It was spring.

The first semester of Stella Academy started in january, and in the spring, all the exams were completed.

Comparing it to Korea, one could think of it as a midterm exam.

Around that time, I was steadily interacting with Alterisha.

“Oh, you think so too? I also tried to add a button-type color transformation function to the magic pen."

“As a bonus, attach an eraser to the top.”

“Hmm, like a mechanical pencil? It will be fine!”

Did someone say that talent recognises talent? Alterisha, who was an alchemy fanatic, quickly recognized my temperament and became friendly with me, and I subtly gave her ideas for the 'inventions' I wanted the most.

Of course, I was sneaky.

If I gave her all the idea, there was a risk that her chances of developing creativity would cease to exist.

In her spare time, I threw tips on the Delta Augmentation formula sequence to Alterisha. At first, she refused as she was afraid that the professor would get angry if he came to know about that, but when I showed her a few unexpected hints, she eventually couldn't contain her curiosity. So, she turned a blind eye to the risk, and secretly conducted an official research at night.

‘But in the end, there was a lack of solutions.'

Alterisha was an excellent alchemist, but she was exceptionally weak in solving her formulas. No matter how much hints I gave, it would be difficult for her to completely solve the formula at a level that violated her narrative power.

"Hmm… How to do it.” She should have solved it before Maizen Tyren did, but it was too difficult to induce Alterisha to arrive at the formula's solution.

"Old man. Why are you walking around so blankly?"

I got out of the lab and was walking down the hallway in contemplation when Edna spoke to me from behind.

A flash of inspiration shone through my mind.

“Who is the old man?”

"I mean you."

Since the last conversation, Edna had been talking to me in this way. It wasn't a sympathetic voice. I didn’t know if it was her original way of speaking, but I always choose the words carefully.

“I don’t know any old man.”

"Why? What do you know then?"

“What are you talking about?”

"Look. Old man don’t even know what kids joke these days?”

“.......”

I had no idea. I wondered why kids these days used such difficult humour.

‘Still, I'm not an old man. Even if I am originally twenty-nine, I am still in my twenties, right?’

“Anyway, don’t walk around blindly, you almost bumped into me.”

It was clear that she was interacting with me in order to get some information.

That must be it. There was no way I could tell her anything because of the warnings, but even if I could, I wouldn’t do that.

By the way, there was one thing I needed to tell.

“Hey. You know, your friend.”

"Uh. Jecky?”

"Yes. About her...”

“Are you a skirt chaser?”

“......”

‘You just cut me off before I can even say anything.’

“No, when did I ask you to introduce her to me? I was going to tell you to take good care of her.”

“Is that so? It’s just, there are so many wolf-like bastards around me.”

‘What the fuck does she mean?’

‘What is a wolf-like bastard anyway?’

“… Hmm, anyway. So, you want me to babysit Jecky?”

"Uh. She might be in a very bad state right now. Since you are her best friend, please take good care of her.”

She was probably affected by the dark magic contamination by now, so she was in a very unstable state.

I didn’t know why Jecky was having a hard time either. Also, even if I knew the reason, I couldn’t explain it because of the narrative power.

Now, I had no choice but to trust and leave it to Edna.

“Um, not the best of friends, but… it’s the weekend, so I decided to go hunting with the club members in the evening.”

‘You can take care of her then.’

“Anyway, I'm going!”

That was what I thought as I watched her back as she walked away, saying she had class.

'The remaining children… Shall I try?'

Jecky, Arshuang, and Haewonryang.

Among them, Jecky and Haewonryang were the most influential, but what would happen to Arshuang?

I didn’t know.

Who should take care of that child? To be honest, I was not close to the Hong Bi-Yeon group, so I didn’t know the condition of the girl named Arshuang.

'Could it be that while Jecky and Haewonryang have an abnormal reaction, Arshuang might be normal?'

The person who was undergoing dark magic contamination was one of the three. Arshuang didn't seem to have much to worry about, but for now, just in case, I decided to visit Hong Bi-Yeon.

Hong Bi-Yeon was currently taking her class called ‘Property Transformation’. As a subject which taught students about the awakening of second attribute, it was said that even a student who had only one attribute would have two attributes after taking that class, thanks to the instructor being great.

Of course, it was useful for mages who wanted to excel with another attribute, rather than us weirdos like Edna, me, or Hong Bi-Yeon.

It was a subject that was only attended because it was a compulsory subject.

That was all.

Usually magic training took place in a large training ground, but it often overlapped with other lectures, so it was quite crowded.

Entering a classroom almost half the size of an Olympic football stadium, I squeezed into a place where there were an unusually large number of students.

As expected, the reason the students gathered was to watch Princess Hong Bi-Yeon magic demonstration.

Roar!!

Her neatly tied silver hair fluttered, and splendid sparks flickered whenever her red eyes shone.

"Wow... She's really, really pretty."

“Is she really a human? She must be an angel?"

Certainly, Hong Bi-Yeon was like a celebrity in reality. It was because she was widely known to the world as the princess of the kingdom of Adolveit, the most powerful empire in magic world, and also known as a genius talent that had never appeared in history.

“Whoa...”

Hong Bi-Yeon, who was catching her breath while wiping off the cold sweat after withdrawing the staff, looked at the students who had come to see her with nonchalant eyes.

Then, her eyes stopped where I was standing.

She looked at me and frowned, then jerked her head around and raised her staff again.

Roar!!! Kwak! Kwak!

... For some reason, it seemed that the power of the flames was several times stronger than before, but it must be an illusion.

After the lecture, I was watching her

The students scattered all over the place. It was thanks to Hong Bi-Yeon doing all kinds of evil to the students.

I stood there and waited, but she glanced at me and sighed as she approached.

"What."

“I have something to tell you.”

At that time, the members of her group, who were guarding by the side of Hong Bi-Yeon, came up to her and said, "Princess. The hunting trip is about to start.”

"Okay. I’m going to join you soon, so go on first.”

"Yes."

Hong Bi-Yeon said after sending her group members.

"What is it?"

I looked through my spec at Hong Bi-yeon's group members who left without questioning, but I couldn’t see Arshuang’s silhouette.

“Isn’t there a girl named Arshuang in your group?”

At my question, Hong Bi-Yeon made a genuinely absurd expression.

“... You, isn’t that a bit weird. Don't you think?”

“Huh? What?”

“You come to see me, the princess, and ask me where the other girl is?”

“Can’t I?”

At my answer, Hong Bi-Yeon blinked her red eyes and sighed heavily as she grasped her forehead.