Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 254

Chapter 254

The Noble Soul (7)

***

The Orchard of Flower Radiance had originally been a tourist destination. Though it was the off-season after the holidays, the place was still bustling with people due to its location in such a large city.

However, none of them could have known.

None of the ordinary people who had come to the Third World Tree seeking a leisurely experience could have imagined that they would encounter the ruler of all spirits, divine beings, sacred beasts, fairies, and elves—the Elf King, Flowerseorin.

In the central plaza of the Orchard of Flower Radiance.

Although it wasn’t the highest point, this flat, bowl-shaped area provided a view of the surrounding scenery, making it one of the most popular spots for tourists. And today, it was even more crowded than usual.

Murmur, murmur.

“What’s going on?”

“Is there some kind of event happening?”

“Shh! What event? I heard the Elf King is here in person!”

“Seriously? The one who never shows up, suddenly appearing out of nowhere?”

To the general public, Elf King Flowerseorin was a mysterious figure, veiled in secrecy.

Rumor had it that she was so beautiful that anyone who saw her face would instantly fall in love, which is why she deliberately hid her appearance. However… since she had never revealed herself to the public, there was no way to know if the rumors were true.

But today, suddenly, in the Orchard of the Third World Tree, she had appeared.

Flowerseorin stood alone atop the altar, usually reserved for special elven ceremonies, which had been summoned to the central plaza.

Though she was completely shrouded in a black dress and wore a white mask, preventing anyone from seeing her face, people still felt an inexplicable sense of awe.

Despite being fully covered… why did the Elf King seem so breathtakingly beautiful? No one knew the answer.

No one realized that this was due to the subtle ability known as [Lovesickness] emanating from her.

Sigh…

Flowerseorin let out a small sigh, steadying her trembling voice.

Though the curse had greatly weakened, and she could now appear in public as long as her face was covered, the fact that she had lived in hiding for so long made it difficult to endure the attention of such large crowds.

But this was something she had to do.

Without speaking directly to the World Tree, she wouldn’t be able to find the cause of the dark mana corrosion.

Swoosh…

As the leaves of the World Tree swayed, a green aurora slowly spread across the sky, and the murmuring crowd fell silent, lifting their heads in awe.

“Wow…”

The people who had come to the Orchard simply to enjoy the beauty of nature were now witnessing a scene far more breathtaking, feeling their hearts healed by the sight.

However, unlike the onlookers, Flowerseorin furrowed her brows and bit her lip.

-It hurts.

-Go back.

-Leave me…

-I’m sorry.

-It’s painful…

The voice of a child echoed in her mind. It was undoubtedly the scream of the World Tree, but Flowerseorin could not even initiate a proper conversation with it.

The World Tree was too far gone, unable to maintain its sanity, making communication impossible.

“Gah…!”

Flowerseorin bit her lips hard enough to draw blood, trying her best to focus, but the World Tree’s constant screams crippled her efforts.

‘Please, get a hold of yourself! You have to tell me where it hurts…!’

Clink!

“Ugh!”

Though she struggled to concentrate and successfully conveyed her will, the World Tree immediately rejected Flowerseorin’s consciousness.

Unable to endure its immense suffering, the World Tree severed the connection entirely.

Thud!

As Flowerseorin collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, knights quickly ascended the altar to support her.

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

“Ah…”

Still unable to speak, she lifted her head and stared at the green aurora that was slowly dissipating.

It was proof that the World Tree had rejected the conversation and was thrashing about in agony.

“So pretty…”

“Wow!”

Yet the fact that the crowd still found it beautiful only deepened Flowerseorin’s sadness.

She clenched her fists and bowed her head.

If she could just talk to the World Tree, she might be able to heal it, but she couldn’t even do that.

“Your Majesty…”

“I’ll have to find and heal it myself.”

But that didn’t mean she would stand idly by. Staggering to her feet, Flowerseorin descended the altar and issued her orders.

“Summon the knights and command them to search for the source of the corruption in the roots. I’ll be searching separately.”

“Understood.”

As soon as Flowerseorin’s command was given, the knights gestured to relay the orders, and the knights standing by quickly dispersed to lead their respective squads.

The World Tree was vast, grand, and complex.

There was no way to estimate how long it would take to search the entire tree, but perhaps if she extended her senses to the fullest, it might be possible.

‘First…’

Her plan was to begin at the very top of the World Tree and slowly work her way down. But as she descended from the altar, she locked eyes with Baek Yu-seol, who had been waiting for her below.

It was only then that she remembered they had promised to meet with Spirit Leafanel together, causing her to smile bitterly.

She had been looking forward to spending time with him.

But that would have to wait for now. The World Tree needed saving first.

“Sorry. Could you wait for just a bit? I’ll solve this issue quickly.”

“No. Let’s move together.”

“You don’t need to do that because of me…”

“It’s not because of that. I think I’ve already found the cause.”

“What?”

Flowerseorin’s eyes widened in disbelief. How could he have already found the cause, especially when she hadn’t even begun investigating? Baek Yu-seol nodded toward the rear.

“…If that’s the case, would you like to come with me for a moment? To Leafanel’s Garden.”

If Baek Yu-seol’s hunch was correct, there would be a barrier there by now. There was no way to enter alone, not at his current level. If this were the second semester of his second year or the start of his third, he might have had the necessary items and skills to break through the barrier, but right now, he was too weak.

‘It’s actually fortunate that Flowerseorin is here with me.’

In the original episode, the protagonist had to resolve everything alone, making the difficulty level insanely high. But now, he had Flowerseorin, who wielded power comparable to that of a 9th-class mage, by his side.

Even though the episode had come much sooner than expected, there was no reason to be afraid with such a cheat code accompanying him.

‘The only thing that worries me is…’

The fact that the “Spirit Slayer” might appear before Leafanel was a cause for concern.

Very few players had ever encountered the Spirit Slayer, and it was one of the worst episodes in the game.

‘You never know. Better to be cautious.’

Given that the most unlikely things always seemed to happen in this world, it wouldn’t hurt to be careful this time as well.

With that thought, Baek Yu-seol led Flowerseorin to Leafanel’s Garden.

Hoping that the level of corrosion hadn’t progressed too far.

***

Among the students of Stella Academy, a significant portion came from noble families.

The children of noble families often had to miss classes due to family events. With a valid reason, they could be excused from classes for up to four days.

In other words, they could miss an entire week of classes.

Of course, it was rare for a student to take the full four days off since only a handful of noble families held such large-scale events.

But Hong Bi-yeon was no ordinary person.

She was a princess of the Adolevit royal family.

After proudly securing a four-day leave, including the weekend, she boarded the royal family’s private airship and left Arcaneum. As she gazed at the drifting clouds outside the window, she pondered deeply.

‘Father has approved. He said that since I am also a member of the royal family, I naturally have the right to participate in the Purification Ritual.’

The Purification Ritual in Morf Forest was sure to be a fatal weakness for Hong Si-hwa.

If Hong Bi-yeon interfered, it would undoubtedly create a disadvantageous situation for her sister. Yet, the Duke of Orkan had accepted it far too easily.

Did he have some deeper motive?

Hong Bi-yeon subtly turned her head and glanced at Sa Yelan Orkan, who was seated a distance away from her.

The girl with those inscrutable black eyes, always impossible to read.

Despite being only two years older, Sa Yelan was proficient at hiding her emotions, skilled with her words, and adept in politics.

In terms of pure magic, Hong Bi-yeon didn’t feel too distant from her, but as a human being…

There was certainly much to learn from Sa Yelan.

But that was all.

Sa Yelan was an enemy—someone she would eventually have to eliminate.

‘To become queen… I have to learn even from my enemies.’

She recalled a phrase she had once read in a book: If there is something to learn, one should be willing to bow even to a beggar.

Who had said that?

It must have been Isaac… Morf…

“Hmph.”

But then the annoyingly serene and peaceful face of Aiselle popped into her mind, and she shook her head to dispel the image.

“Your Highness, would you like some dessert?”

A royal steward approached her with the offer, but she shook her head without even replying. Dessert? What for?

She couldn’t taste anything anyway…

“…Actually, bring me a cake and some sweet cocoa.”

Lately, she had noticed that if she concentrated on the sensation in her tongue, she could faintly perceive the concept of “taste.”

It was so faint that, by normal standards, one might dismiss it as merely feeling something on the tongue. But…

She was certain.

Her sense of taste was slowly returning to normal.

Ever since the day she had lost her sense of taste, she had been desperate to experience flavors again.

After countless attempts to recapture that delightful sensation on her tongue, was this the result?

“Here you are.”

The steward presented her with a sweet chocolate cake and cocoa, and Hong Bi-yeon stabbed the cake with her fork, bringing it to her lips. She wondered why she was feeling so nervous over something so trivial.

She put the cake in her mouth and focused intently, trying to taste it.

‘…I can’t tell.’

Once again, she couldn’t taste anything. Worse, the slimy, soft texture made her want to gag.

In fact, it wasn’t simply that her taste buds were gone; it was more that her sense of taste had been distorted. The nauseating texture filled her mouth.

“Urgh…”

Rushing to the restroom, she vomited the cake and wiped the cold sweat from her brow.

“Ugh, damn it…”

She should have avoided such indulgent foods like cake, especially when she couldn’t taste them. But in her eagerness, she had recklessly tried something too rich.

‘Why… this time?’

She could have sworn that she had tasted something before. So what had been different then? Why had she been able to taste it that time?

Suddenly, she remembered who she had been eating with the last time she felt that fleeting sense of taste.

She let out a hollow laugh.

Could it be that her sense of taste changed depending on who she was dining with?

‘That… makes absolutely no sense.’

She quickly brushed off the thought.

The fact that she was even entertaining such useless ideas showed how much her mindset had changed recently. It made her feel strange about herself.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

“Yes. I’m coming out.”

When she left the restroom, Sa Yelan was waiting for her with her usual unreadable expression.

Hong Bi-yeon returned to her seat, trying to act as if nothing had happened, while Sa Yelan studied her briefly.

‘…Her sense of taste, huh?’

A thought briefly crossed Sa Yelan’s mind, but she did not voice it.

After all, Princess Hong Bi-yeon was an enemy, and there was no need to help her.

End of Chapter