Chapter 52

A month and a week had passed since the start of the new school year. This meant that midterm exams were just around the corner. The entire academy was filled with groans of despair.

“Oh no, I’m doomed.”

Alice, who had been diligently studying, collapsed onto her book. Both she and Elena were currently in the library, preparing for their magic history exam.

Magic history was a simple memorization subject, which was why many, like Alice, disliked it. Of course, for Elena, who enjoyed memorization, it was one of her favorite subjects.

Alice stared at Elena in amazement, as if she were some kind of anomaly.

“How can you memorize all this so effortlessly?”

“You just do it.”

“I tried, but I can’t.”

Elena pointed to the page Alice had opened.

“When memorizing something simple like this, you can just take the first syllables of each word. Look. Nate, Gabriel, Gewin, Daniel. Take the first parts and make it ‘Nega Jukgetda’ (You’re going to die). How’s that?”

[T/N: This excerpt humorously captures a moment where the narrator shares a mnemonic technique with Alice to help her memorize a list of names. The technique involves taking the first syllables of the names—Nate (네이트), Gabriel (가브리엘), Gewin (게윈), and Daniel (다니엘)—and combining them into a memorable phrase, “네가 죽겠다” (Nega Jukgetda), which translates to “You’re going to die” in English.]

Alice burst into laughter, completely forgetting they were in a library.

“‘You’re going to die? What even is that?”

Elena’s face flushed with embarrassment. She had genuinely shared her personal study tip, but now she felt a little offended.

However, as Alice muttered “You’re going to die” to herself, she suddenly exclaimed, “Oh!” in realization.

“Wow, I think I can actually memorize it now. Nate, Gabriel—skip the doomed part—Gewin, Daniel! Right? Oh my gosh, I’ve got it!”

As if she couldn’t believe it herself, Alice cupped her cheeks with both hands.

“Shh, shh. Alice, lower your voice. Everyone’s staring.”

Alice whispered in a smaller but still excited tone.

“What about the other parts? Teach me more.”

That was supposed to be a trade secret. But Elena decided she could share it with Alice. She taught Alice all the acronyms and tips she had created.

“Thanks! If my grades improve, I’ll treat you to a meal after midterms.”

“I won’t say no to that.”

The two giggled quietly.

‘It’s a relief to have Alice around.’

Since the new club members’ welcome party, the library had become a place of terror for Elena. Even though she knew Anguis was no longer around, every time she entered the library, her body froze like a mouse in front of a cat.

For that reason, she had initially planned to study in her room this time. But Alice had cautiously suggested that Elena face her fear.

And so, the two of them had come to the library together.

At first, Elena felt like her hair was standing on end and kept wanting to leave. But as she joked around with Alice, the fear seemed to dissipate.

“Thanks, Alice.”

“For what?”

“For everything, really.”

“You’re so sappy.”

Alice chuckled and refocused on her studies. Elena also returned to her book.

Time passed.

“Ugh, I’m tired.”

Elena stretched her stiff body. She hadn’t realized it, but it was already 10 p.m.

Alice, who had been diligently memorizing beside her, had fallen asleep using her book as a pillow.

Elena draped the blanket she had been using over Alice’s shoulders and stood up. She was thirsty and decided to get some water.

On her way to the library’s break room, she spotted a familiar head of light blue hair. It was Felix.

He was studying with a serious expression.

‘He’s really dedicated.’

Felix was ranked first overall in both written and practical exams. To be precise, he was second in written exams and first in practical exams, which put him at the top overall.

Embarrassingly, Elena was always first in written exams. However, her lower practical scores meant her overall ranking was slightly lower.

Elena had always thought of Felix this way: He was naturally talented, so much so that the academy’s headmaster had personally recruited him for his exceptional magical abilities. That was why he had such good grades.

She had assumed he didn’t understand her efforts and looked down on her.

But she had been wrong. Felix was working incredibly hard in his own way.

In fact, it was Elena who had been belittling him simply because he was talented.

It was shameful to admit, but once she realized this, a different kind of self-loathing crept in.

The truth was, she had been envious and jealous of him all along.

With that thought, she felt so embarrassed that she couldn’t bear to look at Felix any longer. She hurriedly left the area as if fleeing.

Perhaps it was from that day onward that Elena began to truly acknowledge Felix’s abilities.

***

“I think I did pretty well on the exam this time.”

After finishing the magic history exam, Alice boasted with pride. Elena was in a good mood, too. While the exact results wouldn’t be known until they received their grades, she had a good feeling that she’d aced it.

Moreover, with Alice also feeling confident, Elena’s spirits were even higher.

The next exam was the practical magic potion test, scheduled four hours later. The task was to create a potion that enhanced concentration.

“Elena.”

As she walked toward the student center to review the potion-making process in the club room, Felix, who had also just finished the magic history exam, called out to her.

Felix approached quickly and, without any preamble, got straight to the point.

“Do you have any Emron Potion?”

“Yeah, I do. It’s one of the required materials for the midterm. Why?”

“Can you lend me some?”

Elena didn’t mind lending it to him. She had plenty of Emron Potion, and the amount needed for the exam was small. Felix using a bit wouldn’t affect her at all.

After all, her exam was scheduled after his.

But it was strange that Felix, of all people, would make such a request so close to the exam. He was usually so meticulous that something like this had never happened before.

“Did something happen?”

Felix ruffled his hair in frustration. Lowering his voice, he explained.

“Someone broke into my locker and stole everything inside.”

“Everything?”

“Yes. Thankfully, there wasn’t much of value, but the Emron Potion was in there.”

It seemed like someone who either liked or disliked Felix had done it.

This wasn’t the first time Felix’s locker had been broken into. Sometimes it was by female students who admired him, and other times it was by male students who envied him.

Of course, when it was someone envious, the outcome was never good.

‘I wish it had been someone who admired him instead.’

Elena thought to herself as she handed Felix the bottle of Emron Potion from her bag.

“Thanks. Your exam is next, right? I’ll return it as soon as I’m done using it.”

“Okay, I’ll be in the club room, so meet me there.”

Elena watched Felix run off before heading to the club room herself.

Hopefully, they’d catch the culprit soon.

***

Nate, the perpetual second-place student in the magic department, glared at Felix, who was making the concentration potion.

‘Where did he get the Emron Potion?’

Two hours earlier, Nate had stolen everything from Felix’s locker. The reason was simple: to sabotage Felix’s exam.

As someone who was perpetually second place, Nate was often teased by other students. So much so that his nickname became “N2T” (a pun on “네2트,” combining his name and his constant second-place ranking).

Some people said that to become first, you just had to work harder than the person in first place.

But that advice didn’t apply to Felix and Nate.

While Nate occasionally outscored Felix in written exams, he always fell behind in practicals.

It felt like there was an invisible wall separating him from Felix. Every time Nate saw Felix, he ground his teeth in frustration.

‘He’s just lucky to be naturally talented!’

He also hated the way Felix looked at him. Every time Felix glanced his way, it felt like he was being mocked.

Of course, Felix had no feelings toward Nate whatsoever, but Nate’s inferiority complex made him believe otherwise.

Over the recent break, Nate’s parents had scolded him.

• How is it that you’ve never been first in your seven years at the academy?

That had lit a fire in Nate’s heart. He resolved to take first place no matter what this time.

So he decided to ruin Felix’s exam by stealing from his locker. Without the Emron Potion, Felix wouldn’t be able to complete the practical potion test.

Nate assumed Felix, who didn’t have many friends, wouldn’t be able to borrow the potion from anyone.

And yet, Felix had somehow obtained it.

‘That meticulous jerk.’

But Nate had prepared for this possibility.

Looking at the bottle of Emron Potion he had taken from Felix’s locker, Nate smirked.

After the exam, when Felix left briefly to submit his potion, Nate secretly switched the bottle Felix had used with the one he had prepared.

‘Now I’ll be the one in first place.’

His face, which was smiling so widely that the corners of his lips nearly reached his ears, was filled with madness.

***

“Thanks, I used it well.”

Felix handed the potion bottle back as soon as he entered the club room.

“Good, I’m glad it helped! Well then, I’ll head out to take my test now!”

With little time left, Elena grabbed the potion bottle and started running.

She was worried she might be late, but thankfully, she wasn’t. Elena placed the Emron Potion bottle she had brought onto her desk and began gathering the other materials from the front of the podium.

The reason students were required to bring their own Emron Potion was simple. It was a basic ingredient that was included in almost every potion, meaning there was no need to memorize it separately.

For this reason, students always brought Emron Potion with them to exams.

“All right, you will now have one hour to create a concentration potion. Those who finish early may submit their completed potion and leave.”

Let’s see. Three teaspoons of evening primrose powder and two tablespoons of Emron Potion…

Recalling the recipe she had memorized, Elena began adding the ingredients one by one into the mixing container. She picked up a tablespoon and partially opened the potion bottle.

At that moment, she froze in shock. Emron Potion was meant to help herbs blend well together.

In other words, it was a potion with no special effects or dangers.

But from this Emron Potion… bubbles were forming.