A Foundation Vast Enough to Swallow a City
The foundation on the first floor of the Korean Magic Tower Union was vast and enormous enough to swallow an entire city whole.
"Not easy to hide, huh," Monica said, prompting Yuri to blankly observe the massive sea.
"Yeah~ Is this even possible on this scale~? How much ether did it take? This is like a 30-floor size."
Looking anxious, she tapped away at her portable calculator.
"Sigh~ A scale like this would've been detected by the observatory for sure."
"Yeah, it might've affected the Abyss waves too."
"Then what do we do…."
As the two furrowed their brows in worry, I spoke up casually, as if it were no big deal.
"What's the matter?"
"Kiddo, your foundation's too huge. We're worried it'll draw all the attention."
"I don't care! I'm gonna be a star!"
At my words, Monica and Yuri wore troubled expressions.
"That's~ not as great as it sounds~," Yuri said, flashing her sharp teeth in a grin.
"People following you everywhere every day, shoving their weird standards at you left and right~, the whole nation treating you like entertainment~ You'd be prime snack material~."
I frowned at the surprisingly specific scenario.
"…Hmm. That bad, huh."
"There's Isara, remember~?"
Only then did the realistic example make me nod.
"Yeah, I don't want that. Better to hide it."
"Good call, our kiddo's smart. Getting attention's a double-edged sword."
"You might have to split from Monica~?"
Monica's eyes went wide at Yuri's words.
"What, really?"
"No! That's a lie!"
Yuri wagged her tail.
"Think about it. Monica's American, after all."
For a moment, I pictured a plaza with the Korean flag and Stars and Stripes waving.
"Ah…. Headache."
"The Tower Union might let it slide, but the government and Mage Association won't. They're sensitive about nationality~."
Then the answer was clear.
"Gotta hide it as long as we can."
"You'll be a power-hider."
"Kim Soon-jin? That's a person's name?"
Yuri burst out laughing at my question.
"Hahaha. Forum addict and old soul kid combo—hilarious?"
"Hey! Who's the forum addict!"
"Who's the old soul!"
"Okay, okay~ Anyway, how're we hiding it."
"Well…."
Monica couldn't answer, so I snorted and wiggled my tiny finger.
"If we're hiding it, just meet the top dog, right?"
"Top dog?"
"The head of the Magic Tower Union."
Yuri's jaw dropped at my words.
"Ehhh? That's impossible! Sigh~ How do you meet that stuck-up Tower Union president~?"
"I've got connections."
Yuri blinked at Monica's reply, then closed her gaping mouth.
"A 7-level mage might actually work~?"
"That's what I think."
"Still, some info's bound to leak bit by bit."
I smirked at Monica's concern.
"A needle in a pocket."
"Nanzhong what? Why China?"
I furrowed my brow at Monica.
"A hidden gem! You can't conceal talent forever. Duh."
"Whoa, kiddo's speech loosened up."
"It did not!"
"Hahahaha! You guys play like this all the time~? Let me join training too, haha~!"
I tossed my dagger into the air, making it vanish, then said,
"Just hide it for a few years anyway. I'll enter the junior league as the youngest ever."
"I see…."
Monica thought for a moment, then wiggled her fingers.
"Makes sense. Our kiddo's a genius…? A few more years of growth, and no one in juniors will match you."
"What're you saying~ There's Isara~."
Yuri's words had Monica and me reply in unison.
"I can beat her."
"She will."
Yuri looked exasperated.
"Overconfidence much~? Isara's been dominating juniors since age 5~. Rumors say she's heading to S3 pro league~."
"Hmph, still just a 10-year-old snot-nosed brat."
"You're 7? You crybaby kid~."
"Who's the crybaby!"
As I hopped mad, Yuri shook her shark tail happily.
"More importantly~ You really gonna meet Mahwa Lee Haryeong?"
"If we don't go now, she'll summon us eventually?"
Yuri nodded at Monica's words after a pause.
"True~ That vicious auntie's sure to track us down."
"And by then, it'll be messy."
"Ugh, let's go now~."
"Um…."
I broke out in cold sweat.
The backlash from conquering the first floor was kicking in.
"Does that mean I can't rest…?"
"Ah! Kiddo!"
My vision blurred, and consciousness faded.
In a dark room lit only by faint rays of light, several voices grumbled in dissatisfaction.
"How's the countermeasure coming along?"
"The situation's getting weirdly tangled."
"The Sigma Graph is splitting!"
At the center of the voices floated a graph with a single line and photos of Yu Eunha.
The grand line integrating all the world's data—the Sigma Graph. That beautiful line was violently shaking due to one child.
"Hey, Logos! You even listening?"
A refined woman's voice drew a deep, resonant reply.
"Quiet, Lux. This level of noise is within predictions, isn't it?"
"Hmph~ Nonsense."
Others voiced agreement.
"Right, Logos. This noise is once-in-a-millennium level."
"The Abyss can't hold."
"Signs of the world's collapse!"
"Logos, the end is nigh!"
"So much worry."
A voice like scraping metal brought silence.
"The Sigma Graph will soon regain peace."
Logos clicked his tongue at the chilling voice.
"Tch, even overlapping with pathos's thoughts."
"Ahh~ Scared of the noise growing, old timers~?"
Logos inhaled sharply at Lux's taunt.
"…Fine. If you're that worried, we'll send a tuner to this noise."
Voices erupted.
"A tuner!"
"Sending him?"
"Then we're safe."
Logos replied curtly to the satisfied voices.
"Then this meeting ends."
"For balance."
"For balance."
"Hehe, for balance~."
"For… balance…."
With the chilling voice, all noise vanished.
In a flashy office, an elderly man opened his eyes.
"Logos getting impatient too? Shaken by that provocation."
He rubbed his tired eyes.
"Korea's about to get noisy thanks to this."
Sending a tuner to an unconfirmed noise sprout. A risky gamble that could expose them or cost a good ally.
"Fist-cuffing the Sigma Graph, humanity's lifeline…. Tch."
The man's weary eyes turned to a file with Yu Eunha's photo.
"This talented kid's in for a bolt from the blue."
Whether she'd become noise or join their Prism Board was unknown.
But sending a tuner out of nowhere.
"Will Korea lose another promising sprout…."
The white-eyed man rose and approached the giant window.
"What's the world coming to."
Below sprawled a cutting-edge magic-tech complex. Once a slum of shacks for immigrants, they said.
"Before major business, let's finish this…."
He sat, processing files. Classifying insignificant lives.
Trivial compared to the great Sigma Graph.
"So this kiddo's the star of the ether wave the other day. Right?"
The twin-tailed pink-haired kid hopped down from the huge chair.
"You're Mahwa Lee Haryeong?"
She frowned at my words.
"What's with the forum-addict speech from this kid."
"I'm not a kid!"
As I fumed, Haryeong approached. She was a head taller than me.
"Call a kid a kid, kiddo. Tiny kid, shorty—stuck to the ground!"
"Eeeeek! Come at me! I'll end you today!"
As I swung my fist, Monica grabbed my arm and pulled me back.
"This is Lee Haryeong, 7-level mage and president of the Korean Magic Tower Union."
My fist stopped at Monica's explanation. A heavy ether aura rippled behind Haryeong.
"Yeah, let's end it, kiddo? Wanna go a round?"
I rolled my eyes and shook my head.
"No, why's everyone I meet a 7-level?! Hidden camera or what?!"
"Hahat, fun kid."
Haryeong sat back in the giant chair, looking down at me.
"I'm in a great mood. Especially meeting tinier kids—always lifts my spirits."
"She's super twisted."
Monica gave a wry smile and patted my head.
"I see. Here to hide that kid's data?"
"Yes. While eyes are on Isara, we wanna raise a dark horse."
Haryeong propped her chin.
"Why? I'd rather they know each other and compete friendly-like."
Her pink hair belied a sharp response.
"Isara needs rivals to grow faster. Good for both, no?"
Monica shrugged at Haryeong's words.
"Our kiddo's only learned magic a month. Still green, no sponsor to protect her. Fame would be trouble."
Haryeong choked and coughed.
"Cough! What?! You crazy bitch threw a month-old newbie into the Abyss?!"
Yuri, who'd come along, rushed over with the report.
"Haryeong? Look here…. This is the precise test score, and this is the foundation estimate…."
"……."
Haryeong stared blankly at the metrics, alternating between Monica and me.
"You expect me to believe these numbers?"
"Don't have to. I lose nothing."
"……."
"Don't believe, info stays safe on its own. Believe, you gotta grant the request."
Haryeong smirked at me.
"Uhahaha! What is this kid? Really 7, Monica? First one's ever talked to me like this!"
"Yeah~ Picked her up off the street, no idea. Street rat origins."
"Huh. Guess I'll help a bit then."
As Haryeong continued, a man entered. Muscles bulging under a tight shirt, he strode into the conference room.
Haryeong eyed him unpleasantly. He struck a haughty pose regardless.
"What's with this kid?"
Haryeong bristled.
"Tch, the bum showed up."
The man cleared his throat, voice all fancy.
"So, what brings you to the Tower Union?"
I glanced at Yuri; she crouched and whispered.
"Magic Management Minister Park Bong-sik~ Puppet minister with no power or skill~."
"That guy's a minister…."
"Smart talented mages join towers~. Government's mages are usually…."
"Washed-up rejects?"
"Bingo~."
As Yuri and I muttered, Bong-sik snatched her tablet.
"Ah, Minister, that's…."
"Ahem!"
Bong-sik glanced at the metrics and snickered.
"Ha! Think these numbers are real? Even peerless genius Isara scored 19, and this kid's got 28?"
Yuri replied flatly.
"They are real."
"Desperate for grants, huh? Lie in moderation."
"Not grants. Here for security on this info."
Rebutted, Bong-sik fumed.
"Ridiculous! All scrambling to make the next Isara! Think changing tactics fools me?! Obviously denied!"
Spit flying, he turned to Monica.
"Monica, have some shame! A 7-level mage living off blood-tax grants in Korea—entertainment, vacations, no Abyss raids or pro leagues! Thought maybe mentoring, but fraud?! Korea that funny?!"
"……."
Monica's face darkened; I scowled. Weakling bullying the strong irked me.
I kicked the room's table hard.
"?!"
"What?!"
Everyone stared in shock; I spat one line.
"I'm out."