Magic Academy's Genius Blinker-Chapter 432: Freshman (5)

Desire.

It was an emotion that was easy to identify yet layered with complexities, making it difficult to fully grasp.

Desires came in countless forms... primal urges such as hunger and lust, as well as ambition, greed, and material craving. But from Young Lady Mirinae standing before him...

'Material desire.'

Rather than a hunger for food or carnal pleasure, hers felt like an overwhelming yearning to claim something for herself.

"Interesting. Young Lady Mirinae."

Baek Yu-Seol smiled faintly and stepped closer to the girls.

The group of five noble ladies surrounding Mirinae had hair in vibrant shades of red, blue, and other colors, marking them as likely hailing from Western nations.

"Oh my, have you heard of me?"

"No. But I do know that the name 'Mirinae' isn't given to just anyone. Judging by your appearance, you must be from the Elien Kingdom. And you... were likely granted the name 'Mirinae' as a mark of distinction—an honor given only to the most outstanding noble lady of the year."

"Oh my, how impressive. You're absolutely right."

Truth be told, Baek Yu-Seol had never even heard the name Mirinae before.

In fact, he didn't even know such a title existed in the game.

He had simply repeated what was written in the data provided by his Sentient Spec.

Seeing Baek Yu-Seol recognize her status, Mirinae smiled warmly as if she had expected no less.

"Shall we sit down?"

"Sure. Lead the way."

Even as he followed them to their seats, Baek Yu-Seol couldn't stop thinking about the connection between Anella and Young Lady Mirinae.

"Oh, Anella, you should sit beside me."

"Uh... Thanks."

"Don't mention it. We're friends, after all."

With a gentle tug, Mirinae guided Anella to the seat beside her, her demeanor warm and composed.

"So, I heard you wanted to meet me?"

"Ah, yes... The thing is, we have a very important reason for needing to get into Stella."

"Everyone has their reasons."

"Of course. We know how competitive it is to enter. That's why we've prepared just as fiercely."

As the girls nodded in agreement, Anella clenched her fist quietly in a gesture of encouragement.

"So... We were wondering if you could give us a bit of guidance?"

"Guidance? I'm not exactly someone impressive enough to be teaching others."

"But you're a senior who entered Stella a year ahead of us."

Baek Yu-Seol drummed his fingers against the table, lost in thought.

With the entrance exam looming so close, any advice he could offer now wouldn't make much of a difference.

Those who were destined to pass would pass, and those who wouldn't... wouldn't.

If someone was barely on the edge of passing, maybe his advice could give them an extra push... but that didn't seem to be the case with this girl.

'She's probably trying to use my reputation.'

Baek Yu-Seol's name carried far more weight than he had initially realized, and he was fully aware of it.

He also understood how delicate a balance it was to use that reputation without devaluing it.

Even a fleeting claim of having trained under him could attract undue attention to this girl once she entered Stella.

It seemed she was already preparing for her life after admission.

"Well, I can't just hand out my techniques to anyone. But since you're friends of Anella... I'll at least hear you out."

"Thank you! As you may know, our kingdom, Elien, has been at war for over 100 years."

'I had no idea.'

Feigning understanding, Baek Yu-Seol gave a slow nod. After all, men often felt compelled to appear knowledgeable before women.

"In recent years, the scale of the war has only grown. But ironically, that's made it quieter."

"What do you mean by that?"

"With advancements in technology, close combat has been minimized, and the dynamics of war have shifted due to 'mass destruction magic.'"

It sounded like they were referring to asymmetric warfare.

On Earth, it would be akin to biological weapons or nuclear missiles. Thankfully, the Aether World had yet to develop magic capable of such catastrophic devastation.

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Could the people of this world even fathom such a thing?

A weapon so powerful that pressing a single button could wipe an entire small nation off the map... such things existed in other worlds.

"If Elien is at war... Then..."

Baek Yu-Seol's words trailed off as his Sentient Spec supplied the missing information.

"The Northern Leikram Republic?"

"That's correct."

Mirinae's expression darkened, yet her eyes held no trace of sorrow.

"It's a barbaric land. They treat teenagers as expendable weapons, forcing every mage they can find to fight on the front lines. Naturally, our kingdom had no choice but to respond in kind."

"My friends here have chosen the path of magic warriors to counter Northern Leikram. No one from our kingdom has ever been admitted to Stella before, but if one of us succeeds, it would be a tremendous advantage for our nation."

Stella's influence truly was staggering.

It wasn't an exaggeration. During wars between small nations, a single mage from Stella was enough to shift the tide of battle entirely.

"Hmm..."

Baek Yu-Seol's gaze drifted to Anella, who looked visibly uneasy.

'Geez... She's way too soft-hearted.'

Her own situation was already precarious enough. If she failed to get into Stella, dark mages would soon come after her.

"It's an unfortunate story."

"Right?!"

As Baek Yu-Seol nodded, Anella's eyes sparkled, as though she was ready to rush to their aid without a second thought.

But Baek Yu-Seol wasn't about to let himself get swept away by their words so easily.

'I was curious about the new students, but it turns out they're all walking disasters.'

They were only seventeen, yet they were already so calculating.

"I hear you, but... In the end, you're trying to get into Stella to win a war, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Then that puts me in a very tricky position if I decide to help you."

"Huh?"

Caught off guard by his response, Mirinae's eyes widened.

"I'm not someone who can act freely. Getting involved with you could lead to political and diplomatic complications. Surely you considered that? Don't tell me you didn't."

"... Of course, we're aware."

Mirinae's expression stiffened, and Baek Yu-Seol felt the weight of his own words.

His reputation wasn't just for show. It carried significant influence, whether he liked it or not.

Even if ordinary people were unaware, anyone deeply involved in politics understood his position.

He was regarded as the pillar of the Alterisha Department, which controlled half of the Alchemy Castle. He also had close ties with major organizations and nations, such as the Starcloud Trading Company, Adolevit, and Sky Flower Cradle.

Though he had never intended to accumulate such authority, his connections had grown far too extensive for him to make careless decisions now.

And yet... something felt wrong.

'Something doesn't add up.'

Baek Yu-Seol began to suspect that Young Lady Mirinae's true objective might not be what she had initially claimed.

Even after his clear rejection, her composure barely faltered. There was no sign of panic, no trace of desperation.

'Hmm...'

Baek Yu-Seol subtly surveyed the area.

The terrace was in an open space where they were easily visible, and many students had already noticed his presence.

'Is she planning to spread rumors that I taught her just from this single meeting?'

He stared at Mirinae intently.

'No, that's not it either.'

The more he looked into her eyes, the deeper and darker they appeared... like a shadowy abyss.

'... Maybe I underestimated her.'

Had he underestimated her just because she was seventeen?

Hong Bi-Yeon and Eisel had shown extraordinary intelligence at a young age, but that was expected. They were protagonists, after all.

Mirinae, on the other hand, was just an extra. A name he had never even heard of before.

Because of that, he might have dismissed her too quickly.

But now that he thought about it, hadn't her emotional reading through Pink Spring Moon's Blessing been unusual as well?

Most humans displayed a complex mix of emotions, but Mirinae showed only one singular emotion—Desire.

What was it that she wanted so desperately?

Social status?

Victory in the war?

Wealth?

It wasn't honor, lust, or hunger. It was another kind of intense desire that consumed her—but for now, Baek Yu-Seol couldn't determine what it was.

However, there was one thing he knew for certain.

A person who harbors such an overwhelming, singular desire... Is extremely dangerous.

"Alright."

"... Huh?"

After a long moment of deliberation, Baek Yu-Seol finally smiled and extended his hand to Young Lady Mirinae.

"There's not much time left until the entrance exam, but I'll teach you what I can."

Mirinae's face lit up as she took his hand without hesitation.

"I'm so happy. Thank you so much."

And yet, even in that moment, Baek Yu-Seol felt no trace of joy radiating from her.

[Desire]

From beginning to end, her heart pulsed with nothing but raw, unrelenting desire.

What is it that she's so obsessed with?

"Anella? Thank you for introducing me to Senior Baek Yu-Seol."

"Of course!"

Young Lady Mirinae smiled brightly and gently hugged Anella.

But in that brief moment - so fleeting that Baek Yu-Seol almost missed it - there was a shift in her emotions.

'What was that?'

It was so subtle and brief that even Baek Yu-Seol couldn't pinpoint it.

***

Dwarf Kingdom - The Black Iron Empire's capital

Golden Radiance District.

Carved into the heart of an active volcano, this perilous and extraordinary kingdom stretched vast and imposing, its barren, rocky expanse rising to impossible heights.

Though the city lay deep within the earth, its ceiling glittered like a star-studded sky, radiant lights mimicking the brilliance of daytime... even at midnight.

At the city's center stood a jagged forest of iron structures, crowned by a network of railways that twisted and climbed toward the heavens, all converging at the Golden Iron Tower.

It was the residence of the Dwarf King, Geumgang Paljeong.

"... You've arrived."

The Dwarf King, Geumgang Paljeong, forced his tired eyes open as his chief aide, Doo Amri, entered the chamber.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"How is his condition?"

Doo Amri frowned.

"Not good. He desires more... 'beautiful things.'"

"More? We've already offered him enough jewels to shake the very foundation of the Black Iron Empire. And yet, it's still not enough?"

"Regrettably... yes."

"This is madness."

The Dwarf King let out a deep sigh.

When had it begun?

When had Golden Solstice Moon, one of the Twelve Divine Moons, started to change?

Long ago, Golden Solstice Moon was the very embodiment of justice among the Twelve Divine Moons.

He had armed the abandoned dwarves with anvils and hammers, taught them how to master materials, and even granted them bodies as unyielding as steel.

As if that wasn't enough, he secured this enormous volcano for them, ensuring they could establish a nation in safety.

That was already three generations ago. A millennium in the past.

Even during the time of the king's great-grandfather, who founded the nation, Golden Solstice Moon was still regarded as a righteous and steadfast figure.

The king's own name, Geumgang, had even been derived from Golden Solstice Moon as a mark of honor.

But at some point...

'Offer me jewels. Surely, you can repay me that much?'

Golden Solstice Moon began demanding tributes from the dwarves.

At first, the dwarves willingly presented rare treasures as offerings, believing it was only right to repay the one who had given them so much.

When satisfied, Golden Solstice Moon would fall into a deep slumber, and peace would return... For a period of time.

But every hundred years, he would awaken and demand even more tributes.

Over time, his demands grew larger, and the intervals between his awakenings grew shorter.

By the modern era, the situation had become unsustainable, threatening the very stability of the kingdom's treasury.

"Didn't he seem unusually pleased last time when I offered him the statue I carved over many years?"

"Yes, he did."

That incident had indeed been an exceptional case.

Golden Solstice Moon had personally requested a specific tribute:

'Bring me a statue of the most beautiful woman.'

It was a demand fraught with difficulty.

After all, the concept of beauty was subjective. What one person saw as perfection might seem plain to another.

At that time, the woman who came to the king's mind was none other than Florin, the Elf King.

Though rarely seen in public, Florin's beauty was the stuff of legend, unmatched and unchallenged.

And so, Geumgang Paljeong, the Dwarf King, went through great effort to invite Florin and used her as the model for the statue.

Of course, due to a curse, even Geumgang Paljeong himself couldn't see her face.

It had been a strange and ironic situation.

The statue depicted Florin standing with a single flower in her hand, wearing a tight dress with her face veiled.

Even though her face was hidden, the king was certain that his creation was the most beautiful statue in the world.

With her face hidden, the statue allowed viewers to imagine her beauty however they wished.

Some saw the statue as elegant, others as seductive.

Some described it as innocent, while others called it charming or adorable.

Though opinions about its style varied, there was one consensus.

"This is undoubtedly the statue of the most beautiful woman in the world."

A masterpiece born from the captivating form of Florin and the skill of the greatest sculptor... it was an unparalleled work of art.

It had pained Geumgang Paljeong to part with such a treasure, but he had believed it grand enough to satisfy Golden Solstice Moon.

"... And yet he's demanding something else again? What is it this time?"

Doo Amri hesitated and nervously glanced at the king.

"Speak, Doo Amri. Don't test my patience."

"... I apologize."

Reluctantly, Doo Amri began to explain.

"Golden Solstice Moon... Said he was extremely pleased with the statue he received."

"Of course."

"... So much so that he spends every single day staring at it."

"Enough with the buildup. Just tell me already."

Doo Amri tightly shut his eyes, bracing himself.

"He said... He's too curious about the face hidden beneath the veil of the statue."

"... What?"

Geumgang Paljeong shot to his feet.

Though his body had grown frail with age, shock alone gave him the strength to stand.

"You're not saying...!"

With trembling eyes, Doo Amri forced himself to finish.

"For the next tribute... He demands that the model for the statue be brought to him."

A wave of dizziness hit Geumgang Paljeong, and he collapsed back onto his throne.

"Dear heavens."

The scenario he had most feared—the one he had desperately hoped to avoid—had finally become a reality.