I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 360

While the Stella Academy entrance exam candidates were undergoing their trials, their guardians were allowed to observe the proceedings in a specially designated area.

Although Baek Yuseol wasn’t an adult, he had assumed the role of a guardian as a senior in his second year.

Normally, having a senior from the same school act as a guardian would have been impossible. However, Annella's original guardian, Zelliel, had forfeited her rights, leaving no other option but for someone else to step in.

Fortunately, Baek Yuseol was highly favored by both the principal of Stella Academy and the commander of the Knights, allowing some strings to be pulled on his behalf.

“Well, it’s me, after all.”

While he used to feel burdened by such favoritism, Baek Yuseol had grown comfortable with it over time.

He focused intently on Scarlett’s and Annella’s movements, munching on potato chips instead of popcorn. Two monitors floated in the air before him, one displaying Scarlett wildly casting magic with her white hair flowing, and the other showing Annella moving cautiously.

“That damn Witch Queen...”

Despite his repeated reminders to “tone it down,” it seemed Scarlett had completely forgotten. She was hurling Third-Class-level magic with both hands like it was nothing, something far beyond what a seventeen-year-old student should be capable of.

It was reminiscent of the cultural shock caused by Mayuseong and Haewonryang when they appeared at Stella’s opening ceremony. The way they had reached the Third Class by the age of sixteen and wielded three or more magical attributes had left countless magicians stunned. They were hailed as geniuses among geniuses.

Now, Scarlett was displaying the same level of prowess as Haewonryang and Mayuseong.

She wielded fire, ice, and lightning with apparent restraint, refraining from using additional attributes. Yet, even with just those, her performance was already excessive.

“Hey, did you see that girl?”

“Dr. Kim, I think we have another genius on our hands.”

“My goodness, another golden generation, right after the last one?”

“And these geniuses always seem to have such beautiful faces. It’s almost unfair.”

“God really is unjust.”

Magicians participating as guardians, along with Magic Tower officials and other influential figures, were fixated on Scarlett’s monitor, exclaiming in awe.

“This is going to be a headache.”

Since Scarlett’s origins were unknown, her personal information revealed no affiliations. It was almost certain that prominent magicians would seek her out after the exam, hoping to recruit her. Worse, there were always rumors of nobles or high-ranking individuals attempting illicit approaches toward commoner girls of extraordinary beauty. Should anyone try such a thing with Scarlett, chaos would undoubtedly ensue.

On top of that, the press, always hungry for sensational stories, would surely swarm her like vultures.

“It might be better if I just announce myself as her guardian...”

But Baek Yuseol had one concern.

“Does my name hold enough weight for that?”

Would his name be enough to deter high-ranking nobles and powerful magicians from approaching Scarlett?

Probably not.

No matter how influential Baek Yuseol had become in certain circles, he was still a small fry compared to the real power players.

However, there was an odd aura of mystery surrounding him. There were persistent rumors about his connections with several powerful entities, such as Starcloud Trading Company, Adolevit, Skyflower Orphanage, and Alchemy Castle.

In truth, he had no significant ties with them at all.

“Well, I’ll have to give it a try.”

After all, there was no one else to rely on.

With plans to bring Scarlett under his wing as soon as the exam ended, Baek Yuseol shifted his focus to Annella’s screen.

Compared to Scarlett’s, there weren’t many eyes watching Annella’s movements. It was understandable. Annella hadn’t shown any exceptional performance or skill yet, making her seem like an ordinary magician.

“Hm?”

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Baek Yuseol tilted his head as he stared at the monitor.

“She’s teamed up with Lady Mirinae?”

Earlier, when he had carefully tracked the locations of Lady Mirinae and her companions, she had been on the opposite side of the Dome in the lava field.

He had been confident there was no chance of them meeting during the exam, and yet, here they were together.

“...How?”

Had Mirinae used tracking magic?

If so, Baek Yuseol would have noticed it. His enchanted glasses would have picked up on any magical traces.

“If it wasn’t magic...”

There were rare individuals born with sensory abilities that couldn’t be explained by magic. Though the chances of Lady Mirinae possessing such a gift were slim, Baek Yuseol couldn’t ignore the possibility. After all, she had always seemed suspicious.

“I’ve analyzed her thoroughly.”

Lady Mirinae carried no traces of dark magic. This meant she had no means of attacking Annella directly within the Stella Dome.

But he had to consider a rare exception.

What if her goal wasn’t to harm Annella directly?

“What are you plotting...?”

Baek Yuseol’s expression hardened. If Lady Mirinae chose to torment Annella using "legitimate means," there would be nothing he could do to intervene.

***

"Let’s lure them in."

About forty minutes had passed since Annella and Lady Mirinae had teamed up. Perched atop a massive, ancient tree deep in the forest, Lady Mirinae spoke first, causing Annella to look at her with slight confusion.

"Lure them?"

"Yes."

Annella glanced down from their tree. Three monsters were prowling nearby, following the scent they had left behind and closing in on their location. The two of them had climbed up the tree in a hurry, but navigating through an area infested with monsters wasn’t going to be easy.

*Just a little farther, and I’ll be at the summoner’s location...*

As expected, getting close to the monster summoner was proving to be a significant challenge. Ever since the start of the exam, the summoner had remained stationary, continuously summoning monsters. This had led to a heavy concentration of monsters near their location.

Most students with ordinary judgment would avoid the area entirely, circling around to ensure their safety. After all, Instructor Lee Hanwol had emphasized the importance of survival, and there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

But a rare few students with exceptional insight would recognize the source of the monsters and head straight into the most dangerous depths to face the summoner.

"Still... going directly into that area is reckless."

Lady Mirinae concluded with certainty.

"We received hints from Senior Baek Yuseol. That means we need to make decisions that put us a step ahead of everyone else."

"That’s true, but..."

If they only managed to achieve results on par with the rest, despite the advantage of Baek Yuseol’s hints, it would surely disappoint him.

He was a once-in-a-century genius, and his expectations were undoubtedly high.

Annella couldn’t bear the thought of falling short of those expectations.

...Of course, Baek Yuseol had given her hints simply out of a genuine desire to help. Annella’s worries were entirely her own.

Nevertheless, the pressure to achieve something meaningful weighed heavily on her, and Lady Mirinae’s suggestion started to sound quite persuasive.

"How do you plan to lure the summoner?"

Annella fiddled nervously with her hair, twisting it around her fingers as she pondered.

The nature of summoners was to remain stationary. Lacking the means to protect themselves, they typically barricaded themselves and hid behind their summoned creatures.

Lady Mirinae, having taken a moment to steady her breath, spoke decisively.

"I’ll lure them out."

"What? You’re serious? That’s dangerous. You might even fail the exam."

"It’s fine. This is my plan, so I’ll see it through."

"What kind of plan...?"

"There’s a special magic from my family—a secret technique. It should work even on a virtual summoner created for this exam."

"A secret technique?"

Annella was puzzled. Was there a magic specifically designed to affect summoners? Even as a former dark mage, this was the first she had heard of such a spell.

"Where would such magic even—"

For a moment, doubt flashed in Annella’s mind. However, she quickly dismissed it.

Why would Lady Mirinae lie to her now?

She decided to trust her.

"I’ll explain the plan. Will you trust me and follow my lead?"

"Of course!"

Brightly affirming with a nod, Annella watched as Lady Mirinae pulled out a map to show her. She pointed to a particular spot on the map, indicating the surrounding terrain.

"It’s hard to get them into a cave, and we’d be at a disadvantage in a fight there. This cliff, however, is perfect. It’s blocked on three sides, with a thorn-filled gorge below. It’s the ideal spot to trap the summoner."

"Hmm, I see."

Annella, being quite intelligent, had read countless strategy manuals in addition to her magic studies. But she couldn’t fully understand why the cave would be disadvantageous or why the cliff was such a good option.

Still, she chose to believe in Lady Mirinae.

For someone like Annella, who had lived much of her life distrusting others, meeting people like Baek Yuseol and Zelliel—people she could truly rely on—was a rare blessing.

She had come to value the importance of friendship and trust, and she wanted to nurture those connections.

*Don’t say things that would upset others.*

She recalled a passage from a book on social relationships she had read for leisure, instead of a magic tome.

*I’ve only been human for a short time.*

Having lived for so long among the dark mages, she still had much to learn about human society. As someone who had only been human for half a year, Annella found herself naively trusting others.

"I’ll go ahead and hide near the cliff."

"Good. Once I drive them toward you, we’ll corner the summoner together. I’m sure we’ll be the first ones to do it. You can look forward to it."

"...I’m looking forward to it," Annella replied with determination, gripping her staff tightly as she headed toward the marked cliff. Once she was gone, Lady Mirinae’s smile faded, and her head drooped.

Her head throbbed with pain.

A constant, splitting headache.

*Don’t you desire that girl’s talent?*

A seductive voice echoed in her mind.

*Talent? It’s not something so simple.*

Lady Mirinae responded inwardly, and the alluring voice replied.

*Exactly. Annella is Baek Yuseol’s carefully crafted masterpiece—his strategic weapon.*

*A strategic weapon...*

Lady Mirinae couldn’t deny the truth in those words. Baek Yuseol was rumored to possess countless unique magics that other magicians couldn’t comprehend.

His mastery of blink control and alchemic mage engineering, widely known to the world, were said to be just the tip of the iceberg. It was suspected that he kept many of his true abilities hidden, using them for his own purposes.

*We’re just trying to uncover one of those secrets.*

*...I know.*

*There’s no need to feel guilty. It’s not like you’re killing her. You’re just putting her in a little danger. Besides, you never really considered her a friend, did you?*

"A friend? That lowly commoner? Don’t make me laugh."

*Exactly. So...*

The voice laughed, a sound like flowers blooming in full glory, and Lady Mirinae’s pupils momentarily lost focus.

*Let’s uncover Baek Yuseol’s secrets, one by one!*

---

Moments later.

When Lady Mirinae regained her composure, everything had already begun to unfold.

-Roar!

-Karruk!

-Screech!

The surrounding monsters, all Class 3 Risk-level creatures, suddenly began moving in unison, ignoring even the commands of the summoner. Their destination was clear.

The thorn-filled cliff where Annella had gone.

Lady Mirinae clutched her chest as her heart pounded uncontrollably.

"I’m sorry, Annella. Failing the Stella exam won’t kill you, will it? Unlike you... I’m in a desperate situation."

Her homeland was at war. To secure stronger magic and gather more forces, Lady Mirinae needed exceptional talent—talent she could claim for her own.

That was her mission.

And compared to that, what was Annella? Just a commoner.

Sure, passing Stella’s entrance exam might turn her life around.

But failing? It wasn’t the end of the world.

"Unlike you, I need to protect my homeland."

So, she hoped Annella would understand. Swallowing her last words, Lady Mirinae lowered her head.