Ch.299294 – Dark History

In an era where talent equals national power, NoName’s unexpected Wolf Prize announcement created a unified moment of national pride and criticism.

[Shout out to GOD KOREA!]

[So you’re telling me they’re not 38, not 28, not 18, but 8 years old…? Even drama writers wouldn’t write something this ridiculous!]

[Korea is truly blessed lol. Our gifted education system pathetically depends on America, with zero government support. Yet somehow this wasteland keeps producing geniuses?]

[Why did heaven create me and then create NoName too!]

[Wow insane lol. So solving that math problem wasn’t just for attention lol]

[Look how they didn’t use any magic… NoName is the ‘real deal’…]

[Just how smart is this person? Has someone like this actually existed until now…?]

Mathematics wasn’t particularly appealing even to highly intelligent, educated people. In the early 20th century, the invention of techniques to convert ZFC axioms into equivalent rune language and magic circles allowed many difficult problems to be solved in advance.

Human intellectual curiosity peaks when we don’t know whether a proposition is true or false. Naturally, few people have the perverse disposition to attempt proofs when they already know the result.

Yet despite mathematics being far less popular than theoretical magic studies, everyone agreed it remained a difficult discipline.

Marketing teams at various companies prepared for overnight work, desperate to capitalize on NoName’s achievement.

“How about offering free Kumon worksheets for life?”

“What Kumon? This kid is way beyond Kumon! Check with our other subsidiaries!”

“There’s Kumon for adults too…”

The presidential office’s social media team, known for their quick fingers, immediately posted a congratulatory message.

[Lee Jo-won @2trillion365]

[NoName, on behalf of all citizens, I sincerely congratulate you on winning the 2051 Wolf Prize in Mathematics. This achievement once again proves to the world that our country is a leader in basic sciences…

I hope you continue to be a guiding compass illuminating the map of human intellect. Congratulations once again. – President Lee Jo-won]

But perhaps their fingers were too quick.

A flood of insults and negative comments targeted the President:

-NoName is in the emergency room right now, what is this?

-Seriously impressive;; Someone’s sick and you still have to take credit?

-First time seeing someone forced to log out during a stream… even my hands were shaking…

-Take down the post. Read the room.

Unfortunately, breaking news revealed that NoName had been rushed to the hospital after repeatedly refusing to give an acceptance speech.

It was unfair, but what could they do? Having learned the hard way never to go against public opinion, they quickly deleted the post.

One misfortune led to another.

[NoName announces streaming hiatus… Health concerns real?]

[Fact Check News: NoName showing symptoms of general amnesia.]

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

[Health reportedly stable… but will Ham Cho-rong’s nightmare repeat?]

As if God had not permitted such talent in Korea, concerns about NoName’s health and psychological state grew, amplifying netizens’ anxiety.

-What if the memories never come back?

In the worst case, the Wolf Prize might become NoName’s final achievement and last activity.

Behind the internet world full of speculative posts and witch hunts, there were people working tirelessly to restore NoName’s memories.

* * *

I had a short, sweet dream about my mother.

Like how vivid dreams evaporate upon waking, the moments spent with my mother began to fade from my mind.

I don’t want to forget this memory forever.

I recalled everything from the beginning, remembering every word my mother said.

Once electrical signals enter the memory storage, they’ll remain with me until I die.

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

A question I’ll never know the answer to tears me apart inside.

As my chest began to feel heavy, I felt greatly displeased that my body wouldn’t move as I wanted.

The remnants of the Corrosion must still be holding onto my self.

This feeling is like…

Being possessed by one of those traffic light-colored emotion characters living in the emotion control headquarters.

And now,

The person captured on the film of my retina was Daniel.

“NoName, I once thought music was my entire world.”

She held my hand tightly as she spoke.

“I couldn’t even consider other paths because I’d invested so much effort… That would be betraying my parents who sacrificed everything for me…”

That’s right.

People who walk only one path usually don’t have the luxury to look around or behind them.

“We all went on a trip abroad, and I missed my parents so I stopped by home. They always fought on the phone, but when I came home, they prepared a warm meal saying I’d worked hard. Both my mom and dad wake up at dawn to work and pay off debts… When I finally had peace of mind, I started noticing my surroundings. Classical music doesn’t put food on the table haha… After accepting that my starting line was different from my friends’, I felt much more at ease.”

Daniel embraced me.

The scent of shampoo, the same as Yoon-sul’s, brushed past my nose.

“Thank you so much… NoName, I hope you recover your memories soon. Then I can properly thank you. And I haven’t given up on classical music yet! I’ll earn lots of money and someday participate in the Maestro Competition. You must come watch me.”

When Daniel pulled away, her eyes were already moist.

Her makeup will smudge.

I want to wipe those tears away myself, but my body still wouldn’t move as I wished.

* * *

Unlike Schadenfreude or Sekhmet, Astarte’s mind was relatively less contaminated by the Corrosion.

The Corrosion of ‘Lust’ grows stronger by feeding on the desires of those around it.

Conversely, it rapidly loses power in societies that demand purity, so I placed the lust inside a solid-bodied doll that wouldn’t provoke desire and sent it to the Papal State where purity is most valued.

Perhaps because of those memories,

The current “me” showed severe aversion to people’s exposure.

“Pervert…”

“Huh?”

“I” pointed at the woman’s navel.

Ban So-wol, wearing a crop top, tilted her head in confusion.

When Shin Yeon-ho covered her with a nearby blanket, I felt much better.

“I told you not to lose to those Altair Academy kids, but did you have to win so overwhelmingly? Do you know how embarrassed I was?”

Shin Yeon-ho burst into laughter.

“NoName is stronger than she looks. She didn’t even use her full power in the competition.”

“That wasn’t using full power? Did we watch the same match? It was neck and neck at the end.”

“Do you really think so? Your eyes seem useless, so why not give them both to me?”

“This is c-creepy… what are you saying…”

“NoName, remember when we arm wrestled?”

Ban So-wol took my hand and waved it around in the air.

My arm flopped limply without strength.

“Heavy things always stay in place. It’s always the lighter people who move. So I believe you never left us. NoName is an infinitely heavy friend.”

“So-wol, you say strange things sometimes. NoName, take care of yourself. If you remember what we’ve said, come visit us at Korea University again. We’ll treat you to something delicious. Okay?”

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

* * *

[Then I’ll read Asteria’s lines until 6 o’clock and end the stream.]

A youthful voice flowed from the screen.

“Back then, no one even suspected you were 7 years old…”

Yoo Si-a showed me past broadcasts with tears in her eyes.

“Sob… hey, don’t you even remember what you said…? You’re a genius who remembers everything! We even streamed together to reach Master rank! Why can’t you remember…?”

I just watched the video with lifeless eyes, wrapped tightly in blankets.

I couldn’t respond even if I tried.

That’s why everyone who had visited so far had given up.

“Si-a, don’t get angry at the kid.”

“Hiccup… I’m not angry…!”

Si-a wiped her tears on her sleeve.

My gaze remained fixed on the broadcast.

[Stars are nobly beautiful. It’s always humans who assign meaning.]

[They always stab you in the back treacherously.]

[Burn it all.]

[I want… to be a being that shines even in death.]

I flinched-

My body twitched.

“…!”

The clan members, all focused on me, didn’t miss even the slightest reaction.

“What? What? Did something start coming back to you?”

“Look, you did an Asteria impression! It wasn’t very committed… but who cares, it’s cute!”

It was chaotic, like uncles shaking rattles in front of a baby.

When the video ended, I smacked my dry lips.

“Is that… me…?”

Finally, I spoke.

Everyone looked at each other with moved expressions.

“Yes! The cutest streamer in the world! That’s you, NoName!”

“It seems to be working?”

“It’s okay if you don’t remember everything yet… Just being able to talk with you is such a blessing sob…!”

Si-a seemed to think my condition might recover at this rate.

“So…”

“Yes, so?”

“So cool.”

Cool? The words that came out of my mouth surprised even me.

Anyway, a girl’s sensibilities are hard to understand, then and now.

“Aww, you think it’s cool?”

“Hehe! Such middle school syndrome! Or elementary school syndrome?”

“Are there more videos like this? Min-jun, go call the manager outside.”

“Which manager? Oh, that high school girl with the username ‘ILikeCateMatesBest’?”

Shortly after, Lee Bo-reum rushed in with a hologram projector.

She showed a sinister smile, revealing her canine teeth.

“I never thought I’d use what I collected for donations like this.”

The hologram emitted so much light that it dazzled my eyes.

As Bo-reum gradually adjusted the brightness, my image from World of Arsheria appeared.

A blonde princess confronting the final boss, Mephistopheles.

[Humans killing each other is natural.]

“Hup…!”

My heart started racing without warning.

It seemed Astarte was frightened by my appearance.

[But it’s also humans who save humans.]

Bo-reum continued playing the embarrassing video.

[Eternal peace and rest for the world? Most people who spout such sweet talk are usually just crazy warmongers.]

Rather than Astarte, I was the one taking emotional damage.

Please stop.

I might die of embarrassment before regaining consciousness.

[If you want to call me a demon lord for that, then go ahead and call me whatever you want.]

I had been keeping my eyes tightly shut, but slowly raised my head again.

In the video, I was casting Demon Horns, gathering all my magical power.

‘Fear… no, what emotion is this…?’

[I’ll make sure you never say such things again anywhere.]

‘Admiration…?’

* * *

[I was… scared… All the days I’ve lived… Whether I was going the right way… Whether I was doing something wrong again.]

[I’m afraid of people… All of you… You’re all like demons…]

[I really hated humans.]

[So I decided to admit it. I’ll be honest. I like getting attention. I enjoy spending time together. I want to keep meeting the many people who lift up someone as insignificant as me.]

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

“Sad… but cool…”

I clearly said that with my own mouth.

‘What exactly is cool about this?!’ I want to protest vehemently.

When did Bo-reum record this footage that wasn’t even available on Twissy replays?

I suspect these people are trying to forcibly wake me up by making me angry.

How can they keep playing only the most embarrassing scenes?

There are no greater demons than these.

If I’d known I’d suffer like this, I would have stayed with my mother in the unconscious a little longer…

“When did NoName say this? This is my first time seeing it.”

“It’s from a while back. During the NoName era, when we were tackling the World of Arsheria Nightmare mode.”

“I see… NoName was afraid of people…”

Si-a muttered in a small voice.

I just wish everyone would forget all this.

Meanwhile, Astarte was mesmerized, admiring my avatar.

This is why the actions of the Corrosions are so unpredictable.

“Clothes…”

“Huh? NoName, what did you just say?”

“The witch’s clothes are too revealing…? Her chest… is bouncing so much that everything might show.”

“Oh? Um… you’re right…! The avatar costume does look a bit revealing, doesn’t it?”

“Yes… it’s annoying… small chests are better…”

“Haha, right…! I guess the old NoName preferred them big!”

“Yes.”

Astarte said only what she wanted to say and then fell silent again.

Is she taking revenge on me because this isn’t her body?

If there’s one thing Astarte misunderstands, it’s that breasts that size aren’t actually that large.

Even Saint Sylvia ran around with enormous breasts.

‘I should just give up on regaining my self today.’

It’s more resilient than I thought. So I decided to close my eyes and ears.

I can just stubbornly insist that the words I said weren’t actually mine.

Mephistopheles met his end with a 6th Circle Upper Cast Hellfire.

The casting was so precise and swift that it was hard to believe it came right after Adella’s 300 combo.

The casting posture, input amount, variable settings, and circuit formulas.

In my previous life, I used to fire such magic in reality too.

This must be why older people can’t stop saying “back in my day.”

“I’m really amazing. Even though it’s just a game, my old skills haven’t rusted at all. Huh?”

What I thought I’d only said in my mind accidentally slipped out.

My mind suddenly cleared, and my body felt heavy all at once, like an airplane taking off.

My arms and legs started moving naturally according to my will.

Why now of all times…!

“NoName, you…”

Si-a turned around.

“Did your memories just come back?”

“…”

I rolled my eyes to avoid the piercing gaze.

On second thought, I shouldn’t have done that. I should have just pretended not to know naturally.

“NoName! It’s you, right? Your memories are all back, right?”

“Really? NoName, do you recognize us?”

“…”

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

I thoroughly ignored the clan members’ words.

Could you handle this situation if you were me?

I try to suppress my emotions and act nonchalant again, but it’s hard to escape once suspicion has been raised.

Astarte… even though she’s already dead, I want to resurrect her just to kill her again.

“NoName… are you going to keep your mouth shut while making so many people worry about you?”

“?”

“Isn’t 0.99999… different from 1? Where did the remaining 0.00000…1 go?”

“…!”

“They say reheating spinach in the microwave produces carcinogens, so be careful.”

“Ugh…”

“Ah…! I heard sleeping with a fan on can kill you, so I should definitely turn it off at night!”

“Who would even believe that…!”

Ah…

Human malice truly knows no bounds.