I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 426

The ball at Adolevit could last as short as a day or stretch for a full ten days.

Of course, under Queen Hong Seryu’s reign, there hasn’t been a ball that lasted ten days.

She once remarked, "Better to use that time for the prosperity of the realm," and thus compressed the duration of the ball.

Even her own celebrations were not exempt from this rule, as this particular ball, held to commemorate her birthday, ended in just three days.

Three days. Only three days.

And yet, within those three days, Hong Biyeon felt as though all the energy in her body had been completely drained.

“Haaah...”

Had she ever sighed so deeply in her life? No, this wasn’t even a sigh.

It was a deep breath born out of sheer exhaustion.

Returning to her chamber, Hong Biyeon sat at the dressing table in front of the mirror and buried her face in her hands.

“...I’m so tired.”

As royalty, this was essentially her first time properly attending a ball and mingling with nobles.

When she was younger, a few nobles had shown interest and approached her, but ever since she gained a position in the line of succession, they kept their distance.

After all, Princess Hong Siwha was the obvious choice for the next monarch, leaving Hong Biyeon with no chance of claiming the throne, not even a shred of possibility.

Approaching someone like Hong Biyeon, seen as a rival, would yield no benefit for them.

Yes, from the moment she was given a place in the line of succession as a child, the unfair race had already begun.

Hong Siwha was far ahead, sprinting forward, while Hong Biyeon had barely started.

Even after ten years, the gap hadn’t closed. While Hong Siwha moved faster and closer to the finish line, Hong Biyeon was still stuck in place.

She smirked bitterly.

Hong Siwha had been the hare in this race—too quick to start but ultimately hindered by her own complacency.

Her feet had been caught, stumbling over a massive wall named Baek Yuseol.

Hong Biyeon hadn’t missed that opportunity.

Unlike Hong Siwha, she was the tortoise. Slowly but steadily, she crawled forward, closing the gap during Hong Siwha’s fall.

That was her achievement today.

“I’m exhausted... but this isn’t the time to rest.”

Today, Hong Biyeon had taken countless steps forward. She had narrowed the significant distance that separated her from Hong Siwha.

But it wasn’t enough.

She needed more than steps. She needed to run.

And she now had the means to do so.

“The Council of Flames.”

The once-unreachable council, something she had never dared to dream of attaining, was now within her grasp.

Her heart raced, but she calmed herself.

If she became queen, this would become her everyday life.

Sitting confidently among the council members, listening to their opinions, and presenting her own—it would all become routine.

So, she told herself not to anticipate it too much. Not to let her heart race or to feel thrilled.

That kind of excitement was for children.

Still, her heart pounded so loudly that it seemed to echo beyond the palace walls.

She wanted to rush over immediately.

She nearly sprang from her seat when a knock interrupted her thoughts.

“Princess?”

“...Hm?”

It wasn’t the voice of the maids who usually attended to her. Instead, it was a servant from the noble household staff who managed palace affairs.

“I’ll come out.”

The private chamber of a princess was not a place that nobles or servants could approach lightly.

Hong Biyeon opened the door herself, stepping out to find dozens of servants bowing their heads, holding stacks of documents.

For a moment, she was speechless. Words faltered, and her brilliant mind quickly processed what had happened.

Everything she had done during the ball—networking, business deals, trading agreements, magical research collaborations, tea parties, festivals, debates, meetings—all of it had converged at once, flooding in like a tidal wave.

“Princess, the administrative staff wishes to speak with you—”

“There are matters regarding national defense...”

“Concerns about maritime trade...”

As she listened, dozens of issues poured in one after another. Hong Biyeon raised her hand quickly.

“Enough.”

“...Pardon?”

“I’ll address them later.”

She closed her eyes tightly and spoke.

“Bring all of it to my office.”

“...Understood.”

As the servants scurried off to deliver the documents to her office, Hong Biyeon pressed her temples, which were beginning to throb.

Dealing with so many issues in one day was impossible.

But if it were tomorrow’s Hong Biyeon... perhaps it would be.

“...What am I doing?”

This was exactly the kind of thing Baek Yuseol would do.

He’d probably look at the mountain of papers and nonchalantly say, “That’s a problem for tomorrow’s me!” before strolling off without a care.

Maybe, in some way, she was beginning to resemble him.

Though she would never admit it.

“No, I’m not going out to play.”

Watching the servants busily move the documents, she turned to her remaining maids.

“I have somewhere to go for a while.”

“Yes, Princess.”

The maid naturally followed the princess wherever she went, like a shadow.

So when Hong Biyeon announced her intention to leave, the maid simply nodded in agreement, ready to follow. But that wasn’t what the princess intended.

“Do not follow me.”

The maids raised their heads in surprise.

They were not veteran attendants.

Though they had spent years in the palace, they had only been assigned to serve Princess Hong Biyeon directly for a few months.

Being the personal attendants of a princess in the line of succession was no ordinary position. Their duty was to remain her shadow, to stay by her side no matter what.

“...Forgive me, but my unworthy mind cannot comprehend Your Highness’s command.”

The head maid, a young woman barely in her twenties, voiced her concern. Her voice trembled slightly, betraying her fear.

It was understandable.

The order to remain as the princess’s shadow likely came directly from the queen. Could they defy the queen’s command, even if it was at the princess’s request?

That fear was palpable in the air.

“You have nothing to worry about,” Hong Biyeon said calmly. “I wouldn’t want my people to face criticism.”

The head maid slowly raised her head. The princess had already discerned the source of their unease.

“So...”

Hong Biyeon glanced around briefly before pointing toward her chamber.

“This is an order. From now on, guard my chamber. There are precious items inside.”

There weren’t.

The maids, who had managed her chamber during the many days she was at Stella Academy, knew this well.

Even so, an order was an order.

“Yes, Your Highness,” the maids replied in unison.

That was the duty of those who served royalty.

After ushering her maids into her chamber, Hong Biyeon moved discreetly, circling around the palace on her own.

She chose paths where she wouldn’t be noticed, but the detour took a considerable amount of time.

The palace was vast, with small warp gates installed at various points for convenience, but she avoided using them to ensure no trace of her movements was left behind.

Sweat trickled down her forehead.

Already exhausted, walking in heels made her feel as though she might collapse at any moment.

Finally, she arrived at her destination—a mysterious place hidden in the farthest corner of the palace.

A secret wall, accessible only through warp gates, led her to a small room.

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Contrary to the dark and ominous atmosphere she had expected, the interior was decorated in an elegant Gothic style.

Inside, two figures sat: a middle-aged man and an old woman.

The man was Margrave Drac, and the old woman...

“You’ve come, child of flame.”

“...I greet the brightest of flames.”

Hong Biyeon immediately bowed deeply.

The old woman was none other than Hong Rion, a mage of the Council of Flames.

The presence of such a distinguished elder surprised her. She hadn’t expected to meet someone of her stature here.

It seemed Margrave Drac was equally taken aback. The astonishment on his face made it clear he hadn’t anticipated Hong Rion’s arrival.

“Elder, why have you...?”

“Am I not allowed to see the child I’ve chosen? Adolevit truly has grown bleak these days.”

“That’s not what I meant...”

Even Margrave Drac, known for his stoic demeanor, was flustered in her presence. Hong Rion, with the serene smile characteristic of the elderly, gestured toward a chair.

“Sit, child.”

“Yes.”

Calm down.

Hong Rion, one of the most senior members of the Council of Flames, had come personally to see her. This was a moment to show the dignity of a future queen.

“Do you know why I’ve called you here?”

“...To offer your support?”

“Haha, yes, that’s the main reason. The council is often divided, each member backing their own chosen candidate for the throne.”

“I see...”

Of course, not every council member concerned themselves with the affairs of the world. Some lived detached from worldly matters, indifferent to the outcome.

“I, too, have my reasons. I’ve grown weary of Queen Hong Seryu’s reign. If her daughter, Hong Siwha, inherits the throne, things will only worsen.”

Hong Biyeon chose not to respond. She was cautious, unsure of how to navigate this delicate topic.

“So, aren’t you curious how I intend to support you?”

“I am curious, but I thought it would be impolite to ask.”

“Haha, what’s impolite about that? The way I plan to support you is something only you can accomplish.”

“...May I ask what you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I will assign you a task that only you can perform, and through that, I will solidify my support for you.”

Something only I can do...

As Hong Biyeon’s crimson eyes began to glow, Hong Rion stopped beating around the bush and spoke directly.

“Child, you seem to be quite close to the descendant of the Morph family.”

Thump! Her heart skipped a beat.

Most of Adolevit despised the Morph family.

If this was a demand to sever ties with them or to stop associating with Eisel, Hong Biyeon was prepared to refuse outright.

Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

“It’s fortunate that you’re close to that child. I intend to reveal the truth about an event that occurred ten years ago—an incident involving Princess Hong Siwha.”

The shocking statement made Hong Biyeon’s eyes widen.

“Yes, during the ball, that boy named Baek Yuseol stirred things up quite entertainingly. The flame was ready, but there was no oil to feed it. That child came along and poured oil brilliantly, making everything much easier.”

As Hong Biyeon swallowed hard and nodded, Hong Rion’s crimson eyes glimmered.

“You will, with your own hands, destroy your sister.”