The after-party proceeded without any issues.

Cadets, finding their clique, gathered to eat, drink, and enjoy the fleeting freedom.

As the pre-announced event time approached, the dispersed cadets began to converge on the first floor of the banquet hall.

It was around this time that I returned to the banquet hall after my walk.

As soon as I entered, I quickly took a seat at a table set aside to avoid being caught by the swarming glances.

Cadets who were approaching me in strides scattered with looks of disappointment. I exhaled a sigh of relief. It was a close call; I almost fell into their snare again.

Shortly after, the main event began.

Though it was announced as an event, there was nothing particularly special.

It was a talent show, the kind one might see on a school trip or at a university MT, at least based on what I’d seen on the internet since I had never been on a school trip or to university.

The proceedings were more or less the same.

The host sparked enthusiasm with witty banter, and several cadets took to the stage to flaunt their skills, eliciting cheers from the audience.

The difference lay in the actions of the cadets on stage.

In the world I was familiar with, performances would typically include singing, dancing, and maybe some magic.

Cheers erupted as a female cadet started dancing after a few words. Given their superhuman physical abilities, her dance skills were extraordinary.

She performed a very dynamic and fast-paced dance flawlessly without a hitch.

Up to this point, there were no issues. It was within the realm of understanding for ordinary common sense.

– Whoosh!

It was after that where the norms of the previous world ceased to apply.

Flames sprouted from the cadet’s fingertips. While any ordinary person would have panicked and shaken off the fire, the cadet moved unphased.

The flame swayed, tracing red paths that followed her smooth yet intense movements.

The flame didn’t just sit idly. It moved as if it had its own consciousness, weaving around the cadet’s focus.

It was a sight like something out of myth: a dancer commanding fire as she moved.

‘……’

It was an unusual scene in many ways.

These actions were fed to me through spatial perception. Analyzing each action through spatial perception felt like accruing unexpected experience points.

The unique talents continued.

One cadet manipulated water levitating in the air to mimic various figures and buildings with impressive quality, while another used psychokinesis to control puppetry for a one-person play.

All of these were sights unseen in the previous world.

They also served as a bountiful source of experience points. Through spatial perception, I gained much by analyzing such talents.

Experiencing not only the manipulation of magic but also the physical changes and the emergence of unique abilities made the experience quite sweet.

So, I set aside any thoughts of leaving and sat quietly at a table set aside, observing the talent show.

There was also a moment when the host randomly called out pre-distributed numbers to the participating cadets, bringing them up for a brief song.

Aside from a peculiar atmosphere when I was selected, the event went on without a hitch.

.
.
.

Thus, the after-party successfully came to a close. There were no incidents, and most cadets left the festivities feeling satisfied.

Unlike the freshman welcoming party, which ended on a strange note due to my accidental fainting, this time everything from start to finish went smoothly.

After the event and having enjoyed themselves thoroughly, some cadets returned home while others remained in the banquet hall and partied until dawn.

The day after the after-party.

Sitting on my bed, I scrolled through the group chat on my smartwatch and nodded.

The suffering of the cadets groaning from hangovers was being reported live. I couldn’t understand why they’d willingly drink themselves into such a state.

It was an ordinary red-letter Sunday morning.

Though I should have resisted the lure of sleep and forced myself up for the weekend, today, I woke up automatically with a clear mind.

I had been in this state since yesterday, precisely since Baek Ahrin informed me about Hong Yeon-hwa’s condition.

‘Will she be okay?’

She couldn’t attend the after-party because of the side effects of Gop-hwa.

Hong Yeon-hwa, who seemed always healthy and unbreakable, missed the event due to illness.

Well-known amongst the cadets as a drinker, she had missed such a large drinking event…

My thoughts kept drifting in that direction.

The transformation of Gop-hwa. The change that comes every loop for Hong Yeon-hwa, the side effect that she always overcame easily.

So I hadn’t thought much of it.

In the original work’s timeline, she’d be back in top form in a day or two.

But the news of Hong Yeon-hwa being too ill to attend the event weighed heavily on my heart.

I kept being haunted by the sight of Hong Yeon-hwa looking drained on the last day of entering the tower. My thoughts became restless.

My mind would focus on something for a moment, then veer off course.

‘……’

After hearing from Baek Ahrin… That is, after Baek Ahrin sent what seemed like a proof-of-life photo, I contacted Hong Yeon-hwa.

It must have been around 9 PM.

I hesitated for a while before sending the message, wondering if it was too late, worrying it might be a nuisance.

The message asked if she was feeling alright.

After sending it, the incessant ringing of Baek Ahrin’s smartwatch stopped, and a reply arrived simultaneously.

▶Hong Yeon-hwa: Thanks for worrying about me. I’m okay. (Yesterday 20:57)

▶Hong Yeon-hwa: It’s something most with Gop-hwa go through. I’ll be fine in a few days, so don’t worry. (Yesterday 20:58)

▶Hong Yeon-hwa: What did Ahrin do this time…? (Yesterday 21:01)

Her body is okay. She’s thankful for the concern. She’ll be fine soon, so don’t worry. Though the responses were formal, they warmed my heart.

I didn’t understand her question about what had been done to her, but the tone seemed to be more concerned about me, even though she was the one in pain.

After briefly reviewing the message history, I nodded and got up.

It was the first time in my life I decided to visit someone who was sick.

Visiting the sick.

To visit someone hospitalized to check on their condition and offer comfort.

I had never gone on a sick visit in my life.

To be precise, there were times when people visited me, but I had never done so myself.

Thanks to an almost non-existent social circle in the previous world, there was no one to visit.

No injured acquaintances. Hence, naturally, no sick visits.

My only close contact was an internet friend.

‘I wonder how they’re doing…’

As I dressed for the visit, thoughts of my former world’s connection surfaced.

The internet friend who went by the nickname Agapansus.

Whenever I was bored and struck up a conversation, responses came sharp and quick, from a person as much of a hermit as me.

Most of my communication skills were honed from my conversations with Agapansus, to say the least.

Also, a person I won’t likely meet again as returning to the original world was not something I was considering.

‘…They should be fine.’

From what I heard, they seemed to be financially stable. Not in a precarious position that warrants my worry, so they’re probably living well even now.

A person who was practically living on the internet 24/7. With plenty of other internet friends, they won’t be lonely.

My thoughts briefly wandered. I shook them off and finished dressing.

Unlike the previous world, I now had a few connections.

Especially with Hong Yeon-hwa, I believed we shared a relatively close bond.

…Even though it’s mostly been me receiving help from her.

Hong Yeon-hwa is said to be ill. I couldn’t shake off the unease, and I wanted to see her and ask after her wellbeing in person.

Of course, I didn’t go right away.

Even with no experience in visiting the sick, I knew that showing up unannounced would be rude.

So, while asking about her wellbeing in yesterday’s message, I also subtly broached the topic of a sick visit.

▶Me: If it’s okay with you, may I visit you sometime tomorrow…? (Yesterday 21:06:11)

▶Hong Yeon-hwa: Yes. (Yesterday 21:06:12)

I had received an affirmative response. With permission granted, there was no need to hesitate.

‘…Should I go?’

I had gathered all my clothes and was about to leave the dorm when a sudden thought stopped me in my tracks.

Did I misread her politeness as consent due to my lack of social awareness?

Surely with Hong Yeon-hwa and me, we’re close enough for a sick visit…? I’m not the only one who considers us friends, right?

After a brief hesitation, I brushed aside the uneasy thoughts.

If I stayed at home, I’d just keep repeating these thoughts.

I quickly got dressed, entered the living room, and picked up the gift I had prepared.

I had already bought wrapping paper on the way yesterday.

After looking up etiquette for sick visits and learning that it’s good to bring a gift, I prepared one, thinking it’d be odd to visit empty-handed.

Of course, for Hong Yeon-hwa, it might seem trivial… But isn’t it the thought that counts with gifts?

I double-checked the gift and then opened the door to step outside.