Magic Academy’s Genius Blinker

Chapter 299

A New Professor (1)

***

As expected, Professor Laydin failed to keep his promise.

Something went wrong in the process of transferring Anella.

I could vaguely guess what the “problem” was.

‘The principal must have accelerated his research on detecting Dark Mana.’

After parting ways with Professor Laydin and leaving the 1st Main Tower, I carefully organized my thoughts.

Dark Mages perfectly conceal their identities and operate in the shadows throughout the magical world.

Mages are unable to detect them, which prevents them from stopping the Dark Mages’ activities, leading to various incidents—a setting that explains the plausibility of the original story.

However, the above setting does not last forever.

At a certain point, Eltemon Eltrine develops a magic that can detect Dark Mana.

‘I thought he might have developed it by now, but this is quite fast.’

Eltemon, who probably developed the Dark Mana detection magic, would be eager to test it.

He would want to personally screen the most suspicious candidates, starting with the transfer students.

The Dark Mana detection magic had clear limitations and could not be used on just anyone.

Nevertheless, its mere existence was a significant turning point, giving the player’s side the power to pressure the Dark Mages.

Naturally, as a game-breaking magic that could shake up the current situation, it appears in the latter part of the episode.

The development speed of this magic varies greatly depending on how quickly the player progresses through the story.

On average, players who are new to ‘Aether World Online’ see this magic developed in the first semester of their third year, or at the latest, just before graduation.

By then, the episode is already nearing its end, so the magic doesn’t have much effect.

However, some veteran players managed to advance the story quickly, reducing it to the second semester of their second year.

There was only one player in the entire world who managed to have the magic completed right after the spring break of the first semester of their second year.

That player used the nickname ‘DalSo’ and was the only player I was close to in the game.

Recalling that player, who always brought me rare information and chattered on and on, I couldn’t help but smile.

It reminded me of a time when I considered this world just a game and enjoyed it.

‘Anyway… at this rate, I’ll have to visit Anella often.’

In fact, it wasn’t just Professor Laydin who failed to keep his promise; I was in the same boat.

I promised to transfer her to Stella, but now she has to enter as a freshman next year.

Anella has successfully escaped from the Dark Mage society, but she still lacks many things as a human and needs special care.

I couldn’t leave everything about Anella to Zeliel forever.

“Baek Yu-seol.”

“…Huh?”

While walking with my Bulbul Glasses, carefully organizing my tasks one by one, I heard Hong Bi-yeon’s voice from behind.

‘What is it?’

Why.

Why does her voice sound so unfamiliar?

Due to practicing for the League of Spirit matches, I hadn’t had the chance to meet Hong Bi-yeon separately, but we had crossed paths a few times during class and occasionally exchanged a few words.

But this was the first time her voice felt so awkward.

“Uh… what’s up?”

When I turned around, Hong Bi-yeon was wearing casual clothes instead of the Stella uniform.

It wasn’t anything flashy.

A black pleated skirt and a tight white t-shirt that a teenage girl might wear.

The black jacket and black beret she wore contrasted with her silver hair, making the colors stand out.

In principle, it’s okay to wear casual clothes after class, but most students take great pride in being Stella cadets and don’t bother.

Unless they are like Hong Bi-yeon, who is full of confidence even without the Stella name, they wouldn’t wear casual clothes.

Even I always wore my uniform because I was secretly proud of being a Stella cadet.

“Why are you just standing there blankly? You look stupid.”

“Well, uh. Nice outfit.”

“…Really?”

At my unintentional compliment, Hong Bi-yeon briefly looked down, twirled a strand of hair that had fallen over her shoulder with her index finger, and then suddenly looked up and said.

“Let’s go. For dinner.”

“Now? It’s not even 7 o’clock yet…”

“We’re going out to eat. It’ll be dinner time by the time we get there.”

“Why? Busy? …Commoner.”

“Not really.”

As she said, I didn’t have anything particular to do, so I was just planning to go back and train.

Even while practicing for the League of Spirit matches, I never stopped training for at least 3 hours a day.

But with my mediocre talent, that’s a ridiculously insufficient amount of training.

I need to practice two or three times more to keep up with the accelerated episode.

I know.

With the story’s progress drastically sped up, we could enter the ‘main episode’ at any time.

That scared me.

When the time comes, will I be ready?

Can I survive there, being as weak as I am now?

10 years later?

That’s not so far off.

It wouldn’t be strange if something big happened even before graduation from Stella Academy.

Everything has changed since I started interfering with this world’s story.

But…

“…Aren’t you coming?”

However, as Hong Bi-yeon’s expression gradually darkened and she asked again, for some reason, I couldn’t refuse.

“Oh, no? I’m coming. I think I had some plans, but I just remembered they’re not important.”

At my answer, Hong Bi-yeon slightly raised the corners of her lips and turned around, starting to walk ahead.

Usually, it would be normal to match her pace, but expecting normalcy from her at this point seems like a stretch.

“So, where are we going to eat?”

“I’ll tell you when we get there.”

I was confident that I wouldn’t regret this choice.

Just looking at Hong Bi-yeon walking with the sunset behind her made me feel alive.

***

…Baek Yu-seol, who happily followed Hong Bi-yeon, slightly regretted it.

He didn’t expect the menu to be like this.

“What… is this?”

Hong Bi-yeon’s image was literally that of a ‘princess.’

Someone who might eat caviar with a spoon for breakfast, the finest truffle fries for lunch, and elegantly enjoy a glass of wine while slicing steak for dinner.

So, he thought they would go to some restaurant like that this time.

“Coconut Sand.”

“No, I know that from the menu. But what country’s food is this…?”

“It’s not a traditional dish from any specific country. It’s a common food in countries where palm trees grow.”

The palm trees of Aether World are slightly different from those on Earth.

They have coconuts, but very rarely, a mysterious animal called a ‘Coconut Licker’ is found inside.

This animal is smaller than a coconut and is found very rarely, making it one of the rarest animals.

Naturally, it’s very expensive, and only the rich can afford to eat it, as Hong Bi-yeon explained.

“This is an expensive dish…?”

It’s hard to believe.

It just looks like a sandwich on top of a coconut.

Hong Bi-yeon, wearing sunglasses on her forehead—where did she get those?—ate the Coconut Sand with one hand.

There was also non-alcoholic coconut wine, and while it might have been different in the Adolevit royal palace, students are not sold alcohol outside.

“Sigh.”

Even though it’s expensive, it was my first time trying this food, so I was a bit hesitant.

But since Hong Bi-yeon was treating me, I couldn’t back out, so I took a bite.

Immediately, I was surprised.

It’s surprisingly delicious.

No, it’s beyond delicious… it’s so heavenly that it feels like a gift from the gods.

I felt this way when I first had tuna crackers after being assigned to my unit in the military training camp.

As I was gobbling down the Coconut Sand, a question suddenly popped into my head, and I looked up.

I saw Hong Bi-yeon’s profile as she sipped coconut wine and enjoyed the cool outdoor breeze.

“Can you, taste it?”

That’s right.

Hong Bi-yeon had a problem with her sense of taste, and there was no reason for her to come all the way here to eat expensive food at a famous restaurant.

Hong Bi-yeon smiled faintly instead of answering, took a small bite of the Coconut Sand, swallowed it, and said.

“I can feel it.”

“…Really?”

“Did your sense of taste come back?”

“No.”

“Then how can you taste it?”

“Well…”

Hong Bi-yeon spoke without any emotion, as if she had said it unintentionally.

“When I eat with you, I can taste it.”

Huh?

Baek Yu-seol, whose hand had been busy eating the Coconut Sand, froze and slowly looked up at Hong Bi-yeon’s face.

Then, Hong Bi-yeon, realizing the strangeness of her words, looked noticeably flustered.

It was a stark contrast to her usual stoic and unchanging expression.

“It’s not a big deal, so don’t mind it.”

“…Okay.”

Hong Bi-yeon quickly brushed it off, but Baek Yu-seol’s mind was still in turmoil.

Because.

He knew… the condition for the character Hong Bi-yeon to regain her sense of taste.

After that, they were engulfed in an awkward silence, and neither of them spoke first.

‘…What should I do?’

What if Baek Yu-seol misunderstands what I just said?

No… actually, would it be okay if he did?

‘What am I thinking?’

Unable to bear even this awkward silence, Hong Bi-yeon spoke first.

“…Baek Yu-seol.”

“Why?”

He answered calmly while drinking his beverage, but unlike before, he was avoiding eye contact.

I called Baek Yu-seol to break the silence, but I couldn’t think of anything to say.

I wanted to say something, but my brain seemed to have stopped functioning.

“Why… isn’t there something you want to say?”

After waiting, Baek Yu-seol finally spoke, and Hong Bi-yeon, who had been hesitating for a long time, blurted out whatever came to her mind.

“…I have something to say about Aiselle.”

After saying that, her mind went blank again.

After all that 고민, all she could come up with was something about Aiselle.

But it wasn’t a lie, as she had been planning to discuss Aiselle with Baek Yu-seol at some point.

“Aiselle…?”

This wasn’t what I really wanted to say.

Hong Bi-yeon let out a deep sigh, took a big gulp of her drink, and slammed the cup down with a thud!

Then, she clasped her hands, rested her chin on them, and said.

“It’s about… that woman’s father.”

***

Stella Academy typically had at least three professors for each subject and about ten assistant professors under them.

Considering the number of students, over a thousand per grade, even this was a very small number, but it couldn’t be helped.

Popular subjects might have over ten professors, but it was natural for less popular subjects to have fewer.

However, even though ‘Countermeasures Against Dark Magic’ was a very important subject, there were only four professors.

It was extremely difficult to obtain a doctorate in Countermeasures Against Dark Magic, and there were very few people skilled enough to teach at Stella.

Considering that other schools had none or barely one, Stella having four might seem like a lot, but not anymore.

After the ‘Inter-School Competition’ during the summer vacation, two professors were quietly dismissed by Eltemon Eltrine, and another resigned due to personal reasons, leaving only one.

Thud!

-Oh my, but now there are none left?

“Ugh…”

The Witch King, Scarlet, smiled innocently like a child, shaking her pure white hair.

She looked at the man twitching under the boulder.

Heiton, the only remaining professor of Countermeasures Against Dark Magic at Stella.

His life wasn’t in danger… but his injuries were so severe that it might be difficult for him to return to teaching for several months.

-Well then…

She looked up at the main gate of Stella Academy.

Originally, she had planned to enter disguised as a ‘transfer student,’ but Eltemon Eltrine’s security was so strong that she failed.

-I didn’t intend to enter so violently…

She cast a spell on the fallen Professor Heiton, giving him a special reward.

After all, she felt sorry for injuring him.

Perhaps when he wakes up, he will gain some special insight.

If he seizes that opportunity, he might become an even more advanced mage.

‘If he misses it, well… too bad!’

She confidently walked through the main gate of Stella Academy.

The colorfully paved road and the endless gardens of starlight on both sides.

At the end of it… she smiled at the sight of Stella’s main tower, which looked like a giant castle.

It had been a long time since she had visited like this.

It felt strangely exciting and heart-fluttering, as if she were a new student.

-So Baek Yu-seol is here…?

She hummed a tune and snapped her fingers.

Then, the unconscious Professor Heiton disappeared somewhere.

Exactly six hours later, the fact that Professor Heiton was seriously injured would be revealed, and the Countermeasures Against Dark Magic course would be completely vacant.

In this case, a new professor should be urgently sought with the principal’s approval, but Eltemon Eltrine was currently away, investigating a strange phenomenon near the World Tree with the Dwarf Emperor.

Thus, the highest decision-making authority temporarily falls to Vice Principal Aki Haydn.

He doesn’t have the right to decide on important school matters…

But he should have enough power to appoint a single professor to fill the vacancy.

-The school looks prettier than before…?

Scarlet walked into Stella as if dancing, with her hands behind her back.

-Shall I go see some cute faces?

End of Chapters