Chapter 303

[Magic Dream Contest Individual Participant Registration Closed]

[Processing…]

[Registration for participants has closed.]

“…!”

Na-me fell into confusion.

Despite using her aura to push her reaction speed to the extreme, she had still failed to register as a participant.

No matter how fast a human’s hand could be, it couldn’t be faster than the electrical signals from a macro.

As a backup plan, Na-me peeked around the booths to see if she could join a group of participants.

It wasn’t long before her classmate, Han Gyeol Kim, spotted her.

“Oh, your uncle is the clan leader, or rather the acting clan leader? I think I remember that now.”

“Yeah. He’s here right now. Should I contact him?”

“Yeah, that would be great.”

Han Gyeol let Na-me into his clan’s booth.

The huge Indian-style tent, also known as a tipi, was filled with modern furniture.

As Na-me tiredly collapsed onto the sofa, Han Gyeol opened the refrigerator.

“We have lemonade, cola, and iced tea. What do you want, Na-me?”

“Not that. Pour me some coffee from that kettle over there. If it’s cold, heat it up a bit.”

Soon, Na-me pointed to the island table, having caught the scent of coffee.

“Huh? Can I drink coffee? They say you’ll end up shorter by 10 centimeters if you drink it while you’re young.”

“The height I’ve grown is over 100 meters. Just hurry up and bring it.”

Han Gyeol poured coffee into a cup with a skeptical look.

“When is the academy coming?”

“Probably around next week? Why? Did you want to see me that badly?”

“No? Who wants to see you? I just think it would be better if you take it easy.”

“Right, Han Gyeol. Stop bothering the girls in our class. They aren’t putting up with you because they like you. It’s because they’re nice. Since your usual image is so bad, you’d get more girls liking you if you were a little nicer.”

“I haven’t done anything recently.”

“Really? Should I ask about it when I go back to the academy?”

“Ah, I won’t do it anymore!”

“Sure.”

It was almost routine for the boys, led by Han Gyeol, to play pranks on the girls, only for them to rush over to Na-me to report it.

‘It’s starting to get annoying, and some of them might genuinely dislike it, so I should give him a warning.’

Having given Han Gyeol a stern warning, Na-me enjoyed her coffee.

Suddenly, her expression scrunched up.

“Eww! What is this… Did you water down the coffee?”

“No? This is Americano?”

“That’s watered down! Ugh, whatever. I’ll just drink it.”

But Na-me never brought the cup back to her lips.

Han Gyeol stared at her silently for a moment before shaking his head.

‘I really don’t know what she’s thinking.’

It wasn’t just Han Gyeol; all the students in the class shared the same thought.

Na-me was popular among both boys and girls because of her usual maturity and her ability to take jokes well.

However, after she knocked out seniors from the middle school competition, Han Gyeol couldn’t dare to mess with her like before.

‘Should I call it awkward?’

If he were to swing his backpack or do something silly with an eraser, he could face serious consequences.

“Did you come here alone?”

But Han Gyeol couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked the question.

No matter how mature she was, it was another issue for an eight-year-old to visit an amusement park alone.

“What’s it to you if I did? Am I supposed to fight you? My neck was stiff anyway, so it’s a good opportunity.”

Na-me rolled up her sleeves and retorted with a furious tone.

“W-what do you mean by that! I meant, didn’t your parents come?”

“Ah, I was just joking. I came with my dad.”

Na-me softened her expression again, lightening the mood.

Han Gyeol’s mind was muddled by the fluctuating atmosphere.

“Oh, I see. That’s interesting. You must be really close with your dad, huh?”

“Why?”

“It’s not common to only come to an amusement park with just your dad.”

“Uh?”

“Uh… Ah…?”

Na-me suddenly narrowed her eyes.

It took Han Gyeol less than a second to realize his mistake.

He had completely forgotten about her family situation out of nervousness.

“Ah? No, no! I misspoke! Forget what I just said!”

“Really? It was a mistake, right? It had to be a mistake?”

“Y-yeah…! It was a mistake. I really forgot, I’m sorry.”

“If it was a mistake, then okay.”

Han Gyeol felt that he couldn’t stay around her any longer and tried to slip out of the booth.

“Han Gyeol, stop right there.”

“Why? Is there a problem…?”

“While you’re at it, go buy me a chocolate ice cream in front. I had something bitter, and now I want something sweet. Don’t forget to ask for lots of cocoa powder on top.”

Unlike Han Gyeol’s concerns, it wasn’t an odd request. Friends could buy snacks for each other.

“Okay, I’ll go buy it right away if you give me money.”

“Money?”

“Why?”

“You’re rich, right?”

“Uh… Yeah.”

“Then hurry up and go out. I’ll be resting here.”

“Okay…”

Though money wasn’t really an issue, Han Gyeol felt an uneasy discomfort for some reason.

‘Am I seriously being used as a delivery boy?’

His father’s advice, to never live as someone who always loses whether boy or girl, suddenly came to mind.

Han Gyeol’s petty revenge plan began with secretly slipping a pepper shaker into his pocket from a shelf.

‘Let’s see what she thinks of pepper ice cream.’

***

The saying that a pumpkin rolls from its vine signifies a great stroke of luck.

Kim Seok-il thought that this was just such a situation.

“No, how did Na-me find this place? Luck is coming rolling in!”

Acting clan leader Kim Seok-il hurried his steps towards the booth.

Korean clans don’t have priority contact with the academy students.

The most talented individuals are often picked off one or two at a time by American foundations, leaving the clans to reluctantly fight over the leftover pieces.

As the outflow of talent has been a national issue for decades, the law has changed to allow voluntary contact between students, but it hasn’t really made a significant difference yet.

Students who struggle to keep up with academy classes wouldn’t be too eager to meet clan executives.

However, a big catch like Na-me had practically landed right on his boat.

‘I can’t miss this golden opportunity.’

Even if not immediately, it was necessary to build a good image in case she becomes an adult or leaves the academy.

Then, Raon would be in a more advantageous position in any potential recruitment competition.

Though it was decades ago, Kim Seok-il’s childish dream back then was to become a kindergarten teacher.

This meant he was confident in winning the favor of children.

His cute nephew, Han Gyeol, always followed him better than his father did.

‘Let’s view this from a child’s perspective, not an adult’s. I should cater to her tastes as much as possible.’

Confidently, he lifted the tent and saw two boys and girls.

“Oh hello! I heard a cute young lady had come, and I rushed over! Where…”

He couldn’t finish the sentence.

There was nothing particularly problematic about Na-me, who was modestly sitting on the sofa eating ice cream.

After all, eating and drinking was allowed inside the booth.

“Han Gyeol, what are you doing on the sofa?”

But Han Gyeol was busy giving Na-me’s shoulder a good rub with his small hands.

“Uncle!”

He pouted, looking like he was about to cry while signaling with his gaze for help.

“Your uncle is quite impressive. He’s even giving you a massage.”

Na-me praised Han Gyeol by tapping his head.

“Ah, my Han Gyeol is so good! He’s giving a massage that even his mom and dad would never get!”

“Is that right? Han Gyeol, go home and do that for your parents. They would be so happy.”

“…”

“Answer me.”

“Eek! Yes!”

“Your hand strength is too weak.”

“Sorry, I’ll do it harder!”

At home and at the academy, Han Gyeol was notorious for being disobedient, yet he showed a compliant demeanor in front of Na-me.

“Han Gyeol, that’s enough now. Thank you so much for the massage, and let’s see each other at the academy later?”

“Yes…! I mean, huh!”

“Then you can go now.”

“Really, really thank you! Ugh, it’s… it’s spicy…!”

Han Gyeol stuck out his tongue and rushed out of the booth, panting.

Though he didn’t know what had transpired between them, the need to remain vigilant crossed Kim Seok-il’s mind, and he steeled himself.

“Hello. Actually, I came here to participate in the Magic Dream Contest.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. I thought it would be guaranteed since it was first-come, first-served, but it seems there were more participants than I expected.”

“Hmmm, since it’s such a popular event, a lot of people probably gathered.”

“So, I was wondering if there’s any way around it and sought your advice… It’s not rude of me to be here, is it?”

“Hey, it’s not rude! Let me think of a way; just wait a moment, okay?”

“Sure.”

Na-me was much more polite than the rumors had suggested.

Kim Seok-il’s eyes sparkled with honey as he looked at her.

“Did our Na-me see how the Magic Dream Contest works?”

“Yes. The groups that came performed kind of like a silent play. There’s narration, and music plays along.”

“You know it well! By coincidence, I hear there’s a pretty good supporting role left, and since it allows you to showcase your magic skills, I think it would be great if you could take it on. Would you like to give it a try?”

“Yes. Sounds good.”

“Great! Then I will contact them right away. There will also be a popularity vote at the end, so do your best!”

Kim Seok-il immediately called his secretary to convey this information.

Meanwhile, he handed Na-me the contact details of the contest’s planning director along with his business card.

“To be honest, our Raon Clan has been keeping an eye on Na-me for a long time. If you ever find the academy boring or anything, we have many capable teachers in the Raon Clan, so feel free to contact us anytime.”

The clan’s name was embossed in gold, shimmering under the lights.

It was a moment of satisfaction as Na-me seemed to take an interest.

“This is templating…”

“Hey, how do you know about templating! That’s not it; I was just suggesting you experience a broader world because it would be a waste of your talent to be confined to the academy.”

“Well, anyway, I understand. Thank you so much for considering it positively, and I hope all your endeavors prosper.”

Na-me ended the conversation with a polite bow and picked up a pair of 180mm-sized shoes as she stepped outside the booth.

That last tone was likely just Kim Seok-il’s misunderstanding.

Nevertheless, now that Na-me had decided to participate, she would undoubtedly garner public enthusiasm.

“Those guys from the AzureSky Clan probably never even imagined this… Aah… Atchoo!”

The pepper scent tickled his nose, causing Kim Seok-il to sneeze.

***

“Well, since the times don’t overlap, it probably doesn’t matter all that much.”

[Magic Dream Contest (16:30~18:00)]

[Halloween Special Exhibition]

[Raon Clan, AzureSky Clan collaborates. (sponsored by ‘Raon’, ‘AzureSky’)]

[17:00]

[Raon: Romeo and Juliet]

[Roles: Romeo (Shin Yeon-ho), Juliet (Yu Ji-won), (…), Rosalind (No Name)]

[17:30]

[AzureSky: Hansel and Gretel]

[Roles: Hansel (Namgung Yun-ho), Gretel (Bae So-dam), (…), Duck (No Name)]

It seemed like at least one side would reject her, yet both the Raon Clan and AzureSky Clan permitted her participation, even going so far as to create new roles.

So easily.

After all, it wasn’t a real play; she just needed to showcase her magic according to the narration.

Having overlapping roles wouldn’t seem like a big issue.

From what she gathered, the character “Rosalind” in Romeo and Juliet was Romeo’s first love, so she had to show the most beautiful magic possible.

She pondered over what kind of aloof and cold ice magic she could use.

Secondly, the “Duck” role she took on from the AzureSky side was to dunk the pursuing witch into the river.

Hansel and Gretel needed to cross the river safely, so this was also an essential element to consider.

The narration lady gave her the green light to use any magic, but it would be best if it harmonized with the play’s context.

“Hmm.”

It was a golden opportunity to use 5th circle magic for free, and a happy dilemma lay ahead.

Given the nature of this opportunity, there was no way she would settle for anything less than 5th circle.