Chapter 301

Professor Cheon returned to the administrative office after putting NaMe to sleep and made some coffee.

The hand that was about to drop a sugar cube into the cup hesitated for a moment.

The sweet aroma rising from the steam was already enough.

“Haha…”

Even though the bitter black liquid slid down his throat, laughter remained on Professor Cheon’s lips.

[Thank you for listening… Father… no, Dad…]

The piercing resonance of a title he thought he would never hear again still seemed to linger in his ears.

‘NaMe wasn’t uncomfortable with me after all…’

The relationship between a professor and a student always carries significant discomfort.

There is an insurmountable gap between them, proven by the gazes of the students.

‘Since when… No, it’s not about when.’

Human relationships are not discontinuous but continuous.

The relationship between NaMe and Professor Cheon developed every day, every hour.

However, people often fail to realize that relationships change without some kind of ‘trigger.’

And the trigger that NaMe created was an event that would remain in Professor Cheon’s memory for a lifetime.

‘Should I make today an anniversary?’

He couldn’t help but smile at the childish thought one might have in their teens or twenties.

It felt natural to be able to call NaMe his daughter.

While Professor Cheon’s fiancée had wanted a son, he wished for a daughter like Ham Cholong.

Perhaps the wish from 30 years ago had been fulfilled across generations.

But he decided that he would erase all memories of the past.

Especially, he pledged not to project his lost fiancée and child onto NaMe.

So that she could take her place as a far more precious being.

Professor Cheon had to endure a sleepless night.

The high caffeine in the coffee and NaMe’s heartfelt words wouldn’t leave his mind.

In the end, he turned on his phone in the early dawn to check his wallpaper.

A photo taken in front of the main gate on the day of Seviron Academy’s entrance ceremony greeted him.

[Who is the flower? Wanna see?]

[If you say stuff like that nowadays, people will think you look old.]

At that time, NaMe looked a bit shy, standing stiffly in front of a cherry blossom tree.

A look distinctly different from now.

After setting an anniversary on one side of the wallpaper, he finally managed to fall asleep.

It was a day to be reborn as a proper father, not just a professor.

And the next day, it wasn’t an alarm that woke Professor Cheon early in the morning, but multiple phone calls.

Listening to his fellow professors shouting in his dazed state brought him back to reality.

The content was roughly as follows.

NaMe had adamantly refused the Wolf Prize award.

* * *

Jean-Paul Sartre rejected the Nobel Prize in Literature.

He was wary of his sympathy and support statements being replaced by the authority of the Nobel Prize representing the Western world.

Gregory Perelman rejected the Fields Medal.

He claimed that he didn’t want to be the center of people’s curiosity, but the truth was he felt disgusted by the political games and media manipulation of mathematicians.

Acts of refusing an award carry a strong message to society as a whole.

And NaMe’s reason was as follows.

[NoNaMe_11]

[NaMe · 6.95 million followers]

[If I don’t accept the award, I can become even more famous.]

What she posted on social media shook the whole of South Korea.

Korea is still a nation dominated by nationalist ideology.

Even when individuals or organizations win awards abroad, we see government institutions and politicians congratulating them on behalf of the people.

By attributing their honors as national pride, they could enhance the pride of the Korean people and the stability of the national system.

But a refusal of an award? Especially for deeply personal reasons?

People couldn’t believe it.

– How about reconsidering since it’s the first Wolf Prize for Korea?

– Someone who can’t get that award even after a lifetime of studying…

– I think NaMe doesn’t want to receive an award as a Korean.

└ Right? What have they taught us in Korea?

– When she was taken to the hospital, could she have injured her head…?ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Simply refusing the award just to become famous?

With just a little thought, it became clear that it was a contradictory statement.

This was enough to pique people’s curiosity, and reporters took it as their motivation.

“There had to be some complaint somewhere.”

“Where could that be?”

“What else to say? The government.”

With such superficial stereotypes, the reporters hastily wrote columns criticizing the reality of Korean education.

But did they imagine that the pointed arrows dominating the public’s emotions would be directed at their own backs?

[NaMe’s adoptive father under police investigation for child abuse.]

└ What child abuse? Lol

└ The title is ordinary, but the content is super malicious. What grudge does he have against that professor?

└ Moreover, they say he treated the police with Bakan Cass after the investigation lol

└ The level of reporters is no good.

└ The way people’s opinions shift is chilling. In the past, everyone was busy cursing the father;;

└ NaMe’s father is truly a great person. No one who has seen the Genius Discovery Team broadcast can deny it.

└ He didn’t threaten NaMe with a knife to study; is supporting what she wants a crime?

└ If you think about it, isn’t the reason she rejected the Wolf Prize because of these people?

└ For real, if the father had been greedy, he would have made her accept the award no matter what.

└ Check her Instagram lol She looks so happy.

NaMe’s consistent posts on social media for a week were able to manipulate public opinion.

[NoNaMe_11]

[Strolling in Han River Park with Dad after discharge. The weather is beautiful today.]

[Comments]

– NaMe, you’re so cute! That hat looks great on you!

– Pure princess babyㅜㅜㅜ NaMe is so prettyㅠㅠ

– This old man decided to protect NaMe…

– That mascot doll sitting on the corner of the cash register when you visit the doll store looks cute and prettyㅎㅎ

– The two-seater bike in front, is that your dad? You both look so close!

– Thank you so much for kindly giving me an autograph! Seeing you in person, your dad is so cool, and his voice is great!!!

– Dad, you need to pay your taxes 100 times over. Be happy~

The father and daughter duo of NaMe and Cheon Kyujin capturing public attention just by riding a bike through Han River Park.

NaMe ran to the water’s edge under the pretense of training her aura heart, throwing her shoes and socks onto the asphalt.

Holding her white floral dress with both hands, she walked barefoot on the water with elegance, surrounded by an aura.

Returning to shore after ten steps, the onlookers who had been anxiously watching were finally able to let out a sigh of relief.

Eventually, receiving a huge round of applause, NaMe beamed and flashed a peace sign at the cameras.

[NoNaMe_11]

[A Beef Wellington we decided to make together. Right now we’re spreading mustard on the meat.]

[Comments]

-(British Youth): I could buy a whole cow for NaMe.

└ This guy is sharp about collaboration lol

└ Trusting and rejecting British food… But you can’t resist Beef Wellington, right?

– She cooks well, too…! What can’t NaMe do!

– The meat’s thickness is about as big as NaMe’s bodyㅋㅋㅋㅋ You should share with the neighbors too.

– The kid is too thinㅠㅠㅠ She’s eating three meals a day, right?

– The apron is too long and dragging on the floor; it’s so cuteㅠㅠㅠ

‘Did I have any memorable moments with Professor Cheon like this?’

The sudden thought crossed NaMe’s mind.

Having a thesis study during dinner every evening was something a professor and student would do; it was never something a father and daughter would engage in.

If this continued, later, when someone asked about her father, she might automatically say, “Professor Cheon always made dinner!”

NaMe suggested they cook together.

The target was the ‘Beef Wellington,’ which would likely have a production difficulty of five stars if it were a game.

NaMe, who showed a strange pride in survival cooking, insisted on changes, and the outcome of the cooking went in a completely different direction from the recipe.

But those cute moments captured on Instagram allowed her to accumulate yet another memory.

[NoNaMe_11]

[Hello, this is NoNaMe.

I haven’t formally greeted the viewers who wait for me every day.

Recently, I’ve been taking a break from broadcasting to spend precious time with my only family.

Living as a public figure still feels burdensome, so I haven’t set a return date.

I plan to return quietly when the rumors die down a bit.

Still, I’m always thankful to the fans who recognize me on the street and cheer me on.

Tomorrow, I’m choosing a costume to wear in Neverland.

Which of these goes best with the Demon Lord’s horn?]

“AdeLa, you share your opinion too. What do you think looks the best?”

Adele was lying on her stomach on the carpeted floor.

NaMe, who was lying crosswise on her back, asked.

“Ugh, I can’t breathe… Just pick anything! They all look gloomy and similar!”

But AdeLa was busy writing the 10-day ‘Field Experience Report’ to submit to the Seviron Academy administrative office.

She looked visibly frustrated at her situation.

NaMe lifted herself lightly and sat on AdeLa’s waist.

“Ahhh, seriously…! My back is gonna break!”

“Who do you think is making you do this? Are you going to cooperate or not?”

Tomorrow was the official release day for the ‘Demon Lord’s Horn,’ a three-circle product from the Korea Magic Corporation.

They had to maximize the marketing effect with consumers who made pre-orders.

“So I am cooperating! But why is there so much to write?”

“I only need five pages of report a day.”

“That’s the problem since it’s for ten days!”

With the obligation to write a total of 50 pages densely, AdeLa was already feeling overwhelmed.

“What else has horns?”

“Something like a demon? A demon lord?”

“I’ve already looked all of those up.”

“Well, how about a vampire…? But did vampires have horns? Or a bicon?”

“What’s a bicon?”

AdeLa avoided eye contact.

“Um… it’s something like that; you don’t need to worry about it!”

“They’re all too Western.”

“Well, Halloween originally came from the Anglo-American world, so it makes sense.”

NaMe lay on top of AdeLa, starting to think.

The basics of marketing begin with benchmarking.

What has been the most successful in Korea?

It doesn’t even have to be restricted to a specific field.

Music, cooking, games, comics, movies…

‘Movies?’

Korea’s film industry mainly operates within its domestic market.

I recalled the list of movies that drew the most audiences in Korea.

‘The top three were all about the Imjin War or independence movements…’

With a good idea in mind, NaMe hit AdeLa on the back of her head and shouted Eureka.

“You jerk!”

“Ouch! Why are you hitting me again! Hmph, I’m leaving, so get out of my way!”

And the next morning, NaMe wore a modified traditional costume and headed to Neverland Theme Park.

It had nothing to do with the Demon Lord’s Horn… but so what.

As long as it could show the image of the Korean people uniting, both humans and Mazak, to repel foreign forces, it was all that mattered.