I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 37

Eisel didn’t make the foolish mistake of accepting an enticing offer without question. There had to be something sinister lurking behind this favor.

She narrowed her eyes and asked, “What are the conditions?”

“Conditions…? I'm upset. It's purely because I like you, but you do calculations first, don’t you?" 

"Yes. Between people, calculations are necessary. Especially for a woman like me."

Eisel was undeniably attractive. She was a genius among geniuses, achieving Class 3 at just seventeen years old, and her beauty made her stand out no matter where she went.

However, on the flip side, the label of being a traitor’s child followed her everywhere.

Because of that, no one wanted her around. Just like Kashif Derek, whom she had hunted with recently… he wouldn’t hesitate to consume her entirely, leaving nothing behind.

But Crown Prince Jeremy was different.

A dirty snake coiled around that man's heart.

He never did anything without a hidden motive.

He had to have a reason for approaching her. It would be nice if there were political reasons, but if not…

'It’d be because of my looks. I’d be no more than a trophy to him.’

Her deduction was not wrong. To Jeremy, her past didn’t matter.

As the prince of Skalven, he could do whatever he wished.

In fact, her past made it easier for him to approach her. He excelled at exploiting others’ weaknesses, holding them hostage so they couldn’t escape his grasp.

“Eisel.” Jeremy smiled softly and drew closer to her.

“I don't care what you think. I'm not imposing any conditions on you. Just join my club and be with me all the time. That's all.”

“...”

"In return, I can do a lot for you. You know who I am."

‘I know. I know it very well. The moment I join Jeremy's club is the moment you fall into a bottomless pit.’ 

Despite knowing the truth, Eisel kept silent.

What shook her was one thing…

The Skalven Empire was in a confrontation with her enemy, the Adolevit Kingdom.

Beyond that simple reason, with Crown Prince Jeremy's power, she could put an end to all her struggles.

She no longer had to settle for 1,200 credits of cheap bread.

She wouldn’t have to live as an outcast, receiving discriminatory treatment and being ignored.

She could, once again, build connections as an aristocrat. 

She would be able to plan for her future and be able to receive an education in a great environment.

Vengeance might be easier if she just wore nice clothes, ate good food, got a good education and as a bonus, used his powers.

‘Ah.’

Her resolve wavered.

All she had to do for all those benefits was live as a trophy.

She didn’t even know if she could do it.

Right now, she was just so tired.

She desperately wanted to take the easy way out.

"I’m—"

The moment Eisel opened her mouth to say something…

Smack!

Her head turned sideways.

'...Huh?'

She didn't understand the situation. Her left eye was tingling, and it seemed that tears were welling up in them.

She raised her left hand and touched her cheek, and only then did she feel the pain.

‘It hurts.’

‘Why?'

‘Who?’

Turning her head, she saw a petite girl with short black hair staring at her with an impassive expression. Despite her blank face, harsh words spilled from her lips. “You piece of crap! Flirting with a man behind my back after all the things you told me?”

“What?”

“You said you liked me! But now… Now... you’re trying to abandon me?"

The girl suddenly burst into tears. Even then, she still had those emotionless eyes. Eisel couldn't help but be embarrassed.

'Flame...?'

Her name was displayed on the badge on her chest. She was a Class S student whom Eisel had encountered a few times before.

‘What’s going on...?’

She couldn't understand that situation, but just as she opened her mouth to ask, Flame grabbed her wrist.

"Follow me! We need to talk!”

"Wait a minute. Eisel and I are having a conversation.”

“Stay out of it!” Flame snapped.

Jeremy's eyes widened in embarrassment.

After confirming everything was fine, Flame led Eisel out of the place.

It wasn't until after a long walk, when Jeremy was no longer in sight, that Eisel came to her senses.

“Wait, wait! What is it? What is this about?” she yelled, snatching her hand from Flame’s grasp.

Flame turned to look at her, and unlike before, this time, those eyes contained human emotions. She looked relieved.

“Phew. That was close.”

“What just happened?”

"Ah, that? I said those things out of the blue to get out of there. If you refused without reason, you’d probably be hounded to death. So I made an excuse for you. You should thank me, by the way. Thanks to you, I won't be able to date until I graduate cause I’ll have to watch out for that bastard." Flame gritted her teeth.

“No, I mean. Why did you do that?”

“Why? You know why. Joining that kid's club would be suicidal. Life will be a little—just a little—better than it is now. But is there any meaning to such a life? Do you want to live with your head bowed down under a barrage of curses all your life?”

“Do you even know me?”

Flame glanced at Eisel and then cleared her throat. "Know? I’m your fan. That's why I freaking hate you.”

"What?"

“Why do you let yourself get swayed by sweet talk, you fool? I stuck my neck out for you, so don’t forget what happened today. Oh, and buy me a drink later.”

“We’re minors...” 

"Ah, you talk too much. Buy me a drink in three years! If you don't, I'll kill you."

After saying that, Flame waved her hand and disappeared in an instant. 

Eisel heard the class bell ring.

Despite Flame’s actions, she was more of a model student than she seemed.

"Sigh..."

Realizing the choice she had almost made, Eisel slumped down on the ground.

‘Yeah. She’s right.’

‘If I’d gotten into Jeremy's club, I would’ve become his trophy. Would my life really be better than now?

Would he really change his personality for her?

Would he have treated her with kindness?

No way.

All the benefits Eisel imagined she might gain by joining Skalven's club were nothing more than her own delusions and desperate hopes.

She sat there, covering her face with her hands, unmoving for a long time.

***

Ding.

"Huh..." 

As soon as the bell rang, signifying the end of class, Flame sat down on a desk. She had to move on to the next lecture, but her head was still confused, perhaps because of what happened two hours prior.

'Did I do the right thing?'

In the original novel, Eisel joined Jeremy's club.

That decision led her into an unimaginably terrible hell.

As a woman, she endured endless humiliation, insults, and gossip. No one recognized her accomplishments; instead, they credited all her successes to Skalven.

After that, Eisel’s depression got worse and worse, but for Jeremy, it was a good thing.

The more impoverished the girl became, the more she would be easily suppressed and controlled.

It meant that the only person she could rely on was him.

Thus, he tortured and manipulated her even more ruthlessly in private, while displaying affection in public.

'You can't live without me.’

It was a chilling storyline for any reader. Jeremy was known as a flirt, and it didn’t seem like he truly loved Eisel.

If he lost interest, he would discard her without hesitation and ensnare another woman in the same trap.

Later in the story, it was revealed that Jeremy eventually developed genuine feelings for Eisel through a series of events. But it was far better to avoid the devastating arc where she was utterly destroyed.

'No, I did well. I did the right thing.’

Until now, Flame had avoided making major disruptions to the original plot, limiting herself to minor changes.

She had been afraid of creating a future she didn’t know.

However, when she saw Baek Yu-Seol's behavior, she changed her mind.

Even though he had lost most of his memories of the future, he was still doing everything in his power to change the hazy events that remained.

Even with less knowledge than her, he acted with greater determination.

Watching him strive to alter the future left her feeling ashamed.

‘What the hell am I trying to do?'

‘Am I afraid of changing the future?’

‘Isn’t that ironic?’

So for the first time today, Flame actively intervened in the original plot.

Thanks to her actions, Crown Prince Jeremy’s attention would likely turn toward her, but that was fine.

As long as the protagonist could develop into a stronger, more upright character, it would be worth it.

'...But, surely, he didn’t realize I was lying, right?’

To be honest, the thought scared her a little.

***

Jeremy did not particularly enjoy eating. It wasn't that he had no taste for delicacies, nor was there a problem with his sense of taste, but he just couldn't quite grasp the feeling of delicious. Sweet, salty, bitter. Those were the kinds of sensations he felt.

He consumed only the bare minimum needed to sustain himself, though he had an exclusive chef.

“It was delicious today.”

Jeremy said that to his exclusive chef every time. There was no reason for that either. It was just a habit.

Wiping his lips with a napkin, Jeremy put out his plate, and the servant quickly cleared the table.

Perhaps the chefs would research the food he had today, thinking, 'His Highness does not like this dish, but he likes that dish.’

They didn’t know that everything was pointless.

After his meal, Jeremy usually spent time reflecting on past events or preparing for future ones.

Today, however, his thoughts lingered on Flame.

 She was an intriguing girl.

It wasn’t her cute face that captured his attention but her actions.

The way she blatantly lied and spirited Eisel away in front of him was utterly charming.

'Interesting...'

The reason he approached Eisel was his simple curiosity. 

The fallen Grand Duke Morph.

‘The descendants of a genius mage with outstanding looks... What a great trophy!’

His plan had been to uncover her weaknesses, bind her to him, and never let her go.

But now, a more fascinating figure had emerged.

‘I’m curious.'

He found himself wondering about her.

Where she came from.

What she did to pass the time.

What she liked.

What kind of food she enjoyed.

What she thought about.

What kind of clothes she wore.

What kind of friends she had.

He was curious about everything.

It was like a boy on his first crush.

Therefore, Jeremy regarded her as his first love.

‘I want her.’

His growing possessiveness was unmistakable, though he remained oblivious to it.