Stars Are Born in Graves

Lee Sera glanced back and forth between Kang Seo-hee and me, then suddenly dove under the hospital blanket.

"Wh-what? Why'd you come all of a sudden~?"

I nodded at her reddened eyes.

"No big deal. I just thought of an experiment I wanted to try."

"The match? Didn't it just end?"

"Yeah, I came right after it finished."

When I placed my hand on the blanket, Lee Sera clutched it tightly, as if telling me to wait just a moment.

"H-hold on! Right now?! I'm not mentally prepared yet…."

As Lee Sera and I tugged at the blanket, Kang Seo-hee yanked it away from the foot of the bed.

"Aaah!"

Embarrassed, Lee Sera covered her face with both hands. Peeking through her fingers, I could see the tears—she hadn't stopped crying yet.

"It's okay~ Even kids cry sometimes, right? You're only eleven."

I shrugged at Kang Seo-hee's teasing grin.

"Exactly. She didn't cry even after losing to someone ten years younger than ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her."

Smack—a sharp pain shot through the top of my head.

"?????"

I clutched my head in confusion.

"D-did you just hit me? Even Monica's never done that…."

"Knew you'd say that. That's why you've grown up so spoiled."

Kang Seo-hee wiggled her four tentacles playfully.

"Keep that up, and you'll end up causing trouble like Yu-hye unnie."

"That's not…!"

As I stared at her in bewilderment, Lee Sera, who had wiped away her tears, burst out laughing.

"Ahaha. Good thing you finally have a senior who can handle you like that, Yoo Eunha."

"…What?"

"I mean~ your speech, your attitude. Monica's always so lenient with you."

"……."

I clicked my tongue inwardly and plopped down on the chair beside the hospital bed.

"Ugh, anyway! I have something I want to test first."

"What is it?"

I explained as concisely as possible what I'd realized from my fight with Kang Seo-hee.

"The side effect of the augmentation method means more ether has built up in the body than it can handle. Right?"

Lee Sera nodded at my words.

"Yeah. Most of the ether in me won't listen—it's rampaging inside."

I examined the violent ether vortex surging through her entire body.

"Ether that attacks the mage after escaping their will. So the solution is simple."

I spread my fingers and declared,

"Increase the number of wills—that is, create more mental cores."

Kang Seo-hee and Lee Sera both stared at me blankly.

"Isn't it easy? It escaped one mental core's capacity, so just add more capacity."

Kang Seo-hee pressed her forehead.

"Do you even know how many people in our country learned the augmentation method? They're not all idiots lying in hospital beds!"

Following Kang Seo-hee's words, a flustered Lee Sera chuckled.

"Ahah, you can only have one mental core, Eunha~ You know that."

"Sure. Mages can only have one mental core."

"Exactly…."

"So if there are two people, that's two mental cores."

Lee Sera twirled a strand of her graying hair.

"Uh…. You mean borrow another mage's mental core?"

"That's right."

"But~ that's impossible…."

As Lee Sera panicked, Kang Seo-hee nodded from the side.

"Yeah, manipulating someone else's ether? Even essence mages can't do that."

I turned to look at Kang Seo-hee.

"…What, you're still not an essence mage? This is easy."

They both stared at me again.

"Huh?"

"…?"

I scratched my cheek under their intense gazes.

"This kind of familial fervor is a bit much…."

Kang Seo-hee's almond-shaped eyes widened round as she stared at me.

"W-wait, are you an essence mage… Seo…?"

Her startled tentacles stood straight up.

"Yes. Weren't you yet?"

Kang Seo-hee stared blankly before dropping to her knees with a thud.

"Whoa…."

"?"

I furrowed my brow at Lee Sera while eyeing Kang Seo-hee, whose gaze had suddenly turned gentle.

"Still not an essence mage…. Hm, that opens up another option. We could try making you one."

"Uh…."

Lee Sera tilted her head.

"Can you just level that up like training mental strength or something~?"

"…Well."

Truth be told, I had no good answer for how to raise one's essence realm.

"Fine, let's stick to the original plan. I'll assist your mental core and control the ether."

"Ah, okay…."

Lee Sera quietly extended her hand.

I called out to Kang Seo-hee.

"Mage Kang Seo-hee."

"M-me?"

"Yes. While I circulate the Heavenly Circuit, can you read the ether's will for me?"

"The will…."

"Like how you dodged my magic in the tournament."

"Ah…."

Kang Seo-hee's eyes sparkled.

"If we understand the intent carried in the ether, it'll sync better with Sera's mental core, right?"

"Yes. Once you grasp it, it'll be easier to match steps."

Lee Sera blinked in confusion, not following, but Kang Seo-hee fidgeted with her tentacles.

"Then maybe we can even construct a virtual mental core structure…. If so, really…."

Lee Sera narrowed her eyes and asked me,

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing much. I'll grab your ether and run the Heavenly Circuit…."

"Heavenly Circuit…? What's that?"

"Ah, well…. It's circulating the ether once around your body. We need to gather all the ether inside you."

"I just stay still?"

"…Yes."

I cleared my throat and continued.

Kang Seo-hee interjected.

"Um, sorry to interrupt, but Sera's mental core is extremely weakened right now. One wrong move and it could be dangerous."

"I'll be handling the ether control, so…."

Mid-sentence, I realized what she meant.

"If my focus slips, it's over…."

"Yes, probably…."

I took a deep breath at Kang Seo-hee's words.

"Lee Sera. If I mess up, your life could be in danger. Still want to try?"

"……."

After a moment's thought, Lee Sera nodded.

"Yeah. I trust you, Eunha…."

With that, I summoned Jang-gil and let ether flow through it.

"Alright, let's give it a try."

*

Having heard the ether's will from Kang Seo-hee, Yoo Eunha began swiftly manipulating Lee Sera's ether.

She could hear breathing. No—more accurately, only breathing could be heard.

Kang Seo-hee gripped her hand, monitoring the intense ether flow. Yoo Eunha was truly handling the ether inside Lee Sera as if it were her own.

She's really… moving someone else's ether….

Kang Seo-hee studied the little girl before her. She looked so young, like she should smell of formula or baby powder, yet an untouchable aura emanated from her.

An essence mage at eight? Does that even make sense…? But then, what she's doing now? Wait, come to think of it….

The magic she'd used on her in today's match didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠make sense either.

A wave of respect and awe washed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠over her. All the common knowledge she'd learned as impossible seemed meaningless before this girl.

She was a massive sun that had plummeted from the heavens.

These are the kids who tread the Olympia….

Kang Seo-hee stood beside Yoo Eunha, holding her breath. The intense ether flow stung her eyes and made her limbs tremble.

If she felt this much, an ordinary person would die from ether backlash on contact.

Breaking into a cold sweat, Kang Seo-hee quietly closed her eyes.

With her eyes shut, a vision appeared: a massive star exploding. Red gas and blue sparks filled her vision, planets swept away one by one in the cataclysm.

What is this?

Panicking as she looked around, Kang Seo-hee spotted something glowing blue at the center of the multicolored dust cloud.

There stood Yoo Eunha, staff in hand.

A star? No, Yoo Eunha?

The light suddenly brightened, startling her eyes open.

"Gasp?!"

In Yoo Eunha's hand gleamed a chunk of ether shining like the sun. The overwhelmingly dense mass emitted a fishy scent and blinding light.

"……!"

In the silent hospital room, where no sound penetrated, Yoo Eunha's breathing quietly consumed everything.

"Ah…."

Kang Seo-hee's legs gave out, and she collapsed. The moment her hips hit the floor, all noise returned in a rush.

"It's done."

"?!"

"I've extracted all the rampaging ether."

As Kang Seo-hee stared in shock, Yoo Eunha shrugged.

"This is the refined ether Lee Sera built up over eleven years. Barely the size of my pinky nail."

"Ah."

"What, want a closer look?"

Yoo Eunha shoved the condensed ether toward her; Kang Seo-hee frantically shook her head and backed away.

"N-no, it's fine. How densely did you even compress it…."

"A secret."

As Kang Seo-hee shuddered under the immense pressure, Lee Sera, who had been unconscious, stirred awake.

"Ugh."

Having briefly passed out, she dazedly stared at the glowing blue ether mass.

"Ah…."

Her panicked expression gradually bloomed into a radiant smile.

"The disruptive ether is gone! D-did it work?"

"Yes. The problematic ether is all out, so your mental core won't be attacked anymore."

"Then…."

"Right, you've lost the accumulated ether. But you're still a mage."

At those words, Lee Sera sprang up and hugged Yoo Eunha tightly.

"Thank you…. Sniff…. I thought I'd never be a mage again…."

Lee Sera's body, clinging to Yoo Eunha's small frame, was even bonier than before.

She's been through hell mentally….

Kang Seo-hee, gazing at her emaciated form, thought of someone else lying in a similar hospital bed.

Maybe my dad too….

As she stared vacantly at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Lee Sera and Yoo Eunha, Yoo Eunha turned to her.

"What are you spacing out for? You're next."

"Huh…? Me?"

"I heard your father is bedridden from side effects."

"……!"

Kang Seo-hee's eyes lit up, and Yoo Eunha smiled awkwardly.

"I dug through the internet analyzing your profile, but that's all I found."

"Ah…."

Kang Seo-hee felt heat rush to her face.

"Let's go. It'll be great if you can read the will as well as you did today."

"Yes…. I'll guide you."

Kang Seo-hee gazed at Yoo Eunha with the look of someone in love and flung open the hospital room door.

Dad, who's been lying there for nearly a decade, might actually wake up.

Her body felt light, her steps quickening.

"Hey, if you walk too fast, it's hard to keep up…."

At this pace, it wouldn't take long to reach her father's room.