Surviving at the Magic Academy

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Beyond the enormous glass window that took up one side of the room, a fiery sun danced hotly. Professor On had told me it was an object crafted from a star that was brought here when the university was established. That was a tale told when she became a professor.

The sun radiated such intense magic and light that it was hard to believe it was artificially created. It spilled its brilliance in all directions, including into the room we were in.

The magic on the window softened the sunlight, warming the interior. The sunbeams twirled around before settling on the table near the window.

And there sat Professor Ilian. Perhaps pleased with today’s meal, a soft smile graced her lips. Seeing that made me smile softly too.

I noticed her hair, reflecting the light into a brilliant golden hue, looked as if spun from gold thread—so mesmerizing, it could captivate anyone who dared to look.

She lifted the tea cup I had set down and gazed out the window. The cup fit perfectly in her hand, and the gems embedded in it created a circuit that produced various magic spells.

I fiddled with the dagger at my waist. This blade, a gift from the professor, had become a tool to create new things. The magic flowing through it revitalized me.

It had no aggressive function at all. I never expected it to take this form. It merely assisted me in my work.

But it was incredibly useful. It resonated with my will, leading me to the best outcomes every time. The creations at its end exceeded what I had imagined, just like that tea cup.

These days, I found myself quite enjoying the process of remaking things with this dagger. Most of the items in the professor’s room have been replaced, crafted to be more beautiful and refined.

Now, only one thing remained—a grand table she was eyeing. It was colossal, easily large enough to seat dozens.

This size emphasized the petite stature of Professor Ilian, making her look even smaller—a height that barely reached my waist.

That was also why I wanted to change the table. It didn’t do justice to her presence. Just sitting there, Professor Ilian resembled more of an adorable girl.

Adorable girl, a thought that made me chuckle unexpectedly.

Among wandering mages, there’s a saying: if you encounter someone who looks like a child, run away. Especially if they seem powerful. It’s an old adage.

Mages always dream of ascending to greater heights. Once you experience the sensation of being reconstructed into a superior being, you inevitably yearn for something higher. I was no different.

But most mages fail to achieve that and perish. Mages have long lifespans, but that doesn’t mean they’re immortal. In the end, many succumb to their mortality.

While a mage’s body generally maintains an optimal state, it can’t completely stave off the aging accumulated over the years. Eventually, those boxed in by the wall grow old.

If a mage appears to be in a child’s form, it signifies one of two things.

One is that they are genuinely young—a prodigy with the talent to break the barrier, allowing for a rejuvenated lifespan.

Many sponsors would be behind such a person. One wrong move and you might just end up finished. It’s easier to just run away without poking the bear.

The other possibility is that they are not human—beings who exist outside the constraints of lifespan. It applies here as well.

How can you approach something you don’t understand? If it’s a creature that enjoys eating humans, what then? This saying has been upheld among wanderers as a kind of rule. I was one of those wanderers.

I stared intently at Professor Ilian. Until now, I assumed she was the first case. But lately, it didn’t seem so.

Well, either way, I was here seeking her guidance.

As if sensing my gaze, she glanced at me. She smelled the aroma wafting from her cup, took a sip, and smiled gently, giving a slight nod. After swallowing the tea, she spoke.

“So, what did you want to ask?”

“Do you know love, Professor?”

At that, she coughed lightly, setting her cup down as flustered surprise flickered in her eyes. Locking eyes with her, I spoke earnestly.

“I’ve been pondering it lately, and I thought you might have the answers. Your fascination with treasures could be considered a form of love, right?”

Professor Ilian’s mouth fell slightly open. Then, she rubbed her face with her hand and let out a sigh.

“Love? It’s just collecting things that catch your fancy.”

“Is that so?”

I nodded quietly. It seemed she wasn’t quite knowledgeable about love herself. I poured tea back into her empty cup. She glanced at me before grabbing the cup and took another sip.

Turning towards her, I sneaked in a question.

“Then, have you ever been in love?”

She splurted her tea out upon hearing that, starting to cough while her butler carefully wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.

As expected, she really didn’t know love well. It seemed like getting clear advice from her would be harder than anticipated. I kind of expected that, given her youthful appearance. I nodded quietly to myself.

Professor Ilian shuddered slightly. The magic around her began to ripple as well.

Hmm, maybe I crossed a line this time. It seemed I was about to get hit. I quietly enveloped myself in magic, bracing for the blow. Sure enough, my intuition was spot on.

“…Get out!”

Her face flushed, and magic surged wildly, striking me. I was launched out the door, rolling across the floor until I finally came to a stop.

With that, I stared at the firmly shut door. It had been a while since I received a hit from her. I quietly counted the days and realized it had been over four months. Maybe it was because it had been so long since the last time, but my head was ringing.

At that moment, someone gently stroked my head. I felt a strange sensation as something flowed from that hand into my head, easing the pain.

Glancing over, it was Mira. She had changed into a new outfit again today, this time a rather light-looking dress. She met my eyes and offered a slight grin.

“Hehe, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you kicked out like that.”

“Indeed.”

I shook myself off and got up. Honestly, that second question was partly a joke. I never expected her to react so explosively.

It was surprising how I could even joke with Professor Ilian now.

These days, she had softened far beyond my imagination. In the past, if I had brought up love, my soul would have been wrung out of me.

So, I likely wouldn’t have dared to ask her anything. Making jokes was completely out of the question.

But now, things were different. She surely had a degree of fondness for me, and I too felt a hint of familiarity with her. It was a natural attraction, almost like an instinct.

Asking whether she loved treasure was just about this feeling. I quietly clenched my hand, contemplating. Is it that like treasures, everyone gets naturally drawn to her? It was a curious feeling.

“I can’t believe you’d even ask that. Didn’t I mention that the scent from her is supremely pure? It’s surprising that Ilian didn’t snap at you for such a playful question.”

“If there’s something unknown, shouldn’t I seek answers from others? I thought you might know, Professor.”

Mira hooked her arm through mine and burst into laughter. She looked up at me, the faint rose scent still lingering about her.

“Just know, the final path is always open. If you entrust that body to me, I’ll surely make you fall in love with me.”

“…Haha, I’m fine, thanks.”

I forced a smile and lightly shook my head. She must know that as someone who wasn’t a complete doll, she couldn’t provide me with the answer to my quest. Yet, she still kept poking at me; it must be just for her own amusement.

I heard a small tsk. Looking at Mira, she had an innocent smile and locked eyes with mine. Did I mishear? She pressed her hand against my chest and asked.

“Is that so? Then, how do you plan to find the answer?”

“Don’t you have someone nearby who knows Professor On better than I do? Since I ought to express my gratitude, I’m thinking of paying her a visit this time.”

The assignment Professor On handed me felt as elusive as a cloud. Love, I needed to clarify what that meant. Heading towards the city, I resolved myself.

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“Hmm, so you came to find me?”

“Yes.”

I nodded. The room was filled with dolls, not just on the walls, but on the ceiling and floor as well. I sat at the table in the center, facing the other side.

“Hehe, I didn’t expect you to finally show up. Let alone coming to ask about an assignment.”

Mauro, with his wrinkled eyes, smiled slightly. He offered a tea cup, and as I watched him pour tea, I took in my surroundings. The dolls were impeccably arranged—just as expected from On’s Doll Workshop.

“I’m sorry. I tried to come as quickly as possible, but I had quite a bit to handle in the meantime. Please accept this. It’s a gesture of gratitude for introducing me to the lecture. I’ve arranged a little something as a score.”

As I spoke, I sent a Mirror Bug flying. It soared directly to Mauro, who stared at it in surprise before produce a ring. What I handed him was this score and the entirety of the score I received from the Heaven’s Ring before.

I learned from attending Professor On’s lectures that my taking this opportunity was a purely benevolent act, and it was akin to a miracle that one like me, a doll manipulator, could obtain.

Exchanges should always be thorough. Knowing the exchange carried no malice, I needed to reciprocate with goodwill.

“This time, I’ll gratefully accept, but next time, you needn’t bring anything like this. Starting now, you can call yourself my fellow alchemist,” Mauro added, stroking his beard. Hearing his words, I tilted my head slightly.

“Fellow alchemist… you mean?”

Mauro laughed heartily and pulled out a card. It bore the same ‘On’ insignia as mine.

“This is not just a tool needed for class; it also signifies that you’re part of our guild. Once you accept that, you’re officially a member of our guild. Thus, you are now my fellow alchemist.”

That made me chuckle lightly. I had anticipated they would draw me into their guild, but I never expected them to be so upfront about it. Who would’ve thought that receiving this card would mean joining the guild?

I had misunderstood. You didn’t enroll in a class to join the guild; you joined the guild after auditing a class. That was precisely why he handed me this card.

Noticing my expression, Mauro chuckled again and waved his hand lightly.

“It’s just a name really, with no obligations at all. It’s merely to foster camaraderie among exceptionally talented doll manipulators, that’s our guild’s only goal. It’s also what Lady On desires.”

The mention of Lady On conjured the image of the woman who had been in the professor’s embrace. I patiently waited for Mauro to continue. After taking a sip of tea, he stroked his beard once more before he continued.

“If you don’t want to be part of the guild, that’s perfectly fine. It won’t mean you’ll be kicked out of the class. Just know you wouldn’t be able to benefit from my advice, right? Ahem, it would likely be hard to speak up if you’re not a member, you see.”

He winked. The gesture was a bit too lighthearted for someone his age. I couldn’t help but crack a bittersweet smile at his playfulness.

“I appreciate you seeing me as a fellow. As you said, we need to help one another as doll manipulators, right?”

I nodded slowly. In truth, even if Mauro hadn’t brought it up, I would have likely suggested it first. I had been quite interested in their guild. I needed a faction; that was essential to me. Mauro laughed heartily.

“You made the right call! At last, we have a newcomer in our city. We’ve been envious of folks from other cities for a while!”

“Then, I look forward to working with you going forward, guild master.”

“Just call me by my name, as we did before. Guild master, how formal!”

Mauro waved his hand with a chuckle. He went on to give me a light explanation about the ‘On Doll Guild.’

They gather once a year in the city, and attendance is optional. Every decade, all doll manipulators from every city gather, and so on.

This was similar to what I had already researched. The guild was rather casual. It entrusted everything to individual autonomy, which was also why I wanted to join this guild.

The discussion about my worries didn’t surface until much later, stemming from the impatient gaze of Mira, who was sitting beside me.

Had it not been for her, we would have been able to chat more freely about the guild. Mauro awkwardly cleared his throat.

“Ahem, my apologies. I got carried away explaining. By the way, Professor On assigned us an interesting task.”

Mauro looked at me intently, grinning.

“Well, what I’ll tell you is quite simple. You were asked to create a doll that you love and will continue to love in the future. Thus, what are the reasons that would make you love that doll? You might as well find a glaring reason for that.”

“A reason, you say?”

I fell into thought. A reason to cherish. I had pondered the assignment a lot, but I had never thought about the reasons behind love.

“Today’s advice ends here. Like I mentioned earlier, a doll is also a kind of magic. You need to contemplate and discover the answer for yourself to gain true enlightenment. Hence, the rest of the path is for you to find. Oddly enough, the answer may be closer than you think.”

With Mauro’s final words, Mira chuckled. She leaned into me, resting her head on my arm. The delicate rose scent reignited my senses.

“Oh, the one closest to you is me, isn’t it?”

Mauro burst into laughter at Mira’s words. He lightly thumped the table, nodding his agreement.

“That could very well be! You must help this friend, after all.”

“Hehe, of course! After all, he’s my lifelong master.”

“With such a lovely maiden beside you, this friend is quite fortunate. Though I’m not sure if she’s really a maiden. Hohoho!”

“What a thing to say! I am truly a delicate lady, you know?”

Ahaha, uhuhuhu. They shared laughter, gazing at each other in delight. Watching them, I couldn’t help but smile bittersweetly. It seemed the two made quite the pair. Or perhaps it was the opposite.

Afterward, only simple small talk passed between us. Mauro didn’t offer any further advice. As he said, the rest was something I had to figure out myself. I was grateful enough for the topics he had thrown my way.

A reason for love. I pondered this as I slowly made my way back to the tower. Several days passed. Deep in thought, Unit 0 approached me.

It seemed quite excited. It claimed to have completed a doll and insisted on taking me along. It had been a month and a half since it had locked itself in its workshop.

I gazed blankly at the doll it had created. There I was, a huge doll version of myself.

 

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