Academy's Gumiho is a Magic Genius

"That's enough."

At the professor's command, Bang Seok-hoon stopped in his tracks. His body stiffened, and he barely managed to turn his head to look at Nam Hwa-yeon.

"Professor, what do you mean by that…?"

"Exactly what I said. That child did nothing wrong, so stop there."

At Nam Hwa-yeon's words, Bang Seok-hoon protested in a voice filled with frustration.

"But, Professor! For a freshman to act like this, the discipline in the lab will…!"

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

"…No, Professor."

Bang Seok-hoon lowered his head at Nam Hwa-yeon's firm tone. He didn't raise his head again. At a glance, it seemed like he had no choice but to accept the professor's words.

'From what I can see, it seems like he doesn't want to meet her eyes.'

Well, even I found Nam Hwa-yeon's eyes, as deep and unfathomable as the ocean, unsettling. In a situation like this, meeting her gaze wasn't easy. I nodded, empathizing with his reaction.

Even as this was happening, Bang Seok-hoon and Nam Hwa-yeon didn't exchange a single word.

Bang Seok-hoon remained with his head bowed, his arms trembling slightly, while Nam Hwa-yeon watched him with a faint smile.

The silence between them ended when Bang Seok-hoon finally stepped back.

Still staring at the floor, he spoke.

"…I apologize for causing a disturbance in your lab, Professor."

"Good. If you understand, you may leave."

"Yes…"

Bang Seok-hoon's expression still seemed somewhat aggrieved.

He kept his head bowed even as he opened the lab door and left. His pitiful demeanour suggested there was more to the story.

Well, it's none of my business, so I'll just ignore it.

What's important now isn't him, but Nam Hwa-yeon standing in front of me.

When I turned my head to look at her, she noticed my gaze and smiled softly.

"Did he give you a hard time? He's been stubborn and strong-willed since he was a child. It must've been tough working under him"

"No, not really. But you mentioned 'since he was a child'…?"

"Ah, Seok-hoon is someone I took in from an orphanage. He was bright, so I taught him from a young age, but before I knew it, he became so rude."

This was unexpected information.

Nam Hwa-yeon, who looked to be in her late twenties at most, had taken in Bang Seok-hoon from an orphanage and raised him.

From appearances alone, Bang Seok-hoon looked at least ten years older than Nam Hwa-yeon.

It was surprising, but since it wasn't particularly important information, I filed it away in a corner of my mind.

I was about to ask her what she had been trying to tell me earlier when—

"Ah, it's almost time for my lecture."

She beat me to it.

After checking the clock on the wall, Nam Hwa-yeon picked up some documents from her desk and stood up. She opened the lab door wide and turned to ask me,

"Aren't you coming?"

"…What do you mean?"

"Don't you see the time?"

Looking at the clock, I saw it was 2:48 PM. But what does that have to do with me?

Then I remembered what Bang Seok-hoon had said earlier.

─Professor, you have a lecture at 3 PM.

A lecture at 3 PM.

That meant she should be heading to the lecture hall soon.

So why was Nam Hwa-yeon still staring at me?

Shuffle.

Thinking there might be something behind me, I moved to the side, but her gaze followed me. Left, right—it didn't matter where I moved.

Unable to bear her silent stare, I finally spoke.

"Um… Professor. Shouldn't you be going? I thought I heard you have a lecture at 3."

"Yes, I should."

"Then shouldn't you hurry?"

"A professor can't go to the lecture hall alone, can she?"

"Huh?"

What is she talking about?

Is she saying she wants me to come along?

"So get ready."

Ugh, I guessed right.

But why does she want to take me?

I know that teaching assistants usually accompany professors to lectures, but that's usually the job of senior assistants like Bang Seok-hoon.

Snap!

Before I could escape, Nam Hwa-yeon grabbed my hand and pulled me along. She told me to grab the textbooks and writing tools from the desk, and I had no choice but to carry them as we moved.

There was no point in arguing.

Even the「Bluff」skill, which had worked perfectly fine in front of Bang Seok-hoon, was useless against her.

I couldn't resist and was dragged along like a ragdoll.

***

The lecture hall was larger than I had expected.

It was spacious enough to hold hundreds of students without issue. The vast hall was completely packed, not a single seat empty.

Truly fitting for a place that serves as the main setting of the story.

There must be at least 400 people here, right?

As I looked at the sea of students and stepped onto the podium, hundreds of pairs of eyes turned to me. It was slightly overwhelming.

If even I, who wasn't giving the lecture, felt this way, how must Nam Hwa-yeon feel, standing in front of me? I turned to look at her.

"…"

Nam Hwa-yeon was calmly preparing for the lecture, her expression unreadable.

Whether she was used to this environment or just had nerves of steel, I couldn't tell. She finished her preparations and began to speak.

"Welcome."

Her clear voice echoed through the lecture hall.

Perhaps amplified by magic, her words reached every student clearly.

"It's only been a week since you started, so I'm sure you're still adjusting, but don't expect any hand-holding in my lectures. If you want to learn, you'll have to struggle on your own."

Her opening remarks were unusually blunt for a lecture.

But it was effective in grabbing everyone's attention. She flicked her fingers, and colours began to appear on the large blackboard behind her.

[Flowing Constellations]

The students were momentarily startled by the words that appeared on the blackboard, but they quickly opened their textbooks and began searching for what they meant.

Even I, who had been keeping my distance from Nam Hwa-yeon, quickly flipped through the textbook.

Where is this mentioned?

──Rustle!

Soon, the lecture hall was filled with the sound of pages turning.

Everyone was flipping through their textbooks, searching for where [Flowing Constellations] was mentioned.

But no matter how hard they looked, no one could find it.

I was no exception.

I had thought reading the lecture script in advance would make it easy to find, but the term [Flowing Constellations] was nowhere to be found. Nam Hwa-yeon, who had been quietly observing this, let out a hearty laugh.

"Of course, it's not in the textbook. This lecture is based on something I created."

At her words, the students grew puzzled.

Why study something that wasn't even in the textbook?

While everyone was wondering this, Nam Hwa-yeon continued.

"As most of you know, the majority of magical formulas are based on circles."

A common, typical magical circle floated in the air.

Nam Hwa-yeon's doing.

Soon, the circle transformed into squares and triangles.

"Of course, some use square or triangular formulas. Though they're less efficient."

When I turned to gauge the students' reactions, only a few were paying attention. Most weren't even taking notes, instead chatting with their friends.

I completely understood their behaviour.

There was no need to pay close attention to lecture content that wouldn't even be on the exam.

Moreover, what Nam Hwa-yeon was discussing was the most basic of basics.

Even I, who had little knowledge of magic, understood it to some extent. For students who had just entered the academy, this attitude was probably natural.

But then again, a professor is a professor.

"But what if we increased the effect and range of the formula?"

Suddenly, the atmosphere of the lecture changed.

Nam Hwa-yeon extended her hand, and numerous formulas appeared on the blackboard.

The magical circle in the air changed forms according to what was written on the board—circles, squares, triangles, and more.

Eventually, the magical circle transformed into a three-dimensional sphere.

At that moment.

Most of the freshmen, who had been passively listening, pulled out their writing tools.

They could no longer just listen. They had to write it down to remember.

I was no different. I scribbled in my textbook.

Come to think of it, this textbook wasn't even mine, but I was so engrossed in the lecture that I forgot.

Her lecture had that kind of power.

"The key point here isn't the core of the magic. It's the formulas orbiting the core like satellites. By adjusting these formulas, the structural form of the magic continues to change."

Up to this point, it was something any student interested in magic would know. But the lecture didn't stop there.

"However, if you add more formulas here, the form becomes fixed."

As she spoke, a few lines were added to the sphere, and smaller spheres began to break away.

The detached spheres wandered aimlessly before naturally flowing around the larger, central sphere.

Like stars orbiting a planet, the magical formulas flowed around the core.

─"..."

By this point, there was no more idle chatter.

Everyone was focused solely on the lecture and taking notes. An inexplicable charisma had drawn the students into the lecture.

"Once this formula is applied, no matter what magic you add, it will maintain its current form."

The formulas, interfering with each other, still flowed around the core like stars.

Hence the name [Flowing Constellations]. The forms and flow of the formulas resembled the stars in the night sky.

"Using one formula as the core and having others orbit it like planets is the essence of this magic. Once you understand the principle, you can modify it to suit your own style."

And so, the lecture, which had lasted a full hour and a half, came to an end.

Nam Hwa-yeon straightened her clothes, while the students were still busy taking notes. Especially those who had been slacking off at the beginning were now writing furiously.

Since I wasn't a student, I didn't need to take notes, so I stood up and stretched.

──Crack!

The sound of bones popping was heard.

I had been sitting still for so long that my back and shoulders had stiffened. But if this was all, why did she bring me here?

She didn't use me as an assistant during the lecture, nor did she hand out worksheets. The only thing I did here was sit still.

If that's all, was there really a need for me to be here?

'Still, the lecture was impressive.'

Honestly, I didn't understand most of the theoretical parts.

However, the occasional insights sparked my inspiration.

But, there was one question lingering in my mind.

'Will the form really not change?'

She said that once the formula was completed, the form wouldn't change.

But is that really true?

As I was pondering this, Nam Hwa-yeon, who had finished straightening her clothes, spoke.

"Now that the lecture is over, let's take some questions."

As soon as she spoke, the students who had been taking notes all put down their pens. Then, hands shot up into the air.

Hundreds of hands rose, each student eager to be called on, creating a scene reminiscent of an idol concert.

The sight was overwhelming, but as soon as Nam Hwa-yeon spoke, everyone fell silent.

Her lecture must have left quite an impression.

"It seems like a lot of you have questions. What should we do in this situation?"

What else? Just pick one or two at random.

I was thinking this to myself when her gaze turned to me.

What, is she going to pick me? I thought, but then—

"Then let's have my youngest assistant answer."

"…Me?"

Really?

Is this why you brought me here?