I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 408

The spell cast by the Bronze Twelve Moons, though effective, was only a temporary solution. It wasn’t designed to last for an entire month, which made it insufficient for Hong Biyeon’s condition.

Without receiving cold mana from Baek Yuseol for nearly a month, the heat within her body had grown far more intense than expected, requiring a significantly longer time to stabilize her.

“She’s recovering well,” said the voice of the Bronze Twelve Moons after Baek Yuseol, sweating and exhausted, finally finished the procedure.

“Is that so?”

“Yes! I don’t know what she’s been through this past month, but there’s clear evidence of immense effort. Intense training always helps in absorbing the power of Scarlet Twilight.”

Baek Yuseol turned his gaze to the now-sleeping Hong Biyeon.

Moments ago, he had wondered if she might be awake, only pretending to be asleep. But now, her face bore a peaceful smile, and her breathing was steady.

“She wasn’t the only one working hard...”

It was an obvious thought, but one that hit him nonetheless.

For someone of her talent, expectations came with unrelenting pressure. She had likely been shedding blood, sweat, and tears, pushing herself to meet those expectations.

Unlike ordinary geniuses, the protagonists in the original story gained strength at an exceptional pace, enduring brutal training and countless life-and-death situations.

But even so...

“Wasn’t this a bit much?”

Hong Biyeon had tackled a series of 5-risk missions while dragging her injured body. That level of recklessness wasn’t something Baek Yuseol remembered happening in the game.

After tucking her in and leaving the room, he found Prillane and Angel waiting outside.

The air between them was a bit awkward, no doubt due to the earlier conversation about artificial respiration.

In the past, Baek Yuseol might have shrugged it off with a bold, “What about it?” But lately, he found such situations strangely uncomfortable.

“Prillane.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah? What is it?”

“I checked the schedule in the faculty office before coming here. Why did you push for such an intense plan? What were you thinking, risking collapsing like that?”

His tone carried a hint of reprimand, causing Prillane to frown slightly.

“What does it matter? And what about you?”

“Me?”

“I bet you had an even tougher summer break. Am I wrong?”

She wasn’t.

While others ventured into dangerous territories, Baek Yuseol had spent most of his summer safely inside Stella Academy, training diligently in the gym with Scarlet.

“They think I live for the thrill, always chasing danger,” he thought.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Baek Yuseol’s dream was to one day retire to a quiet, safe home and enjoy a peaceful life. The hardships he endured now were merely a means to that end.

The silence lingered until Angel spoke up, breaking the tension.

“I’ve been wondering about something.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“When did you start treating that bratty princess’s curse?”

He had a feeling that question would come.

It wasn’t exactly a logical inquiry in the current situation, but Angel’s curiosity, coupled with her sharp instincts, made it inevitable.

His mind raced to prepare an answer.

“When did I start? Well... not long ago.”

His vague, noncommittal response carefully avoided giving any concrete details.

But Angel wasn’t satisfied.

“Not long ago? How long, exactly?”

“Uh... about a month?”

“A month?”

“Maybe two months... Does it really matter?”

Feeling cornered, Baek Yuseol opted to deflect. If he continued to engage, it would only make things more awkward.

But Angel was too clever to let it slide.

“It matters, doesn’t it?”

“Why?”

“Because I spend more time with that bratty princess than you do. If it’s about injecting cold mana, I might be able to help.”

“That’s... impossible.”

Angel raised an eyebrow, her skepticism evident.

“Why not? I consider myself pretty skilled with cold magic.”

“It’s not just about cold magic. If it were that simple, don’t you think someone would’ve solved this already? Do you think the Adolevit royals are fools who couldn’t figure it out themselves?”

“Well... I guess that makes sense.”

Even as he said this, Baek Yuseol felt a twinge of guilt. Angel’s father, Isaac Morphe, had discovered a solution in his final moments, which likely could have alleviated Hong Biyeon’s curse.

But that knowledge wasn’t something Baek Yuseol intended to share anytime soon—not with Angel, and not with anyone else.

“Is the cold mana from the Bronze Twelve Moons?” Prillane interjected.

“Yes, that’s part of it...” he admitted reluctantly.

“In that case, it makes sense that we can’t help.”

Prillane stood and stretched, deciding it was time to move on from their vigil outside the room.

As Baek Yuseol prepared to follow, she suddenly turned back.

“But... are you sure this is just medical treatment?”

“Of course it is.”

“Alright. Got it.”

Satisfied with Baek Yuseol's answer—or at least appearing to be—Prillane quickly turned her head and, with her short legs moving briskly, took the lead down the corridor.

Behind them, Angel was following closely, her gaze sharp and unwavering. The intensity of her stare was so palpable that Baek Yuseol found it nearly impossible to turn around and meet her eyes.

"Why are they acting like this...?"

He had a vague idea of the reasons, yet he wasn’t sure he wanted to confirm them.

That was exactly how Baek Yuseol felt at the moment.

***

By evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Hong Biyeon finally woke up.

Baek Yuseol, who had been speaking with the tower master alongside Angel and Prillane, immediately prepared to leave and returned to the patient room.

“You feeling okay?”

The question was curt, but his expression was anything but. Hong Biyeon, with a faint smile curling her lips, looked uncharacteristically cheerful—so much so that she seemed like an entirely different person.

Baek Yuseol didn’t bother asking why she looked so happy. He firmly believed she wouldn’t remember the earlier medical procedure.

“You look like you’re doing better. Feeling all healed?”

Prillane asked in a teasing tone, prompting Hong Biyeon to shrug.

“Maybe.”

“Still not feeling well?”

“Just a bit of a headache.”

“...That doesn’t seem right. That smug look only shows up when you’re perfectly fine.”

“Well, it’s not my fault my face is naturally smug. After all, how many people look as good as I do?”

Her confidence wasn’t unwarranted.

Even Angel, who was just as stunning as Hong Biyeon, couldn’t help but feel her temper flare. Unlike Hong Biyeon, she paid little attention to her appearance, making her more vulnerable to such provocations.

“Ugh...”

Angel clenched her fists and trembled silently.

It was funny, really. In the original story, Hong Biyeon and Angel were always neck-and-neck in popularity polls.

“Anyway, I’m still recovering, so can someone grab my stuff for me?”

“I swear, if you weren’t a patient, I’d—!”

Grumbling, Prillane tossed her bag over to Hong Biyeon, who effortlessly caught it with telekinesis.

“Yep, totally not sick,” Baek Yuseol thought.

Even without checking her mana flow, it was obvious she was perfectly fine. When had the prideful Princess Hong Biyeon become someone who would resort to pretending to be sick?

After rummaging through her bag and pulling out a set of clothes, Hong Biyeon placed them on the bed. Without warning, she stood up and began lifting her hospital gown, prompting an outraged shout from Prillane.

“Hey, what the—are you crazy?!”

Baek Yuseol calmly turned away, but not before catching a glimpse of Hong Biyeon’s mischievous grin.

“What? I’m still wearing underwear.”

“That’s not the point! You’re a princess—don’t you care about showing yourself off like that?”

“I don’t just show myself off to anyone. I figured you’d all turn around anyway.”

“Oh, for—!”

These bizarre situations didn’t faze Baek Yuseol anymore.

“This feels like something out of a Japanese manga...”

He couldn’t have imagined Hong Biyeon changing so much.

Standing with his back to her, he waited patiently. Moments later, Hong Biyeon announced, “Let’s go.”

When he turned around, she was stepping off the bed, now dressed in casual clothes and tying her sneakers.

She wore a white shirt emblazoned with some strange logo, likely from a trendy brand Baek Yuseol wasn’t familiar with. Over it, she had thrown on a light jacket that complemented her outfit perfectly.

It wasn’t often he saw her in casual attire, and for a brief moment, even Baek Yuseol found himself silently impressed.

As she stood and stretched, her tall, elegant frame was on full display. With her striking looks and confident air, she could easily pass for a model to anyone who didn’t know her true identity.

“Heading back? Then let’s go together,” she said with a bright smile.

Baek Yuseol shook his head.

“No, I have some business here. The Dark Mages are up to something suspicious, and I need to deal with it.”

“...I see.”

Prillane gave him a curious look.

“You’re being awfully open about these things now. You used to keep them a secret.”

“Did I?”

He had never deliberately hidden anything—it was more that he saw no need to talk about it.

“If it’s something like that, shouldn’t we come along?”

“No.”

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On this matter, Baek Yuseol wouldn’t budge.

“You’ve all just finished multiple 5-risk missions. You’re exhausted and need to rest. Especially you, Hong Biyeon—you’re still recovering. You said so yourself earlier, didn’t you?”

“Uh...”

Now that her own words were being thrown back at her, the weight of her princely pride left her no room to argue.

In the end, her attempt to mess around had backfired spectacularly.

“So, all three of you—just head back and rest.”

“Fine... if you’re insisting that much.”

“Yeah, yeah...”

Angel and Prillane cast subtle, accusatory glances at Hong Biyeon. If not for her earlier admission, they might have argued their case harder. But Hong Biyeon merely smiled smugly, unfazed.

“Anyway, no detours. Head back quietly. Got it?”

There was an unusual firmness in Baek Yuseol’s tone, making it difficult to protest.

After warning them several more times, Baek Yuseol disappeared, leaving the three of them behind.

Prillane, checking the calendar, made a casual suggestion.

“...We still have some time before classes start. How about a quick trip to the beach?”

No one objected.

It was, perhaps, unfortunate for Baek Yuseol, but these girls were simply incapable of listening.