The article about the president visiting Na-me’s hospital room right after finishing his overseas schedule seemed to calm public opinion.
However, the additional report about floral arrangements being found in a landfill only fueled the public’s anger more and more.
Could it be that I’ve really lost affection for Korea? Isn’t it possible that I might just up and leave for the United States?
Ultimately, at 10:30 AM on Saturday, June 10, 2051, President Ijo-won chaired a chief secretary meeting, directly mentioning the Valpurgis eradication operation during his opening remarks.
He also stated that he would request the UN troops to provide a timeline of the incident, which unexpectedly led to simultaneous attacks from both the ruling and opposition parties.
The ruling party criticized it as a reckless judgment that breaks trust with allied countries and poses a national security crisis, while the opposition vehemently condemned it, saying it was a waste of time when they could turn the National Intelligence Service and Military Secret Command upside down.
The media, feeding off this anger, rejoiced.
While nationalism videos were trending big on V-tube, the mainstream news was guaranteed views with so-called ‘Country-bash’ videos.
With reports like ‘OECD holds the highest youth suicide rate’, ‘elderly poverty rate 1st’, and ‘annual working hours 1st’, the public preferred to shift the reasons for their hard life outward rather than facing it inward, and the media exacerbated this nature.
Yet, there were indeed hopeful news stories.
It was news that Professor Dong Jin-soo’s cardiology medical team successfully completed surgery related to Na-me’s Aura Heart condition.
With this news, the people who had been worried breathed a sigh of relief and began to pay attention to her again.
[Is it real that NoName has reached 1 million V-tube subscribers?]
It’s been climbing by 300,000 a day.
How did Na-jaksu become such a worldwide figure?
[Comments]
– I saw this morning that it looks like it’s being covered in foreign news too.
└ Really?
└ Yeah, it was on the main BBC too!
– I hope she doesn’t have to stream, but just shares a life update that she’s okay after the surgeryㅠㅠㅠㅠ
– Does she not have an Instagram or anything?
└ SNS is a waste of life.
[Analyzing why NoName had an unusual amount of knowledge]
If you realized you were trapped in a virtual reality, would you just play games?
You’d struggle to get out somehow.
In the spare time, you’d probably memorize all the knowledge on the internet.
Watching streams, you could see that she was a genius from the start with inhuman levels of memory.
And research shows the higher the mana sensitivity, the higher the mental age, so that explains her maturity too.
If you can survive just by taking potions for 7 years, it means you’ve had above-average mana sensitivity since birth.
What do you think of this brainwave idea?
[Comments]
– So is that why the comments from academy-educated politicians felt childish? Was it because their mana sensitivity is low?
└ That seems completely unrelated though, haha!
– The articles say NoName is suspected to have the Restakaya syndrome, which has nothing to do with mana sensitivity, right?
└ (Original poster): Really?
└ But it’s true that her mana sensitivity is out of this world.
└ No matter how user-friendly Wagal’s simulation is, handling 5th Circle magic is no normal talent.
– Isn’t that just saying she couldn’t even eat and spent all day gaming and studying?
– So sad; if it were me, I’d probably have trauma and never get back in that capsule.
[Life without Na-me is hell…]
Now that I think about it, NoName has no substitute…
Watching other kids’ channels, all the kids just keep babbling on.
It’s disgusting to think they’re big adults behind those cute avatars.
So if you know any young kid who’s amazing at gaming, please recommend!
[Comments]
– Do you really think there is someone? lol
– You should have appreciated NoName for streaming back then.
└ I was super grateful because she hardly streamed at all!
└ Everyone cheered so much back then, haha!
– She’s been streaming since last year; what were you doing not watching?
└ Apparently, she wasn’t even gaming, so how would I know?
└ Should have gone for deep-sea exploration or something.
Na-me’s Twish Streaming Waiting Room was filled with silence.
It was truly sad to see viewers unable to leave despite the environment that made streaming impossible.
[NoName’s Broadcasting Station]
[Currently Offline – 4,921 Waiting]
– Is it for real that it’s still holding 5,000 people even with no streams?
– Space MIA with 5,000, whoa!
– It’s already a cold corpse.
– It would be great if she suddenly turned on the stream.
– This will be the 299,792,458th time that has been said.
– So now what?
– Hope she’ll come on Sunday… maybe next week… next month…
– Mom, it’s so dark, gloomy, and cold here…
– It’s creepy having just a black screen and a chat window.
-(Manager 5): dᅟᅣᆯㄲㅃ@#ㅓ갿#ㆍ#ᄁᅠᆯㅈ가#($ㄲ!!!!!!!!
-?
-?
-?
-(Manager 5): I just got an invitation from the room leader!
– Huh?
– An invitation?
– Don’t joke around, you mischievous furry!
-(Manager 5): I’m serious though!
-(Manager 5): (photo).jpg
-(Manager 4): ?
– What is it?
– A birthday party?
– Tomorrow is NoName’s birthday?
– Why didn’t anyone say anything!!!
-(Manager 1): Wow, I got one too!
-(Manager 2): I didn’t get one; I feel so left out…
– What is your basis for that?
– No way…?
Na-me had given online invitations to three people.
‘Hoya-muya-ho’, ‘Daehagwonsaengsalryeo’, and ‘Cat Love is the Best’.
All had in common being the avid fans of Na-me’s streams.
[If there’s ever a chance later, let’s treat the 1st place winners to a meal or something.]
The little awards ceremony that was held when creating the Twish community for the first time had the winners so excited.
-(Manager 5): Bye everyone~~~! I’m throwing off all the constraints of this world and heading out to find my happiness~~~! Yay, I’m going to see Na-me!!!
*
“Happy eighth birthday, our Na-me!”
The dark room lit up instantly.
Rubbing my eyes, I searched for the bed button and got up.
The voice was from Professor Cheon. He must have come in just as it turned twelve o’clock. Unfortunately, Adella had beat him to the punch in congratulating me.
“What, did you stay up just to celebrate my birthday?”
“And I told you to turn on the light when using your phone. It’ll ruin your eyes.”
“Either congratulate me or nag me, do one at a time.”
“Hahaha.”
It was odd that Professor Cheon, who normally went to bed at 10 PM, was holding out so late.
Before I knew it, a beautiful strawberry cream cake was on the table, and I was holding wrapping paper that seemed to be my birthday gift in the shape of a teddy bear.
“I was wondering what you’d do if you bought a sweet potato cake.”
“I know Na-me’s taste well.”
With Professor Cheon’s invitation, we moved to a much larger VIP room.
This floor had a systemically arranged space with a reception room, kitchen, bedroom, and even an area for medical staff to stay.
The friendly atmosphere felt so homey that it was hard to believe it was a hospital.
In fact, that aspect might just keep me from imagining the staggering amount the VIP room cost.
“Is this a gift?”
“Would you like to open it?”
“What could it be… I think I’m a little excited.”
“It’s a present you’ll really love.”
With his confident assurance, I slowly untied the ribbon with curious eyes.
As the bear faces on the wrapping paper gradually wrinkled, my face probably reflected pure joy at the sight of the familiar brand logo in the center of the white box.
[IWC Schaffhausen]
“I thought something like this would suit Na-me more than a Rolex or Omega.”
“Wow… but if it’s just a watch inside, it’d be a huge disappointment for me. You know what I mean, right?”
“Hahaha, there’s no way that’s true. Why don’t you take a look?”
The doctor had advised against any strain on my heart for a while. But in this case, Professor Cheon’s consideration seemed lacking.
With a racing heart, I broke the seal and slowly opened the box.
The logo I saw earlier prominently engraved on the box seemed to reiterate its luxury.
Pulling out the long object carefully cushioned inside the packing, the shimmering silver color gleamed bright as I held it.
“It’s a Light Transmutation Circle Inscriber…!”
Also known as a wand, this high-end product was beyond what I could imagine in terms of price, especially with the luxury tag attached.
“Would you like to try using it?”
For wizards, a wand is almost like a clone; it simplifies the tedious process of recording spells and enables optimal mana infusion.
Now, I could no longer hide my excitement.
I was unaware of the specific operation methods, but I figured it wouldn’t be a significant problem.
[Cast: Light]
An image of a 1st Circle mage drew itself automatically.
It even seemed so simple that intricate circuit rituals were auto-engraving as well, leaving my mouth agape in awe. In terms of convenience, it surpassed the staff Professor Cheon used.
The only variable I needed to specify was the amount of light.
I noticed that even the best value of mana infusion I calculated showed no 0.1% error, further deepening my curiosity about this wand.
“What’s this called?”
“It’s called IWC Reminiscence.”
“Reminiscence? That’s pretty sentimental for an IWC name.”
“What do you think? Do you like it? It’s not heavy, is it?”
“Yes, I love it… Ah, I should have said thank you before receiving a gift. This feels like I only like it because of the wand!”
Not being able to put the wand down, I tightly hugged Professor Cheon.
“Thank you so much…”
“I’m glad you liked the gift.”
“Thank you for adopting a child like me.”
“…!”
I felt his hand on my back trembling gently.
“I’ve been thinking this for a while. I’m truly a lucky person. So what if I lived through hard times for seven years? I’ll live happily for the next 90 years.”
“……”
The imposing figure of the grandfather was nowhere to be found as Professor Cheon gazed at me with a misty-eyed expression.
“Today marks exactly one year since I escaped from the capsule. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t met you, Professor Cheon.”
Professor Cheon is such a good person.
He genuinely understood the struggles of a child who’s only been in the world for less than a year, as if he were a newborn based on experience alone.
“I often feel this way lately. There aren’t many people in this world as amazing and kind as you, Professor Cheon. So, anyway, what I want to say is… thank you for raising me. Ah, don’t get the wrong idea that I’m leaving or anything…!”
“Thank you…”
“What are you talking about? I’m the one who should be thanking you… I mean it.”
A moment of silence hung in the air.
Expressing gratitude felt awkward but also made me feel giddy inside.
Neither of us knew how to continue the conversation.
In the end, I became the one to take the lead again.
“Do you have a specific reason for deciding to adopt me?”
Professor Cheon’s lips fumbled, opening and closing.
He seemed to hesitate, wanting to say something.
Seeing him take it so seriously made me want to quickly change the topic.
“No, I was just asking casually. By the way, how should we handle the birthday party? Should I send an apology message?”
“Why not just invite them here?”
“Huh? Here?”
With Professor Cheon’s suggestion, I looked around.
No matter how I thought about it, this room was bigger than our living room at home.
“Is that really okay?”
“Of course.”
I opened the curtains to peek at the hospital’s first floor outside.
With it being the 19th floor, the view wasn’t too clear, but it was evident that there were outsiders bustling about.
There were no white patient gowns to be found.
Could they be journalists or perhaps V-tubers? Maybe politicians or civic groups? Occasionally, loud voices echoed through a megaphone.
“It looks like it’d be a bit hard to break through all the way up to here…”
“I can come out to greet them.”
“Ahaha, alright, I’ll let the kids know.”
After chatting a bit more with Professor Cheon, he wished me good rest and turned off the lights.
Like the name ‘Reminiscence’, past days swiftly played before my eyes like a panorama.
Holding the Light Transmutation Circle Inscriber tightly as if it were a cherished stuffed animal, I drifted off to sweet sleep, faintly hearing a lullaby whispering in my ears.
“I miss you… Mom…”
