Ch.303298 – Double Entry

# [Magic Dream Contest – First Come, First Served Registration]

[Processing…]

[Registration has closed.]

“…!”

NoName was confused.

She had even used her aura to maximize her reaction speed, but still failed to register for the contest.

No matter how fast human hands could be, they couldn’t outpace the electrical signals of a macro.

As a backup plan, NoName wandered around various booths to see if she could join as part of a group entry.

It wasn’t long before Kim Han-gyeol, a male classmate, spotted her.

“Oh, your great-uncle is the clan leader—I mean, acting clan leader? Now that I think about it, that does sound right.”

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

“That would be really helpful.”

Kim Han-gyeol let NoName into his clan’s booth.

The large tipi tent, as it was called, was filled with modern furniture.

While NoName dragged her tired body onto the sofa, Kim Han-gyeol peered into the refrigerator.

“Lemonade, cola, or iced tea—which would you like, NoName?”

“Forget those. Pour me some coffee from that pot over there. Heat it up if it’s cold.”

NoName, who had already caught the scent of coffee, pointed to the island counter.

“Huh? Are you allowed to drink coffee? I heard if you drink coffee when you’re young, you’ll end up 10 centimeters shorter as an adult.”

“If that were true, I’d be over 100 meters shorter. Stop talking and hurry up.”

Kim Han-gyeol poured coffee into a cup with a suspicious look.

“When are you coming to the Academy?”

“Probably next week? Why? Did you miss me?”

“What? Who said I missed you? I think it would be better if you rested more.”

“By the way, Han-gyeol, stop bothering the girls in our class. They’re not all receptive to it. They’re just being nice. Your reputation isn’t great, but if you’re just a little nicer, more girls might actually like you.”

“I haven’t done anything lately.”

“Really? Should I ask when I get back to the Academy?”

“Ah, I won’t do it anymore!”

“Good.”

It was almost routine—when Han-gyeol and his male friends played pranks on girls, the girls would run to NoName to report it.

‘It’s getting annoying, and some of them genuinely dislike it, so I should say something.’

After firmly warning Kim Han-gyeol, NoName sat on the sofa and moistened her throat with coffee.

Suddenly, her expression crumpled.

“Ptooey! What is this… did you add water to the coffee?”

“No? It’s Americano.”

“That IS water added to coffee! Tsk, forget it. I’ll just drink it.”

But NoName never put the cup to her lips again.

Kim Han-gyeol quietly observed her before shaking his head.

‘I really can’t tell what she’s thinking.’

She was an enigma—not just to Kim Han-gyeol, but to everyone in their class.

NoName was popular with both boys and girls because of her mature demeanor and willingness to play along with jokes.

But after she knocked out all the middle school seniors in the competition, Kim Han-gyeol couldn’t casually joke with her like before.

‘It’s awkward, I guess.’

If he tried lifting her backpack to make her stumble or running off with her eraser, who knows what retaliation he might face.

“Did you come here alone?”

But Kim Han-gyeol couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked anyway.

No matter how mature she seemed, an 8-year-old coming to an amusement park alone was another matter entirely.

“What if I did come alone? Want to fight me? Is it because of my horns? My neck was already stiff, so this works out well.”

NoName rolled up her sleeves and spoke with murderous intent.

“W-what are you talking about! I meant, didn’t your parents come?”

“Come on, I know what you meant. I’m just kidding. I came with my dad.”

NoName softened her expression again, easing the tension.

Kim Han-gyeol felt dizzy from the rapid shifts between hot and cold.

“Phew, I see. It’s interesting though. You must be really close with your dad?”

“Why?”

“Well, people don’t usually come to amusement parks with just their dad.”

“Huh?”

“Uh… ah…?”

NoName narrowed her eyes slightly.

It took Kim Han-gyeol less than a second to realize his mistake.

He’d been so nervous that he completely forgot about her family situation.

“Ah! No, no! I misspoke! Please forget what I just said!”

“Right? It was a mistake? It better be a mistake.”

“Yes, yes! A mistake. I really forgot, I’m sorry.”

“If it’s a mistake, then whatever.”

Kim Han-gyeol decided he shouldn’t stay with her any longer and tried to leave the booth.

“Han-gyeol, stop right there.”

“What? Is something wrong…?”

“Since you’re going out, buy me a chocolate ice cream. After something bitter, I’m craving something sweet. Don’t forget to ask for extra cocoa powder.”

Contrary to his concerns, it wasn’t a strange request. Friends could certainly buy snacks for each other.

“Sure. Give me the money and I’ll go get it right away.”

“Money?”

“What?”

“You’re rich, aren’t you?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“If you understand, hurry up and go. I’ll rest here for a bit.”

“Oh, okay…”

Money wasn’t really an issue, but Kim Han-gyeol felt uncomfortable for some reason.

‘Am I being used as an errand boy?’

His father’s advice suddenly came to mind—never let yourself be pushed around, regardless of gender.

Kim Han-gyeol’s small revenge plan began by secretly pocketing the pepper shaker from the shelf.

‘Try some pepper ice cream.’

* * *

There’s an old saying about a pumpkin rolling in with its vine—referring to an unexpected windfall.

Kim Seok-il thought this was exactly that kind of situation.

‘How did NoName find her way here? This is a blessing! A complete blessing!’

Kim Seok-il, the acting leader of the Raon Clan, hurried toward the booth.

Korean clans had no priority access to Academy students.

The best talents were cherry-picked by American foundations, leaving clans to reluctantly divide the remaining pie.

After decades of talent drain becoming a national issue, laws were changed to allow students to initiate contact themselves, but the impact wasn’t yet significant.

Why would students, already struggling with Academy classes, seek out clan officials?

But now NoName, a big fish, had jumped right onto the fishing boat.

‘I can’t miss this golden opportunity.’

Even if not immediately, he needed to build a good impression for when she became an adult or left the Academy.

Then, in any potential recruitment competition, Raon would have an advantage over other clans.

Decades ago, Deputy Clan Leader Kim Seok-il’s childhood dream was to be a kindergarten teacher.

This meant he was confident in winning children’s hearts.

Even his cute nephew Kim Han-gyeol preferred him over his own father.

‘I need to see this from a child’s perspective, not an adult’s. I’ll cater to her tastes.’

He confidently lifted the tent flap, and two children came into view.

“Well hello there! I heard a cute young lady had arrived, so I came running! Where…”

He couldn’t continue.

NoName sitting demurely on the sofa eating ice cream wasn’t particularly problematic.

Food consumption was perfectly allowed inside the booth.

“Han-gyeol, what are you doing standing on the sofa?”

Meanwhile, Kim Han-gyeol was diligently massaging NoName’s shoulders with his small hands.

“Great-uncle!”

He pouted with a tearful expression, his eyes sending a desperate plea for help.

“Your nephew is so thoughtful, giving massages like this.”

NoName patted Han-gyeol’s head while complimenting him.

“Ah yes. Our Han-gyeol is so kind, haha! He’s giving massages he wouldn’t even give his own parents!”

“Really? Han-gyeol, do this for your parents when you get home. They’ll love it.”

“…”

“Answer.”

“Eek! Yes!”

“Your hands are too weak.”

“Sorry, I’ll press harder!”

Kim Han-gyeol, known for his disobedience both at home and at the Academy, had become surprisingly compliant in front of NoName.

“Han-gyeol, that’s enough now. Thanks so much for the massage, and I’ll see you at the Academy later?”

“Yes…! I mean, yeah!”

“You can go now.”

“Thank you so much! Ugh, it’s… it’s spicy…!”

Kim Han-gyeol stuck out his tongue, gasping for breath as he hurriedly left the booth.

Whatever had happened between them, Kim Seok-il decided he shouldn’t let his guard down.

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

“Oh, did you?”

“Yes. I thought I’d definitely get in since it was first-come, first-served, but there were more participants than I expected.”

“Hmm, it’s a really popular event, so I guess a lot of people signed up.”

“So I came here for advice on what to do… I hope I’m not being rude by being here?”

“Not at all! Let me think of a solution, just wait a moment, okay?”

“Yes.”

NoName was much more polite than rumors suggested.

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

“Has our friend NoName seen how the Magic Dream Contest works?”

“Yes. The groups seem to do something like a silent play with narration and background music.”

“You know it well! As it happens, there’s a small role left that would be perfect for showing off magical skills. Would you like to try it?”

“Yes, I’d like that.”

“Okay, I’ll contact them right away. There’s also a popularity vote at the end, so do your best!”

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

Meanwhile, he gave NoName the contest coordinator’s contact information and his business card.

“Actually, our Raon Clan has been watching NoName for a very long time. If you ever get tired of the Academy, we have many skilled teachers at Raon Clan, so please contact us anytime.”

The clan’s name was embossed in gold, glittering in the light.

NoName seemed to like it, which was satisfying.

“This is tempering…”

“Tempering? How do you even know such a word! It’s not like that—I’m suggesting this because I want you to experience a broader world. It’s a waste of talent to be confined to the Academy.”

“Well, anyway, I understand. Thank you for your positive consideration, and I wish you success in all your business endeavors.”

NoName ended the conversation with a polite bow and left the booth, taking her 180mm shoes with her.

The slightly cold tone in her final words must have been Kim Seok-il’s imagination.

Still, with NoName’s participation secured, they could definitely win the audience’s cheers.

“Those AzureSky guys probably haven’t even imagined… ah… achoo!”

Kim Seok-il couldn’t hold back a sneeze due to the pepper smell tickling his nose.

* * *

“Well, the time slots don’t overlap, so I guess it doesn’t matter.”

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

[Halloween Special Exhibition]

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

[17:00]

[Raon: Romeo and Juliet]

[Cast: Romeo (Shin Yeon-ho), Juliet (Yoo Ji-won), (…), Rosaline (NoName)]

[17:30]

[AzureSky: Hansel and Gretel]

[Cast: Hansel (Namgong Yun-ho), Gretel (Bae So-dam), (…), Duck (NoName)]

I thought I’d be rejected by at least one side, but both Raon Clan and AzureSky Clan allowed me to participate, even creating roles that didn’t exist before.

Too easily.

It’s not like we’re doing actual plays anyway—we just need to show magic according to the narration.

Having overlapping roles shouldn’t be a problem.

From what I understand, “Rosaline” in Romeo and Juliet appears as Romeo’s first love, so I need to show the most beautiful magic possible.

I’m thinking about what ice magic would work best to portray someone cold and aloof.

Second, the “Duck” role from AzureSky involves making the witch chasing them fall into the river.

Since Hansel and Gretel need to cross the river safely, this is another essential element to consider.

The narration lady said I could use any magic, but it would be better if it harmonized well with the situation in the play.

“Hmm.”

It’s a golden opportunity to use 5th-circle magic for free, so I’m happily contemplating my options.

After getting this chance, 4th-circle won’t do—it has to be 5th-circle.