Surviving at the Magic Academy

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Gingerly, I started to move my hand. First, I softly caressed the skin. As the subtle flow of magical energy from my fingertips penetrated it, the pale flesh twitched slightly.

Seeing that, I couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction. It was very much a fresh specimen, just as if it had been alive moments ago. Slowly, I pulled out my knife and sliced into the skin.

A shimmering golden energy radiated from the blade—was it a carving knife, or perhaps now a cooking knife? Anyway, it pierced through the firm barrier of magic and dug inside. I moved the knife slowly along the grain.

Following the direction of the grain, the knife went in without any hindrance. In an instant, it began to disassemble the massive chunk of meat. Using my magic, I tenderized the texture of the meat gently as I worked.

During this process, a chilling coldness and a refreshing, sweet aroma began to rise from the flesh. It meant I was doing a good job. The fragrance started to waft around us.

The meat I was preparing was from an ice bear. It was quite a powerful creature. Of course, as powerful as it was, it was also rather rare.

The important thing was that this meat was quite delicious. It was said to be splendid as an ingredient because it was as cold and tender as ice. This was my first time handling it in person, having only seen it in books.

After dismantling all the parts, a mound of meat piled up as high as my body. Even after removing all the bones, this was the amount I had. Of course, if it were the professor, she might just devour all of it in one meal.

With the chunk of meat now floating in the air, I headed outside the cave. A chilling wind struck against my body. Quickly, I used my magic to shield myself from the wind and made my way toward the massive campfire burning in the distance.

With each step, I heard the crunching sound of snow beneath my feet. When I reached near the campfire, I carefully set down the mound of meat. I then took out the countless skewers I had prepared and stabbed them beside the meat. That completed the preparations.

I could see Mira and Professor Ilian sitting on chairs I had set up around the campfire. When Mira met my gaze, she beamed at me.

“Oh, you’re here! Ilian has been waiting for you quite eagerly.”

“When did I do that?”

The professor grumbled with a pouty face. I gave a light bow to her and picked up a skewer, starting to gently infuse it with magic as I relaxed my body.

“Then let’s start today’s cooking. We’ll be making skewers using freshly caught ice bear meat.”

It didn’t require much to handle this. The meat alone was enough. Thus, I planned to cook it using only fire and magic. The only thing that mattered was my skill in handling it.

As such, I skewered the pieces of meat and threw them over the fire. The threads of my magic grabbed hold of the ends of the skewers and began to navigate through the flames.

In that blaze, the magic and aroma contained within the meat began to explode out. I quickly flipped the meat, twisting their movements, trying to escape from the flames.

The heated skewer also halted those movements. My internal magic clung to their flow like a hook. Thus, the magic of the meat began to accumulate inside instead of escaping.

With the fire itself engulfing the skewer, it started to cook rapidly. I frequently checked the interior of those skewers using my magic. I couldn’t afford even the slightest mistake.

Before long, the meat cooked and started to drip with juices. I quickly pulled it out and nodded in satisfaction. I was a bit worried since it was my first attempt, but it turned out extremely successful. I presented it directly to the professor.

“Here’s the first skewer. I’ve gathered only the softest part, the thigh meat. It’s hot, so please take your time. Next, I’ll offer you the bear’s paw.”

The professor accepted the skewer. With sparkling eyes, she bit into one of the pieces stuck to the skewer. She remained still for a moment, closing her eyes as she started to chew.

Eventually, she nodded. Then she opened her mouth slightly, and a sweet aroma, akin to several fruits, seemed to drift out with her breath. It was the essence of the meat.

“You said to expect something, and wow, it’s really delicious. Uniquely so.”

She began to bite into another piece of meat. Watching that, I grinned in satisfaction. Quickly, I tossed a few more skewers into the fire. I couldn’t let her stop chewing.

Thus, I started managing the skewers in haste. A blurry flurry of magic flowed through the barrier surrounding the campfire. In the surrounding darkness, just the campfire shone brightly. It was the seventh night since we departed from the tower.

Before long, various skewers began to rapidly pile up in front of them. The professor was enjoying it immensely. I mixed different cuts to create as much variety in flavor as possible.

“Oh my, be careful. You’ve spilled a bit.”

Mira approached the professor, gently wiping the corner of her mouth. Ordinarily, that would have been something a butler would do.

However, that guy remained in the tower. He was the only one capable of managing the room the professor had left. Of course, I purposefully left him behind as an excuse. The professor received Mira’s service quite naturally.

While watching them, I pulled out a small skewer from outside the fire. This was for the tired turtle. I offered it to the creature that had been relying on me continuously.

The turtle grabbed it and eagerly started tearing into the meat. Despite its doll-like body, it was currently quite loyal to its desires. Perhaps it could taste something.

I stared at the lively creature. Was it called Unit 0? It was said to be a potion made for dolls by Professor On. I still couldn’t figure out how it was structured.

The professor, initially still under Mira’s touch, began to watch the turtle closely. Noticing the gaze, the turtle paused its munching and made eye contact with her. The professor lightly patted its shell.

“I’ve seen this little guy before. Its eating habits are strangely familiar. It feels like something I’ve seen somewhere… it’s oddly compelling…”

The turtle let out a squeak, nuzzling against the professor’s fingers. It seemed to be drawn to her just as much. The professor tilted her head slightly as she gazed at the little creature.

At those words, I flinched. Over the past week, she had shown intermittent interest in the turtle. So, whenever she had the chance, she’d thoroughly examined it for any abnormalities.

But nothing was particularly wrong. The subtle changes stemming from the professor were thoroughly hidden within that Magical Heart. There was nothing to give it away.

It was simply a matter of her intuition leading her toward suspicion. Was this the nature of dragons? It was a commendable acumen, sharp and refined.

Of course, regardless of the amazement, my heart fluttered a bit during such times. But I had no regrets. That was merely my pure intent to understand the professor better.

Noticing my gaze, Mira gently leaned towards the professor. Taking a skewer, she offered it to her.

“Hehe, shall we have another bite? Just say ‘Ah’—that’s all you need to do.”

Mira waved the skewer, and the aroma from the meat wafted out. Drawn in by it, the professor naturally accepted it and nodded as she chewed on the meat.

Watching that, Mira broke into a sweet smile. Then she licked her lips slightly, her gaze not on the meat but on the professor.

Her desires were quite clear—it was to ultimately consume the professor one day. The professor didn’t seem to acknowledge that longing of hers. I thought it was all just a far-fetched idea.

But I could be wrong. Eating could, perhaps, mean something else, or could be realized in a different manner. As I observed Mira fixated on the professor, I couldn’t help but smile wryly. The two, having similar looks, appeared like sisters.

And while the professor was entranced by the meat thanks to Mira’s allure, the turtle quietly slinked away from her hand and settled on the ground. It approached me slowly, carrying its piece of meat.

“Oh my, you’ve gotten a bit messy here. How adorable.”

Mira slowly wiped the professor’s mouth. The professor glared at her with a slight frown. The turbulence in her magic seemed to signify her displeasure.

“Hey, you treat me like a kid. Stop crawling so close. Not as much as that thing, but still.”

“Me? Not at all! Here, have another bite.”

Mira said as she offered another piece of meat to the professor. Simultaneously, a soft rose fragrance began to emanate from her. The professor’s face relaxed slightly, and she accepted the offering.

“Hmm, warning. If you do this again, I’ll scold you… Yum, this is delicious.”

With a mouthful of meat, the professor remarked. Mira gently smiled and nodded.

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

Mira said playfully, moving closer to the professor and hugging her gently. She began to softly caress the professor’s arms. The professor, without resistance, naturally settled into Mira’s embrace.

Over the past week, she had grown so close to the professor that she eventually ended up like this. The professor made no effort to stop it. It was unavoidable. Mira had loosened her defenses entirely.

Watching that, I felt a twinge of envy. I wanted to also be closely involved with the professor, no, to serve her. As I stared at Mira, she shot me a bright smile.

The way the professor treated Mira so tenderly wasn’t without reason. Just like treasures drawn to the professor, the professor was likewise drawn to treasures. Hence, her treatment was bound to differ from how one might treat an ordinary person.

After all, Mira was collecting something precious. And that was the same reason I was so obsessed with the professor. Before starting the lectures, I had resolved to become that kind of presence.

Of course, it turned out my expectations were a bit more intense than I had anticipated. It was a result of hearing that the professor was a dragon. Well, isn’t that a good thing? I sparkled my eyes while looking at the professor.

It didn’t take hours for the mountain of meat to disappear. I had eaten a little, but most of it had all gone down the professor’s stomach. Her belly was slightly round.

Thus, the meal came to an end. Then it was time to prepare dessert. I left the tidying up to the dolls and approached the professor and Mira. In front of them, I pulled out a teapot.

As I poured my magic into it, the teapot elegantly vibrated and inscribed a magical circle. Gradually, warm tea began to fill the pot as steam wafted upward.

I gently set it in front of them. A gentle aroma started to spread from the teacup. In front of that teacup, I placed a small bowl containing tiny snowflakes.

“Since we filled our bellies with meat, I’ve prepared something that can help absorb that greasiness for dessert. Just take a mouthful of snowflakes with the tea.”

The professor picked up one of the snowflakes and examined it closely. She then put it in her mouth, and her expression slightly twisted.

As expected, that was normal. It wouldn’t carry any proper flavor. It was merely an ice fragment compressed with magic. Within it, only the subtle chill of ice existed.

The professor then sipped the tea. After a moment of stillness, she shivered lightly. Narrowing her eyes, she observed the teacup intently.

Seeing that, I nodded. The tea leaves I had prepared were made from snow flowers. Owing to their nature, they must have brought out a deep and icy flavor when facing those snowflakes.

You could say it was a very fitting tea leaf for this place. I slowly surveyed our surroundings. We were atop a massive snowy mountain. Today, this would also be our resting place.

The intention to camp here stemmed from the desire to do so. I briefly opened the barrier and lightly scanned the flow of magic around us. That stream was remarkably stable, as if someone had managed it.

Among the surroundings, there wasn’t anywhere else where magic was so well-tamed. It was a result of the creature we had just devoured—the ice bear. This was its den.

As if the professor’s hands were responsible for its demise, I took a moment to also pray for its soul. Since it had generously provided everything to us.

“Then I’ll prepare a bit of space for resting.”

With that, I gestured to the turtle. Acknowledging my intent, the creature shivered slightly. It soon dropped two small boxes from its shell.

I picked up those boxes and poured my magic into them. They resonated with my magic, and in tandem, the boxes began to tremble.

I then tossed them onto freshly flattened ground. The boxes absorbed magic and instantly grew larger as they settled into the earth. I opened the door of the bigger box to check inside. Fresh, rejuvenating magic poured out.

The interior resembled the professor’s room almost perfectly. After noticing that, I nodded. There were no issues whatsoever. I had prepared this just for the professor before setting out on this journey. The small room beside it was ours.

Returning to the professor, she lightly gestured to her seat. It was an invitation to sit. I bowed slightly and took my place.

I watched the professor as she started sipping her tea. Mira was doing the same. The professor paused, looked at us, and sighed softly.

“I should have just flown quickly. It’s comfortable right now, but these guys feel a bit burdensome…”

At those words, I blinked. Burdensome? Surely, once used to it, that thought would change. More importantly, I could glean a slight opening to extend the conversation from her words. Cautiously, I opened my mouth toward her.

“By the way, what’s with the need for this journey? It seems unnecessary to travel by turtle.”

That had been a lingering question for me. The letter hadn’t specified a clear visit date or duration. It simply stated that I could come anytime.

Yet, she expressed a desire to leave right now. Moreover, she hadn’t flown herself either. From previous experience, I knew from being led by her hands that she could reach the continent’s end in less than a day if she wanted to.

There was no need to travel on a turtle with its current speed. If we kept going like this, we would need more days to arrive. Of course, I was just grateful for this time spent with the professor.

Upon hearing my question, the professor paused her tea and clucked her tongue lightly. She looked slightly displeased and placed the teacup down.

“When’s the next lecture?”

“In a week.”

That was also a cause for concern. I had left Unit 0 and Hari in charge of the tower, but it would be tough for them to lead the lectures. Looking at me, the professor chuckled softly.

“Rushing over to that guy won’t yield anything good, so I’ll drag it out to the last second, just show my face briefly, and leave under the guise of a lecture. That way, he can’t say anything. And with you here, it’ll be fine.”

With that, she cast a glance in my direction. As I suspected, the professor seemed to have a clear plan in mind. I merely had to trust and follow her. Of course, my curiosity about the chancellor only intensified.

Who would have thought the professor had someone she found troublesome? I wouldn’t have guessed she’d go so far as to prepare an excuse to untangle from a rendezvous. A dragon like her being cautious about something—such a sight was hard to imagine.

“Well then, let’s wrap up the talk about that guy here. You might actually like it.”

She said that while glancing at the turtle. The creature met her gaze and let out a squeak. The night grew deeper still.

The turtle continued to squeak even the following morning. It quickly took off, leading its massive hill-like body down the path.

I glanced back at the trail we had traveled. The imprints left in the snow were quite evident. The turtle’s ruthless movements caused the obstructions in its path to shatter, echoing loudly in the early morning air.

As if sensing this commotion, the movements surrounding us began to stir. It was definitely monsters. They were strong enough that I could feel their magic from this distance.

As we ventured toward the continent’s edge, stronger monsters began to appear. The ones I had encountered previously while heading toward Canyon City with Kashian were laughable in comparison.

The ice bear we had feasted on last night was also an advanced monster. There were no signs of humanity anywhere nearby. It meant we had gotten much closer to the outer fringes of the continent.

If faced with such monsters, the turtle would undoubtedly struggle to even flee. Yet it moved confidently. In fact, the monsters began to dig into the ground and disappear, avoiding it altogether.

It was only natural. I took a glance at the professor, who was gazing out the window. A powerful magic was pulsating from her. Anyone sensing that overwhelming magic would clearly understand to flee as they were now.

Watching that, I couldn’t help but smile. That overwhelming pressure was indeed the majesty of a dragon. She casually yawned, and even such a minor gesture seemed to exude elegance.

“Shall we prepare for breakfast? Please wait just a moment. I’ll whip up a quick stew using yesterday’s leftovers.”

With that, I drew out a golden knife. The magic emanating from it began to flow lightly into my hand. The professor’s expression brightened, and Mira looked at her with adoring eyes.

And so, a few more days passed. The professor was satisfied, I was satisfied, and Mira was satisfied too. It was a journey filled with happiness for everyone. I hoped to have such opportunities once more sometime. With that thought, I stepped down from the turtle’s back.

We had reached the conclusion of the journey. We had arrived at the end of the massive continent known as the University, brimming with endless mountains. I blinked quietly. Then, I stared blankly at the expansive horizon before me.

Mira followed suit and stepped down from the turtle’s back. We found ourselves on a slightly elevated cliff. Standing at the edge of that cliff and gazing down, I could see small waves gently rolling.

Mira wrapped her arms around me and leaned her head against my shoulder.

“Oh wow, is this what they call the sea? It’s fascinating.”

“The sea I knew never looked like this.”

I mumbled that as I scratched my chin for a moment. I was born on an island surrounded by the sea, so I knew the sea quite well.

The dark, wriggling sea. The sea was a place that could not be approached carelessly. Just getting close would attract the attention of unfathomable, bizarre creatures, and deep within lurked dangers even mages couldn’t confront.

Yes, the sea was a perilous place. Without an airship, I would never have escaped that island. Even soaring sky-high above the sea, it was foul with the stench of rot.

But the sea before my eyes was different. I watched the waves glisten with colors as they rolled gently. A light splash of saltiness drifted in the breeze.

This sea shimmered in clear blue hues. The magical flow within was profound and serene. Hmm, I’d heard several times that the University’s sea was quite different from the outside, but I hadn’t expected it to be this much.

Suddenly, something shot up rapidly from the depths. An attack? I flinched and stepped back. I quickly formed a defensive spell around me. It was a reflexive act stemming from memories on the island.

“Hehe, how adorable.”

Mira giggled as she watched me. I chuckled awkwardly and scratched my head. I then began to slowly dissolve the magic barrier surrounding me.

What had jumped was just a little fish. It was merely one creature holding a faint trace of magic. Could even such a small creature survive in this sea? It was astonishing.

“If you’ve finished your sightseeing, let’s get moving. We need to go to where he resides.”

The professor said, lightly tapping the turtle’s shell. Following her words, I climbed onto the turtle, heading into the cave. Slowly, I reached out to connect my will with the creature. It sensed this and began to smoothly descend the cliff.

The professor mentioned that the Chancellor’s dwelling was different from that of others. Apparently, he lived not in the mountains, but underwater. Hence, we had come to the sea.

The turtle dipped its feet into the azure water. It let out a joyful bleat, and I felt its cheerful intentions rush through our connection. Gradually, the turtle began to sink gently into the blue depths.

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