Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 197
Chapter 197
Everything Melted (2)
The capital of the Adolevit Kingdom, Teharlan.
This city was not exactly known for its pleasant atmosphere. Although it was developed as a tourist destination, the dreary and cool weather often overshadowed its appeal.
However, when returning after resolving everything at Leviang’s Coast, Teharlan had changed significantly.
‘…It’s beautiful.’
For the first time, Hong Bi-yeon thought of Teharlan as beautiful.
A city that had felt like shackles, now with clouds cleared and warm sunshine descending, revealed its beauty in a way she had never imagined.
T h is w a s co p i e d f ro m ki n g m tl .o r g
Perhaps… it was because she was being treated differently than before.
T h i s w a s c o p i ed f r o m ki ng m t l .o r g
“The princess’s carriage is coming!”
“Move aside!”
“Princess!! Please look this way just once!”
“Just one photo, please!”
As the rumor spread that the third princess of Adolevit was arriving in the capital, the streets were already packed with citizens.
The sound of camera shutters overlapped so much that it no longer seemed like noise, and the cheers, heard to the point of exhaustion in other cities on the way, had become familiar.
All along the main road leading to the Frostcliff Palace, citizens lined up to cheer for Hong Bi-yeon.
Since Leviang’s Coast was not too far from the city of Teharlan, the calamity had reached here as well.
Suddenly, despite it being midsummer, the temperature had dropped to sub-zero, and the whole sky had turned crimson with dark clouds sparking red.
Having directly experienced such horrific phenomena, the people could truly appreciate what Hong Bi-yeon had accomplished.
The carriage she was in took a large circuit of the capital of Teharlan and slowly entered the Frostcliff Palace.
At the main gate of the Frostcliff Palace, 500 military musicians and honor guards were lined up, which was a completely different treatment than before.
Previously, there had been no welcoming at all, to the extent that no one even knew if Hong Bi-yeon had entered the palace.
Of course, no matter how remarkable her feat was, the lining up wouldn’t have happened unless ordered by the queen.
Therefore, this reception had a very special meaning for Hong Bi-yeon.
It meant that Queen Hong Seriu recognized her.
“The third princess is entering!!”
The lion’s roar, infused with mana, echoed thunderously through the heavens and earth.
With the grand sound of trumpets, the military band’s music began, making her heart flutter.
Hong Bi-yeon tried to maintain a calm and indifferent expression, quietly gazing out the window.
In the future, all these events would become a matter of course for her, so she shouldn’t get too excited.
“Her Majesty is waiting for you.”
Upon arriving at the palace, the queen’s royal guards welcomed her.
“I know.”
Hong Bi-yeon nodded lightly for them to lead the way, and the guards bowed their heads slightly before guiding her to the queen’s audience chamber.
“You’ve come.”
Upon arrival at the audience chamber, Hong Seriu, looking weary, greeted her.
T hi s w a s c o pie d f r o m king m t l . o rg
The dark circles that couldn’t be concealed by makeup and the mountain of piled documents showed what she had been through.
Could it be considered fortunate that she had gotten off so lightly for such a grave mistake?
“Sit down.”
Normally, Hong Seriu wouldn’t have even looked up from her documents, but she set aside the towering papers and clasped her hands to make eye contact with Hong Bi-yeon.
“Coffee?”
“You know I don’t like coffee.”
“…I didn’t realize. My apologies.”
For a long while afterward, Hong Seriu didn’t speak, and Hong Bi-yeon simply waited. The silence felt awkward as she didn’t even sip the coffee.
In the end, it was Hong Seriu who raised the white flag first, sighing as she spoke.
“I sincerely express my gratitude for what happened before.”
At those words… Hong Bi-yeon’s heart skipped a beat for a moment.
She had never expected it.
T hi s w a s c o p i e d f r om ki n g m t l . o r g
No one could have predicted that Queen Hong Seriu herself would bow her head.
Who would have thought she would hear an apology from the queen so easily?
“I went astray. And you corrected it.”
“You were the first in a thousand years to control the Flower of Fire and melted the curse of eternal winter at Leviang’s Coast. And…”
Hong Seriu spoke firmly.
“I must acknowledge that I have acted unfairly until now. In those aspects, I genuinely want to apologize. Can you accept it?”
One might question why someone who did wrong is so confident, but a queen must be so.
Even if she made a mistake, for the queen of Adolevit to bow her head would diminish her dignity.
In that sense, Hong Seriu was the exact model of the queen Hong Bi-yeon wanted to become.
“Yes. I will accept it.”
Therefore, Hong Bi-yeon also lifted her chin and calmly accepted Hong Seriu’s apology.
“Good… thank you.”
The queen handed Hong Bi-yeon a book and a bundle of documents.
“Until now, you have not received formal royal education due to my personal feelings. From now on, you will receive it without any discrimination in any aspect. Starting from education to food, sleeping arrangements, and even spoons. So, compete on equal footing with the first princess.”
Finally, she wouldn’t be subjected to this tiresome discrimination. Just as Hong Bi-yeon was about to take the documents, Hong Seriu added.
“But.”
“…”
“Before you receive this, there’s something I want to say.”
Hong Bi-yeon adjusted her posture again.
T h i s w a s c o p i e d fr om k i n g m t l . o r g
Since it was something she would receive anyway, there was no need to rush and make it look cheap.
“Yes. Go ahead.”
“I am indebted to you with an unrepayable grace. That is why, belatedly, I am doing this ignominious act.”
However, Hong Seriu continued.
“However… I still hate you. This feeling seems to be engraved in my heart since the moment my daughter died, and it can’t be erased.”
Hong Bi-yeon met the queen’s gaze calmly. Despite being told that she was still disliked, she felt nothing anymore.
Whether she liked her or recognized her, it truly didn’t matter anymore.
“But I no longer want to be driven by emotions and make irrational judgments. So, I will tell you a secret that has been kept from you.”
“A secret?”
Th i s w a s c o p i e d f ro m k i n gm t l .org
Hong Seriu spoke as if discussing something trivial, her tone dry and detached.
“The direct bloodline of Adolevit inevitably dies before reaching the age of 30.”
“…Ah.”
“And for those like you, born with the talent for fire… even reaching twenty would be difficult.”
A vibration spread throughout her body as if struck by a hammer on her chest. Yet Hong Bi-yeon didn’t even twitch a finger.
Was it because she couldn’t believe it?
No.
Although she hadn’t known until now… she had vaguely suspected it.
“The only way to overcome the curse is to become the queen and be granted the crown. That is why every Adolevit in history has fought fiercely. To become a king, to survive.”
Hong Seriu murmured with a bitter voice as she caressed her crown.
“For those like your mother, who inherited a diluted bloodline, they could slightly extend their lifespan by giving up all flame and magic, but that is a painful and dishonorable thing.”
Would a mage have any reason to live if they gave up magic?
Perhaps.
Nevertheless, Hong Bi-yeon’s mother chose to live that way.
Despite no longer being able to become a queen, she chose that path.
‘…Could it be.’
Suddenly, her heart sank.
Her mother, who had always been harsh to her. Never once showing a warm gaze and imposing harsh education and punishment at every moment, her mother Hong Yiel.
She must have known.
The terrible curse engraved in Adolevit’s bloodline.
Thus, as soon as she realized she could no longer become queen, she must have felt sorry for her child.
Knowing that she had no place in Adolevit, having opposed the current king, and that she wouldn’t receive proper education, she gave up all her royal duties and magic to become a professor at Stella.
“Ugh.”
Hong Bi-yeon clutched her hair and closed her mouth.
Seeing her like that, Hong Seriu, who seemed like she wouldn’t say anything more, spoke again.
Th i s wa s c o p i e d f r om k i n gm t l . o r g
“So, personally, I wish you wouldn’t become queen.”
“…Again with that old tune?”
“No. The current me is not foolish enough to be swayed by personal feelings and make wrong judgments.”
Hong Seriu’s gaze was clearer than ever.
“You… you will be able to overcome the curse without a crown. If you succeeded in controlling the Flower of Fire, it would not be impossible to erase the curse directly engraved in the bloodline by the Fire Avatar.”
As Hong Bi-yeon remained still, not even reacting to this new information, Hong Seriu shook her head and sighed.
“Still, I suppose this doesn’t matter. You want to become queen, and the second princess seems to have no intention of becoming queen…”
“What? Wait, what do you mean by that?”
The second princess, Hong Si-hwa, has no intention of becoming queen? That can’t be. All this time, she had interfered with her attempts to become queen.
Th i s was c o p ie d f r o m k i ng m t l . o r g
She even aimed for her life.
However, Hong Seriu shook her head, saying it was useless talk, and stood up.
“Take these documents and go. Although little time remains in this vacation, I will ensure you receive proper education.”
“Understood…”
The conversation ended there, and Hong Bi-yeon, filled with bewildering doubts, had no choice but to leave the audience chamber.
“Princess. Will you return to the Cheongryeong Palace immediately?”
The royal guards who accompanied her asked. As Yetherin had not yet returned, she was with them, feeling awkward.
“No. Let’s go to the inner castle for a moment. There’s someone I want to see.”
Thinking there was nothing to do immediately if she returned to the Cheongryeong Palace, Hong Bi-yeon recalled Baek Yu-seol, who would be staying inside the inner castle.
When she found the personal quarters where the palace staff resided after passing the Royal Library, he was already ready to leave.
“What?”
He didn’t have much luggage, so he had packed the dormitory cleanly with just one large suitcase standing by, yet the atmosphere was icy.
Baek Yu-seol smiled awkwardly.
“Ah, I was going to tell you in advance, but you seemed busy… I have things to do, so I should be going. There are matters I need to handle during the remaining summer vacation.”
“I see…”
The ‘matters to handle’ Baek Yu-seol mentioned wouldn’t be the kind of simple things a typical teenager could manage.
Despite having just experienced a tremendous event that she never wanted to go through again, he would soon head off to resolve something else as soon as he woke up.
T h is w a s co p i e d f r o m k ing m tl . o rg
‘Don’t go.’
The words rose to her tongue but couldn’t be uttered.
She was still… too lacking to follow and handle Baek Yu-seol’s work.
‘…Just hold on.’
Let’s wait a little longer.
On the day she becomes queen.
Then, she will share everything with Baek Yu-seol.
However.
T h i s w a s c o p ie d fr om ki n g mtl. o r g
Not wanting to wait indefinitely until then, Hong Bi-yeon cautiously spoke to Baek Yu-seol.
“…Later. When you graduate from school, where do you plan to go?”
“Oh? Hmm… I haven’t really thought about it.”
“Then, come back to the Frostcliff Palace.”
After much contemplation and courage, Hong Bi-yeon spoke her mind.
“At that time, I will hire you not as a temporary palace employee but as an official knight. To be the queen’s royal guard.”
“Queen Hong Seriu’s?”
“No! Queen Hong Bi-yeon’s!”
…Silence.
Having said it aloud, it seemed like such an embarrassing and shameless thing, even for the confident Hong Bi-yeon, she couldn’t open her mouth like a person with an error.
“Haha.”
Breaking the awkward silence, Baek Yu-seol laughed refreshingly. Then he slung his backpack over his shoulder and spoke.
“A knight of the queen. It might be too much for me, but it would certainly be an honorable position.”
“That’s…”
She tried to say something, but Baek Yu-seol finished speaking first.
“But it’s not time yet. There are too many things in this world that I need to take care of while I’m alive, and I’m not sure if I can handle all of them. So, when all those concerns and worries are resolved…”
As he passed by Hong Bi-yeon, he whispered with a slight smile in his voice.
“Then, say it again. As a queen.”
And so, Baek Yu-seol disappeared, and Hong Bi-yeon stood still for a long while, as if nailed to the spot.
The sunset setting on the girl’s face made for an exceptionally beautiful evening.
End of Chapter
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Molart_Note
O mc não tá descansando nunca kkk
é um evento atrás do outro namoral
Tbm queria saber oque aconteceu com os aventureiros que ele deixou pra trás