I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 69

In the heart of the continent stood the First World Tree, revered as the Heart of the World. Surrounding it were numerous great cities, chief among them being Arcanium and its twelve satellite cities.

To its flanks lay the formidable Fire Kingdom of Adolevit and the arcane empire of Skalven. Slightly farther south rested the famed Alchemy Castle.

But what did the name 'Alchemy Castle' signify? Simply put, it was a city of alchemical fortresses, a name as uninspired as it was descriptive.

Alchemists, dissatisfied with the mundane name, tried to romanticize it - claiming they synthesized stars with alchemy - but such efforts felt hollow.

Alchemy Castle began as humble huts built by the renowned alchemist brothers, Leo and Galil. As their reputation spread, skilled alchemists flocked to the settlement, and over centuries, it grew into an unyielding fortress capable of repelling any invasion.

Alchemy Castle was an international organization of alchemists that was not affiliated with any specific country.

Its neutrality drew individuals from diverse races and countries. Despite its cosmopolitan nature, the city retained an air of mystique.

As Baek Yu-Seol walked the streets, he passed a towering, blue-skinned giant over three meters tall and a dwarf barely reaching his waist, who was stirring up a commotion.

Elves, their pointed ears peeking out from beneath work clothes, hammered away in workshops, blending seamlessly into the crowd.

Such was Alchemy Castle’s everyday scene… a melting pot of alchemists and artisans of all kinds.

At its core stood the International Alchemy Castle Organization, a sanctuary for the greatest alchemists.

“Welcome to Alchemy Castle’s Zelkova Annex, Halsecoden’s Department.”

Contrary to the medieval fantasy setting outside, the organization’s interior was strikingly modern.

Glass walls flickered with holographic text and images, while a massive spinning wheel dominated the lobby, both visually and audibly commanding attention. Businessmen in crisp suits bustled about, their steps purposeful.

"I came to meet an alchemist."

"Sure, whom are you here to meet?"

"Her name is Alterisha..."

At the mention of the name, the receptionist’s demeanor shifted. "I'm afraid you can't see her at the moment."

Baek Yu-Seol had anticipated this reaction. Others might have been asked if they had an appointment, but Alterisha’s fame meant visitors were turned away outright.

Yet, that wasn’t enough to stop him.

He was her co-author, and had he relied solely on his charm, he might have even become an apprentice alchemist here.

Not that it would have lasted… his lack of magical power would’ve gotten him expelled quickly.

"Here. This is a personal invitation from Assistant Professor Alterisha."

"Oh, my."

The receptionist's eyes widened as she read the invitation, and then she lowered her head.

"I’m terribly sorry. Please, follow me right away."

Baek Yu-Seol was led to an underground alchemical research laboratory, where white-robed researchers bustled about.

Unlike the upper floors filled with businessmen, this space was reserved for true scholars and researchers.

Even if one wasn't affiliated with Alchemy Castle, as long as they had the status of a collaborative researcher, anyone could come and go.

Alchemy Castle’s unique equipment drew people from far and wide, including scholars from Stella Academy.

They wore white robes with the Stella emblem on their chests.

Baek Yu-Seol recognized no one. He had only ever known three alchemists from Stella.

"This way."

They arrived at a temporary office with the nameplate ‘Alterisha Department’ hanging on it.

Not all alchemists in Alchemy Castle belonged to the same group.

Departments were divided based on philosophies and research goals, and Alterisha had founded one of her own.

Knock, knock!

“We’re coming in.”

Despite knocking, no response came.

Unperturbed, the receptionist opened the door… only for an explosion to echo from within.

Boom!

"Ah?!"

Reacting swiftly, Baek Yu-Seol shielded the receptionist, but the incident appeared minor, with only a faint trail of smoke emerging.

"That was a surprise..."

It would have been great if he could use wind control magic at times like this.

Waving the smoke aside, he stepped inside to find coughing alchemists amidst the haze.

They were all members of Alterisha’s department, though he was surprised at their sheer number.

Among them, there was a particularly noticeable person with pink hair.

Though grease had dulled it to a grayish tone, her loose ponytail and radiant smile lit up the room.

The others looked equally disheveled.

"Haha, we finally did it!"

Whack!

"Ouch...!"

As a dwarf patted her unreachable back, Alterisha’s body convulsed. She struggled to touch the patted area and laughed. "It's thanks to you, Mr. Halsecoden."

Baek Yu-Seol realized that the alchemist who was conducting research with Alterisha was none other than the golden alchemist, Halsecoden.

As expected.

It seemed they were conducting research together, just as in the story.

"Assistant, I'm here."

"Oh, Student Yu-Seol? Ah, didn't see you..."

"Could you turn on the ventilation?"

"Y-Yes, I'll do it right away!"

At his request, an alchemist darted out. Yet even with the smoke clearing, it felt daunting to be surrounded by so many brilliant researchers.

When the haze finally lifted, Alterisha dragged over a makeshift table, her eyes gleaming as she unveiled their latest creation.

Well, to be precise, it was Halsecoden who was boasting on her behalf.

"Hehe, student, see this? Can you see it?"

"I see it well."

"This is the shield bracelet. Look, after wearing it like this..."

Halsecoden wore a silver-colored ring on his arm.

"And when you press it like this..."

He pressed a button to activate it. Astonishingly, the bracelet extended and covered his entire forearm in the form of a shield.

“In this state alone, it already boasts the defensive power of a Class 3. But if you activate it once more from here…”

Whirrr!

With another press, the shield expanded further, tripling in size.

Unlike traditional shields, it bore no visible magic circles.

"How’s it? Amazing, right? Even if you have low mana or you're an ordinary person who can't use magic, you can use shield magic at least once! Although the defense power is only 500, it can be a great help in desperate situations."

"Ohhh..."

Baek Yu-Seol couldn’t hide his awe. Creating a Class 3-level artifact in such a short time… this truly was the work of geniuses.

"It's all thanks to this little genius!"

Slap!

Alterisha flinched as another playful slap landed on her back, causing her to sputter coffee.

Halsecoden giggled as he fiddled with the bracelet.

"Every day feels so exciting lately. It’s almost driving me mad… in a good way. Before, I’d jump from one research project to the next, content with uncovering tiny discoveries. But look around you!"

Following his finger, Baek Yu-Seol looked around and saw dozens of researchers manipulating complex machinery, hologram charts, and mixing reagents.

"Back then, even these folks didn’t have such fire in their eyes. But ever since this little genius joined us, everything’s changed!"

"Haha..."

Alterisha gave an awkward laugh, though she didn’t deny it.

She was the first engineer to merge alchemy and magic.

The greatest genius of her era.

A person blessed by the gods.

An alchemist who changed the world.

A woman who shattered the limits of impossibility.

The trailblazer of a new age.

And so on and so forth.

There were numerous adjectives used to revere Alterisha, and not a single one of them was an exaggeration.

"When we reveal this to the world, it’ll cause an uproar," Halsecoden declared.

Baek Yu-Seol silently agreed.

When Alterisha announced the interpretation of the Alchemical Engineering Cross Technique in the past, the academic world went into complete chaos.

But that impact was limited to scholars.

Ordinary people barely grasped its significance… they just knew it solved a problem.

This time, however, the invention would be impossible to ignore. Even children would hear her name and understand that Alterisha had reshaped the world.

"By the way, aren't you the co-author? It's good to walk the path of a magic warrior, but if you entered alchemy, you could have gained more wealth and honor. Why didn't you do that?"

Baek Yu-Seol pondered for a moment. 

‘Should I just make an excuse or tell the truth?’

Halsecoden was a good and wise person. He was the person Alterisha relied on the most.

He’d thought of revealing it to people around him someday, so it wouldn't be bad to tell a smart person first.

"I don't have mana in my body, so I can't be an alchemist."

"What did you say?"

Halsecoden’s eyebrows trembled. Even Alterisha, hearing this for the first time, froze. Her hand trembled, spilling more coffee.

"T-That's… What...?"

"I mean it literally. I have a congenital condition that cannot accept mana, mana leakage disorder.”

No one at the academy knew, but it wasn’t something he deliberately hid. They hadn’t expelled him despite his inability to use magic, so he’d seen no reason to mention it.

Besides, the upcoming physical examination would make it public anyway.

"You don't mean…”

Halsecoden seemed shaken. He unusually lost his composure and couldn't continue speaking.

Alterisha took over for him.

"Isn’t that… terminal?"

‘Ah.’

So that’s how they took it.

It didn't matter much to him, as he had already extended his lifespan through sufficient training and planned to fully awaken his abilities with the help of Leafanel after obtaining the heart of the divine beast.

As they sipped their coffee in silence, Halsecoden and Alterisha’s expressions grew increasingly lifeless.

Mana leakage disorder usually didn’t allow one to live past the age of 19. In other words, they seemed to have misunderstood him as someone who accepted even death humbly.

"Well... while my time is technically limited, I’m not planning to die anytime soon. I’ve already found a cure. I’ll live… and for a very long time."

Hearing this, both Halsecoden and Alterisha visibly relaxed, letting out breaths they hadn’t realized they’d been holding.

"By the way..."

He quickly changed the subject. "Can I take a look at that shield bracelet?"

"Ah, yeah! Of course. Actually, I was planning to give it to you as a gift."

"What? Something so precious?"

"Yeah. Honestly, if it weren't for your idea, I couldn't have made something like this."

“Oh…”

Suddenly, something welled up in his chest.

He intended to take it away, but receiving it as a free gift like this made him feel a bit guilty, sorry, and grateful.

"Thank you..." he said, gently stroking the shield bracelet.

The design reminded him of modern semiconductors, its intricate magic circuits linked in a delicate web.

Yet, to his trained eye, the structure was incomplete… inefficient and flawed.

After examining the structure closely, he said, "Can I borrow a magic welding pen for a moment?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Without another word, Baek Yu-Seol received Alterisha’s magic pen and held it against the shield bracelet.

Halsecoden’s brows twitched at the sight of him tampering with the device, but Alterisha quietly signaled him to wait.

With practiced precision, Baek Yu-Seol reconfigured the bracelet, removing unnecessary pathways and creating a streamlined design that boosted output.

"It's done."

"What did you do...?"

Halsecoden frowned, clearly skeptical, but that changed the moment the bracelet activated.

Zing!

When he activated the magic circle after wearing the bracelet on his wrist, a much stronger shield was produced compared to before.

Scrambling for a measuring device, Halsecoden’s jaw dropped.

"The defense value... has been inflated to 800. It's over 1.5 times more efficient."

"I've been thinking about it for a while, but I didn't know I could make use of it like this."

He turned the bracelet over in awe, and passing researchers stopped to gawk at the improved design.

“Being a co-author wasn't just empty talk! I thought I would just put your name in because this little one likes you. Well, well. It's a damn good thing you’re here."

Halsecoden exclaimed in admiration, and Alterisha, still stunned, examined the bracelet closely, unable to form words.

"I'll give this back to you. It can be applied to other items as well."

"Oh, um... I'll make something even better and give it to you again..." She trailed off, already swept away by inspiration for her next invention.

Halsecoden looked at Alterisha’s appearance and spoke earnestly while looking at Baek Yu-Seol.

"Don't you have any intention of working under me? No, I misspoke. Not under me, but on equal terms with me. You are a treasure of humanity. Don't worry about the part where you can't use magic. I can assign several alchemists to serve as magic batteries for you."

"Haha."

Baek Yu-Seol chuckled softly, appreciating the offer, but he knew it wouldn’t work out.

What he had demonstrated wasn’t something he’d created on the spot… it was a technique Alterisha herself had painstakingly developed over the last six months.

He had merely provided her with a shortcut to accelerate the process.

And even without him, Alterisha would thrive. She had the brilliance to advance this field far beyond what anyone could imagine. His role was simply to help her push the boundaries a little faster.

"I'm sorry. I have a reason to pursue becoming a magic warrior."

"I see... There's nothing I can do about it."

"More importantly, I have a favor to ask. Hey, Assistant?"

"Assistant?"

“Huh? Oh, uh? What, what is it?” Alterisha replied with sparkling eyes. Countless ideas were flooding her mind, influenced by the magic lines he drew for her.

And the favor he was about to request would no doubt fuel her creativity even further.

"Do you know what this is?"

When Baek Yu-Seol placed the force vessel on the table, Halsecoden chuckled. "It's been a while. It's rare to see these days. What do you plan to do with it?"

"I'm thinking of creating an item."

"You want to enchant that?"

"With spatial magic." As he said that, Halsecoden's expression changed oddly.

Alterisha’s smile turned a little awkward.

"It might be a bit difficult for us to create something like that for now. We haven't tried enchanting with elemental magic."

"I understand. I'm not asking for it right away. Please do it slowly when the technology becomes available later."

It would be done within a few months.

Alterisha was a genius, after all.

"Hmm, but who would you go to for enchantment? It's extremely rare to find a spatial magic engineer."

Alchemy engineering required two specialists… an alchemist to process the materials and an engineer to perform the magic enchantments.

Since Alterisha hadn’t mastered magical engineering yet, an external engineer would still be necessary to complete the process.

"The principal of Stella has agreed to help. So you don't need to worry about that part."

"The principal?!"

"Ha! That eccentric old man from Stella agreed to lend a hand? The more I see you, the more fascinating you get."

Alterisha’s jaw dropped, and her grin stretched so wide it looked like her face might split. At this point, nothing Baek Yu-Seol said seemed too far-fetched.

And with their trust in him firmly established, it was time to take things to the next level.

"Oh, and... it's about time to create a masterpiece. I brought the design plans for these items, thinking it would be interesting to create them with the prototype."

When Baek Yu-Seol spread the blueprints on the table, a few alchemists peered over curiously. But a sharp glance from Halsecoden sent them scurrying away.

Alterisha leaned in, her interest obvious as her eyes devoured the designs.

In truth, these blueprints reflected more than just research… they were tinged with his personal ambitions.

Well, more than tinged. They were practically drenched in them.

After all, he fully intended to be the first to use the items once they were completed.

"Hmm, this looks doable. The materials might be expensive, though."

"Oh, speaking of that..."

Baek Yu-Seol had been prepared to negotiate with Melian to resolve the funding issue, but Alterisha spoke before he could.

"I don't think we need to worry about the price issue."

"Really? It's going to be quite expensive."

"Don't worry about it. We received sponsorship from the president of Starcloud."

‘Ah, right.’

Melian was an incredible philanthropist. While some companies waited until they saw tangible results, he casually invested a large amount.

"I thought about dipping into the research funds, but this is even better. Now we have a real use for the money."

He asked nonchalantly, "How much is it?"

"Do you want to see?"

Alterisha smiled and showed him her bank account.

And then.

He couldn't help but doubt his own eyes.

"What's this...?"

‘Is it a money duplication bug?’