The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 203

The Cursed Mining Site.

Solia stood silently, staring at the ominous energy rising from the ground, her face twisting in disgust.

It was an instinctive repulsion.

Though the Arkenent Territory’s mining site had been bleak, it was still ordinary.

Now, it had suddenly transformed into something so vile that even standing there was unbearable due to the oppressive evil energy.

Just then, a knight who had been waiting for Solia hurriedly approached from the other side.

He had come to relay instructions from the Count of Arkenent and update her on the current situation.

“What exactly is going on here?”

Knight Rune reported the situation with a stiff posture.

“We have tried to figure out what is happening ourselves.”

The cursed land had begun swallowing people suddenly.

Within just a week, more than a dozen casualties had occurred.

Furthermore, the malevolent energy was spreading around the mining site, indicating that the bizarre natural phenomenon was expanding outward from this place.

“But we’ve been unable to determine the cause… That’s why we brought you here. Even after pouring holy water, the energy does not dissipate. Whether this malice is drawing people in or not, the number of casualties keeps increasing.”

Even the Count of Arkenent could not uncover the reason.

To resolve this issue, the most suitable candidate was Solia, the Light Mage, and so they sought her support.

Solia indeed possessed the power to purify and suppress this intense energy.

Although the foul aura wrapped around her feet, it was still within a manageable level.

“…I see.”

With that judgment, Solia slowly walked towards the mining site, where the malevolent energy was rising.

She then issued instructions to Knight Rune.

“Control the area and prevent anyone from entering.”

“Yes, understood!”

The malicious energy did not have a physical form.

Likewise, magic wasn’t something that could be cut down with a sword.

Therefore, even if knights accompanied her, they would only get in the way.

She would handle this alone.

With that resolve, Solia quickened her pace.

The distance between her and Knight Rune, who remained stationed as ordered, grew wider and wider.

Solia, with a calm face, murmured to herself.

“If I want to return to Odryse, I need to resolve this by today.”

In truth, Solia’s mind was preoccupied with other thoughts.

There were people she had left behind when she came here.

It had taken a considerable amount of time to reach the Arkenent Territory.

And she had spent even more time gathering the tools necessary for purification.

The others likely needed her help urgently as well, and she wondered if she had been away for too long.

Solia quickly scanned the area, intending to finish up swiftly.

What exactly was the source of this wicked energy?

The basic principle of purification was to find the source.

Even if she poured all her purifying power into the cursed land, without addressing the source, it would only be a temporary fix.

Solia walked towards the spot where the energy felt most concentrated.

Occasionally, the energy took on a form and attacked her,

But her powerful barrier of light easily blocked the vile forces.

“This is nothing.”

Snap.

Crackle.

With the sound of the energy burning, black smoke rose.

A sharp, acrid smell stung her nose. Staying here too long would likely lead to breathing difficulties due to the accumulating malice.

It was unbearable.

She definitely wanted to finish this quickly.

“Is it here?”

Solia stopped in front of the spot where the energy felt strongest.

However, she hesitated.

The concentration was intense compared to other areas, but it didn’t quite feel like the core.

“This feels… off.”

Solia took another step, moving forward cautiously.

“Then, is it here?”

The concentration of malice felt similar in another spot.

Solia tilted her head in confusion and stepped back.

“What’s going on?”

It was different from the typical manifestations of malice she was familiar with.

It didn’t seem like it was naturally formed by obsidian.

Step by step.

Solia continued to follow the path where the energy felt most intense.

“Here, and here. And over there too….”

The malice was evenly distributed across various points.

It extended outward, drawing lines, only to suddenly change direction.

As if it were forming a shape…

“A shape…”

Solia stopped as she repeated the word to herself.

The energy was flowing in a pattern, almost like a spell circle.

“A spell circle?”

Solia’s face turned pale as she realized the truth.

It wasn’t naturally occurring malice that was consuming people.

The spell circle set up across this vast land was what had been killing people.

And someone had been waiting here, using it as a trap.

This meant that whoever set up the spell circle wasn’t far away.

“It’s a trap.”

As Solia whispered in a trembling voice,

“Gah!”

A black cloud engulfed her.

* * *

She was exposed to a massive surge of malicious energy all at once.

Even with the power of ‘purification,’ she couldn’t fend off the poison that struck her lungs like a tidal wave.

The oppressive energy crushed Solia, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

Through the black cloud, she could make out the unpleasant silhouettes of three dark mages approaching her.

Knowing she couldn’t possibly defeat them in this situation, Solia chose to escape.

.

It was the only skill she could rely on in this predicament.

Solia vanished like the wind, like light, and seeped into the cloud.

In her shadow form, she successfully concealed herself within the storm of malice, and the dark mages, who had been confidently pursuing her, started to panic and look around, bewildered.

Only an open clearing lay near the mining site.

Solia knew she had to head somewhere less conspicuous.

She kept running without rest.

“Huff… huff…”

She ran toward the forest.

The cursed forest near the mining site, thick with trees and shadows.

She took refuge in the forest as a temporary measure.

While she had managed to momentarily evade her pursuers, the gap she had created wasn’t very large.

She had sprinted here when the storm of malice had blocked their view.

Since this was the only route to escape, they would likely catch up soon.

Solia staggered, forcing her legs to keep moving.

How much longer could she hold on?

These were people who had set up traps in the Arkenent Territory and waited for her.

It seemed unlikely their goal was solely to capture her, but she had fallen into the trap alone.

Perhaps it was fortunate that she had come alone, not wanting to burden her friends from the academy.

Solia didn’t know.

All she could do was grit her teeth and run.

Then, a chilling voice struck the back of her head.

“She’s over there!”

They weren’t far away.

Had they already chased her this far?

Solia’s unrefined magic was leaking out.

She was expelling far more magic than necessary in an attempt to cleanse the poison that was spreading through her body.

They were most likely tracking her magic traces.

However, her body, pushed beyond its limits, had lost the ability to control her magic flow.

“Ugh!”

Solia instinctively knew.

Three high-ranking dark magicians.

Anyone caught within their extensive magic field would have been consumed by the spell on the spot.

And she was no exception.

She had lasted a little longer, but the end was drawing near.

The poison was slowly spreading throughout her body.

Solia forced her increasingly unresponsive legs to keep moving.

She kept running without a moment to properly detoxify herself.

There was no time to think about detoxification; all she could do was keep running without pause.

But eventually, her weakened legs could no longer carry her.

“Ah!”

Thud.

She stumbled forward, collapsing as her legs gave out.

Blood oozed from her scraped knees, but she felt no pain; her legs were numb.

The ominous voices were drawing nearer.

“She’s around here. Search everywhere!”

“N-no….”

Solia squeezed her eyes shut.

She fumbled around, feeling for her necklace, and clutched the glowing pendant in her hand.

It was her artifact, purifying her corrupted magic circuits and working to detoxify her.

“Haa….”

The artifact’s purifying ability had long reached its limit.

She should have died long ago.

The curse that even her purification magic couldn’t withstand was only barely being held back by this artifact.

Of course, this was hardly a moment to feel reassured by that fact.

Solia slowly got up, her fallen body trembling.

There was no time to be lost in sentiment.

The necklace brought someone to her mind.

“Did you… know?”

Did he know that this detoxifying artifact would give her one more chance to keep running?

That it would be the one thing holding onto hope?

Had he calculated all of this when he gifted it to her?

“You… always seemed to know everything. You saved me….”

When she was kidnapped by the cursed tree.

When she recklessly joined the Drake hunting party.

Even now, when the poison spread so thoroughly that she could barely run.

Han Siha had saved her.

So…

So…

Solia clutched the necklace tightly in her hand.

“I know it’s shameless, but….”

Just one more time.

Would it be wrong to wish for that miracle again?

“Save me, Han Siha.”

Tears flowed down Solia’s cheeks.

* * *

A wind swept through the gloomy forest.

Solia’s depleted magic could no longer sustain her.

Her had dissipated long ago.

Solia was completely surrounded.

There was no miracle.

Solia looked up at the sky and let out a sad smile.

The hand holding the necklace trembled slightly.

She could have endured.

But not alone.

This was a battle she could not win on her own.

Sometimes, being alone was a blessing; sometimes, it was a curse.

Solia thought this as she faced the approaching shadows.

She glared at those who surrounded her.

“Haa….”

Her breathing was labored; her condition was dire.

Barely able to stand, she could no longer properly wield her magic. She knew she had no chance of winning this fight.

But

Even if it was a losing battle, she had no intention of going down quietly.

Solia gripped her staff and extended her hand.

“….”

The sound of wind rustling through the trees echoed like a wail.

Solia closed her eyes, sensing the end was near.

It was at that moment.

“Solia!”

A familiar voice pierced her ears.

Someone called her name.

Solia whipped her head in the direction of the voice.

It couldn’t be.

“Solia!”

There’s no way you could be here.

“Hey, Solia! Snap out of it!”

“Han… Han Siha?”

The face she had longed to see was running toward her.