Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 259

Chapter 259

The Noble Soul (9)

***

The Orchard of Flower Radiance was vast, and even with Mage Arumun’s 9th-class detection magic, pinpointing Cheollibeun’s exact location in such an expansive area would be no easy feat.

Knowing this, Cheollibeun decided to stay in the orchard for a few more days.

It wasn’t that he had suddenly developed a desire to settle down here.

Rather, the exits of the Orchard of Flower Radiance were tightly sealed off by the Magic Warriors of the Magic Bureau and the Dark Mage Extermination Squad.

Sure, he could kill a few of them to create an opening and escape, but… he preferred to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

‘What a nuisance…’

Though Cheollibeun, being beloved by the earth, could repel most detection magic with his anti-magic abilities, it was only a matter of time before an expert like Arumun eventually found him.

However, Arumun was just a fragile human, and with his limited mana, there would undoubtedly be a point where his detection magic would weaken. Cheollibeun planned to bide his time and wait until then.

But life—or rather, a Dark Mage’s life—never goes that smoothly.

“Betrayer. So, this is where you’ve been.”

Cheollibeun sighed inwardly as he looked at the men in black robes blocking his path in both directions.

Dark Mages were far more sensitive to dark mana than ordinary mages. And these men were from the ‘Black Cloud Squad,’ an elite group regarded as top predators within the Dark Mage Alliance.

They were a ridiculous bunch, proud of their Dark Mage heritage, and they had heightened their dark-detection abilities to personally track down and eliminate traitors like Cheollibeun.

Their combat prowess was also formidable, combining various bloodline traits and special abilities, making them incredibly troublesome to deal with.

…And why were they so troublesome?

‘Because it’s annoying to deal with them quietly…’

The stronger the opponent, the harder it is to subdue them without causing a commotion. Even for Cheollibeun, it was impossible to take down the Black Cloud Squad silently.

“Ah… right. Of course. Hey, you guys. Let me ask just one question.”

Despite Cheollibeun’s words, the Dark Mages of the Black Cloud Squad unsheathed their claws, coated with dark mana, or bared their fangs, exuding hostility.

Still, Cheollibeun stubbornly continued his question.

“Have any of you seen a Dark Mage named ‘Soya’? He’s probably hiding somewhere nearby.”

“…Did you just say, Soya?”

Even the Dark Mages, who had been refusing to speak, opened their mouths at that name.

Dark Mage, Soya.

“That’s not a name someone like you can casually mention.”

“Yeah. I figured.”

That was understandable.

Unlike him, Soya was now revered as a god-like figure among Dark Mages.

His greatest feats included… burning down an entire World Tree and erasing it from existence, as well as killing a spirit and stealing its heart.

‘What’s so impressive about that?’

For Dark Mages, spirits were the most terrifying enemies, so those feats might seem impressive to others. But to Cheollibeun, it was no more than child’s play—a meaningless badge of honor.

“So, you don’t know anything?”

They didn’t answer, and realizing that his question had been in vain, Cheollibeun scratched his head and sighed deeply.

At that, the leader of the group shouted.

“He has given up. Finish him!”

“Everyone—”

In an instant, dark mana spread across the entire World Tree, and the Black Cloud Squad simultaneously unleashed their bloodline magic, which only a select few Dark Mages could use.

In the midst of all this…

‘…The weather’s nice.’

Cheollibeun looked up at the sky.

The sun was shining brightly, the sky was clear blue.

Clouds floated lazily by.

And here he was, about to engage in another bothersome fight on such a peaceful day.

He was sick of it all.

* * *

“We need to search the roots of the World Tree.”

At Mage Arumun Blushun’s words, both Elder Suhak San and the elves of the Namuhwaran Council stiffened with grim expressions.

That suggestion wasn’t something to be said lightly. To even suggest searching the roots, the heart of the World Tree, was outrageous.

“It’s unavoidable. If we scatter mana from the roots and control it, we can immediately pinpoint the target’s location. You understand the severity of the situation, don’t you?”

“That’s a different issue. Even if the enemy attacks the World Tree, it’s less dangerous than showing you the roots.”

“Hah… well, that’s that.”

Arumun knew well enough how insulting his suggestion was to them.

But what choice did he have?

He was a scholar who valued efficiency.

It made no sense to waste time here when they could just lower their pride a little and let him examine the roots. He could never understand the elf race.

With such stubbornness, it was no wonder they had never produced a great mage in their history.

Arumun weighed his options for a moment.

He needed to think rationally.

Was it really the right decision to break their pride and investigate the roots?

‘It is.’

If they lost track of Cheollibeun just to preserve their ridiculous pride, it would be a complete waste of time.

“Sorry, but I don’t have the luxury of respecting your pride. Cheollibeun is classified as a 1st-class danger by the International Mage Pact, and you should know that even royalty cannot refuse to cooperate in a search for such a target.”

“That is…”

Most sentient races were bound by a large pact, treaty, or agreement under the umbrella of ‘magic.’

Some races formed a pact, others a treaty, but the large promise they made was centered around the principles of Dark Mage investigation and its regulation.

Dark Mages were considered a universal evil of society, and while mages generally did not interfere with each other using magic, Dark Mages were an exception to this rule.

In essence, it was a law specifically created for hunting Dark Mages.

It was a law that bound all races under one banner to protect each other, but it was also an ironic agreement that, at times, mandated the exposure and vulnerability of everything, legally.

“You understand, don’t you? Don’t forget that we’ve been respectful so far. We’re in a hurry now, so I hope you’ll understand.”

With that, Arumun was about to move to the next location. He thought it best to handle the situation swiftly while Suhak San was still at a loss for words.

However…

“Wait a moment, please.”

At the voice that rang out… every mage present froze in place, as if their feet were glued to the ground.

Click!

The sound of black heels echoed as the door to the meeting room opened, and a woman dressed in a black dress entered.

She made direct eye contact with the humans in the room, one by one, without wearing a mask.

Had the curse been stronger, their mana might have backfired, causing them to go berserk, but at this point, it wasn’t that powerful.

Instead, her presence simply stirred their hearts, causing them to unconsciously fall under her words.

For powerful mages… unless she truly willed it, her curse wouldn’t fully take hold.

“…Elven King? I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Even someone like Arumun couldn’t treat the Elven King lightly.

Her unique ability, [Lovesickness], seemed to have a faint effect even on a 9th-class mage like Arumun, as he felt his judgment waver upon seeing her face.

“I overheard your conversation. You plan to invade the roots of the World Tree.”

“It’s not an invasion. If you look at the search warrant… you’ll see that a 1st-class dangerous Dark Mage is hiding here. We’ve merely found the most efficient way to protect the World Tree.”

Arumun spoke with weary eyes as he presented the warrant, but Flowerseorin shook her head after glancing at the document.

“You’ve worked hard. But from now on, there’s no need for that. I will personally handle the search for the Dark Mage, Cheollibeun.”

“…Hmm.”

Several of the older mages shifted uncomfortably, coughing into their hands at Flowerseorin’s words.

By law, the search for Dark Mages had always been the responsibility of the Mage Association and the Magical Investigation Team, but this was Flowerseorin’s domain as the Elven King. It was natural to hand over command of the operation to her…

However, the Mage Association had never once yielded the authority to search to any nation before. This was because their capabilities far exceeded those of any country.

Led by Arumun, a 9th-class mage, with 8th-class elders at his side, the Mage Association’s power and influence were so immense that even nations dared not refuse their demands. As a result, they had freely invaded the secret domains of other nations.

This time was supposed to be no different. The only problem was that their opponent happened to be the Elven King, who could rival a 9th-class mage.

“The World Tree is my domain. From now on, I will take command here, so please withdraw. Thank you for all your hard work.”

Flowerseorin’s gentle voice possessed a strange power, causing the mages to nod their heads without even realizing it.

Her alluring and irresistible voice left them feeling as though they shouldn’t refuse.

As Flowerseorin smiled softly, the mages bobbed their heads even more vigorously, as if they would hand over their hearts and souls to her. However, Arumun remained unmoved.

“Apologies, but we can’t withdraw, Elven King.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. Cheollibeun is an extremely dangerous individual. We cannot allow Your Majesty to be put in harm’s way. While we will fully yield command to you, please allow us to assist in the extermination of the Dark Mage.”

“…Hmm.”

It was exactly as Flowerseorin had expected. In fact, she had orchestrated the situation knowing that this response would come.

Normally, she would have refused at this point.

The idea of humans trampling over the World Tree filled her with discomfort, and more than anything, she preferred to act alone.

But… before coming here, she recalled a conversation she had with Baek Yu-seol in Leafanel’s garden.

‘By now, some important figures will likely be running around, claiming they need to conduct a search. Flowerseorin, please go and keep them in check.’

‘Shouldn’t I just send them away…?’

‘No, you can’t.’

Baek Yu-seol had spoken with an unusually firm voice at the time, which had caught Flowerseorin off guard. It was the first time he had ever spoken to her so decisively, and though she was confused, she felt a strange trust in his words.

‘It’s highly likely that Mage Arumun is the one who’s come.’

‘Why…?’

‘That light brown mana signature belongs to the Dark Mage, Cheollibeun.’

‘The Dark Mage, Cheollibeun?’

‘Yes. You’ve heard of him, right? Mage Arumun has spent his entire life pursuing that man. If something goes wrong, he’ll be a great help.’

Reflecting on that moment, Flowerseorin nodded as she looked at Arumun.

“Very well. If it’s just assisting in the search, you are more than welcome.”

How could Baek Yu-seol have deduced the presence of the Dark Mage Cheollibeun simply from the mention of light brown mana? And how did he know about the connection between Arumun and Cheollibeun?

She didn’t know.

But the situation was unfolding exactly as Baek Yu-seol had predicted.

With that alone, her trust in Baek Yu-seol had risen significantly. Flowerseorin decided to set aside her distaste for humans trampling on the World Tree for the time being and follow the boy’s advice.

After all, that boy… was the only person in this world whom she could trust and entrust with her heart.

End of Chapter.