Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 384

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Episode 384

Academy Gumiho is a Magic Genius 384

Moment Without Memory (4)

Simon’s childhood passed quickly.

He met a teacher who reached out to him during his aimless wandering.

The teacher’s instruction was brief, lasting less than a month, but it was enough to shape Simon into a decent person.

“Why are you helping me so much?”

One day, driven by curiosity, he asked.

The teacher was a remarkable person, unlike himself.

His clothes were well-kept, and his appearance was refined. Considering he was teaching someone who couldn’t even read, he must have been a highly skilled instructor.

Why would such an accomplished person help me?

It was beyond Simon’s understanding.

“Hmm? Just because I want to?”

The teacher replied with a smile.

That day, Simon learned more about surviving in the harsh city and controlling his ability to generate electricity.

However, his instincts, sharpened by a life as an orphan, screamed a warning.

There’s no way he’s teaching me out of pure altruism.

The city is unforgiving. You can’t trust anyone blindly.

Even so-called volunteers often have ulterior motives.

They give handouts to the poor to make themselves feel better.

If they truly cared about the vagrants, they would teach them how to provide for themselves, not just give them handouts.

But no one ever does that.

So why is this person teaching me how to provide for myself?

I really can’t understand it.

So, he asked directly.

“…Teacher.”

“What is it?”

“Why are you teaching me how to provide for myself?”

“Provide? I’m teaching you how to control your powers, defend yourself, and how to read and write.”

“It’s a metaphor.”

Simon scratched his head and continued, “If you felt sorry for me, giving me some money or buying me a meal would be enough. That’s what those people who pretend to be volunteers do in the alleys. Why are you teaching me how to survive on my own?”

“…”

“…Teacher?”

Why isn’t he answering?

Simon waited for his teacher’s response, but when none came, he looked up.

At that moment, his teacher seemed to have a striking expression, but now, more than a decade later, the memory has faded. It was undoubtedly one of those pivotal moments that changed the life of a wretched orphan.

Is it because I’m getting old?

The teacher’s expression has vanished from his mind like smoke.

‘Well, it’s not so bad. Memories are beautiful because they are memories.’

Later, as a researcher at the Magic Tower.

Simon had matured enough to entertain poetic thoughts as he reflected on the past. He was no longer the same Simon.

Through his experiences, he had become a respected member of the city’s elite.

Six months into his job.

As the youngest member, diligently engaged in research, a senior researcher, noticing Simon’s dedication, approached him.

“We’re short-staffed right now, so would you be willing to help us find some new recruits?”

It was unusual for the Magic Tower to be short-staffed.

The Magic Tower was the most prestigious institution in the city, surpassing all other companies and organizations.

Everyone aspired to join the Magic Tower, and it had the luxury of selecting and recruiting the most talented individuals. A manpower shortage was highly unlikely.

“You’re short-staffed, so you’re asking a newbie like me? Hey, don’t underestimate me just because I’m from Gilmok, okay?”

“I’m not joking.”

The senior researcher was serious.

Reluctantly nodding at his demeanor, Simon followed the senior researcher out of the lab. He inquired about their destination, but then…

Thump!

As he entered a narrow room with the senior researcher, the floor began to move.

“Wh-what is this?! Is-is it an earthquake!”

“It’s not an earthquake, calm down.”

“It’s an earthquake! Everyone, evacuate!”

“Ha, that’s why you’re a primitive from Gilmok, unable to appreciate the benefits of developed civilization. It’s embarrassing to watch.”

‘I wonder why the Tower Lord [leader of the Magic Tower] summoned such a guy.’

Simon, who had never seen an elevator before, screamed when he first stepped inside. The senior researcher, witnessing the scene, facepalmed.

‘Such a brat.’

If it weren’t for the Magic Tower Lord’s order, he wouldn’t have bothered bringing him here, let alone talking to him.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The scenery outside the elevator changed rapidly.

Numerous laboratories came into Simon’s view, and his expression shifted to astonishment as he estimated the depth of the descent.

Ding!

The elevator reached its destination.

“Let’s get off.”

“H-here? I heard that the underground has thin oxygen, making it difficult to breathe?”

“Stop talking nonsense and get off.”

The senior researcher exited the elevator.

Simon reluctantly followed, but suddenly…

‘Huh? The numbers on that plate… 61?’

The number 61 caught Simon’s attention.

Its meaning was clear: Basement 61st floor.

This was the final destination for all research in progress at the Magic Tower. A highly specialized study, like a culmination, was underway.

“I’ll warn you in advance. Keep your wits about you.”

“Yes?”

“Because all those who became infatuated met a grim end. Don’t give your heart away carelessly.”

“Yes?”

“…Never mind.”

‘Such a frustrating and clueless guy.’

‘How can he not understand a single word?’

The senior researcher clicked his tongue, opened the large door, and went inside.

Oblivious to the senior researcher’s curt explanation, Simon stared blankly at his back.

‘Old man. He doesn’t even consider how unkind his explanation was.’

Old Freak.

That was the nickname given by the young researchers at the Magic Tower who were exasperated by his eccentric nature.

Even if they wanted to call him by his real name, new researchers weren’t allowed access to the senior researcher’s information, so they gave him a nickname.

Just Old Freak.

“Well, we’ve arrived.”

“…Here?”

Following the Old Freak into the basement, a vast space opened up.

Inside, many people sat in chairs, tapping away at something on their desks. At the time, he didn’t understand, but after a month of research here, he realized it was a computer.

Clearly, the level of technological advancement in the basement was far beyond that of the outside world.

As Simon frowned cautiously at the shocking sight, a video began to play on the largest screen.

“What’s this? Corporate promotions? Or advertisements?”

“It’s nothing so trivial. You’ll understand when you see it.”

“Hmm, what kind of video is it…?”

The city’s civilization was strangely distorted.

The buildings were medieval in style, but the technology deeply embedded in people’s lives was far more advanced.

Simon remained indifferent, but he soon understood what the Old Freak had meant.

A sleeping woman appeared in the video.

Seeing her, Simon was deeply shocked and recalled the warning to keep his wits about him. The moment he saw the woman, his heart began to race, and his mind started to cloud. He had never experienced it before, but he knew instinctively.

That this was love.

Thud!

Simon, overwhelmed, collapsed to the floor.

His legs buckled because his heart was so overwhelmed.

“…Did I just fall in love at first sight?”

“It’s not falling in love at first sight, it’s being charmed at first sight.”

‘Still, this guy, as expected of someone the Tower Lord directly selected, isn’t losing his mind and acting like a beast.’

The Old Freak patted Simon on the back approvingly and left. Afterwards, Simon stood there blankly, then began to search for him.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Simon’s heart continued to pound.

Eventually, he continued his research in the basement.

On the surface, he was still just a new researcher, but perhaps because of the memory of falling in love at first sight, Simon quickly gained recognition as a talented individual within the Magic Tower’s basement. But that fame was confined to the basement.

Senior Researcher, Simon.

He had earned more than enough recognition to be considered for a senior management position.

* * *

Simon closed his eyes in Eve’s arms.

Not that he was dead, but he was literally closing his eyes.

His breathing was steady, as if he were asleep. Seungwoo realized that he had entered a dream world.

“He entered a dream world on his own?”

The flame carrying Seungwoo and Luna began to approach Eve.

The closer he got, the more he sensed.

Eve’s power and Simon’s condition. And the intriguing phenomenon occurring between their magical energies.

“Interesting.”

Seungwoo noticed many things.

Many things piqued his interest, but the most captivating was the exchange of magical energy between Eve and Simon.

‘Have I ever witnessed such intricate magical energy in my life?’

It wasn’t about the quality of the magical energy, meaning its purity.

The way the magical energy moved was almost textbook perfect. It was a method that could be included in a textbook. And it was happening at hundreds or thousands of times the textbook level.

“…What is that?”

Luna asked.

It wasn’t a question seeking an answer, but an exclamation expressing her disbelief at what she was seeing.

‘Why do I understand so well?’

‘I feel the same way.’

“…I don’t know either.”

Seungwoo and Luna were simply in awe.

As magicians, they felt reverence at the sight of someone manipulating all the magical energy in the world. Still, they had to do what they had to do.

“First of all, we need to deal with that.”

He needed to disrupt that massive wave of magical energy first.

Seungwoo drew magical energy from his core and spread it throughout his circuits.

Vast magical energy strengthened his body, and the remaining energy spread from Seungwoo’s hand, rippling like silk.

Seungwoo extended a thread of magical energy and attached it to Eve’s energy, intending to pull the thread and disrupt her, but…

Thump!

Suddenly, the floor vibrated.

The ship made of flames gradually lost its form, and the magic began to collapse.

Seungwoo reflexively looked up.

“…”

There, Eve was staring intently at Seungwoo.

“Amazing. I’ve interfered with others’ magic before, but this is the first time someone has interfered with mine.”

He hadn’t even sensed a warning sign.

It was at that moment.

Thump!

Finally, the ship made of flames was completely destroyed.

He tried to create something new, but this time Eve interfered again.

In the end, Seungwoo and Luna fell to the floor. Luna grabbed Seungwoo’s hand instead of screaming, and Seungwoo immediately layered his magical energy with multiple codes to prevent Eve from interfering further.

Using the encrypted magical energy, Seungwoo safely landed on the collapsing Magic Tower—

Kugugugugugugung!

He couldn’t.

He managed to create a barrier to protect his entire body, but the force of the fall combined with the solid barrier to penetrate the building’s floor like a cannonball, plummeting deep down.

“…How many floors have we fallen?”

“It’s probably the basement… Huh! Look over there!”

Luna, startled, hid behind me.

Wondering what was happening, I turned my head and saw people with their faces buried in the floor, completely still. Are they even people?

—If corpses are considered people, wouldn’t they be people?

Is that so?

‘Then they’re not people.’

Because none of them have a heartbeat.