The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 69

Solia calmly closed her diary, her usually serene face betraying a flicker of emotion.

As the Light Mage, her unwavering temperament had been a key factor in maintaining her position.

‘Purification magic comes from a pure heart.’

Her father, a noble who had built his family with magic, had always instilled this belief in her, and Solia, who had followed him unquestioningly since childhood, wholeheartedly agreed.

Never falter, no matter the situation.

Never show weakness to enemies.

Approach magic without greed.

Solia swallowed hard, murmuring softly to herself.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I can do that anymore.”

The reason she wanted to join the Drake hunting party was, honestly, because of Han Siha.

Even though she had only been bested once, Solia had lost confidence in her ability to defeat him in the final evaluation.

Han Siha’s performance in the midterm had been nothing short of extraordinary.

He had taken first place in not one, but two subjects, defying all expectations. These were positions Solia had never once lost.

Her third-place position at Ardel Academy had been hard-earned through relentless effort and study.

Though she was often dubbed the “eternal third,” it had never been an easy spot to maintain.

But now, even that secure third place was in jeopardy.

Extra points and her sinking reputation—Solia couldn’t let go of either.

More practical thoughts began to replace her worries.

‘How should I go about capturing it?’

Solia, regaining her composure, began to organize her thoughts on Drake’s habits.

Drakes are cautious creatures.

With the *Invisibility* trait, they can easily hide themselves.

This was why Solia believed Liril’s story.

Second, Drakes are weak to fire and light.

They thrive in darkness, which meant it was likely hiding in the underground specimen room, growing stronger.

Lastly, they are powerful.

Probably more powerful than she could imagine.

Having never faced one before, she knew she needed to be extremely cautious.

Realistically, none of the Drake hunting party members would be useful if the Drake actually appeared.

It would be fortunate if they didn’t get in her way.

Solia steeled herself further.

Taking a deep breath, she clenched her small fists tightly.

“I’ll capture it. With my own hands.”

* * *

At the same time, Han Siha was in the library, clutching his throbbing head.

Solia was a problem.

She wanted to hunt a Drake with a bunch of nobodies.

Han Siha thought seriously about it.

The shock of coming in fourth must have really gotten to her.

‘Has she finally lost it?’

Trying to stop her now would only backfire.

Han Siha mentally reviewed Solia’s personality.

A steadfast, mentally strong Light Mage.

But behind that, she was one of the most fragile characters.

She had been one of his favorite characters, so he knew her personality inside out.

However…

‘Of course, next time, I’ll take the top spot! But for now, congratulations are in order!’

The fact that she openly expressed her feelings meant that her steel-like mental state was starting to crack.

If you think about Solia’s fate, she dies.

In *Smart Academy* a grim novel where even the main characters could be killed off, Solia’s death wasn’t a big deal.

The problem was that Solia’s death marked a turning point where the story’s difficulty skyrocketed.

When it came to dealing with dark mages, Solia, the Light Mage, was the best asset.

If she died earlier than expected because of his interference, it would be a disaster.

“This can’t happen…”

It would be a huge problem.

Han Siha muttered under his breath, sighing deeply.

He was determined to prevent this at all costs.

As Han Siha organized his thoughts, he turned his head.

There she was.

Thud, thud.

A few more steps brought him closer, and he saw a familiar face sitting in the same spot as always.

Yoon Haul, the free spirit of the Theology Department, was happily munching on a mocha bun, using a book as a makeshift table.

When she saw Han Siha approaching, she quickly covered her eyes with a black cloth.

Apparently, she thought this would make her invisible.

‘What a unique concept.’

Though she might seem scatterbrained when not using that cloth, her abilities were undeniable.

Han Siha carefully sat down in front of Yoon Haul.

“What brings you here?”

There was a dignified tone in her voice, though remnants of the mocha cream she had been eating still clung to the corners of her mouth.

Sensing Han Siha’s gaze, Yoon Haul ducked under the table and then resurfaced, wiping her mouth quickly.

“Ahem.”

Her voice regained its gravity.

“The cost of prophecy is steep. You must offer your life force, mana, and a portion of your predetermined future. The outcome is a variable determined by…”

“I brought money.”

“…Speak.”

That was fast.

Han Siha stifled a laugh as he handed her a silver coin.

The amount must have been more than she expected, as a small gasp escaped her lips.

Riding that momentum, Han Siha asked the question he had prepared.

“Can Solia take down the Drake on her own?”

“…!”

A meaningful silence followed.

Yoon Haul, frowning beneath the black cloth, mulled over the question.

‘Why is he worried about her?’

What does this question mean?

After a moment, Yoon Haul arrived at a conclusion.

A conclusion that snapped her to full attention.

No way.

“You’re in love with her?”

“What?”

Yoon Haul’s black cloth slipped from her eyes as she shot up from her seat.

It was a mistake she hadn’t even realized she made.

“…!”

Yoon Haul quickly regained her composure, hastily covering her face with the cloth again.

Her voice, now awkward, filled the air.

“…The stars momentarily took over.”

“Ah. Is that so.”

“Indeed….”

Yoon Haul tried to regain her composure, but it was clear she was struggling.

The only saving grace was that the black cloth covering her eyes hid the evident signs of her embarrassment.

Han Siha continued with his questions.

“So, can Solia defeat the Drake?”

Yoon Haul, eyes tightly shut beneath the cloth, muttered a quiet incantation.

A weary sigh escaped her lips.

“No.”

“Alright.”

For a moment, Han Siha’s expression turned cold, but it quickly changed.

‘Then I’ll just have to save her.’

A strange sense of determination filled his gaze. In the past, he might have run from the situation, but now he felt a newfound confidence.

“Thank you!”

Han Siha flashed a quick smile and stood up. He needed to hurry if he was going to prepare.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

He quickly disappeared, leaving Yoon Haul behind.

She pulled down the black cloth from her eyes, watching as he vanished from sight.

“Ugh.”

Yoon Haul irritably took a bite of her mocha bun, puffing out her cheeks in frustration.

“This feeling of playing matchmaker is really annoying.”

Wham!

With a groan, Yoon Haul slammed her face into the desk.

The mocha bun tasted particularly bland today.

* * *

A student in a robe smirked as he stared down at the chessboard.

He was a fifth-year at Ardel Academy, one of the few walking the path of a Tamer.

The Magic Department of Ardel Academy.

He was a Tamer, a field that wasn’t particularly popular, but he had advanced to his fifth year, meaning he was no pushover.

Though he had always been a quiet presence, attending school without drawing much attention, he had recently found a new toy that piqued his interest.

The student picked up the queen piece on the chessboard and began toppling the other pieces one by one.

“Gotcha.”

“….”

“Got another one.”

He intended to wipe them all out.

With that sole objective, the student played a solitary game of chess.

Outside, the voices of his fifth-year classmates rang out clearly.

“I heard the second-years formed a Drake hunting party?”

“Do you really believe there’s no professor involved?”

“They’re just full of youthful energy. Let them be; it’s entertaining.”

“They’ll probably come back empty-handed.”

“If the Drake is there, it’s a problem too. Do you think second-years can handle that?”

The thought of seeing the expressions of fear on the faces of those who usually ignored him, treating him like air, brought a smile to his face.

The student laughed softly, toppling another piece with the queen.

“Hah…”

The Drake he had obtained with great difficulty.

Thanks to its *Invisibility* skill, as long as he controlled it well, no one would find it.

A wild Drake would have rampaged through the school long ago, but the one he had tamed over the years was different.

He had chosen a particularly patient and fierce Drake.

He was confident that once unleashed, it would provide endless entertainment.

Thud. Roll.

Another fallen piece rolled off the board and onto the floor.

The student chuckled to himself.

He had been anxious when the professors briefly checked the specimen room, fearing they might discover his secret, but they had dismissed it as nonsense and left after a cursory inspection.

If they had been more attentive, they might have noticed something.

A mocking laugh escaped his lips.

“Fools….”

His father had been a dark mage.

Fifteen years ago, during the great war between mages, his family had perished.

The Ardel Academy mages had played a significant role in defeating the dark mages.

Naturally, he had come to hate Ardel.

He had waited five years since enrolling at Ardel Academy.

No one would suspect that the Drake in the specimen room was being controlled by a Tamer, so now it was time to execute his plan.

“Do those second-year brats really think they can kill it?”

His expression twisted into a sinister grin as he kicked over the chessboard.

“Well, let’s see who ends up dead.”

* * *

The student might be right.

The situation with the second-year brats, the so-called Drake hunting party, was already looking pretty grim.

They were in disarray.

Derrick raised his voice, forcefully grabbing Liril by the arm.

She was the only witness and the only person who might know the exact location of the Drake.

“Come on, just go with us!”

“No! It’s too scary!”

Liril, her eyes red and teary, shook off Derrick’s grip.

Derrick shoved his hands into his pockets, gritting his teeth as he shot a cold glare at Liril.

It seemed he was prepared to drag her along by force.

Liril, her face pale with fear, took a step back.

“I’m not going… I swear, it was really in the specimen room….”

“Then tell us where it is! How can we catch it if we don’t know the location?”

“I’m scared.”

“Do you leave your brain behind when you come to school? I can’t hear you when you talk like that.”

“It’s dangerous! That thing… it’s really…”

The underground specimen room had been abandoned for a long time.

It was a place students rarely visited, filled with trash and junk, making it difficult to navigate.

There were also several storage rooms, so pinpointing the exact location was crucial.

Derrick sighed, speaking irritably.

“Hey, we need to know the location to catch it. Do you know how many specimen rooms there are?”

“I don’t remember exactly…”

“Then you’ll have to guide us. Even if your stupid brain can’t remember, your body should.”

“No!”

“You little…!”

Thwack.

Just as Derrick was about to hit Liril, someone grabbed his wrist.

“And what do you think you’re doing, you—huh?”

No one in the hunting party dared to stop Derrick.

He frowned and looked up.

Solia stood there.

“S-Solia?”

Solia spoke in a calm, detached voice.

“She said no. Let her go.”

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