Chapter 91 – Fake and Real (3)

“Hmm.”

I stood in front of Dorm 2’s entrance on Thursday after class. I would’ve never expected to visit the girls’ dorm. I had no choice since class competitions began tomorrow, and everyone would be busy with midterms in two weeks.

I walked into Dorm 2 after taking a deep breath. Then I ran into someone unexpected. She wore comfortable clothes on her way to the library. I greeted her.

“Rachel!”

She stopped and swallowed hard when she saw me. I approached her since she didn’t move.

“Are you going to the library?”

“Y-Yes… what are you doing here?”

“Ah, I have something to do.”

I replied with a smile. Then I carefully examined her. She looked a bit different during exams. Her hair seemed more disheveled. She always pushed herself to compete with me.

“Oh right, you haven’t been asking me any questions lately.”

“I thought I should try solving them by myself first. Also, you’re probably busy studying too.”

“You can always ask if you have any trouble. I’m fine with it.”

Rachel silently nodded. I wanted to accompany her to the library, but I didn’t have time.

“Then you should get going. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

Rachel seemed to be in a hurry to the library. Did she want to study that much? I headed further to the pavilion near room 201. I walked up to her as she lightly waved.

“You’re here.”

Yoo Yeonha spoke with a smile. As always, she wore casual black clothes. Her white skin suited the black blouse and skirt.

“Yeah.”

“Why did you call me?”

Yoo Yeonha stared with interest. I came to her because of the ginseng I recently found with Kim Suho. I thought about how to use the five year old ginseng since I had more than enough money now. It would be best to produce medicine. However, I didn’t have the connections or equipment. I tried using stigma’s magic power, but two streaks were nowhere near enough.

“You made a pharmaceutical firm, right?”

“…”

Yoo Yeonha flinched at my straightforward question, but anyone could’ve found out. Most in Cube already knew she operated a business.

“It’s been about two months. My close acquaintances all know. What about it?”

Yoo Yeonha’s pharmaceutical firm would definitely succeed. Hosup did a quick background check for me and found that they weren’t performing so well. She lacked materials even though she had the necessary researchers and equipment. Yoo Yeonha struggled to find a proper ginseng digger because most already had exclusive contracts with bigger pharmaceutical companies. These companies wouldn’t flinch at Essence of the Strait’s name.

However, Yoo Yeonha would never give up. Eventually, her firm became one of the top three pharmaceutical companies. It only took ten years thanks to all the connections she had built.

“Here.”

I threw her the ginseng. Yoo Yeonha received it with a confused look. Her jaws dropped once she identified it. I hoped to become one of her connections.

“T-This…”

“It’s a five year old ginseng. Use it for research. You can pay me back later with high-quality medicine.”

If I remembered correctly, the person in charge of Yoo Yeonha’s pharmaceutical firm had a gift called Researcher. With this gift, he never forgot a technique. I wouldn’t wait long until I received high-intermediate rank medicine. Yoo Yeonha looked back and forth between me and the ginseng before putting it away.

“Where did you get this? Ginsengs don’t often appear on the market.”

She suddenly flinched since she realized she had referred to Violet Banquet, the black market. She began to sweat as I smirked.

“It’s possible, right?”

“Ah, yes, of course. I’ll pay you back with interest. It’ll take a while though.”

“That’s fine.”

I gave her a thumbs up. Yoo Yeonha stared at me before mischievously smiling.

“By the way, have you prepared for the singing competition?”

“Yeah, I picked a song and even went to a rehearsal this morning.”

“This morning?”

“Yeah, that’s why I wasn’t in class for the morning announcements.”

Cube had even hired professional musicians for the class competitions. They all had gifts related to music and arranged the song I chose in under an hour.

“Huhu. Can I look forward to it?”

Yoo Yeonha laughed at the thought of me singing, but I confidently replied, “Yeah, look forward to it. It’ll go beyond your expectations.”

Suddenly, her smartwatch vibrated. She glanced at the call and looked at me.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

“Yes, thank you. I’ll return today’s favor two… no, threefold in the future.”

Yoo Yeonha picked up the call on her earphones as I turned to leave. However, I grew curious and strained my ears.

— Yes, I’m at Daehyun hospital. Nurses are saying that Chae Jinyoon’s finger just moved. I stopped by to check if it was true.

My feet suddenly stopped when I overheard the news. I quickly turned around to face Yoo Yeonha.

“Really?”

— Yes, but…

“Ah, hold on a minute.”

Yoo Yeonha put the call on hold and glanced at me. I asked without being tactful at all.

“What is it for?”

“Uh, well, just networking.”

“I see.”

“Um… what’s up with that face?”

I turned around without answering. I felt a stinging pain in my head as I walked away in a daze. Chae Jinyoon’s finger moved. Of course, the nurses might’ve made a mistake or it could’ve just been a simple convulsion. Regardless, the news made my heart beat faster.

“…”

I came across a bench and sat down. I needed to know when the seed would germinate. I immediately opened the Book of Truth.

When will the devil seed in Chae Jinyoon germinate?

The Book of Truth didn’t answer, which meant stigma’s magic power wasn’t enough. I broadened the scope of the question and asked again.

Give me an approximate estimate of how much the devil seed in Chae Jinyoon has developed.

This time, it consumed all two streaks of stigma. Then 89% appeared on the book’s page. I had roughly half a year left assuming the seed took five years. I didn’t have much time before winter ended and spring began.

I held up my smartwatch. When will you contact me? Boss had messaged me.

***

— Cube’s first year class competitions will now begin!

The first day started with a soccer tournament. Everyone from Veritas class went to cheer for our eleven classmates. Most cadets rejoiced that we didn’t have our usual phenomenon realm analysis class.

“Wow.”

I watched the match for twenty minutes and felt glad I didn’t participate. Cadets couldn’t use magic power, but their physical abilities transcended humans. These monsters could run 100 meters in 3 seconds and didn’t play soccer normally. The ball flew back and forth along with the players. I watched it like a movie. Then Rachel suddenly poked my shoulder from the side.

“Hm?”

She looked at me and mumbled, “Um…”

“Yes?”

“Today’s singing…”

“What about it?”

“What song…”

“What song am I singing?”

Rachel nodded. She seemed a bit worried and also scared. Was she that worried I would fail? How kind. I replied with a smile.

“Have you heard of a song called ‘If’?”

“Hm?”

It didn’t seem like she knew. I couldn’t blame her since it came out in 2008. Real singers also existed in this world perhaps because I mentioned them in my novel. I chose a song from a female artist because I empathized with the lyrics, especially the line, I’m afraid to meet because of the future goodbye.

“You probably haven’t heard of it. It came out in 2008.”

“2008?”

“I think so.”

I had to lower the key, but the Cube musicians made all the necessary arrangements. They even praised me as a great singer.

“Whooa!”

The crowd cheered as Kim Suho made a goal. Now that I think about it, I had created the class competitions to make Kim Suho shine.

“…”

I spotted Chae Nayun in the front row happily cheering. A part of me felt uneasy. Did she hear the news? Did she know her older brother would wake up in half a year? Chae Nayun turned around and met my eyes. I gave her a weak smile and turned away.

The 90 minute soccer match came to an end as our class won. Kim Suho and Shin Jonghak scored three goals and two goals respectively. The opponent didn’t score a single one thanks to Yi Yeonghan’s miraculous saves and Kim Horak’s defense.

***

The outdoor competitions continued until 5 P.M. Afterwards, cadets moved to the indoor auditorium to watch today’s final event, the singing competition. The auditorium had a maximum capacity of 4000 people. The second and third year cadets also came to watch.

“Oh right, class competitions are only for first years.”

Chae Nayun looked around and wondered why so many upperclassmen showed up.

“Yeah, our second year seniors can’t participate even if they wanted to, so they’re spectating instead,” Yoo Yeonha briefly replied.

“Is Kim Hajin really going to represent our class?”

Chae Nayun couldn’t find him since participants stayed in the waiting rooms. She couldn’t help but worry since Kim Hajin didn’t look like the type who could sing. He looked like a stereotypical tone-deaf person. Wouldn’t he just embarrass our class?

“He looked confident. He told me to look forward to it, so I am.”

Yoo Yeonha snickered and turned towards the stage. The emcee appeared and started the singing competition at exactly 6 o’clock. A female American cadet named Neilee from World class took the stage.

— I chose a song called “Promise.”

Neilee sang an R&B song.

“Oh, I know this song.”

Chae Nayun grew excited because she liked the song. Neilee met Chae Nayun’s expectations and turned up the atmosphere with her explosive voice.

“She’s gotta be the first place winner.”

“Yeah, she’s great,” Kim Suho replied from next to Chae Nayun. He had approached her before she noticed.

“Kim Suho? When did you get here?”

“Just now. When is Hajin coming up?”

“I don’t know.”

A Chinese cadet named Jin Harim from Cultivation class went next. He sang a song called “Sad Day,” filled with high notes. Every cadet afterward also sang songs filled with high notes and a powerful climax. The competition continued and eventually reached the ninth stage.

“Auu, my ears.”

Chae Nayun and many in the audience grew tired of hearing the same songs. Tak, tak. Then Kim Hajin walked up to the stage dressed nicely in his black jacket and jeans. He seemed taller than usual as though he wore shoe inserts.

“Ooh, look at Hajin.”

Kim Suho smiled brightly like a fan as Kim Hajin appeared. Chae Nayun seemed dumbstruck at Kim Suho’s reaction.

— Please introduce yourself.

The audience busily talked perhaps because the eighth contender sang too good. However…

— I’m Kim Hajin from Veritas class.

A single sentence silenced the crowd. His voice sounded surprisingly pleasant.

— I prepared a song called “If.”

— “If?”

— Yes. I don’t think many people have heard of it since it came out in 2008.

The audience began to stir.

“What?”

“2008? Is it trot?”

“Is he an attention whore?”

Most first year cadets were born in 2008. They considered music from almost two decades ago old-fashioned. However, Kim Hajin remained unbothered.

— Then I’ll start.

The lights turned off except for a single spotlight on Kim Hajin. The piano accompaniment began as Kim Hajin’s breath melted along with it.

— If I were to go…

The first line rang out and ended the audience’s complaints. His soft vocals continued to embrace the auditorium. It grew quieter as the song progressed and only his voice could be heard.

— Because I’m such a fool, I can only watch you from afar…

Kim Hajin recited the lyrics with his eyes closed as if he was savoring them. He didn’t sing a single high note or use any fancy technique. However, his beautiful voice captivated the audience. It felt heavy, delicate, sweet, and temperate. Everyone held their breath as they savored the moment.

“His voice.”

Chae Nayun murmured in a daze. Goosebumps appeared on her arms as she stared at Kim Hajin. His voice seemed to flutter in front of her. It shone so brilliantly that she felt she could touch it if she reached out just a bit.

— Because I’m afraid of the pain and sadness that comes after.

The cold falsetto of the final line perfectly melded into the atmosphere. The audience felt dazed even after the song ended as though they had just woken up from a dream. Soon, they applauded. However, Chae Nayun remained frozen as the lyrics lingered in her ears.

“Thank you.”

Kim Hajin bashfully smiled as he bowed. He spotted Rachel in the audience with teary eyes.

This song is pretty sad.

Kim Hajin lightly smiled, but his smile disappeared when he saw Chae Nayun behind Rachel. He turned around uncomfortably.

Soon, he received an alert on his smartwatch.

[You have obtained 98 SP!] [A lucky bonus has occurred! You have obtained an additional 15% SP!]