Surviving at the Magic Academy

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I slowly scanned Mauro. His neatly tied white hair hung down his back, and the first thing that caught my eye was his similarly white beard.

He looked so refined and tidy, as if he had stepped out from a world apart. The monocle perched on his lined face added to this distinctive aura.

As he stroked his beard, he winked with one eye, throwing out a light-hearted quip. It was a surprisingly playful gesture for such a serious-looking face, lightening the whole atmosphere.

“Are you talking about the adopted child?”

I responded, confused. Mauro looked nothing like the man who introduced himself as Koit. But hearing about an adopted child somehow connected the two in my mind.

Mauro looked at me and broke into a warm smile, nodding lightly. Seeing his smile, I instinctively knew his words must be true; their cheerful expressions were strikingly similar.

“This goes back a bit. It must have been around the time I had my… incident. That was already two hundred years ago,” Mauro said, gazing slightly into the distance as if reminiscing.

His unfocused eyes seemed to sift through the memories. He stroked his beard again and continued,

“At that time, I couldn’t give up my dolls. So, I was searching for someone to inherit my Doll Manipulation. After wandering the continent, I found Koit, that talented lad. He was really adorable back then…”

Now, however, that lad had plumped up. Mauro clicked his tongue and shook his head, causing Koit’s chubby figure to pop into my mind, stirring up a hint of jealousy.

Koit was said to be on the sixth floor. That meant he had reached the pinnacle of woodcraft. After learning magic for two hundred years and getting accepted to the University, he climbed to the sixth floor. The time seemed far too short.

I quietly calculated my age. I was nearing ninety. But here I was, stuck on the second floor with far too many stairs to climb. I couldn’t help but feel a desire to rush up the floors like him.

But the way to the third floor still felt foggy. I had just begun to grasp the basics. So, I instinctively recognized I still had a long way to go.

Taking a small deep breath, I suppressed my impatience. All I needed to do was move slowly and steadily. What was the point of envying others? Rushing would only lead to more detours.

After all, what could I possibly lack compared to them? It hadn’t even been ten years since I arrived at the University. Yet, I had already faced many opportunities.

The very act of managing the tower could be considered a significant fortune. It allowed me to steadily acquire points. It had also become a stepping stone for my growth.

And I owed all these opportunities solely to Professor Ilian. A deeper gratitude filled my heart as I thought of her radiant gaze.

“You look rather sinister all of a sudden,” Mira said, lightly poking my cheek. The sudden touch snapped me back to reality. Mauro chuckled at us.

“Well, I don’t think my friend gave that to you with any ill intentions. Just like everyone else, he deals with dolls too. I have trained my students diligently since they were young,” he said, scratching his head lightly. With a bit of hesitation, he continued,

“I guess I may have taught him too well; he might have strayed a bit. Like you’ve seen, he’s putting all his effort into accumulating points. He wishes to spread the influence of our group and Doll Manipulators a little further. It seems he’s been quite dissatisfied with our group’s current state.”

Mauro observed his surroundings. I followed his gaze to see Doll Manipulators chatting among themselves in small groups. They were all half-leaning against their dolls, lazily moving about.

“I don’t think it’s a bad direction. Many groups in other cities have tried to expand like that. The state of this place probably has much to do with my leadership,” he said with a slightly bitter smile. I shook my head in disagreement, liking the simplicity of these people. Their pure-heartedness was refreshing, far from what you would expect from a Mage.

Seeing me like that, Mauro let out a hearty laugh, nodding lightly.

“Well, it wouldn’t hurt for you to check out that friend’s shop.”

I blinked in surprise; that wasn’t something I’d ever considered. With a slight frown, I gently stroked the business card in my hand. I could feel a certain magical flow pulsing along my fingertips.

I remembered Koit’s greedy gaze fixed on Mira. It seemed his shop was some sort of entertainment establishment. Mira had said his eyes looked similar to mine. That was a bit of self-reflection I needed.

Noticing my hesitation, Mauro lightly patted my shoulder. Meeting his eyes, I saw a playful smirk creep across his face.

“Don’t worry. It’s not the place you’re thinking. Though… there are those kinds of activities as well,” he added, grinning.

“Oh dear, really? I thought it was just a shop for selling doll bodies!” Mira exclaimed, tilting her head slightly as a puzzled expression appeared on her face. I felt the same confusion; I had thought so too. Mauro stroked his beard, looking amused at our reactions.

“You’ll understand once you visit. My friend has arranged his shop quite uniquely. As he said, if your partner joins him there, she might earn a significant amount of points,” he mused.

Though I knew he meant that I likely wouldn’t want that. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he added, “The name itself might give you a clue. I’ll let you find out for yourself later. I wouldn’t want to ruin the fun by telling you too much. You should enjoy the experience.”

Mauro’s somewhat sly smile intrigued me. I leaned in a bit, curiously asking, “Is there something special about it?”

“Hmm… Just think about the name. I’ll leave the rest for your amusement. If I tell you everything, there won’t be any joy left for you, and I believe you’ll enjoy it there,” he said, a touch of mischief in his tone.

Mauro stretched his hands in the air, making a rather blatant gesture as Mira leaned in closer to me, wearing a bright smile.

“Oh my! Do you really think Ebron would go for that? He doesn’t seem to react much even when I’m this close!” Mira giggled, lightly poking my side. Mauro burst into laughter at our antics.

“Ha! Is that so? You really do seem to be a blockhead. Maybe your love for dolls is still undercooked,” he joked.

“I suppose you’re right. I’ve been waiting all this time,” Mira replied, placing her hand on her chest, sparkling her eyes at me. Then she smiled at Mauro.

The two of them exchanged mischievous smiles. Somehow, it felt like whenever these two were together, the conversation always circled back to me.

“Hmph! But I haven’t heard of that name before. I thought I’d wandered around the lower district enough to recognize it,” I made an off-hand remark, clearing my throat.

Mauro scratched his head lightly and leaned on his cane. “You wouldn’t have heard of it; it’s located on the seventh floor. It’s likely hard to hear about it from the lower levels.” 

The mention of the seventh floor made me smirk. The auction house was situated there. I recalled the occurrences from my last visit and the trapped Mirror Bugs all tied up.

I felt a pang of sympathy for those stuck beings, unable to think or grow. I placed my hand on my chest, feeling the moon rise beyond. Someday, I would find a chance to release them from their bonds.

Then they could bask solely in love beneath that moon. The moon was a sanctuary born from my thoughts of them. It was the only thing I could do for them.

Somehow, the number seven felt off to me. It had that same dissonance, both in the tower and in this city. After all, many accidents had happened on the seventh floor.

“If that’s the place, I guess it’s understandable I wouldn’t know.”

I nodded towards Mauro. The seventh floor had always separated the lower and upper levels during my visits. Now it felt like an unreachable place for me – a goal I longed to ascend to again.

I idly toyed with the business card. Who would have thought this opportunity would come knocking so soon?

I figured a day or two might pass before I would need to visit there. An entry fee of that level wouldn’t be a burden. When I glanced over, I saw Mira smiling brightly. She too seemed interested in that place.

“Well then, shall we end our story here as you wish? I think that friend wouldn’t want us talking about too many things with him absent,” Mauro said, lightly tapping his cane on the ground.

I nodded in agreement. Mauro beamed and took a seat next to me.

“Now then, let’s briefly talk about the gathering. I need to ask you for a favor.”

A favor? Did Mauro have something he needed from me? With a curious look, I stared at him as he leaned on the table with his cane.

“The gathering is just a fancy name for this meeting; it’s not much different. Just think of it as a bigger version of our group. Every Doll Manipulator from every city gathers in one place.”

Mauro stroked his beard, hinting at the size of attendance. It felt too different from what I saw in our little corner. Already I could see some scruffily dressed Doll Manipulators lounging in the corners.

“This atmosphere is uniquely ours. We are those who have fully embraced the teachings of the professors. Other cities might be a little different. Observing these differences might be part of the fun,” he said, reading my thoughts.

He lightly patted my shoulder with a dense smile on his face.

“Participation is free, but most of the time everyone joins. So, I’d like to ask you for a request.”

“A request?”

“That’s right. Don’t worry; the rewards will be ample. There won’t be repercussions for failure.”

That familiarity gave me a sense of déjà vu, as if I’d heard these kinds of reassurances from Tiena before. It was a way of easing the burden on the listener. Nodding quietly, Mauro gave me a thumbs up.

“Great thinking. Now, let me tell you what I need. When the gathering is held, Doll Manipulators on the fourth floor and below usually showcase their creations. Think of it as a sort of Doll Contest. I hope you can win this time,” he said, crossing his arms, wearing an annoyed grin.

“Isn’t Amelia on the fourth floor?”

As I said this, I glanced at Amelia, who sat at the far end of the table, hugging her doll and sobbing lightly. I noticed her gaze lingering on the heap of presents piled up before us.

“Oh my, with that face, huh? If you need anything, I can always return it,” Mira teasingly said, causing Amelia to flinch before shaking her head vigorously. Mira’s grin only widened at her response.

“Gosh, you’re so cute! I enjoy the taste of handling you way more than Ebron!” she chimed, causing Mauro to shake his head slightly.

He glanced at Amelia, looking a bit awkward as he remarked, “She’s way too… Doll Manipulator-like as you see. She always gives up quickly in contests.”

“But I’m only on the second floor…” I mumbled, wondering if I could really achieve what Amelia on the fourth floor had failed to do. Mauro watched me intently, then broke into a hearty laugh, patting my shoulder.

“Ha! What a silly thing to say. What do levels mean in doll-handling? You must have seen how everyone admires that girl next to you. You have talent, the knack for making dolls. I stand by that,” he said, smiling brightly.

His words struck a chord in my heart. To have my Doll Manipulation recognized like this was something I never expected. I had never seen myself as particularly gifted before, but now, hearing it from him was overwhelming.

To believe I had talent, this was only the second time I’d heard it since coming to the University. The first was from Professor Heisen, who told me I had a knack for handling shadows. Mauro became the second to affirm it.

As I bowed my head slightly, I felt a sense of responsibility towards someone who had expectations for me. I would win, without fail. I resolved with sparkling eyes.

Mauro helped me up with a bright expression and continued,

“Don’t feel too pressured. Contests aren’t everything at the gathering. You’ll find plenty of things that fascinate you. Our Lady will offer many prizes as well. Most everyone comes to participate for those.”

Our Lady, he must’ve been referring to Tiena. Her image surfaced in my mind. Mauro seemed to feel the same, smiling and stroking his beard.

“I’m always grateful to her. She organizes these gatherings for us, bringing all individual Doll Manipulators together.”

Mauro said this with a hint of fondness. It felt like Tiena was the only one he appreciated. Professor On’s absence was notable.

Recalling Professor On’s emotionless face, I nodded slightly. After all, someone like her rarely gave these matters a second thought. She was a true Doll Manipulator through and through.

“Well… I want to explain more, but I guess I need to take my leave. That friend is calling for me,” Mauro said as he cleared his throat lightly. I noticed Daegon at the end of his line of sight, staring intently at Mauro through his thick glasses.

I could see a definite flow of magic pulsing from him, like a thread tethering him to Mauro. It seemed he was calling on Mauro with that magic. I nodded in understanding.

“Yes, then, check on him,” I replied.

“You take care now,” Mauro said as he stood up, about to take his leave. But just then, Mira stepped in front of him.

With a mischievous smile, she pointed to the table piled high with gifts, “Oh my, are you really just leaving? Everyone here has gone to great lengths to welcome you.”

When Mauro met Mira’s gaze, he burst out laughing. Scratching his head, he leaned against his cane and flashed a sheepish grin at me.

“Oh dear, I was trying to sneak away before I got caught like this. This girl certainly knows how to pin me down,” he chuckled.

“Pin down? I was just checking if you had forgotten anything,” Mira replied, both of them sharing jovial laughter. Mauro then pulled out a stone from his pocket, and I sensed eerie magic flowing from it. It was the core of the lantern he received from Daegon earlier.

Mauro casually placed it on the table, causing me to blink in surprise.

“This is…?”

“I got this for you. As someone of my stature, I find it too precious to use myself. I think you could utilize it better than me,” he said nonchalantly.

It was a rather extravagant gift for a welcome present. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Mauro waved his hand dismissively, causing me to pause. He then tapped the ground with his cane, continuing,

“Consider it an advance on our agreement. I trust you’ll handle it well.”

With that, Mauro took his leave. Mira held onto the lantern’s core, releasing a tendril of mist. The eerie magic infused within began to intertwine with the mist, creating a bizarre resonance.

“Wow, I never thought he’d just give this away. Mauro must really like you, Ebron,” Mira said with satisfaction, clutching it to her chest. It all seemed to come naturally to her. Mira turned to me, smiling tenderly.

“Shall we get moving too?” she proposed, shifting her gaze toward another group nearby. I followed her lead, spotting those who hadn’t come over yet, whispering among themselves.

I licked my lips slightly. Maybe I could get a ‘welcome gift’ from them too, just like Mauro. They would surely be happy to hand over gifts. Of course, they would; every Doll Manipulator here overflowed with love.

With a chuckle, Mira and I stood up, ready to approach them. If they were hesitant, we could always approach first. With light-hearted steps, we made our way toward them.

As time passed, one by one, everyone began to leave. Mauro was the first to disappear. Once the center of attention slipped away, others followed suit. With everyone gone, the gathering naturally came to an end.

With the gathering concluded, it was time for us to head back. There was no need for us to return to the city; we were headed to the tower instead. Thus began our journey home.

This gathering had been quite satisfying. I had learned about the congregation, met many new faces, and even received several gifts. Perhaps I would consider participating again next year.

Idly fiddling with the cards in my hand, I found myself curious about the Dream Theater that Koit operated.

I examined the presents Mira had received from the Turtle, which had been given to express their goodwill. Each of them individually wasn’t extremely valuable, but gathering them all could change the narrative.

“It smells lovely. Just selling these would yield quite a few points,” Mira exclaimed with a smile. And indeed, it was true. Each item might only be worth thousands of points, but piled together, they easily surpassed a hundred thousand.

It didn’t mean that thousands of points were small change. It just meant that from their perspective, there was no burden attached. If we sold these, we’d gain a lot of points indeed.

Of course, selling wasn’t in the cards. I smiled ruefully as I realized I would be using everything here for my dolls. Everything given to me as gifts by other Doll Manipulators had been extremely useful.

I pondered how I should use these treasures. Looking back, I had no right to judge their potential as Doll Manipulators.

If I weren’t living in the professor’s tower, enjoying a steady influx of points, I might have turned out like them. No, I surely would have.

Mira reached out her hand for the spatial pouch to hold the items. Handing it over, she began placing the treasures within. She then returned the pouch to me and spoke up,

“Well, now that we’ve gathered here, I find there’s another place we must go.”

“You’re talking about the gathering?”

“Yes, indeed! And I feel quite accomplished. Who’d think Ebron would be out wandering around like this? Truly moving.”

She made a mock crying gesture, and I chuckled at her playful antics. I nodded lightly.

“That’s thanks to you, Mira.”

At those words, Mira dropped her playful act and moved closer to me, resting her head on my arm. She wore a gentle smile on her face.

“Hehe, I appreciate even just the words. So, what doll will you take to the Doll Contest? Seems like it’ll be quite the fun event,” she said, lightly placing her hand on her chest, her eyes sparkling as they met mine.

“What doll would I take if it weren’t for you, Mira?”

At that, Mira playfully poked my side, laughing with satisfaction. It seemed I hadn’t given the wrong answer after all.

The path toward the tower was wonderfully smooth, and I nodded at the monsters squished under Turtle’s feet. By the end of our journey, I could feel stars rising in my chest. The tower was finally so close.

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