Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The Dropout of Class S (1)

Tweet, tweet. From early morning, the chirping of birds filled the cold winter air of Arcaneum.

The grounds of Stella Academy were quite vast, even within Arcaneum, and with all the essential facilities available on campus, students rarely needed to leave during the semester.

Moreover, with such extensive grounds, there were plenty of private spaces for nobles within the school.

In a dark, dim room.

Hong Bi-yeon knelt with her head bowed. In front of her stood Professor Hong Yiel, nicknamed ‘Silver Thorn,’ a specialist in elemental fire magic, glaring at her.

“You got three questions wrong?”

Enduring her frosty gaze, Hong Bi-yeon let her long, enviable silver hair, which every girl admired, fall down as she bowed her head.

There was no room for excuses. Her mother always said that if there was a mistake, it was because one didn’t read the problem properly.

Smack!

She was slapped.

Smack! Smack!

Three times in a row.

“Raise your head.”

Her mother flung the test paper at Hong Bi-yeon’s face. Some papers hit her so hard that they made a loud noise, but neither of them seemed to care.

“Redo it. Understand it properly. From the beginning, to the end.”

T h is w as c op ie d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g
It was a humiliating experience.

This placement test was peculiarly difficult.

Even the three questions she got wrong had a correct answer rate of less than 10%, so failing such difficult questions wasn’t something to be ashamed of.

However, she had to feel ashamed.

Even the other students in Class S, her competitors, had gotten one or two of these questions right, and three students had managed to get all three correct.

Moreover, those three students were ordinary ones who hadn’t received any advanced education from the Mage Tower or magic academies.

“Even Aiselle Morf, the princess of the fallen Morf Principality, got two questions right. The fact that you couldn’t get the same questions right as such ‘bugs’ means you’re less than a bug. Understand? Consider yourself a bug and redo the problems.”

“Yes, Mother.”

With vacant eyes, she looked at the test paper again.

The questions tested creativity, reasoning, and critical thinking, all of which were beyond Hong Bi-yeon’s understanding.

‘Problems composed of spells, formulas, and equations I haven’t learned.’

How was she supposed to solve these? She merely lived and solved problems as she had been taught.

“Is it harsh? This is all for your good. You mustn’t become like me, getting expelled from the kingdom and reduced to this lowly professorship. You cannot grow up to be the kingdom’s shame like I did!”
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Being a professor at Stella Academy isn’t something just anyone can do. It’s a school where the best mages gather.

But her mother wanted something higher than being a professor at Stella.

For example, ruling the Adolevit Kingdom.

But that was impossible for Hong Yiel. She lacked the talent.

So, she pushed her daughter.

Her daughter possessed a beautiful talent, shining like a raw gem.

“I’m doing this for you. You must become better than your ‘sister’. Right? You understand your mother’s heart?”

Not really.

“Of course, Mother.”

Even so, she replied that she understood.

Even after her mother left, Hong Bi-yeon couldn’t understand those problems.

So, she wondered.

What were the students who solved these problems? How did they solve problems that she, who had been studying magic from the best mages since she was three, couldn’t solve?

And why did they make her suffer?

T h i s was c o p i e d f r o m k i n gm t l. o r g
Burying her rising resentment deep in her heart, Hong Bi-yeon gripped the test paper with her frail hands.

Unless she solved these problems today, she wouldn’t be able to leave this dark, dim room with only faint lighting.

* * *

Not to brag, but in my previous life, I was quite social.

So, I thought I’d try to build some connections with my classmates upon entering Stella Academy. Regardless of my previous life, I wanted to live this new life as fully as possible, considering I might never return.

But being in Class S…

A class full of peculiar students with no social skills whatsoever.

T h i s w a s c o p i e d fr o m k i n g m t l . o r g
It was doomed from the start.

“Sigh…”

I sighed.

Unlike the multiple classes in each grade level from F to A, Class S had only one class. Considering that only 41 out of 1,141 students made it to Class S, I guessed it made sense.

Opening the door to the Class S classroom, I saw more than half the students studying on their own. It was maddening. The atmosphere was different from the start.

Don’t study so hard, guys. The students who can’t study are probably playing right now. Like me, for example.

Quietly taking a seat in the back, I slowly looked around.

I recognized many faces. Characters I had seen only in 2D or 3D animations were now real people, breathing the same air in this space.

Most of them were notable names, destined to become famous figures within five to ten years.

The crown prince of the Scalven Empire and the heir to the Tower of the Full Moon, among others, were all in this batch.

Of course, not all of them were positive figures.

About five mages, including Ma Yuseong, sitting here were likely to betray the magical world in the future.

‘I hope the protagonist can prevent that…’

I wondered how things would turn out.

I glanced at the girl with the bob cut sitting in the back right corner. I had to forget the Flame I knew. That Flame over there was the original Flame that no player had experienced.

Even I didn’t know the future she would create. All I knew were fragmentary events of the future.

‘It’s not good to catch the attention of Flame, who still thinks this world is an ordinary romance fantasy.’

T h i s w a s c o pi e d f r om k i ng m t l .o r g
If she started behaving differently from the original novel, she might see me as a threat.

‘Anyway, it’s really awkward.’

Just as I observed them, some students in Class S glanced at me.

They were likely curious why a failure like Baek Yu-seol ended up in Class S. They had worked hard to be here, so it was understandable they might find my presence annoying.

However.

“…Is that really him?”

“He looks a bit clueless…”

“No. My father contacted the faculty directly. It’s definitely that guy and that girl in the corner.”

“Hmm… Are they somewhat capable?”

Instead of looking annoyed, they seemed more like…

‘Are they wary of me…?’

That couldn’t be. Was it because I was in Class S?
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The unexpectedly relaxed attitudes of the Class S students made me a bit nervous.

Rumor had it that dozens of Class A students had already stormed into the faculty office, questioning why they weren’t in Class S while a failure like me was. It was hard for them to accept that someone like me was in Class S when they couldn’t get in themselves.

But the surprising part was that they all received the same response.

‘Baek Yu-seol deserves to be in Class S.’

So they said.

So I decided to take it easy. Honestly, Class F was for losers anyway. Since I was living again, I might as well stay in Class S.

‘Though it’s doubtful whether I can do that as smoothly as I hope…’

Every class gets reshuffled according to test scores. Sometimes, an F student makes it to A, and an A student can fall.

Class S is no exception. However, once you’re in Class S, it’s rare to be demoted.

Oh, by the way, even in the game, there was a male student who stayed in Class A and barely made it to Class S later. I don’t remember his name, but I recall he wasn’t particularly impressive.

Anyway, while everyone silently observed each other, I took out a small box from my pocket and opened it.

[Stella Pocket Watch]

A watch that proves one is a student of the prestigious magic school, Stella, and is treated more highly than most magic warrior certifications.

Having this supposedly meant receiving tremendous respect. Although I didn’t pass the test myself, I still felt proud.

After a while, forty students gathered in the classroom. In an auditorium that could hold two hundred people, forty felt a bit empty.

Precisely at 8 o’clock, the front door of the classroom opened, and someone entered.

It was Lee Han-wol, the professor in charge of Class S.

His mere presence made the air tense. His overwhelming aura made some students gulp.

T h i s wa s c o p ie d f r o m k i ng m tl . o r g
With dark, rugged skin, numerous scars etched on his face, and a muscular build along with a murderous gaze, it seemed hard to even make eye contact with him.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Han-wol.”

No further explanation was needed.

The 7-Class Magic Warrior, Lee Han-wol.

His reputation was well-known. He had led countless battlefields to victory and was rumored to have hunted over a thousand Dark Mages.

A fighting mage was despised until about 500 years ago. Magic was considered an academic discipline, and mages were seen as scholars who conducted noble research at desks.

But now, things were different. Combat mages looked down on scholar mages.

Dark Mages are constantly opening gates to reality, and mages are fighting to close them.

Thus, it made sense for Lee Han-wol to be the professor in charge of Class S.

The mages gathered at Stella Academy were there to learn how to fight.

As Lee Han-wol slowly scanned the students, he finally locked eyes with me.

“…Many outstanding students have gathered. And one very peculiar student.”

The former referred to the other students, excluding me, and the latter clearly referred to me. Even an idiot could figure that out.

I met Lee Han-wol’s gaze calmly. Let them think whatever they want.

“As you all know, this place trains fighting mages. Also known as ‘Magic Warriors,’ you will undergo the high school curriculum for the next three years.”

As Lee Han-wol began to speak, all the students focused on him. His voice had a commanding presence that filled the entire classroom.

“Countless seniors have given up. The enemies we face are formidable, and the academy’s curriculum is rigorous. I have no expectation that all of you will follow through. However, I hope you will show the utmost determination.”

In this world, everything runs on magic. Every daily-use item incorporates magic, and even the dungeons and gates are all made of magic. Even monsters are magical lifeforms.

Magic is the source of life, and even the clouds floating in the sky and the gravity that keeps us grounded can be explained by magic.
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It is our duty as Magic Warriors to thwart the Dark Mages, a group that seeks to engulf our world in darkness.

‘Not my duty, though.’

I was just here to survive. I wasn’t even sure if I could endure the training.

“Some of you may have enrolled here to fight Dark Mages out of duty, while others may have come just for the money. Any reason is fine. As long as you have the courage and determination to fight them…”

Just as Lee Han-wol was about to give an inspiring speech.

Creak!

The back door opened, and a student walked in.
Th i s wa s c opie d f r o m k i n g m tl . o r g

All eyes turned toward the back door. A girl with long silver hair walked in confidently.

It was Hong Bi-yeon.

‘Late…?’

For someone who valued principles above all else, being late was unusual. Now that I looked, her cheeks were slightly red.

‘Something happened already.’

I had a rough understanding of her family situation. Not the details, though. Just in case, I used my Bulbul Glasses to gather information.

[Hong Bi-yeon Adolevit]

Villainess

Illegal (fire mage)

Takes red ginseng candy

Sometimes burns alone

Only drinks espresso brewed in ‘Acalia style’

Her mother is a bad person

Always dies

Sighing deeply after confirming the information, I realized there wasn’t much I didn’t already know about Hong Bi-yeon. After all, she was a well-known character.

‘Why wasn’t I more diligent in my past life?’

If I had recorded more details, it might have been more helpful now.

‘Well, at least she’s not a complete stranger.’

I even knew most of the reasons for her being marked as ‘dying.’ She was arguably more fragile than Aiselle.

Aiselle’s death was almost entirely due to Flame, but Hong Bi-yeon’s demise was caused by both Flame and Aiselle.

It seemed to be the fate of a villainess.

Knowing her destiny was death, I felt inclined to save her if possible, but I had my hands full. I was arguably the weakest in this school. Who was I to save anyone?

She was a tragic woman wrapped in an aura of misfortune second only to Aiselle. Sadly, I had no choice but to keep my distance from her.

“Take your seat.”

Nodding at Lee Han-wol’s words, Hong Bi-yeon glanced at the corner before looking straight at me.

Then she strode over and sat directly behind me.

Cold sweat ran down my back.

‘…What the.’

In a classroom that could seat 200 students and had 160 empty seats, why did she sit right behind me?

…It must be a coincidence, right?

Paranoia is a man’s sin. Let’s not have unnecessary thoughts.

Even though I tried to act calm, it was impossible to ignore the piercing gaze from behind.

From the start, it felt like my school life was getting complicated.
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End of Chapter