I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 374

The long weekdays passed, and the weekend arrived, but the students of Stella Academy were as busy as ever. Anyone leisurely complaining about wanting to go see the cherry blossoms would never have made it into Stella in the first place.

After all, exams were just a month away.

Although exams were a constant presence at Stella, the atmosphere at the beginning of the semester was distinctly intense. Those unsatisfied with their current class worked hard to move up, while those already in advanced classes studied diligently to maintain their position.

Added to that was the pride of having entered the most prestigious academy, creating a subtle but universal atmosphere where everyone felt compelled to study.

Full Frame, in her first year, had been one of the elites who led that kind of atmosphere.

A commoner achieving top-class grades and earning the distinguished title of S-Class from the start was no small feat.

When she spent entire days immersed in study, other commoner students were inspired to follow her lead, filling the library and study halls.

Now... things were different.

There was a time when missing even a single day of study would have caused her to break out in hives. It felt like a distant memory, though it had only been a month ago.

Now, she couldn’t focus on her studies at all.

It wasn’t as though she wasn’t feeling the pressure. She already possessed knowledge vast enough to earn multiple doctorates, but she understood all too well that she needed to work even harder to stand on equal footing with Baek Yuseol.

And yet, the reason she couldn’t concentrate, even on weekdays, and insisted on venturing out while everyone else studied over the weekend was simple.

"I have to find the lost relic of the Return to Silver Moon..."

As the first light of dawn broke the horizon, the sky was still shrouded in darkness.

Full Frame, her eyes heavy with fatigue, exited Stella’s gates. At this early hour, there were few people around, though she spotted a couple of private carriages moving about. Confirming that several student-only carriages were stationed at the Stella stop, she trudged toward it.

“Hm?”

“Oh, you’re here!”

She came across an unexpected figure—a girl carrying an impressive array of snacks. In her left hand, tteokbokki and cheese-filled dumplings; in her right, a tray with cup noodles, three types of sauce, and fried shrimp.

It was none other than Eisel.

Her blue hair tied back, Eisel was enjoying an unusually hearty breakfast, even for this early hour.

“You... what’s this?”

“Huh? Oh, hehe, I’ve been eating a lot lately, haven’t I?”

“No, you’ve always eaten a lot. Aren’t you on a diet?”

“Hm, I don’t know. My weight’s gone up a bit, but I don’t really feel like I’m gaining fat.”

Instinctively, Full Frame’s eyes darted to Eisel’s chest and hips. Seeing how her weight seemed to be redistributing to very specific areas, Full Frame felt a surge of irritation.

“Want a bite?”

“...I guess.”

Not one to resist food, Full Frame accepted. After all, she wasn’t the type to meticulously manage her diet, unlike Hong Biyeon, who was the only one among the second-year S-Class girls who actively maintained her appearance.

“But how did you even know to come here?”

Popping a dumpling into her mouth with a toothpick, Full Frame eyed Eisel suspiciously. Eisel hesitated before replying.

“Wouldn’t the usual question be ‘Where are you headed at this hour?’?”

“As if you have anywhere to go. You were probably following me.”

“Hehe, maybe.”

“Don’t give me that ‘maybe.’ Stop grinning like a blueberry bagel and answer me.”

After pretending to deliberate, Eisel finally offered a vague explanation.

“Instinct?”

“...”

“Or maybe a sixth sense?”

“That’s the same thing.”

“Well, let’s just say I have an intuitive ability to grasp the truth of a situation without relying on analytical reasoning.”

“That’s just the dictionary definition of ‘instinct.’”

“Anyway, the point is that I’m the only one who noticed you’re worried about something.”

“Tch.”

Full Frame had to admit, it was uncanny.

Was this what it meant to be the protagonist of a romance novel? How else could Eisel have figured out she’d be leaving at this hour?

Then again... it wasn’t entirely impossible.

Full Frame had been mimicking Baek Yuseol’s routine—heading out immediately after evening classes on weekdays and leaving early on weekends. If Eisel had been watching closely, she might’ve picked up on the pattern.

And even if Eisel didn’t know the exact time, all she had to do was wake up early and wait. After all, there weren’t many places Full Frame could go at dawn except the train station.

As Full Frame mulled this over, she discovered something surprising: dipping dumplings into tteokbokki sauce was delicious.

“Who even came up with this? I didn’t know something this amazing existed.”

“I just try dipping anything into sauces. I’ve even tried soondae with vinegar.”

“Ugh, no thanks.”

After devouring their snacks, Eisel meticulously separated the trash for recycling before disposing of it neatly in the nearby bin. Full Frame watched, mildly impressed. If it had been her, she probably would’ve crammed everything into one trash can.

Eisel dug through her bag and handed Full Frame a few pills.

“What’s this?”

“You look tired.”

She held up a small mirror, and Full Frame saw the dark circles etched under her eyes. She hadn’t even bothered with makeup to hide them.

“Well... yeah.”

Sighing, Full Frame reached into her pocket and retrieved a cube-shaped object.

The Fragment of Constellatio.

The relic had been entrusted to her by Arain, the knight commander, when she’d been given access to the Library of the Stars. Although she had reported that the relic’s power had been completely exhausted, she had secretly held onto the dim, lifeless shard.

It seemed useless for now, but Full Frame was convinced it was a crucial key.

The Library of the Stars wasn’t just a record of this world; it documented the flow of history across all worlds, including those that had disappeared or never existed.

The fragment, capable of opening a door to such a place, defied the natural order of the world. While it had lost its power to fully view all timelines, Full Frame believed it could still achieve “something similar.”

As she pondered, Eisel broke the silence.

“Why isn’t the carriage here yet? Is today some kind of holiday?”

“Good question.”

It was unusual. Normally, private carriages would be available at this hour.

As Full Frame stared absently at Stella’s gates, a strange feeling washed over her—a familiar tingle in her mind, like the sensation of an angel whispering to her.

“...Huh?”

But no voice followed. Instead, the gates creaked open, and a luxurious carriage adorned with red trim emerged.

“Hey, Full Frame, isn’t that...”

“Yeah. What’s going on today?”

The Adolevit crest on the carriage was impossible to miss. Only one person at Stella bore that mark.

The carriage rolled past them but then stopped, reversed, and returned to the station. The window lowered, revealing a haggard-looking Hong Biyeon.

“Well, well. What brings the princess out here?” Full Frame teased.

“...You don’t look any better,” Hong Biyeon retorted.

“Thanks for the motivational words so early in the morning.”

Hong Biyeon scanned her surroundings before curtly stating, “Get in.”

Without hesitation, Full Frame stood and climbed into the carriage, plopping herself down inside.

“...Not even a moment’s thought, huh?”

“What’s to think about? A friend offers a ride, I take it.”

“Friend...”

Eisel, struggling with her oversized bag, shouted, “Wait for me! I’ve got a lot to carry!”

Hong Biyeon sighed as the scene unfolded, muttering, “What am I even doing with these two?”

Eisel finally clambered into the carriage, huffing and puffing as she hauled her enormous bag inside. Despite using an expanded-space backpack, the sheer size of the bag hinted at how much she had packed.

“What on earth did you bring with you?” Full Frame grumbled as she helped lift the bag.

With a dignified expression, Eisel replied, “You never know what might happen. A proper lady must always be prepared for any situation.”

“Then why on earth did you pack a corkscrew?” Full Frame asked as she rummaged through the bag.

“Hey! Put that back!” Eisel yelped, snatching the bag away and placing it securely in a corner of the carriage.

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Hong Biyeon, who had been silently watching their antics, finally spoke.

“So?”

Full Frame tilted her head. “So, what?”

“Where am I supposed to drop you off?”

“You could ask that more politely, you know. Something like, ‘Where may I take you, Full Frame?’ wouldn’t hurt.”

“Get out.”

“Ostbolt Station, please,” Full Frame answered quickly, settling into her seat with a smug smile.

Hong Biyeon sighed. “What are you planning to do there?”

Ostbolt Station was located in the continent’s northwest—a place rarely visited by students and with much less foot traffic compared to other stations.

“Something important, of course,” Full Frame replied evasively.

“Something important, huh...” Hong Biyeon muttered, turning her gaze to the window. She didn’t press further, though her expression betrayed her skepticism.

Eisel, unable to handle the silence, piped up, “By the way, you seem to have your own destination in mind. Are you sure it’s okay to take us along?”

“It’s not okay. I’m supposed to be heading to Rockbells Station.”

Rockbells Station was in the exact opposite direction of Ostbolt. Hong Biyeon’s lips pressed into a thin line, her irritation clear.

“Why are you heading to Rockbells? I thought you’d be going to the royal palace.”

“It’s not the palace,” Hong Biyeon muttered, cutting off the conversation abruptly.

Full Frame narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Hong Biyeon. She didn’t say anything, but it was obvious that Hong Biyeon wasn’t in good shape. Her usually sharp demeanor was dulled, and she appeared pale and fatigued.

“What are you looking at?” Hong Biyeon asked, clearly annoyed.

Ignoring her protests, Full Frame reached over and touched her forehead lightly with her finger.

“Hey, what are you—”

Hong Biyeon flinched but didn’t push her away. Full Frame frowned.

“Your temperature is ridiculously high. You’ve been forcing yourself to act normal, haven’t you?”

Peeking under Hong Biyeon’s collar, she saw beads of sweat glistening on her skin.

“...Your ability to keep up appearances is impressive. Hold on a second.”

Sighing, Full Frame pulled out her staff and closed her eyes, muttering an incantation. A glowing magic circle materialized, radiating energy that formed into the shape of wings before shattering with an audible crash.

“Must you make so much noise even with healing magic?” Hong Biyeon grumbled, though her expression softened as the healing spell enveloped her.

The glowing wings hovered above her for a moment before settling over her, and her complexion visibly improved. The sweat evaporated, and the flush in her cheeks returned to a healthier shade.

“Feeling better now?” Full Frame asked, leaning back with a satisfied smirk.

Hong Biyeon glared at her. “You’re loud, annoying, and meddlesome.”

“And you’re welcome.”

Full Frame observed her quietly for a moment before adding, “You’re under a curse, aren’t you?”

Hong Biyeon stiffened but quickly masked her reaction. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with. My current condition is because I’m purging the curse.”

“Purging a curse?” Full Frame’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s... new.”

She remembered the original story where Hong Biyeon was resigned to her fate, her life slowly consumed by the curse. This was definitely a divergence.

“Interesting,” Full Frame murmured, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Hong Biyeon narrowed her eyes. “What’s so amusing?”

“Nothing. Just... relieved, I guess.”

“Relieved? About what?”

Full Frame shook her head. “Nothing important.”

Leaning back in her seat, Full Frame gazed out the window as the carriage rolled toward their destination. In her mind, she resolved herself.

“It’s my turn to help him now,” she thought, her determination growing stronger.