Academy's Gumiho is a Magic Genius

Chapter 26: Efnell's Garden [1]

It had been a month since I stepped outside the academy.

There was no particular excitement.

Instead, something else caught my attention.

"I didn't expect my leave request to be approved so quickly."

Thinking about it, it's quite surprising.

From the academy's perspective, I'm just a new assistant who hasn't even been here for a month. In such chaotic times, I thought it would take longer to avoid any controversy.

Did asking Nam Hwa-yeon directly help?

Perhaps my background as a member of the Cheonho Baek family played a role. Or maybe it was to commend me for handling the attack.

'I just hope this isn't the last of it.'

Fighting to the point of breaking my body, only to be rewarded with a mere day off, would be utterly shameless.

My medical expenses, aside from emergency treatment, were all covered by the Cheonho Baek family. In other words, I paid out of pocket.

If they're going to replace my compensation with something like this, the chairman is truly someone I'd want to tear apart.

"There's a privilege I need to get from the chairman."

Access to the Forbidden Library.

That's all I want from the chairman.

But I'm not sure if it'll work out.

The privilege to access the Forbidden Library is limited to fewer than ten people in the entire academy. It's not called the Forbidden Library for nothing.

Rumour has it that the chairman was an active dungeon explorer in his youth. I hope he's as generous as the rumours say. Of course, I can't judge him based on rumours alone.

Given the nature of novels, the story tends to revolve around the protagonist and main characters.

Since the chairman isn't a significant character in the original work, it's hard to make assumptions.

"Sigh, by the way, when is the car arriving?"

As I sighed and turned my attention to my surroundings, I saw cars speeding by. I was currently waiting for a car that seemed to be taking forever.

The car from the family was running late.

The original plan was to take a day off and clear a dungeon.

But then I suddenly received a call from the main family. They confirmed my leave and said they'd send a car.

I had no reason to refuse, and since I was already outside the academy, I thought I'd take care of some family matters.

But as the car took too long to arrive, a thought crossed my mind.

'Are these guys trying to waste my day off by delaying like this?'

It's a baseless assumption, but it's plausible.

This is a family that sends letters demanding I cough up the cost of elixirs.

They must have something up their sleeves.

"If it doesn't come within an hour, I'll just head to the dungeon."

I don't have much time to begin with, and I can't afford to waste it here.

My day off is only for today.

It's a tight schedule to clear a dungeon.

'Efnell's Garden isn't an easy place.'

Efnell's Garden.

It's a D-rank dungeon, so it's not particularly difficult. Even in my half-dead state, I could enter without much trouble.

The problem isn't the difficulty.

Efnell's Garden is known as one of Korea's three unclaimed dungeons due to its unique characteristics. And hidden within it is a hidden piece.

I must obtain that hidden piece.

Not just to forcibly remove the protagonist from the scenario, but also because that hidden piece suits me well.

It will undoubtedly help me, weak and frail as I am.

"I must get it today."

Given the nature of the hidden piece, which becomes more useful over time and through trials, I need to obtain and train with it as much as possible before the next episode.

As I reviewed the plan I had set in my mind, a black car approached me.

A large, sturdy-looking black car.

A man in a black suit stepped out of the driver's seat and bowed to me.

"Greetings, Family Head."

My gaze fell on the man's head and back.

There were no fox ears or tails there.

He was a servant of the Cheonho Baek family, but not by blood.

Assessing the difference in status, I spoke softly.

As formally as possible, in a deep, low voice.

"Yes, you're late."

"My apologies. The road was a bit congested..."

"Do I have to care about that too?"

The man's expression twisted as I cut off his apology.

I found it quite amusing.

Even the chauffeur looks down on me here.

"Straighten your face. You look like you're about to get hit."

"...My apologies."

"If you understand, then stay still. Why are you making such a sour face?"

He turned bright red with anger.

Wow, just how much of a pushover do I look like to the family?

It definitely made me think I needed to tighten my grip on the family.

This arrogant tone is a bit awkward after so long, but I can't afford to be looked down on here.

I patted his shoulder and got into the car.

"From now on, be punctual, and open the rear door for me."

"Ah, understood."

As I got into the car, the man let out a big sigh and sat in the driver's seat.

His dark expression made it seem like he might cause an accident.

What a grim face.

"...."

The man drove the car toward the main family's estate.

I glanced at the back of his head and fiddled with my right hand, which had patted his shoulder.

'He's strong for a chauffeur. Quite well-trained.'

Perhaps their sister, Baek Seol-ha.

After saying that, Baek Seol-hee walked away without another word.

The main gate opened naturally as she walked, and I followed behind her.

After passing through the vast garden, we reached the center of the estate.

From the outside, it seemed like just one large mansion, but from here, it looked different. Several smaller mansions were lined up.

Perhaps the servants' quarters or the elders' residences.

I was curious, but the solemn atmosphere around Baek Seol-hee kept me from speaking.

As we walked, we soon arrived at a massive mansion, the main building.

The moment the door opened.

"""Welcome back, Miss. And Family Head."""

Numerous people lined up and bowed.

Their attire reminded me of butlers and maids.

Only then did it hit me.

The fact that I'm the head of a noble family.

In the 21st century, what kind of honorary nobility exists?

But experiencing it firsthand, I could feel the weight of it.

'The Gucheon Segas are truly different.'

"I created the Gucheon Segas, but they seem too overpowered."

They possess all possible powers: military, financial, and political.

But what can I do? In the setting, they are the nine powerful families that divide the heavens centred around the earth. They need to be this strong to be called nobility, right?

There are a total of nine families in this group.

The Cheonho Baek family I belong to, Germany's Reinhardt family, Greece's Iris family, and so on. Those who carry the blood of the Ains belong here.

In other words, they are intuitively called the 'families of the other races.'

Only families with thousands of years of tradition and powerful traits inherited from their ancestors can call themselves nobility.

These Gucheon Segas can have no more than one family per country, and the power struggles between them are quite intense.

Considering the Cheonho Baek family is in decline, it makes me think about the Gucheon Segas' prestige once again.

"Well, the rest of the family is already in the meeting room. I'll take my leave now."

Click-clack!

Baek Seol-hee walked into a room labelled "Meeting Room" with her heels clicking. I don't know how large the meeting room is inside.

But one thing is certain: the aura emanating from inside is anything but ordinary.

'At least Yuren... No, everyone here is beyond that.'

My experience honed on the battlefield and my S-rank senses warned me.

The place I'm about to step into is a true den of monsters.

The pressure is on a different level from the academy. Each step feels heavy.

"Is it the council of elders?"

From what I remember, there are only a few who can emit such an aura in this household.

Nine, or maybe ten.

The presences I feel inside, excluding Baek Seol-hee, are exactly ten.

My body feels heavy under the intense pressure.

It's a sensation I've never felt, not even from the mage hunter.

It's been a while since I've felt so intimidated.

Thud!

I pushed the large doors open with both hands and inside the meeting room was a wide round table. Eleven chairs surrounded the round table.

And one throne, a step above the rest.

I was drawn to the throne like a moth to a flame.

The moment I opened the door and entered, the atmosphere in the meeting room turned icy. But that's none of my concern.

Only that throne caught my eye.

Step by step, I crossed the round table.

The people seated at the table glared at me, but they couldn't say anything. After all, that seat is rightfully mine.

It's the seat of the family head.

"...So, this is how it feels."

My red fox eyes looked down at the round table from the throne.

Everyone at the table, unlike me, had white hair and fox tails. The opposite of my colours, and they had far more tails.

"This could be mentally taxing."

Everyone is different from 'me.'

Baek Seung-woo's hair is black, but the others are white.

Baek Seung-woo's eyes burn red, but the others have calm, lake-like eyes.

I feel isolated.

It's not a good feeling. Humans are social creatures.

Being different from others only fosters a sense of discrimination.

Snap!

I used the telekinetic power that forms the basis of [Pyrokinesis] to grab a document on the round table. The writing is small and dense, but the content isn't difficult.

It's about family matters.

"Parental leave? Certainly, such matters require careful consideration."

"Ahem..."

"Hey, Family Head, what brings you here? This isn't where you're supposed to be, is it?"

Some were flustered by my sudden intrusion.

Most showed displeasure.

I smirked at the sight.

'The hierarchy is a mess.'

From the perspective of someone who's been in the military, it's laughable.

Well then, let's establish some discipline.

***

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