Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 206

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Episode 206

The Mask to Hide an Ugly Face (1)

Robo’s shed skin isn’t something you can just acquire on demand.

You have to wait for the right opportunity, but that’s not the immediate concern.

“The reaction is promising. If you’re all interested, I’d like to show you my collection.”

“Collection?”

“This sounds intriguing.”

“Choi’s collection, huh? But is it really appropriate for us to go see it?”

Everyone at the masquerade ball was intrigued by Choi Jin-cheol’s invitation.

The Wolf King’s shed skin alone had piqued their interest.

They were curious about what kind of collectibles Choi Jin-cheol possessed.

While intrigued, they also wondered if it was wise to follow Choi Jin-cheol to his collection.

“Why wouldn’t it be okay to see it?”

“It’s not like the host of the masquerade ball is a pushover.”

“There’s no need to unnecessarily provoke San-gun [a slang term for a powerful, established figure].”

San-gun was a slang term referring to Choi Ju-seok, the old tiger of the Choi family.

He was a powerful figure who dominated the political and business world.

Some dismissed him as nouveau riche, but his wealth, earned from selling magic stones, was substantial.

The network he built upon that wealth was equally impressive.

“The owner of this ball is Choi Ju-seok, not the Choi family itself. I’m not particularly interested in the collection of some kid, but there’s no need to make a scene.”

As he spoke, Choi Ju-seok and his son looked visibly displeased.

Although they remained silent, given the attention focused on Choi Jin-cheol, their displeasure was evident even behind their masks.

Ultimately, the guests were divided.

About 20% of us, including me, left the ballroom to view Choi Jin-cheol’s collection.

And that choice left me slightly disappointed.

“Excellent. Very well preserved! Everything here is at least hundreds of years old, and some pieces have survived for thousands of years. I’d have to verify the exact age, but you’ve amassed quite a collection.”

“Are you not considering repairing and using these items?”

“Unfortunately, everything here is strictly for display.”

Old-fashioned guns and rainbow bullets.

Red swords and tombstones adorned with paintings from ancient civilizations, along with various other objects, including a white, sparkling bead, were displayed in the showcases.

Most of them were less historically significant than the items I owned.

Come to think of it, most of Choi Jin-cheol’s luxury goods had the aura of old relics. Some items retain their history even after a long time, while others don’t.

And most tend to lose their unique history over time.

Unless they are very special.

“There are many interesting items. But…”

“Is this really all? I don’t think it warrants pulling us away separately…”

Nothing particularly special immediately caught my eye.

The guests who had followed Choi Jin-cheol were losing their initial enthusiasm.

They had left the ball and come all this way expecting to see something equal to or greater than the Wolf King’s shed skin.

But everything here seemed to be of a lower caliber.

They couldn’t help but feel let down.

“Hey, I wouldn’t waste your time for nothing.”

Choi Jin-cheol brushed aside their disappointment and concern.

He walked deeper inside, as if the items on display were of little consequence. The guests naturally followed him.

No more items were immediately visible.

We walked until we reached a large glass box.

“I wonder what he’s keeping that requires such an empty space around it.”

“Aren’t you excited, though? Old items are susceptible to external magic, so they’re stored with extra care. Maybe we’re about to see something truly precious.”

“Well, maybe, but the odds aren’t high.”

“If it’s stored this carefully, it must be something you wouldn’t even find in a national museum.”

I could hear the murmurs around me.

But that lively chatter vanished like a ghost when they saw the object inside the glass box. Various emotions flickered in their eyes.

Some looked surprised, others genuinely disappointed.

Some were carefully observing the atmosphere.

Some, like me, frowned.

“That’s… a belt, right?”

“I’m not sure you can call such a worn-out piece of leather a belt.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen a leather belt that looks like it would fall apart if you touched it.”

“I don’t know if it’s my lack of knowledge, but I can’t discern its importance. Can someone enlighten me?”

“If you knew, Grandpa, the atmosphere wouldn’t be so subdued right now.”

Most people didn’t feel anything looking at the belt.

How could you assign value to an object emitting such weak magic to the naked eye? Unless you possessed exceptional magical sensitivity, you couldn’t accurately appraise it.

The alien magic tingled on my skin.

This was not magic from the current era.

“It’s an unusual item.”

“I knew someone would recognize it. I invested a considerable amount to keep it out of the wrong hands during import.”

“It’s certainly worth it. If it possesses the energy of a bygone era, even a faint trace, you must have paid billions to acquire it.”

The magic originated from a different era than our own.

That proved it was a precious item, even more so than the Wolf King’s shed skin.

The belt was purely a collectible, so even with top-notch storage, the item itself was in poor condition. It was too old and in need of repair.

But no one here considered repairing it.

From a collector’s perspective, there was no point in fixing an item that embodied historical time in its current state.

Repairing it would diminish its value.

‘But that’s none of my concern.’

It was an item I definitely wanted, along with the Leather of the King of the Otherworldly Wolves.

Even if I couldn’t use it myself, I could give it to Erzebet or Baek Eun-ho. According to the inscription on the glass box, it was 「Megingjörð」 [a belt that doubles strength, according to Norse mythology].

If that were true, the belt’s value would be immense.

‘Of course, there would be conditions attached.’

Players with B+ or higher strength would only have it enhanced by 1.5 times instead of 2 times, and so on. I doubted it would unconditionally double strength.

But even with those limitations, the fact that it increased strength at all…

It was so tempting that my heart raced.

I definitely wanted to have it.

That desire began to manifest as a glint in my eyes behind the mask.

The same was true for some others besides me.

Most of them were drooling, their eyes filled with greed as they gazed at the belt.

Choi Jin-cheol, observing this, smiled inwardly.

The situation was unfolding exactly as he had hoped.

‘Okay. With this, I’ve successfully introduced 「Megingjörð」 to some of the most influential people in the country.’

The belt of Thor, the Norse god of thunder and war.

The ability to double the wearer’s strength stemmed from Thor’s mythology.

A replica close to the original.

However, a replica could never truly surpass the original.

‘There’s a limit to the strength increase, but as an item imitating a god’s artifact, it holds tremendous value.’

If he put it up for auction, he could buy several mansions like the one he lived in.

But this 「Megingjörð」 had value beyond mere money.

It was about demand.

“……How much? How much to acquire it?”

“Hey, I asked first!”

“What are you talking about? Do you even have the financial resources to obtain this? I’ll offer my collectibles. I have several First Tier equipment pieces, so I believe I can have a productive conversation with you.”

As you can see, the people who saw 「Megingjörð」 were losing their minds.

It didn’t matter if they were wealthy individuals interested in old and historical items or players seeking to become stronger. Everyone wanted that belt.

‘Money can be earned anytime.’

What he could obtain with money wasn’t Choi Jin-cheol’s primary concern.

He sought connections, something that couldn’t be bought, even with vast wealth.

Being admitted to Chilseong Academy as a promising student and achieving good grades was also part of building connections in advance.

From Choi Jin-cheol’s perspective, it was far more beneficial to use 「Megingjörð」 to cultivate relationships with established figures than to nurture friendships with promising students who might or might not succeed in the academy.

He had revealed his collection for this very purpose.

‘I will definitely be the next head of the family.’

The current head of the Choi family is Choi Ju-seok.

Choi Jin-cheol’s grandfather. If the position of head of the family were transferred in the usual order, the next head would be Choi Jin-cheol’s father.

That would be the natural progression in an ordinary family, but Choi Jin-cheol had no intention of passively watching his incompetent father assume the leadership.

Next Young Master?

Forget about that.

‘I respect my grandfather, who built the family, but I have no intention of being subordinate to my father.’

Choi Jin-cheol, having made up his mind, gathered the people.

Showing the collection had taken a considerable amount of time.

Roughly, it must have been more than 30 minutes.

When he checked the time, it was almost time for the guests to sample the elixirs that the family was actively investing in for free. These people were his grandfather’s guests first and foremost, and only potentially his connections in the distant future.

If he missed the sampling time for no good reason, he risked incurring his grandfather’s displeasure unnecessarily.

“Okay, let’s return to the ballroom now.”

“Already?! Can’t we look around a little more before we go?”

“I apologize, but we’ve already spent over 30 minutes here. The head of the family must be waiting, so let’s head back.”

The wealthy, captivated by the mesmerizing energy emanating from the belt.

They wanted to admire this precious item for a little longer.

However, when Choi Jin-cheol, the owner of the collection, mentioned Choi Ju-seok, the host of the ball, and suggested they return, they had no choice but to comply.

No one acted undignifiedly by insisting on staying longer.

Of course, except for one person.

The other guests, maintaining their composure, didn’t cling like the man in front.

They prepared to return calmly.

Still, they couldn’t conceal their greedy eyes, which longed to see more and possess it. So Choi Jin-cheol offered:

“Instead, it’s time to sample the precious items from the brewery that the head of the family has been sponsoring recently. I hope you enjoy it.”

“A brewery sponsored by the Choi family! That’s quite tempting.”

“Alcohol. Let’s go quickly.”

“I wonder what kind of aroma it will have.”

People retraced their steps.

Indeed, upon arriving at the ballroom, a strong scent filled the air, just as Choi Jin-cheol had described.

Not the pleasant aroma of alcohol, but the pungent smell of fishy blood.

“You! The amount of alcohol in my glass is less than everyone else’s. How are you going to compensate me for this!?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t just say you’re sorry, prove it with your actions!”

Thud!

The sound of someone falling to the floor.

At the same time, a boy in a blood-stained suit lay sprawled on the ground.

In fact, I only realized it was a boy after he fell.

Until then, everyone was wearing masks, making it impossible to discern their gender. The face that was now visible was someone I knew well.

“How are you going to take responsibility!”

“……I’m sorry.”

“Lee Ji! What is going on here!?”

“Ah, D-Doryeonnim [Young Master]…….”

Revealed from behind the mask was my student, Lee Ji.

He was being beaten by a man who was clearly drunk.

Judging by the wounds on his face, he hadn’t just been hit once.

Besides that, it was apparent that other people also seemed intoxicated. In their hands were glasses filled with blue liquid.

It was undoubtedly the alcohol that Choi Jin-cheol had mentioned they would sample.

An alcohol that felt unsettling.

Just as my eyes momentarily shifted to the alcohol.

Thud!

Another sound of impact.

This time, it was Lee Ji who was being struck, but the person hitting him was different.

It was Choi Jin-cheol, who had been smiling kindly at us until just now, treating us as honored guests.

“How dare you not appreciate the grace of being taken in!”

Thud!

“Are you disgracing me for bringing you to a place like this?!”

Thud!

Lee Ji’s blood splattered everywhere from the relentless beating.

At this, a woman with a dazed expression and disbelief 난입 [burst in] pushed Choi Jin-cheol back.

“What are you doing right now?!”

“I, Isabel! Just calm down for a second……!”

Isabel’s impulsive action prompted the women standing with her to restrain her. They placed their hands on her shoulders to prevent her from moving, doing their best to stop her.

Of course, they also looked angry.

Their anger was evident in the glint in their eyes behind their masks.

They wanted to intervene, but hesitated, looking around.

“Who is she?”

“Who does she think she is, interfering in the show as she pleases?”

“Can’t you tell even by looking at the wolf mask? It’s obvious. Ah, she took off her mask. Is it acceptable to remove your mask at a masquerade ball?”

None of them were on her side.

Instead, they seemed displeased with Isabel, who had removed her mask and intervened between Lee Ji and Choi Jin-cheol.

They even regarded the scene of Lee Ji being beaten as a mere “show.”

Everyone was so intoxicated that I wanted to believe they had simply misspoke, but I couldn’t help but lower my head at the sight of them looking like they were observing a zoo animal.

If this continued, I felt like I would unleash a torrent of murderous intent without realizing it.

I suppressed this feeling as much as possible.

At the same time, a whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind.

Are these truly the humans I wanted to protect?

Are they worth saving, even if it means sacrificing my lifespan?

The system responded to my thoughts.

Ting.

[Subquest: The Finale of the Masquerade]

[Description: You have witnessed the darker side of the masquerade ball. Now that a considerable amount of time has passed since the ball began, the time for the finale is slowly approaching. Will you choose silence, or will you punish those who deserve to be punished?

This is a subquest that will not have any impact on the big picture. However, you will be solely responsible for the aftermath of this.]

[Clear Condition: Bystander or Punishment]

[Success: ───]

[Failure: ───]

The human ideal I held was not so lofty.

At least, not in these circumstances.

Crack!

A chillingly cold gaze, and the fishy scent of blood lingered in my nostrils.

There was no way to tell if it was the scent I was smelling in front of me or the scent emanating from my own mouth.