I Became a Terminally Ill Magic Genius at the Academy

Yohan blinked against the bright light, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself back in the Hart family treasury.  

Instinctively, he turned to look for Alberto, but the butler was nowhere to be seen.  

It wasn’t likely that Alberto would have left Yohan alone, so he was still within the illusionary space.  

Having grasped the situation, Yohan calmly continued speaking.  

“They say I’ll die before I turn twenty because of that damned curse.”  

“… How old are you now?”  

Bryan asked in a somber voice.  

“Seventeen.”  

“Three years left then.”  

“I don’t plan on just dying. I’ll break the curse in my generation and live a long, healthy life.”  

“You think you can do what I couldn’t?”  

“Yes.”  

“….”  

Though Bryan said nothing, Yohan knew exactly what he was thinking.  

He must have been wondering, ‘How could you possibly do what I, the one who blocked the Lord, couldn’t?’

“Yes, I may be a little lacking. But I’ll still break the curse.”  

“And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”  

“I’ll use the most basic method to destroy a curse.”  

“What do you mean?”  

Bryan asked. He was clearly shocked.  

The most fundamental way to break a curse is to kill the caster.  

“In this case, that means killing the Lord.”  

From Bryan’s perspective, this made no sense.  

And it was understandable—he believed the Lord was already dead.  

Not only Bryan Hart, but nearly everyone thought so.  

Perhaps only a few high-ranking members of the Crow organization knew the truth.  

“The Lord is already dead. Even so, the curse remains.”  

“It was said the Lord died in the final battle, but since no corpse was ever found, how can you be so sure?”  

“That’s…”  

The four heroes had combined their power to unleash a devastating spell on the Lord, and afterward, the Lord disappeared.  

Everyone assumed he had died, but…  

“He barely escaped, sealed himself away, and will awaken exactly 1,000 years later.”  

And that ‘1,000 years later’ was now.  

“The Lord is only sealed, and he will wake up soon.”  

Yohan’s voice was firm as he spoke.  

Bryan didn’t respond, lost in thought.  

A brief silence followed.

“… Alright. Let’s assume you’re right. The Hart family’s curse continues because the Lord is still alive, and soon he’ll awaken.”  

“Yes.”  

“But how do you know that?”  

How did he know?  

The answer to that question was simple.  

Yohan curled his lips into a smirk.  

‘Because I’m the creator of this world.’

But of course, he couldn’t say that out loud. So, he calmly replied instead,  

“Because I’m the proof.”  

“What do you mean?”  

“A curse is always influenced by the caster. Since the Lord is sealed, the curse has been weakened.”  

“According to your logic, that makes sense.”  

The Hart family inherited not only Bryan Hart’s curse but also his magical talent, which allowed them to achieve greater success than most.  

“But the achievements of the Hart family’s mages are gradually diminishing.”  

As time passed, the emergence of high-level mages became less frequent.  

It wasn’t a decline in talent.  

It was because the curse was gradually becoming stronger.  

“I’m affected by the curse even when I use basic-level magic. And I’m destined to die before I turn twenty.”  

What did this mean?  

That Yohan had received an abnormally strong version of the curse.  

“The Lord, who has been sealed, has slowly been regaining his power, and there’s very little time left before he awakens. So…”  

The Lord would soon break free from his seal and awaken.  

He would bring chaos to the world, destroy the foundation of magic, and ultimately try to bring about the world’s destruction.  

The only one who could stop him and break the curse was Yohan Hart himself.  

In the original story, ‘Arcana Academy,’ the protagonist, Cedric, failed to kill the Lord and only managed to seal him again.  

Yohan needed to take it further and personally ensure the Lord’s defeat.  

For that, he needed a weapon that could perfectly assist him.  

“……”  

“Come with me.”  

Bryan’s eyes widened.  

He was shocked not only by Yohan’s claim that the Lord was still alive but also because Yohan’s tone had suddenly shifted from polite to casual.  

“I know you want to correct your master’s despair and regret, but no matter how hard you try within this illusion, nothing will change.”  

“… Since when?”

Bryan’s expression shifted subtly.  

He looked at Yohan and asked.

“What exactly?”  

“When you realized I wasn’t really Bryan Hart.”  

“When I said that Bryan’s true regret wasn’t passing on the curse to future generations, but from the battle itself?”  

In other words, from almost the very beginning.  

Bryan—or rather, the magic pen impersonating him—let out a chuckle.  

“Honestly, I still don’t think you’ll be able to break the curse.”  

Bryan’s form began to dissolve.  

—Sometimes, there are things in this world that you have to try, even if you know they might be impossible.

And besides…  

As Bryan vanished, the magic pen he had been holding floated up, and Yohan heard a voice echo in his mind.  

—It’s not entirely hopeless.  

At that moment, a brilliant light engulfed the world.

——

Meanwhile, in the family head’s office, Grayson Hart exhaled as he looked at the people standing before him.  

Yohan’s private tutor, Austin, and his personal maid, Ariel.  

After Yohan had boldly requested access to the family treasury, Grayson had reluctantly agreed and sent him with Alberto to the treasury.  

Naturally, Grayson had summoned Austin and Ariel immediately afterward.  

There was only one thing Grayson needed to confirm with Austin.  

“So Yohan used magic during his lesson?”  

The report had come in just after Yohan entered the family treasury—that Yohan had cast magic during Austin’s lesson.  

Up until then, Yohan had never used magic despite years of learning under Austin.  

It had been years since Yohan had last used magic, so Grayson had to verify the truth.  

“Yes. And it was as powerful as you’d expect from someone bearing the Hart name.”  

Austin nodded vigorously as he answered.  

Grayson observed him quietly before speaking again.  

“And how was he when he cast it?”  

“Pardon?”

“The power of the magic aside, how was it when he cast the spell? How did he draw the magic circle? How did he hold the pen? And what about his mana control?”  

“Ah! Despite not having used magic for years, he drew the magic circle with such precision and speed that it was hard to believe. It was as if the pen was an extension of his own body. His mana control was so delicate…”  

Austin answered Grayson’s questions with admiration, genuinely praising Yohan’s magical abilities.  

In fact, Austin went so far as to add. 

“Perhaps the young master has been hiding his strength all along…”  

Hearing this, Grayson raised his hand, signaling Austin to stop.  

“Hmm, I see. You may go now.”  

“Yes, sir.”  

Austin quickly bowed and left.  

As soon as the door closed with a soft click, Grayson turned to look at Ariel.  

“What do you think?”  

“If you’re asking for my personal opinion… I can’t imagine any reason why the young master would have hidden his strength.”  

“Exactly.”  

There were no rival heirs competing for the title of duke.  

Yohan was the sole heir of the Hart family.  

There was absolutely no reason for him to conceal his power.  

Naturally, this led to only one possible conclusion.  

“Perhaps he wasn’t using magic because of the curse.”  

“I believe so as well.”  

It wasn’t that Yohan had hidden his strength, but rather that he refrained from using magic due to the curse and its painful side effects.  

Grayson Hart vividly remembered the time when Yohan had suffered after casting magic as a child.  

– Aagh!

– Yohan, what’s wrong?

– It hurts… It hurts so much!

His son had clutched his chest as if his heart were being torn apart and writhed in agony.  

That memory was still fresh in Grayson’s mind.  

From that day onward, Yohan never used magic again.  

“If that’s the case, we need to change the question.”  

Grayson opened his eyes and spoke.

“Why do you think he’s suddenly started using magic again?”  

“Perhaps he’s found a way to overcome the curse.”  

“A way to break the curse, you say.”  

Breaking the curse had long been the Hart family’s greatest wish.  

Astronomical amounts of money and manpower had been devoted to uncover a solution, but none had been discovered.  

The only thing they had learned was that, as time passed, the curse grew stronger.  

“Curses usually weaken over time…”  

Grayson clicked his tongue in frustration.  

For some reason, the Lord’s curse was growing stronger.  

Not only was it diminishing magical ability, but it was now even threatening their lifespans.  

And now, Yohan supposedly found a solution?

‘The boy who used to drown himself in alcohol?’

Even though he cared deeply for his son, Grayson could separate personal feelings from professional judgment. 

Objectively speaking, Yohan didn’t seem to have the ability to break the curse.  

‘No point in overthinking it.’

“I’ll have to ask Yohan himself.”  

If you don’t know the answer, the only option is to ask the person who does.  

“What do you think? Do you believe Yohan can be chosen by a magic pen?” 

Up until now, the chances had seemed nonexistent. But if Yohan was using magic and showing impressive power, as both a father and the head of the family, it was natural for Grayson to feel hopeful.  

“Well…”  

Ariel hesitated, unsure how to answer.  

Yes. Yohan had used magic, and from what Austin said, it was undoubtedly impressive.  

But earning the recognition of a magic pen was a different matter altogether, and Ariel knew that well.  

As she hesitated to answer, there was a knock at the door.  

Knock. Knock.

Grayson Hart shifted his gaze from Ariel to the door.  

“This is Alberto, the head butler. May I enter?”  

At the same time, Grayson couldn’t help but feel disappointed.  

The fact that Alberto, who had entered the family treasury with Yohan, had returned in less than an hour could only mean one thing—Yohan had likely given up on the magic pen’s trial.  

And yet, Grayson was surprised by his own reaction.  

‘Disappointed?’

Grayson had seen and heard more than anyone else about how Yohan had lived his life.  

People had even said that a ‘dog had been born under a tiger,’ referring to his unruly son.  

It wasn’t at all surprising that Yohan hadn’t gained the magic pen’s approval or had given up.  

‘I suppose I let myself get hopeful.’

Those confident strides and the liveliness in Yohan’s eyes, which were absent for years, must have caused him to have unrealistic expectations.  

Grayson clicked his tongue in frustration and spoke.  

“Come in.”  

As soon as he gave his permission, the door burst open.  

Alberto entered. He appeared flustered, his face red with excitement.  

“Master.”

“So, which magic pen did Yohan choose?”  

If Yohan had given up midway, at least it would be less embarrassing if he had chosen one of the more difficult magic pens—the ones no one had succeeded with.  

“He chose the magic pen of the first Duke, Bryan Hart.”  

“Well, that’s a relief. At least he won’t bring shame upon us if he failed with that one.”  

At Grayson’s comment, Alberto blinked, then shook his head.  

“No. That’s mot it.”  

“Then what?”  

“He was recognized by it.”  

Naturally, Grayson Hart didn’t immediately grasp the meaning of Alberto’s words.  

The idea that Yohan had been recognized by Bryan Hart’s magic pen was simply inconceivable.  

“Recognized by what?”  

“He was recognized by the magic pen of the first Duke, Bryan Hart. He brought it out of the treasury himself.”  

At Alberto’s words, Grayson let out a disbelieving chuckle.  

It was hard to believe.  

He turned his gaze to Yohan, who had followed Alberto into the room.  

“Is what he says true?”  

When asked, Yohan slowly pulled out a pen.  

It was unmistakable.  

The magic pen of the first head of the family, Bryan Hart.  

This wasn’t just an heirloom; it was practically the symbol of the Hart family.  

How could Yohan possibly be holding that pen?  

“As promised, this belongs to me now, right?”  

Yohan grinned as he spoke.