There was a term called a âlife reversal.â In recent times, it was used when a person sitting on a pile of debt won the lottery. It was wrapped in the name of luck but there was also an unknown effort in it. The same was true for Korea University where Mido was currently taking classes.
The prestigious Korea University had invested a lot in virtual reality in anticipation of its future and it was now in its prime. Since the establishment of the virtual reality department last year, it had entered into an agreement with the Union Company, which has leading stock prices. Now it became a department where many talented people wanted to come to.
The professor spoke at the front, âIs your vacation period starting from today? However, I prepared something because I thought you would be bored without any assignments.â
âAhâŚâ
Sighs from the students rang through the classroom. The professor pushed up his glasses.
âAs you know, the game Arkstar has a lot of contact with our department. Everybody knows this?â
âYes.â
âIt is a game that is inseparable from our department. I also have a job-related program. The thing Iâm proposing to you today is something that Union has prepared.â
Simultaneously, everyone made a ruckus. It was the same for Mido.
âWhat does he mean by UnionâŚ?â
Mido raised her hand and asked a question, âCan you please tell us what exactly do you mean?â
The professor smiled.
âYou have to play Arkstar starting from today. You donât need to do much, just investigate a certain thing and then submit a report based on that.â
âWhat are we investigating?â someone asked and the professor replied, âThe constellations.â
Once again, the students were in an uproar. The murmurs were louder than before. Mido remained silent and waited for the professor to speak. Professor Yeo said, âThere are 88 constellations in Arkstar. Those who discover the most identities and abilities will be eligible to work as an intern in Union.â
The students had different expressions. Someone frowned while someone else clenched their fists. They listened to the professor while filled with their own desires.
âYouâll need money to enjoy Arkstar, right? Still, donât worry. Union has made it possible for our students to enjoy it for free during the school holidays. All you have to do is take your student ID card and go to the affiliated capsule room. Union will pay the full amount, of course.â
Everyoneâs eyes widened. Some people happily discussed what they wanted to do with their friends next to them. Maybe their reaction was natural. Union was currently making an unconventional proposal.
Midoâs reaction was the same. âWow, I can play Arkstar every day now?â
Midoâs heart jumped. How much had she enjoyed Arkstar in the meantime? The dream that was impossible in reality was being achieved in virtual reality. Even if it wasnât real, it was a real place for Mido. It was her other home.
âThose who put yet to be identified constellations in their report will get a higher score. Congratulations on the vacation, everyone. I wish you all good results.â
âThanks for the good work!â
Everyoneâs chair moved back with a loud sound. Their faces were full of joy. The same was true for Mido and her friend Sung Gayeong sitting next to her as they smiled and chatted.
âIt is really amazing. Right, Mido?â
âYes, I didnât think Union would make such an unconventional offer.â
âI think it was really good that I came to this department.â
âYes.â
Sung Gayeong asked, âMido, what are you worried about? What are you thinking?â
âIt isnât a big deal. I was just thinking about how to play in the future.â
âArenât you in the Icarus Guild? Youâve recently become famous on YouTube. How many people want to sign you these days? Just play as usual. Then itâs all going well.â
âIâd like to do something different than anyone elseâŚâ
Mido and Gayeong left the lecture room and arrived at the cafeteria to eat their meals. Sung Gayeong picked kimchi fried rice while Mido simply picked a sandwich and a small salad. Sung Gayeong wondered, âArenât you going to be hungry with just this?â
âIâm on a diet lately. I have to broadcast tomorrow.â
âYou work too hard.â
âYes, Iâm making a lot of money.â
âWow~ I wish I could do YouTube as well.â
âThen donât eat that.â
âForget it. How many delicious things are there in the world? I am a person who can never give up on them.â
The two people laughed and chatted. At this time, a message arrived on Midoâs phone.
[Cha Jincheol: Mido, let me meet your grandfather.]
* * *
âIt is really crazy.â
Cha Jincheol texted Mido and got a chill. It was because of the âone personâ he found on his laptop.
âWhat the hell is this grandfather?â
He was told that no one on team two had found the new Starâs Beloved. They were talented people. The fact that this person couldnât be found meant they were in a place no one knew. Cha Jincheol shone a lamp on dark places just like last time and his guess was spot onâhe found clues in a place where users had never set foot on. The place where he looked up was in the middle of the open sea.
âHow did they get a ship?â
In fact, it cost a considerable amount to buy a ship of this size within Arkstar. Considering that even a decent merchant shook from buying a small sailboat, it was unimaginable that a single grandfather with a chef class had bought it. The even more shocking thing was something else.
âHow can he use the power of another constellation?â
He had heard some explanations from his brother-in-law, Yoo Minseok. Cha Jincheol remembered the story he was briefly told when he first joined the company. In fact, it was something that everyone felt was insignificant at the time. A true legend hidden in the legendsâDr Kang Jaeseong, who was currently in a coma, had said it. He said that one day, such a thing would appear. Once it appeared, it would overthrow the existing order that existed within Arkstar.
At that time, everyone had joked about it and thought it was a joke. However, now it was no joke.
âIt is real.â
Cha Jincheol picked up a can of beer from the refrigerator in the monitoring room and turned to the screen again to watch the giant wolvesâ fight. It was a fight between an old, dignified white wolf and a black wolf giving off a dark, evil energy. Then there were the users riding on top of short-legged wolves. Surprisingly, one of them was the new Starâs Beloved.
âIs it Firefly Starâs Beloved?â
The even more remarkable thing was that the man who helped her eat the Star Fruit was âMidoâs grandfatherâ that he previously met.
âIt is like he knew all the constellations.â
He was busy sipping the beer when his brother-in-law, Yoo Minseok called. Cha Jincheol answered the phone straight away. âYes, what is it?â
-Hey, did you see the news?
âOf course I saw it.â
-Did team two find it?
âNope, they couldnât find it and were scolded by Team Leader Woo.â
-Hmm, I see. Then at times like this, my handsome brother-in-lawâŚ
âI knew it and have already started looking for it.â
-Ohh! As expected of my handsome brother-in-law. So did you find it?
âCome and see. I have something to tell you.â
-Huhu. Youâve already found it. You handsome guy. If I was there then I would kissâŚ
âCome quickly. It is serious now.â
-Whatâs so serious? I know. Iâll be there soon. It will take around 30 minutes.
ââŚI understand.â
After completing the phone call, Cha Jincheol lowered his phone with a deep expression. However, there was another vibration from the phone. Jincheol looked at the blinking screen of his phone and slightly raised the corners of his mouth. âShe isnât easy.â
[Choi Mido: I donât want to.]
* * *
Small snow crystals were piled up. The snow crystals gathered to become snow, the snow gathered to form hills and the hills gathered to become a magnificent landscape that a group of people was crossing.
âFather, are you really going to do it?â
âWhat do you mean?â
âPono. Do we have to find his mother? Canât we just take him?â
Just earlier, Taibeus had asked us to find Ponoâs mother. I had accepted it without any hesitation. âThat canât happen.â
âHing. Why?â
âThe emperor penguins canât live outside the North Pole.â
âAhâŚâ
Kim Sujeong still looked sullen and I told her, âIn fact, there is one more reason to look for his mother. This is the real reason I have to do it.â
âHuhâŚ? Wasnât it just returning him to his mother?â
âThat isnât the real reason.â
âThen what is itâŚ?â
The answer came from the sky. It was from Camille.
[The firefly star, âCamille,â says it is to confirm the life or death of the mother.]
âLife or death..? Is she dead?â
Camille seemed to know the reason. Indeed, there was no way she couldnât know. It was a reason that wasnât very sweet.
[The firefly star, âCamille,â says it is still unknown.]
[The firefly star, âCamille,â says that if she is dead, this place will be dangerous.]
âDangerous? What are you saying? Why is this place dangerousâŚ?â
âThat is what Iâll explain.â
All eyes turned towards me. Kim Sujeong, Gyeonso Dragon, and Drain were waiting for my answer. I sighed and questioned them, âDo you know why the North Pole exists here?â
âHuh? Of course I donât know. How could I know this?â
âI also donât know, Brother.â
âBuroder, do you know?â
âŚI shouldnât know.
âI know.â
âWhat is it? Isnât it just because this place is the North Pole?â
Just the North PoleâŚ
It was possible to think like this using general common sense. However, this was a place where common sense was completely different from reality.
âIâm curious, Brother.â
âTell me, Buroder.â
My eyes passed over the curious faces of Gyeonso Dragon and Drain before falling on Kim Sujeong again. She looked excited. She was probably looking forward to the answer that would come from my mouthâŚ
However, my words wouldnât be good news. âThe tundra dragon.â
ââŚHuh?â
âThere is where the strongest ice-type constellation is staying.â