The second was distance. Master, who should have known about my reincarnation, hadn’t reached out to me.

Was he avoiding me on purpose? Or had he developed amnesia and lost all memory of me?

If my mate really were Master, I thought he would have sought me out at least once.

After all, there were still things to settle between us.

I wanted to apologize.

I even came all the way to China, thinking he’d give me a good scolding for being a lousy disciple.

But there was no trace of Master’s dignified gray hair or his carefree laughter.

He wouldn’t have gone to the heavens, would he?

With that thought, I let out a sigh.

Pointless musings weren’t helping, so I decided to focus on the immediate tasks at hand.

"Oppa!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Returning to the living room, I saw Yena toddling toward me with her arms wide open, clearly wanting to be picked up. With no other choice, I lifted her into my arms.

Sigh. She’s starting to get heavy.

I used to be able to carry her more easily, but her increasing weight made me click my tongue.

Holding Yena, I walked over to Choi Ye-Seo and passed her off.

"I can’t keep this up much longer."

"Yena went through all the trouble of raising her arms, and you’re already whining."

Despite her grumbling, Ye-Seo took Yena into her arms with a faint smile.

"Raising kids would wear you out in five minutes, Eun-i."

Ignoring her teasing, I lightly flicked her forehead and headed toward the couch where my family was gathered.

"Hey, Eun-i, stay here. Your unnie is leaving now."

"What am I, a lost kid at a supermarket? And why are you calling yourself my unnie?"

Her ridiculous comment made me laugh as I collapsed onto the couch.

When Yoon followed the girls upstairs, I was left alone.

There were still adults around, but what could I possibly talk about with them?

Mom and the other mothers occasionally complained about feeling a generational gap when talking with their kids.

Not that discussing politics, a favorite adult topic, would lead anywhere productive—it would just give me a headache.

Maybe I should just head upstairs and nap.

Even though time was tight, I couldn’t help but feel utterly relaxed.

Tap. Tap.

A rare moment at school.

I sat at my desk, absently tapping my fingers against it while gazing out the window.

The rhythmic tapping drew the attention of some students.

It was break time, so I didn’t get why they were staring. Feeling self-conscious, I stopped.

Even during breaks, it seemed like students at this elite school spent their time studying.

Studying isn’t everything in life.

But it was probably the most efficient way for them to do something meaningful.

For those without exceptional talent, studying was a necessity.

A talent for studying? That doesn’t make sense. Unless a genius says it, it’s a joke.

There’s no inherent talent for studying. It’s just a competition to see who can sit still the longest.

Even those with weak willpower could manage to sit for long hours, though it might not be productive studying.

So when I see people studying diligently, both at school and elsewhere, I can’t help but think they’re impressive.

I could never do that.

But I could sit still for longer than them—if there was a canvas in front of me.

Comparing it to gaming makes it simple. You might hate studying, but you can game for hours on end.

In short, those who study well are just choosing their future over fleeting pleasures.

The ability to ignore what you want to do and focus on what you should do—that’s remarkable.

I’d given up on that long ago.

When the attention on me began to fade, I stood up, deciding to take a walk and get some fresh air.

It had been a week since I started working on [Sara] and searching for Master.

Not a single trace of him.

Following his supposed tracks and talking to people connected to him yielded nothing but vague answers.

All they could say was that it had been years since they’d last seen him.

Maybe I should consider another possibility.

What if Master had died and reincarnated in this world?

In other words, his old body had disappeared, but he had been reborn as a baby.

It sounded ridiculous, but in a world like this, it was plausible.

Sigh. I reincarnated into a novel, after all.

The thought was absurd, but not entirely unrealistic.

As I wandered near the school, a familiar figure caught my eye.

What’s he doing here?

Was his shoot finished? I hadn’t expected to run into Lee Do-Yoon here.

I was pretty sure he’d been filming far away.

Noticing me, Do-Yoon waved with a smile, surrounded by what looked like managers.

"Eun-a!"

"Do-Yoon, what are you doing here? What about your shoot?"

I waved back, though my expression remained puzzled.

"Haha. My part’s all wrapped up. I’ll be heading back to Korea soon, but I thought I should at least see a friend before I go."

"The great actor graces a mere student with his presence?"

"Hey, don’t kid yourself. You’re way more famous than I am."

Well, that was true. I’d been exposed to the world since childhood.

A lot of people recognized me, though they rarely approached.

Anyone who’d seen my broadcasts would know why—I had a disclaimer for a reason.

Still, it was nice to see a familiar face.

"You didn’t come here just for me, did you?"

Actors’ schedules were worth their weight in gold.

"Of course not. I’ve got a commercial shoot lined up."

"You really work hard, huh."

Seeing my pitying look, Do-Yoon chuckled.

Thankfully, he didn’t seem worn out.

"Take care. I’ve got class, so I’ll be heading back now."

"Wait, Eun-a!"

As I turned to leave, he called out, hurrying toward me.

"You’re looking for someone named Wu Hua, right?"

"Yeah. I’ve been asking around everywhere."

It was true, though only a select few knew about it. My friends were among them, including Do-Yoon.

"I’ve been trying to help. Gathered a bit of info, actually."

"Really? Thanks, but that must’ve been expensive."

"Heh. Money’s meant to be spent, isn’t it?"

I’ll have to remember that line.

After glancing around cautiously, Do-Yoon leaned closer to speak.

"The info isn’t groundbreaking, but it might help."

"Even so, I appreciate it."

What he told me was eerily close to my own suspicions.

First, my missing mate, Rou Hua.

Yeah. That was the part that had been bothering me the most.

The knot in my chest came from this. It was unsettling.

His name matches Master’s exactly.

Master’s last name had also been “Rou.” Translating it directly, it meant “to become soft” or “to be gentle.”

It fit Master’s personality perfectly. He hadn’t lived like a recluse for nothing.

But everything Do-Yoon told me after that was news to me.

"Apparently, Rou Hua was in an accident recently. Maybe a month ago?"

Do-Yoon tapped his chin, deep in thought.

Suddenly, I recalled something Xiao had mentioned.

“There was supposed to be someone assigned to you, but...”“Two days ago, there was an accident. Their parents died in a car crash.”

It had been sensitive information, but now it seemed to click.

"I already know about that part."

"Yeah? I figured as much."

"Still, I appreciate the effort."

Do-Yoon grinned, looking genuinely pleased.

"Anything to help a friend."

"Thanks. Lunch is on me next time."

"Wait. I’m not done yet."

"Huh? There’s more?"

When I looked at him expectantly, he hesitated before continuing.

"They say Rou Hua’s been in a panic ever since the accident, barely stepping outside."

"Hmm."

That was news to me. Xiao hadn’t mentioned it.

I wanted to visit Rou Hua’s house myself, but Xiao had already gone and found no one there.

"And one more thing. Apparently, someone saw Rou Hua at the National Museum recently. A staff member, I think?"

"...What?"

"That’s all I know. Hope it helps."

"Yeah... Thanks. A lot."

Do-Yoon left with a smile, but I couldn’t move even after the school bell rang.

Could it be...?

One particular painting came to mind.

I’d explored every exhibit at the museum, but there was no sign of Rou Hua.

Still, there was one thing I’d overlooked.

The museum had two more illusionary worlds.

[Sara] didn’t have any leads, so that left just one.

[Cerberus]. Could he be inside there?

A headache was already creeping in.