Chapter 477: Like a Tiger (1)

It was not particularly surprising for elite schools to give noble students a mere slap on the wrist when they committed wrongdoings.

Even the most neutral schools were, in the end, tied to their nations, and even mages carried national allegiances.

But Stella Academy was different.

Although many of its professors retained their national identities, the principal, vice-principal, board members, and elders had long renounced theirs, trading them for greater authority and a loftier status.

In other words, Stella aimed to remain unshaken by any external influences. That was its principle.

As nobles couldn’t leverage their status to sway professors, student evaluations and disciplinary actions were handled with striking fairness.

Of course, there were rare cases where certain students received special treatment.

However, Stella was widely known for treating all students fairly.

When a noble committed a wrongdoing, they were punished appropriately without leniency. Conversely, if a commoner achieved something remarkable, they were rewarded properly without favoritism toward noble students.

For that reason, the incident where Flame, who assaulted a member of the royal family, received only a 30-day suspension was considered highly unusual.

To most, it seemed as if the academy itself was shielding an ordinary student.

’Favoritism...?’

Flame didn’t realize.

She had no idea Elthman Elwin was paying this much attention to her.

The scandal ignited a wildfire of criticism among the students, with Flame at its center. But she no longer cared.

However, deep down... her heart churned with unease.

’Why?’

This incident not only brought her closer to Eisel but also drastically changed her fate.

It was a good thing.

Not as flawless as Baek Yu-Seol’s style... But still.

She managed to pull it off in her own way... boldly and confidently, just like him.

’My chest feels tight.’

She thought, maybe she should feel a little happy.

Creak!

Flame pressed her finger against the dormitory window, gently tracing it.

This window wasn’t an illusion or a fake. It was real... a window in another world, identical to the one in her dormitory.

But here...

Apparently, in this world, she lived alone in the dormitory as part of the Class S.

That small detail kept bothering her.

’The Flame in this world... Is just slightly different from me.’

In her own world, Flame cherished companionship. She had chosen to stay in the Class F dormitory just to be with her friends.

However, the ’other Flame’ in this world had chosen to distance herself from others and lived alone in the Class S dormitory.

Such a minor difference.

Another version of herself—

’Ah.’

Suddenly, it all came rushing back.

The towering flames that devoured the Levian coast.

Hong Bi-Yeon’s lifeless form.

"Urgh...!"

Her breath hitched as she clutched her chest, teeth gritting against the unbearable ache.

Only then did she finally understand the source of the strange pain she had been feeling all this time.

It was grief.

The sorrow of losing a friend.

Even though this world’s Hong Bi-Yeon hadn’t been close to her - in fact, they were practically enemies - still...

In her original world, they had become inseparable friends.

Yet she let her die.

She couldn’t protect her.

And that thought made Flame’s heart ache endlessly.

Because this world’s Hong Bi-Yeon was real too.

’... Get it together, Flame.’

How could she move forward if she allowed herself to crumble now?

’Don’t waver. Just forget it.’

Flame tightly shut her eyes.

Even though she blocked out her vision, flickering flames kept appearing in her mind. She could almost hear the painful screams of Hong Bi-Yeon - screams she had never actually heard - ringing in her ears.

Her hands shot to her ears, pressing against them as if to drown out the phantom cries. She flung herself onto her bed, burying her face into the pillow, desperate for an escape.

Ding... ding... ding...

With the midnight chimes of Stella’s clock tower, Flame slowly drifted off to sleep.

Woooom!

While Flame was asleep, time pulled her away once more to yet another place.

***

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a completely different location.

Even though most time slips only changed the time within Stella, situations like this did happen occasionally. She was quick to adapt.

’Where... am I?’

Her gaze swept across the room. It was a dormitory, but unlike anything she’d seen before.

The walls were made of polished wood, their rich grain gleaming with a subtle life of their own.

A bunk bed stood nearby, evidence that this was a shared room for four.

’Is this...?’

It felt unfamiliar.

Had she ever used a dormitory like this before?

’The smell of plants...’

At first glance, she had thought the dormitory was old, weathered with time. But as she inspected further, she realized the truth.

It wasn’t aged. It was alive.

Everything - from the walls to the ceiling - had been constructed from living wood, its surface smooth and strong, with tiny green shoots sprouting in places as if the structure itself were still growing.

’... No way!’

She jumped out of bed and hurried to the window.

Outside, a massive tree filled her view. It was so large and majestic that it seemed to split the world in half.

There were only a few such trees in this world.

And among them, there was only one place that Flame and Eisel had personally visited.

The First World Tree, Sky Flower Cradle.

’Am I already here as an exchange student?’

The thought clicked into place.

Since Flame had been suspended for a month, there was no reason for her to remain involved in other events. Moving straight to the exchange student arc seemed logical.

In that case, this must be the dormitory of Astral Flower Magic Academy.

’But... Why is the dormitory in this condition?’

Flame clearly remembered that Astral Flower Magic Academy had once spent a fortune building a brand-new dormitory to accommodate the exchange students from Stella.

That dormitory was likely funded by Jeliel’s capital...

’Ah.’

Right.

In this world, Jeliel was missing.

Even if she hadn’t vanished, it was unlikely she would’ve funded such a grandiose project.

Because Baek Yu-Seol didn’t exist here.

’That’s right... Now that I think about it, in the original story, Eisel used an old dormitory like this.’

Eisel had arrived at Astral Flower Magic Academy as an exchange student, only to be thrown into relentless conflict with Jeliel. She endured countless hardships, enduring the second-worst villainess after Hong Bi-Yeon.

While Hong Bi-Yeon had a subtle fanbase due to her tragic backstory, Jeliel was universally hated by readers.

Unlike Hong Bi-Yeon, Jeliel had no traumatic past. Instead, she exhibited psychopathic tendencies, tormenting those around her without a shred of emotion. Her actions were downright chilling.

In short, this part of the story focused on Eisel standing up to Jeliel’s bullying...

’Wait—hold on. Am I stupid? Didn’t I just remember? Jeliel was missing.’

And even in the original world, Eisel was never bullied by Jeliel.

They didn’t get along, sure, but Baek Yu-Seol’s presence acted as a strong deterrent.

So then...

What’s the reason for me being here?

’There’s only one possibility.’

Bang!

Flame swung open the dormitory door and bolted outside.

She ran toward the highest point in Astral Flower Magic Academy.

With Jeliel gone, there was only one event left for Eisel - and for Flame herself - to face here.

’Dusk Soil Moon.’

He had awakened, advancing steadily toward the World Tree.

Whoooosh...!

"Ugh!"

A chilly wind brushed against her skin.

Just the night before, it had felt like the height of summer. Now, as though the seasons themselves had been torn apart, autumn was skipped entirely, plunging the world into the depths of winter.

How much time has skipped this time?

’This is too much...!’

She had worked so hard to bridge the gap between herself and Eisel, painstakingly earning her trust. And now, months had vanished in an instant, stolen by this relentless time skip.

And to make matters worse, the very next event she had to face was none other than the awakening of Dusk Soil Moon’s ’Birth.’

"Huff, huff!"

Her body wasn’t what it used to be.

In her original world, by winter, both her stamina and magical abilities had improved dramatically, and she was on the verge of reaching Class 6.

But in this world, it seemed that Flame hadn’t progressed nearly as much.

"This is ridiculous...!"

After all the effort she’d put into getting closer to Eisel, she suddenly found herself dragged months ahead.

And now, right after the time skip, she had to face Dusk Soil Moon’s awakening... a disaster of unimaginable scale.

"Huff, huff!"

Her body felt sluggish and unresponsive.

In her original world, she had overcome such obstacles through sheer will and relentless training. But this time, the odds were insurmountable.

It was as if the world itself conspired against her, forcing her into a cruel, impossible choice.

’So, what will you do? Will you give up? Or will you fight to the bitter end, knowing you can’t win?’

The question haunted her, echoing in her mind as she climbed higher, pushing past the other mages who tried to block her path.

Her determination burned brighter with every step. She refused to waver.

Finally, she reached the rooftop.

And then—

... Boom!

A massive tremor shook the earth, nearly causing her to lose her footing.

Clinging desperately to a pillar, Flame looked up—

And for a moment, her mind went completely blank.

She had seen it before.

That enormous brown giant, tall enough to pierce the clouds.

A being that had become a catastrophe himself and marched forward to devour the World Tree.

Even so, the sight of it was overwhelming.

No matter how many times she saw it, the result was the same.

It was a being that completely surpassed human imagination.

That’s right.

This was the Twelve Divine Moons.

A grand myth, existing in a realm utterly incomprehensible by human logic.

For a moment, she had forgotten.

Just because Baek Yu-Seol had managed to persuade and embrace all of them didn’t mean she could do the same.

’Ugh... I’m so useless.’

’I’m nothing but a worm...’

’I’m alive too! I have a life too!’

’It’s my fault, all my fault...’

’Stop looking at me like that!’

Images of Dusk Soil Moon flashed through her mind.

He wasn’t what anyone would call a good person... but he wasn’t necessarily bad either.

A man who, despite being constantly teased by the Twelve Divine Moons, always wore a warm, foolish smile.

That was Dusk Soil Moon.

Boom—!!!

And now, the towering giant charging forward to devour the World Tree—

Could she really believe that this monstrous being was the same as that kind-hearted, foolish man?

"Damn it...!"

Flame leaped out of the Astral Flower Magic Academy building and sprinted through the streets of Sky Flower Cradle.

Her target was the highest point of the World Tree.

"Aaaaah!!"

"W-What is that?!"

"Run! Run for your lives!!"

Elves scattered in every direction, their terrified screams echoing through the sacred city. But Flame didn’t stop. She wove through the chaos, her focus unwavering, her legs propelling her toward the World Tree’s summit.

Yet as she sprinted through the streets, something struck her as odd.

’Wait... weren’t there supposed to be tons of the giant’s wraiths?’

She distinctly remembered being trapped at the academy in her original world, fighting endlessly against those phantoms.

Yet here, no phantoms had appeared.

’I don’t understand... But this might actually be a good thing!’

Thanks to the lack of obstacles, she could keep running without interference.

But even as she ran, doubts began to creep into her mind.

’Will anything even change if I go there?’

The one who resolved the Dusk Soil Moon incident was Baek Yu-Seol.

Yet no one knew exactly how he stopped Dusk Soil Moon, persuaded him, and turned him into an ally.

There was only one thing she could recall—

’Baek Yu-Seol gave Dusk Soil Moon life...’

Dusk Soil Moon had longed for life and tried to absorb the World Tree, which possessed the most powerful life force on Earth.

But Baek Yu-Seol had shown him that such a thing was unnecessary.

’... How did he do it?’

No amount of thinking would provide her with an answer.

It was a secret Baek Yu-Seol had uncovered only after thousands of regressions.

"Hah... huff...!"

Her lungs burned, but she didn’t stop running.

The World Tree had defenses that usually prevented anyone from climbing beyond a certain point, but the guards seemed to have abandoned their posts.

Finally, she reached the White Castle.

And there, standing barefoot on the edge of a waterfall cliff, was a woman.

She had likely rushed out without even considering putting on her usual veils, as her white dress fluttered in the wind.

Her identity was unmistakable—

The Elf King, Florin.

Florin didn’t even seem to notice Flame’s approach. Her gaze was fixed on the void beyond the cliff, her expression unreadable.

Then, without a word or a flicker of hesitation, Florin leapt from the edge.

"W-Wait! Don’t go!!"

Flame shouted at her, but it was too late.

Florin flew straight toward the advancing Dusk Soil Moon.

Her fairy wings expanded—

Twice their size.

No, ten times.

No—twenty times.

Finally, a hundred times their size—

Growing so large that they filled the entire sky and enveloped Dusk Soil Moon along with the branches of the World Tree.

Whoooosh—!!!

"Urgh!"

As Dusk Soil Moon let out a thunderous roar after being temporarily halted, a massive tremor shook the entire World Tree, surpassing all conceivable senses.

Even keeping her eyes open to watch was a struggle, yet Flame forced herself to look at Florin’s back.

’No, this can’t be!’

That wasn’t Florin’s original power.

She was burning up her own life force, drawing out every ounce of it and compressing it to its limit.

And what happens to such condensed life energy?

’This is... suicide!’

Florin didn’t know.

She didn’t know that what Dusk Soil Moon truly craved was life.

Yet here she was, offering him a concentrated mass of life energy, wrapping the World Tree’s branches tightly with it.

’She just served Dusk Soil Moon a feast on a silver platter...’

Dusk Soil Moon’s advance came to an abrupt stop.

He didn’t even need to reach the World Tree itself anymore.

Grabbing hold of the countless branches extending from it, he began siphoning its life force like a straw.

And then—

Standing between the World Tree and Dusk Soil Moon, Florin became the conduit, the passage through which life flowed.

Her body shriveled up... drying out like a mummy.

Yet the most horrifying part was that she didn’t die.

No. She couldn’t die.

Florin would be forced to endure this torment until Dusk Soil Moon drained every last drop of life from the World Tree, the land, and everything upon it.

She would feel the pain of having her life drained.

The agony of knowing the World Tree was dying because of her.

The despair of helplessly witnessing the death of her people.

Until the very end...

"Why are you just standing there?"

A voice suddenly called out behind her.

Turning around, Flame saw Eisel, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.

"E-Eisel..."

She couldn’t find the words even if she had two mouths.

’Am I... just a fool?’

Not long ago, she had resolved to become like Baek Yu-Seol.

And yet here she was, utterly helpless.

Flame clenched her eyes shut and nodded firmly.

"You’re right, Eisel. Watching such a tragedy unfold without even trying to stop it—I can’t just stand here and do nothing."

"... Wait, what? No, I was asking why you’re not running away—"

"I’ll stop it. There has to be a way. Baek Yu-Seol? You think he’s the only amazing one? I can do it too, damn it!"

Gritting her teeth, Flame took a step back. Then, without hesitation, she sprinted toward the edge of the cliff and jumped off.

... There was just one small detail she had overlooked.

Flame couldn’t fly in this world.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

"W-What?!"

Panicked, Eisel rushed to the edge of the cliff, partially-expecting to see Flame’s body splattered at the bottom.

Fortunately - or perhaps miraculously - a branch extending toward Dusk Soil Moon had caught her fall.

Flame was now charging recklessly across the branch toward Florin.

"... What the hell is she thinking?"

Eisel stood frozen and stared at Flame in disbelief before furrowing her brow.

Something Flame had muttered earlier wouldn’t stop bothering her.

"... Baek Yu-Seol?"

Blink.

For the first time, a faint spark of life returned to Eisel’s blue eyes.