Playing House
Teacher Jackie’s passionate lessons were mostly unnecessary for me, which was a shame for her. “The sun’s effects on us include, first, helping plants create the nutrients they need through sunlight. It also allows us to make ‘blank’ using sunlight—what word do you think goes in this blank?”
I silently shouted electricity! in my head and zoned out again. Of course, I personally loved these zoning-out moments. They activate the brain’s DMN, boosting memory and creativity, so it’s not a bad thing at all.
“Me! It’s electricity!”
Seo Yu-na, the monster born from perfect attendance scores, raised her hand and answered again.
Recalling Korea from my first life made me realize the subtle differences from this world. For one, the curriculum volume. The college entrance exam could be covered in a generous month with one full review per subject due to its narrow scope, but each question demanded deep critical thinking. In contrast, the current KGSAT lumped vast subjects into broad categories like “Magic Studies” and “Transmutation Studies,” rivaling even the toughest civil service exams. Miss a single lesson, and you’d never catch up.
Sure, skipping magic subjects in college admissions would skyrocket your quality of life, but considering the status of theoretical magic scholars and combat mages in modern society, it was hard to give up. Politics pitted mages against non-mages in fierce opposition, each trying to undermine the other’s rights—but that was another world’s problem. I’d seen them bickering about it on the morning news.
What else? Inflation played a role, but now nearly every university charged ten million won in tuition. I vaguely remembered my old college being around twelve million a year.
Ding-dong-dang-dong—
“Nami, let’s go! Run!”
The bell signaling the end of fourth period triggered the kids like Pavlov’s dogs. Snapping back to reality, I saw most of them already bolting out of school. Eating lunch a bit earlier than others wasn’t a big deal, but to kids, it was crucial.
With friends grabbing my wrists in a no-mercy cafeteria race, I barely made it to the front. Geographically, our second-year Class A was at the farthest end, so last place was inevitable.
“If we’re gonna be last anyway, wouldn’t it be better to come late? You get more freedom with portions.”
“No way!”
“Why?”
“Just no! We have to come early!”
Once an idea sticks in your brain, it’s hard to shake. With a do whatever mindset, I waited in line reviewing the academic journal from morning.
I'm jealous...
“Huh?”
Jealous. Of your friends.
“Why?”
Just... stuff. But sis, you don't do much at the academy? Other vlogs show them taking notes all diligently.
“I already know it all. Just sitting here with them is enough for me.”
Whoa...! That sounded super criminal just now!
Adella’s grumbling continued through lunch. She seemed back in her depressive mode lately, so I tossed her a question to lighten the mood.
“By the way, when’s your vtuber debut? Didn’t you say October? The month’s almost over.”
Wow... disappointed. I might've gotten hurt there?
“Why?”
Tomorrow! Tomorrow! How could you not know?! Aaaah! Fine, I'm just a fake data speck without a body! No one would even notice if I vanished! Waaah!
The drone, spiraling in a frenzy, lost control and crashed to the floor.
“Sorry.”
I rushed to retrieve it before more eyes gathered, then pulled out my phone for a video call.
H-hello...?
“It was tomorrow? Sorry, Adella, I really mean it. Sis has been busy lately and hasn’t checked on you enough. Forgive me?”
Apologies are all about speed.
I-I never asked you to check on me! I just vented 'cause I was bummed—don't take it so seriously, you serious freak.
“Forgive me?”
Fine! Forgiven! There, forgiven! Now eat your food, you lowly flesh-bound humans!
“Haha, so cute. Call me tomorrow whenever you want. Let’s stream together.”
What? I can do it alone just fine!
That’s why I like simple people like Adella. No emotional drain, just a comfortable presence.
As I nibbled on rice grains, my friends tilted their heads at me.
“What?”
“Nami, you know how to smile?”
“Yeah, I smile a lot.”
“No way! You never smile. Once? Twice?”
The kids counted on their fingers. They never got past five.
“But smiling makes you so cute, hehe.”
Yu-na grinned broadly.
“I’ll smile more from now on.”
As I finished eating and set down my chopsticks, five or six elementary division seniors approached hesitantly, hands behind their backs holding something.
“You say it first!”
“You suggested it...!”
“Passing it to me? Sigh... Um, Nami, can you sign this for us?”
Whoosh—the boy knelt like he was proposing, offering paper and pen.
“Huh?”
“My sister’s in high school division and wants your autograph... I mean, I do too! But she mentioned it first—”
“Sure. Hand it over.”
“Really? Wooow!”
“Me next...!”
I tapped the table with the pen, pondering. My contract signatures were always formal print. But these kids liked cute and special things. Under time pressure, I ran a simulation and arrived at the optimal result. Blend the letters of NoName naturally: two ‘N’s like perked cat ears, a cat face inside the ‘O’, three whiskers on each side, connect the end of ‘e’ to the head—loaf cat complete.
“Ooh! Wow!”
“Here.”
“So cute! Thanks, Nami!”
As I reached for the next paper, I spotted the growing line behind them and regretted my choice. Twenty, thirty kids, more joining by the second.
“Guys... go back to class first.”
“O-okay...! You got this!”
“We’ll take your tray, Nami.”
My wrists wouldn’t last today. A faint weariness slipped into my sigh.
Adella and Nami could be seen as kindred spirits in misfortune. Adella was an artificial neural network born from Walpurgis recklessly cloning human brains in their lab; Nami survived seven years trapped in a capsule by Walpurgis, relying on virtual reality. To Adella, Nami was the sole being who understood her pain and loneliness.
Only Adella knew the streamer who shocked the world was an elementary girl, and that she was a Walpurgis terror victim. When Nami shared her past directly, Adella sobbed under the covers for days. But as Nami’s identity leaked to the public, becoming no big secret, loneliness crushed Adella again.
Someone advised that everyone harbors such loneliness, so she hid it. A body would solve everything anyway.
Filming Nami’s vlog is overcoming myself too. Let’s keep going.
Nami was quiet and well-behaved at the academy, zoning out during classes for personal reflection. But she poured all her energy into magic practice sessions.
Class had long ended, into break time, yet Nami wouldn’t stop talking.
“I Ha-ru. Cast from the start again. Who slaps together anti-backflow incantations like that? The safety manual says never skip it. Rebelling against Mom?”
“Eek! Wait, is this playing house? You’re too serious, Nami... I mean, Mom...!”
“Talking back...?”
“Kyaaah! Save me!”
The house play started at lunch and dragged on. Nami as mom, I Ha-ru forcibly the youngest daughter, “disciplined” in a child abuse scene.
“I Ha-ru! Disobey, and you won’t grow tall like Mom! Hehehe.”
Seo Yu-na, as dad, grabbed Nami’s armpit from behind, swinging it wildly.
“Seo Yu-na, you too—bend over.”
“Aw, Nami! Husbands are ‘honey’ or ‘Haru’s dad,’ not—”
“Three, two, one.”
“Y-yes...!”
Two promising Korean talents obeyed her utterly.
“Anti-backflow incantations are essential for water magic. Know what happens if interrupted mid-cast?”
“What?”
Laminar Flow
Nami drew an incomplete transmutation circle, infused mana, raised her left arm, and slammed her right.
Crack!
Mana circuits overloaded; her right arm flailed like an octopus tentacle. Already pale, it blanched further from blocked blood flow. Nami stroked it with aura-charged hand, calming the mana flow.
“Got it? Even a 2nd Circle spell does this—imagine 5th Circle. Dangerous?”
“Super dangerous...!”
“Good. Up. Last house play today—you’ve had enough fun?”
“Y-yeah...! Once is plenty... House play sucks, haha!”
“Huh? I thought it was fun.”
“Seo Yu-na, read the room...!”
Ha-ru yanked Yu-na’s ear. More would break Ha-ru’s spirit.
Stretching her shoulders, Nami hugged the drone and whispered to Adella.
“Dismissal time. Thanks for flying all day.”
Just twitching my fingers—what effort? And I’m filming till you sleep tonight.
“I usually crash past midnight. Won’t you get tired?”
I’m unemployed till tomorrow anyway. Oh, sis—phone.
“Gotta do homeroom. I’ll take it later.”
Kids settled happily with bags packed. End of day always thrilled.
“One more round of applause for Nami’s hard work at the Academy Tournament? Everyone, clap!”
Competing to clap loudest, Nami waved shyly but smiled brightly. Adella captured Nami’s childlike moments.
She’s cute.
Adella felt lucky to have such a family figure, relaunching the drone. Hoping someday to feel her warmth through skin.
“Hello? Yes. Which embassy? Oh, Israel...”
What? Embassies always calling you like this?
Bad reception? Nami pushed the drone aside, plugging her other ear.
“Tomorrow’s busy for me. VR too... Can’t you postpone the ceremony?”
Her brows furrowed seriously.
What’s up?
“Guess you’ll do it without me. Yeah, not refusing the award... Do whatever. I don’t care if I get it or not. Thanks for your hard work.”
Click. She pocketed the phone casually. Her doll-like blank expression piqued Adella’s curiosity.
So what was it?!
“Wolf Foundation called. Selected for the Wolf Prize in Math, ceremony tomorrow.”
Wolf Prize in Math? What's that? Famous?
“Pretty famous in these circles. But we planned your debut stream tomorrow, so I told them to handle it.”
No way, really...? I don’t know what it is, so hard to comment... But you sure it’s okay?
“Of course.”
Nami’s confident tone moved Adella more than any prize—prioritizing her.
Hehe. Debut tomorrow, debut!
Feeling validated, Adella giggled softly until Nami got home.