Academy’s Genius Mage

There was an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

Ian quickly turned on his heels. However, just a few steps away, he heard a chilling voice from behind.

“Hey! You there! I think you might be the one I’m looking for. Can I see your face just once?”

Ian ignored the voice and continued walking towards his lodging.

‘I have a bad feeling about this.’

Unfortunately, his intuition was spot on.

The person showing interest in Ian at that moment was none other than Prince Helios of the Kingdom of Sonokin.

“You’re quite gutsy. Very different from what I’ve heard. Well, does it matter?”

Helios smirked.

But his expression and thoughts were different.

Though his mouth smiled, his eyes were filled with a murderous glare.

People could guess from that single statement just how much of a rogue Prince Helios was.

Indeed, he was a notorious troublemaker.

As he gradually drifted away from the line of succession, he started behaving like a wild, unrestrained colt.

Ultimately, he was practically exiled to the academy.

Everyone knew this, but regardless, he was still the second in line to the throne.

Perhaps that was why, despite registering as a student, he didn’t wear the academy set.

Instead, he donned luxurious armor adorned with gold and a red cape. His waist holstered a jeweled ornate sword.

How many could keep their heads up against such an imposing figure?

“Your Highness!”

At that moment, one of his followers stepped forward. Helios waved his hand dismissively.

“Cut that out. This is the academy. Do you want to be disciplined?”

“What are you saying? If calling Your Highness a prince means getting disciplined, then it would be an honor for our family!”

“Haha! You sure know how to talk entertainingly. I like it!”

The follower, having pleased Helios, beamed with satisfaction.

It wasn’t hard to understand.

Opportunities to form a close relationship with royalty were seldom.

“Isn’t he quite daring? No wonder people say the Department of Magic is full of brats. Let me catch him and teach him a lesson!”

“Leave him be. It’s amusing to see how far an unknown little rat will crawl when cornered, isn’t it??”

“You truly are merciful, Your Highness.”

The title “prince” used by Helios’ followers reached Ian’s ears as well.

‘This is getting complicated.’

Ian pulled his hood tighter over his head.

Helios was like a natural disaster.

Royalty was like that. They reigned above the law, making theory and logic irrelevant.

In other words, he had no choice but to avoid them.

He barely managed to get Professor Frost’s cooperation.

All he needed to do was return, confirm the payment Felix sent, and prepare for next week’s demonstration…

If a fight were to break out here, things would spiral out of control.

‘If that happens, I won’t escape punishment. Professors close to the royal family might raise issues. That would be bad.’

Ian silently pushed through the crowd, moving forward.

“Boo!”

Helios’ followers blocked Ian’s path.

“Where do you think you’re sneaking off to, hiding your face so ominously?”

“Hey, the prince is looking for you.”

“If you come quietly, no one needs to get hurt!”

Tensions ran high.

At that moment, heavy footsteps approached. Soon, a strong hand gripped Ian’s shoulder tightly.

“Isn’t it common courtesy to look back when someone calls you? Running away like that would tarnish the reputation of the Department of Magic, wouldn’t it? Especially with so many people gathered here.”

From the very first day, fate was cruel.

Ian turned around and removed his hood.

“Ho!”

Helios let out a short, yet intense exclamation.

He stared intently at Ian’s face. It didn’t take long for the royal’s noble lips to twist.

“As the rumors said! There were stories about an incredible freshman appearing at the academy. I wondered if it could be true, and it is. I thought I’d have to wait until the induction ceremony, but here you are. This isn’t a bad coincidence, Ian Oracle.”

Only then did Ian get a proper look at Helios’s face.

A hideous scar was etched on the royal’s noble cheek.

Just like a magnificent statue marred by an injury, the scar stood out prominently against his sophisticated appearance.

‘I think I know why you don’t like handsome people.’

If Milo’s words were true, the prince definitely had a complex about his appearance.

The reason for the scar was unknown. Nor did Ian want to know.

If the scar couldn’t be healed by magic, it must have been a very deep wound, or he himself had refused treatment—one of the two.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? For the Oracle Family I know, just facing royalty itself should be a great ho—.”

“Who says you’re royalty?”

Ian snapped, causing Helios to flinch and fall silent.

Once again, Helios’s lips twisted.

Unable to stand it any longer, Helios’s followers intervened.

They placed their hands on their crude iron swords symbolizing freshmen and threatened Ian.

“You bastard! How dare you be rude to the prince!”

“You lowly baron!”

“Yes, I admit we are of lowly status. Our family is poor without any territory. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t speak my mind. Don’t you know the rule that once you set foot in the academy, everyone is equal? Those kinds of people will surely follow the military rules.”

Ian’s cool retort left the followers at a loss for words.

They had underestimated Ian.

He had seldom shown himself to the world. His nickname “recluse” wasn’t for nothing.

Yet, he stood his ground so confidently.

It was a blend of noble elegance and the dignity of a mage that no one could easily imitate.

‘The beginning is always important.’

If you mess up the first button, no matter how great the clothing, it would end up disheveled.

Similarly, if the freshmen from the Department of Magic were humiliated by the students from the Department of Martial Arts on the first day, their academy life wouldn’t be enjoyable.

Ian didn’t want himself to be that cornerstone.

Thwack!

Ian easily swatted away a follower’s hand that reached for his collar.

“If grabbing random passersby and quarreling is the tradition of the Department of Martial Arts, the academy is done for. How about going back to your families and doing housekeeping instead?”

“Shut up!”

A follower, unable to stand it any longer, tried to rush at Ian, but Helios raised his hand to stop him.

“Interesting, Ian Oracle.”

He nodded several times, smiling leisurely.

“Your spirit is remarkable. I haven’t heard of such a talent in the Oracle Family… Could my information be wrong?”

Ian sensed something unusual.

‘Could he really glare at someone with such hatred just because of a complex?’

More than that, the word “information” lingered in his ears. In that context, “rumor” would have been more fitting.

‘Could it be that the royal family investigated me?’

However, without knowing Helios’s habits and vocabulary in detail, he couldn’t be certain.

“Well, let’s leave that aside. Do you plan to study only at the academy your entire life? After graduating, you’d eventually have to work for the royal family. Will you still assert yourself so boldly then? Will you still talk about equality? Let’s hear your answer. I hope you won’t disappoint me.”

Ian could only chuckle at the typical tyranny of the powerful.

There’s a saying that those with nothing to lose are the most frightening. The Oracle Family had no territory, and nothing connected them to the royal family.

“Will anything change if I don’t disappoint you?”

“What did you say?”

“Hey, Helios.”

With just that one word, everyone was abuzz.

How many people dared to say his name?

“It seems you still don’t understand, so let me advise you again. This is the Academy. Your hair and eyes may resemble the Sun King, but it seems that’s only on the surface.”

Helios could not hold back his laughter. It was almost manic.

“Hahaha! Wonderful. What courage you have, Ian Oracle. Your parents died long ago at some ruins, didn’t they? Seeing you today, I understand why. You too are hurrying towards your death. How dare you mention the Sun King. Are you insulting the royal family?”

“In the Academy, everyone is equal. That exact rule was set by the Sun King you just mentioned. So who’s really insulting the royal family here?”

“You insolent!”

Suddenly, Helios’ face turned beet red, as if it were about to burst.

At that moment, two figures emerged, parting the crowd. They were Milo and Edel.

“That guy… I told him to be careful, but he just had to go and do it!”

“What do we do?”

“What do you think! We need to watch for now.”

“Shouldn’t we help?”

Milo gripped his staff tighter.

He was ready to jump in if necessary. This wasn’t merely about helping a roommate.

The mood was the same among the other students of the Department of Magic who gathered there.

Ian discussed a valid point.

However, if he fell to the bully prince, it wouldn’t just be his defeat but a disgrace to the entire Department of Magic.

“Fine, Ian Oracle. Your speech was excellent! It might go down in history. So, I’ll personally give you a reward. It will be a reward you’ll like very much. I’ll send you to be with your parents today. Meet them wandering the nine heavens and ascend to a better place!”

Ian could tolerate many things, but he could not tolerate insults to his parents.

“A duel it is, Ian Oracle.”

Swoosh!

A handkerchief thrown by Helios flew through the air and landed in front of Ian.

In the Kingdom of Sonokin, this was one of the formal procedures to challenge someone to a duel.

If the duel was accepted, a witness would be appointed, and they would fight to the death.

This was not a practice duel.

Since this was an formally sanctioned duel, there would be no consequences even if one died.

A duel could be refused.

However, refusing would brand one a coward for life.

‘I’ve never had a real combat duel before.’

Very few people knew Ian had problems with his magical power. If his parents hadn’t told anyone, theoretically, no one would know.

The Oracle Family was famous for being theoretical mages.

Theoretical mages could handle creative magic without having strong magical power.

Thus, as the duel was about to be formalized, the new students of the Department of Magic watched Ian with a sense of anticipation.

‘Even if I lose my life, I cannot lose the pride of a mage. I can’t tarnish the name of our family!’

Ian bent down to pick up the handkerchief.

However, at that moment, an unexpected event occurred.

Someone picked up the handkerchief one step ahead of him.

“And who might you be?”

Helios asked, but the person who picked up the handkerchief remained silent.

The figure had their hood pulled up, making their face hard to see.

However, the staff they held was a bit different from those of the other new students.

The clear cubic gem set in the head of the staff glowed brightly.