After Hong Bi-Yeon’s Magic Analysis and presentation were completely finished, Hong Si-hwa left the place, and sought out the sparsely populated women's restroom.

She turned on the water at the sink, washed her face roughly but delicately, then looked into the mirror.

She was smiling.

In the mirror, Hong Si-hwa was wearing a mask of happiness which made her facial muscles twitch, as if she were tired of it.

Intentionally, Hong Si-hwa frowned, yet the arc of her mouth gave off a playful impression.

At that Aslan seminar, she lost to Hong Bi-Yeon.

It was truly impressively humiliating.

That stubborn little kid finally managed to surpass her sister.

It was truly remarkable to think she planned for years for this day.

“Mage Hong Si-hwa, you cannot participate in any academic presentation or seminar for the next year, and you cannot request Magic Analysis for three years. Moreover, in the future…”

Wasn’t the Magic Analysis considered defamation against a mage?

If the opponent successfully proved their own magic, the one who requested the Magic Analysis was penalized by temporary suspension from the magic community.

That was all.

Before being a mage, Hong Si-hwa was royalty.

She was a princess fighting for the throne against Hong Bi-Yeon.

Perhaps, after today's seminar, she would only be prominently featured in the media.

['Hong Si-hwa! Defeated by her younger sister!']

['Requested Magic Analysis from Hong Bi-Yeon, but ultimately, it turned out to be original magic...']

[Unfair Magic Analysis? Was it a trap?]

['The First Princess started a political confrontation even at the Aslan seminar… Is this really okay...']

And so on and so forth.

She could vividly picture it in her mind.

The media was deeply involved.

Perhaps articles were being churned out even now.

She lost a fight that she shouldn’t have lost.

She was truly, perfectly countered.

She had no idea at all.

She didn't expect her younger sibling to grow this much.

Yet, somehow, she didn't feel particularly upset or anything.

In the mirror, Hong Si-hwa continued to smile.

‘Si-hwa, you'd look prettier if you smiled a bit. Why do you always frown?’

Suddenly, thoughts of her deceased older sister Hong Eulin came to mind.

She wondered why that was the case.

She used to say all the time,

'I’m fortunate to die first. I won't have to fight for my life against my beloved younger siblings.'

‘I feel sorry for you... Maybe it would have been better if we weren't royalty. We could have been ordinary and happy. I sometimes think like that.’

At that time, it seemed Hong Si-hwa wasn't wearing the mask.

She wondered when she started wearing it.

… Perhaps it was from the day Hong Eulin’s entire body burned and she passed away.

When her older sister was dying, Hong Si-hwa wasn't there.

It seemed like she didn’t want to witness it.

Everytime she met her older sister, she would offer advice or guidance, but Hong Si-hwa ignored her because they weren’t the same.

‘Cherish and protect your younger sister, Hong Si-hwa.’

‘There must be a way. A way for both of you to survive.’

‘Escape Adolveit’s cursed fate... You can... You both can do it.’

"It's funny. There's no way such a method exists.”

The Adolveit Bloodline was engulfed by the 'curse of destruction', so their entire body would turn into flames and they would die before reaching thirty.

No one knew the exact time of death.

The more talented you are with the flame, the faster you will die.

Their elder sister Hong Eulin had an extraordinary talent for fire magic... and died at such a young age.

Due to her lack of talent, she might survive till her thirties, but Hong Bi-Yeon was close to flame attribute, and might barely make it past twenty.

Hong Si-hwa realized all those facts at the age of seventeen.

Both her and her sister.

They were fated to die like their eldest sister.

There was only one way to escape the Curse of Destruction: Inheriting the throne and receiving the 'Crown of Flames'.

The crown made by the Progenitor Mage for their ancestor allowed them to survive.

But there was only one crown.

‘One of us, inevitably, must die.’

'Bi-Yeon... You still don't know this fact, do you?'

When Bi-Yeon would learn that a flame was lurking in her chest, which could slowly devour her heart, how would she react?

Despair?

No, she could be sure now.

Her sister was no longer the child she once knew.

That child would probably... confront and fight against that fate.

'Yes. Struggle a bit more, my dear sister.’

‘We need to do that to ensure that both of us survive.’

————

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Amidst the fervent cheers and applause, the drowsy Baek Yu-Seol blinked his sleepy eyes open.

"Ugh...."

His eyes were bloodshot.

It was tough even to resist falling asleep.

He’d rather engage in a 100-minute debate.

"I'm so sleepy…”

Even after drinking three strong cups of caffeine-rich coffee during the break, he was still sleepy.

The sleep-inducing magic theories overpowered even strong caffeine.

What really is magic, anyway?

The Aslan seminar required intense focus.

While Baek Yu-Seol’s mental strength had been significantly enhanced which allowed him to gain excellent concentration, he couldn't focus on anything due to lack of proper understanding of the magic.

He was proud of himself for merely staying awake while everyone was communicating in boring alien languages.

"Amazing.”

“As expected. She’s the same as rumored."

"Wow... this is already the third time."

"I wonder how this year will turn out."

"Damn it, of all years, it had to be this one. Damn it. Why do these young ones have better theses than me..."

"Calm down. Just think of this as an unlucky year, that's all."

As the mages made a commotion, their attention naturally shifted to the stage.

There, a petite girl with short hair smiled as an orb of light hovered in front of her.

She revealed the dignity befitting of a protagonist more than anyone else.

A splendid display of a full-fledged light show was unfolding.

‘Oh, it's already the turn of Edna.’

As a protagonist of this world, she presented the most beautiful theory at the Aslan Seminar without any interruption from anyone.

"Due to Baek Yu-Seol’s influence, Eisel and Hong Bi-Yeon’s theories were upgraded to Edna's level of excellence. However, it didn’t overshadow her thesis.

'The Compendium of Light Magic'

Fundamentally, she was in a position that inevitably drew attention. She had perfectly organized the light magic of angels, still a mysterious realm for human mages.

The fact that even members of the Holy Church sneaked in to witness her presentation spoke volumes about the magnificence of Edna.

"Remarkable. Truly excellent."

Chairman Jiaryumon nodded with a face blossoming with a smile. For someone who rarely praised, Edna’s thesis could be considered perfect in his eyes.

"Thank you."

Even after Edna stepped down from the stage, the commotion didn’t cease.

While Eisel and Hong Bi-Yeon’s presentations were impressive, Edna brought a thoroughly 21st-century atmosphere and knowledge, creating an unforgettable show.

'Is this what it means to be Edna...'

It was truly remarkable, but...

The issue lay in the fact that Baek Yu-Seol was the next one.

"Sigh."

He hadn’t prepared much.

He just brought a thesis he casually wrote during the exam period.

Since the protagonists of the Aslan Seminar were the trio, he didn’t even consider attracting attention.

Even when Edna reviewed the thesis, he only received a simple comment.

'It's decent enough.'

A presentation suitable for attending the Aslan Seminar.

Impressive enough not to be disregarded anywhere, but compared to the trio, it was remarkably lacking...

‘Well, that was the plan from the beginning.’

Baek Yu-Seol left the place.

After a short break, it was time to head straight to the podium.

While walking down the corridor, Baek Yu-Seol met Edna.

"Oh, it's your turn next? Good luck."

"No need for luck. I'll just roughly go through it."

"Aslan Seminar is eagerly attended by others, isn't it a bit too much to be casual?"

"Don't know. It’s annoying…”

“Anyway, do your best!"

Perhaps due to a successful presentation, Edna cheerfully walked away in the distance.

Baek Yu-Seol briefly thought that her gait appeared childish, but he tried to shake it off.

He headed to the main entrance to the podium, where an organizer was waiting.

As Baek Yu-Seol approached with a lazy expression, the person chuckled briefly.

"Please wait for a moment."

"Yes."

Inside, the host was prattling on, describing the next presenter.

"The Supernova of Stella Academy! We will now have a presentation by Baek Yu-Seol, the mage who succeeded in controlling Flash magic for the first time."

"You may go in now."

Baek Yu-Seol passed through the opening doors and headed towards the podium.

With everyone looking down from above, he felt like a gladiator in the colosseum.

Everyone’s eyes sparkled.

Despite numerous outstanding presentations, the anticipation for the presentation by the ‘Student Baek Yu-Seol’ was inevitable.

A mage who successfully controlled Flash for the first time.

For centuries, countless mages had attempted to master the magic with no success, but a student who could control the very magic deemed impossible by everyone was attending the seminar.

Hence, it was natural to expect Baek Yu-Seol to present a thesis related to Flash magic.

However.

Unfortunately, he had no idea about the principles behind controlling Flash magic. He simply used it because it worked.

For that reason, today's thesis presentation could be quite disappointing.

"Today's topic is… Prokitex’s stacked circuit design.”

As Baek Yu-Seol began, confusion painted the faces of the mages.

Some even doubted if they heard correctly.

'No, what about Flash?’

People began to glare with expressions of disbelief, but what could he do?

‘I don't know either…’

He had anticipated the disappointment, yet since he had come this far, Baek Yu-Seol carried on with the presentation resolutely.

Certainly, his magic was on a commendable level.

For a seventeen-year-old mage, composing this kind of thesis wasn't easy.

However, since the geniuses present typically maintained such standards, the presentation seemed average, if not disappointingly so.

Or perhaps it was her own expectations.

It was even more disappointing than the other presentations.

'Hmm, this is an opportunity.'

Meanwhile, Cellyn’s eyes sparkled.

She couldn't believe Baek Yu-Seol would bring such a sloppy thesis.

There were not just one or two but several points that could be critiqued. This was because his magic blatantly ignored the premise that had proven to be 'impossible’ in the past.

She wasn't the only one with such thoughts; some mages observing the presentation wore bewildered expressions.

Bringing an originally impossible premise and explaining it as if it were possible was absurd.

But the way he presented it made it seem like it was genuinely achievable.

It momentarily caused the audience to think, 'Wait, is that actually possible?'

"I've already thoroughly dissected the magic designed by Baek Yu-Seol."

Starting with an example of an impossible premise, he had prepared a host of difficult and challenging questions.

If what he had prepared was indeed the end... Baek Yu-Seol's self-esteem as a mage might completely crumble.

While Eisel’s magic was untouchable due to its exceptional nature, Baek Yu-Seol was different.
His magic felt like a fragile sandcastle.

As Baek Yu-Seol presentation neared its end, discontented mages hovered their fingers over the buttons, planning to attack him.

However, there would be no opportunity for them to strike back.

‘I'll have to use all four remaining opportunities this time.’

Before others could intervene... She was planning to destroy Baek Yu-Seol herself.