I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 72

The eastern garden of Stella Academy was often visited by students, yet its vastness left certain corners secluded and quiet.

Hong Bi-Yeon sat on a bench in a small pavilion, where the presence of people was rare, and covered her face with both hands. She bit her lips so hard that blood trickled down.

'Ah, seriously. Should I just kill him?'

The thought of slitting Edmon’s arrogant throat flashed through her mind.

However, she couldn't do that, which only made her burn inside even more.

Hong Bi-Yeon knew.

There was a high chance Edmon’s provocations and interference were driven by political motives. Edmon Atalek likely hoped Hong Bi-Yeon would step back and avoid getting involved.

He had to realize the significance of the ‘item’ business. Perhaps he believed the Adolevit Kingdom’s strength was enough to secure a deal, regardless of what the commoner Baek Yu-Seol said.

Or perhaps he was underestimating the true value of the item business altogether.

Either way, Edmon Atalek’s focus wasn’t on the deal itself. What mattered more was preventing Hong Bi-Yeon from forming alliances and growing stronger through connections.

Even if that connection was merely a commoner.

‘...I missed a good opportunity.’

Baek Yu-Seol was an extraordinary talent… one unlike any other. Finding someone like him at Stella Academy was as rare as discovering prodigies like Ma Yu-Seong or Hae Won-Ryang.

Talented individuals should be recruited without discrimination, regardless of their status.

That was what her older sister had always said before her untimely death.

Though, Hong Bi-Yeon still couldn’t completely grasp the meaning of those words.

Even so, she believed that nobles and commoners under the royal family were fundamentally the same. It didn’t matter who she used, as long as they proved useful.

For that reason, she had wanted Baek Yu-Seol to stand by her side… drawn by his capabilities.

Her anger surged dangerously. The air around her trembled, and flames threatened to engulf the eastern garden, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to stay calm.

At the same time, a sense of melancholy filled her heart.

‘What can I do? Am I incapable of standing on my own?’

"Ahaha, really?"

"Yes."

"As expected. I didn't think Eisel would be like that."

The cheerful voices of girls chatting nearby reached her ears. Hong Bi-Yeon raised her head absentmindedly and glanced in their direction.

A group of girls gathered at a charming octagonal pavilion lit for evening study sessions, engrossed in their conversations. It seemed to be one of the ‘study groups’ that had grown popular recently.

Among them sat Eisel Morph. She was beside Hariren, chatting and blending in effortlessly with the others.

It was a stark contrast to how she’d been at the start of the semester… isolated and unable to connect with anyone..

"Of course, back then I...!"

When Eisel spoke, smiles bloomed on the faces of the girls.

She was an unusual girl.

As the heir to the disgraced Morph family, she should have fallen.

Yet she crawled through hardship, endured scorn, and forced her way into Stella Academy. Slowly but surely, she reclaimed her lost brilliance.

Like the rising sun.

Everyone surrounding Hong Bi-Yeon served political purposes. Even she couldn’t escape those constraints and truly be free.

Eisel had everything that she lacked.

Even Baek Yu-Seol.

Hong Bi-Yeon silently stood up and looked up at the sky.

Despite her gloom, the sky remained absurdly clear and bright… indifferent to her turmoil.

She pulled out a ginseng candy from her pocket. It wasn’t the luxurious kind she typically enjoyed but the cheap one Baek Yu-Seol had grabbed from the cafeteria.

Placing it in her mouth, she bit down. It tasted awful, but perhaps because it reminded her of him, it lingered bitterly.

As the candy rolled against her tongue, her thoughts wandered.

‘... Atalek Duchy firmly rejected supplying Adolevit?’

'Wait a minute.'

There was one fact that she missed.

He was a commoner.

No matter his hidden identity, the world saw him as a commoner.

For someone of such low status to openly defy Duke Atalek… it was no different from digging his own grave and shattering his future at the academy.

Even without the Atalek name, Edmon was a third-year senior. Stella’s hierarchy was ironclad. Defying a senior was unforgivable.

‘Why did he do that?’

Was it an impulsive retaliation for being mocked?

‘No.’

He isn’t that childish.

If he were, he wouldn’t have survived this long at Stella without incident.

‘Baek Yu-Seol is far too calculated. Whenever he takes action, it’s always deliberate. This time must be no different.’

‘Could it be...?’

What if he actually understood how Adolevit’s political landscape operated?

‘No, that’s absurd. A commoner couldn’t possibly understand the intricacies of the royal court. It’s impossible.’

Creating such a scenario required extensive knowledge… information far beyond what a commoner could access.

‘And yet… everything fits too perfectly. There’s no logical reason for him to provoke Duke Atalek unless he saw something deeper. If that statement he made…’

If his words hinted at an understanding of Adolevit’s political web…

Thump!

Hong Bi-Yeon's heart began to race.

She saw an opportunity to finally get back at that detestable scoundrel.

But at the same time, a strange unease stirred within her. If her suspicions were right, then Baek Yu-Seol’s actions had been for her sake.

‘But at what cost…?’

He would face torment in the days to come. Opposing a third-year senior - and a member of the Atalek family, no less - was a dangerous gamble.

'...Why?'

There was nothing for him to gain.

A cold chill settled in her chest.

***

By the time Baek Yu-Seol left Arcanium, night had already fallen.

He had received word that the prototype of the item was complete. After making adjustments to the mana lines earlier, he had inquired about its status.

He also had additional business with Halsecoden, so he set off for Alchemy Castle without delay.

Arcanium and Alchemy Castle sat near the continent’s center, so the journey wasn’t long. A few warp holes would get him there in no time.

While warp holes were expensive, Stella students could present their academy ID to ride for free or at a steep discount, making it affordable.

Upon reaching Alchemy Castle, Baek Yu-Seol headed straight for the Alterisha Department. Once a small division tucked into a basement, the department had grown rapidly thanks to generous sponsorships and now occupied an entire ten-story building.

After unveiling the pinnacle of alchemy engineering - the ‘items’ - its growth had exploded.

A mere ten-story building was hardly something to be impressed by. Within months, the Alterisha Department would likely consume the entire Alchemy Castle itself.

Knock, knock.

He rapped on the door of the 10th-floor office, and a voice called out from inside.

"Come in!"

Pushing the door open, Baek Yu-Seol stepped in. Alterisha, wearing her signature horn-rimmed glasses, was busy sorting through a mountain of documents on her desk.

"Wow... What’s all this?"

"Ever since I became the head of my own department, there’s been so much to handle. Hehe..."

Alterisha laughed nervously, as though embarrassed by her own words.

"It's still hard to believe I'm the head of a department," she said with a flushed smile.

"Yeah. It's amazing."

He cast a glance at the piles of papers. They were overflowing with proposals from towers eager to collaborate, mages hoping to join as alchemy engineers, and companies offering sponsorships in exchange for joint technological developments.

The Alterisha Department was attracting countless admirers.

"You can sit here."

“Are you sure you don’t need to read these?”

"Hehe, it’s fine. I hired administrative staff to handle them. They’ve already gone home for the day."

It was a little past 6 p.m.

‘I don't know who it is, but that someone must really leave work on time…’

As that thought crossed his mind, Alterisha rummaged through the storage room attached to the office and returned with a large box, grumbling under her breath.

Baek Yu-Seol quickly stepped in to help her set it down on the nearby table.

"Ah, this is..."

"Yes. I incorporated the features you suggested. These are three accessory-type items ready for real combat use."

Without hesitation, Baek Yu-Seol opened the box and began inspecting the items inside.

They were plain-looking bracelets, necklaces, and rings. At first glance, they didn’t appear particularly functional, but the abilities sealed within them were the real deal.

<Shield Bracelet>

• Grade: Low to Medium
• Description: Transforms into a forearm protector when activated.

Effects:

• Strength: +7%
• Defense: +9%
• Mana: +2%

Special Function:

• Shield (Level 1, 1,000BP)

This was the core function of the item. Beyond its ability to deploy a shield, it also significantly boosted base stats.

Raising stats was notoriously difficult, so this level of enhancement was a noteworthy achievement.

While the increases in stats were modest for now, higher-grade versions of the item would see dramatic improvements. For the time being, it was already more than satisfactory.

"Wow, the defense is a whopping 1,000. To improve efficiency to this level in just a few weeks... I can easily block a couple of spells with this, right?"

The shield was meant for emergencies. It couldn’t block every magical assault, but it was perfect for unexpected attacks that couldn’t be deflected with a sword.

And when he couldn’t wield a sword at all, this item could catch opponents off guard, creating openings to exploit their weaknesses.

"As expected, you understood the design right away. I tweaked your magic circuit a bit using my own methods, and the efficiency improved significantly."

Listening to her words, he examined the next item.

<Barrier Coating Necklace>

• Grade: Low to Medium
• Description: Activates a protective barrier coating that protects the entire body when worn.

Effects:

• Agility: +11%
• Defense: +14%
• Mana: +1%

Special Function: 

• Body Barrier (Level 1, 125BP)

Damage absorption rate: +3%

"This... is really good."

Praise escaped him the moment he read the description. Implementing a body barrier into a necklace was no easy feat.

Even as a low-to-medium-grade item, it could generate a full-body barrier… a feature requiring complex, high-level magic to achieve.

With a defense rating of 125, it wouldn’t withstand heavy attacks, but it could absorb minor damage, like scratches or grazes.

Of course, it couldn’t handle catastrophic errors, such as a failed Flash technique.

But creating an item capable of covering those gaps would demand at least a Class 7 shield magic… a feat currently impossible with existing technology.

Lastly, Baek Yu-Seol picked up the ring.

<Unknown Dagger Ring>

• Grade: Medium
• Description: When used, the ring transforms into a handle, creating a mana dagger.

Effects:

• Agility: +14%
• Perception: +9%

Special Function:

• Level 3 Magic Dagger
• Duration: 5 minutes

A medium-grade item.

It was probably the highest-quality item that could be created by Alterisha.

To embed the functionality of a mana dagger with considerable output into such a small item...

"This is... truly..."

"What do you think? I couldn’t implement the magic sword you requested, so I created this as a temporary substitute. The duration is short, and the power isn’t as high as I’d hoped, but..."

"No, it's amazing. It's insane."

The magic dagger, hidden within the ring, could serve as a trump card in critical situations. Unlike the Teripon Sword, which depended on his breathing techniques to determine its output, the magic dagger relied on the fixed energy stored in the ring itself.

Given that his breathing circulation still wasn’t fully refined, this item might prove far more destructive than the Teripon Sword in raw power.

‘It's really impressive.’

One might suggest that having items enchanted with offensive magic would be better, but that was impossible.

Unlike shields, which only required stacking layers of defense, offensive magic needed intricate modifications to account for trajectory, timing, and power.

Such feats were beyond the scope of modern alchemy engineering.

In short, artifacts commonly seen in stories - flames bursting from swords or fireballs flying from rings - were practically impossible to create.

Of course, they weren’t completely nonexistent, but...

"I'm satisfied. Extremely satisfied."

If one were to measure his satisfaction, it would be 1,000%.

Giving her a thumbs-up, Baek Yu-Seol grinned. Alterisha, clearly pleased, returned the gesture with a proud smile, tapping the box as if to emphasize her work.

"Besides that, I also made some consumable items. They’re still in the experimental phase, so there might be a few defects."

It meant the items hadn’t undergone proper testing or verification yet.

"There are so many of them."

"The sponsors requested samples. I set aside a few from there."

"Oh..."

The items in the box were true alchemical consumables… entirely different from the cheap flame potions, slippery potions, and cola potions Baek Yu-Seol had once relied upon.

"But the real issue is that we don’t have a way to explain how to use these in practical combat or provide any demonstrations of their applications..."

It seemed the lack of promotional strategies for the consumable items was a point of concern when dealing with sponsors.

"Well, in that case, I’ll take a few and record demonstration videos. Stella has plenty of opportunities for practical experiments anyway."

"Ah, that’s a great idea. Even though I’m not a certified magic warrior, I’d be interested if I heard Stella’s students were using them."

Baek Yu-Seol picked up the entire box. It was filled with a variety of items, including his designs and Alterisha’s own inventions.

"Oh, by the way, I heard there's something you need to discuss with sir Halsecoden."

"Yes."

"He's been really busy lately. There seems to be some problem related to item trading, but I have no idea what it's about."

Alterisha’s expression reflected her limited focus on alchemy, unable to grasp matters beyond her field.

But Baek Yu-Seol understood immediately.

He had already formulated a plan to confront Duke Atalek… and this situation was the perfect opportunity to put it into motion.