Chapter 576

[Does Name have a routine that they must do as soon as they wake up in the morning?]

[Yeah. I start with yoga stretching as soon as I open my eyes. It helps loosen up my stiff muscles and joints from the night and promotes blood circulation.]

[That’s right, Name is famous for being incredibly flexible. When you see them at competitions, their body looks like a cobra!]

[Can you show me how you do that?]

[Oh, it’s not hard at all.]

[Just a moment, let me lay out the mat… Oh! Wow! Whoa!]

– Wow, crazy hahaha

– Can they really bend like that?

– The Matrix was nothing compared to this

– They just did a one-handed handstand hahaha

– I can’t bend like that even in the future

We watched “The Basement Warrior,” which aired last Saturday, in our container hideout.

I pulled the blanket up to my head and hugged my knees close to my body.

It felt cozy, like being a baby bird in a nest.

[Name, don’t just say anything to Saetbyeoni, say nice things too.]

[Uh… Saetbyeoni, I really-]

“Ugh. This is not okay…”

Whenever a cringeworthy scene appeared that I couldn’t bear to watch, I covered my eyes with the blanket.

– At times like that, Saetbyeoni really feels like an older sister hahaha

– My heart feels like it’s going to drop

– They’re just too, too, too cuteㅠㅠ

– The dorm leader, don’t just hide, join in!

– They’re surprisingly shy hahaha

– If it weren’t for the imprisonment incident, I feel like Name would have been really affectionate

– Someone quickly go back in time and save them

– Since you’re at it, also help them debut as a kids’ VTuber

Knock knock-

Has it already become time?

“Hey Noname! You teased me for being an idiot earlier!”

“Whoa, whoa, be careful! That’s expensive!”

I barely stopped Seoyuna, who was trying to barge in.

She paused her steps and slowly looked around the walls and ceiling.

Numerous buttons and switches, communication panels and electrical boards, battery modules and displays sparkling in the dark unfolded before her.

The interior resembled that of a spaceship.

“What’s that over there?”

She pointed at the curtain separating the container.

“That’s a makeshift workshop. You have to wear a protective suit to go in.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. What happens if something breaks?”

“It wouldn’t be catastrophic, but it is expensive, so we need to be careful.”

“How much is it?”

I pointed to the engraving device’s gear stick.

“Interested? That one costs 100 million won.”

“Ugh, I suddenly feel nauseous… I want to leave here, Nameya…”

Seoyuna staggered back.

“Sit in the capsule. I’ll open the door for you.”

Seoyuna sat inside the capsule, and I activated the engraving equipment.

Meanwhile, we chatted about the Academy.

“Oh, did you learn about scrolls during class?”

“Yeah, just the usage. But we had to share one scroll between five people, you know? But Hongjun used it twice because he didn’t realize. So, I couldn’t use it.”

“That’s unfortunate. I guess there weren’t any extras.”

“There were a couple, but I let the others use them. It seems there were many groups that made mistakes like us.”

“You did well. What kind of magic was the scroll?”

“Well, there were two types… one was for making soap bubbles, and the other was for small fireworks.”

– The Academy really must have a lot of money. Is there still a place that produces scrolls?

– There’s something romantic about magic scrolls.

– They probably just brought in the Chinese ones since there aren’t any in Korea, right?

– Scrolls sound fun hahaha

Scrolls were often used before magic power plants were established.

The fibers derived from plants in barren magical areas were carefully crafted into paper by artisans.

Currently, due to labor costs and environmental regulations, they have become hard to find in many countries.

Since they don’t really have any significant utility, they probably introduced them as part of a historical experience.

Nonetheless, scrolls have long been a dream for magicians since ancient times.

This theme of legendary scrolls has always appeared in many literary works and films.

Even if the mana power plants hadn’t emerged during World War II, the world would have been filled with adventurers.

“We don’t have scrolls, but we have something similar. Want to take a look?”

“Oh, I want to see!”

“There’s a way to control it without entering the workshop.”

As I pressed a button, a robotic arm commonly seen in factories descended from the cleanroom’s ceiling.

It tore open the packaging of an object set against the wall and pulled out a white strip about 5 cm wide.

With precise movements, I peeled off about five layers.

Using two robotic arms, I grabbed the ends of the Y-shaped strip and hung it down.

“What’s this?”

“This is called Pallium. It’s the material that goes into the capsules we use. The ability to use magic smoothly in virtual reality is all thanks to Pallium.”

“Wow. But how do you use this?”

“There’s no straightforward way to use it, but wait a moment, if I run this program… If you engrave the circuit formula on top, it can be used like a scroll.”

“Awesome! Can we make bubbles too? Fireworks too?”

“Eh, if we’re going to do it, we should go for something cooler. Does anyone have a good idea? It can go up to 4th circle.”

– Who uses Pallium like a scroll? hahaha

– How did they get that? hahaha

– What exactly is Pallium?

– Pallium is Pallium.

– Anyway, it’s hard to explain…

– If I had to classify it, maybe it’s like a semiconductor wafer…?

– Can a 10-year-old use a 4th circle spell with Aura Heart?

“Yuna, you’ve never used a 4th circle spell, right? Let’s try it out this time.”

“I want to try, but…it’s a bit scary…”

“It’s okay, you won’t die.”

“I don’t trust anything that Name says is okay.”

– (¬д¬。)

– Noname’s manly mindset hahaha

– Never believe them

– If you run out of mana, then it’s over~

– Still, a 4th circle should be manageable, right?

– It’s truly not easy to run out of mana with a 4th circle spell.

Referencing various opinions from the viewers, we explored 4th circle magic.

Is there some fun and novel magic out there?

[‘Bleming’ donated 30,000 won!]

– How about magic that plays songs or music with every step?

“Is there such magic?”

[‘Bleming’ donated 10,000 won!]

– I don’t know.

– Wow, what kind of trolling is this hahaha

– Take it to school, and you could become a space superstar.

– What circle is it?

– Is this really 4th circle? Hahaha, did they fail optimization?

– It seems like they just haphazardly mashed together similar magic.

I immediately searched the dictionary.

“Oh, it exists?”

[4th Circle – Sancta Nox]

It means “Holy Night” in Latin.

[Registration Year: 1915]

This magic existed long before the mana power plants came into being.

Perhaps due to its age, its name seems completely arbitrary.

“Shall we try this one?”

“Wow, I’m excited!”

Wiiiiiiiiing-!

I immediately began the production.

Maintaining magical circles is much harder than casting them.

In a way, the role of a scroll is to automate this process, like a wind-up doll.

While charging mana into the Pallium, I referred to the blueprint and taught Yuna some basic knowledge.

“4th circle magic is a middle circle, and it’s super unstable. The first thing you need to pay attention to when casting magic is the shape of the first circle, and the second is the relative position of the runes. Let me give you a simple problem. In this state, if Nellymelo moved diagonally this much, where should Maben be?”

“Uhh… it moves outside the circle. Does it come back in on the opposite side?”

“Yep, that’s right. It’s easy, right? I put the same holy night in the song.”

After finishing the engraving, I rolled the Pallium into a circle like a ball.

We exited the container and moved to the gym.

“Hold this, and when you cast it, just throw it over your head at a suitable height.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, anytime.”

Seoyuna threw the Pallium with all her might.

Whoooosh-

Three arms spread out, forming a magic circle.

“Uhh!”

Yuna focused her energy on her ten fingers wrapped around mana.

The circuit formula spread from the center like a spider web.

The runes floated in the magic circle like bubbles, granting magical power.

– Go, Yuna, you can do it!

– You can do it!!!

– Even if it’s an engraving spell, the talent is incredible.

– Is it going to succeed on the first try?

– Just a little more!

[4th Circle Engraving Spell: Sancta Nox]

Four large circles appeared in the air.

The moment Yuna took a step forward.

Boom-!

“Huh?”

A grand opera sound echoed across the gym.

Students preparing to leave school and kids playing soccer in the yard all turned their heads at once.

“Wow, you did it! You really did it!”

Baam ba bam ba bam-!

She hopped around the yard, matching the rhythm of the song.

Curious children began to gather around her.

As Seoyuna doubled her pace, the song’s speed also increased.

The Christmas carol resounded throughout the Academy.

It seemed like it was two months too early, but so what?

There’s no fixed time for children’s laughter.

“Noname, what is this? Every time Seoyuna walks, a song plays.”

“Haroo, long time no see. Do you want to try it?”

“Oh no, I don’t… Okay, I want to try.”

She tore off a strip of Pallium and rolled it up.

She cast the spell much more easily than Yuna.

Ba bam bam ba bam-!

The carols echoed everywhere, creating a cacophony.

Listening continuously made my head feel slightly dizzy.

“Wowwwwwww!”

“Hey, you need to match the rhythm; you can’t just run around!”

“Like this? Oh, I’m racing!”

– Just watching this is draining my energy hahaha

– Thinking back, why did I love running so much when I was a kid?

– So cute hahaha

– Wow, those elementary schoolers can really use magic well, huh?

I handed out three more to the seniors, turning the Academy’s exit into chaos.

Every time they missed the beat, the friends threw playful scoldings at them.

After having plenty of fun with magic, Seoyuna returned to me, sweating in October.

“Phew. That was fun. Nameya, how do I deactivate this?”

“Don’t you know how to deactivate a scroll?”

“No, I don’t.”

Unlike the mana power plant system that exchanges information with the caster in real-time, scrolls operate until their mana runs out once used.

While it’s not difficult to figure out how to deactivate it, to not know that…

“Aren’t you going to tell me?”

“Hey!”

“When you get home, it’ll deactivate on its own.”

“Don’t run away; come back and tell me quickly!”

Without hesitation, I dashed past her.

Seoyuna hurriedly stomped her feet.

It worked out well since I hadn’t had time for cardio lately.

I continued to run laps around the gym, teasing Seoyuna.

– How am I supposed to catch up when you’re so fast? hahaha

– Noname ← Even an adult magician wouldn’t be able to catch up.

– If Name can’t catch me, I can’t go home hahaha

– Hahaha, how many times have I seen you run today?

– Is there a secret to running fast with short legs?

“You’re banned.”

While showing enough leisurely to ban the overwhelming viewer while maintaining a distance from Yuna.

At some point, her elongated shadow vanished from my sight.

I turned around.

Yuna stood there with a sad expression, almost on the verge of tears.

She looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment, or tears were just barely visible.

“Okay, alright, I’ll help you. I’ll deactivate it.”

“…”

I took her wrist and examined her arm.

I removed the small cross mark engraved on her forearm with mana.

As the carols stopped, Yuna wiped her tears with her arm.

“Is it done now?”

“…”

She was cute, tightly sealing her lips, perhaps embarrassed and feeling sorry.

“Hey Noname, Seoyuna. How do you deactivate this?”

This time Iharu walked over with a thump.

In a flash, I made eye contact with Seoyuna.

We both thought the same thing.

“Let’s run!”

“Heyyyyy! You two, stop there!”

Baam ba bam-! Baam ba bam-!

“Cackling, that one sounds funny too!”

Haru’s urgent scream and Yuna’s innocent laughter, combined with the carols, created a perfect harmony.

Whoever it was, they created a pretty interesting spell.

* * *

December 15, 1915, near Ypres, Belgium, on the Western Front, the harsh cold penetrated the soldiers to their bones.

The trenches during Christmas time were filled with frozen mud and water.

Human waste, decomposing bodies, rat droppings, and thick tar-like residue.

In one corner of the trench, two soldiers were huddled together.

“John, do you know? This is the place. Last year, we sang Christmas carols and played football with the Germans.”

“Is that true?”

“Yeah. We pushed the front line, then got pushed back, but ultimately, this is our spot.”

In the horrors of war, a Christmas truce brought about a human connection with the enemy.

This incident shook both countries profoundly.

“But this year… it won’t be easy. The higher-ups prohibited the truce.”

“Can’t we just make it so that the sounds don’t reach our side? Surely they wouldn’t fire towards our troops, would they?”

“What was that sound?”

“I know it sounds unbelievable, but I once graduated from a prestigious Academy. Do you see that? The traces of residue stretching hundreds of yards from here to there.”

“What does that matter?”

“I’ve prepared something for times like this. With the magic in this scroll, the carol will resonate from that residue over to the opposite trench. So, do you know how to tap dance?”

Gulp-

The soldier swallowed hard.

In the midst of overwhelming fear and pain, a small spark ignited.

“What’s the name of that magic?”

A faint smile appeared on the soldier’s face.

“Sancta Nox.”