments were almost a death match.”

“Really? Is that what you think? If your eyes are that useless, how about just handing both of them over to me?”

“What on earth… what kind of creepy things are you saying…”

“No Name, do you remember when we arm wrestled together?”

Ban So Wol took my hand and swung it in the air.

I couldn’t put any strength into it, and my arm felt flimsy.

“Heavy things always stay in place. It’s the light people who always move. So believe that you haven’t left us. No Name is an endlessly heavy friend.”

“So Wol, you sometimes say the strangest things. No Name, take good care of yourself. If you remember what we said, come visit Korea University again. We’ll treat you to something delicious. Got it?”

“I’ll buy 10 salmon rice bowls and 10 cube steak rice bowls.”

* * *

[Then I’ll read only Asteria’s lines until 6 o’clock and finish the broadcast.]

A youthful voice flowed from the screen.

“At this time, no one could even guess that you were 7 years old…”

Yusiah showed me the broadcast of the past with tears welling in her eyes.

“Ugh… Hey, don’t you remember what you said…? You’re a genius who remembers everything! We even did a broadcast together to get master rank! Why can’t you remember…?”

I merely wrapped myself in the blanket, still watching the video with rotten eyes.

Even trying to say something, I couldn’t respond.

That’s why everyone who visited me until now had thrown up their hands in exasperation.

“Yusiah, don’t get mad at the kid.”

“Sniff… I’m not mad!”

Yusiah rubbed her eyes with her sleeves.

My gaze remained fixed on the broadcast.

[The stars are elegantly beautiful. It’s always humans who give them meaning.]

[They always sneakily stab you in the back.]

[Burn it.]

[I wish to remain a shining being even in death.]

I flinched—

My body jerked.

“…!”

The clan members focused on me didn’t miss even slight reactions.

“What’s wrong? What were you about to remember?”

“See, you did an impression of Asteria! It’s a bit lacking in effort, but… it’s cute!”

It was an absolute chaos, like uncles shaking toys in front of a baby.

With the video concluded, I wet my dry lips.

“This… is me…?”

Finally, I spoke.

Everyone looked at each other with glowing, emotional eyes.

“Yeah! The world’s cutest streamer! That’s you, No Name!”

“Looks like there’s some effect, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s okay if you don’t remember yet… Just being able to have a conversation is already something to be grateful for, ugh!”

Perhaps Yusiah thought that the symptoms might recover with this momentum.

“Too…”

“Yeah, too?”

“Too cool.”

Is this considered cool? The words escaping my mouth were genuinely surprising to me.

Anyway, the emotions of a girl are difficult to understand, both then and now.

“Oh, really cool?”

“Giggle! You really don’t seem to have 2nd-grade disease! Or maybe 2nd-grade disease?”

“Are there no more videos like this? Min-jun, go get the manager outside.”

“Who’s the manager? Oh, that high school girl with the nickname ‘Cat Mating is the Best’?”

A moment later, Eborum rushed in, frantically holding the hologram projector.

She grinned, showing her canines with an ominous smile.

“I can’t believe I’m using the donation money like this.”

A flood of light burst forth from the hologram, blinding me.

As Eborum gradually adjusted the brightness by turning the aperture, my appearance from the game WoA appeared.

The blonde princess confronting the final boss, Mephistopheles.

[It’s natural for humans to kill each other.]

“Ugh…!”

My heart began to race uncontrollably, without any warning.

It seemed Astarte was frightened by my appearance.

[But saving a human is also a human thing.]

Eborum kept playing the embarrassing video.

[Endless peace and rest in the world? Most who spout such sweet words are merely insane warmongers.]

It felt as if I was the one who had suffered from the backlash.

Oh, please stop.

I felt I would die from embarrassment before I could regain consciousness.

[If you’re going to call me the Demon Lord, then go ahead and call me that as much as you want.]

I squeezed my eyes shut, then slowly lifted my head.

In the video, I was casting the Demon Lord’s horn while gathering mana as much as I could.

‘Fear… no, what is this emotion…?’

[I’ll make sure you never dare speak such words again.]

‘Admiration…?’

* * *

[It was… scary… all the days I’ve lived… if I’m on the right path… if I haven’t done something wrong again.]

[People scare me… all of you… all demon-like children…]

[I truly hated humans.]

[So I decided to be honest. I like receiving attention. I enjoy spending time together. I want to meet many people who will lift me up, ordinary me.]

[So everyone… please stay by my side until the end.]

“Sad… but still cool…”

I clearly said that with my own mouth.

I want to protest fiercely, “What’s so cool about it!?”

Eborum played a video that even Twish hadn’t made public; when on earth did she film this?

I wondered if these people were trying to provoke my anger to wake me up forcefully.

How can they continue to play only scenes that make me feel ashamed?

There truly are no demons like them.

If I had known I would suffer like this, I would have spent a little more time with my mom in my subconscious…

“When did No Name say that? I’ve never seen this before.”

“It’s a bit old. Back in the No Name era, I think it was during the peak of the WoA Nightmare strategy.”

“I see… No Name was scared of people…”

Yusiah muttered quietly.

I wish it would just all be forgotten.

Meanwhile, Astarte seemed entranced by my avatar.

Erosion’s behavior is truly unpredictable.

“Clothes…”

“Huh? No Name, what did you just say?”

“The Witch’s clothes are way too revealing… The chest… It looks like it could burst out.”

“Ah? Oh, yeah…! The avatar outfit seems a bit lewd, right?”

“Yeah… That’s why it annoys me… a small chest is better…”

“Haha, I guess so…! The old No Name must have preferred big ones!”

“Yeah.”

Astarte only talked about her own preferences and then fell silent again.

Was she seeking revenge on me for not being in her body?

If Astarte has one big misunderstanding, it’s that those kinds of chests aren’t particularly large.

Even Silva, who was a saint, walked around with a massive chest.

“Well then, I guess I should give up on regaining my ego within the day.”

This was harder to endure than anticipated. So I decided to close my eyes and ears.

After all, I could insist that the words I spoke weren’t anything I ever said.

With a 6-circle high-tier casting, Hellfire met its end against Mephistopheles.

I couldn’t believe the casting to finish right after Adella’s 300 consecutive runs was so precise and swift.

From casting posture to injection amount, variable settings and circuit calculations.

In my previous life, I easily blasted such spells in reality.

That’s why, as I get older, it seems the phrase ‘back in my day’ can’t help but come out.

“I’m really amazing, huh? No matter how much it’s just a game, my old skills aren’t rusty at all. Huh?”

My thoughts, which I had kept to myself, slipped out unconsciously.

As my mind cleared, my body felt suddenly heavy like it does when a plane takes off.

My arms and legs began to move naturally according to my will.

Of all times, why right now…!

“No Name…”

Yusiah turned around.

“Are you… regaining your memories?”

“…”

I glanced away to avoid her piercing gaze.

Now that I thought about it, that shouldn’t have happened. I should have acted as if I hadn’t noticed it.

“No Name! It’s you, right! It’s true that your memories have returned!”

“Really? No Name, do you recognize us?”

“…”

“Hey, why aren’t you saying anything!”

I completely ignored the clan members’ words.

Would you be able to speak in this situation?

Trying to suppress my emotions, I attempted to act nonchalant, but once suspicion was cast, escaping it wasn’t easy.

Damn Astarte… Even though she was already dead, I wanted to resurrect her just to kill her again.

“No Name… you’re making so many people worry and yet, you’re keeping your mouth shut?”

“?”

“Isn’t 0.99999… different from 1? Then where did the rest 0.00000…1 go?”

“…!”

“Be careful with spinach; it can give you cancer if you reheat it in the microwave.”

“Ugh…”

“Ah, they say you die if you sleep with the fan on, so I have to turn it off every night!”

“Who would believe that…!”

Ah…

Truly, the malice of humans has no end.