Ch.415410 – Unemployed

With the Enlightenment and the modern industrial society of the 18th century, children’s primary role shifted from labor to education.

Soon I’ll become someone who can no longer fulfill my role as a child.

An unemployed child. Or a child without employment.

Perhaps I had always suspected that someday I would have to leave the Academy.

Children form groups with peers of similar age and cultural backgrounds to learn about the world in stages.

During this process, they share typical concerns, sometimes resolving them, sometimes facing disappointment, as they grow into proper adults.

But as things stand, my mere existence would create a massive imbalance in these children’s lives.

Yes, like if the giant star Betelgeuse suddenly appeared in our solar system.

Parents and teachers don’t teach elementary students about politics or macroeconomic forecasts.

It’s harmful to expect more from them during a time when they should be concerned with how to speak clearly or how to stay close to their best friends.

“So I’m withdrawing from the Academy.”

Adults disliked the word “withdrawal.”

So for elementary and middle school students, they used “deferment” as a euphemism instead.

I would become an externally managed student.

“NoName, you can always come back whenever you want. Even after submitting withdrawal papers, you’ll still be affiliated with Cephiron Academy until you enroll somewhere else.”

“I understand. Thank you for saying that.”

Principal Gu On-yu, giving up on persuading me, reluctantly stamped my withdrawal form.

“Don’t you want to say goodbye to your friends?”

“I’ll contact them personally.”

As I left the Academy building, the vast sky stretched infinitely before me.

Surprisingly, I felt bittersweet rather than relieved.

This was definitely different from my previous life.

I must have truly been satisfied with Academy life.

Crossing the school garden with its vine tunnel, I stood quietly in front of a lilac flower bed that someone had carefully planted along the school building.

These were flowers that first-year students had planted with their parents during the entrance ceremony.

Just as the lilac fragrance tickled my nose and seeped into my clothes, I heard the untainted voices of young children.

The small playground and field behind the school were areas used by first and second-year students.

A little boy was running eagerly toward the garden on his short legs.

Apparently playing tag with his friends.

Having lived at the Academy for so long, I’d developed the superpower to distinguish between first and second-years, and this boy was unmistakably a first-year.

The child, who had been running while looking behind him, saw me and promptly tripped right in front of me.

“Are you okay, child?”

“Ugh, I’m fine. But my palm…”

The bowl-cut boy stood up bravely, looked at his scraped palm, and immediately made a sad face.

Perhaps because he was in front of me, his effort to hold back tears was quite adorable.

Children this age get hurt constantly.

“Can I see your hand?”

I treated his palm wound with tissue regeneration magic, just as I’d done for my friends.

The child seemed shy and couldn’t look me in the eye properly, turning his face away.

“So, what class are you in?”

“Class A.”

“No way, I’m in Class A and I don’t know you.”

“Third-year Class A.”

“…!”

I showed him the yellow ribbon on my uniform indicating third year.

The child’s expression changed dramatically by the second.

Having unintentionally teased the new recruit, I gave him a small smile.

The boy examined my face carefully and then gasped.

“Wait, is your name NoName?”

“‘Ya’ is informal speech, and we’re not friends.”

“Are you NoName?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But my mom told me if I ever meet NoName, I should never talk to her and run away quickly.”

“Really? Why?”

“Umm, she said it’s dangerous to be near you.”

“What do you think?”

“I thought you were a first-year like me.”

“You really speak without a filter, don’t you?”

“…?”

After finishing the simple treatment, I properly zipped up the child’s padded jacket.

“If you run all the way here while playing tag, what’s the fun in that? You improve your running skills by being chased. Right?”

“Yes.”

“And you shouldn’t judge people so carelessly. That’s a bad habit. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Off you go now.”

“Um… well…”

“What? Do you have something to say?”

The boy fidgeted with his hands and hesitated.

Then he bowed 90 degrees at the waist.

“Thank you for treating my palm, pretty sister! I’ll definitely brag about this to my friends!”

The boy ran back to the playground without looking back.

I worried he might trip again.

That “pretty sister” comment—his flirting skills were already concerning.

* * *

[D+44]

What’s the most difficult day of the week?

Monday with its “Monday blues”?

Wednesday, positioned in the middle of the weekdays? Or perhaps Thursday.

But what does that matter to me?

Every day is the same day.

I was currently experiencing the pinnacle of happiness.

“Huaaaaahhhhh.”

I rolled around on the bed with my blanket, uttering meaningless syllables.

When I was suspended, resting never felt like actual rest.

The thought of returning to the Academy made me anxious, feeling like I should be reflecting or doing something during the suspension period, struggling with my thesis—my feelings were complicated.

Company employees would probably understand the difference between being suspended and quitting.

Freedom from responsibility—what an immense pleasure.

Since no one bothered me when I stayed home, I felt no need to go outside.

Originally, my body would ache all over, craving combat practice if I stayed still too long.

But lately, my mind remained perfectly peaceful even when lying down all day.

‘Is it because it’s winter?’

In Saet-byeol’s room, fragrant with hair essence and body lotion, I turned on the capsule beam projector.

I watched Adella’s practice match in the 2052 Daagapde Season 2 in real-time.

BOOM!

[I’m in the tunnel now. Just checking assassination angles. Buy more time at the Guardian’s Nest.]

[There are four of them. One sword slot is empty. Who’s the other one?]

[The sorcerer’s golem is sticking to me…! Why are there three people here? They’re all waiting at the tunnel entrance!]

[Sorry, one was a clone! Can you escape, Adella?]

[I’m definitely dead…! I’ll just try to buy time.]

Adella used her agile thief class advantage to run at full speed.

But it was only a matter of time before she was caught by the warrior who had received a speed buff from the paladin.

[I came to save you!]

[Don’t come this way! I’ve been caught too!]

The healer who came to rescue Adella was also captured.

Due to miscalculating the number of enemies, the main team couldn’t secure objectives and was surrounded and wiped out.

With sighs erupting from everywhere, the last round of scrims ended.

The atmosphere was so deflated that feedback was postponed.

[Good work everyone.]

[Thanks for your hard work.]

[Good job everyone.]

[Everyone worked hard… I’ll end the stream here for today.]

She ended the broadcast with an almost extinguished voice.

Pssshhhhh—

Eventually the capsule door opened, and she emerged completely drenched in sweat.

She must have turned the heater up extremely high inside the capsule.

“I watched your scrim.”

“How was it?”

“A total disaster?”

“Hic… waaaaaah!”

“Hey, stay back! Keep away!”

Cheon Saet-byeol lunged at me like a zombie.

I used all my strength to block her body with a pillow between us.

But today, Saet-byeol’s persistence was unyielding.

She hugged my entire body along with the pillow, rubbing her cheeks against me while sobbing.

“I tried so hard. What’s wrong with our team? Even you can see it’s hopeless, right? Everyone has great individual skills, but we just don’t work as a team, huhuhu…!”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“You just watched my stream. Tell me what the problem is. At this rate, even if we do a hundred more scrims, nothing will improve!”

“Maybe a thousand would do it.”

“Oh come on. You’re unemployed now, can’t you help me? Please please please please please!”

I see now that I’ve completely conditioned her the wrong way.

Fully sympathizing with the blue raccoon robot’s feelings, I carefully slipped out of bed.

I folded my arms and pointed out everything I disliked one by one.

“If you’re going to sweat that much, couldn’t you turn off the heater?”

“My reaction speed slows down when my head gets cold, so I can’t help it.”

“Are you a cat? You malfunction when cold?”

“Stop nagging! Besides, there’s a reason why you absolutely must help me. Didn’t you see the chat?”

“No.”

“Seriously, I can’t live like this anymore.”

Saet-byeol pulled up the beam projector screen and set up the broadcast replay.

[Chat – ON]

-Della, let’s make this the game of our lives.

-If this gets reversed, Silva is definitely the culprit.

-How could they possibly lose this lol are they throwing?

-NoName come back NoName come back NoName come back NoName come back

-How long is the self-reflection period?

-Why are you looking for her here?

-We can ask, why so sensitive?

-What sensitivity? Stream rules forbid mentioning TAS.

-Please just watch the game quietly, guys.

-Adella, I’m a long-time subscriber of NoName. Since childhood, my parents were scammed and lost all their assets, starting from a semi-basement. My father is currently an epilepsy patient and is very ill. I think NoName would know how to treat epilepsy, so I’m desperately asking like this. It might be presumptuous, but if you can’t help directly, please lend us hospital fees which I’ll pay back without fail. We can’t even go to the hospital without money. My phone number is 010-XXXX-XXXX.

-Chat is a mess

-This is too chaotic;;

-Even 10 moderators would struggle with this?

-Oh they were camping the tunnel…

-Lost all the bounty GG

“See? I’m already stressed to death about the tournament, and now I have to worry about the broadcast and manage public opinion—my head feels like it’s going to explode. And on top of that, final exams are next week so I need to study English and Science quickly…!”

During my absence, Saet-byeol had thankfully been enduring people’s outcries silently.

Saet-byeol hung her head with a pale face.

“People who ask to borrow money completely change after a week and start cursing on social media. I’ve heard every possible insult in my life.”

She irritably dismissed the chat window and frowned.

Seeing her about to cry, I slowly approached her and met her gaze.

“Saet-byeol, you’ve been having a hard time because of me. I had no idea because you always seemed so cheerful. I’m really sorry for not noticing.”

I neatly brushed aside Saet-byeol’s sweaty bangs.

Saet-byeol just quietly closed her eyes, and I lightly touched her forehead with my fingers.

“I couldn’t tell you. You must be a hundred times more stressed than I am.”

“You know, you always make it impossible for me to refuse your requests this way.”

“Huh.”

“Alright, I’ll help. But all I can do is provide useful information. I’m not confident in teaching others, and I’m not in a position to do so right now.”

“I know. That’s enough.”

Just when I was planning to get some good rest, something came up.

But what should I do about the sweat on my hands?

I placed my palms on Adella’s cheeks and pressed gently.

Saet-byeol’s lips protruded like a duck’s.

“Mmph?”

“Nothing. Just encouraging you to work hard. Good luck on your finals too.”

“Of course! You know I never do anything halfheartedly! Thanks for helping me!”

Saet-byeol beamed, waving her hands excitedly.

Good, that was natural.

* * *

“You want us to run a 3-tank 3-healer comp without archers or mages? Without ranged DPS, it’ll be too difficult in this meta.”

“Wait, how are we supposed to cross the bridge?”

“Adella, are you sure about this?”

“Well, it’s hard to explain, but I think it’ll work for our team! Just trust me and try it once! I’ll brief you in detail in-game!”