NOVEL NEXT Chapter 262
* * *
Just as lunch was about to end, I headed to Ozworld’s lab but found it locked, so I went straight to the lecture hall. I wondered if he had gone out, but instead of Ozworld, Professor Felix entered the <Magical Plants and Alchemy> classroom.
“Hello, everyone! Have a good afternoon?”
The students, who had been eagerly waiting for Ozworld, cautiously asked, with an uneasy look on their faces. “Where is Professor Vallensia?”
“He had to leave and asked me to pass on the formula. Follow the formula step by step to make the potion and submit it!”
Ding!
[The Constellation ‘Loyal Dog to Mr. O’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]
[Just as I thought, he’s too busy to stay as the male lead. Looks like he went to the Pantheon after all.]
I pretended to look elsewhere while checking the sponsorship message.
It seems like there are ongoing issues at the Pantheon.
As soon as Professor Felix mentioned that Ozworld had entrusted the lecture to him, the classroom buzzed with chatter.
“But what if something goes wrong while we make it ourselves?”
“The ingredients are all precisely prepared, and the candy potion we’re making today is something Theresa knows well, so you can ask for her help if you need it.” Professor Felix explained this while giving me a playful smile and a wave.
Looks like I’ve suddenly become an assistant again.
I took Ozworld’s place and demonstrated how to make today’s candy potion.
“Boil it until it thickens, then pour it into the mold to set. Now, everyone, start.”
Professor Felix and I walked around the classroom, checking the process and correcting any mistakes.
“You got the order wrong here. If you continue like this, the explosive grape ingredient will remain, turning it into a small bomb.”
“…”
“Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
Most students accepted my advice well, but there were always a few who looked sullen and uncooperative.
Just then, Isabel raised her hand. “Professor, I have a question.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“This is our first semester taking this class, so we’re all beginners. I don’t quite understand why a fellow student, even a senior, is overseeing us.”
Ding!
[The Constellation ‘Be Mindful’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]
[Theresa is not just another student.]
“
Hmm
? Who said Theresa is on the same level as you?” Though Professor Felix maintained his cheerful demeanor, his voice had a sharp edge. “Theresa isn’t just another student. She’s already at a level where she could be a professor.”
“While I acknowledge that Senior Theresa has accomplished great things, but—!”
“Hold on. Let me ask a simple question. Can anyone here draw five magic formulas in sequence?”
“…”
“Has anyone submitted over thirty improved magic theses in one semester?”
“…”
“Has anyone created more than ten new spells over the vacation?”
There was another pause, and then someone shouted loudly. “No, Professor!”
The tense atmosphere immediately relaxed into laughter, except for those who presumably disliked me, whose expressions turned sour.
Professor Felix, still playful, continued. “I couldn’t do that either, so it’s expected. So, is it okay if our outstanding student council president continues to oversee you?”
“Of course, Professor!”
“I’d be grateful! Please help us, President!”
Sigh. I didn’t want to confront this so openly.
As I made a troubled face, Professor Felix approached and poked me in the side. “Isn’t the life of a popular person exhausting?”
“Popular? Not really.”
“You’ve achieved so much in such a short time. It’s because you’re so charming that all the notable men in the Empire are crazy about you.”
“Please, Professor. I’m scared someone might hear.”
“Why? It’s the truth.” Professor Felix laughed, then whispered to me. “But I’m rooting for Professor Ilya, wherever he may be now.”
“…Indeed.”
I wondered if I should find a way to open the gate to the Heavenly Realm.
* * *
After the lecture, I gathered my tools and went to Ozworld’s lab. I was surprised to be greeted cheerfully by someone inside, as I expected the lab to be empty.
“He-Hello!”
“?”
I turned my head in confusion to see a woman sitting on the sofa, waving at me and jumping up. She had bright blue hair in pigtails and wore green lipstick—a very punk and bold look.
“…Are you a channel manager?”
“No! I’m Jupi, the casting director for the Managers’ Union. Here’s my card!”
I reluctantly took the card she handed me. Casting director for the Managers’ Union? Does that mean she casts channel managers?
“By the way, the constellations can’t see us because of the ad right now, so you can act freely.”
I didn’t usually pay much attention to the constellations anyway. Since they only existed as text, they felt like separate entities. Rather, my discomfort came from the sudden appearance of this woman, Jupi.
“I wasn’t really bothered.”
“Rank number one is really different!”
I wasn’t sure how that was related, so I vaguely responded, “Yeah, sure.”
“So, what brings you here?”
“It’s almost the end of the show, isn’t it?”
With less than five months left by simple date calculation, I could see why she thought so.
“Yes, I’m nearing the end.” Although the story had deviated so much from the script that I had no idea when or how it would end.
Jupi nodded vigorously and spoke. “With the show ending soon, it’s time to think about your future. Whether to continue living as Theresa Squire here or return to your original world.”
My original world…
“Well, I’m not planning to return to Earth. I like it here much better.”
“That makes sense. But how about living a completely new life?”
“A new life?”
With a flourish, Jupi spread her arms wide. “Yes! Become a channel manager!”
I stared at her blankly, not reacting, so she awkwardly lowered her arms.
“
Uh
, anyway, it’s a great opportunity. Channel managers can become completely different beings depending on how many coins they earn.” Jupi added in a conspiratorial whisper. “Like Mr. Ozworld.”
“I see.” I nodded and slowly moved to the worktable.
Seeing my lackluster response, Jupi quickly followed and took a seat next to me.
She’s a bit burdensome.
“This isn’t an offer we make to just anyone. We only suggest it to BJs, who have a 100% chance of reaching 1 billion coins. It involves using a wish ticket.”
“What are the benefits of becoming a channel manager with a wish ticket?”
“You can become a being with powers far beyond the wish ticket.”
…Is this a multi-level marketing scheme?
“You’re looking at me suspiciously, aren’t you?!” Jupi was quick to notice. She hurriedly opened a system window I could see to show me the broadcasting rules. “Look! It’s not a scam!”
I read the part Jupi pointed out. “A channel manager cannot exploit a BJ’s wish.”
“You can verify this at the Pantheon.”
Her mention of the Pantheon piqued my interest, though I tried not to show it.
“…I can verify it at the Pantheon?”
“Yes! Absolutely. The registration process for channel managers includes using a wish ticket, so it’s not something we can do arbitrarily.”
While Jupi pleaded her case, I reviewed the channel manager’s code of conduct with renewed interest.
“There are a lot of rules.”
I can’t imagine Ozworld following all these.
Jupi shook her head. “Yeah. Surprising, right? And there are more rules coming. Ozworld never runs a new channel without causing a stir.”
“Does Ozworld break a lot of rules?”
“More like he creates them. He always does something outlandish.”
Create them, huh.
I looked again at the part stating, ‘A channel manager cannot exploit a BJ’s wish.’
This rule exists because someone must have done this.
Then Jupi waved her hand and changed the subject. “Anyway. We believe Miss Theresa can create content that will delight the constellations as a channel manager. And we doubt you’ll continue broadcasting after receiving your wish ticket.”
“Do some people continue broadcasting?”
“Absolutely! Lots of them do. They enjoy the top-star feeling.”
I agree that public attention could be addictive.
That’s why people use social media.
I suddenly thought of my younger sister, who used to fabricate her daily life for her feed. Despite being the daughter of a wealthy family, she was insanely jealous of successful influencers.
She always ranted about how they must have bought their followers.
Ironically, she was the one who bought followers.
She probably wouldn’t stop broadcasting either.
“That makes sense.”