Ch.293288 – Playing House

I’m sorry to break this to Teacher Jackie, but her passionate lessons were mostly unnecessary for me.

“One of the sun’s effects is helping plants create essential nutrients through sunlight. We can also make ‘blank’ using sunlight – does anyone know what word goes here?”

I mentally shout “electricity!” but go back to zoning out.

Honestly, I enjoy these moments of spacing out. Daydreaming activates the brain’s DMN, improving memory and creativity, so it’s not all bad.

“Me! Me! It’s electricity!”

Seo Yu-na, that monster created by participation points, raises her hand to answer again.

Reflecting on my first life in Korea, I notice subtle differences from the current world.

First, the educational curriculum. The KSAT could be thoroughly reviewed in about a month due to its narrow scope, though each question demanded deep thinking.

But today’s KGSAT lumps vast subjects together as “Magic Studies” or “Alchemy Studies,” making it more demanding than civil service exams. Once students fall behind, it’s nearly impossible to catch up.

Of course, avoiding magic subjects for college entrance would dramatically improve quality of life, but considering the status of theoretical magicians and military mages in modern society, it’s hard to give up completely.

Politicians from mage and non-mage factions are desperately trying to undermine each other’s rights, but that’s another story. It just came to mind because they were arguing about it on the morning news.

What else is different? Perhaps the inflation-driven tuition fees, with almost all universities now charging over ten million won. I vaguely remember my old university costing about 12 million won per year.

Ding-dong-dang-dong-

“NoName, let’s go! Run!”

The bell signaling the end of fourth period stimulates the Pavlovian response in students.

When I snap back to reality, most kids are already rushing out of school.

Eating lunch slightly earlier than others might not seem like a big deal, but for children, it’s truly one of life’s crucial matters.

My friends grab my wrists and we engage in an uncompromising cafeteria race, barely making it to the front of the dining hall.

Even so, our class, 2-A, is geographically the farthest, so avoiding last place is nearly impossible.

“If we’re going to be late anyway, wouldn’t it be better to come later? We could get our food more freely.”

“No way!”

“Why not?”

“Just no! We have to eat early!”

Once an idea takes root, it’s hard to dislodge.

With a “do whatever you want” mindset, I review the academic journal I read this morning while waiting in line.

[I’m jealous…]

Adella’s weak voice comes from the drone.

“Huh?”

[I said I’m jealous. Of your friends.]

“Why?”

[Just because. But you don’t seem to do much at the academy? Other vlogs show people taking notes diligently.]

“It’s all stuff I already know. I’m just happy sitting among these children.”

[Wow…! That sounded really criminal just now!]

Adella’s grumbling continues throughout lunch.

She seems to be in a depressive mood lately, so I try to change the atmosphere with a question.

“By the way, when’s your VTuber debut? Didn’t you say you’d do it in October? The month is almost over.”

[Wow… I’m disappointed. That actually hurt a little?]

“Why?”

[It’s tomorrow! TOMORROW! How could you not know this? AAAAHHH! Right, I’m just fake data without a physical body! If I disappeared, no one would even look for me! WAAAAAHHH!]

The drone, throwing a tantrum and performing aerobatics, eventually loses balance and crashes to the floor.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

I quickly rush to retrieve the drone before attracting more attention.

I turn on my phone and video call Adella.

[H-hello?]

“So it’s tomorrow. Adella, I’m truly sorry for not knowing. I sincerely apologize. I’ve been busy lately and haven’t been taking good care of you. Will you forgive me?”

Apologies are always most effective when delivered quickly.

[W-when did I ever ask you to take care of me? I just felt neglected and blurted it out, don’t take it so seriously.]

“Will you forgive me?”

[Fine! I forgive you! Here’s your forgiveness! Now hurry up and eat, you inferior humans bound to the material world!]

“Haha, you’re so cute. Call me whenever you want tomorrow. Let’s stream together.”

[Whatever, I can do just fine on my own!]

This is why I like simple people like Adella. They don’t drain your emotions, and just being with them feels comfortable.

As I pick at my rice, my friends look at me curiously.

“What?”

“NoName, you know how to smile?”

“Yes, I smile quite often.”

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

The children quickly count on their fingers. They never get to all five.

“But you look so cute when you smile, hehe.”

Yu-na says with a bright smile.

“I’ll try to smile more often.”

As I finish eating and put down my chopsticks, five or six elementary school seniors approach our table hesitantly.

They’re all hiding something behind their backs.

“Hey, you go first!”

“You’re the one who suggested coming here…!”

“You’re passing this to me? Sigh… Um, NoName, could you give us your autograph?”

Swoosh-

The boy kneels down like he’s proposing and offers me paper and a pen.

“Pardon?”

“Well… my sister is in high school and she wants your autograph… Of course, I want it too! But my sister mentioned it first-“

“I’ll do it. Give it here.”

“Really? Wow!”

“Me next, me next…!”

I tap the table with the pen, taking a moment to think.

How should I sign?

All my previous signatures on contracts were just my name written neatly.

But considering the sensibilities of this age group that loves cute and special things, I need to adapt.

Under time pressure, I run extreme simulations and arrive at a suitable result.

I’ll naturally mix the letters of my name, NoName.

I make two ‘N’s stand up like cat ears, and draw a cat face inside the ‘O’.

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

Finally, I connect the end of the ‘e’ back to the head part, completing a toast cat.

“Ooh! Wow!”

“Here you go.”

“It’s so cute! Thanks, NoName!”

As I reach for the next paper, I notice the long line forming behind the children and immediately regret the signature I just created.

Twenty, thirty people, with more gathering by the second.

“Guys… go back to the classroom first.”

“Okay…! Good luck!”

“We’ll take your tray, NoName.”

My wrist probably won’t survive today.

A faint weariness seeps into my sigh without me realizing it.

* * *

In a way, Adella and NoName share a similar fate.

Adella is an artificial neural network created from indiscriminately copied human brains in Walpurgis’s laboratory, while NoName was trapped in a capsule for seven years, forced to survive in virtual reality because of Walpurgis.

To Adella, NoName represents the only person who understands her pain and loneliness.

Only Adella knew that the streamer who shocked the world was an elementary school girl, and only she knew that NoName was a victim of the Walpurgis terror.

When Adella first heard about NoName’s past directly from her, she spent days crying under her blanket.

But as NoName’s identity was gradually revealed to the public, and knowing this information was no longer special, extreme loneliness once again engulfed Adella.

Someone once advised her that everyone carries such loneliness in their hearts, so she tried not to show it.

Besides, all these problems would be solved once she obtained a physical body.

‘In a way, filming NoName’s vlog is part of my process of overcoming myself. I should hang in there a little longer.’

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

She spends most classes zoning out, enjoying her own contemplation.

But there were times when she poured all her energy into something – specifically, magic practice activities.

Class had long ended and break time had begun, but NoName showed no signs of stopping.

“Lee Ha-ru. Start the incantation again from the beginning. Who told you to be so careless with the backflow prevention formula? Even the safety manual says never to skip it. Are you rebelling against your mother?”

“Eek! Wait, is this still the house play concept? You seem way too serious, NoName… I mean, mom…!”

“Are you talking back to me…?”

“AAAHHH! Save me!”

The house play that started at lunch continued.

NoName took the role of mother, while Ha-ru was forced to play the youngest daughter, subjected to what looked like child abuse under the pretext of discipline.

“Ha-ru! If you don’t listen, you’ll end up short like your mom! Kehehehe.”

Seo Yu-na, playing the father, grabbed NoName’s armpits from behind and swung her in the air.

“Seo Yu-na, you lie down too.”

“Come on, NoName! When calling your husband, you usually say ‘honey’ or ‘Ha-ru’s dad’-“

“Three, two, one.”

“Yes ma’am…!”

Two of Korea’s most promising talents obediently followed her command.

“The backflow prevention formula is especially essential when handling water-based magic. Do you know what happens if you interrupt it midway?”

“What happens?”

[Cast: Laminar Flow]

NoName creates an incomplete magic circle and injects all her mana.

Then she raises her left arm and forcibly strikes her right arm.

Splash-!

As the mana circuit goes haywire, NoName’s right arm wiggles involuntarily like an octopus tentacle.

Her already pale arm turns even more pallid as blood flow is restricted, but NoName calms the magical current by gently stroking her arm with her aura-infused hand.

“See? This is just a 2nd circle spell. Imagine handling a 5th circle spell later. Would that be dangerous or not?”

“It would be dangerous…!”

“Good, now get up. Today is the last time I’m playing house with you. You’ve had enough fun, right?”

“Y-yes…! Once is definitely enough… House play isn’t fun at all, haha!”

“Huh, really? I enjoyed it.”

“Seo Yu-na, please read the room…!”

Ha-ru pulled Yu-na’s ear.

Any more house play would destroy Ha-ru’s mental state.

Stretching her shoulders, NoName hugged the drone and whispered to Adella.

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

[It’s just moving my fingers a bit, no big deal. Besides, I plan to film until you go to sleep tonight.]

“I usually sleep after midnight. Won’t that be tiring?”

[I’m unemployed until today, so whatever. Oh, you have a phone call.]

“I need to attend the closing ceremony now, so I’ll answer later.”

The children packed their bags and happily took their seats.

After all, the end of the day is always exciting.

“Let’s give NoName another round of applause for her hard work at the academy competition! Everyone, clap!”

As the children competed to clap louder than each other, NoName waved her hands in embarrassment, but her face held a bright smile.

Adella captured these occasional childlike moments of NoName.

‘She is cute.’

Adella thought how fortunate she was to have such a child as family, and launched the drone back into the air.

Hoping that someday she would feel NoName’s warmth through her own skin.

* * *

“Hello? Yes, yes. Which embassy? Oh, Israel…”

[What’s this? Do you always get so many calls from embassies?]

Having trouble hearing the call, NoName pushed the drone away and covered her other ear to focus.

“But I’m quite busy tomorrow. Yes, virtual reality is also… Can’t you postpone the award ceremony?”

Her eyebrows furrowed, indicating the serious nature of the conversation.

[What’s this about?]

“Then I guess you’ll have to proceed without me. Yes, yes, I’m not refusing the award… just do whatever you want. I don’t mind receiving it or not. Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

Click-

She put the phone in her pocket, acting like it was nothing.

NoName’s expressionless face, like a wooden doll, only increased Adella’s curiosity.

[Come on, what was that about?!]

“The Wolf Foundation contacted me. I was selected for the Wolf Prize in Mathematics, and they want to hold the award ceremony tomorrow.”

[Wolf Prize in Mathematics? What’s that? Is it famous?]

“It’s quite renowned in certain circles. But I promised to join your debut stream tomorrow, so I told them to proceed without me.”

[You didn’t have to go that far… I don’t know what this prize is, so I can’t really comment… but are you sure it’s okay?]

“Of course.”

NoName answered with absolute certainty.

Adella was deeply moved that NoName prioritized her over some Wolf Prize or whatever it was.

[Hehe. Tomorrow’s the debut, the debut!]

Feeling validated in her existence, Adella kept smiling until NoName arrived home.