I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 61

The progress of Team Baek Yu-Seol was swift. They had yet to encounter any significant hurdles, and most riddles were solved with ease.

Even when faced with gates that seemed impossible to decipher, their breakthroughs came with remarkable speed.

But the question remained, would other teams fare the same?

With a determined expression, Hong Bi-Yeon trailed after Baek Yu-Seol.

"Over there. Try leaning against that statue. This stage seems to react to weight. The statue’s dance resembles a waltz performed by two people. Since it’s alone, the balance doesn’t match."

"Ah! I'll do that!" Upon Baek Yu-Seol’s suggestion, other students followed suit and approached the statue, taking their positions.

Whenever Baek Yu-Seol spoke, no one objected.

Not even Hong Bi-Yeon.

Even now, wasn’t she resonating with his words without needing to think twice? There was no fault in his words, and she found herself in harmony with them before even pondering over them.

No matter how much she dwelled on it, she couldn’t quite grasp this aspect of him. He didn’t seem like the type to seek attention.

If he wanted the spotlight, he could have claimed it at any time. If he wanted perfect grades, he could have easily achieved them.

And yet, Baek Yu-Seol consistently lingered just above failing in most subjects. He rarely bothered to answer exam questions properly, turned in assignments late, and had a reputation for being inattentive in class.

But anyone who had come face to face with him could quickly realize it.

The knowledge he carried far surpassed that of a first-year student.

Whenever he spoke, technical terms spilled effortlessly from his lips, and he devised solutions to problems that even Stella’s brightest minds struggled to comprehend… solutions others couldn’t even begin to imagine.

How was such a thing possible?

Even in Stella, where geniuses gathered, how could someone possess such exceptional experience and knowledge?

… But worrying about it wasn’t her style.

"Hey, know your place. I’m going this way."

As Baek Yu-Seol tried to move ahead, she caught his arm.

"Wait, commoner."

"Yeah?"

"I have something I want to ask you."

Hong Bi-Yeon’s red eyes settled calmly like a lake.

"Where did all your knowledge and experience come from?"

Baek Yu-Seol visibly flinched at her words, his expression momentarily faltering.

‘Damn it. Did I let too much slip?’

He knew it might raise suspicion, but he hadn’t expected the question to come so directly. Avoiding her gaze, he responded, "Well, it’s just… I’ve had these kinds of experiences… for a long time."

It wasn't a lie.

He was actually acting based on his experiences.

"I see."

But Hong Bi-Yeon took it a bit differently.

His appearance made him look younger than the average 17-year-old student, but from his actions, speech, and knowledge, he didn't behave like a typical 17-year-old boy.

However, hiding his age and enrolling in Stella was impossible. Transformation magic, except for special species, could never be used to change one's appearance.

Reverse aging existed as a concept, but maintaining the look of a teenager required magic beyond even a Class 9 mage.

The legend of the time regression of the Twelve Divine Moons’ Silver Autumn Moon briefly crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it as too far-fetched.

In other words, he was indeed 17 like everyone else, but due to certain circumstances, had accumulated more experiences than his age would suggest.

Right.

‘Come to think of it, didn't Baek Yu-Seol’s hometown collapse under the control of the dark mages just before he enrolled in the academy?’

A remote village, barely known, located near the frontlines of the battle against dark mages.

‘Was that it...?’

Suddenly, it made sense why Baek Yu-Seol lacked basic theoretical knowledge compared to others yet excelled in combat and strategy.

It now made sense.

He probably hadn’t even had access to a proper education, having spent his life fighting dark mages, constantly facing death on the battlefield.

‘But…’

Even so, he had never drawn attention to himself, always keeping the lowest grades.

‘Why is he suddenly working so hard?’

There had to be a reason. Whenever he acted decisively, there was always a reason behind it.

Lost in thought, Hong Bi-Yeon suddenly recalled an argument between Flame and Jecky.

The debate over whether this persona gate training was real.

‘Could it be…?’

If that were the case, all her questions would be answered.

To directly conquer the persona gate that was deemed dangerous, he gave up behaving quietly as usual and openly revealed his strategies.

This explanation supported her theory perfectly.

"Tell me. Is the persona gate we’re currently facing the real deal?"

Baek Yu-Seol’s expression stiffened for a moment at her words, and then he smirked.

"You’re getting sharp, Hong Bi-Yeon."

The old Hong Bi-Yeon wouldn’t have realized it until it was too late.

But during that, how much did she interfere with Eisel’s actions, greatly increasing the difficulty of the conquest?

But now? She had caught on before even reaching the boss room.

The future had changed significantly, but he didn't feel too bad about it.

Hong Bi-Yeon was slowly stepping away from the path of villainess. And that was why Baek Yu-Seol could smile.

“Yes, this place is real. You can get injured, you can die, and if we don't clear it, an otherworld synchronization phenomenon will occur outside.”

"Is that so..."

"The goal of this training is to teach first-years how to analyze and conquer a persona gate. There’s no way they’d give you an impossible gate right away. Maybe in the second year, but not now."

Jecky’s argument was nothing more than nonsense that completely disregarded the academy curriculum. That was what Baek Yu-Seol was saying.

'So… that’s how it was. He’s been hiding his abilities until now and started moving properly to resolve this crisis.’

Baek Yu-Seol carried a secret. A secret he guarded fiercely, even at the cost of erasing his past.

And that was why he hid his intelligence, deliberately lowering his grades to remain unnoticed.

But this time, the situation was different.

‘A real crisis.’

This place was too perilous for inexperienced students to handle. Even Hong Bi-Yeon had difficulty interpreting it.

Perhaps if they had proceeded normally, quite a few students would have been injured or killed.

Among those casualties, Hong Bi-Yeon herself might have been included.

That’s why.

Whenever Baek Yu-Seol moved properly, he always had a reason.

"Well then, let's hurry."

They had no time to waste.

***

The other three teams weren’t faring as well.

Flame tugged at her disheveled black frilled dress, brushing off the dirt and straightening the torn fabric just above her knees. But there was little she could do about the damage.

"Hooh, this dress is getting in the way of the fight."

“I'm sorry."

One girl who was sitting in a corner apologized, lowering her head while crouching.

Flame let out a soft sigh and managed a faint smile.

"It's fine. We got through it, didn’t we?"

During the strategy, something went wrong.

Flame had some knowledge of the strategy for this gate and was well aware that the keyword was dance, so she started giving orders.

Figuring out the strategy itself wasn't particularly difficult.

But one reckless team member ignored Flame’s orders, attempting to score personal achievements. That one act unraveled everything.

When the formation fell apart, the knight statues stirred to life, their blades gleaming ominously. At first, the students dismissed the movement as part of the test… until the sharp edges tore into flesh, drawing blood.

Real pain.

Real wounds.

"What... What is this…?"

Even after the battle ended, a male student slumped against the wall, tears welling in his eyes.

They thought it was just a training exercise.

They had thought this chaos was part of the professor’s elaborate plan.

This persona gate was supposed to be fake.

"But why…? Why does it hurt so much, damn it…?"

While tending to the wounded, Flame struggled to suppress her own turbulent emotions.

In the end, she tried. She had warned them, done her best to open their eyes to the truth.

Yet all her efforts had been dismissed because of Jecky.

Jecky’s words - calm and logical - had seemed more believable than Flame’s warnings, which were brushed off as baseless fear.

Only now, after enduring the pain firsthand, did the students begin to understand.

‘At least they know now.’

From now on, they just needed to be careful. Although the difficulty was significantly higher than the students' average level, they could clear it without any issues as long as Eisel was there.

"Alright, calm down. This is easier than it looks. I’ve been analyzing the strategy as we go, and I’ve pretty much figured it out."

“What? Really?"

“Of course. Hurry up and get up. We need to move to the next stage.”

Flame helped the others to their feet and raised her staff. Symbols and intricate patterns shimmered in the air before morphing into readable text.

It was the guideline message that only appeared when a persona gate was perfectly analyzed.

[Congratulations! You have cleared the Dancing Chess Room.]

[Hints discovered: Duchess Aeron’s dance preferences.]

[The masquerade ball is just ahead. Proceed to the next stage, where you may reunite with your companions.]

[If all the teammates have successfully overcome the obstacles, the source of the magical barrier blocking the Masquerade will be severed, and you can proceed to the Dancing Clock Tower!]

"What is this…?"

"Flame, did you really interpret this place?"

"No way… It was filled with complex formulas we haven’t even learned yet. How did you…"

She had been preparing in advance, anticipating today's situation. As someone who had been reincarnated into a fantasy world, she couldn’t claim to know the future, so Flame changed the topic.

“Now do you believe you can handle this? You can, without a doubt.”

Eisel had probably succeeded in interpreting it by now.

Unlike Flame, who prepared in advance, Eisel would have relied solely on raw talent… analyzing formulas and shifting perspectives with her genius intellect.

And Hong Bi-Yeon probably hadn’t interpreted it yet.

Not because she lacked talent, but because she likely never tried. It was a flaw in her character… She often dismissed what seemed impossible before giving it a chance.

"Alright, let's move."

At Flame’s words, the three students nodded with determined expressions.

Regardless of the circumstances, the fact that she succeeded in analyzing this place increased the probability of them clearing it.

Creak!

A massive iron door opened, and the magical barrier broke, revealing a large hall.

According to Flame’s knowledge, there was nothing in this stage. This was the resting area… a safe zone for teams to gather and prepare before advancing further.

"Oh?! Laiki! Flame! You're here too!"

From the opposite side of the hall, Eisel’s team emerged.

As expected, Eisel had led her team through the gate with remarkable efficiency.

However, there were already three boys and a girl waiting there. It was Jecky’s team.

'...They're much faster than I expected.'

Flame quickly approached them.

"Is everyone safe? Where’s Jecky?"

"Well, Jecky suddenly disappeared."

"What? Jecky?"

“Yeah. She led us this far, but once we crossed the last door, she was gone. We looked for her, but there was no sign of her, so we kept going.”

They had searched for a while.

And still, they had progressed faster than both Flame and Eisel.

‘Does that make sense?’

Flame had spent extensive time preparing for this gate. She knew the solutions in advance, yet Jecky’s group - who supposedly had no prior knowledge - outpaced her.

Not only that, but…

"Oh, we weren’t the first ones here either."

"What?"

"Look over there."

At the words of a fellow student, Flame turned her gaze towards a corner and couldn't help but widen her eyes.

Baek Yu-Seol and Hong Bi-Yeon stood there. They had arrived here long before.

"…What the hell, old man. When did you get here?"

"Just a while ago."

"That’s ridiculously fast..."

At Flame’s words, the other students nodded in agreement. Then again, it was understandable for Baek Yu-Seol. His knowledge had always defied logic.

"Did you, by any chance, see Jecky?"

Out of sixteen students, fifteen had gathered. Only Jecky was missing.

Baek Yu-Seol sighed and shook his head. "I haven't seen her."

Truthfully, Baek Yu-Seol had hurried to this point for the same reason… to locate Jecky before it was too late.

In the game, if you followed the Dark Mage Jecky route, Jecky, who succeeded in clearing the challenge faster than Eisel, Flame, and the player, would disappear somewhere.

But what if they could join forces with Jecky midway and reveal her true identity in advance? Perhaps they could avoid the tragedies that unfolded in the original story.

With such a mindset, he did his best to arrive here on time, but it was ultimately futile.

Jecky had disappeared when her team got here.

‘There's nothing we can do.’

All Baek Yu-Seol could do now was ensure the heroines safely cleared the remaining stages… just like in the novel.

***

With only the final boss stage ahead, the students decided to take a short break in the hall.

Baek Yu-Seol’s team had avoided battles entirely, but the others hadn’t been so fortunate. Failed strategies and triggered traps had forced them into combat, leaving them drained.

“Princess, you’re incredible. You arrived first.”

"I never thought of you as a fellow first-year student."

Students hoping to join Hong Bi-Yeon’s faction gathered around her, eager to impress.

Though not officially her subordinates, these so-called ‘followers’ trailed after her in hopes of earning favor.

"What did I do that's so great?"

"H-Huh?"

She pulled out a ginseng candy from her pocket and popped it into her mouth.

Staring at the ceiling, she added quietly, “Baek Yu-Seol did everything. From analyzing the strategy to guiding us through, he handled it all by himself. I barely did a thing.”

"Ah, y-you're being humble."

"Right. Princess...?"

"Huh? I'm not being humble. I haven't actually done anything."

The followers exchanged uneasy glances, suddenly unsure how to respond.

"W-We're sorry! But we really feel that you're amazing, Princess..."

"That’s right. I am amazing."

“Huh?"

From saying she wasn't amazing, she elegantly swept her hair behind her shoulder and confidently said, "Stop flattering me and tell me honestly. Among the first-year students, there are hardly any mages as amazing as me, right?"

"Yeah, that's right! Compared to your firepower, Princess, Ma Yu-Seong and Eisel are mediocre."

“Exactly! You could probably even compete with our upperclassmen.”

"Yeah."

She clasped her hands around her knees and stared into the distance.

“I know I’m exceptional. There’s no point in comparing myself to someone who isn’t ordinary.”

"That's right!"

“Oh, I get it! Were you comparing yourself to seasoned magical warriors, Princess?”

"Even though veteran mages might seem impressive now, once you gain enough experience, you’ll catch up to them in no time!"

"I think so too."

That was why Hong Bi-Yeon could remain calm. Even when she saw a student who displayed talent far superior to her own at the age of just 17, she could remain unfazed.

Baek Yu-Seol was not an ordinary 17-year-old first-year student.

Hong Bi-Yeon was certain of that.

‘He definitely came to school with a purpose.’

Despite her kingdom’s vast intelligence network, there was no trace of Baek Yu-Seol’s past.

Someone who walked the path of a knight without using magic. A truly unique mage in the world.

"You guys."

"Yes?"

"Talk to us, Princess."

"How does Baek Yu-Seol seem to you?"

The group turned to observe him. He was speaking with Flame, his expression sharp and focused.

"Well... he looks a bit young."

"Yeah, he seems really youthful, doesn't he?"

"Not like that."

"Oh, I see. You're talking about his abilities, right? He does seem truly impressive. Like when he hunted down the necromancer and during the simulation battle with the monsters the other day."

“He’s not just strong. He’s incredibly clever too.”

"Yeah, I think so too."

Clever.

That was true.

When the necromancer attacked, he had captured a high-ranking skeleton instead of destroying it, then used it to track down the source.

During the simulation battle, he pitted five monsters against one another, effortlessly turning the tide.

In the persona gate, he quickly found strategies with his extraordinary observation skills and unconventional thinking.

Most of his strategies were derived from experience. 

Experience.

While the nobles studied magical formulas and theories safely inside their secure mansions, he fought on the actual battlefield with only a single sword in hand.

That was why, despite receiving the lowest score at the entrance ceremony, he was able to rise rapidly with his exceptional intellect and unconventional ideas.

Only Hong Bi-Yeon could see the truth of his worth.

“Well, that’s all there is to it…”

“Why do you ask, Princess?”

"Nothing, really."

She shrugged off the topic and stood up. 

It was time to move on to the next stage.