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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Price of Stamina
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‘Oh, I have to watch this.’
I sat back against the sofa.
‘This is the perfect posture for watching TV.’
The television screen, which I hadn’t seen in a while, was dazzlingly brilliant.
Is this why they tell you to limit kids’ TV time?
‘Wow, it’s nothing special, but it’s still fun. And it’s the premiere!’
If I’m lucky, there might even be a scene with me in it.
‘The premiere was a success.’
I quietly checked my coin count.
‘Total coins!’
The text soon appeared.
*City of the Dead* must have been a masterpiece, because the coins had been steadily increasing ever since the premiere.
‘Well, in a way, it feels a little lower than I expected.’
I glanced at the text.
I grinned.
‘Well, I was just a side character, not the main event.’
My role was to support Mom’s narrative. Honestly, the scene could have been cut from the story without any issue.
‘A shame. But there will be more opportunities.’
For now, what mattered was that I’d put out the urgent fire of ‘Mom’s health.’
The TV screen changed. When the premiere venue appeared, I wiggled my fingers.
“The premiere of *City of the Dead*. Perhaps because of the rave reviews it’s been receiving even before its release, it has started with quite a flair. Ah, there’s the lead actor, Kim Sanghyun.”
The lead, Kim Sanghyun, spoke.
“*City of the Dead* is a story about ordinary people trying not to lose their humanity in a zombified society.”
A subtitle appeared on the screen.
-Any unforgettable episodes from filming?
“Ah, when Ma Sujeong was filming a wire action scene, she nearly got hurt.”
The screen immediately showed Mom’s face. Looking sharp in a pantsuit, she smiled and said,
“First, I want to say that I’m fine. I would have been okay if I’d done a proper fall, but I was holding Gongja at the time.”
The screen showed the moment of filming.
“I must have instinctively protected the baby. It hurt at first, but I’m fine now. The hospital said I’m okay, too.”
On screen, Mom lightly scratched her cheek.
“Gongja burst into tears when I got hurt. It made me reflect a lot. I’m his only mother, after all.”
The surrounding cast members all nodded. The screen changed, and a narration began.
-And so, at this premiere, there was a surprise guest who came to congratulate her.
Wow.
‘Is this my part?’
The entertainment news program certainly delivered on the anticipation. The screen showed me toddling along.
‘Wow, the footage is so clear.’
No, more importantly, they were filming? I had no idea.
A baby in a white polar bear outfit walked carefully.
I nodded slightly.
‘Even I have to admit, I’m ridiculously cute.’
This face truly was the best. A thrill shot up from my toes. I was doing an excited little shoulder dance when I realized—
‘This is such a babyish thing to do!’
It struck me again, but maybe because I was so young, I sometimes couldn’t control my emotions.
The me on TV toddled forward, then promptly fell on his bottom.
The narrator said,
-Oh my, little one!
But the me on screen wiggled his bottom and got back up. Then, with a bright smile, he continued toward his mom.
Wow.
‘Even falling is cute.’
Everyone must have felt the same way, because a sigh of admiration escaped the narrator.
-Aww, so cute.
Yes. Yes. Find me even cuter.
‘Watching this should increase my coins.’
But the editing was cruel.
-And so, the delightful premiere came to an end.
The screen transitioned back to the cast.
The lead, Kim Sanghyun, bowed his head.
“*City of the Dead* will be coming to you soon.”
The entire cast bowed, and the camera pulled away.
‘No, they should have shown Mom crying!’
That’s the part that would’ve sealed the deal on the waterworks!
‘What a shame.’
A reporter said in a bright voice,
“The baby was so adorable.”
“Oh, my heart nearly melted when he brought the flowers.”
“His face is so cute, too. If I had a son like that, I’d carry him around all day.”
I nodded.
“I’m so excited to see how he grows up.”
Just then, another reporter next to her said dismissively,
“Kids’ faces change when they grow up, you know.”
This guy.
I narrowed my eyes and stared at the reporter.
‘Aha, that guy.’
He was the comedian whose career would end after causing a scandal in the future.
‘Was his name Lee Haku? I remember him because it was a big deal. He was banned from the industry for abusing and assaulting his manager, right?’
So he was already a bad seed back then.
But the reporter who had been at the premiere was different.
“Oh, come on. A handsome baby becomes a handsome boy, and then a handsome young man.”
The female MC chimed in.
“That’s right. Ooh, I’m looking forward to it, too. What’s the next story?”
The segment ended. I watched the screen and smiled brightly.
‘Lee Haku, I’ll have to remember that name.’
How dare he badmouth this face? And to a baby who just started walking, no less.
‘There’s always one of these guys, no matter where you go.’
I slapped the floor with my short arm.
‘Just you wait.’
I had just slapped the floor about three times when suddenly, a flood of text notifications appeared.
The coins were rising beautifully. I smiled wide and said inwardly,
‘Hide text!’
In an instant, the world became clear.
‘I just need to check the total coins.’
I slapped the floor once more.
Thwack—
‘Alright then, Ma Gongja. Let’s think this through.’
Now that the urgent fire of Mom’s health was out, my first thought was about how to use the coins.
‘This thing is miraculous, but it’s not omnipotent.’
It was also surprisingly tricky to collect them.
‘People being moved while watching me through media only gives me 1 coin.’
Unless my movie becomes world-famous, it seemed like becoming a coin millionaire would be difficult.
‘In short, I have to use them efficiently.’
I looked down at my two hands. My head drooped.
‘So small.’
There was no telling when I’d grow up.
‘However.’
The truth was, I could still be efficient even as a baby.
‘Good looks are in demand at any age.’
I looked at the TV again.
‘If I were famous, they would have shown Mom crying, too.’
I slapped the floor once again.
Thwack—
The method was simple.
‘Become more famous.’
I didn’t know how the situation would change. But I needed to be ready to adapt.
‘An opportunity will come.’
And I will seize that opportunity with all my might.
‘Even if my teeth haven’t all grown in yet!’
To do that, what’s important?
‘Well, generally, the most important thing is health.’
But that was already taken care of by my wish.
‘Seeing as this baby never gets sick, I must be healthy.’
So, what’s next?
I wiggled my feet before toppling over to the side. The padding on the floor was soft, so it didn’t hurt.
‘Stamina.’
Falling asleep might be the price, but it would be a problem if I just passed out while I needed to be busy building connections.
‘Well, you always need stamina, no matter what.’
I immediately checked my coins.
‘Total coins!’
It was a rather ambiguous amount.
‘But this was a major broadcast network. Shouldn’t I have gotten more?’
Are there really so few people who were moved by my cuteness?
‘Or is there some other condition for earning coins?’
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts.
‘For now, what’s important is to raise something!’
I placed my order right away.
‘Use coins!’
‘Increase my stamina!’
<5,000 coins are required to increase Ma Gongja’s stamina. Proceed?>
Not bad.
‘Seems pretty cheap, actually.’
Come to think of it, what’s the standard for the coin costs?
‘Something about this is strange, too.’
I thought of Noah, whose body was strong but whose mind couldn’t keep up.
‘It cost a lot of coins to try and raise his intelligence, didn’t it?’
I thought I was starting to understand.
‘There’s some kind of synergy.’
If you were healthy to begin with, getting stronger was cheap.
But improving something that was bad required a lot of coins.
‘In other words, the 5,000-coin cost is only this cheap because I’m already healthy.’
Well, good is good!
‘Proceed!’
Thump—
I instantly let go of the foot I was holding.
‘Excuse me. Mr. Text?’
No. What’s with this price!
‘The price for making Mom healthy was being tone-deaf!’
But this time, it’s dancing?
A cold sweat trickled down my back.
‘Uncontrollably, whenever music plays, until I’m two?’
Th-this is…
I stared at the ceiling and blinked.
‘I-I’ll have to be careful.’
So, how do I dance? Is it like some kind of reflex?
Just then, the entertainment news program must have ended, because a commercial jingle suddenly came from the TV.
‘Oh, no.’
Instantly, my shoulders started to shake. Without meaning to, I started flailing while lying on the floor. I could feel the rhythm in my short legs.
‘This is compulsory!’
This is terrifying.
‘I can’t underestimate the price.’
Fortunately, it was a commercial, so it ended quickly. I scrambled up and used the remote to change the channel.
‘It should be fine now, right? It’s not! Damn it!’
The lyrics drifted softly through the air.
-I want to tempt you!
Why did it have to be a music show! And what’s with these lyrics!
On the verge of tears, I waved my arms.
‘I can’t control my body.’
My bottom swayed along with it. I tried to change the channel again, but my arms wouldn’t move properly because I was dancing.
‘I’m… I’m going crazy.’
Was it because I was a baby who already had trouble balancing? My muscles were completely out of my control.
‘I’m… I’m going crazy.’
Some other self that wasn’t me kept moving my body.
‘Ugh, why is this song so long?’
-Tonight, the two of us…
And what’s with these lyrics!
‘Aren’t they a little much for a baby to hear? This?’
Just as I was sadly continuing to wiggle my bottom, a savior arrived.
“Oh my, Gongja! Why are you dancing around like that!”
I wish I knew.
‘I boosted my stamina, and now I dance!’
Ansan-daek stepped inside the playpen and picked me up. Even then, I kept kicking my legs.
“Goodness, what is this you’ve turned on!”
Ansan-daek turned off the TV. Only then did I stop everything and gasp for breath.
“How did you even turn on the TV? And look at all this sweat!”
Ansan-daek wiped the sweat from my brow. I continued to pant.
‘If this keeps up, I might actually die.’
The price was no joke. Ansan-daek sighed and soothed me.
“We’ll have to change your clothes. No, a bath would be better.”
I shook my head.
‘I’m thirsty first.’
I clutched my throat and said,
“Wawa pwease!”
Huh.
I surprised myself with my own words.
“Oh my?”
Ansan-daek’s eyes blinked.
I said it one more time.
“Wawa!”
To be honest, it was still closer to babbling.
I looked at Ansan-daek with a desperate expression.
