Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Familiar Contract Ceremony (3)

Hong Bi-yeon and her group ventured deeper into the forest. They had made considerable progress, hunting wild animals and encountering Divine Beasts.

“I succeeded in the contract!”

Several faction members successfully contracted with 6-Star Divine Beasts. Seeing them weep with joy, Hong Bi-yeon quietly praised them, and the students celebrated loudly.

Yet, they couldn’t help but glance at someone.

Arshuane.

While it was undoubtedly a joyous and commendable event for someone to contract with a Divine Beast, the fact that Arshuane had an exceptionally low affinity with Divine Beasts made their expressions of joy feel somewhat guilty.

As time passed, more and more students succeeded in their contracts. Eventually, it was only Arshuane and Hong Bi-yeon who hadn’t contracted with a Divine Beast.

Arshuane struggled in a storm of emotions.

‘Why only me?’

She couldn’t understand.

‘I tried so hard.’

Why did the Divine Beasts favor those lazy fools over her?

‘Am I destined never to succeed?’

She felt abandoned by the world.

‘I’m always the one who is unfortunate.’

Just before her emotions were entirely consumed by darkness…

“Princess! It’s a Red-Maned Eagle!”

“That’s… a 5-Star Divine Beast, isn’t it?”

“Even a 5-Star Divine Beast is courting the Princess.”

Finally, the fuse was lit. The 5-Star Divine Beast, known to be difficult to contract with, approached Hong Bi-yeon willingly.

However.

“I’ll refuse.”

Hong Bi-yeon even rejected the 5-Star Divine Beast, seemingly unimpressed. The students were shocked, almost to the point of tears.

“P-Princess! It’s a 5-Star Divine Beast! There have been almost no students in Stella’s history who contracted a 5-Star Divine Beast in their first year!”

“That’s right! You might not get another chance if you let this one go!”

Despite their pleas, Hong Bi-yeon’s resolve was firm.

“No. I will find the Divine Beast I want.”
T h i s w a s c o p ie d fr o m k i n gmt l .o rg

Arshuane burst into laughter. While she couldn’t even get a 7-Star Divine Beast to like her, someone else was being picky with a 5-Star Divine Beast.

It hurt.

Jealousy surged uncontrollably like waves.

Up until now… she had been suppressing it.

Always, always like this.

Whatever Hong Bi-yeon did, it always felt like she was lording over Arshuane, mocking her from above.

Magic, grades, appearance, status, even Divine Beasts.

‘Are you trying to crush me to feel superior?’

Otherwise, her actions made no sense. Why did she always follow Arshuane, only to surpass her?

She didn’t use to be like this.

Even when using magic, she never cared about control, only focusing on explosive power.

But why did she start paying attention to such things after entering Stella?

She could just contract with any Divine Beast.

Why was she so picky?

Was it to mock those who couldn’t?

‘I, I…’

Arshuane lifted her head. Hong Bi-yeon was already resonating with another Divine Beast.

“…Let’s move on.”

Again, it was a rejection.

Snap!
T h i s wa s c op i e d f ro m k i n g m tl. o r g

That was the breaking point.

With a sensation of reason snapping, finally… her inferiority complex exploded.

“Don’t be ridiculous!!”

Boom!!

Dark red flames erupted everywhere, sweeping through everything in the vicinity.

The forest caught fire, the ground caved in, and the flames spread to tents and trees.

“Don’t… make me laugh…”

T h is w a s c o pi e d f ro m k i n g m t l. o r g
Arshuane panted heavily, glaring at Hong Bi-yeon with eyes full of hatred.

While the students recoiled in fear, Hong Bi-yeon stood calmly.

She raised her pale hand and elegantly shook off the dark red flames that had clung to her silver hair.

Arshuane clenched her teeth and spat out words one by one.

“Are you… showing off because you have everything?”

“What, what’s wrong…”

“Arshuane! What’s happening?”

The students quickly realized something was wrong with Arshuane.

Her eyes began to burn red, her body made strange noises as it changed, and most notably, the dark aura emanating from her was the definitive proof.

The students murmured as they stepped back.

“That’s… a sign of Dark Mana Erosion…”

“Arshuane? No way…”

“W-What should we do…!”

But even as they all backed away, Hong Bi-yeon stood firm and spoke resolutely.

“Arshuane, don’t do something you’ll regret.”

“Ha! Regret? Even in this situation, you’re trying to suppress me with your status. Yes, you were born as the Princess of Adolevit and blessed by fire, so it’s natural for you to stand above others.”

Creak, crack!!

Arshuane’s arms swelled like balloons and then deflated repeatedly, while her hair caught fire.

“It must be great. I’m envious. Solving everything with innate talent. Do you know how it feels to hit the wall of this wretched reality, unable to win because of the difference in talent, no matter how hard I tried?”

Her outburst silenced the surroundings.

Arshuane engraved dark red magic circles on her hands, from which ominous flames emerged.

The flames were so eerie and foreboding that approaching them was daunting.

However.

Even in such circumstances.

Hong Bi-yeon wore a cynical expression.

‘Dark Mana Erosion…’

There was no need to panic. The textbooks were full of cases where mages had been eroded by Dark Mana due to a spark from the ‘seed of darkness.’ Being a textbook learner, she never forgets what she learned.

If she had to respond according to the manual… the priority would be to subdue Arshuane with overwhelming firepower.

But Hong Bi-yeon had other knowledge.

‘In the early stages of Dark Mana Erosion, rational conversation is possible.’

And.

‘Dark Mana Erosion is driven by emotions.’

If it were her half a year ago.

Even knowing the above facts, she would have launched flames at Arshuane without a second thought.

Because that’s what the manual says.

Because senior mages recorded it in textbooks.

Because senior mages said it’s impossible to resolve emotions through conversation.
T hi s was c o p i e d f r o m k i n gmt l. o r g

Because senior mages’ words are the most reliable.

However, she didn’t do that.

If Dark Mana Erosion is driven by emotions and rational conversation is possible.

Perhaps… it might be possible to suppress those emotions through conversation.

Hong Bi-yeon herself didn’t realize it, but this was a tremendous development.

Hong Bi-yeon, who only acted as she was taught, as predetermined, was pursuing a different way of thinking on her own.

She knew.

This change in herself was because of ‘someone.’

She wanted to be like that boy, and so, even in this dangerous situation, instead of igniting flames, she stepped closer to Arshuane.

Conversation?

Yes, she intended to have a conversation.

But persuading the other person gently is not Hong Bi-yeon’s style.

However, she might be able to tear apart the other person’s ‘emotions’ so that the feeling of ‘jealousy’ never arises again.

“You brought up a good point, Arshuane.”

“…What?”

Arshuane hesitated at Hong Bi-yeon’s unexpected response.

“Do you know what it’s like to live as the Princess of Adolevit?”

Being asked a question in return, Arshuane was caught off guard.

“The Princess of Adolevit dies if she doesn’t become the king. To survive, I must kill my sister. I realized at the age of seven that I had to kill my siblings to live.”

“That, that’s…”

“Your story? I’ve heard it thoroughly. You had a childhood filled with love and expectations from everyone. I was… envious.”

Hong Bi-yeon laughed self-mockingly. She felt ridiculous talking about this herself.

“I wasn’t loved or expected by anyone.”

Not even by her mother.

There was no emotion in Hong Bi-yeon’s words. Even Arshuane, fully eroded by Dark Mana, felt a cold chill.

“Do you know what I think every morning when I wake up?”

Ah, I’m still alive today.

How luxurious of me.

Then, I must live earnestly.

Because I might die tomorrow.

“Do you really envy this kind of life?”

She didn’t know. How could she understand the inner workings of a royal’s life?

“That’s… but, you’re royalty…”

“And earlier, you mentioned talent?”

Hong Bi-yeon’s words were indifferent, as if she were narrating someone else’s story.

“Since I came to my senses, I’ve been showering with fire instead of water.”

“…What, what?”

“I swallowed fire instead of food and drank fire instead of water.”

Hong Bi-yeon’s red eyes pierced through Arshuane’s entire body.

The gaze was so unbearable that Arshuane couldn’t even turn her eyes away, as if she were pinned down.

“Have you ever looked in the mirror, seen your entire skin charred black, more hideous than a monster, and screamed in horror?”

She didn’t know. Who would undergo such torment just to practice fire magic?

T h i s w a s c opi ed f ro m ki n g m t l .o r g
“Have you ever felt the agony of your skin festering with pus, itching so badly it drove you mad, but you couldn’t scratch it because your skin would peel off?”

As Arshuane stepped back, Hong Bi-yeon took a step forward.

“I’ve swallowed so much fire that even drinking water feels like tearing pain. Have you felt that?”

T hi s w a s c op ie d f r o m king m tl . o r g
Arshuane’s fingertips began to tremble.

“I’ve swallowed so much fire that I can’t taste anything properly anymore. My tongue is paralyzed.”

Lies. Lies. That couldn’t be true.

“Even now, every time I use magic, I’m terrified, haunted by nightmares, and want to collapse. I’m still afraid of fire.”

That experience would have left a lifelong trauma on a young girl.

Until now, she didn’t know.

She thought Hong Bi-yeon was just like everyone else, using magic without any issues.

She was Hong Bi-yeon, the incarnation of fire. Blessed by fire and loved by flames.

But she was actually…

Pyrophobic.

“T-That’s a lie…”

Arshuane shook her head, screaming.

“That kind of story is obviously a lie! Who would believe such nonsense? No one could survive that!”

She would die.

Even if she didn’t die from the fire, she would die from the unbearable pain.

So that story has to be a lie.

Hong Bi-yeon didn’t respond to Arshuane’s words. She merely demonstrated.

Fwoosh.

With a small flame ignited on her index finger, she slightly tilted her head back and opened her mouth, revealing her red tongue.

And then.

Sizzle…!

She brought the flaming index finger to her tongue.

“What are you doing!”

Hearing the sound of her flesh burning, Arshuane screamed in horror. After a moment, Hong Bi-yeon closed her mouth to extinguish the flame and removed her finger, then opened her mouth to reveal her tongue.

…There were no burn marks at all.

“H-How…”

It was an unbelievable sight.

No matter how talented a lightning mage was, they could get shocked by their own lightning. A water mage could drown in their own water, and a fire mage could get burned by their own flames.

“Is that really a blessing of fire…”

“Blessing? Do you still see this as a blessing?”

Arshuane bit her lip.

It was foolish to say that. Even if it were a blessing, it couldn’t possibly explain that.

There was only one possibility.

She must have undergone intense training to increase her ‘attribute affinity’ from a very young age.

And… Hong Bi-yeon must have endured that intensity to the limits of human endurance.

That’s why.

She was loved by the fire Divine Beasts.

She was exceptionally skilled in fire magic.

She notably struggled to control fire magic.

It was all because of such a past.

T h i s wa s c o p i e d fro m kin g m t l.o r g
Thud, Arshuane finally collapsed to the ground. She looked up at Hong Bi-yeon through her tear-filled eyes.

Jealousy? Inferiority? All those emotions had already disappeared.

She hadn’t even done as much as Hong Bi-yeon.

Without seeing others’ efforts, she had only thought her own efforts mattered.

Envying and being jealous of someone recklessly.

Only a maddening sense of shame swirled in her chest.

“So… unless you’ve done as much, don’t bring up the word ‘effort’ to me.”

T his wa s c o p i ed f r o m ki n gm t l. or g
Drip, drop.

Tears began to fall from Arshuane’s eyes. Hong Bi-yeon silently watched her.

“P-Princess… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

As Arshuane’s distorted eyes and body returned to normal and the dark aura dissipated, she knelt. The students cautiously approached.

Even then, Hong Bi-yeon didn’t say anything.

She had no intention of forgiving her easily. But still, Arshuane was a valuable talent.

Though she had shown negative emotions due to being eroded by Dark Mana, it was all because of the detestable Dark Mana, not Arshuane.

So, she decided to make this incident a debt Arshuane owed her.

The guilt and shame would become a driving force, making her more blindly loyal.

“Bring the Care Blanket.”

Following Hong Bi-yeon’s instruction, the faction members hurriedly rummaged through their belongings and brought out a blanket.

It was an expensive magical item that slowly healed physical injuries and brought psychological stability.

Hong Bi-yeon personally covered Arshuane with it, causing her eyes to widen and her pupils to shake.

“The erosion hasn’t been fully purified, so make sure to rest.”

“Yes…? Then, what about punishment…”

Hong Bi-yeon stared at Arshuane for a moment and then spoke indifferently.

“I wasn’t planning on punishing you, but… if you want, I can.”
T h is w a s c opi e d f r o m k i n g m tl . or g

“N-No! I’m sorry…”

“There’s a lot to be sorry for.”

Acting as if nothing had happened, Hong Bi-yeon turned away, causing Arshuane to lower her head.

‘What have I done to someone like her…’

The students cautiously approached Arshuane to support her.

Thi s w a s c o p ie d f r om k i n g m t l . o rg
“Are you okay?”

“Yes…”

“Go rest over there.”

Maybe because she had unleashed energy that wasn’t her own, her legs felt weak, but Arshuane forced herself to stand.

As she slowly walked away.

From somewhere.

An all-too-familiar, chilling, sharp, and ominous aura was felt.

‘This, this is…!’

Without even needing to look back, Arshuane shook off the students’ hands, threw off the blanket, and dashed towards Hong Bi-yeon.

“P-Princess! Get down!”

“…What?”

As Hong Bi-yeon turned around with a puzzled expression, Arshuane pushed her down.

…Crash!!

Right beside them, the barrier to the 4th layer shattered into pieces.

End of Chapter