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Chapter 72: Absurdity (1)
While chatting with Alterisha, the office door opened, and a tired-looking Halsecoden walked in.
"Oh, Baek Yu-Seol is here!"
He approached Baek Yu-Seol with a wide smile.
Baek Yu-Seol lowered his head and said, "You look tired."
"Hmm. Well, there have been various things happening lately. It's exhausting."
"Have you been bothered by the Paldanglam Republic?"
"That's true. But how did you know about that? They’re supposed to be secret guests."
"There was a carriage parked at the entrance. I saw the emblem sculpted by a sculptor known for working in a magesque style and guessed."
"Oh... You have good observation skills. Yes, those guys can be quite bothersome.”
“They must be eager to get their hands on the technology."
Halsecoden nodded while rubbing his temple with his finger.
"That's right. Even though you're not in Alchemy Castle, you seem to know the internal affairs like a ghost."
"I don’t know about that..."
Alchemy Castle was neutral and not affiliated with any country. However, in the world, there was no such thing as 'perfect neutrality.'
Even the alchemists belonging to the city had their own homelands.
Because of that, very rarely, when new technologies were developed in the city, the national authorities also intervened. They either secretly consulted their citizens involved in the development or demanded the technology through threats.
It was the same this time as well.
Alchemists couldn’t work alone, so Alterisha already had many alchemists under her command.
They were all bound by powerful contracts, but once national intervention began, there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t become traitors.
Despite their trust as alchemists, when the lives of their families were at stake, they would betray a thousand times if necessary.
"They came to threaten the alchemists with families in the Paldanglam Republic. Fortunately, the information reached my ears first, so I chased them away, but I can't keep doing this forever."
Halsecoden, the Golden Alchemist. He was the most exceptional alchemist in the world, capable of creating an island in the middle of the sea. With power comparable to a 9th-class mage and even greater authority, he could repel national interventions in an instant.
Therefore, nations had been attempting to secretly extract researchers under Halsecoden’s supervision, and although they had managed to prevent it so far, it remained uncertain if they could continue to do so in the future.
"Anyway, it's becoming quite a headache. We'll have to take measures soon."
Baek Yu-Seol knew exactly what those measures meant, and with the thought that the opportunity had come, he opened his mouth. “You’re planning to make an example out of someone, aren’t you?”
"Hmm..."
As Halsecoden's eyes widened slightly in surprise, he quickly added, "I saw it in a newspaper from 10 years ago. It mentioned what happened to those who coveted Halsecoden's 'multi-construction' technology."
"Ah, I see. That was back then."
Multi-construction referred to the ability to combine multiple alchemical formations, similar in principle to multi-casting.
Originally, alchemy could only move in one direction, but with this technology, it became possible to move in multiple directions simultaneously.
It was truly like a new world opening up in the field of alchemy.
Of course, even back then, there were numerous attempts to secretly obtain that technology.
Therefore, Halsecoden set an example by dismantling a certain major corporation that seemed untouchable by anyone in the world.
"I’ll suspend all transactions with Lagan Corporation."
That statement, like a simple flat of a butterfly’s wings, later became a storm that completely devoured Lagan Corporation.
Not only could they no longer trade any of the goods in Alchemy Castle, but while others were expanding their reach using the multi-construction technology, being left alone meant an inevitable decline in the market.
That was how Lagan Corporation completely disappeared into history, leaving no trace behind.
People didn't know how much power the Golden Alchemist possessed came to realize; with a mere word, he could topple a global corporation standing at the pinnacle.
Therefore, Baek Yu-Seol planned to use it to his advantage.
Edmon Atalek didn't know about his connection to the Golden Alchemist. That was why he spoke so recklessly.
"Who are you thinking of using as an example?"
"For now, it's Paldrangram. They're the most dangerous. There are many Paldrangram natives within Alchemy Castle, making it difficult to control."
"Hmm..."
After pretending to contemplate for a moment, he cautiously brought up an idea. "In my opinion, we can leave Paldrangram alone."
"Hmm... and why is that?"
"In a year, there’ll be a change in government. Their current president may be reckless, but you can ignore him."
"Well, that may be true, but..."
"It's safe to say that the next presidential candidates have little influence over the alchemists in Alchemy Castle. How about targeting somewhere else?"
In a conversation, what was most important was not just appearing knowledgeable but also competent.
The other person needed to recognize that he knew a lot and could see a broader perspective so they would take his words seriously.
Baek Yu-Seol had been pretending to be knowledgeable so far through his thick-rimmed spec, and it seemed to be quite successful as Halsecoden now looked at him with a serious expression.
“For example?"
"Adolevit. Specifically Atalek."
"Hmm..."
"There's a justification for it. Edmon Atalek, the heir of the Atalek family, told me he would refuse to trade."
"Huh."
Baek Yu-Seol was really insignificant, but since he collectively owned the rights to this technology, his statement carried quite a fatal impact.
Of course, Atalek could forcibly intervene, disregarding a commoner like him.
Atalek was a prestigious lineage that served as a magical powerhouse and had produced numerous alchemists.
It was safe to say that there was no place within Alchemy Castle untouched by Atalek's influence. That was why he needed Halsecoden’s power.
"Hmm, Adolevit... Dealing with them would be a bit painful..."
Halsecoden trailed off.
No matter how one looked at it, dealing with Adolevit was a bit burdensome.
Even if he was the Golden Alchemist, toppling a large nation was not an easy task. It was a different scale compared to bringing down a single corporation.
"Of course, we can't completely sever ties this time. If Adolevit starts to take action, it'll be tough, no matter what."
"That's true."
"But Adolevit won't come out aggressively from the beginning. They’ve gained a lot from the alchemists' expertise, so the Queen will try to find and resolve the cause of this incident and then attempt peaceful negotiations."
This was the crucial part.
"Before that 'peaceful' turns into 'forceful,' we can retract our statement. We’ll end up dealing with Adolevit, but... anyway, the whole world will come to know."
Alchemy Castle could even influence Adolevit.
Halsecoden, who fully understood Baek Yu-Seol’s words, had a serious expression and rubbed his chin.
Alterisha still seemed dizzy, but she didn't have much to do anyway.
"Well... That's fine. It's perfect timing, with a legitimate reason and an opportunity to show our fangs."
There were countless hyenas currently chasing after the technological prowess of the items. But what if the prey they were targeting momentarily showcased strength like a lion, the king of beasts?
What if the existence they thought was prey actually revealed itself to be stronger than a lion?
The hyenas would naturally become fearful and cower.
"I’ll regain the royal trading rights."
"Is that possible?"
"I have a friend among the Adolevit royalty."
Upon hearing that, Halsecoden smirked as if his bluff had been called.
"That's great! The more I see you, the more impressive you are. I really want to take you on as my apprentice."
Alterisha, who had been sitting quietly without saying a word, seemed to sense that the conversation was coming to an end and slowly spoke up.
"Um, but... aren’t you a commoner like me? How did you become so knowledgeable about politics?"
"Well..."
Baek Yu-Seol hadn't anticipated such a question, so he hesitated for a moment, but he managed to dodge the topic.
"Well... Watching the news is my hobby, you know? It's entertaining to see politicians bickering and fighting with each other."
"Could never be me."
"It's really entertaining, though."
By the way, when Baek Yu-Seol said bickering and fighting, he meant it literally. It was so entertaining to watch politicians punching and wrestling each other on the floor of the National Assembly.
Anyway, whether his excuse worked or not, Alterisha faintly smiled.
"That's good. Once again, I'll be receiving your help."
If he were to honestly say that it was all for his personal gain, wouldn't it be hurtful? It felt like a needle piercing his conscience, but he tried his best to ignore it.
Thus, the conversation ended successfully.
Time passed, and the second round of exams began.
The results of the second round would be reflected in the ranking, so Stella's students devoted themselves to studying day and night, but it wasn't really relevant to Baek Yu-Seol.
'Tactical Magic Utilization Exam.'
While he didn't know much about other subjects, this was definitely a spectacle.
Whoosh! Crackle! Crackle! Sizzle!
Flames and lightning were flying around, creating a spectacle that one wouldn't see in a normal high school.
Since magic had various attributes, the criteria for scoring were also diverse.
For electromancy, it involved measuring maximum voltage and chain reactions.
For pyromancy, it was about demonstrating explosive power.
And for cryomancy, it seemed to involve measuring the range based on lower temperatures or something of that sort.
In addition, various special attributes were measured, including healing, sorcery, curses, divine magic, material manipulation, and radiance, as well as special attributes inherited through bloodline.
There were truly many things to behold, but Baek Yu-Seol believed the pyromancy category stood out the most.
Electromancy was flashy, while hydro and cryomancy were beautiful, but pyromancy was particularly noisy and wide-ranging.
Hong Bi-Yeon undoubtedly scored first place. However, Hong Bi-Yeon's mother, Hong Yi-El, who was also the supervisor of the pyromancy exam, seemed to still have some reservations about her.
Hong Si-Hwa, who could skillfully wield even more destructive and explosive magic than that, emerged as a great mage.
Hong Bi-Yeon was still young and had a lot of potential, but it seemed like her mother was even more impatient than her.
"You're still lacking. Work harder. The fact that your magic can backfire on allies is a deduction factor."
Despite putting in so much effort and dedication, Hong Bi-Yeon simply nodded in agreement with her mother's criticism.
Soon, Hong Yi-El shifted her gaze elsewhere.
Second place in the first-year pyromancy category was none other than Arshuang.
"Your control is remarkable. Although your firepower is a bit lacking, it can be easily overcome with precise control. You'll achieve excellent results when dealing with sensitive enemies or silently performing missions."
Unlike Hong Bi-Yeon, who received criticism, Arshuang only received praise.
Hong Bi-Yeon's expression naturally darkened, but Arshuang's expression was not particularly pleasant either.
Pyromancy was an attribute focused solely on firepower, and no matter how good the control was, having weak firepower was a fatal weakness.
Arshuang gave a cold, piercing glare at Hong Bi-Yeon, then disappeared with a sly smile.
"Baek Yu-Seol, it's your turn."
Fortunately, Baek Yu-Seol also received a passing grade in the special magic category, so he didn't fail as he did during admission.
Of course, all the other countless magic application subjects were failing grades, but he thought that was inevitable.
[Flash]
Wearing protective gear, Baek Yu-Seol moved towards an obstacle eight meters ahead, then flashed through the gap between another obstacle and landed.
In truth, the exam was nothing special. The key was the maximum range of Flash, the cooldown time, and how precisely he could control it.
"Hmm, impressive. Not only is there no delay, but it's also fascinating how accurately he finds the desired direction..."
Even the professors and assistant evaluators exclaimed in admiration. It seemed like Flash was an uncontrollable magic.
"Ahem, how on earth can one train to control Flash?"
Some professors subtly asked about the principles, but Baek Yu-Seol didn't answer.
No, he couldn't.
How could he answer something he didn't even know...
He could only say, “It just works.”
"Eh, well. Still, being a mage without revealing your potential is what matters, right? Got it, understood."
When he kept silent, they would react sullenly and then disappear, but at least they didn’t heap curses on him.
Even if it was just a commoner student's magic, it wouldn't be proper for a mage to forcibly take away someone's magic.
There was a group that secretly stole magical visions from behind, but since he didn’t have any visions to speak of, there was no need to worry.
After using Flash a few times appropriately, the exam ended, and he moved to the next exam venue.
'Magic Protocol Interpretation Exam.'
This was a subject Baek Yu-Seol was confident in.
In the middle of the exam room, there was a complex magic circle that students had to interpret, and the faster they could do it, the sooner they could leave.
It was a test of patience and suffering that could last from a minimum of one hour to as long as six hours.
[Prokitex’s Stacked Circuit Design]
As he analyzed the magic circle with his spectacles, something incredible came to mind, but he had no idea what it was.
There was no need to understand it. He would just copy someone else's work anyway.
‘But why does it seem like it's taking longer than usual to interpret?’
Wasn’t this difficult for a first-year level?
He didn’t really know.
He was quite clueless about magic.
Baek Yu-Seol glanced around discreetly and stood up after just 20 minutes. He could finish in five minutes if he just copied what he saw, but that would be too obvious and it would give away that he was cheating, so he didn't do that.
'Already?'
'What the...'
Baek Yu-Seol couldn't speak during the exam, but he could feel the students staring at him with wide eyes.
‘While you guys were working hard, I didn't really bother. When it comes to exams, I want to finish quickly and relax.’
’I'll probably get a perfect score, 100 out of 100.’
He had to secure as many points as possible in the written and theoretical sections.
Since he messed up the practical part so badly, if he didn’t score well in the written part, he could even fail.
"Here."
"Are you giving up?"
The professor took his exam paper without even checking it and put it on the chart. It seemed like there were students who gave up early sometimes.
"No, I finished all of it."
"...Already?"
"Yes, I'm going."
Upon hearing that, the professor took out his exam paper from the chart again and nodded.
It was break time.
Baek Yu-Seol had no intention of using the exam period wisely and wanted to go to the classroom and take a nap.
However, as soon as he left the exam room, a group of students blocked his way.
"Are you Baek Yu-Seol?"
He immediately sensed it as soon as he saw the second-year name tag.
Edmon had finally started causing trouble.
There was always some sort of hazing in Stella, and Edmon had ordered these second-years under his influence to harass Baek Yu-Seol under the pretext that he disrespected a senior.
This was also intentional. Edmon wanted to antagonize him to the point of no return.
“Look at this bastard, staring right at us.”
“Hey. Do you think seniors are a joke?”
“Kids these days are so spoiled.”
“Man, back in my day, this was unthinkable.”
‘… But now that it’s actually happening, it's fucking annoying, isn't it?’