Magic Academy’s Genius Blinker

Chapter 74

Absurdity (2)

The total number of students in 1st-year S-Class is 41.

The total number of students in 2nd-year S-Class is 23.

Originally, the 2nd-year S-Class had 26 students, but last year, two students died during practice, and one student was demoted to A-Class, leaving 23.

Although it’s half the number of the 1st-year S-Class, having more than 20 students in S-Class in a single year is honestly quite impressive.

There is no set number of total students, and only those who pass certain ‘special conditions’ within Stella are given the S-Class designation.
T h i s w a s c o p i e d f r o m k i n gm tl. o r g

Being special at Stella, where special geniuses gather, is not easy, and that’s why usually only about 10 students per year are in S-Class.

Many students who didn’t make it into S-Class, especially the A-Class students, often held strong inferiority complexes towards the S-Class, but most of the S-Class students didn’t give special significance to their class designation.

Bandiyun, who maintained top grades and rankings in the 2nd-year, was one of those S-Class cadets.

“Whew…”

Sweating profusely, Bandiyun slumped in a corner of the training ground, gulping down bottled water.

Although it was routine to train after evening classes every day, her exam results this time were so poor that she was out of condition, and even a bit of running left her out of breath.

Th i s w a s co p i ed f ro m kingm t l . o rg
“Huff! Huff! You guys tired already?”

“Haa… Such a monster…”

In contrast to her, Dokcheolgwang of 2-S Class, who was always at the bottom in grades, was running laps around the training ground energetically, showing no sign of fatigue.

Increasing stamina or strength with mana is something out of legends.

Dokcheolgwang’s monstrous strength was pure stamina, and it was a mystery how he trained to be like that.

Of course, for a mage, having enough stamina to not be lacking is sufficient. Training the body to the extreme like Dokcheolgwang was inefficient and foolish.

‘Hmm, come to think of it, there’s a unique junior who fights with strength.’

T his wa s c o pie d from ki n gm t l .o rg
Bandiyun still remembered the incident at Martavis Cemetery.

Among the Dark Mages, the rarest and most disastrous necromancer.

From the 2nd year, official missions such as hunting monsters and ‘Dark Mage extermination’ tasks could be assigned, but a necromancer was not something students could handle.

The disaster she thought she’d never encounter. The memory of that moment when she faced it was still vivid.

The reason Bandiyun and Dokcheolgwang could return alive wasn’t because they were excellent, but thanks to the help of a unique junior.

A boy with an unusually sharp mind, Baek Yu-seol.

The reason she suddenly thought of him… was because of recent rumors.

‘1st-year Baek Yu-seol stood up to 3rd-year Edmund Atalek.’

The stories related to Alchemy Magical Engineering were top secret and omitted, leaving only the part about Baek Yu-seol confronting Edmund, which spread as a rumor.

When thought about normally, Baek Yu-seol was wrong. In the magical society, defying a senior is against the hierarchy.

However, Edmund Atalek was notoriously infamous, and those who knew Baek Yu-seol knew he was not the type to rashly confront seniors.

‘Did Baek Yu-seol really do that?’

The Baek Yu-seol she knew was a student who led everyone with his unique courage and decisiveness to save his fellow classmates in danger.

He was also thoughtful and seemed to be a step ahead of others…
Thi s w a s c o p i e d f r om k in g m tl . o r g

Would such a Baek Yu-seol really foolishly confront seniors, knowing full well what disadvantages he would face?

Doubt kept creeping in.

“Hey, who’s that guy?”

“You know that 1st-year brat everyone talks about? We’re here to teach him a lesson.”

“Really? These 1st-years lately…”

‘Huh?’

Resting peacefully, Bandiyun turned her head at the voices coming from the corner. It seemed the 2nd-year students had brought a 1st-year junior to a corner to scold him.

‘At it again. Pathetic.’

Bullying.

When a senior bullies a junior, the junior bullies someone even lower. It existed in Stella, though not widespread.

The clear hierarchy meant that juniors who dared to defy seniors needed their spirits straightened out.

For this reason, it was quite common for 2nd-year seniors to bring 1st-year juniors to the 2nd-year facilities to scold them.

Why bring them to the 2nd-year facilities?

It was to make them feel even more intimidated by making them conscious of the other 2nd-year seniors’ eyes.

This extreme psychological pressure was mostly inflicted on commoners or lower-ranked nobles, so that 1st-year student was likely a commoner.

It wasn’t a frequent occurrence, so Bandiyun tried not to pay attention, but then she recognized a familiar face.

‘Baek Yu-seol…?’

As expected.

Caught the seniors’ attention and ended up here.

Although they had a past connection, there was no valid reason to stop this bullying. The education of juniors was tolerated even by Stella.

“Ha, look at this punk staring straight at us?”

“These 1st-years must be having it easy, huh? Look at those lively eyes.”

Baek Yu-seol was calmly staring at the seniors with his transparent yet intelligent eyes.

‘What is he thinking…’

Bandiyun was about to pass by after confirming it, but then…

“Hey, get down immediately.”

Seeing Baek Yu-seol lower his posture to kneel.

‘Hmm…’

Suddenly, countless thoughts flashed through Bandiyun’s mind.

Absurdity.

The hierarchy among mages is important, and Stella tolerates it to some extent…

But there is a line that must not be crossed.

For example, direct physical punishment by a student is absolutely forbidden. Not just punches and kicks, but even forcing someone to do physical punishment is prohibited.

Yet such punishments prevail because the victims’ voices are often weak.

But… what about Baek Yu-seol?

Is his voice weak?

A 1st-year S-Class student with a record of defeating a necromancer?

He never flinched against Dark Mages, executing his plans with determination.

He never bowed to nobles, treated everyone equally, and even maintained his stance against professors.

Why wasn’t Baek Yu-seol scared of seniors?

T hi s w a s c o p i e d f r o m ki n g mtl . o r g
Why was he obediently kneeling now?

The answer is simple.

He is aiming for a bigger revenge, using this momentary humiliation as a stepping stone.

It would shake the entire absurdity of the school’s system.

‘Ah…’

Bandiyun quickly surveyed the 2nd-year group surrounding Baek Yu-seol.

Some were malicious, but some were commoner students forced to educate 1st-years due to orders from the 3rd-year.

So-called ‘forced Edmund followers.’

Born in the Adolevit Kingdom with no significant status, they had no choice but to follow Edmund’s orders.

The other 2nd-years could ignore Edmund Atalek’s words, but not them.

The malicious ones who bullied Baek Yu-seol weren’t much affected by the absurdity, but the commoner students would definitely face disciplinary action.

This must be stopped.

Baek Yu-seol’s intention to shake Stella’s absurdity system is valid, but the sacrificial targets must change.

“Wait!”

So Bandiyun couldn’t help but stop them.

* * *

I thought I’d just kneel once and be done with it.

Honestly, I’m not a noble, and I don’t have any backing, so trying to break the absurdity alone would be a huge struggle.

In modern times, maybe, but in a world without news, there’s a limit to changing absurdity with a heartfelt letter.

Considering my plan, this absurdity would end soon, so I thought I’d endure the bullying quietly until then.

“…What are you doing?”

Bandiyun appeared.
T h is w a s c o p i ed f r o m k in g m tl.o r g

I didn’t know her well, but at least thanks to her partner, Dokcheolgwang, her name was imprinted in my mind.

Dokcheolgwang was one of my favorite characters in the game.

“…What, what are you doing?”

Since the seniors bullying me were from C to D Class, they stuttered slightly when S-Class Bandiyun intervened.

“What are you doing?”

“Can’t you see? We’re educating a junior. Even if you’re in S-Class, you can’t interfere.”
This w a s c op i e d f r om k i n gm tl . o r g

“So you’re giving him physical punishment?”

“Yes. We’ll educate him until he understands. Don’t get involved.”

“No. I can’t allow this.”

“…What did you say?”
Thi s w a s c op i ed f ro m k i n gm t l .o r g

Some seniors, faces turning red with anger, approached her.

“Hey, don’t interfere and get lost. Just because you’re in S-Class, you think you can do anything? This guy defied a 3rd-year senior. Do you think that’s right for a mage? As Stella seniors, we have a duty to educate juniors properly!”

However, other seniors didn’t get angry at her and just watched silently. In fact, they looked somewhat relieved as if thanking her for stopping them.

Their expressions seemed uncomfortable.

‘Thinking about it, they’re pitiful too.’

The seniors who stopped bullying me when interrupted were probably forced into it. Otherwise, harsher bullying would come from above.

But the ones proudly standing against Bandiyun were irredeemable.

I had seen them in the original game too. They bullied only the commoners of 1st-year S-Class.

Jealous of S-Class but unable to touch peers, they chose to bully lower-ranking juniors.

Bandiyun, knowing this, didn’t hide her disgusted expression.

‘But why did she suddenly intervene?’

We had a past connection, but we weren’t particularly close.

She stared straight into my eyes, her gaze growing more intelligent.

Then, she spoke.

“Then, how about this?”

“What?”

T h i s w a s c op i e d fro m k in g mt l . o rg
“If, as you said, he defied a 3rd-year senior, it’s not an ordinary matter. If we were in a magic warrior unit, it could lead to insubordination—a serious issue.”

What?

Wasn’t she siding with me?

Why is she making my crime sound worse?
T h i s w as co pi e d f r o m k i ng mt l. o r g

“Yes, that’s right.”

“So this isn’t a matter that can be settled with simple physical punishment. Therefore…”

Bandiyun looked back and forth between me and the malicious 2nd-year seniors, then slowly opened her mouth.

“…How about a ‘Special Junior Training Squad’?”

The seniors’ expressions stiffened, then smiled broadly.

I knew what that was.

No matter how grave a junior’s mistake, verbal abuse and physical violence were officially forbidden.

But occasionally, there was an event where a senior could formally ‘punish’ a seriously errant junior, called the Special Junior Training Squad.

The rules are simple.

The senior wanting to educate and the junior needing education would ‘duel.’

Normally, duels between seniors and juniors are strictly prohibited, so this policy allowed it to proceed legally.

But despite appearing simple, it was essentially a senior beating a junior with magic.

1st-years had just started learning practical magic, while 2nd-years had completed full practice and combat training, ready for real missions. There was no match.

Even if the opponent was from 1st-year S-Class.

Due to potential abuse, the Special Training Squad required the student council president’s approval, but the current president was strict and rarely approved such things.

However, regardless of grade, S-Class students could strongly appeal to the student council.

One of the powerful privileges of S-Class.

Moreover, Bandiyun was known to be close to the student council president, so if she spoke up, approval would be easy.

“I’ll get approval for the training squad, so if you want to educate him, do it properly.”

Bandiyun allowed the ‘indirect absurdity’ allowed within Stella, making the 2nd-year seniors who didn’t like me grin from ear to ear.

“Good. This will be fun.”

End of Chapter