I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 422

A slightly older story reveals that Hong Sihwa once harbored a peculiar interest in Baek Yuseol.

It stemmed from a ridiculous misunderstanding. During the first semester of his first year, Baek Yuseol had been assigned an introductory essay about himself. Instead of a typical self-introduction, he had written the lyrics to a song called "To My Mother"—a song deeply emotional and unforgettable for any young adult from Korea.

The song’s melancholic lyrics had moved countless people, but in this world, there was no one to accuse him of plagiarism or even recognize it. To Baek Yuseol, it was simply a clever solution to the assignment.

However, Hong Sihwa had read it.

To her, the lyrics were an extraordinary story, unlike anything she had encountered before. She had never cared about the lives of the less fortunate, so the heartfelt words struck her as profoundly unfamiliar.

And now, the same Baek Yuseol was standing proudly among the highest-ranking nobles of Adolevit.

To Hong Sihwa, this was a strange and fascinating sight.

In her world, unfortunate commoners were meant to live miserable lives and die in obscurity. Nobles, born with wings, were destined to soar.

Yet Baek Yuseol had shattered that unspoken rule and placed himself at the center of it all.

That disruption intrigued her deeply.

But it wasn’t the only reason.

“The one who softened me... it must be that boy in front of me.”

After learning about Baek Yuseol’s past, Hong Sihwa experienced a subtle change. It was so minor and inconsequential that even those around her failed to notice. Yet she herself was acutely aware of it.

She viewed herself objectively, as if she were a stranger.

The moment she opened her eyes each day, she became "Hong Sihwa," performing her role like an actress.

To her, that was life.

And it allowed her to analyze herself with cold detachment.

"I’ve changed."

She was aware of her sins.

She knew she would likely die soon and descend to hell.

Still...

If she could at least pursue her lifelong goal before the end...

“How ridiculous.”

Hong Sihwa let out a hollow laugh.

She berated herself for even entertaining such self-serving thoughts, calling them uncharacteristic.

"You’re quite the dancer," Hong Sihwa commented as she followed Baek Yuseol’s steps to the gentle music.

"I’ve always been good," he replied.

It wasn’t a lie.

Though he hadn’t seriously learned to dance, a quick observation of the instructor’s movements had been enough to master it within 30 minutes. He seemed to have a natural talent for physical coordination.

"It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, hasn’t it?"

"I suppose it has."

They had crossed paths a few times in the past, though none of those encounters had been particularly memorable.

Still, Baek Yuseol hadn’t forgotten what kind of person Hong Sihwa was or what she had done. At the time, he had felt little toward her, but now, as he grew closer to Eisel and Hong Biyeon, his resentment simmered beneath the surface.

Thanks to the blessing of Yeonhongchun Samwol, his anger didn’t manifest outwardly. Instead, it lay dormant, waiting to ignite while his expression remained calm and composed.

By now, Baek Yuseol had mastered the art of wearing a convincing mask.

"So, you asked me to dance... is it safe to assume you’re trying to upset Hong Biyeon?"

"Oh my, you figured it out and still agreed?"

"It felt awkward to just sit around. And it’s not like I’m actually going to fall for your tricks or get angry."

Even as he spoke, he couldn’t shake the faint but palpable sense of hostility radiating from her, sending a chill down his spine.

"Really? That’s disappointing," Hong Sihwa said with a pout. "I thought you’d enjoy being here with me."

"And why would that be?"

"Hmm~ Because I could make you the King of Adolevit?"

"...Excuse me?"

Her suggestion was as absurd as it was shocking.

Adolevit’s monarchy was strictly inherited through bloodlines. Only those with the purest Adolevit lineage, capable of wielding their signature explosive flame magic, could ascend to the throne.

While rare, a male monarch was possible, but it was almost always women who inherited the throne due to their stronger affinity with flame magic.

For her to suggest Baek Yuseol—neither of Adolevit blood nor female—become king was laughable.

"Stop spewing nonsense," he said flatly.

"How rude. I was being serious," she replied, feigning hurt.

Baek Yuseol narrowed his eyes and activated his Yeonhongchun Samwol blessing to read her emotions.

[Enjoyment, ???, Sincerity, ???]

He couldn’t fully decipher her feelings.

“Must be my lack of training...”

As the blessing was heavily rooted in mental magic, he had neglected it in his regimen.

Still, one emotion stood out: sincerity.

“Wait... she was serious?”

"Did you... just do something to me?" Hong Sihwa asked suddenly, flashing a sharp smile.

Her question sent a wave of discomfort through Baek Yuseol. While he had never been caught using his blessing before, he knew it was always a possibility with someone attuned to mental forces.

Unfazed, he replied calmly, "Yes, I was checking if your nonsense was genuine."

"And what did you find?"

"It seems there’s some sincerity in your absurd offer, though I find it completely unappealing."

The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓.

"My, my... Why wouldn’t becoming the King of Adolevit excite you? Being a monarch is grand and exhilarating!"

"Adolevit’s throne already has its rightful successor."

"Hmm, is that so?"

Hong Sihwa’s smile grew more mischievous. She leaned closer and said, "You must be... completely infatuated with my dear little sister."

It was a trivial comment, one he could have brushed off with ease.

But Baek Yuseol didn’t.

He abruptly released her arm and stepped back three paces.

A hush fell over the ballroom.

Though the music continued to play, all eyes turned to the pair in the center.

It was unheard of for a couple to stop dancing in the middle of the floor unless the monarch was entering.

And yet, Baek Yuseol had just pulled away from Princess Hong Sihwa.

"What... What just happened?"

"I... I don’t know..."

The nobles murmured softly among themselves.

The music might have drowned out their whispers for others, but Baek Yuseol’s sharp hearing caught every word.

“This is ridiculous... I’ve made a mistake.”

He should have kept his composure, maintained his poker face. Yet, the mention of Hong Biyeon had momentarily stripped away even the blessing of Yeonhongchun Samwol.

“Touched a nerve, didn’t I?” Hong Sihwa teased.

Sigh. “If that’s what you want to believe.”

“Did I hit the mark?”

Despite his earlier lapse, Baek Yuseol knew he couldn’t let himself get swept up in her game.

“Princess, I’m disappointed. Did you ask me to dance just to humiliate me with petty remarks?”

“Oh my, should I share this delightful tidbit with everyone here?”

Baek Yuseol shrugged.

“Go ahead. But wouldn’t it be fair if I shared one of your secrets in return?”

The music suddenly stopped.

The nobles who had been dancing began to step back cautiously, sensing the tension rising between the two.

“...My secret?” Hong Sihwa asked, still smiling.

She couldn’t fathom what he could possibly know.

“He can’t know anything... can he?”

Hong Sihwa prided herself on being a woman of many secrets. She had committed countless sins and hidden a myriad of truths.

To protect those secrets, she wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate anyone, no matter the cost. She was confident that nothing could ever escape her meticulous control.

What she didn’t know was that Baek Yuseol had the unique privilege of viewing her past from a “third-person perspective.”

Through the mechanics of Aither World Online, he had witnessed flashbacks of events, even those committed by NPCs.

No matter how thoroughly a scene might have been erased—down to silencing witnesses—the Stars’ Eyes, a celestial metaphor for omniscience, had seen it all.

Baek Yuseol had seen her past through their gaze.

Though the constraints of storytelling and coherence had often prevented him from revealing these truths in the game world, those limitations no longer applied here.

“...Adorable. Do you really think you know anything about me?”

“I know enough,” he replied evenly.

“Playing with my little sister must have emboldened you to think you’re above royalty.”

“Hardly. In fact, I showed respect to Her Majesty by gifting her a bracelet worth several million gold as a token of celebration for her birthday. While respect for royalty can’t be measured in monetary terms, I’ve made every effort to act with proper decorum.”

Hong Sihwa’s eyes flicked to her mother’s wrist, noticing the dazzling bracelet that hadn’t been there before.

“Well, it’s not uncommon for commoners who grow close to nobles to start thinking they’re equals. Your unrequited love for Hong Biyeon, and your delusion that it could ever lead anywhere, is just another example.”

The ballroom fell silent at her bombshell remark.

In Adolevit, royal bloodlines were meticulously preserved. Marriages were traditionally arranged between dukes or other members of Adolevit’s lineage to ensure the purity of their heritage.

Hong Biyeon was no exception.

Even if she never ascended the throne, her duty as a royal was to marry someone of noble blood to maintain the sanctity of their lineage.

“What... is she saying...”

Hong Biyeon’s face turned pale as Hong Sihwa continued.

“It’s a common, yet endlessly fascinating story, isn’t it? The commoner’s unrequited love for the princess—doomed to fail.”

She had expected Baek Yuseol to react emotionally, but he remained calm, analyzing the situation and weighing his response like a player selecting an option from a dialogue menu.

► Affirm.

► Deny.

The choice wasn’t about whether he actually loved Hong Biyeon. It was about how to respond without falling into Hong Sihwa’s trap.

Denying it would be unwise.

Given that Hong Sihwa had made the first move, any denial on his part would make him look like an embarrassed teenager unable to face his own feelings.

Affirming it might not yield the best immediate outcome, but it would give him the advantage in the next turn.

And so, Baek Yuseol chose to affirm.

“Yes, I love Princess Hong Biyeon. But I kept it a secret because I knew it could never be.”

“What? Truly?”

Hong Sihwa feigned shock, though it was clear she was enjoying the dramatic effect of his confession.

The nobles, however, reacted with genuine astonishment.

For a commoner to declare love for a princess, and in a royal ballroom no less, was an unthinkable breach of decorum in Adolevit’s strict aristocratic society.

But Hong Sihwa’s presence prevented them from openly condemning him. They knew how dangerous it was to cross her.

Still, their silence was a miscalculation.

Had they intervened, even at the cost of appearing vulgar, they could have stopped Baek Yuseol from speaking further.

Now, the stage was his.

“So, Princess, now that you’ve shared my secret with everyone, isn’t it fair for me to share one of yours?”

“Of course. If you have sufficient proof, that is,” Hong Sihwa replied, her confidence unwavering.

She had many secrets, yes, but she trusted in her ability to keep them buried.

“What could he possibly reveal?”

For a moment, countless possibilities flashed through her mind.

The embezzlement of the knights’ treasury? The land policy schemes? The Iron Tower’s missing scholars? The Creden village massacre?

And then, Baek Yuseol spoke.

“Ten years ago...”

“...?”

Hong Sihwa’s confident expression faltered slightly.

“Ten years? That’s too far back to matter... isn’t it?”

“You killed the fallen Isaac Morph.”

“...What?”

Her heart skipped a beat as the name left his lips.

“The truth of that day—there’s no harm in mentioning it now, is there?”

Hong Sihwa fell silent.