I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 367

After the freshman entrance examination, Baek Yuseol had hurried off to Adolevit to check on Hong Biyeon, who had been urgently transported there.

Meanwhile, other students, unaffected by the exams, enjoyed a rare day off.

Though it wasn’t the weekend, the effort devoted to the entrance evaluations had resulted in senior students being given a break as well.

While formal classes were suspended, most students at Stella Academy spent their time meaningfully. Many studied in dormitories or gathered in library study groups.

Full Frame was among those diligently studying. She had originally planned to meet with Hong Biyeon for a study session, but those plans were canceled when Hong Biyeon was taken away due to her condition.

Securing a study date with the proud Hong Biyeon was a rare achievement, making the cancellation particularly disappointing. Still, there was no point in complaining under the circumstances.

"What a shame. I wanted to properly learn more about flame magic."

Full Frame had possessed an adult’s intellect and exceptional magical talent from a young age, but Hong Biyeon and Eisel had achieved their current level of understanding through sheer effort and innate creativity.

Lately, Full Frame had spent time with Eisel and often found herself astonished by Eisel’s brilliance. Unlike Full Frame, who relied on applying pre-existing knowledge, Eisel exhibited pure, innovative ideas that came naturally to her.

Although she didn’t expect the same creativity from Hong Biyeon, she considered Hong Biyeon’s memorization and application of formulas and principles to be a step above her own.

"I wonder what could have happened to her..."

In the original novel, every story tied to Hong Biyeon was filled with gloom and misfortune, leaving Full Frame uneasy.

On the surface, Hong Biyeon was a royal. But within her family, she endured a harsh environment, a relentless incurable curse, and broken relationships.

In the latter half of the story, she became a character burdened by even greater misfortunes than Eisel during her lowest points.

Though they were currently only in their second year of high school and hadn’t yet reached that part of the story, Full Frame couldn’t shake her apprehension.

"Baek Yuseol’s interference has sped up the story’s progression."

This meant that Hong Biyeon’s misfortune could explode at any moment, like a ticking time bomb.

From her study spot in an outdoor reading area surrounded by natural scenery, Full Frame overheard some seniors chatting on a distant path.

"Have you thought about where to work after we graduate next year?"

"Not really... Someone in the next class was bragging about getting an internship offer from the Mage Tower, but I don’t even have that."

"Ugh, what’s the point of being at Stella? We all end up worrying about jobs anyway."

"You could aim lower, but why come to Stella for that? I’m determined to get into the Grand Mage Tower. No way I’m settling for being a magic warrior."

Their casual conversation about employment drifted into Full Frame’s ears. The other students likely couldn’t hear it due to the distance, but her senses had become unusually sharp since she had used Angelic Descent recently.

"Employment..."

Come to think of it, she had never seriously considered her own future.

Her initial purpose in entering Stella Academy had been to stay near Eisel and guide her toward a happy ending.

"A happy ending."

That goal now felt meaningless.

Eisel seemed genuinely happy, and Full Frame realized the "happy ending" she had envisioned wasn’t truly the end.

Twelve Moons. A foretold apocalypse.

And the boy who tirelessly fought behind the scenes to prevent it.

Thinking about such weighty matters made worrying about her career seem laughable.

Besides, a new concern had been occupying Full Frame’s mind lately.

"—Full Frame. What are you doing right now?"

"...Nothing," she muttered.

The voices echoed in her head.

Far above the clouds, beings with golden hair and eyes—inhabitants of the celestial realm.

People called them "angels."

Full Frame had never doubted the term. Angels had been mentioned in the original novel, and she had seen their existence firsthand several times.

But now, she questioned her memories.

She had only ever projected her consciousness into their realm. She had never truly seen them with her own eyes.

"Listen carefully, Full Frame. The angels you trust are nothing but illusions."

Baek Yuseol’s words echoed in her mind, even haunting her dreams.

"The ones speaking to you are constellations scattered across the night sky."

"Don’t be deceived. The beauty you see is all a lie."

"—Hey, want to hear something?"

"...What?"

"I’ve been wanting to tell you something for a while now. I couldn’t before."

She didn’t want to listen.

Hearing the angels’ voices had become exhausting and overwhelming.

Now that she knew the truth, it was unbearable.

At times, she resented Baek Yuseol. Yet, she also felt grateful to him for revealing the truth.

Ignorance is bliss? She scoffed at the idea. She’d rather endure pain than remain deceived forever.

Full Frame quietly rose and left the outdoor reading area, walking along an empty path.

She sat on an old swing hanging from a large tree, swaying gently despite the creaking noise. Looking up at the sky she had once thought might house the celestial realm, she finally spoke.

"What is it... that you want to say?"

"...Well..."

The angels seemed hesitant, as though their next words were difficult to voice. Perhaps they were about to reveal a long-hidden secret.

Finally, one of them began to speak.

"The truth is, we spoke to you because—"

"Oh my, Full Frame!"

The voice was abruptly interrupted by a stranger’s greeting.

"Who’s there?" Full Frame asked cautiously.

A woman she didn’t recognize stood before her.

Her hair was closer to yellow than gold, and she certainly didn’t look like a professor at Stella. Her outfit resembled an extravagant party dress more than a mage’s attire. Combined with her strikingly noble appearance, she looked like a princess misplaced in the academy.

"Me? Would you even recognize my name? Humans rarely do."

"You speak as if you’re not human."

"That’s right. I’m not. I’m of a far superior race."

Full Frame narrowed her eyes at the woman. There was no trace of the unique mana signature humans carried.

The woman glanced at the empty space Full Frame had been addressing and smirked.

"Were you talking to someone?"

Full Frame’s blood ran cold. She had never been caught speaking to the angels before.

"No need to be alarmed. Someone like me can sense their presence easily."

"...Who are you?"

"Do I need to hand you a business card? Sorry, I can’t tell you my name just yet. Our names carry power, and revealing mine would be... inconvenient."

"I’ll call the professors. You shouldn’t be here."

"Go ahead, but are you sure that’s wise? If I leave, you might be the one to lose out."

"I don’t believe you."

"Even if I know you don’t belong to this world?"

***

For a moment, Full Frame's breath hitched. She tried to maintain a poker face, but this time, it was impossible not to react.

"My, my. So it’s true, isn’t it?"

The woman, Twilight of August (Cheonhwangjeong Palwol), smirked in amusement at Full Frame’s innocent response.

When she had first heard from Returned October (Hoegong Siwol) about someone from another world, it had seemed utterly absurd.

A figure who originated not from Aether World but from another realm entirely?

For someone like Twilight of August, who believed this world was the entirety of the universe, it had been hard to accept. But Returned October was not one to make careless or false statements.

"Hey, Full Frame."

"Yes?"

"We know you’re special. You’re not originally from this world. For some reason, you were brought here."

Twilight of August raised a finger.

"Here’s a question: why?"

That was something Full Frame had wondered her entire life. She had pondered it endlessly but never found an answer.

"You must have thought about it a lot, but you haven’t figured it out, have you? Look at yourself. You’re special, yet here you are, sitting in some dingy corner of a school, reading books like an ordinary human."

Twilight of August leaned closer, whispering into Full Frame’s ear.

"Tell me... do you think Baek Yuseol’s destiny is special?"

Full Frame flinched, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if her inner thoughts had been exposed.

"That’s right. Baek Yuseol is special. As one of the Twelve Moons, even I acknowledge that. But what about you?"

"I don’t know."

"No, you do. You, like that boy, were summoned here from another world for a reason. Do you think it was all without purpose?"

"I’m... not like Baek Yuseol."

"Really? How are you different?"

"I..."

She couldn’t say.

Full Frame wasn’t foolish enough to casually reveal Baek Yuseol’s secret.

Twilight of August, however, didn’t seem to care about prying into Baek Yuseol’s secrets.

"There is no such thing as an event without reason in this world. Just as Baek Yuseol has his destiny, so do you."

Full Frame pressed her lips together.

Could it be true?

Why am I here?

It was a question she had wrestled with for as long as she could remember. Yet the answer always felt out of reach, more complex than any magical formula. The harder she tried to solve it, the further away the answer seemed.

Lately, she hadn’t even been thinking about it.

Ever since Baek Yuseol appeared and began resolving the world’s problems, she had leaned on him.

But what if—

"What if Baek Yuseol can’t solve everything alone?"

"What if he fails?"

"What if the world follows its destined path to destruction?"

It was a foolish thought.

But why did it feel so plausible?

In hindsight, the idea had its basis. Baek Yuseol had repeated time countless times. And each repetition was a failure to save the world.

"He’ll need your help. I guarantee it. Your extraordinary destiny must support him."

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

"I..."

"Do you understand now? You—"

"That’s enough."

A sharp voice cut through the air, silencing Twilight of August.

Full Frame jumped up in surprise. The woman’s arm, which had been resting on Full Frame’s shoulder, had been severed cleanly and lay on the ground.

Twilight of August calmly looked at her dismembered arm before raising her gaze.

Hovering in the air was a young mage with white hair, his expression twisted in displeasure.

"Don’t you dare lay a finger on my student, Twilight of August."

"Twilight of August?"

Full Frame’s eyes widened in shock.

Though the character had only been mentioned in passing in the original novel, her abilities were infamous.

"What, worried I might enchant this little girl?" Twilight of August teased playfully, her voice dripping with mockery.

Eltman Eltewin, the Headmaster of Stella Academy, grimaced.

"Your very presence is repulsive. Leave immediately."

"Oh my, such harsh words for a lady."

"If you don’t leave now, I’ll hunt down your true form and annihilate it. I have no desire to provoke the Twelve Moons, but I won’t hesitate if necessary."

"You talk as if you could defeat me," she retorted with a smirk.

Eltman’s expression hardened.

"I can kill you, here and now. The only reason I’m sparing you is for the greater good."

"...How arrogant."

Twilight of August briefly considered enchanting Eltman, but she quickly realized it was impossible.

To control him, she would have to abandon all the puppets she had carefully cultivated over the years. Moreover, as a 9th-class mage specializing in spatial magic, Eltman’s soul was spread across multiple dimensions, making it nearly impregnable.

"It’s almost as if... he prepared for me in advance," she thought.

Curious as to how he knew, she decided now wasn’t the time to ask.

"Fine, fine. I get it."

Twilight of August began to retreat, her lower body fading away as she stepped back.

Before disappearing completely, she turned to Full Frame.

"Full Frame, think carefully about what I said."

With that, Twilight of August vanished.

Eltman descended to the ground and approached Full Frame.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I’m fine."

"Whatever she said, it was all lies. Remember that. You’re smart enough to see through her deception."

"Of course, Headmaster," Full Frame replied with a bright smile.

Twilight of August was a cunning fox who manipulated others’ emotions. Everything she said was likely a web of lies designed to deceive Full Frame.

Even so...

Why did her words leave a lingering unease in Full Frame’s heart?

Suppressing her inexplicable frustration, Full Frame quickly left the area. For now, she didn’t want to dwell on it any longer.