Magic Academy's Genius Blinker-Chapter 433: Freshman (6)

Humans, dwarves, and elves - the three races that represented the surface world - had, unfortunately, struggled to achieve lasting harmony throughout history.

Though the exact reasons were unclear, mutual distrust and wariness had been the primary barriers.

Recently, however, relations between humans and elves had shown signs of improvement, and even the dwarves had begun to grow friendlier toward the elves.

New n𝙤vel chapters are published on novelbuddy.cσ๓.

Still, a sense of distance remained.

And now, one of the Twelve Divine Moons had issued a demand that could potentially shatter diplomatic ties.

Not just any demand, but a call to offer the Elf King as tribute.

It was an utterly impossible request.

No matter how self-important the Dwarf King Geumgang Paljeong might be, he was still a rational man.

He understood that fulfilling such a request was out of the question.

"So that's what happened."

Upon hearing the Dwarf King's grim account, Florin, the Elf King, nodded with a composed demeanor.

Despite the gravity of the matter, Geumgang Paljeong had not come to plead for her sacrifice. Instead, he sought her wisdom.

His exhausted and disheveled appearance hinted at the guilt and helplessness that had been eating away at him.

"I would never ask you to surrender yourself. As the Elf King, your duty is to safeguard your people, not to throw away your life for the dwarves. No one understands this better than I do."

In other words, Geumgang Paljeong had come seeking counsel, not demanding her life.

"You're right. I have too much to lose right now."

Florin had no intention of dying.

Perhaps a year ago, when her life had been empty and meaningless, things might have been different.

But not anymore.

Now, she had reasons to live.

She had discovered emotions that made her heart race with exhilaration and joy so profound it left her breathless.

And she was determined to cling to that feeling, savoring it for as long as she could.

Until she had fully cherished and embraced that happiness, she wouldn't even consider dying.

"Still... Isn't there another way? A way that doesn't require my sacrifice?"

"Another way... I've considered it. But our opponent is one of the Twelve Divine Moons... the most stubborn of them all, Golden Solstice Moon. It won't be easy."

The Dwarf King cautiously observed Florin's reaction.

As a king, it wounded his pride to even suggest relying on someone else's wisdom—especially the boy who had unexpectedly offered solutions before.

Yet, faced with an impossible dilemma, the thought crossed his mind.

"Are you thinking of seeking that boy's advice?"

Even if they couldn't find a solution themselves, perhaps he might.

However, Florin shook her head gently with a faint smile on her lips.

"No... I won't ask for his help this time. I've already come up with a good idea."

"An idea?"

Golden Solstice Moon loved beautiful and shining things, and loved them obsessively.

"I'm not sure how valuable I truly am, but wouldn't it be enough if we gave him something even more beautiful?"

The Dwarf King frowned and let out a sigh.

"I hate to say this, but... I doubt there's anything in this world more beautiful than you."

"Huh... Really?"

Florin tilted her head slightly, genuinely surprised by the compliment.

Coming from the Dwarf King, whose kind had long held a competitive rivalry with elves, it felt more awkward than flattering.

Had it been Baek Yu-Seol complimenting her, perhaps it would have felt different. But from Geumgang Paljeong, it was more awkward than flattering.

"Besides, we've already tried that approach."

The Dwarf King shook his head, frustration seeping into his voice.

"Before we came to you, we offered countless jewels, accessories, and even historical masterpieces. None of it worked. He wouldn't even look at them."

And that was precisely what made the situation so frustrating.

If they didn't offer Florin, their entire kingdom could face destruction.

But offering her was out of the question.

"I see..."

Florin fell silent, her expression growing pensive.

Then, after a moment, she asked,

"Is his obsession purely about beauty?"

"That's right. There's no lust or anything like that involved. It's purely an obsession with owning beautiful things that drives him... and that's the problem."

"I see."

Then there was no problem.

"I'll go myself."

"... What? Are you insane?!"

The Dwarf King shot up from his seat and slammed the table.

"I absolutely forbid this! You're a ruler, entrusted with protecting your people. You must cherish your own life!"

"I know that. And lately... I've even been learning how to take better care of myself. But this is a separate matter. I never said I would sacrifice myself."

"Then what exactly are you planning?"

Florin gently touched her lips—a habit of hers whenever she was deep in thought.

"I'm going to meet the Twelve Divine Moon and try to persuade him myself."

"That's ridiculous! The moment he lays eyes on you, he'll never let you leave!"

To the Dwarf King, it appeared impossible.

Yet, Florin smiled softly.

"Don't worry. Nothing is impossible in this world. Even if I do face danger... I'll handle it."

Her unwavering confidence made the Dwarf King falter, if only for a moment.

She clearly had faith in someone.

Even when he could see no path forward, she stood firm, unshaken by doubt.

'Incredible.'

One wrong step, and she wouldn't even be killed. Instead, she might be forever trapped as part of the Twelve Divine Moon's collection.

If that happened, Sky Flower Cradle would fall into chaos.

Her life, her nation... Everything was at stake.

Yet, she was prepared to meet that danger head-on.

And all because of the boy she trusted so deeply.

'To have this much faith...'

It was an unbelievable reality unfolding before his eyes.

And what shocked him even more was that he was beginning to believe it, too.

Watching history bend around a single young human, barely twenty years old, made the 300-year-old king acutely aware of how much the world was changing.

"... If you're that determined, then fine. We'll give it a try. But you must return alive. That's an order."

At last, the Dwarf King yielded.

Florin responded with a confident smile and a nod.

"Of course."

***

One Week Until the Entrance Exam.

The entrance exam changed slightly every year.

Although it was mostly a practical test to showcase magical abilities, there were occasional odd cases where applicants passed by practicing just one specific spell that happened to be tested.

Because of such anomalies, Stella Academy maintained strict screening procedures to ensure fairness.

Anella, however, didn't seem to have any problems.

In her previous life as a dark mage, she had been more of a brute... someone who prioritized raw power over strategy.

But now, as a mage, she had clearly developed an intellectual side to match.

"Honestly, you might even have a shot at Class A..."

After administering a mock exam, Baek Yu-Seol couldn't help but be shocked by Anella's level of knowledge.

She had only been studying for six months.

Stella Academy was a place where prodigies - who had spent over a decade honing their skills - gathered.

Yet, Anella had surpassed their talents effortlessly.

Even just reading books for half a year wouldn't have been enough to prepare.

How was this even possible?

"Hey, do you remember? Back then... I used to have the ability to trigger people's traumas and memories."

"Of course. I remember."

Baek Yu-Seol couldn't forget it.

Thanks to the illusions Anella had shown him, he had learned many truths about himself.

Anella seemed to recall the countless echoes of Baek Yu-Seol she had witnessed back then.

For a brief moment, her eyes went blank, but she quickly snapped back to focus.

"That ability completely disappeared when I became human. But instead... When I close my eyes and concentrate, I can immerse myself in my own world. Time seems to flow slower there."

"... What? Is that even possible?"

Baek Yu-Seol stared at her in disbelief.

After all, he used a similar ability. One of the powers granted by Pink Spring Moon.

However, even he couldn't freely activate it.

It was a skill he could only use in specific, extreme situations.

"Are you saying you can dive into your subconscious and study there?"

"Yeah. Something like that."

It was both impressive and dangerous.

If what she said was true, then Anella's talent was easily on par with the protagonists—perhaps even greater.

"W-Well, it doesn't always work. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. And there are times when time feels faster instead of slower..."

"Still, it's an incredible ability. You're probably the only person in the world who can control their subconscious like that."

"R-Really...?"

Anella shifted nervously, but a shy smile tugged at her lips, clearly pleased by Baek Yu-Seol's praise.

"You're acting like a little sister trying to get her older brother's approval..."

Watching from the side, Flame gave Anella a disapproving look.

"W-What? I'm older than the two of you combined, you know?!"

Anella blurted defensively, only for Flame to smirk and glance at Baek Yu-Seol.

"Maybe if you've lived about 10,000 years, that'd be believable."

"H-Hey!"

"... What are you even saying?"

"Anyway."

Flame cut off the bickering and tapped Anella's test paper with her pen.

"You're still lacking. Why did you mess up this simple application problem?"

"Ah! That was a mistake!"

Panicking, Anella snatched the paper and pouted, her confidence momentarily deflated.

There was no doubt. Anella still had a long way to go.

Even with her natural talent, her performance was average at best compared to others.

But the fact that she had grown this much in such a short time was entirely thanks to her ability to enter her subconscious world.

Having personally witnessed how terrifyingly powerful that ability could be, Baek Yu-Seol felt compelled to give her a serious warning.

"Anella."

"Yeah?"

"Never leave my side. Got it? If you try to run, I'll hunt you down and lock you up. And don't even think about going back to being a dark mage."

"O-Of course! No way I'm ever going back to that! It was terrifying! I'll stick with you forever!"

"Good. You're officially my errand girl again."

As Baek Yu-Seol and Anella exchanged playful remarks, Flame tapped her pen against the desk, looking mildly annoyed.

Before anyone could respond, the door to the hotel opened, and a group of other girls entered the room.

Each of them carried their test papers, their faces tinged with unease.

When they spotted Anella sitting confidently as her test was being graded, their expressions stiffened in disbelief.

"Didn't we all take the mock exam together? How is she done already...?"

Young Lady Mirinae quickly approached and examined Anella's test paper.

Seeing that most of the answers were marked correct, her expression hardened.

"... This is unbelievable."

"Alright, you all hand over your papers too. I need to see where you stand."

Baek Yu-Seol took the girls' test papers and began grading them quickly with Flame's help.

Meanwhile, some of the girls whispered quietly as they glanced at Flame from the corner of the room.

'Is that... Flame, the one they're talking about?'

'Wasn't she supposed to be a commoner?'

'She's more... Elegant than I expected.'

'She almost feels like a noble...'

Flame's fair skin, glossy hair, and cute, lovable features didn't match the image of a commoner they had imagined.

Instead, she looked like someone who had been pampered by the world's affection just like a noble lady.

"Hey."

"Y-Yes...?"

As soon as Flame opened her mouth, the noble girls froze in place.

"I can hear you. And just so you know, the thing I hate most is being called cute. Say that one more time in front of me, and I'll smash your heads into the wall."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

The girls immediately straightened up like soldiers responding to a commander's orders, leaving Baek Yu-Seol biting his lip to suppress laughter.

For most girls, being called cute or beautiful might have been taken as praise. However, it was not the same for Flame.

"Grading's done. Gather around."

Baek Yu-Seol put down his spec and motioned for the girls to come closer.

On the table, seven test papers were spread out, but most of them were marked heavily in red ink—like a rain of errors.

"Your scores are a complete disaster."

The results were so terrible that there was no need for subtlety.

However, there was one surprise. Young Lady Mirinae's score was on par with Anella's.

It was still a mystery why a flawless girl like Mirinae had come asking for guidance, but Baek Yu-Seol decided to set that question aside for now.

"A—a disaster?!"

"But my tutor, Sir William, said I'd score at least an A-rank in Stella!"

"Oh? And where did this William study?"

"Uh... At Terralin Academy..."

"A prestigious school, sure. But... He didn't graduate from Stella, did he?"

"...No."

"And I've only been in Stella for a year. I'm sure your tutor is impressive, but don't you think I'd know more about the entrance exams than he does?"

"... Yes..."

The girls, who had been ready to protest, quickly deflated and fell silent.

"Honestly, this is bad. If you take the exam like this, none of you—except Young Lady Mirinae—will pass."

"T-That can't be...!"

The girls were visibly shaken by his words, but Baek Yu-Seol ignored them and turned to Mirinae.

"What about you? What do you think?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Mirinae responded.

"If my skills aren't good enough, then it's only natural for me to fail."

"Young Lady Mirinae...!"

"How could you say that...?"

"That's so cruel!"

The other girls looked as though they were about to cry. They were made even more distraught by Mirinae's bluntness.

But Baek Yu-Seol's expression didn't waver.

Why?

Because he sensed the emotion of [Lies] flickering across Mirinae's face.

'I see...'

He had expected deceit, but her reaction felt more calculated than defensive.

'This isn't what I thought she'd do...'

That left him with only one conclusion.

Baek Yu-Seol glanced to the side.

There stood Anella—kind, innocent, and naïve as ever, awkwardly trying to comfort the other girls.

It was obvious now.

Mirinae's gaze may have been fixed on Baek Yu-Seol, but her true focus had been on Anella the entire time.