Magic Academy’s Genius Blinker

Magic had numerous attributes. Some mages used fire, while some others used water.

However, because a fire mage couldn’t possibly teach a water mage, the academy had separate classes for attributes.

Professors with the fire attribute instructed students who used fire, and professors with the water attribute taught the students who used water.

However, this was Stella Academy. 

Very rarely, dual-attribute mages, such as Hae Won-Ryang and Eisel, or someone who could handle special attributes like Flame, were arranged under multiple-attribute magic professors.

Professor Eliman was well-known for dealing with all five attributes and was in charge of special students like Flame.

When the tip of Flame’s staff shone, vines quickly grew beneath the fast-moving scarecrow and tied its feet. Then, the vines quickly transformed into metal by manipulation magic, immobilizing the target, after which the staff fired a beam of light that pierced the scarecrow’s forehead, completely annihilating it.

“Well done. Your speed in targeting has improved significantly. However, your control over the matter attribute still seems quite clumsy. The transition between attributes is slow.”

“I’ll keep working hard.”

“Yes, but take it easy. Oh, that’s right. Among the dwarf mages I know, one is good at changing plant-based magic. Can I introduce him to you later?”

“Yes! I’d love that!”

This was Stella Academy. The level of teaching was exceptional. There was a qualitative increase in growth rate compared to being self-taught at home. Furthermore, some professors, the majority of whom were commoners, were quite friendly.

“Sigh, I’m exhausted.”

As Flame groaned in pain and collapsed into a chair, a distant roar was heard.

It was the sound of fire-attribute students training.

Boom!

As she sat and quietly listened to the explosions, some female students rushed out from behind her.

One of them was crying while the other students comforted her.

“It’s okay, Arshuang. You did well too.”

“I mean. You’re still better at what you’re doing.”

‘Arshuang?’ 

At the somewhat familiar name, Flame’s ears perked up.

“But I lack everything compared to the princess,” Arshuang said in a weeping tone. It was then that Flame remembered who she was.

‘Isn’t that the name of the prodigy fire mage?’

Her talent was so outstanding that it was rarely seen in history. All eyes were on her when she enrolled in Stella. Unfortunately, when she met a genius of the century named Hong Bi-Yeon, she became frustrated.

Hong Bi-Yeon handled the flame more aggressively but often incinerated other targets due to her poor control.

The girl who completely aced Hong Bi-Yeon’s weakness was Arshuang. Her specialty was zero-point incineration, which allowed her to burn her desired target. Hong Bi-Yeon, the freshman, was under a lot of pressure because she was constantly being compared to her.

‘Her mother was probably the biggest reason for that, but as a result, she began to act recklessly, eventually becoming a villainess who was put out of her misery by Eisel.’

“Sooner or later… the princess may even surpass my control.”

‘… Uh?’

However, a strange deviation was introduced.

“Did you see her terrifying rate of growth? She’s already copying all of my skills! I’ve been practicing for years.”

Flame’s expression hardened. Hong Bi-Yeon’s ability to control would undoubtedly begin to grow when she entered her second year.

‘But why already?’

Something, a variable that could change the future, had come into play. Someone had made her aware of her creativity.

At that moment, the suspect came to mind.

‘Baek Yu-Seol.’

There was no doubt in her mind that Baek Yu-Seol had accelerated Hong Bi-Yeon’s growth.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Huh?”

Hae Won-Ryang had come in and slumped into the seat next to Flame.

“Are you thinking about that guy again?”

“That guy? Baek Yu-Seol? How did you know? You’ve become a mind reader just from hanging out with me.”

“Of course. You’re always thinking about him.”

“Sigh. Don’t even talk about it. Your older sister here has so many worries these days.”

“You are the same age as me, so don’t call yourself ‘older sister.’”

“Haha, I was born three months earlier. Do you know how big the difference is?”

“I don’t know.”

“When you were in your mom’s stomach sucking your fingers, I was already slicing meat.”

“Did you start cutting steak at three months old?”

Dumbfounded, Hae Won-Ryang laughed. The conversation with her was such a delight, even if it was trivial.

He pondered for a moment, then asked, “Are you curious about that guy named Baek Yu-Seol?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s been a lot of talk lately.”

“Right? It was kind of strange.”

An alchemist was treated as a bit eccentric in this magical society.

For starters, alchemy was similar to dwarven metal manipulation magic, and it was difficult to learn. In many cases, it was useless in battle, so even magic warrior students were often hesitant to learn it.

In other words, since alchemy itself was minor, the society of alchemists tended to be quite closed.

It was no different inside Stella because there was a perception that alchemy was a subject that only listeners could really enjoy.

Suddenly, a freshman created a new potion during an experiment and dealt a blow to Professor Maizen Tyren, who was known for favoritism among students. 

The speed with which rumors spread throughout the academy indicated that the existence known as Baek Yu-Seol was not ordinary.

‘What the hell is that guy?’

She recalled the original story with mixed feelings, particularly the friction between Eisel and Professor Maizen Tyren. This incident had happened in the original.

But in the original version, Eisel could not complete the Tyren Point Potion Type B and failed regretfully.

Although she showcased amazing wit by combining all the knowledge of Kasahun and Maliwan, she was absurdly short on time and failed to figure out the decisive formula.

However, this time, the case was different.

Baek Yu-Seol knew exactly what to do and was able to finish the potion effortlessly.

At that point, she had a question.

The complete recipe for the Tyren Point Potion Type B was included in the original work. 

Professor Maizen had taken Eisel’s failed result to her laboratory, completed it quickly, and announced it as her own.

However, nowhere in the original story was the recipe for the mixing method revealed.

Of course, in a romance fantasy, they wouldn’t include detailed chemical formulas.

‘But how did Baek Yu-Seol know how to do it?’

It was strange. He acted like he knew something while being oblivious at the same time.

Wasn’t that the case with this episode? 

Anyone who had read the original episode where Eisel was first beaten would know. But wasn’t Baek Yu-Seol perplexed as if he didn’t know anything?

‘There is no chance he was acting. There’s no reason to hide it by acting now.’

He had been acting suspiciously, but now he was pretending to be oblivious? It was strange enough as it was.

‘You know the future, but you don’t know the story of the original?’

Then, a thought popped into her head.

Why did she think he was simple until now? Why did she think he was like her?

Wasn’t there another possibility?

‘Regressor.’

That would explain why he knew the future without knowing the original story. If he was a regressor, he wouldn’t be able to remember all the trivial incidents that happened to Eisel.

‘It’s not completely ridiculous.’

At the end of the novel, the character Ma Yu-Seong got the chance to regress.

The Twelve Divine Moons, Silver Autumn Moon.

The only entity in this world with the power of time. Flame was so awestruck by the scene in which it appeared that she memorized the lines individually.

‘Only once, you can turn back time.’

‘But in return, you will lose most of your memories. Maybe you will forget the one you love, and maybe you will lose all your important memories and be left with a sense of a mission to save the world.’

‘Also, after completing the mission, you will cease to exist without leaving a trace anywhere…’

The price of turning back time was the memory of oneself and others. You would not remember them, and they would not remember you either.

Thus, your sense of self would disappear from the world forever.

‘No one will remember that you saved the world, and even those you loved will forget you exist.’

‘Despite that, will you turn back time and tread this path again?’

Ma Yu-Seong decided to accept that fate.

Even if he could not be with his loved ones after completing all his missions, he would accept the mission if it was to create a world where his loved ones could live happily.

However, Eisel stopped it.

‘I’d rather face destruction while remembering you than live in a world without you.’

Ma Yu-Seong, who reluctantly fell for her persuasion, eventually gave up on returning, and the world was destroyed, but the epilogue ended with a beautiful and blooming romance.

It was a sad ending that she once thought was romantic as a fan, but since it was now her reality, it was unacceptable.

‘If Baek Yu-Seol is really a regressor…’

Blood flowed from Flame’s lips as she bit them. She closed her eyes and thought calmly.

‘It’s just a guess.’

‘That’s right.’ 

‘It’s just a conjecture.’ 

Speculation that fit the bits of information she had managed to gather.

‘I need to think more calmly. I’m not sure.’

But somehow, the idea that Baek Yu-Seol was a regressor did not leave her head. However, Flame struggled to accept it.

If he were really a regressor, even imagining what kind of heavy fate he would bear was hard.

“I can’t do this.”

“What can’t you do?”

“I feel like I’m going to burst from curiosity because it’s not my personality to suffer like this. I’m just going to go and tell him what’s in my heart.”

Saying that, Flame jumped up and left the classroom, leaving behind Hae Won-Ryang whose eyes shook wildly.

‘You want to go tell him what’s in your heart?’ 

Her insignificant words made his heart ache.