I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 353

The city of magic, *Arcanium*.

This massive floating city housed five prestigious magic academies, and numerous convenient facilities were built around them.

*Lady Mirinae.*

Her real name was *Dallain Richina Starez.*

Her full name, which carried the names of the Starez Ducal House—famous for its expertise in psychology and astrology—and Richina, a war hero, made it evident that she came from an immensely privileged background.

*Freya Hotel, 78th floor.*

The highest-class tier of this luxurious hotel, classified as WIP level, was rarely occupied even throughout the year.

Dallain gazed quietly at the moonlit sky.

While most of the students waiting to take the Stella Academy entrance exams were staying at hotels within the academy district, she had ventured out to the heart of Arcanium to reserve a room in this luxurious establishment.

It wasn’t to indulge in extravagance.

She never spent money solely for herself.

"Wow, so this is a VII Room..."

Annella, marveling with wide, innocent eyes, looked genuinely amazed at the opulence of the suite.

Dallain didn’t mind spending this much if it meant winning Annella over.

"Uh, can I get on the bed? Do I have to pay extra to use it?"

Annella nervously pointed at the massive suite bed, her hands trembling slightly. Dallain smiled warmly.

"Of course, you can. Do you want to sleep there tonight?"

"Really?! Is that okay?"

"Yes, as much as you’d like. We’re friends, after all."

"Wow..."

Annella’s tension melted away, her face lighting up.

Having lived a life far beneath that of a commoner, Annella couldn’t help but be in awe of the extravagant lifestyle of the nobility.

But then, she hesitated.

"Um, sorry, but I think I’ll have to go back to Stella to sleep tonight."

"...Why?"

"Yuseol told me not to stay out overnight. He said I should always check in at the Stella dormitory so he can mark me present."

Dallain fell silent.

No further explanation was needed.

This girl would leap into molten lava if Baek Yuseol commanded it.

As someone practically a specialist in magical psychology, Lady Mirinae instantly grasped the nature of this dynamic.

"If that’s the case, there’s nothing to be done. But we can at least share dessert, right?"

"Of course!"

Dallain smiled softly and pressed the service button. Moments later, a waitress arrived with a cart stacked high with cakes, candies, cookies, and marshmallows.

"Wow... this much?"

"It’s nothing. I’m happy to treat you. We’re friends, after all."

"Thank you!"

When Annella grabbed a cookie, Dallain picked up the same type and said, "This cookie tastes even better if you toast it a bit."

"Really?"

"Let me show you."

With a slight motion of her lips, Dallain recited a short incantation, instantly summoning a flame.

Among children her age, there were likely none who could conjure natural flames so effortlessly. Her skill reflected the enormous effort she had put into her magic training.

"Just hold this part over the flame, and it’ll toast perfectly. Want to try?"

"Sure!"

The moment Annella responded, flames flared up from her index finger.

"Ah! It’s too strong."

Quickly adjusting the intensity of her flames, she matched Dallain’s example and began to toast her cookie.

"Am I doing it right?"

Grinning broadly like a child showing off, Annella toasted her cookie with glee. For a brief moment, Dallain’s expression stiffened, but she soon smiled gently.

"Yes, you’re doing great..."

"It’s delicious!"

As Annella devoured her cookie with enthusiasm, Dallain’s gaze turned cold.

"The difference in talent."

It had been less than six months since Dallain first met Annella.

At the time, during an event hosted by the Star Cloud Merchant Guild, Dallain had noticed a young girl tagging along with **Zerriel.**

Though Annella’s demeanor and speech were childish, she displayed an extraordinary sharpness and knowledge, assisting Zerriel in ways even the genius merchant couldn’t.

Dallain had initially dismissed Zerriel’s claim that her goal was to send Annella to Stella Academy as a joke.

But after a month, Annella, who had just begun learning magic, had progressed to practicing spell demonstrations while other beginners were still struggling to sense mana flows.

Within a month, she could cast magic.

"...A prodigy."

From then on, Dallain couldn’t take her eyes off Annella.

Her growth was explosive, accelerating rapidly until she surpassed even the so-called "prodigies" of her generation.

Dallain’s curiosity deepened.

It was instinctive—a craving to uncover the secret behind Annella’s ability to master magic so quickly and grow so powerful.

Eventually, Dallain discovered that Annella shared a close connection with a boy named Baek Yuseol.

Baek Yuseol.

The boy whose name had dominated headlines over the past year. Famous yet enigmatic.

Only a few who truly understood the world knew the truth:

Baek Yuseol held a unique secret.

He could achieve what others deemed impossible.

But no matter how much Dallain investigated, she found nothing. His daily life was as ordinary as that of any other teenage boy.

Instead, Dallain turned her focus to Annella, digging into her life.

Thanks to Zerriel’s tight security, it wasn’t easy. However, Annella’s lack of worldly experience made her an easy target.

Finally, Lady Mirinae unearthed Annella’s secret.

A rare and unparalleled constitution possessed by only one person in the entire world.

"I can be like you, too."

Dallain’s cold eyes watched the unsuspecting Annella as she gleefully ate her cookie.

Such a unique talent shouldn’t belong to a girl who lived so recklessly and thoughtlessly.

It was a gift meant for someone like Dallain, who was ready to become a "saint" on the frontlines of war to protect her homeland.

"Just a little more."

Drawing Annella closer and involving Baek Yuseol in her plan had been surprisingly easy.

Annella, however, was unexpectedly guarded. Despite her naive and playful demeanor, her thoughts were sharp and quick.

Still, Dallain wasn’t in a hurry.

"Wow, this looks delicious too," Dallain said with a bright smile, offering Annella a slice of cake.

"Annella, show me your secret."

Just one more step to go.

***

*Four days until the entrance exam.*

Baek Yuseol took advantage of the weekend to venture outside Arcanium.

Since the attack during the transport incident, he hadn’t left Stella Academy once, fully dedicating himself to training. This rare outing had no particularly special reason behind it—he was simply after a rare wild herb that only grew during the winter.

"This should be the place."

Five hours on an airship.

Seventeen hours by train.

Four warp gates later, he arrived at the *Kilimanjaro Mountain Range*.

Known for its rugged terrain and inhospitable weather, even experienced climbers needed thorough preparation. But for Baek Yuseol, such concerns no longer applied.

Thanks to his superhuman physical abilities, he no longer needed to fear freezing to death or succumbing to exhaustion.

The sight of him scaling the mountain in his school uniform, armed with nothing but a dagger, was a testament to his extraordinary resilience.

*"ROAAARRR!"*

A bear-like creature with red skin bellowed, charging at him. Baek Yuseol casually blinked behind it and slashed with his dagger, felling the beast instantly.

Most wild monsters couldn’t even react to his blinking ability anymore.

After hours of navigating the treacherous mountains, he finally reached the summit.

[You have discovered the dungeon, *Song of the Harsh Wind.*]

"Hmm, just as expected."

According to a guide recorded in his enchanted glasses, the dungeon "Song of the Harsh Wind" only opened once or twice a year.

But Baek Yuseol had no intention of entering the dungeon. It was merely a trap designed to lure adventurers away from the herb he sought. Entering it would mean wasting an entire day climbing back down.

"It should be around here... Ah, there it is."

Searching near the dungeon entrance, he found a glowing blue herb hidden among the grass.

The herb, known for its ability to expel cold from the body and restore vitality, would be beneficial even for Baek Yuseol himself. But for now, it was a gift for **Angel Flame**, who had been struggling lately to adapt to magic passed down from her father. Seeing her suffer had prompted Baek Yuseol to act.

"Alright, that’s done... Huh?!"

As he placed the herb into his subspace pocket, a fierce wind suddenly whipped around him.

"...What’s this?"

Baek Yuseol could now sense even the subtlest movements in the air. This wind wasn’t natural—it had been conjured.

Then, a deep voice boomed through the air.

*"O traveler... can you hear my voice...?"*

Baek Yuseol frowned.

"What is this? What kind of outdated, cliché introduction is this...?"

*"O traveler, you show great disrespect upon our first meeting."*

"First meeting? I can’t even see your face."

Baek Yuseol brushed off the snow from his boots and adjusted his backpack.

"Anyway, I’m leaving. Don’t bother me."

*"W-wait! Please, wait...!"*

The wind howled once more, stronger this time. But it barely ruffled Baek Yuseol’s hair.

Then, stepping through the swirling gusts, a figure appeared—a girl with shimmering white hair and golden eyes, dressed impeccably in a white gown.

It was none other than **Scarlett, the Witch Queen.**

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"Hi there! Been a while, hasn’t it?"

Caught completely off guard, Baek Yuseol instinctively stepped back, drawing the Terryphon Sword.

"Whoa, relax! No need to get so defensive just because I played a little prank."

Realizing that Scarlett had been of significant help to him in the past, Baek Yuseol sighed and lowered his weapon. It wasn’t as if he could do much if Scarlett truly intended harm.

"What do you want?"

"Wow, what a tone to take with a professor."

"If you don’t want to talk, feel free to leave."

"Hey! Don’t you think you’re being a bit rude? I’m a former Stella professor and the Witch Queen, you know! Not to mention I—"

"Ah."

Before she could finish, Baek Yuseol turned to her and bowed deeply at a perfect 90-degree angle.

"Thank you sincerely for giving me the staff. I owe you a great debt for that."

"Uh... oh...?"

Scarlett blinked, momentarily disoriented by his unexpected response.

"Thanks to you, I restored the **Damtalto Two Moons** and saved countless lives."

"Uh, yeah... sure, that’s... good."

"Well then, goodbye."

"What?!"

Without another word, Baek Yuseol activated Blink and vanished. Scarlett, flustered, hurriedly chased after him.

"Wait! It’s so hard to meet you anywhere else!"

Whether he heard her or not, Baek Yuseol only seemed to move faster, picking up speed as he fled.

*"How is he this fast?!"*

Scarlett couldn’t help but marvel at his drastically improved speed. Though exasperated by the chase, she couldn’t suppress a sense of pride at how much stronger he had become.

"Wait for meeee!!"

Despite her satisfaction with his growth, keeping up with him was no easy task.