The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 24

Is it just me hearing this?

“I’ve got everything. Just a sec! Ugh, this is heavy!”

“Seriously, just a minute!”

“If I get out of here, I’ll bow to you, just waaiit!”

I glanced back at Won, who was acting like he’d lost his mind over the treasure, and I was sure of it.

It was only me who could hear this voice.

So, is this a hallucination or reality?

I hadn’t heard anything in the original story about a magic book that could talk…

…Have I finally gone crazy?

“O, stranger”.

If this wasn’t just some delusion, then there was one theory that came to mind.

The prophecy book of Carmen, which had once appeared to the protagonist, Lee Han. I had heard that it could be contained within a special scroll or book.

An absolute prophecy book that would appear to the one who needed it when they needed it most.

But why is it appearing to me?

“Stranger….”

“Stop calling me that, you lunatic.”

I lowered my voice and quietly stepped out into the hallway. If I started talking to a book in front of Won, he’d definitely think I’d picked up some cursed dark magic tome.

I gritted my teeth as I looked down at the basic magic grimoire. The soft, white light emanating from it made it clear—there was definitely something inside this book. And whatever it was, it knew that I was an outsider.

The choice of the word “stranger”… It’s too strange to be mere coincidence.

The mysterious voice continued, as if responding to my thoughts.

“O, stranger”.

Every action you take will twist the world.

A single sentence that pierced through my doubts.

“…”

My heart sank.

I already knew that my actions, made without much thought, were altering the course of the original story.

I wasn’t supposed to be here today.

I wasn’t even supposed to survive in the first place.

“Twist the world?”

If this voice wasn’t coming from that prophecy book…

I might have laughed it off as something obvious.

As long as I didn’t interfere with the main storylines—like the Cube incident—I thought I could live quietly, just like everyone else.

But Carmen’s prophecy book was absolute. No matter how much I tried to deny it, what was written in it would inevitably come to pass.

Should I stop getting involved in everything from now on?

Or maybe I shouldn’t even exist in a place like Ardel Academy?

As a stranger, I should have lived isolated, far removed from the main episodes.

But little by little, the things I thought would be okay, would work out, had been subtly altering the future of the original story.

That’s why…

I was even considering the worst-case scenario—dropping out.

Yet, O stranger.

The cold voice called out to me again.

That is your role.

If you do nothing, the world will perish.

And with those words—

Ping—

I lost consciousness.

* * *

“Are you okay?”

Won asked, pressing his hand to my forehead with concern.

It had been half a day since I collapsed after hearing the voice.

“This isn’t some cursed cave or something, is it? I had a bad feeling about this place from the start.”

“For something cursed, you sure are wearing that necklace a lot, aren’t you?”

Won scratched his head sheepishly at my retort, a grin spreading across his face.

“Gold overcomes any curse. I sold half of it already.”

“That was fast.”

“While you were out cold, I bowed twice, just like I promised.”

“…You weren’t planning to just leave me behind, were you?”

“Of course not.”

I chuckled at Won’s response and pulled the blanket over myself.

My body felt achy and cold, but it wasn’t because of any curse. It was likely the price I paid for hearing that prophecy. I had heard what I needed to, but also things I probably shouldn’t have.

My thoughts naturally became more complicated.

“I’m going to rest for a bit.”

“Take it easy. I’ll be back after a trip to the store.”

I casually dismissed Won, and the perceptive guy left the room.

*Bang.*

As soon as the door closed, a sigh escaped my lips.

The things I’d done already had caused significant ripples. My actions could lead to the death of a main character, or the dark wizards could win the war, or Ardel Academy might fall.

All of these were the worst-case scenarios for me.

In a world that’s fallen into ruin, I wouldn’t survive either.

Taking a deep breath, I muttered quietly to myself.

“So, this is how it’s going to be…”

I had intended to live quietly on the fringes of the story.

I thought I could live like everyone else, occasionally causing a little trouble, and growing strong enough to protect myself.

I’d messed up my life enough in my past life. I’d made enemies by getting involved in things I didn’t need to, became miserable, and was driven to despair.

Maybe I had vowed not to repeat those mistakes, over and over.

But—

If my interference could lead to the world’s destruction.

If I were the only one who could set things right.

Should I just stand by?

Could I afford to?

I bit my lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

I’m the only one who knows how the main story of Slakadami unfolds.

I’m the only one who’s been reincarnated here, an outsider.

I kept pondering this for a long time, and then—

“What am I even debating?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

“I’m going to go all in, anyway.”

I already knew.

In the end, I would get involved.

To survive, I had to take action.

* * *

“Isn’t that Han Siha?”

“I think so.”

“What’s going on? Hey, ask him.”

“You ask him.”

“Ah, why… It’s just kind of scary…”

The next day, the classroom buzzed with excitement the moment Han Siha walked in. The incredible story of how Han Siha had saved Adela and Solia was more than enough to stir up the entire school.

The students of the magic department, who would now be sharing the same classroom with him, couldn’t stop talking about it.

“If Han Siha really did save them, maybe the dice were right after all?”

Chloe, who had barely avoided failing and was clinging to her spot in the second year, clasped her hands together and murmured quietly.

“The dice? You mean the one that assigned him to the magic department?”

“Yeah! The dice must have seen something we couldn’t!”

“Gasp… Does that mean the dice knew about what happened yesterday too?”

“Maybe it did.”

Chloe’s comment had the girls sitting next to her nodding in agreement.

“Honestly, he’s been acting a bit different lately, so I kind of expected Han Siha to be assigned to the magic department.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and there are all those rumors about Creek, and about that annoying royal who joined the Necromancy Department. They say it was Han Siha who made him cry.”

“That’s right!”

Chloe, who had been insulted by Fabian the moment she entered school, looked elated. The thought that Han Siha had put that person in his place made her proud to be in the magic department.

‘I’m in the same department as someone like him…!’

Even though she barely made it, she was still in the same department, so that counted.

Chloe sneaked a glance at Han Siha sitting a bit further away and then quickly lowered her head.

“But…”

At that moment, one of the students lowered her voice as she added something.

“Honestly, looking back… Han Siha always had this strange, decadent vibe about him, even in our first year.”

“…Isn’t that a little late to be saying that?”

“No one else noticed that, though, did they?”

“No way, that’s definitely not true.”

Although no one seemed to agree with that observation, everyone did share the same thought—that the Han Siha of today was a completely different person.

“Maybe it’s because of his hair… Just cutting his bangs makes that much of a difference…”

“This is insane…”

“Why was he hiding that face, anyway?”

“Eek, I think he just looked this way!”

“We made eye contact!”

*Kyaaah!*

As one of the girls let out a shriek, the others quickly covered their mouths. Watching this unfold, Adela clicked her tongue and muttered under her breath.

“What a circus, first thing in the morning.”

How can she say that…

“Your choice of words…”

Solia, who had been following Adela into the classroom, was left with her mouth agape, shocked by such harsh words so early in the day.

“Call it like it is,” Adela replied with a sigh as she opened her book.

Swish. Swoosh.

Barely seated, she began reviewing her notes from the previous class, her calmness remarkable for someone who had been kidnapped just the day before.

“She’s always been like that… Adela.”

Solia watched Adela for a moment, then turned her gaze towards Han Siha.

“Ugh… Why is it so noisy?”

Han Siha, who had apparently heard the commotion, briefly glanced around the classroom before flopping down onto his desk again.

After everything he had been through yesterday, he seemed exhausted and soon appeared to drift off to sleep.

Their seats weren’t far apart.

Solia’s eyes remained fixed on Han Siha as memories of yesterday flooded back.

‘You have to help us fight.’

His voice sounded surprisingly mature.

As she replayed that voice in her mind, Solia blinked slowly.

Han Siha had saved her life.

Before her mind was completely overtaken by the cursed tree, in that perilous situation…

Han Siha had appeared like a miracle and saved both her and Adela.

Solia murmured softly to herself.

“…He seems like a different person.”

Solia couldn’t quite remember Han Siha from their first year. To be precise, she hadn’t paid any attention to him. A quiet, gloomy kid interested in dark magic—someone she instinctively kept her distance from.

But Solia remembered something from much further back.

Before her family had fallen in the war, Arkenent and Kastika had been on friendly terms.

Solia had once overheard a conversation between her father and Count Han Taesu.

If Arkenent hadn’t been destroyed, the two families might have ended up…

In other words.

They might have become engaged after graduating from the academy.

Hmm.

That was almost a possibility.

-Stop pretending to be nice! It’s so annoying! Don’t try to beat me when your magic is only half as strong as mine!

Solia recalled a younger Han Siha being dragged away by Count Han Taesu, kicking and screaming without any manners.

“Ah.”

That memory overlapped with the image of him from yesterday, and she couldn’t help but frown.

No matter how she looked at it, he didn’t seem like the same person.

Years had passed, so what did it really matter? But still…

In that desperate moment yesterday, when he appeared as their savior, his face had never been so welcome.

“It’s been a long time.”

Solia murmured, a faint smile forming on her lips.

Her gaze remained locked on Han Siha.

And then—

Suddenly.

Han Siha’s eyes opened.

She had thought he was asleep.

Before she could look away, their eyes met directly.

Solia froze on the spot.

“Uh…”

Those deep brown eyes looked up at her.

Han Siha’s voice came out, sounding somewhat confused.

“What are you staring at… so intently?”