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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Genius Mage and the Misunderstanding
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Nia Cyncia.
From a young age, he was hailed as a genius in magic.
By the time he turned ten,
the spells Nia could wield exceeded a thousand.
This was a magical talent remarkable enough to be counted among the very best throughout the empire's history.
Thanks to this, the Cyncia Marquisate had cause for celebration.
With an heir so brilliant,
it was only natural.
Thus, Nia grew up having everything.
As a genius.
As the heir to the Cyncia Marquisate.
As the next Master of the Yellow Tower of Magic.
The political landscape was influenced by which imperial bloodline he chose to side with.
He had ascended to the highest position among the promising talents of the next generation.
'And that was the greatest mistake of his life.'
The moment Nia sided with the First Prince,
a crack appeared in the finely balanced power between the First Prince and the Third Princess.
While Nia's contributions were remarkable,
he wasn't originally at a level to shake up the empire's political landscape on his own.
He was an heir, not the Marquis himself, and the Master of the Tower was also merely the next in line.
However, the struggle for the throne between the First Prince and the Third Princess had already been ongoing for a long time.
So, most figures in the empire's political circles were already aligned with a faction.
The empire's political landscape had been in a perfectly balanced state for too long.
Nia was the right person to break this balance.
A blue-chip talent with definite future value.
It was this very fact that shattered the balance.
'That was also why Iris's maternal grandfather, Duke Robliajou, was extending his influence into Jerion Academy.'
By absorbing future blue-chip talents, they planned to tip the scales in their favor by the time the imperial succession was decided.
That was the Third Princess's faction's plan.
In such a situation, Nia, a definite future blue-chip talent, suddenly sided with the First Prince.
For the Third Princess's faction, it was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.
Therefore, they made a drastic move.
Eliminate Nia Cyncia.
If they couldn't have him, they would destroy him.
That was their plan.
And now.
Nia was standing before my eyes.
"Oh, Brother, did you change your staff? It looks nice."
Nikita changed the subject to defuse the situation.
Just as she said, a very nice-looking staff was fastened at his waist.
"You have a good eye. A friend of mine accidentally broke the one I used to use, so I replaced it."
Fortunately, Nia played along.
Nikita hurriedly continued the conversation on that topic.
"Oh dear, I remember the one you used to use was quite a fine item."
"Unfortunately, the craftsman who made my staff was hit by a carriage and injured recently.
So, the friend who broke my staff introduced me to a craftsman who made this one for me as a stopgap."
Nia smiled faintly as he spoke.
"So, Nikita. Now, explain this situation."
The conversation had returned to square one.
His eyes had turned incredibly menacing.
To be precise, the look he gave *me* was menacing.
'Nia Cyncia is someone who cherishes Nikita immensely.'
This was written in Nia's character description.
Until now, there had been no way to confirm the truth of this statement.
The Archmage Academy Slayer: Flame Butterfly Arc only covers events occurring within Jerion Academy.
Nia was entirely an outside figure.
The only time he was mentioned was always in news of his death.
Perhaps that's why it felt a little strange.
*I've never seen that person alive before.*
"W-well."
Due to Nia's prompting, Nikita looked troubled.
And understandably so, she didn't know how to explain the current situation.
Nia, who had been silently watching Nikita, let out a long breath.
"Nikita, I want you to have healthy romantic relationships."
And the look Nia gave me was devoid of life.
Healthy romantic relationships.
Nia seemed to have misunderstood the relationship between Nikita and me.
To be fair, the sight he witnessed wasn't exactly normal.
His younger sister hiding under a desk, and a male student intentionally blocking her.
When put that way, it sounded quite strange.
I was just teasing Nikita a little because she was cute.
This is unfair.
"Not some guy who just rolled in from who knows where."
That's harsh.
Hanon is a Robliajou by blood, after all.
'Ah, so that's it.'
Since he sided with the First Prince, it was as good as making the Duke of Robliajou his enemy.
Hanon, whom I was disguised as, had black hair and red eyes, a characteristic of the Duke of Robliajou's family.
He must have realized I was of Robliajou blood.
'Come to think of it.'
Does Nia know that Hanon was originally a card the First Prince intended to use?
I don't know anything about Nia, so I can't tell.
"R-romantic relationships!? It's a misunderstanding! My junior and I aren't in that kind of relationship at all!"
Nikita vehemently denied it, her face pale as a sheet.
Nikita was well aware of her position.
While she was attending Jerion Academy now, she could live without the family's restrictions.
But once she graduated from Jerion Academy, she would inevitably be used for a political marriage.
Therefore, the label of 'romantic relationship' must never be attached to her.
In a political marriage where purity was crucial, such a label would be a huge blow.
She didn't want to bring shame to her family.
"Is that so?"
Nia's face brightened slightly.
"Then, I should ask what *this one* thinks as well."
Nia turned his cold eyes to me.
He possessed outstanding looks, just like Nikita.
That appearance might be someone's type.
I have no preference for men.
"Senior Nikita is the senior I respect most in the world."
"Ugh."
Nikita flinched, perhaps not expecting me to praise her so openly even in front of Nia.
"As Vice President, she diligently performs her duties, and she's generous enough to take on others' work as well.
Even when stressed by excessive work, she occasionally hums to herself, and she seems to have a talent for singing too.
I respect her for that as well."
Stories about Nikita poured out of my mouth in a rapid-fire manner.
Nikita stared at me with her mouth agape and a dumbfounded expression.
Her face asked, *How do you know that?*
Nia slowly furrowed his brows.
"...Anything else?"
And for some reason, I was asked for more.
"Plenty. Yesterday, she attempted to eat eggplant dishes, which she couldn't usually eat.
Although she failed, isn't the attempt itself the greatest value?"
Nikita's lips parted.
"Nikita, you've grown so admirable."
Nia looked at Nikita with incredibly proud eyes.
I was starting to understand how to deal with Nia.
"So, is there more?"
"Yes, of course there is. Just the other day…"
*Squeeze—*
At that moment, my body was pulled down slightly.
When I turned my head, Nikita was there, glaring at me while gritting her teeth.
Nikita's body was trembling.
If I went on any longer, Nikita would explode.
"...Both of you, get out."
No.
She already exploded.
"Get out!"
And Nia and I were simultaneously kicked out of the student council room.
The two of us stood awkwardly in the hallway, with the closed student council room door behind us.
"...I've never seen Nikita shout like that before."
Nia muttered that with a thoughtful expression.
"Senior Nikita probably didn't reveal her true self in the family."
Nia glanced at me.
"I know. That's why I sent Nikita to Jerion Academy."
I hadn't known that.
To think that Nikita could come to Jerion Academy thanks to Nia's influence.
Now I understood why Nikita was so enraged by Nia's death and why she laid hands on the ancient dragon.
Nia truly cherished Nikita.
Knowing this, Nikita must have suppressed the jealousy in her heart and truly followed Nia.
"You, your name is."
Nia then asked for my name.
What should I do?
If Nia knew about Hanon, it would become quite troublesome.
According to my plan, the news of Hanon's transfer reaching the First Prince would take half a year.
But with Nia's appearance, that timing was greatly accelerated.
'Here.'
I should take the gamble.
"I am Hanon Ailei."
"Hanon, huh."
Nia repeated the name thoughtfully.
"I'll remember that."
With that, Nia turned and walked away.
Seeing no particular reaction to the name,
it seemed he hadn't heard anything specific about Hanon from the First Prince.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
My carefully laid plan wouldn't be derailed too much, fortunately.
'I wanted to ask why he came to the academy.'
I'd find out soon enough anyway.
'Since I was banned from the student council room today.'
I should go back a bit early and do some physical training.
***
A week had passed since Nia Cyncia came as an associate professor.
Thanks to him, it had caused quite a stir among the girls recently.
Nia was what you'd call the 'pretty prince' type.
What's more, his manner of speaking was incredibly gentle, and he answered students' questions with utmost care.
For women, there was no more ideal man than this.
Perhaps that's why the female students' hearts were set ablaze.
Even the female students in martial arts were gushing about Nia.
"Honestly, what's so great about a fop like him?"
Then, one of the female students next to me criticized the others with a displeased expression.
Her red hair, reminiscent of a horse's tail, fluttered as she turned to look at me.
"Right, Princess Sweet Potato?"
"Why are you just naturally coming over and chatting next to me?"
Her name was Seron Parmia.
She was the one who teamed up with me in the last Archmage Palace event.
Ever since then, I wondered if she thought we'd become close.
Recently, Seron had been sitting next to me during martial arts class.
To be precise, she had been ostracized from the girls' group.
She didn't want to be alone, so she sat next to me, at least.
"And what's 'Princess Sweet Potato' now?"
Last time, it was 'burnt sweet potato.'
Now it's 'Princess Sweet Potato.'
"Well, Aisha carried you in a princess carry last time, remember?"
My mind was blown away by the explosion then, so I don't remember.
For some reason, I was considered a madman who self-destructed to kill the Apostle.
It's true I blew up my body.
But I had calculated that there would be no damage to myself.
Who knew that Steel Skin and Magic Engraving would create a synergy?
But to others, I was no different from someone who sacrificed their entire body in a suicidal charge.
Perhaps that's why the other students didn't approach me much.
The most common reaction was, 'What if they explode if I accidentally touch them?'
Ah, how lonely.
"Looks like you've stopped calling me 'burnt sweet potato' now."
"...I won't call you that anymore."
Seron turned her head sharply with a sullen expression.
If that's the case, then why call me sweet potato in the first place?
Once I'm a sweet potato, whether burnt or a princess.
It didn't matter.
"If you keep acting like this next to me, the girls will truly never accept you back."
"What? No."
"I'm saying this for your own good. I want to prevent you from becoming a queen bee."
"...Did you hit your head again? Did your brain fly out and leave you empty during that explosion?"
She doesn't understand my true intentions.
"Hey, King Hanon, let's get lunch."
As I bickered with Seron, a familiar voice was heard.
Pushing away Seron's forehead, who had lunged at me due to my provocation, I looked up to see Card had arrived.
He still had that smug look on his face.
It seemed he had finished his magicology class and come this way.
Recently, Seron, Card, and I.
We had been having lunch together often, so it had become familiar now.
It seemed we were called the 'Troublemaker Trio' among the other students.
But my reputation couldn't fall any lower anyway, so it didn't matter.
"Card, how's Associate Professor Nia Cyncia?"
As I asked, walking out with Seron, Card shrugged.
"I feel a sense of rivalry."
"Not that useless stuff. Don't you know why he came as an associate professor?"
He was Card, a magicology student.
He must have picked up something.
"Ah, it was a rather interesting reason."
I knew this guy would know.
"What is it?"
"Well, you see."
Card lowered his posture as if sharing a secret and spoke quietly.
"He said he came to test a spell that makes one younger."
And a truly unexpected reason emerged.