Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Club Activities (1)

After the incident ended, thirty knights from Stella Academy immediately flew to Martavis Cemetery.

The necromancer’s body was retrieved by the magical investigation team, and a purification process was initiated at Martavis Cemetery.

“What are we supposed to live on now?”

“Oh no, we’re all going to die! The citizens are going to die!”

The merchants shouted at the top of their lungs, but it was to no avail.

“Would you have said that if your heads had fallen into the hands of the skeletons? If it weren’t for those students, you’d all be dead by now!”

“Th-that’s true, but…”

“I hope there aren’t more victims because of such selfish mindsets. The purification process starts now.”

“Please, give us a grace period…!”

“Immediately!”

Baek Yu-seol hadn’t known, but it seemed Stella’s influence could even move public authority.
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The students safely returned home on an airship operated by Stella. As soon as they returned, Baek Yu-seol received a stern scolding from Instructor Lee Han-wol.

“You said you were going to train in a place with good air and scenery, but you went to a hunting ground. Was the air at the cemetery that good?”

He had no words to say to that sarcasm.

“Well… something seemed to be happening on the way, so I got off.”

“I see. According to the school rules, you get a demerit. There are no exceptions.”

Lee Han-wol turned around and added,

“But, you didn’t hesitate to jump into the battlefield to protect your friends, even breaking the school rules. You did a very commendable job. There will be a reward and recognition corresponding to your actions, so wait for it.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you…”

Thank goodness. It would have felt terrible to only get demerits for doing a good deed.

“Phew, I’m tired.”

It was still dawn. The purple night sky was beautiful, but the sun would rise soon.

His thigh still hurt. Despite receiving first aid from Flame and a skilled healer, it would continue to hurt for a few days.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a severe injury, and his recovery rate was faster than average, so he was told he could return to classes immediately.

Perhaps, his Mana Leakage Syndrome had improved his recovery rate.

‘I don’t want to return to classes so soon… Can’t they just let me stay hospitalized?’

While thinking that and limping along, someone came up and lightly tapped his shoulder.

It was Flame.

“Hey, you helped me out.”

“Really? Treat me to a meal later.”

“Exploiting a poor student?”

“I’m a student too.”

“That’s true.”

Baek Yu-seol chuckled.

Contrary to his initial thoughts, he recently began to think that Flame might not be such a dangerous person.

In the game, Flame often took away Aiselle’s opportunities and potential due to player manipulation, but in reality, she wasn’t like that.

Afterwards, Dokcheolgwang, Bandiyun, Hong Bi-yeon, and their group members, as well as Kashif Deric, came to thank him and then left.

Finally…

Aiselle approached.

But for some reason, she looked very gloomy. Baek Yu-seol sensed something was wrong.

‘What’s up with her?’

Aiselle was always a bright and smiling person. No matter what burden she carried, she endured and overcame hardships and adversity… such a great person.

“…Thank you for today.”

“Sure. Treat me later.”

Seeing Baek Yu-seol speak lightly as if joking,

Aiselle thought silently.

In this incident, or rather, from before, she realized something.

‘There are many talented people in this world besides me.’

She thought of herself as a genius. That thought hadn’t changed. But she realized there were geniuses as talented as or even more talented than her.

Joining Stella Academy made her understand that.

The world is vast, and there are many geniuses.

She entered the school, determined to become the best, but realized it wasn’t easy.

She had to be the best.

That’s why she worked hard to become the best.

But now, she had doubts.

‘Can I really achieve it through effort alone?’

Despite being of similar age, there were so many geniuses who had already surpassed her. Could she really elevate her family?

Such melancholic thoughts kept swirling in her mind, but Aiselle tried to endure.

She suppressed all her anxieties.

Fear is more terrifying than anxiety.

Fear is a reaction to a tangible threat, but anxiety stems from the subconscious.

‘I can do it.’

Even as she reassured herself, the limits were clear. Unless she healed the fundamental scars, no matter how much she tried, the wounds would continue to bleed.

So, Aiselle unknowingly asked Baek Yu-seol,

“Can I… do that too?”

Hearing that question,

Baek Yu-seol’s expression turned serious.

It wasn’t a good question. Not because it was difficult to answer, but because it was one she shouldn’t ask.

In the original story, Aiselle experienced every hardship a protagonist could endure.

And she overcame it all. This necromancer’s attack was no exception.

She probably came up with her own strategy to overcome the obstacles, and her efforts would have led to a favorable outcome.

But because Baek Yu-seol intervened, Aiselle only experienced the trial without the narrative of ‘overcoming’ it.

She merely depended on others and was saved. That was the extent of her role.

Thus, despite going through several episodes, her heart remained fragile.

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Initially, she endured light rain, got used to it, endured downpours, and eventually endured waterfalls and even tsunamis. But now, her resilience to trials had completely vanished.

‘…What should I do?’

Flimsy comfort is meaningless.

Empty words are pointless.

They would only hurt her more.

So, Baek Yu-seol said what he wanted to say.

“You don’t need to ask me. You’ve already achieved things others deemed impossible.”

“…What?”

A girl who lost her parents at a young age and was abandoned as the child of a traitor.

But she never gave up on life and devoted herself to magic.

Even on a snowy day, she hid in a cave and studied with a book bought from a second-hand store. Despite not having enough money for food, she chose a pencil over a piece of bread and worked her body to the bone, sleeping only two hours a day while diligently studying.

By doing so, she miraculously got into Stella Academy, the top prestigious school.

If this isn’t called a miracle, then what is?

“So, you can continue to create miracles.”

Aiselle closed her lips tightly and looked at him silently.

A cool breeze brushed through her hair.

“How do you… know that?”

“Well, I’ve been watching.”

“…What?”

At that moment, he realized something.

‘Wait. Doesn’t this sound like stalking?’

Saying he had been watching her. That’s something only a pervert would say. Realizing his mistake, Baek Yu-seol quickly turned away. Fortunately, he faced away from the sunset.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

As Baek Yu-seol hurriedly left,

Aiselle stayed there for a while, mulling over his words.

‘He’s been… watching me…’

No one had ever shown interest in her as the child of a traitor. Even if anyone had, it was to mock or throw stones at her, not to care for her.

But today, that belief was shattered.

‘You’ve already achieved it.’

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Those words traveled through her veins and cleared her mind.

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Thump.

Her heart started beating slowly. The passion for magic, the goal she thought she had lost, began to awaken once more.

The dawn was breaking in the distance.
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A new day had begun.

* * *

In the magical city of Camelrn, there was a place where the world’s top mages gathered.

The Council of Elders. Elders who had delved so deeply into magic that there was no coming back.

Strangely, very few of those present looked over forty, most appearing to be in their twenties or thirties.

“What? A necromancer? In this day and age…?”

“Those guys never die. They keep appearing.”

The elders of the Council heard the news from a senior member of the Dark Mage Extermination Squad, who looked older than them.

“Tsk, they’ll eventually get themselves caught.”

It wasn’t the first time necromancers, unable to forget the days when they ruled the world, had caused a commotion.

However, there was one piece of news that surprised even the elders who didn’t care about necromancers.

Rudelik, an 8-class mage, widened his eyes and asked,

“…What? Stella students defeated a 5-class necromancer?”

“Yes. Thirteen students participated in the subjugation, and there were no casualties. Incredibly… it’s said that only one student defeated the necromancer’s main body.”

“How is that possible? Even if they’re students, a necromancer is still a necromancer. Do they have a student who’s at least a 4-class or higher?”

“No.”

Well, that was expected. Even Rudelik hadn’t expected much when he asked, so he was even more puzzled.

‘How did students defeat a necromancer?’

A properly empowered necromancer could control thousands of troops. Even a 5-class necromancer’s practical danger level could be rated 6-risk or higher.

But thirteen students defeated a necromancer?

“…I find it hard to believe.”

“But it’s true. Notably, among those students were Princess Hong Bi-yeon Adolevit, heir to the Tower of the Full Moon, Hae Wonryang, the genius mage who controls light, nature, and matter, Flame, and Aiselle Morf, heir to Morf.”

“Hmm. I see. So those guys must have used some strategy.”

Those four were all geniuses.

Rudelik left it at that. True ‘geniuses’ in the magical society had an uncanny ability to make unbelievable phenomena seem plausible.

“Then, one of those four must have defeated the necromancer.”

“…But that’s not the case either.”

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“What? Then who did it?”

The officer hesitated momentarily before slowly opening his mouth.

“A student named Baek Yu-seol.”

“Never heard of him.”

“Yes. He’s an unusual student with a strong sense of chivalry. It seems Principal Eltemon Eltrine is keeping an eye on him…”

“Huh, well. Life is full of interesting things as you get older.”

Rudelik remembered the name Baek Yu-seol.

He had a feeling they might meet someday.

* * *

Many people think time flows at a constant rate, but that’s a misconception. There are two factors in this world that can alter the speed of time.

First, according to Einstein’s theory of relativity, very heavy objects can warp space-time, causing time dilation.

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Second, time flies faster on weekends.

Indeed.

Before he knew it, it was Monday.

The weekend had vanished.

‘I didn’t even do anything on Sunday…’

Still, today was a special day. For fighting and defeating Dark Mages as a student, they were to receive recognition.

Ordinarily, a mage who accomplished a feat would be invited to the ‘Mage Association’ in Camelrn for a reward. But Stella was different. When awarding a commendation, they did it directly.

Since the principal was one of fewer than ten 9-class mages on the continent, it was possible.

Thirteen students stood in a line on the stage, with the entire student body neatly arranged in rows and columns behind them. If it had ended there, Baek Yu-seol might not have been so concerned.

In one corner, mages dispatched from the Ministry of Magic and the Tower crowded, photographers lined up, and several nobles were present.

It was quite a burden. Why couldn’t they just call them quietly and give them the award? Why did high-ranking people love such formalities?

“Hmm~”

Contrary to his thoughts, Hong Bi-yeon seemed quite pleased, her lips stretched in a broad smile. She didn’t seem aware of it.

Well, after striving all her life to gain recognition from her mother, she must have been showered with praise for being a model student and receiving a commendation.

“…What are you looking at?”

When he stared at her, Hong Bi-yeon met his eyes and furrowed her brows, though she couldn’t hide her smile.

Are you that happy?

He closely examined the faces of the students standing beside him.
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Hong Bi-yeon, Flame, Hae Wonryang, Aiselle.

He originally intended to stay out of the main characters’ affairs and quietly do his own thing. But within a few months of enrollment, he ended up getting involved with everyone and even became the most attention-grabbing student.

“What are you so happy about?”

“Huh? W-what? I fought too, you know?”

“Seriously. You sure talk big for a troll.”

“A troll…?”

In one corner, Bandiyun was berating Kashif Deric as if she genuinely despised him.

He hadn’t noticed it before, but when she scolded Dokcheolgwang, there was a hint of affection. However, when she genuinely berated someone, her expression and tone became terrifying.

Aiselle wasn’t too fond of Kashif either, and he was being ostracized right there.

‘Is it necessary to be that angry?’

He didn’t think so. He thought it would be better to take advantage of this incident later. He decided to think positively.

‘Speaking of which, Dokcheolgwang is already quite muscular.’

Dokcheolgwang was one of his favorite characters in the game. Though he seemed to be constantly scolded by Bandiyun… well, even that was endearing.

‘I’d like to get closer to him…’

But now wasn’t the time. Still, since Dokcheolgwang had a good personality, he would likely accept him later.

While everyone was chatting,

Thud!

The noisy hall suddenly grew silent.

After a long wait, the real star of the show had finally arrived.

The ones receiving the commendation weren’t the stars. The reporters weren’t there to photograph them. The officials from the Tower weren’t there to see them either.

The pinnacle of humanity, the 9-class Master Mage Eltemon Eltrine.

Everyone had gathered to catch a glimpse of his rarely-seen face.

‘…Wow.’

In the game, Eltemon Eltrine appeared quite frequently. Because he was one of the characters who almost became part of the protagonist’s reverse harem.

Unfortunately, for some real-world reason related to the Youth Censorship Committee or something, he didn’t end up with the protagonist.

Despite being 300 years old according to his setting, he looked like a mid-teenager with silver hair.

Always wearing a bright smile, he was the world’s strongest magical warrior with the destructive nickname ‘The Butcher.’

That was the identity of the boy swaggering toward them.

Gulp.

Someone next to him swallowed hard, and Baek Yu-seol heard it.

Although he wasn’t exuding any visible mana, an inexplicable pressure tightened Baek Yu-seol’s heart and bladder. He felt the urge to pee.

His instincts kept making him lower his eyes, but he forced himself to hold his head high.

Eltemon Eltrine had little interest in students who couldn’t withstand his presence and lowered their heads. For his future plans, Baek Yu-seol needed to catch his attention, even if just a little.

“Oh, you must be the new students? Nice to meet you!”

“Principal. Skip the small talk and stick to the agenda.”

“Ah, I get it. Stop nagging.”

Eltemon’s assistant whispered quietly, and he responded like a teenager annoyed by his mom’s nagging, then took the commendation.

Then, after a moment of thought,

“Hmm, to summarize.”

He condensed what must have taken at least three hours to rehearse into just four words.

“Gasp.”

“Huh.”

Amid everyone’s astonishment, Eltemon brushed past them, patting their shoulders.

“Well done, everyone. Really admirable. Keep up the brave work.”

Though it seemed like a polite gesture, he made eye contact with each student. It was his way of testing them.

Most averted their gaze or lowered their heads, but Baek Yu-seol glared at him, imagining himself as a champion in a staring contest.

When Eltemon finally reached him, he smiled enigmatically.

“You’re still working hard. Just as I expected.”

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“…?”

Still working hard?

What did that mean?

But Eltemon moved on, leaving Baek Yu-seol with no time to ponder.

‘Phew…’

Once Eltemon passed, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Honestly, he was nervous to the point of death. His eyes were so dry from the intense gaze that they were tearing up. He needed some blueberries when he got home.
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Eltemon Eltrine quickly finished giving non-committal encouragements to the thirteen students and awarding the commendations. Or so it seemed.

“Ah, by the way, you know there’s a ‘reward money’ for the students who defeated the Dark Mages, right? Make sure to buy yourself some tasty snacks.”

Reward money. The mention of that word made someone flinch.

It was Aiselle.

-…That concludes the commendation ceremony!

With that, the event truly ended. Students and officials flooded out, and Baek Yu-seol hurried to avoid getting caught in the crowd.

And as expected, a significant number of external Tower officials swarmed him.

“Baek Yu-seol, was it? Have you decided which Tower to join after graduation? How about joining ours…?”

“Would you consider joining our company as a combatant?”

As expected. Ma Yuseong and Flame had experienced even worse.

He wanted to accept all those offers. Each was from a famous Tower he had heard of even in the game.

But he couldn’t join those places. He wasn’t a real mage. Would they cling to him just as eagerly if they knew he was a half-baked mage?

Probably not.

“No, I’ll decline.”

So he rejected all the offers. The Tower that contacted him even after learning he couldn’t really use magic would be the one that truly wanted him.

Until then, he planned to reject all love calls that seemed like probing.

“Wait, student, can you at least tell us why?”

The reason.

He didn’t want to reveal he was a half-baked mage, so he gave another reason.

“It’s the trend these days.”

“What…?”

Protagonists usually do well on their own without joining any guilds. At least, that’s the current trend.

If not, oh well.

End of Chapter