Surviving at the Magic Academy

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I subtly leaned back. Along with that, a sharp magical energy brushed past my nose. Lightly touching it, I confirmed a bit of my skin was peeled away.

“Oh my, it seems like the professor really doesn’t want to work.”

Mira whispered to me as she leaned slightly against me. I nodded in agreement, watching the scene before us. The Chancellor and the professor were bickering over a few papers laid out in the center.

Of course, calling it mere bickering was an understatement. The magical energy erupted from the professor again, sweeping across the table and ripping the papers to shreds.

It was a powerful surge of magic I had never seen before. It was much more than what she usually emanated. She was serious about this, and her annoyance at having to work was palpable.

But even with such magic, she couldn’t overpower the Chancellor. With a casual wave of his hand, the shredded pile of papers reformed and reappeared back on the professor’s desk in an instant.

“Give it up. It’s time for you to work, my dear. That student of yours is handling the tower management, isn’t he? Staying cooped up in here is bad for your health. You need to move around sometimes.”

The Chancellor chuckled as he said this. The professor glared at him and incinerated the papers again. But before long, they returned to her hands once more. With a sigh, she finally grasped them.

“If it weren’t for the contract, I would have just bolted from here.”

As she said that, she lightly flicked her wrist. I began to sense a slight magical flutter within her. Beyond the contract we shared, a short phrase caught my eye. It sparkled for a moment and then disappeared.

“So, is this all?”

She said, tossing the pile of papers onto the table. It flowed with her magic right before reaching me. Cautiously meeting her gaze, she frowned slightly and motioned with her chin.

It was a signal for me to read the contents. Feeling her intent, my heart began to flutter. Letting out a small sigh of relief, it seemed she wasn’t disappointed enough to kick me out.

I took the stack of papers and slowly began reading through the contents.

“Is that meant for that student over there? Hmm, looks like you really rely on him. That’s nice to see.”

The Chancellor nodded. The professor clicked her tongue at that remark. The papers mentioned the upcoming university schedule, detailing plans that stretched out over several decades.

What caught my eye first was her name boldly printed in the center. It seemed to be the most important schedule item. Above it read the words “Entrance Exam.”

Calmly, I continued reading. It stated that after this lecture, she would be in charge of the entrance exam. It had been a long time since I heard that term. Was she going to be the one handling it?

I calculated the dates roughly. Since it’s been a year since the lecture began, there were only about four years left until then. And besides that entrance exam, there were many other places she had to be. From faculty meetings to graduation assessments.

The closest task on her list was the graduation assessment for basic course students happening next year. A graduation assessment? Isn’t that something a professor would handle? I nodded quietly. After all, who else would evaluate them if not a professor?

“You’ve been having too much fun, and it looks like you’ve got a lot of work ahead. Your schedule’s going to be tight. If you don’t like it, you can attend the next faculty meeting. They might change your schedule then.”

The Chancellor said, turning to the professor with a bright smile. The professor, clearly annoyed by his presence, crossed her arms tightly. As for the faculty meetings, they only happened once every twenty years. The next one was in three years.

With her cheeks puffed out and a very disgruntled expression, the professor huffed, but the Chancellor shook his head with a grin. Eventually, she sighed and shot up from her seat.

“You keep piling these annoying tasks on me. This is why I didn’t want to come here… That’s all I needed to say. I’m leaving now.”

The professor declared. Following her lead, we naturally tidied up and rose as well. The Chancellor looked at us with a look full of longing as he grasped the teacup in front of him with a forlorn expression.

He partially hunched over and began rubbing his face. In an instant, his youthful visage morphed into that of a wrinkled old man. With that pathetic appearance, he began to mutter softly.

“Are you going to leave this old man all alone? How lonely. I’ll be left here all by myself in this vast and empty space again. I didn’t expect such a cruel departure from a guest who hasn’t come in a long time. When you get old, you should just die, right?”

The professor snorted at the Chancellor’s lament. With narrowed eyes, she gazed at him.

“Lonely? Please. You can eavesdrop on the entire university, so quit the whining. You know exactly why I won’t step outside the tower. You enjoy watching others too much.”

She paused and began glancing between me and the Chancellor. There was definitely a hint of disgust in her expression.

“No wonder I felt a similarity. Both of you are truly sneaky.”

With that, she clicked her tongue and turned sharply. Striding away, her steps imbued with magic, she moved so quickly it was hard to catch up.

In no time, she became just a dot as she exited the palace. I bowed my head deeply to the Chancellor, and just as I tried to follow her, I suddenly felt something catch on my body.

Something was tugging at my foot. Looking down, I saw darkness swirling around. It was the Chancellor’s doing. He locked eyes with me and smiled softly. The darkness gently pulled Mira away from my side.

“You stay back for a moment. I have a quick chat with you. So the doll girl can leave now. She’ll be sent along in no time.”

“Oh, if the Chancellor says so, I guess I have to follow. I’ll take my leave first. You talk things over.”

Mira smiled lightly at us before skipping away after the professor. The Chancellor licked his lips lightly, scratching his head awkwardly.

“I wanted to discuss this matter directly before I felt she would leave. Such a shame. But thanks to you, this meeting has been quite entertaining.”

The Chancellor said, standing up slowly. His wrinkled face seemed to shift back to a youthful one as he stood beside me, eyeing Mira’s retreating figure.

“You remember seeing what’s inside that doll, right? It was from Ilian’s treasure trove, wasn’t it? I never imagined I’d give it to you. Plus, that it would be adorned to look so much like her. Quite amusing.”

I gave a slight bow to him. I felt relieved that he found it interesting. Of course, I didn’t create it, it was a result of her desires. The Chancellor glanced at me and nodded.

“The last time I met Ilian was about a thousand years ago. She bolted right after she became a professor. A mere thousand years, and I never expected she’d change this much. I’m curious what the next thousand years will bring.”

He chuckled lightly as he hovered in the air, sitting cross-legged seemingly mid-air as he patted my shoulder. I felt a slight weight from his touch as he continued.

“I have high hopes for you. You’re her first minion, after all. So don’t you dare die. Don’t get broken either. You know that the university isn’t just a free-for-all, right?”

He waved his hand lightly. The pressure on my shoulder evaporated. “Don’t get broken,” I could sense the meaning behind those words.

The university’s two rules were merely the bare minimum. This place was just as wild as the outside. The habits of the mages roaming outside wouldn’t change just because they stepped into the university. I nearly fell victim to that myself.

“Thank you for your wise words.”

I replied with a light smile, yet a hint of curiosity brewed within me. He had established the two rules of the university. But why only two?

Those two were clear but also flimsy. If one really put their mind to it, there were ways to easily circumvent them. If the university was purely an educational place, it would have more rules to protect students.

But here, there existed only those two rules. Within that framework, the mages changed ever more insidiously. I blinked. Perhaps the Chancellor wanted such a scenario to unfold.

“Hmm, right. I’ll be hoping you survive for a long while. If you vanish, it’ll be hard to enjoy her entertaining side.”

That response felt refreshing, the Chancellor continued, nodding. But his face lacked the warmth it had when he was with Ilian. He bore an expression devoid of emotion.

Staring at me with that vacant look, I felt like a mere object. Suddenly, his expression shifted and he smiled again.

In that moment, I realized something. The Chancellor was also a mage. Ilian’s words about us sharing similarities echoed in my mind. Perhaps, that statement held truth.

Now left alone with him, I could faintly feel the magic swirling within me, almost as if it had found a kindred spirit. In that feeling, a vague awareness washed over me.

Just as I respected the professor, he too was yearning for something from her. I couldn’t identify what it was, but I simply sensed it. Concealing that magical movement, I flashed a quiet smile.

“That’s about all I wanted to say. Please stay by Ilian for a long time. I hope she becomes more reliant on you.”

“That would make things more entertaining, right?” He said, letting out a hearty laugh. I gently nodded at him. I didn’t know his intentions, but staying by her was something I naturally should do.

“Then I’ll let you go. This might be our last meeting. Unless you somehow become a professor yourself. I sincerely hope we meet again someday.”

He gently pushed me away. My body slowly began to lift. It felt as if I were gliding through air, moving outward.

I bowed deeply towards him. After all, it could very well be our last encounter. The thought of becoming a professor came to mind. There was no way I could ever become like Ilian.

With his back towards the massive door, he waved at me lightly. In tandem, I began feeling a faint flow of energy starting to swirl around me. Gradually, my body was thrusting rapidly outward.

In the fleeting moment when I closed my eyes, I found myself outside the palace. As I gazed at the palace from below, a few bubbles began to rise from it.

Accompanying that was a slight undulation. That disturbance gradually intensified, soon enveloping the entirety of the palace, causing it to writhe like a living being. The palace started to crumple under such turmoil.

Before long, that movement vanished without a trace. The palace was gone as well. What replaced it was a massive cave formed from turtles’ shells.

“Oh my, did the Chancellor personally send me off? I didn’t expect to be out so quickly.”

I heard Mira’s voice. Looking over, I saw her waving at me lightly. She was tightly attached to the professor. I nodded slightly towards her.

The professor was watching me with narrowed eyes. The clear contempt radiating from her was unmistakable. My heart ached at that gaze. How could she look at me this way?

I walked slowly toward them. But I had to stop right away. The moment I moved, the professor slightly stepped back.

“Hmm, that’s a physiological aversion. Don’t approach any further. Just bring that back out.”

She gestured for me to keep my distance. The “that” she referred to could only mean one thing. I slowly looked down at my chest. The turtle shell had wrapped itself around me.

I set the turtle in my hands. It started to wobble, as if trying to shake off the shell. Peeking to gauge the outside, it instinctively pulled its body back out.

It still resembled a girl. A face clearly reminiscent of the professor came into view. The professor’s magic had easily lifted it. She gazed down at it with a slight frown.

After a few moments of contemplation, she looked at Mira. Their eyes met, and Mira beamed at her. The professor let out a small sigh and shot a quick glance at me.

“I doubt what that little guy says can be trusted, so you tell me. What’s inside this? The Chancellor clearly didn’t provide any details, and it’s not like I can dissect it.”

Hearing the word “dissect,” the turtle flinched. Then, it let out a panicked “meeh” towards Mira, trembling its body. Mira lightly tapped her chin.

She glanced at me with a mildly awkward smile. It felt like her words caressed my ears, whispering, “The ones who will live must survive.”

“It’s pieces of the professor’s body.”

“Pieces of my body? If something like that was taken from me, I would have known instantly.”

The professor said, a slightly displeased expression on her face. Mira sighed lightly. The professor looked at her with gleaming eyes, hinting she wanted more details.

“That’s unavoidable. They were things that Ebron collected naturally. Like hair, nails, or maybe saliva.”

As she explained, the professor ran her hand through her hair. A strand slipped free, shimmering as it fell. As she gazed down at it, she looked at the turtle.

For a moment, the turtle scanned the area before also looking at her. Their hair matched perfectly, both bearing the same golden hue. The realization halted the professor, causing her to appear slightly pale. Then she burned the strand that had come to rest in her hand.

“No wonder things have felt strange lately. I guess it was due to that sudden attachment.”

She muttered, extending her finger towards the turtle. Magic began to pulse from the tip of her finger as it made contact with its brow. The magic gently enveloped the creature, which squeezed its eyes tightly, accepting it.

The professor’s magic seeped into its body, establishing a natural bond between them. The hidden piece within the turtle began responding to her magic.

Since the turtle was also linked to me, I too felt a bit of that magical connection. I sensed the professor rummaging through the secrets concealed in its Magical Heart.

Once the professor finished scanning its body with her magic, she pulled back, her expression turning to one of disgust. She looked at me with absolute disdain.

“So these pieces gathered together to form this much? No wonder I felt a familiar aura each time I laid eyes on it. What in the world is this?”

With a heavy sigh, she breathed in deep. Her sigh held a multitude of meanings. It wasn’t just contempt or disgust; it held much more. Her magic felt heavy, sinking deeply.

“It’s fascinating, to say the least. I never thought these would amount to such a transformation. I’m torn between calling it coincidence or talent.”

She said, gently ruffling the turtle’s head. The turtle, seeming to relish her touch, let out an enthusiastic “meeh.” Seeing this, the professor broke into a small smile.

The sight of her smile filled me with a hint of hope. Was she perhaps trying to forgive me for the creation? While I pondered that, her smile faded away as she clicked her tongue, redirecting her cold gaze toward me.

In those eyes, I realized something vital—my hopes were in vain. They held nothing but an icy detachment, devoid of emotion. It was a seething anger boiling over.

“Shall we head back now?”

She said sharply, as if swallowing her anger. The turtle responded by pulling back within its shell and transforming back into its original turtle shape. After lightly patting it, the professor set it down on the ground.

The turtle grew in size, adjusting to the size of a small cart as it settled down. The shell flattened, forming steps leading upward.

Without hesitation, the professor climbed those steps to enter the room on its back. Mira waved to me lightly and followed her inside. The door slammed shut behind them.

The turtle looked at me and let out a desperate “meeh.” It seemed to express its desire for me to hop on. Hesitating, I clambered onto its shell, and the professor’s magic began to rise softly within the room.

The magic cocooned the turtle, which comfortably let itself be enveloped. The magic gently lifted it off the ground, forming a flowing path ahead of it.

Excited, the turtle let out an eager cry, stepping onto the flow. The magic quickened its movements, propelling the turtle swiftly out of the cave.

The turtle began ascending rapidly towards the surface, propelled by the professor’s magic. With how fast it was going, it wouldn’t take long to return.

Beyond that, her magic didn’t merely aid its movement but wrapped around me as well. Despite my attempts to dodge it, it coiled around me like a snake, binding me tighter.

I felt the fullness of her wrath pressing down on me. It felt as if she were intent on punishing me even on our return journey. Her magic began to extract my soul, slowly splitting it into thirteen strands.

Within those divided gaps of my soul, her magic rapidly weaved through. My soul ignited anew, fueled by the wildfire of her rage, even more fiercely than before.

The journey back was an unending torture. All I could do was endure this pain. But as bad as it was, it felt bearable. It was almost enlightening.

If this was my penance, I could accept it. If that was what it took to ease her heart, I felt fortunate.

However, her punishment didn’t end there. The following day, standing before a firmly closed door, I plopped down in despair. Countless seals encased the door with spells, catching my eye.

The professor had locked the door. A ghostly figure at the door rang the bell, pointing at a sign hanging there. It read, “Ebron Forbidden Access.” How could this happen? I could do naught but stare disbelievingly at the sign.

 

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