Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 258
Chapter 258
The Noble Soul (8)
***
Meanwhile, at the moment when Mage Arumun and the elder of Namuhwaran, Suhak San, crossed paths.
A small clearing at the edge of the World Tree.
Chirp-chirp!
In this secluded clearing, where sparrows chirped and leaves rustled in the breeze, it was such an obscure spot that people hardly ever came here.
“Ughhh…”
In this remote corner of the clearing, someone lay sprawled out on an old, worn-out bench, completely drunk.
Covered only by a single piece of newspaper, the figure seemed utterly lost in a drunken stupor, looking rather pitiful.
“Mister.”
It seemed that someone had indeed found this hidden place, as a young girl with pointed ears happened to pass by. Unable to just leave the man as he was, she called out to him.
“Ugh…”
But there was no response.
“Mister!”
“Ugh!”
The girl raised her voice once again, and the newspaper fell to the ground, revealing the man’s face.
His scruffy, peppered beard and tangled, messy hair were the perfect image of an unemployed bum. His rounded ears indicated he was human, and his shabby attire confirmed his status as a beggar.
“What…”
With dark circles under his eyes, he scratched his head vigorously and sat up. The girl, wrinkling her nose at the strong smell of alcohol, stepped back.
“Ugh, it reeks of alcohol…”
“Ugh… Who are you?”
“And who are you, mister?”
“Me? I’m…”
Finally, the man raised his hand, which was still covered in a blue liquid.
“What’s that?”
“Blood.”
“Blood? Blood is red.”
“Yours would be, little elf.”
“Humans have red blood too, and you’re human!”
“Me? Do I look human to you?”
When the girl nodded, the man finally let out a soft laugh.
Could the innocent little girl before him possibly comprehend that the blue blood on his hands was the very blood of a mad Dark Mage, who had spent over a decade slaughtering only maidens?
‘Well… He deserved to die.’
This man’s name was Cheollibeun, the Dark Mage Slayer.
Though he was a Dark Mage, he had been on the run from other Dark Mages.
Was it because he was a Dark Mage Slayer?
No, that was just a hobby. The fact that the weak perish was a natural law of nature, and culling feeble Dark Mages posed no issue.
However…
He had once challenged the ‘Dark Mage King’ long ago and lost, which was why he was now a fugitive.
No Dark Mage who challenges the king survives.
Daring to covet the throne of the strong while being a mere weakling, the price was death. Shamefully, he had fled, and so it was only natural that he was still hiding his face even to this day.
“Hmm, it’s quiet here.”
The fierce battle he had fought earlier had left him a bit exhausted, but fortunately, there were no pursuers in this place.
He had grown tired of staining his hands with blood, so he was grateful for the chance to rest for a while.
“It’s always quiet here.”
“Well… that’s not exactly what I meant, but it is quiet. You don’t have any friends, do you?”
When Cheollibeun grinned and asked that, the girl shouted back.
“I-I do!”
“Who?”
“Ch… Chico…”
“Is that the name of your family’s dog?”
“It’s a cat!”
“Puhaha! A cat is your friend? You’re a strange little kid. Elves live for hundreds of years, and you’ll spend your whole life alone…”
Chilling!
The moment Cheollibeun, laughing and joking with the girl, felt a sharp sensation.
Crack!
Suddenly, a massive wall of stone burst from the ground, forming a dome around both Cheollibeun and the girl.
“Whoa?!”
As the sunlight vanished in an instant, the girl fell to the ground, landing on her backside in surprise.
“D-Did you do that, mister…?”
“Well… sort of.”
Though it was indeed Cheollibeun’s ability, it hadn’t been by his will.
Sensing the threat, the earth had acted on its own to protect him.
‘This is… Will Manifestation.’
A technique used by only a select few mages in Aether; it wasn’t quite magic, as it didn’t involve incantations, but it wasn’t exactly non-magical either, as it followed a calculated formula. It was a very unique skill.
‘A Will Manifestation that covers the entire World Tree…’
As Cheollibeun withdrew the stone wall, he cracked his stiff neck to loosen it.
‘…Someone skilled has come, knowing I’m here.’
Realizing who it likely was, Cheollibeun’s eyes narrowed.
‘Arumun Blushun. Annoying bastard.’
The thought that the persistent mage had chased him all the way here to the World Tree made his head throb.
“Sigh, I could really use some alcohol right now.”
But Arumun wasn’t the only issue he had to worry about.
‘That guy… where the hell is he?’
He had come all the way to the Orchard of Flower Radiance in Namuhwaran chasing after a Dark Mage, but the signal had suddenly cut off, and even after several days, he couldn’t find him.
Of course, after staying in one place for so long, it was only natural that a top-tier pursuer like Arumun would show up.
He hadn’t stayed in one place for more than a day in over several decades as a fugitive.
“Hmm, I think I know where he might be… but I’m not sure if I should fight.”
Cheollibeun glanced up at the sky. The vast, lush green canopy of the World Tree loomed overhead, towering so high it pierced through even the clouds. The enormous tree seemed to possess a will of its own, and even someone like Cheollibeun found it burdensome to make a scene in this place.
‘I don’t feel comfortable with how eerily quiet the World Tree is either…’
Whatever the reason, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.
“…Mister.”
“Hmm?”
When he lowered his gaze, the girl from earlier was looking up at him with curious eyes.
“Mister… are you loved by the earth?”
“What? What kind of nonsense is that?”
“I’ve never seen a mage who can control the earth like you. I can hear it. The earth likes you. It moved on its own.”
“Stop with the weird talk, will you?”
“It’s true.”
“Enough, scram.”
“Huh?”
When Cheollibeun waved his hand dismissively and started walking away, the girl, flustered, reached out toward him.
Even though it was a secluded clearing, they were still at the base of the World Tree, and if he took the wrong path, he might fall.
“That area is a cliff…!”
The girl hurried after him, shouting, but it was already too late.
“…Huh?”
Too late, or so she thought.
Yet, from the trunk of the tree, a thick pillar of earth rose, creating a path for Cheollibeun to step on.
The brownish, crooked pillar, which seemed to twist and wind unnaturally, clearly wasn’t created by human will but by nature itself.
“Wow…”
The girl gazed in wonder at Cheollibeun’s retreating figure. If an earth spirit truly existed… perhaps it would look like that.
* * *
After spending three days in Leafanel’s garden, I suddenly realized something important I had forgotten. It was a trivial matter, but one that couldn’t be overlooked.
Attendance!
Today was Monday.
A school day.
Jumping up from my meditation in Leafanel’s garden, I rushed outside, only to be hit on the head by a stumbling white owl that was circling in the sky.
-Squawk!
“Gah!”
I screamed at the same time as the owl, grabbing its foot just before it hit the ground.
“Ouch, my head…”
Though it was my first time seeing one in person, I immediately recognized what it was.
‘Stella Security System.’
If a Stella student went off-campus for an assignment or mission and didn’t return on time, a magic owl would be dispatched, tracking the student via the location device attached to their uniform.
These owls were equipped with advanced concealment magic and spatial transference magic beyond the 7th class, allowing them to travel vast distances in an instant. Normally, no one would even be able to perceive their presence.
The fact that I could see this one… well, maybe my senses had become overly sharp, but it could also just be that this owl was particularly dumb.
-Coo… coo-cooo…
The owl made a strange sound, lifted its head, and stared straight at me, before speaking in a deep, resonant voice.
“Baek Yu-seol! Student Baek Yu-seol! You have failed to return without a valid reason by Sunday and will be penalized!”
Well, I had my reasons…
“But! If you are currently in danger, please press 111!”
“If you are in an extraordinary situation preventing your return, please press 112!”
“Where do I press?”
The owl spread its wings.
Whoosh!
On its wings was a number keypad, resembling an old telephone dial. After a brief moment of hesitation, I pressed the number H2, and with a soft hiccup sound, the owl soared into the sky and flew off somewhere.
It was probably headed back to Stella Academy to report that I was currently in a situation where I couldn’t return.
“…Is that it?”
It was a decent system, but still somewhat inconvenient.
Honestly, I couldn’t wait for Alterisha to develop some convenient device, like a cellphone.
‘…But first, they’d have to develop satellites or communication towers.’
Having barely caught my breath, I plopped down on the ground.
Whoosh…
The wind gently brushed against me, seeming to awaken my senses, sharpening every cell in my body.
Three days. It had only been three days, but I felt like I was a completely different person from the one I’d been before.
I didn’t gain any dramatic, superhuman strength, but it was true that all of my stats had grown evenly, and I could feel proud of that.
‘This is the true value of Red Spring March.’
Looking back, I realized how foolish I had been. In the game, because I couldn’t fully utilize the Blessing of the Twelve Divine Moons, I had only thought of them as ‘additional attribute effects.’
Blue Winter December only increased ice resistance, and Red Spring March merely enhanced mental power.
But… hadn’t I felt it multiple times already?
Flowerseorin, who had received an overwhelming amount of Red Spring March’s blessing, possessed an ability that charmed everyone, and I had also gained the ability to read others’ emotions by applying those powers.
To think I had been wasting the limitless potential of the Twelve Divine Moons up until now.
‘…The one I should focus on first is Silver Age November.’
In the game, it was one of the most mysterious abilities, as no player had ever reached the highest level to unlock its true potential.
But that might not be too difficult for me.
In the game, characters could only grow through tedious grinding, but in this reality, I could feel and use my abilities in real time.
[Blessing of Silver Age November Lv.1]
* Sensory perception increased by 40%
* Mental strength increased by 12%
* Ability not yet unlocked
‘The ticking of silver time flows slowly.’
What a strange skill.
Despite being one of the most special blessings among the Twelve Divine Moons, a power related to time, all it did was provide a modest stat boost.
In the original game, this was exactly how the blessing functioned, so I didn’t pay it much attention and just accepted it. How foolish of me. If I had thought a little deeper, I would’ve made an effort to unlock the hidden abilities it kept.
How? The question briefly crossed my mind, but it didn’t seem as difficult as I thought.
As long as Red Spring March’s blessing was with me, self-reflection wouldn’t be too hard.
‘…It should be okay for a little while longer.’
By now, Flowerseorin was probably already back with Elder Suhak San, discussing countermeasures.
We had discovered that Leafanel was the cause of the issue, so they were likely preparing a spell to purify the area.
So, what should I do?
‘Since I’ve already skipped school, one more day won’t hurt.’
It’s strange how, when you’re about to be late for school, you feel anxious, but once you’re actually late, you feel oddly relaxed.
That’s exactly how I feel right now.
Maybe it’s because I’ve already missed an entire day, but I feel like I’ve let everything go.
So, just for today.
Just for today, I decided to stay a little longer in Leafanel’s garden.
Two days should be fine, right?
End of Chapter.
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Chooseurusername69
Stay for a week would be good