Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 38

Academy Gumiho is a Magical Genius – Episode 38

Nine Tails Guild (3)

For the students, the dreaded week had finally ended.

Thanks to the news of Epnel’s Flower Garden being cleared, the media and public attention shifted from Chilseong Academy to Baek Seungwoo.

It was a welcome change.

‘Except for me, that is.’

The students and the academy were finally free from the relentless reporters.

Instead, I was bearing the brunt of it.

Of course, if I played my cards right, this could be a valuable asset in the future.

But right now, it was just a massive headache.

Everywhere I went, I could feel eyes on me.

Well, with such a large and impressive fox fur swaying behind me, how could they not notice?

Like flower petals dancing in the spring breeze, my tail swayed gently, following the wind’s rhythm.

A sight that those with underdeveloped tailbones could only dream of.

In contrast, my tailbone was working overtime.

Students who spotted me because of my tail would point and whisper.

“Look, it’s Baek Seungwoo.”

“I heard he cleared Epnel’s Flower Garden yesterday. I wonder what kind of reward he got.”

“Whatever it was, shouldn’t he give some back to society?”

“Do you think he will? He probably doesn’t want to risk angering the Cheonhobaekga [One of the most influential families in the magic world]. Easier said than done.”

“Oh, right, I heard he joined Nine Tails yesterday. Is it because it’s a subsidiary? He landed a job so easily, considering the circumstances.”

I was walking along the park path from the dormitory to work, and everyone’s attention was glued to me. The blatant gossiping, loud enough for me to hear, was just icing on the cake.

By the way, one comment stood out from the rest.

How did they know I joined [Nine Tails Guild]?

Had the news of my joining already spread throughout the industry?

Suspicious, I pulled out my phone and checked the news.

[Baek Seungwoo did it again?! What has he done this time?!]

[A controversial figure joins the No. 1 S-class guild, Nine Tails Guild? Let’s investigate the situation.]

[Baek Seokho, the guild leader of Nine Tails, “I have nothing to do with Baek Seungwoo.” A clear denial. Why did Baek Seungwoo join the guild under him?]

[Following the Chilseong Academy incident and the clearing of Epnel’s Flower Garden, even the Nine Tails Guild! The world’s attention remains fixed on Baek Seungwoo’s next move…….]

Articles with sensational headlines.

After reading through them, it seemed that Baek Seokho had gathered reporters last night and announced my joining the guild.

What, was he already trying to manipulate the media?

‘That’s much faster than I expected.’

I thought he would wait at least three or four days before making the announcement.

Baek Seokho’s actions were surprisingly swift.

What was he planning?

As of now, I didn’t have enough information to analyze his motives.

I sighed in frustration and fidgeted with my hands.

Then, I felt a sharp pain in the burn mark beneath my glove.

Through the gap in the glove, which had been partially melted by the poison, I could see my horribly disfigured hand. It seemed the scar had grown larger and more grotesque after I touched the Solitude [A highly toxic magical plant] with my bare hands, just before I gained complete resistance.

‘The pain is bad enough, but now I have to wear gloves all the time because of how it looks.’

The purpose of my gloves had evolved beyond mere elegance and style.

A shield to protect my hands from the elements and to conceal my ruined hands from prying eyes.

Gloves had become a tool for me.

Sometimes, I considered taking them off and showing my hand proudly.

But I didn’t yet have the courage to reveal this hideous scar to the world.

Well, wasn’t that obvious?

‘I can’t exactly flaunt this.’

It’s not a tattoo.

Who would willingly display their ugliness to others?

“……I’ll never take off the gloves.”

I would wear them for the foreseeable future.

I made up my mind.

Just then.

*Uwoong*, a vibration and a ringtone echoed from my pants pocket.

Who was calling?

I answered immediately and held the phone to my ear.

“Hello.”

─Oh, you answered sooner than I expected.

“Professor? Why are you calling me so suddenly?”

─I have something planned, and today is a holiday.

“Today is a holiday?”

The caller was Nam Hwayeon.

Thanks to her, I avoided wasting my time.

I almost went to work for nothing.

I sighed in relief, then tensed up at Nam Hwayeon’s mention of having something planned. What could she possibly have in mind?

─You’re new, so you might not know. Today is a discretionary holiday [A holiday that is not officially mandated but is granted at the discretion of an employer or institution].

“Ah, so that’s why there are so many students around.”

─Anyway, I have something to do. Are you free today?

“Well, I suppose so?”

If I was free, I was free. If I was busy, I was busy.

At least I didn’t have any prior commitments.

I had a packed schedule of reading magic books, practicing magic, and analyzing the current situation to plan for the future.

─Is that so? Then come over. Be here within the hour.

“……Yes.”

Of course, all of that became irrelevant in the face of Nam Hwayeon’s request.

When the boss tells you to do something, you do it.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.

‘It’s an opportunity to receive guidance from Nam Hwayeon.’

She wasn’t called the Demon King for nothing.

Her natural talent for magic shone even in her teaching. Furthermore, Nam Hwayeon had been urging me to become her disciple.

I was always at a disadvantage in my relationship with her.

I had no choice but to go if she summoned me.

─Oh, and bring the books to my room. You remember all the magic books you’ve read so far, right?

“S, suddenly?”

I was taken aback by the sudden additional request.

Bring all the magic books I’ve read so far?

Borrowing them all from the library at once was already a challenge, but the sheer number was an even bigger problem. It was impossible to carry them all.

─If it’s more than the library’s daily loan limit, you can use my name.

“I don’t think that’s the issue. Do I really have to bring them all?”

─Of course.

“…….”

How many books had I read so far?

I didn’t remember exactly, but I guessed it was over 100.

She wanted me to bring them all.

Absolutely not.

Before I could even refuse, my arms would give out.

But the answer was already decided.

“……Yes.”

I had to do what the professor told me to do.

The powerless assistant could only swallow his resentment and obey.

I reluctantly agreed and headed to the library.

* * *

Nam Hwayeon had told me to come to her room.

So I went to the lab, only to be embarrassed to find it empty.

It turned out that ‘room’ meant Nam Hwayeon’s dorm, not the lab.

She should have clarified that from the start.

I wasted my energy carrying the bundle of books for nothing.

I grumbled and dragged the cloth wrapping the books as I walked.

“This is nothing like the assistant professor’s dormitory.”

The design and building materials were completely different.

I tapped the wall and felt a magical reaction.

Was this a magical engineering building?

It was probably stronger than the training room.

As I was looking around the dorm, the front door opened.

Nam Hwayeon greeted me from inside.

As usual, her eyes were unfocused and hollow, like the sea.

But her clothes were quite different from her usual attire.

She wasn’t wearing a suit or a white gown.

She was dressed casually.

She didn’t seem to be trying to dress up, but perhaps it was because she was naturally beautiful.

I was struck by her beauty at first sight.

Of course, no matter how pretty she was, she was still a demanding boss who piled on the work.

“Welcome. Was it difficult to get here?”

“Everything is within the academy grounds anyway.”

“The campus is huge. It’s a 40-minute walk from the assistant professor’s dormitory.”

“It’s an hour on foot.”

It had been a month since I started living at the academy.

I still hadn’t memorized the entire layout.

Even though I had a good memory, the place was simply too vast.

There was a valley in the back mountain, and a large plain next to the stadium, so students often got lost while playing.

In addition, there were wastelands teeming with magical energy and cursed plants.

I could only comfort myself with the thought that it was all possible because it was a fantasy novel.

“Well, 40 minutes or an hour is nothing if you learn teleportation. How about you learn space magic too?”

“You need a natural talent for space magic to learn it.”

It had been a month since I started learning magic.

During that time, I had accumulated knowledge by mastering numerous magic books.

Thanks to my natural talent as a 「Magic Star」, it didn’t take me long to learn magic.

However, even with such talent, my magical level was still relatively low. That was only natural, since I was juggling magic with training and work.

“Well, space magic requires a lot of innate talent.”

“I don’t have that kind of talent, even if you do, Professor…….”

“Oh, why are you so sure?”

Nam Hwayeon interrupted, cutting me off.

She dismissed my words as nonsense.

“Do you think someone without talent could create a skill based on a paper they saw for the first time?”

“Th, that’s due to the influence of the trait…….”

“Traits don’t matter. It’s part of you anyway. So you can see it as your talent.”

As she said, traits are part of me.

Then the absolute talent granted by 「Magic Star」 could also be considered entirely mine. But space magic was a bit of an exception.

It’s not something that can be learned simply by ‘being good at magic’.

It requires natural talents related to space and cognition, including spatial perception.

It’s a discipline that relies heavily on innate ability, and can only be properly learned if you’re born with the necessary gifts.

That’s why my 「Magic Star」 alone wasn’t enough.

That was my assessment.

But she didn’t seem to see it that way at all.

“Okay, I get it.”

Nam Hwayeon stared at me intently.

A different light flickered in her wide, ocean-like eyes.

It was the look she only showed when she was truly interested.

“You’re underestimating your own talent too much.”

“Me?”

Nam Hwayeon nodded in response.

There was conviction in that nod.

I didn’t know what she saw in me, but I could guess it wasn’t a good thing.

“It’s difficult to teach space magic in one day, so shall I teach you other magic first? Read this.”

She tossed a book across the living room at me.

I caught it with both hands, bewildered.

Was she really going to teach me this easily?

At that moment, a saying popped into my head.

When I was young, my mother told me to shout ‘No. I don’t want to. Don’t do it.’ and run away from adults who offered free gifts or favors.

“…….”

Should I go along with this, or not?

I think it’s worth accepting this price.