Surviving at the Magic Academy

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As I opened the tower door, the stars shimmering on the Shadow Tree sensed my presence and began to glow. A soft smile crept onto my face, filling my heart with the sensation of everything I had built so far.

Suddenly, the空 in front of me rippled gently. From within the disturbance, a figure began to slowly emerge—a girl with striking purple hair and eyes that looked like they were made of gems.

It was Hari. Her star was also faintly shining from my Shadow Tree. She lightly bowed her head to me, looking rather worn out.

“What’s wrong?”

I asked her, knowing she must have something to say since she revealed herself like this. She conjured a translucent screen before her. It was the display of the Mirror Bug I had gifted her earlier.

As she manipulated something on it, she let out a small sigh and sent me a faint sense of will—a little whine, if you will—implying that she had been through a rough time.

Alongside that, my Mirror Bug softly vibrated, quickly flying up and hovering in front of me, displaying the information Hari wanted to share.

I began to read it slowly, nodding as I did. It made complete sense why she looked so tired. It briefly recounted Hao’s activities while we were away from the tower.

“Goodness, that kid really gets drawn to other treasures this way. You’ve had quite a time, haven’t you, Hari?”

Mira, who had been glancing at the screen with me, chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with delight.

The requests that treasures usually made to Hao had once been a kind of guideline. It was supposed to be things that wouldn’t harm Hao too severely or damage the tower in any way.

But now, what was displayed on the Mirror Bug went way beyond those guidelines. One even asked him to sacrifice his limbs! It was Blood Axe doing the asking.

It seemed that during our absence, desires had erupted uncontrollably. The treasures’ requests had gotten more bizarre and eccentric than before.

Ugh, this is why one must always be cautious when dealing with treasures. Their way of thinking was just different from that of humans. Once a treasure takes interest in something, it dives deep into it and becomes utterly obsessed.

And right now, the object of their interest was none other than Hao. That’s why I wanted to check on him first as soon as we returned to the tower. He might have caused trouble again, being fascinated by those treasures.

He didn’t betray my expectations. While I was away, he had been joyfully bouncing around like a kid. As Hari showed me, he seemed to be roaming the tower at least once a day, trying to fulfill the treasures’ requests.

If things had proceeded like this, there might have been new rules established within the tower. I glanced at Hari. Thankfully, it seemed she had managed to catch most of it beforehand and prevented any disasters.

She must have done her utmost to protect Hao over the past week. I nodded at her. It seemed that giving her the Mirror Bug was the right choice.

Hari wore a slightly triumphant expression as she nodded back to me. Maybe thanks to the many times she had nudged Hao’s consciousness, it had now become quite natural for her to wear that expression.

I gave her head a light pat. I honestly hadn’t expected there to be no incidents in a week. The glowing ring above her head vibrated softly in response.

I took a moment to look her over. She was entirely different from when she had first been created. At this point, she could be considered quite reliable. Her power and self-awareness had certainly matured enough to handle bigger tasks.

“From now on, I’ll entrust you with the role of the tower’s administrator. When I’m away, the dolls there will follow your commands. Take good care of the tower along with Unit 0.”

I said gently to Hari. Having her manage the dolls would make taking care of Hao much easier. She pondered for a moment before nodding.

Unit 0 smoothly rose from within my shadow and met Hari’s gaze. They stepped toward each other and shook hands. I smiled, satisfied by their interaction.

With these two around, I wouldn’t have to worry about leaving the tower unattended. Just as the professor had trusted me with the tower, I too could hand off a bit of my responsibilities to them.

They began sending each other faint feelings of trust and started chatting. Watching them, I shifted my gaze toward Mira, who glanced back at me as if she had noticed.

“Shall I go up first? I think I should greet Professor Ilian as soon as possible.”

I spoke to Mira. The professor would surely know I was back. But I had to greet her in person, as that was the basic mindset a loyal subordinate should possess.

Thinking of the professor, a smile naturally spread across my lips. After seeing my expression, Mira let out a small sigh and rolled her eyes.

“Honestly, how did you get so smitten with Ilian? Ebron, you’re free to do as you please.”

She leaned slightly against me and poked my chest with her finger. At that moment, the dimensional pocket I carried floated through the mist and into her hand. She waved goodbye and headed for the stairs.

As I observed her retreating figure, I began to tidy my clothes. I needed to look presentable before seeing the professor.

In that state, I lightly channeled my magic. It started to create magical circles that wrapped around me. Cleaning magic, fragrance-enhancing magic, and so on.

These were simple spells I had concocted while serving the professor. The various magical circles surrounded me, cleaning my body, and as I felt the magic doing its work, I slowly headed toward the stairs.

After climbing the stairs to the 10th floor, I stood before the door to the professor’s room. The door, sealed tight with strong magical energy, was unyielding. I needed to signal that I had arrived. I cleared my throat lightly and eyed the doorbell.

The small bell hanging there radiated a peculiar magical energy. This too was a treasure. If I were to classify its power by the tier I set, I would say it’s an unclassified 1st-tier entity.

Of course, it was currently just being used as the professor’s doorbell. I carefully rang it. Suddenly, the magic inside began to stir. Out popped a familiar ghost.

It had a very recognizable face—always the one coming to relay messages from the professor. It looked at me with a puzzled head tilt.

I directed a light gesture toward the door. The ghost stared at me blankly, then floated through the magical barrier and headed inside. After a brief moment, a loud popping sound came from within.

Eventually, the ghost re-emerged, looking half-transparent. It seemed like the professor was a bit annoyed. With an expression of grievance, the ghost gestured toward the door.

It was a signal to enter. Just as confirmed by the fading magical energy surrounding the door, the seal was completely lifted, and the door swung open.

I stepped inside. I nodded lightly; despite my week-long absence, the room was still impeccably tidy. This was thanks to the diligent work of the butler.

The butler, who had been waiting near the entrance, approached me quietly. He slightly bowed his head and pointed to the center of the room. In the middle stood a massive bed big enough for at least ten people.

And in the center of that bed, something was twitching feebly. As I got closer, I could see Professor Ilian peeking her head out from a pile of blankets with a slightly drowsy expression.

I knelt quietly before the professor. I couldn’t dare look down on her. I smiled gently at her.

The professor stared at me with a blank expression before lightly shaking her head. Then she sat up, pulling the blankets away and letting out a big yawn.

“What strange thoughts are brewing in that head of yours this time?”

With that, she waved her hand. The magical energy that had been nearby enveloped me. This magic tugged me upwards with gentle force. Under that irresistible pressure, I had no choice but to rise in accordance with her will.

“So, what brings you here?”

She asked, rubbing her eyes. Each simple movement exuded grace. Truly, a behavior befitting a dragon. I lowered my head deeply in response.

“I came to greet you and apologize for my absence for a week. I’m truly grateful for your time to meet me despite my rudeness.”

Upon hearing that, the professor cocked an eyebrow slightly. She leaned her chin on her hand, casting me a scrutinizing glance.

Seeing her furrowed brows tugged at my heartstrings. To cause such lines to appear on the professor’s brow—no amount of apologies would be enough.

In that moment, the professor moved her magic again. The mass of magic that approached me began to settle around my head. It permeated my mind and confronted the golden web swirling inside.

“Your head seems fine. But this is odd; it wasn’t like this before. Is there genuinely a change happening?”

She murmured while brushing the web. As her fingers caressed it, the magic surrounding my head constructed even sturdier formations. What an honor it was for her to reformulate magic for my sake!

With a delighted twinkle in my eyes, Professor Ilian looked at me momentarily and sighed softly. That was strange; the more she whispered to herself, the more her gaze shifted.

Her magic swiftly retreated from my head, turning toward my chest—specifically, the small pocket attached to my robe. The place where the turtle resided.

I swallowed slightly and gently stroked the turtle’s shell. At my touch, it stirred awake, displaying a drowsy expression. Peeking out from the pocket, it retained its turtle appearance.

“Hey, did you change? You seem… familiar yet different at the same time.”

The professor tilted her head as she spoke. With a gentle gesture, her magic enveloped the turtle. It lifted gently into the air, drifting toward her.

Watching this unfold gave me a slight cold sweat on my back. Would I be found out? I hardened my resolve. As long as it didn’t take a girl’s form, Professor Ilian would never notice what was inside.

Just like the professor, the power of transformation was exceedingly seamless. She placed the turtle on her palm, which let out a soft “meh.” After observing it for a moment, she skewed her lips.

“Am I imagining things? It’s definitely changed, but why does it look… delicious?”

“If you’d like, I’d gladly cook it for you. That would be my way of expressing my feelings towards you.”

The turtle blinked at me in disbelief. There was a hint of betrayal in its eyes as it buried its face in its shell, letting out a weak “meh.” Professor Ilian watched the scene, clicking her tongue lightly.

“It’s just talk. What would feeding dolls even accomplish?”

She returned the turtle to me. I breathed a sigh of relief internally. Although I occasionally brought the turtle along, it was the first time the professor had interacted with it directly.

If she were to dissect it, I might have been exposed. However, I knew well that Professor Ilian wouldn’t bother with such tedious tasks.

I felt a political unease creeping in, yet thankfully my expectations were not proven wrong. A perfect crime… no, a perfect setup. I smiled contentedly at the turtle.

It glanced back at me, releasing a disgruntled “meh.” Did it really think I was planning to cook it? I had merely said that for the professor’s sake. I slowly calmed it.

Of course, I’d do it if she genuinely wanted. But I was sure she wouldn’t desire that. She understood the significance the turtle had for me. That’s why I dared to bring it up.

Professor Ilian stretched lightly, turning her back to me. I naturally moved behind her and took out a comb. I started to carefully brush her hair.

“I do enjoy this kind of attention, you know.”

She glanced at me briefly, then closed her eyes. I could sense she felt comfortable around me. A swell of pride surged in my chest. To be entrusted this way! All those hours spent supporting her were worth it!

As I dedicated myself to brushing her hair, she finally opened her mouth.

“Oh, right. I need to tell you something. I’ll be going out a month from now.”

The moment those words left her lips, my hands froze. She looked up at me, questioning my sudden halt. Her eyes were filled with curiosity about why I had stopped. I resumed brushing, but awkwardly now.

It was because of the shocking announcement. I blinked in disbelief. Six years had passed since I came to the university. During that time, the professor had never left the vicinity of the tower.

Her reasons were crystal clear; she was just too lazy to move.

Had the embodiment of laziness itself decided to go out? She rarely left her room, only occasionally taking strolls around the tower. She scrutinized me again, saying,

“You’ll be going with me, so get ready.”

I nodded in agreement. Since she was moving, it was only natural for me to accompany her. No question about it. Cautiously, I opened my mouth.

“If I may inquire, what is the reason for your outing?”

At my question, the professor clicked her tongue disapprovingly, slicing through the air. Within that space, a small envelope materialized, floating out toward her hand.

She handed it over to me. Pausing for a moment, I accepted it. Inside the envelope were several pages of paper. I began to read through its contents slowly.

It was a kind of letter—one addressed to the professor. The warm sentiments within were heartfelt, essentially encouraging her to take the time to visit.

The reason the professor felt compelled to share this with me became evident. At the end, strangely, my name was noted as well. It suggested that I should come along.

Curiosity bubbled up in me. Who was so close to the professor that they felt comfortable writing to her in such an intimate manner?

Upon reaching the end of the letter, I confirmed the sender’s identity. My eyes widened in shock. No wonder! The Chancellor, Vermilion—such a title was inscribed at the bottom of the letter.

“This is….”

Professor Ilian clicked her tongue again at my reaction. She slumped her shoulders with a sigh, clearly bothered, her annoyance palpable.

“As it says in there, the Chancellor summoned us. So I figured I’d let you know in advance. Now, if you’ll excuse me, just thinking of that guy makes me want to go back to sleep.”

She waved me off casually. Her magic snatched the letter from my hands, whisking it back through the dimensional gap, gently pushing me away.

Professor Ilian lazily slumped back into her bed, burying herself under a pile of blankets. She looked quite grumpy, her eyes closed, clearly not wanting to talk any further.

“Then, I shall take my leave. Have a cozy nap.”

I said and left her room. I felt slightly dazed. The Chancellor—what a title that indicated the head of the university. It also referred to its most formidable mage.

It was utterly unfathomable that I, merely on the 2nd floor, would have an opportunity to meet such a person. Surely, this was a blessing from the professor. As I tucked the golden thread I’d just acquired into my pocket, I bowed my head toward the firmly closed door.

 

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