NOVEL NEXT Chapter 329: Winter Break (3)
A month had passed since Baek Yu-Seol had fallen into a deep slumber. Though concerns for him lingered, those he left behind had no choice but to swiftly resume their daily lives.
Winter break arrived, marking the end of one academic year and the start of a new one.
The third-year seniors graduated and left, while the freshmen transitioned into their second year, welcoming a new chapter in their lives.
Teenagers took advantage of the winter vacation to take a break from their studies, traveling or returning to their hometowns to rest in their own ways.
Among them, Ma Yu-Seong also returned to his ‘family home,’ though whether this could truly be called a ‘break’ was something that warranted some thought.
‘The Wailing Cliff, the Black Fortress.’
A grim fortress encircled by jagged, thorny cliffs that resembled prison walls, where black winds howled ceaselessly.
The air was saturated with dark magic, dense and chaotic. Ordinary humans who ventured near would either succumb to corruption or perish under a curse. Lesser dark mages or creatures wouldn’t even last a moment, meeting instant death.
Yet, Ma Yu-Seong casually strolled into that cursed place as if he were taking a leisurely walk.
When he reached the Black Fortress, a ghost in the form of a black mist emerged, slithering toward him.— Prince Ma Yu-Seong...
“Yes.”
— The King awaits you...
“Lead the way.”
Following the ghost into the fortress, Ma Yu-Seong ascended its heights and eventually arrived at the throne room.
Though the chamber was aged and rusted, the King’s throne stood untouched, as pristine and black as ink.
Seated upon it was a man clad in black armor.
Ironically, despite his overwhelming darkness, his presence felt purer and more vivid than any shade of white.
“You’ve arrived.”
“What business do you have with me?” Ma Yu-Seong asked in a dry tone.
The shadows around him stirred in agitation, mirroring his displeasure. From those shadows, his ‘half-siblings’ watched, their fury at his audacious tone barely contained.
Of course, whether they were enraged or not was of no concern to Ma Yu-Seong.
“I called you because I wanted to see my son’s face during the break. Surely, as a father, I’m allowed that much.”
“The fact that I must see your face during my holiday drives me mad.”
“... I see.”
The King winced at the bitterness in Ma Yu-Seong’s words, each syllable cutting deep. But as he thought of the wounds his son bore due to his own mistakes, he silently accepted the pain.
‘He still misses his mother, does he not...’
Dark mages have no mothers.
Although dark mages might have biological mothers who brought them into the world, any sense of gratitude toward them vanished the moment they embraced the darkness.
However, Ma Yu-Seong was different.
He remembered his mother, loved her, and still held her in his heart… And he despised his father, the one responsible for her death.
Such emotions had no place in a dark mage, whose soul should have long since been corrupted by dark magic.
“Now that I’ve seen your face, that’s enough. You said you were curious why I called for you…”
“Get to the point already.”
“Your friend, Baek Yu-Seol, was it?”
Ma Yu-Seong’s eyes narrowed sharply at the sudden mention of Baek Yu-Seol’s name.
“Yes.”
“I’ve looked into him. Recently, he’s been bedridden for over a month due to some incident.”
“That’s not something you should be concerned about.”
“Do you know that he’s being transferred to a hospital run by alchemists specializing in the study of life for proper treatment?”
“... I’m aware.”
Baek Yu-Seol’s transfer was a carefully guarded secret, known only to a select few. Yet Ma Yu-Seong had his own network of informants within Stella Academy, ensuring he stayed well-informed.
“Impressive.”
Before Ma Yu-Seong could question why his father had brought this up, the Dark Mage King continued.
“Baek Yu-Seol has been a persistent thorn in the side of the dark mages, meddling in our affairs time and again. Until now, Stella’s protection kept him safe. But during the transfer, when he’s out in the open… Do you really think he’ll be left alone? Especially when he’s completely unconscious and defenseless?”
Crack!
As the Dark Mage King’s words fell, the ground fractured beneath them. Ma Yu-Seong’s crimson eyes flared, gleaming like molten rubies.
Those eyes - so strikingly similar to the Dark Mage King’s - forced the surrounding dark mages to lower their heads in silent submission.
Trait: [Majestic Aura]
A rare trait said to appear only once every few centuries. At present, it was known to be possessed by Jaime Skalven, the prince of the Skalven Empire. Yet Ma Yu-Seong bore it as well.
A trait that bent the wills of those around him, compelling them to kneel… a mark of one born to rule, a chosen being destined for kingship.
Seeing this, the Dark Mage King smiled silently.
He had never possessed the natural qualities of a king, relying instead on raw power to force submission. But Ma Yu-Seong... if he ever truly set his mind to it...
'By then, dark mages might no longer have to live in hiding.'
The Dark Mage King slowly shook his head.
“My son. Do you truly believe I would do such a thing?”
At those words, Ma Yu-Seong’s simmering rage cooled, and reason began to take hold once more.
Of course. The Dark Mage King was not one to handle matters in such a drawn-out or underhanded manner.
It was a matter of his pride.
When he set out to defeat an opponent, he ensured the battle was fought under fair and deliberate conditions.
If his opponent was injured, he would wait until they healed or inflict the same injury upon himself.
If his opponent was unarmed, he would discard his own weapons and fight barehanded.
If his opponent had someone to protect, he would guarantee that person’s safety before engaging in an uninterrupted duel.
If his opponent stood alone, he would dismiss all his subordinates, refusing to rely on sheer numbers.
And yet...
He had never once lost a battle.
The ‘undefeated legend.’
From his days as a human to his current life as a dark mage, he had never known the concept of defeat. This led to him being crowned with the title of ‘World's Strongest.’
Why?
Because he always fought only under conditions that favored his opponent.
“...Then what exactly are you trying to say?”
“That is for you to figure out. It was pleasant to see your face. Stay healthy.”
The Dark Mage King’s words echoed with finality as he leaned back and quietly closed his eyes.
Ma Yu-Seong rose from his seat and left the throne room, deep in thought.
‘It must be the work of the Moon Shadow Church...’
If there was any group likely to target Baek Yu-Seol, it would be them.
Not only had they suffered catastrophic losses at Baek Yu-Seol’s hands, but the current transport operation was guarded by Stella Academy’s elite knights.
Few dark mage factions in the world possessed the strength, or audacity, to attack Stella’s forces and assassinate Baek Yu-Seol mid-transit.
‘I can’t disclose this to anyone ahead of time.’
Even if he informed the Stella Knights, they would question the source of the information, which would be troublesome. And reporting it anonymously would likely result in it being ignored.
No one would believe him.
Someone else… Someone who wouldn’t question the source of his words yet would trust them implicitly. Someone who was determined to protect Baek Yu-Seol at all costs.
Yes, there were such people.
Even with just a moment’s thought, more than three names surfaced in Ma Yu-Seong’s mind. And if he broadened the scope further, even more faces swirled through his thoughts.
“... This should be enough.”
Ma Yu-Seong raised his right hand and opened his palm. Dark mana flickered briefly before crumbling into fine dust.
Even without using it actively, the dark magic within him continued to grow, swelling like an overinflated balloon as he aged. To keep it under control, he had no choice but to continually strengthen his white mana. As a result, by the age of eighteen, he had already achieved the astonishing feat of perfectly mastering Class 5 magic.
And yet, if he were ever to unleash his dark mana fully... Even a Class 6 genius mage, someone with decades of experience, would struggle to withstand his power.
It was an unfathomable reality.
The idea that a teenage boy could rival the strength of Class 6 mages, a feat unheard of in over a thousand years, was so preposterous that most would dismiss it as madness or mockery.
But none of that mattered.
‘I won’t use dark mana.’
White mana was a gift from his mother, while dark mana came from his father. Even if it meant his own death, Ma Yu-Seong was determined never to use the loathsome, disgusting dark mana.
‘With white mana alone, I can protect those precious to me.’
He was resolute in this decision.
If Baek Yu-Seol could protect everyone without even white mana, what reason was there for him to fail?
‘... Let’s go back.’
***
Jeliel rarely attended the academy, choosing instead to spend most of her time managing the affairs of her trading company in the Waning Moon Plains.
Winter break made little difference to her routine.
While other teenagers enthusiastically embraced their holidays and went out to play, her days remained the same as always.
She began her day by pulling back the curtains to greet the morning sunlight, then brewed a cup of coffee.
With work documents spread out before her, she cradled the freshly brewed coffee in her right hand and gazed out the window, taking in the sweeping beauty of the Waning Moon Plains.
It was breathtakingly beautiful, as always.
The ‘Legend of the Immortal's Cliff,’ which claimed that someone once died while gazing at the Waning Moon Plains until their last breath, didn’t exist without reason.
How had she managed to live through the period when she didn’t appreciate the beauty of it?
Jeliel longed to savor the positive emotions that gave her strength and purpose. Yet, the moment her gaze shifted to the desk, her expression darkened.
Resting atop the desk was a small photo frame. Within it was a picture of her and Baek Yu-Seol, taken as a keepsake during his visit to the Astral Flower Magic Academy as an exchange student.
Setting her coffee cup down, Jeliel carefully picked up the frame.
In the photo, Baek Yu-Seol wore a startled expression, likely because the picture had been taken so suddenly.
‘... When will you wake up?’
She had clung to the faint hope that he might miraculously awaken at the start of the new year. But the days passed, and there was still no word.
‘Come to think of it… It’s the day after tomorrow, isn’t it?’
She recalled hearing that countless mages, scholars, doctors, and researchers within Stella had been gathered to study Baek Yu-Seol’s condition. When no answers emerged, they decided to transfer him to a specialized hospital for further research.
Treating a patient like a test subject was absurd, but his condition was so unique that it seemed impossible to find a solution without resorting to extraordinary methods.
Jeliel had poured her own resources into hiring numerous mages and instructed them to conduct their research without restrictions.
Since her own knowledge was insufficient to treat Baek Yu-Seol, the best she could do was use her ability to move resources—her wealth—as effectively as possible.
‘I hope they find a solution there…’
Clink!
“... Hmm?”
Lost in thought, Jeliel had been absently stroking the photo frame when the sudden rattle of her coffee cup snapped her out of it.
Lifting her head, she saw Silver Autumn Moon standing awkwardly at the entrance. He quickly turned his face aside and let out a dry cough.
— Ahem, ahem. Looks like I came at the wrong time. Go ahead and finish what you were doing.
“Huh?”
What was he even talking about?
Jeliel lowered her head once more, and only then did the weight of Silver Autumn Moon’s words sink in. Her face was drained of color.
The way she had been tenderly stroking Baek Yu-Seol’s photo—if anyone had seen it, there was no doubt they’d completely misunderstand...
“It’s… It’s not what it looks like!”
Panicking, she hastily set the frame back on the desk, sprang up from her chair, and flung a stack of papers in frustration.
But, of course, Silver Autumn Moon’s translucent form caused the papers to pass straight through him, scattering harmlessly to the ground.
— Oh-ho, you’re flustered? I didn’t expect that kind of image from you.
“I told you, it’s not like that…”
— Hehehe.
Jeliel’s fists clenched tightly as her shoulders trembled in frustration. Her head hung low, a mix of embarrassment and irritation simmering inside her.
For months, she had endured countless hardships, chasing down leads to find this elusive old man.
And now, finally standing face-to-face with him, she was already regretting it.
—————
Goal: 20 Bonus Chapters to Celebrate 300 Chapters of Flashing Genius!
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