I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 9

In the early morning of cold winter, the melodious song of birds echoed in Arcanium.

Even within Arcanium, Stella Academy’s territory was vast. With all necessary facilities in place, students could remain on the premises throughout the academic year.

The academy also housed many private spaces for nobles.

A lonely, dark room.

Hong Bi-Yeon was sitting on her knees. Hong Yi-El, a natural flame-element professor known as ‘Silver Thorn,’ stood before her. She gazed at Hong Bi-Yeon with her piercing eyes.

“Three incorrect questions?”

At the sight of her mother’s icy expression, Hong Bi-Yeon bowed her head. Her shiny silver hair, envied by all the female students, spilled messily around her.

No excuses were uttered. Hong Bi-Yeon’s mother always said, ‘If a problem is not solved correctly, it must be your fault for not studying properly.’

Slap!

Accompanied by a piercing sound, three more slaps echoed in a row.

“Raise your head.”

Her mother threw the test papers at her face. Some scattered to the floor, while others struck her, but she showed no reaction.

“Do it again until you understand it properly. From beginning to end.”

It was such a humiliating experience.

This Class Placement Test had been unusually difficult. Even for the three questions she got wrong, the correct answer rate among students was less than 10%. There was no shame in failing them.

However, it was disgraceful.

Her rivals in Class S had managed to answer one or two of those questions correctly. Worse, the three students who got all three right weren’t even from prestigious backgrounds; they were ordinary students who had never studied at a magic academy before.

“Even Ducal Princess Eisel of the fallen Duchy of Morph got two questions right. If you can't get the questions right—questions that even those bugs can solve—it means you’re no better than them. Do you understand? Think of yourself as a bug, and try to solve the problems again.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Hong Bi-Yeon looked back at the examination paper with blank eyes.

This exam, which tested creativity, logical reasoning, and thinking ability, was full of questions that her head could not comprehend.

Problems are made up of unfamiliar techniques, spells, and formulas.

How am I supposed to solve these?! She had simply followed what she was taught and applied what she had memorized.

“Do you find it harsh? It’s all for your own good. You… You shouldn’t be like me. If you grow up to be the shame of the kingdom like me, who was kicked out and has to become a puny professor… No, absolutely not.”

Although being a professor at Stella Academy was no small feat - it was a position for the best mages - Hong Yi-El wanted more for her daughter.

For example, the Adolevit kingdom.

It had been out of reach for Hong Yi-El, who lacked the necessary talent.

So she took care of Hong Bi-Yeon like a precious gem.

Since Hong Bi-Yeon had exceptional talent, something that she did not have, it shone like a diamond.

“I am doing this for you. You… You have to become better than your sister. Huh? Do you know how your mother feels?”

'I do not know.'

“Yes, Mother.”

Nevertheless, Hong Bi-Yeon replied that she understood.

Even after her mother left, she still could not understand the problems.

So, the question arose.

Who were these students who could solve such problems? How could there be mages in the kingdom capable of answering questions even she, with her years of magical study since the age of three, couldn’t solve?

'So why am I tormenting myself?'

Burying a resentment deep in her heart, she grabbed the test paper with her slender hands.

‘If I don’t solve this problem today, I won’t be able to get out of this dark, private room with only dim lighting.’

_______

Baek Yu-Seol was not proud of it, but he had been pretty good at hanging out with people in his previous life.

When he entered Stella Academy, he tried to build a good relationship with his classmates. It was a new life, and it was possible he would never find his way back, so he wanted to try to live to the fullest.

But, Baek Yu-Seol was in class S.

Class S was full of oddballs who showed no signs of sociability.

Baek Yu-Seol’s efforts were ruined from the beginning.

“Sigh…”

A sigh came out.

Unlike Classes F to A, which had multiple sections per grade, Class S had only one. Out of 1,141 students, only 41 were placed in Class S, so it made sense.

As he opened the classroom door and stepped inside, more than half the students were immersed in self-study. The oppressive atmosphere was enough to drive anyone crazy.

'Don't study so hard. Hang out and have some fun. Just take me for an example…'

Baek Yu-Seol quietly went to the back seat, sat down, and slowly looked around.

He recognized many faces. Characters he had only seen as animations on 2D or 3D screens were now flesh-and-blood people.

Many of them were game icons who would become famous celebrities in five to ten years, the Crown Prince of the Skalven Empire, the heir to the Full Moon Tower, and others.

Of course, not all were famous in a positive sense.

There was a possibility that the five or so mages sitting here, including Ma Yu-Seong, would betray the magic world and turn against them. Since he had the ability, he would become a feared enemy.

‘I think it would be better if the female protagonist stopped that, but…’

'Who knows what will happen?'

Baek Yu-Seol glanced at the black-haired girl sitting in the back-right corner. She was absorbed in her self-studying. He had to forget the Flame he knew. The girl he was looking at was the original Flame who had never been confronted by other players.

Not even Baek Yu-Seol knew what future she would create. All he knew was information about fragmentary events in the future.

‘It’d be bad to catch her attention. She still thinks this world is just a normal romance fantasy novel.’

If Baek Yu-Seol started taking a step different from the original novel, she would become aware of his existence.

‘Anyway, I feel very self-conscious.’

Some students in Class S also glanced at him as he observed them.

Why is an inferior student like Baek Yu-Seol in Class S? they must be wondering. While they worked tirelessly to earn their spot, it must have been infuriating for someone like him to be placed among them without apparent effort.

“Is that him?”

“He looks a little nerdy…”

“No, my father contacted the faculty and asked them himself. It must be the girl in the corner with him."

“Hmm… Maybe he’s capable?”

Rather than looking annoyed, they seemed to be… wary.

'It can't be. Is it a problem that I’m in Class S?'

Baek Yu-Seol was bound to be a little more nervous about the peaceful Class S students than he thought.

It was said that the number of students in Class A who went to the faculty office to question his acceptance in Class S while they were rejected had already exceeded ten. It did not matter to them as much that they could not get here; instead, they had difficulty convincing themselves that a trash student like Baek Yu-Seol was in Class S.

But the surprising thing was that they all got the same answer.

‘Baek Yu-Seol deserves to be in Class S.'

That was right.

So he decided to take it easy. To be honest, Class F was full of idiots. If he could sit in Class S, why wouldn’t he?

Of course, he wondered if it would be as easy as it seemed…

Every class placement depended on the individual’s rank in each test. There were times when Class F students succeeded in climbing up to A; on the contrary, there were times when genius students fell from A to F.

There was no exception in Class S. However, once one reached class S, it was very rare to go down again.

Thinking back, he remembered one male student who had stayed in Class A throughout the game and barely made it to Class S later. Baek Yu-Seol couldn’t recall his name, but the student hadn’t left much of an impression.

As they observed one another amid the silence, he took out a small box from his pocket.

[Stella’s Pocket Watch]

A watch that served as a student’s proof of identity in Stella, the most prestigious magic academy. It was a very special item and was treated much higher than any other magic warrior identification.

It was said that possessing this watch guaranteed great treatment. Though he hadn’t earned it through his own efforts, he still felt a sense of pride.

After a short time passed, forty students had gathered in the classroom. There were only forty people in an auditorium which could easily accommodate two hundred people, so it felt somewhat empty.

At exactly eight o’clock, the classroom's front door opened and someone entered.

It was Lee Han-Wol, the professor in charge of Class S. With his appearance, the air calmed down. In the overwhelming atmosphere, some students gulped nervously.

With dark skin, countless scars smudged all over his face, and a massive body full of muscles, he seemed like he could kill someone.

So it was difficult to make eye contact properly.

“Nice to meet you all. I am Lee Han-Wol.”

No explanation was needed.

Class 7 magic warrior, Lee Han-Wol.

His reputation preceded him. He had led seemingly hopeless battles to victory across numerous battlefields and dungeons. Rumor had it he had successfully hunted down over a thousand dark mages.

Five hundred years ago, combat mages had been seen as savages, while magic was treated as an academic pursuit, practiced by scholars who studied elegantly at their desks.

But times had changed. In the modern era, combat mages looked down on scholarly mages.

In a world where dark mages repeatedly tore holes in reality by opening gates, mages were responsible for sealing them.

Therefore, it was natural that the professor in Class S was Lee Han-Wol.

It could be seen that the mages in Stella came to learn how to fight.

Lee Han-Wol's eyes slowly examined each student, and finally, they met with Baek Yu-Seol’s.

“A lot of outstanding students are gathered here, as well as a very unusual student.”

The first part referred to everyone except Baek Yu-Seol, while the latter clearly pointed to him. It was obvious to anyone paying attention.

Either way, he accepted Lee Han-Wol’s gaze with ease.

“As you all know, this is an academy that trains combat mages. As so-called magic warriors, you will go through advanced courses for the next three years.”

As Lee Han-Wol began to speak, all the students focused. His voice had a spirit that enveloped the entire classroom.

“Many of your predecessors have given up because the enemies we face are formidable, and the academy’s curriculum is harsh. I do not expect all of you to endure. However, I want to see your determination.”

“In this world, everything revolves around magic. The technology behind the objects we use daily, as well as dungeons and gates, is rooted in magic. Even demons are magical beings.”

“The source of life is also magic; even the reason why clouds float and we can walk on the ground is explained by magic.”

“It is the duty of our magic warriors to stop the dark mages, a group of mages who try to stain our world with the Underworld."

‘It’s not my duty.’

Baek Yu-Seol was just sitting in this academy to survive; honestly, he didn’t even know if he could endure the training.

“Some students have been admitted to this academy because of their obligation to eradicate the dark mages, and there are other students who have entered because of money. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t matter. As long as you have the courage to fight against them with a firm will…”

Just when Lee Han-Wol was about to deliver a wonderful speech.

The back door opened, and a student barged in.

“…”

Every student’s attention was focused on the newcomer. From the back door, a woman with long silver hair—no, a girl—walked in with an imposing gait.

It was Hong Bi-Yeon.

‘Late…?’

She was late, which was pretty unusual for someone who valued ​​principles more than anyone else. Noticing closely, Baek Yu-Seol found that her cheeks were flushed red.

‘What happened already?'

He had a rough idea of ​​her family’s circumstances. He did not know the details, so he tried to check her details with the Sentient Specs in his mind, just in case.

[Hong Bi-Yeon Adolevit]

[Villainess]

[Uses Fire Magic]

[Eats reed ginseng candies]

[Prefers being alone sometimes]

[Only drinks espresso brewed in ‘Akalia Style’]

[Her mother is a bitch]

[Guaranteed to die]

After confirming that, Baek Yu-Seol took a deep breath. He could only grasp limited information from it. Initially, Hong Bi-Yeon was a famous character, and most of the information written here was already known.

'Why wasn’t I a little more diligent in the past?’

It would have been a great help if he had recorded it in more detail.

‘Well, at least I’m not a complete stranger to the characters.’

Most of them knew why that death was recorded. In a way, it was worse compared to Eisel’s.

Eisel’s demise stemmed solely from Flame, while Hong Bi-Yeon’s death was a result of both Flame and Eisel.

‘Should I say that it couldn't be helped since it was the fate of a wicked woman?’

Baek Yu-Seol knew she was destined to die anyway, so he wanted to save her if he could.

However, Baek Yu-Seol’s nose was small, so there was no point in poking it in someone else's business. After all, it was safe to say he was the weakest in this academy, so who could he help?

After Eisel, she was a woman who wore an aura of misfortune all over her body. He had no choice but to keep his distance from that woman as much as possible.

“Go to your seat and sit down.”

Hong Bi-Yeon nodded at Lee Han-Wol’s words, glanced at the seat in the right corner, and then looked at Baek Yu-Seol.

She strode over to where he was and sat right behind him.

Cold sweat trickled down his back.

'… What?’

160 empty seats in a lecture hall that could accommodate 200 people, so why did she have to sit behind him?

‘Is it a coincidence?'

'Paranoia is a man’s sin. Let's not think useless thoughts.'

No matter how hard Baek Yu-Seol tried to appear composed, the sharp gaze from behind was impossible to ignore.

For some reason, it felt like his school life was already veering off course.