Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 188

Chapter 188

T h i s w a s c o pie d fr o m k i n g m tl . o r g
Everything Frozen (1)

The next day arrived.

The Adolevit royal family’s vacation journey was incredibly grand and magnificent.

Dozens of anti-magic automatic carriages, newly developed in collaboration with Item Technology, formed a procession. Elite magic knights of 5th class or higher guarded the royals on every street, while people waved and shouted at the royal family.

“Long live Queen!”

“Long live Queen Adolevit!!”

Even for just going on vacation, citizens poured out onto the streets cheering. Was it sincere respect?

Well…

Perhaps the current Queen Hong Seriu was closer to a tyrant. After forcibly deposing the previous queen known as the benevolent ruler with power and authority, she sat in that position and implemented oppressive policies.

In a way, she was quite a frightening figure.

As a court attendant assigned to Hong Bi-yeon, I was able to join the vacation journey, but of course I couldn’t dare ride in the same carriage as the princess.

Well, that was only natural.

“Are you the rumored Baek Yu-seol?”

“I heard this guy is incredibly good at administrative work.”

Besides me, lower nobles and commoner court attendants also came along for the trip, but tearfully, they were destined to work even at the Cheonhwa Ice Palace located at Leviang’s Coast.

Well, I suppose the country couldn’t function if all the subordinates went on vacation just because the royals did.

“Judging by your complexion, you don’t seem to be from around here. Have you thought about working for the royal family after graduation? Someone like you could rise in status.”

Just as there are subtle distinctions between Westerners and Asians on Earth, it was the same here.

While I had somewhat of an Asian look, the people of Hong Bi-yeon’s Adolevit Kingdom had more of a Western appearance.

“Ah, Director Markruk. Haven’t you heard?”

“Heard what?”

A young man named Pahan looked at me with a subtle gaze as he spoke.

“This guy isn’t the type of talent to aim for social climbing through mere administrative work.”

“Then is he better at something else? Oh, since he’s a Stella student, is he exceptionally good at magic?”

“No, no. It’s not that. They say this guy is really good at seducing women.”

Pfft! I ended up spitting out the drink I was sipping. Pahan, who had been spouting nonsense about me, continued speaking nonchalantly even with his whole body covered in the drink.

“Get this, they say he even seduced the Third Princess!”

“Ah… I did hear that rumor. I thought it was just gossip.”

“It’s definitely not. Haven’t you noticed her coming to the library every day?”

T h is wa s co pi ed fr o m k i n gm t l . o r g
“The Third Princess has always been deeply interested in intellectual pursuits…”

“Come on, Director Markruk, why do you keep making such obvious excuses? Can’t you tell just by looking? Do you really think the Third Princess only came to the library to read books?”

The young man glanced at me and smiled mischievously.

“I tell you, there are countless witnesses who saw her staring at this guy’s face all day long at the library instead of reading the books she was supposed to…”

“That’s enough.”

Feeling genuinely annoyed now, I frowned, and only then did Pahan clear his throat and stop talking.

He seemed to be the type with terribly poor social awareness. Why else would he spread such false rumors right in front of the person involved?

Or perhaps he was hoping to find out the truth of the rumors by speaking this way.

“It’s not like that. The princess and I are just schoolmates at the same academy.”

“Hah! And schoolmates become lovers…”

“That’s enough, young man.”

Seeing my expression, Director Markruk seemed to realize this joke shouldn’t be taken any further and cut off Pahan’s words.

He was quite a helpful person, aside from constantly trying to recruit me.

“Ahem… If you say so.”

As Pahan shrank back, the carriage grew quiet. Thinking it was about time, I gathered my coat.

You might wonder why I needed a coat in midsummer, but it was only natural when heading to Leviang’s Coast.

“Phew, I’m excited.”

As the weather started getting colder, Pahan opened his mouth again.

Director Markruk, who seemed to have a lot of work to do even inside the carriage, spoke without taking his eyes off the pile of documents.

“Pahan. Is this your first time going to Leviang’s Coast?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Well… we’re not going for fun, but enjoy it as much as you can. It’s famous as a tourist spot. You’ll probably be amazed.”

Listening to their conversation, I took out the coat I had prepared in advance from my backpack. On the outside it looked no different from a coat with the Stella logo, but since I had asked Alterisha to enchant it with the highest performance cold protection function, its contents were far from ordinary.

With fur decorations added around the neck, it had a full winter clothing feel.

“Baek Yu-seol. Have you been there before?”

“No, I haven’t.”

However, in the Aether World, I had visited the place dozens of times.

Why did I go there so many times, you ask?

There are reasons why gamers frequently visit certain places, aren’t there?

First, because it’s good for grinding.

Second… because the difficulty is so extreme that the clear rate is terribly low, requiring endless retries.

Unfortunately, the reason I was familiar with this place was the second one.

For the sake of those damn Twelve Divine Moons, how many times had my character faced death to clear that episode?

So I couldn’t help but worry, but it was okay.

Even without relying on the Bulbul Glasses, I was confident I could take the safest and surest route thanks to my own abundant experience.

‘…Still, I’ll have to take some risks.’

The procession of automatic carriages had now left land and was speeding along a water road designed above the sea.

Immediately after, a piercing cold swept in.

Thanks to putting on the coat in advance, I barely felt the cold, but Pahan sitting across from me was already shivering despite wearing a padded jacket.

“Ugh, ugh… it’s cold…”

T h i s w as c opi e d f r o m k i n g m t l . or g
“Instead of shivering, why don’t you enjoy the scenery outside?”

“Y-Yes?”

Thinking this wasn’t the time to be working, even Director Markruk put down his documents and looked out the window.

I too turned my gaze outside, trying to calm my pounding heart even though I knew what magnificent sight would be spread out there.

…At that moment, we were overwhelmed by the scene that filled our entire field of vision.

In the middle of the distant sea, there was a massive pirate ship.

Unfortunately, the pirate ship was being sucked into a gigantic whirlpool 1 km in diameter…

“W-Wait. What is that…?”

To describe it more precisely:

It wasn’t that the pirate ship was being sucked into the whirlpool.

The pirate ship was frozen in the midst of being sucked into the whirlpool.
T h i s was cop i e d fr om k i n g mt l.or g

The waterspout connecting sea and sky.

The 1 km diameter whirlpool.

The massive 100 meter high wave.

The sinking pirate ship.

Everything was frozen in place.

“…It’s a magnificent sight every time I see it.”

Director Markruk said, adjusting his glasses.

“You said this was your first time here, but you don’t seem very surprised? This is the normal reaction.”

He laughed, pointing at Pahan who was frozen with his mouth agape.

“It’s my first time, but I’ve read a lot about it in books.”

In truth, I had seen it in graphics several times in the Aether World, so I was able to anticipate it to some extent.

Of course, it was an incomparably more vivid sight than any game graphics, so honestly I was momentarily stunned as well, but I didn’t mention that.

“Huh, huh huh. I’d heard about it often, but seeing it in person is a bit shocking…”

That was the normal reaction. I imagine the people in the other carriages probably had similar reactions.

Seeing a world frozen in place was truly… awe-inspiring in many ways.

“But what exactly is that ship…?”

“It’s the ‘Black Cross’, the pirate ship of ‘Black Bellize’, the Pirate King who ruled all the seas of the world a thousand years ago.”

“Ah…”

“They say that on that day, the largest waterspout in history suddenly rose up and this monstrous whirlpool formed. But there was no need to worry. The Pirate King Black Bellize possessed a very special trait called [Blessing of the Sea God].”

A very special blessing that never loses one’s way at sea and ensures the ship will never sink no matter what.

The legendary Pirate King Black Bellize could have escaped even that whirlpool.

“That’s when everything froze.”

“Why…?”

“If we knew that, would we be like this?”

“R-Right…”

“Anyway, because of that disaster, the port city of ‘Lisbond’ on Leviang’s Coast completely lost its function and ended up being treated as a vacation home for the Adolevit royal family.”

As he finished speaking, we turned our gaze in the opposite direction. At the highest point of Leviang’s Coast, there stood a massive blue glowing castle.

‘Just a vacation home, huh.’

No fool would build such a fortress for a mere vacation home.

Since ancient times, the Adolevit royal family had been quite serious about uncovering some “secret” buried within Leviang’s Coast.

The result was that massive Cheonhwa Ice Palace.

I knew very well why the Adolevit royal family was so obsessed with the secret of Leviang’s Coast, so I quietly closed my eyes.

I was a bit worried since I wouldn’t be able to meet Hong Bi-yeon for a few days, but…

‘Still, she’ll manage well.’

I firmly believed in her.
T h is w as c o p i e d f r om k i n g m tl . org

Leviang’s Coast, Cheonhwa Ice Palace.

The grand review ceremony where hundreds of knights raised their staffs held no real meaning for Hong Bi-yeon.

After all, they were all showing respect to Queen Hong Seriu, not her.

“Welcome, Your Majesty.”

Upon entering Cheonhwa Ice Palace, a man came out and knelt.

It was Black Matale, a descendant of Black Bellize who once ruled all the seas of the world and the current lord of Cheonhwa Ice Palace.

“Yes. I see you’ve been well.”

“Thanks to the Sun’s grace. You must be tired from the long journey. I’ll guide you right away.”

“No. That’s fine. I have somewhere to go with my daughters first.”

At her gesture, three women in pure white priestly robes appeared from behind carrying a large treasure chest.
Thi s w a s c o p i e d f ro m king m tl . o rg

Seeing that, Matale’s eyes widened and he bit his lip hard.

“…I see. Understood.”

The emotion in his expression was unmistakably anger. But he did not resist and simply stepped back.

‘Somewhere to go?’

Hong Bi-yeon, listening from behind, had no idea what they were talking about. But Hong Si-hwa seemed to have anticipated the situation, grinning as she patted her shoulder.

“My~ Little sister. Is this your first time seeing it in person~?”

“Don’t talk to me.”

“Aw, why so stiff between us?”

It genuinely irritated her that there was something about royal family matters that she didn’t know.

But she had to endure.

Because she might be able to gain some more important information from this opportunity.

“Let’s go.”

As Black Matale led the way, Queen Hong Seriu followed. Hong Si-hwa trailed behind with light swan-like steps, but for some reason, no knights or servants followed.

Only the three priestesses stayed close behind the queen.

‘Is it a place only royalty can enter?’

Hong Bi-yeon followed them at a slightly slower pace than Hong Si-hwa.

In the underground of Cheonhwa Ice Palace, there was a secret place built who knows when.

T h i s wa s copi e d f rom ki ng m t l. org
The corridor was vast but dark, with barely enough visibility to see a foot ahead.

“…We’ve arrived.”

The place they reached after walking through the underground corridor for quite some time was a massive cavern.

In the center stood a tall altar, which the queen and three priestesses ascended without hesitation.

“What are you doing, not following?”

Startled.

Only then did Hong Bi-yeon realize she was the only one left behind. Hong Si-hwa, who had gone ahead, turned back and playfully winked, which only irritated her more.

Hurrying up the altar, she saw the three women surrounding the precious box they had carefully brought in a triangular formation.

Then, Hong Seriu tapped the box lightly with her staff.

Swish… Whoosh!

As the box melted away, the contents inside were revealed.

“Ah…!”

Hong Bi-yeon couldn’t help but let out an exclamation.

It was none other than the Flower of Fire.

The very royal heirloom she had once vowed to obtain at all costs, even to save Baek Yu-seol from his terminal illness.

Th i s wa s c o p ie d f r o m k i n g m t l. o r g
But…
T h i s w a s c o p ie d f ro m ki ng mt l . o r g

Something was strange.

‘Why is it burning like that?’

According to legend, the Flower of Fire was dormant, not even giving off as much light as a match flame.

But look.

The Flower of Fire before her eyes was… shining as brightly as the sun about to burst.

“Second Princess, Hong Si-hwa.”

“Yes~”

“Third Princess, Hong Bi-yeon.”

“…Yes.”

The queen recited the princesses’ names.

“Would you do anything for the royal family and the kingdom?”

Only then did Hong Bi-yeon realize the situation was taking a strange turn.

The vacation to Leviang’s Coast was not simply to exile Hong Bi-yeon.

‘Don’t tell me they’re going to…’

Having realized that far, Hong Bi-yeon felt dejected. How could one describe this feeling of endlessly falling into an abyss?

“Of course~”

“Third Princess. Answer me.”

Hong Si-hwa answered, but the queen did not listen. From the very beginning to the end… the queen had been looking only at Hong Bi-yeon.

‘Ah.’

In the end, she closed her eyes tightly and let out a laugh.

“Haha…”

But.

It’s okay.

Even in this wave of despair washing over her endlessly, Hong Bi-yeon felt hope.

‘Baek Yu-seol. You knew about this too, didn’t you?’
T hi s wa s cop i ed f r o m k in gmtl . o r g

She firmly believed in him.

He was someone who knew everything and could accomplish anything.

He must have known in advance that such a trial would befall her.

And… because he knew well that she could overcome this trial, he trusted her and let her go.

Hong Bi-yeon looked at the queen and second princess with cold ruby-colored eyes.

She could no longer believe they were the same kind of human as her.

“Yes.”

So Hong Bi-yeon put on a mask.

Just as Hong Seriu and Hong Si-hwa had done.

To hide her own emotions filled with anger.

She still did not trust herself.

“Of course.”

But… because she believed in the ‘her’ that he believed in, she was able to answer without a moment’s hesitation.

End of Chapter