Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 240

Chapter 240

Witch (7)

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The Witch’s Restaurant.

This restaurant, which peculiarly opens in the evening and closes in the morning, is known for constantly moving around Arcaneum, making it impossible to pinpoint its exact location.

Currently, the elite students from the five prestigious magic schools of Arcaneum are searching for it with burning determination. The owner of the restaurant, ‘Melisher,’ wore her usual bright smile as she served food to the young boys and girls who had come to visit today.

The menu was incredibly diverse.

Since these elite students came from all over the world, they often missed the taste of their hometown and would frequently order food from various regions. Melisher was capable of preparing all sorts of dishes.

…To be precise, she could cook them, but the taste was usually awful.

Despite that, her customers would rave about the food and continue coming back.

Why? The answer was simple.

Because the dishes weren’t ordinary—they were magical.

Magical dishes?

It sounds like a strange term.

No one has likely ever heard of magic being used in cooking.

But for Melisher, it was possible.

She was a witch, and unlike ordinary mages, she could wield a very special kind of magic.

‘This much is enough.’

Watching the students eat voraciously in her restaurant, Melisher smiled faintly.

T h i s w a s c o p i e d f ro m k i n g m t l . or g
For a long time, witches had been persecuted, forced to live in hiding.

Even though witches have a natural advantage over mages, their numbers were so few, and with the presence of the Witch Hunters in the world, revealing themselves was simply impossible.

As a result, the witches had no choice but to suppress or seal their magic and live in hiding like ordinary people…

Melisher, however, despised this life bound by chains, so she decided to reveal herself to the world.

Th i s w a s c o p ied fr o m k i ng m t l. o r g
Doing so through ordinary means would be dangerous.

She had to act quietly and discreetly, but at the same time, she needed to have a significant enough impact on the magical world to make them fear the existence of witches.

‘This method was the right choice.’

The Witch’s Restaurant was merely a rumor that spread among the students, so there was no direct interference from the Magic Department.

Yet, it was impossible for the trend-driven teenage students to resist the allure of the Witch’s Restaurant.

They would search high and low for it, and some chosen individuals would eventually reach it.

‘Fools who think they are tigers, unaware they’ve already fallen into the trap…’

They might think they had succeeded in finding the prey, but in truth, they were only caught in the snare Melisher had set.

The young mages, intoxicated by the magic infused in the food, would keep coming back for more, and eventually, they would become slaves who could not live without the Witch’s Restaurant.

The most terrifying part was that their ‘witch addiction’ showed no outward signs.

They would continue their daily lives as before, excelling as students of prestigious magic schools, and eventually take up positions in the world’s top magical institutions.

When that time came…

The seeds Melisher had sown would have fully blossomed, and a portion of the magical world would fall into her hands.

‘I have no delusions of world domination.’

Melisher knew well the fate of witches who had once dreamed of conquering the world—how they met terrible deaths. She did not seek such grand ambitions.

‘If I can control just a small portion of the magical world with my own hands…’

Perhaps then, she could bring the witches, who had been living in the shadows of the world, back into the light.

Until then, she would endure this humiliation.

Though it was frustrating and infuriating to lure in naive teenagers with a mere restaurant, she was certain that her efforts would bear fruit if she waited just a little longer.

Ding-!

Just as the students were finishing their meals and preparing to leave, the door to the restaurant opened, and Melisher frowned in confusion.

‘What’s this?’

T h i s w a s c o p i ed f r o m k i n g m tl . o r g
After receiving the last customer, she had cast a perception-blocking spell to ensure that no one else could enter.

No one should have been able to approach…

‘Did I make a mistake?’

Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter.

Since she was still running a restaurant as a front, Melisher donned her business smile and greeted the customer.

“Welcome…”

-Witch. I’ve found you.

Stab!

…She almost said it.

Had it not been for the sudden cold sensation piercing through her chest, she might have bowed her head in greeting.

“Urgh…”

Drip!

Melisher raised her trembling hand. Blood poured down like a waterfall onto her palm.

“Damn it… Cough!”

As she spat out blood and collapsed onto the floor, the students who witnessed the scene began screaming in terror.

“Kyaaahhh!!”

“W-What’s going on?!”

“M-Murder!”

However, the Witch Hunter who had stabbed her with an invisible blade hovered in mid-air, his tattered robe fluttering silently.

-…A witch who has abandoned even her pride. To think you would hide your heart elsewhere.

The Witch Hunter’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Melisher wiped the blood from her lips and grinned.

“Hah… Of course. You lot always go for our hearts first. Do you think we’d leave them in such an obvious spot?”

As Melisher clenched her fist, gathering her mana, the transparent blade that had pierced her chest shattered into pieces, and the space around her began to warp.

“Ahhhhh!”

“P-Please spare me!”

“Screeech!!”

The students screamed louder, and Melisher scowled. These were the same kids who proudly declared themselves future magic warriors, yet at the first sign of real magic, all they could do was scream.

She wanted nothing more than to slice off all their heads right then and there, but she didn’t have the time. Reluctantly, she grabbed hold of the air and twisted it.
Th i s was c o pi e d fr o m k i n g m t l .o rg

Whoooosh!!

The small Witch’s Restaurant spun wildly, spewing the students outside and then slamming the door shut.

T h i s w as c o pi e d f r o m k in gmt l. o r g
But despite the illusion magic that was twisting the space, the Witch Hunter remained perfectly unmoved.

-How crude. Even if you twist space, all I need to do is hold it steady.

Fwoosh-!

The Witch Hunter waved his robe, and a black shadow emerged from it, seeping into the entire restaurant.

-Illusions are just illusions. They cannot resist the truth that I wield.

As he said, the illusions that Melisher created were swallowed by the shadows. Yet, she wiped the blood from her lips casually and slowly stood up, grabbing her broomstick-shaped wand.

“How ridiculous.”

-…Hmm?

At that moment, the black shadow that had been consuming the Witch’s Restaurant stopped moving.

It was as if there were no more illusions left for it to devour.

-This is…!

“Did you really think witches still use primitive magic, like stirring a cauldron with frogs in it?”

With a wave of Melisher’s wand, the shadows turned into rainbow-colored thorns within the illusion and rushed towards the Witch Hunter.

Stab! Stab!

The Witch Hunter’s body had no physical form, but that didn’t stop Melisher from tearing it apart.

-You… Impossible…!

“Stop bothering me. I’m busy running a restaurant, you know.”

-I can’t believe this…

Witches hunt mages.

Witch Hunters hunt witches.

This relationship was an absolute hierarchy, a food chain that had never been overturned in the history of magic.

So naturally, when a Witch Hunter discovers a witch, they should be in a one-sided chase.

-This can’t be…

Even as his body was torn apart by the illusionary barrier, the Witch Hunter glared at Melisher with his terrifying, blood-red eyes.

Those menacing eyes seemed like something out of a nightmare, but Melisher calmly wiped the blood from her chest.

“My heart, huh…”

The Witch Hunter had aimed for her heart, but that had been his fatal mistake.

“You should’ve done your homework.”

Melisher muttered to herself, then sighed as she sensed the presence of several people approaching from outside.

It seemed the spatial interference barrier had completely collapsed, and the mages had noticed and were closing in.

“Tch, what a lousy business day.”

Melisher snapped her fingers in resignation.
T h is w a s c o p i e d f r om ki n gmt l . o r g

Whoosh!

The barrier that had been protecting the Witch’s Restaurant folded in on itself, and in an instant, the restaurant disappeared from that space, leaving nothing behind.

“…Too late.”

The Stella Magic Knights, who arrived late to the scene, scowled in frustration. They had come as soon as they sensed the surge of mana, yet the restaurant had vanished so quickly.

T hi s wa s co p i e d fr om ki ng mt l . o r g
“It’s fine.”

As the Magic Knights stood there in disbelief, staring at the empty spot where the Witch’s Restaurant once stood, Baek Yu-seol nonchalantly approached from behind and spoke.

T h i s w a s co p i e d f r o m k i n g mtl .o r g
“What’s ‘fine’ about this?”

Although Arain, the Knight Commander, had ordered them to include Baek Yu-seol as a temporary member of the Magic Knights, they couldn’t bring themselves to trust this young, arrogant boy.

They had also grown up being called ‘geniuses’ in their youth, and while they weren’t as talented as Baek Yu-seol, they had accomplished enough to proudly join Stella’s Magic Knights.

But now, this boy had been given the status of a temporary knight, despite lacking any credentials. How could they possibly accept him?

Baek Yu-seol understood their feelings well, but having lived through something similar ten years ago, he found it too bothersome to deal with them individually.

“It looks like there was a battle.”

“Yeah, we can see that much.”

“Have you figured out who and how they fought?”

It was a reasonable question, but they couldn’t answer.

“We’ll find out soon enough. Let’s bring the ‘Memory Compass’ here. There’s a strong trace of mana left behind.”

“It’s useless. Events that happen within illusionary spaces don’t leave a record.”

Th is w a s co p i e d f rom k in gmt l .o r g
“Are you saying it won’t work without even trying? You’re too young to know, but the Memory Compass is…”

“It was a Witch Hunter.”
T h i s w a s c o p ie d f r o m k in g mt l . o r g

“…What?”

“That mana trace. It’s the remains of a Witch Hunter.”

The sudden statement left the entire Magic Knight squad dumbfounded.

“What kind of nonsense is that…?”

Their reaction was understandable.

There were only a very few Witch Hunters in existence, and their identities were shrouded in mystery. To claim that the scraps of cloth and the magic energy lingering in the air were a Witch Hunter’s remains—who would believe such a thing?

But this was the Stella Magic Knights. They were supposed to be capable not only in combat but also in thinking beyond conventional boundaries to solve the unsolvable.

‘…Even I’m a little surprised, though.’

Through his Bulbul Glasses, Baek Yu-seol could analyze the traces left behind by the Witch Hunter, but since this didn’t happen in the original game, he couldn’t help but be shocked.

According to the original story, that Witch Hunter was supposed to attack Aiselle, not a witch.

‘I don’t know what happened, but this might actually be better.’

The remains of a Witch Hunter would be a huge clue.

“Let’s investigate that first.”

“You’re insane. A Witch Hunter’s remains? Have you lost your mind?”

“No, it’s true.”

“Stop spouting nonsense and step back.”

“I had faith in Commander Arain’s judgment, but I’m starting to feel disappointed.”

“If you can’t be of help, at least don’t get in the way.”

The knights pushed Baek Yu-seol aside, and he could only stare at them in disbelief.

‘These are supposed to be the Stella Magic Knights? Really?’

In the original game, the Stella Magic Knights were portrayed as the best of the best, the strongest group in the world.

It wasn’t incorrect.

They were indeed the most powerful, gathering the strongest individuals from all over the world.

But even so…

Not every member was an elite fighter.

These knights were still seedlings, far from fully blossomed.

They hadn’t yet reached enlightenment, their thinking limited and rigid, and they were overly attached to their pride as ‘knights,’ unable to make flexible decisions.

Outside of these walls, they might be considered powerful mages, but they were still unworthy of being full-fledged members of the Stella Magic Knights.

They undoubtedly possessed vast knowledge, but their mental approach seemed stuck at a certain point.

‘Now I get why Arain sent these idiots to me.’

They had been deemed worthy of being Magic Knights, and as such, were chosen by Stella, but their rigid personalities likely prevented them from showing proper growth.

Arain must have decided that they needed a catalyst.

Something or someone strong enough to make them realize they were wrong.

‘…I asked for useful helpers, but I got a bunch of burdens instead.’

Still, Arain’s decision wasn’t entirely wrong.

Because, while these knights were fumbling around, Baek Yu-seol had already found the witch’s trail.

‘It’s actually better this way. With the Witch Hunter dead, Aiselle won’t be in danger.’

One of the main reasons Baek Yu-seol was in such a rush to resolve this incident had been eliminated, so that was a relief.

He stood up and looked in the direction of Stella Academy.

He wasn’t sure what kind of variables his actions would create by preemptively erasing a part of the story before the episode had even started, but if it was for the safety of the main characters attending that school, he didn’t mind doing anything.

End of Chapter.