Surviving at the Magic Academy

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The moment I fluttered my wings slowly in front of Rumira, I turned to her with a little sway, scattering sparkling powder along the way.

I chuckled lightly at the sight. For a fairy, that sparkling powder was essential. It settled in front of Rumira, who was slowly walking towards me, following the trail of my glitter.

“The way the Mage fought was truly fantastic! To take out a kid that turned so horrid in an instant! A little fairy like me couldn’t do such a thing!”

Praise could make even a Mage dance. More so, if it was in a dream. With sparkling eyes, I perched lightly on Rumira’s shoulder, and she welcomed me naturally, nodding with a satisfied grin.

She slowly made her way into the tower along the corridor. Sitting on her shoulder, I scanned the surroundings. Seeing through the crystal ball was one thing, but being inside the dream felt completely different.

When viewed through the crystal ball, dreams appeared vividly, often distorting or blurring the walls. But being in the dream made me feel as if I couldn’t tell it was a dream at all.

I stole a glance at Rumira. Surely, she wasn’t waking up easily either, as she must have perceived this as reality. Thus, we reached the first-floor hall—the spot where she’d battled against the wolf doll twenty times.

It wasn’t yet time to head to the second floor. I needed to check on Rumira’s situation. Normally, poking around a Mage on the sixth floor would be absurd, but in a dream, anything was possible.

I flew up from her shoulder and fluttered around lightly, examining the hall. The signs of the intense battle had been wiped away clean, as if it had never happened.

The wolf doll, my target here, had also vanished without a trace. Realizing this, I frowned and landed gently on the ground, clicking my tongue.

I had entered this dream to resolve it. However, simply finding a solution would have been relatively easy. I just needed to convey my thought to Koit.

Perhaps I didn’t even need to step into this dream. Yet, I specifically entered to confirm the abnormal root of that doll. I aimed to come in as quickly as possible, but it seemed I was late.

The wolf doll had already disappeared. The dream had swallowed it whole, reducing its volume long ago. I lightly tapped the floor with a hint of regret.

Then, I sensed a gaze directed my way. I flinched slightly. Right, I wasn’t alone here.

Turning slightly, I saw Rumira staring at me intently, tilting her head slightly. There was a spark of doubt mixed with confusion in her eyes.

Oh dear, maybe I’m not quite accustomed to this act. My usual habit just slipped out. I fumbled with my face. I could feel the doll’s soft skin slightly crumpled.

I quickly smoothed it out and gave a vague smile. Then I returned to my pure facade and twinkled my eyes, soaring towards Rumira, gently resting my head on her arm.

“That poor kid was just too heartbreaking! He wasn’t originally like that. I must have shown a bad side to the Mage!”

I placed my hand over my heart and fluttered closer to Rumira, looking up at her with a grin.

“Thanks to you, that kid could escape that pain. Really, I’m so grateful! So please cleanse the other kids too. That’s why I came to find you!”

With that, I locked eyes with her. In those eyes, I appeared completely transformed. I had a wonderfully innocent face that even I found quite adorable.

And those eyes spilled nothing but truth. Seeing that made me tense up for a moment. In a dream space, one thing always stood out most clearly: words.

The dream owner could easily discern whether it was a lie or not. The dreamspace existed for them, so I had to speak nothing but the truth.

In that sense, my recent outburst was roughly all true. Perhaps she sensed it too; she gently patted my head.

“Alright, I have to climb this tower too.”

Rumira nodded her head, and the doubts in her eyes began to fade. I leaned my head back onto her arm, sneaking out a light sigh without her noticing.

I needed to be careful with my behavior. I needed to inspect the doll and solve her dream as well.

So I had to remember to act like a fairy. Otherwise, I might get kicked out of the dream. I glanced at Rumira. A sixth-floor Mage, I probably wouldn’t meet her again once this was over.

It was merely a connection that brushed past in a dream. But for now, she was my client. I needed to give my best since her goal aligned with what I wanted.

With that, I flapped my wings and soared into the air, directing my body toward her hand. Looking up at it from this tiny body, it seemed enormous.

I tugged at Rumira’s finger with both hands. She caught my little signal and looked down at me. I returned her gaze with a bright smile and pointed at the center of the hall.

“How about taking a short break? I’ll take care of you, Mage! Now that you’ve passed the first floor, you deserve it!”

Every story needed a payoff, after all. I pulled my fingers away from her and waved, summoning a small magical circle at the tip. The magic flowed out and settled on the floor.

Then the floor began to rise. As I touched the magical circle, I gradually shaped it. The small mound of earth soon transformed into a chair and table.

“Ta-da! You can rest here! Climbing the tower is important, but so is taking care of yourself!”

I stood atop the table, waving at Rumira. The furniture was slightly smaller than what I usually created; my current magic was too scarce to make bigger items.

But it was certainly enough for one person and one fairy to occupy. Rumira approached me slowly, sitting down on the chair. The magic embedded in the chair welcomed her gently.

I placed a teacup I made alongside the table in front of her. The teapot was the same. I lifted it and began to trace a magical circle inside.

As always, it was a perfect tea magic. Nothing melted away tired bodies like warm tea. With that, tea started to pour slowly into the teapot.

“Hehe, once you taste this, you won’t know what hit you! It’s my own creation!”

I chuckled, shaking the teapot. As steam flowed from the spout like mist, it took on a purple hue, reminiscent of the dream we had entered.

I savored the aroma, feeling it fill my insides, creating a delightful fuddle. Nodding at the feeling, I knew I had prepared this in case I ever slipped into a dream. It was part of the cursed wood from before entering the university.

Recalling that cursed wood, I cleared my throat. What did the origin matter? As long as it tasted good. Nothing in this dreamspace would be as delicious as this.

The cursed wood was the perfect material to blend with dreams. Holding it in my body would surely strengthen the dream.

It was the perfect item for the current situation. I couldn’t help but chuckle lightly, realizing I had no clue how it would taste.

As I waited for the tea to fill the teapot, my eyes went wide. An unexpected event occurred.

My tiny body couldn’t handle the weight of the teapot and started to sink down. I simply couldn’t manage that weight with my small frame.

So, I flapped my wings wildly, gripping the teapot tightly. Straining as I pulled it up, using every bit of magic, I finally managed to halt my descent.

Rumira’s eyes sparkled at the sight. She seemed to have no intention of helping. Flapping my wings quickly, I tilted the teapot to pour tea into her cup.

It was only after pouring all the tea that I could finally set the teapot down. I, too, laid down on the table, flopping out completely.

No way. I can’t believe I did something so foolish. This must be the influence of the tea I just inhaled. Can’t even think of something simple?

“Mew…!”

That sound escaped my mouth. It wasn’t intentional; it came naturally from the doll’s body. Rumira patted my head gently. Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement.

“I didn’t expect you not to help me.”

I puffed up my cheeks and made a pout, just as Ian would. Rumira absorbed my childlike frustration, looking even more pleased.

It was a striking contrast to her often finicky demeanor in reality. Now, she was soft and gentle. Hmm, maybe my foolish act seemed to amuse her.

I nodded slightly. Well, it was unexpected, but if the results were good, does it really matter? Even a fleeting dream could deepen my connection with her.

I kicked off the table and took off again. Fluttering around the table, the sparkling powder began to diffuse. Rumira, taking a sip of her tea, watched me in fascination.

After a few sips, I could see her eyes glazing. Confirming that, I gently descended on her shoulder. She must have been getting lost in the dream a bit more.

The hard-to-find cursed wood I had used in the tea was intended to set up this very scenario. Its scent alone had made me pause my thoughts, so she must be in a dreamy state now.

Well, I wasn’t looking to stir anything major, just assessing her current situation. It was also Koit’s instruction. Perched upon her shoulder, I whispered softly in her ear.

“What is the Mage’s name?”

“It’s Rumira.”

“Then why did you come here, Lady Rumira?”

She tilted her head, her eyes starting to drift lazily. Those blurred eyes had lost their focus.

“I came to climb the tower. That’s my wish.”

There was a palpable determination in her murmurs. I nodded. It seemed Koit’s purpose still lingered strongly in her mind.

Truly a ten-point option, where her indomitable spirit pushed her toward her goal until the dream ended. After all, dreams can easily dim one’s purpose.

Lucky for us, it was still working well. Meaning, even if she failed a few more times, she wouldn’t give up.

The questions over tea ended there. After all, there was no way to keep a Mage’s mind bound for long with just tea. Its effect came to an end quickly, and she blinked.

Rumira stared at her teacup, then took another sip. She wore a blissful smile as she patted my head.

“I like it.”

She lightly poked my head. The cursed wood blended into the tea was no longer affecting her. It was just a nice brew.

“I’m glad to hear I could help the Mage! But it wouldn’t do to be satisfied with just this!”

With that shout, I flew towards her, folding my arms confidently. She could see my self-assured posture reflected in her eyes. I mirrored my actions to adjust myself based on her gaze.

“If you have my assistance, you won’t need to go through the struggles like before!”

Rumira tilted her head, seemingly not grasping what I meant. Raising a finger, I pointed upward toward the higher floors.

“Those kids have all spent time with me. So I know exactly where each of them has a mark of life. Breaking that would automatically stop them!”

Becoming something of a strategy guide, I aimed to navigate through the dolls as quickly as possible. The revelation surprised Rumira, her eyes widening.

Flapping my wings, I scattered the sparkling powder to create the shape of the wolf doll. I gathered the shimmering essence again, marking its weak point.

That marked area began to glimmer—their eyes, the only spot where I hadn’t embedded anti-magic circuits, serving as the core of their being alongside the Magical Heart.

“This was the weak point of the first-floor doll. The Mage must know this too!”

Rumira nodded at my words. Her magic had penetrated it, so she’d probably instinctively grasped the weakness. Most Mages possessed such an inherent instinct for victory.

That was something I was lacking, but it wasn’t time to think about that again. Imagining the dolls now, just like this wolf doll, the others had similar flaws.

That could be categorized as a significant weakness. No matter how strong the magic was, as seen with this wolf doll, simply piercing through would surely cause a collapse.

They were a gathering of all the strands existing in that body. Cutting through that would naturally tangle the flow of that body.

Scratching my head, I dismissed the lingering wolf doll impression. It was a minor safety measure crafted from anxious feelings. I hadn’t expected my hunch to be accurate.

But it wasn’t only instinct driving this choice. I had given considerable thought while crafting these dolls. They veered off my usual designs and goals.

This time, I prepared dolls that were ultimately meant to be taken down. They were like the henchmen of a villain in a play, mere obstacles in the protagonist Mira’s path.

Thus, I bound their strands tightly, making it easier to encapsulate the Magical Heart while ensuring their weaknesses were clear. In case issues arose, I’d need to ensure a proper strategy could be pursued.

“I’ll explain later, so how about another cup of tea for now? There’s plenty left, so you have to finish it!”

“Alright.”

Rumira nodded lightly. Serving her tea again, I checked her tired face. As she sipped, her features were slowly unwinding from exhaustion.

I had just confirmed her resolve. It still seemed clear. However, I noticed a slight trace of it fraying. If the same thing continued to happen, I wondered how it would wear down her determination.

Therefore, she couldn’t get caught up in such little stumbling blocks for too long. This dream was bound to time. The longer Rumira lingered here or died, the less tangible it would seem.

“Alright, now I’ll loosen up your body. Just trust yourself to me!”

My two hands wiggled cutely. Small, adorable hands befitting my tiny body. Gathering magic in those hands, I began to gently sweep over Rumira’s body.

I felt a tiny bit of magic lingering at my fingertips. It was a sort of massage magic. Entering this small body, I could once again realize the effectiveness of the magic I had crafted.

This tactic to manage my main body’s lack of magical quantity was unexpectedly useful. Gradually, I tidied up Rumira’s body.

As I eased the magic lumps and irregularities within her, I meticulously refined the alignment of her body’s flow.

“Hehe, how does that feel? How about this spot?”

Her head fell heavily. Clearly, she enjoyed it. I nodded lightly at the sight. I needed to make her body even better, so she could pass through the floors faster.

After spending a little time, I was able to perfectly improve her condition. Once she checked her state, she headed towards the second floor—the place where the next doll awaited.

I followed her. Of course, it became a bit awkward. Clearing my throat lightly, I twisted my body slightly to flutter again, attempting to exit.

Yet my escape attempt was easily halted. Rumira gently grabbed my body. I scratched my head and smiled lightly at her.

“You don’t need to keep me here. I can move independently. I won’t be a bother…”

“Shh, we’re right around the corner.”

Rumira patted my head and hugged me tightly. My body was lightly pressed into her pocket. The strong magic emanating from her fingers made me slouch instinctively.

She seemed somewhat satisfied with my predicament, lightening my head once more before lifting her finger. I felt the warmth wrapping around me. I was in the pocket of the robe that Rumira wore. The same spot I used to place my turtle.

Unseen beneath the robe, I realized just how voluptuous her body felt. I scratched my head again. Thanks to my care for her, she was now moving quickly to the second floor.

Although, it felt a bit excessive. Rumira appeared to treat me like some kind of pet, and I couldn’t shake the similarity to how I managed my turtle.

I stuck my head tentatively out of the pocket. Regardless of it being a dream, who would expect to experience the life of a turtle like this?

My turtle must be seeing this odd appearance through the crystal ball. I could picture it laughing heartily at my current state.

I glanced at Rumira. Perhaps it was due to the affection I built up; I couldn’t find any trace of her usual prickliness. A soft atmosphere began to flow around her.

Feeling satisfied by my management efforts, I nodded contentedly. The dream was accepting me wholly. I was being recognized as a proper actor.

Scanning the surroundings, I realized that while I was wriggling in the pocket, Rumira had already reached the second-floor hall. There once again lay a scene similar to the first.

As I had checked through the crystal ball before, both the size and shape were the same; the only difference was the doll set in the center.

Before me stood a doll with a muscular body and a bull’s head, standing like a statue and exhaling heavily. It unfurled its body and turned its gaze toward us.

I blinked at the sight. It had seemed big through the crystal ball, but up close, it was beyond my expectations.

Its body was easily twice the size of the previous one I had crafted, nearly touching the ceiling with its head.

“Where was that thing’s weak point?”

Rumira muttered. I gazed intently at it. Its magic flow hadn’t changed much since I had originally made it, only much larger in size. Thus, its weak point remained the same.

“Still at the forehead.”

As I said that, I gently patted my forehead. Well… perhaps it was a bit high. Still, it was nothing I couldn’t handle. Rumira nodded, beginning to build up her magic.

The explosive flow of magic was quite untamed. I hadn’t realized it at a distance, but now, being immersed in it made it easy to feel just how powerful a Mage she truly was.

Noting the magic flow, the doll began to approach us slowly. From it, a menacing magic was emanating. Alternating glances between the two, I crossed my arms, keeping a calm facade.

Then I simply retreated back into the pocket. There was no need to leave here. I wondered if there was something I could do to help, but for support, there was a level of compatibility required.

With this tiny body, there was nothing I could contribute. I just had to hope she’d swiftly solve this situation. I rested my chin on my hand. Oddly, it felt like something similar had happened before. Was it during Kashian’s turn?

Rumira floated slowly into the air, gathering her magic and sketching various magical circles. In the blink of an eye, those magical circles birthed countless spikes that shot straight at the doll.

The doll couldn’t evade the magic. The hall was relatively cramped for it, as shown. It waved its hands like swatting at flies, deflecting the spikes effortlessly.

Many spikes burst upon contact with its careless swats. Rumira frowned slightly, shaking her finger. The magic she wielded maneuvered the remaining spikes, avoiding the doll’s grasp.

Those spikes lingered around her, crawling over its body like ants climbing a human.

The spikes lightly poked at the doll’s body, and it momentarily bowed its head, tearing them off without hesitation. It surely appeared enraged.

Watching this made Rumira’s eyes spark with excitement; the forehead began to emerge. She waved her hands. At that signal, the spikes quickly darted towards its forehead, aiming straight for the densely packed core.

Was this a quick success? I blinked at that thought. Typically, thinking this would spell failure. Sure enough, the spikes shot onward, only to ricochet off something.

That forehead was cloaked in a dense wave of magic, resembling an iron shell. The doll swiped its forehead lightly, then charged toward us.

The speed did not match its heavy body. It was as if a wall was coming toward us, looming like a massive mountain. Floating in midair, Rumira couldn’t evade and quickly layered protective spells.

But the doll scoffed lightly, swinging its fist at the protective barrier. It crumbled like paper, slamming into Rumira’s body.

“Gah!”

Struck by the blow, Rumira spat blood as she crashed against the wall. After a moment, the blood spilled out as she slumped down. Her eyes became hazy, and her form began to blur.

Death had come. And it was the same for me, who remained in her chest pocket. While it had cushioned the impact, it hadn’t absorbed it all.

I, too, shrunk slightly and turned transparent along with her. Success meant I couldn’t even question it? That had been the last thought as I pulled back to the tower entrance.

Needing a moment to gather my disoriented thoughts, I stood tall. I wobbled for a brief moment before rising into the air. It felt like my fluttering was skewed, possibly due to becoming flattened momentarily.

After wandering about, I landed near Rumira again. She was also checking her body with simple magic, looking like she had grown accustomed to this cycle of death.

“I can’t believe such a magical barrier existed! I was unaware!”

I raised my two hands high. I was feeling indignant. A barrier like that, I had never created. I sparkled my eyes, conveying my essence. Rumira chuckled and nodded.

“Well, if that’s the case, your weak point seems right on the mark; I guess you were correct.”

She lifted me and dropped me back into her pocket. Rumira calmly rotated her magic, stepping back into the tower. Another challenge awaited her.

Back on the second floor, the scenery appeared unaffected by our earlier tussle. The doll stood rigidly like a statue, emitting heavy breaths; it remained massive.

Again, she began to weave magical circles. Numerous spikes from earlier sprang forth, upgraded in precision as they shot towards the doll.T

The process mirrored before. Taking advantage while the doll kept its head low, the spikes flew toward its forehead once again. They bounced away. Yet Rumira endlessly repeated this process.

It was solely to penetrate that protective barrier. But that barrier was incredibly sturdy. I was keenly observing that flow; penetrating it was necessary to reach its core.

Yet again, Rumira failed to pierce the barrier and collapsed. I was no different. However, this time, it was rather enlightening. Hovering before Rumira, I raised my hand.

“The fourth and seventh spikes were effective! I saw the magic waver and it’s certain!”

At my words, Rumira glanced at me, uncertainty creeping onto her face. Aiming for her, I beamed with confidence. This was definite info; I witnessed that flow waver.

She once more took the plunge, focusing her assault on just those two locations. Gradually, her spikes sharpened, penetrating more sharply into the barrier.

Perhaps sensing danger, the doll rushed toward us. However, its movements came too late. Just before it could crush us, Rumira’s spikes penetrated into its forehead.

It brushed by Rumira’s body, collapsing in defeat. Its body crashed against the wall, ringing out a loud echo.

As it crumpled, murky magic began to seep out. That bizarrely wavy flow slowly transformed into transparency. The Magical Heart had been purified. The flowing transparent magic rushed toward Rumira.

“You’re fantastic! I had faith in you, Mage!”

As I emerged from her pocket, I scattered sparkling powder everywhere, celebrating our victory. Rumira, absorbing the magic, smiled delightfully.

Watching her, I scratched my chin. It was only the third success. Reminiscing about my twenty deaths facing the first doll made it feel like a significant leap.

It hinted at her gaining ample capability. No matter how much I pinpointed the weak spots, it took considerable magic power to breach that horrifying flow.

“Genius! Archmage!”

In my excitement, I lavished praise on Rumira. Perhaps because I was in a doll’s body, flattery rolled off my tongue effortlessly. A hint of embarrassment flickered in those blue eyes of hers. She cleared her throat lightly, shutting her eyes.

“I need to discipline my magic, so please be quiet.”

I nodded at her. Flapping my wings, I lifted off the ground.

“Then I’ll check on that doll for a moment.”

So, I soared away from Rumira. I anticipated she would let go of me given her nature. Gradually, I approached the doll. It was withered, likely due to the magic flowing out of it now that the Magical Heart departed.

It appears to be a pitiful sight.

Pausing a moment to express a silent prayer, I knew that while it would be fine in reality, it had gone through a rough journey.

Then I descended toward its body, starting to sift through its insides using magic. As I roamed through, the magic eventually returned back to me.

Feeling the echoes contained within drew my brow together. I had pinpointed where the Magical Heart once resided. Peering closely, I could feel traces of muddied magic lingering.

Certainly, with closed eyes, I focused. Was this it? Why is this happening?

As I lingered in thought, I noticed the doll growing more transparent. With Rumira’s victory, the doll had fulfilled its role, and it began to dissolve away.

Watching that unfold, I scratched my chin. There wasn’t enough evidence to assure certainty. With the first and second floors concluded, I needed to continue upward.

I noticed Rumira gathering her energy to rise again. Approaching her, I smiled brightly.

“You breezed through the second floor! Shall we dash to the next one?”

At my words, Rumira lightly shook her head, patting herself on the shoulder.

“Having passed the second floor, I deserve my reward.”

I blinked in silence. She had only died twice, and her body still bore plenty of energy. Hmm, did our earlier accomplishments appease her? I smiled and nodded. If she desired it, then I’d provide it.

With that, I laid the table once more and began to lavish Rumira with compliments. She appeared pleased by my treatment, lying back contentedly.

Following that, similar tasks repeated again. As we ascended through the floors together, the workflow of the dolls always remained vivid.

On the third floor: five deaths. Fourth floor: seven deaths. Fifth floor: two deaths. She climbed the floors relentlessly, hardly facing any deaths along the way. Her spike magic honed during the first floor had only gotten sharper as they climbed up.

Now, it soared upwards like a beam of light. The magical composition she possessed was something I had never even dreamed of achieving myself. Just mastering that one spell felt like I had fully received the dream’s worth.

Indeed, the world is vast, and talent abounds. With this humble perspective, I naturally accepted Rumira as she patted my head.

Slightly grinning, I smiled at her beneath her gentle hand. It was due to the small piece in my grasp. The remnant of the fifth floor’s doll. Its owner had fallen, and it was slowly losing its saturation.

All dolls I had traveled through so far had been checked. The fifth one was no different. Through this process, I could diagnose the dolls’ problems—why the Magical Heart reared itself so aggressively.

Originally, dolls were meant to act as shackles, restricting the Magical Heart. But mine seemed to be doing the opposite. Instead of restraint, they were amplifying its power.

The reason why lay in the piece I held tightly. I felt its rough texture—strikingly familiar. It was a chunk from my own wood.

The echo of the Magical Heart swirled as it clung to my wooden fragment. I tossed it lightly aside while stroking my chin. That piece eventually vanished altogether.

This was perhaps not solely a doll’s issue but something originating from me. The core of these dolls had been this wood of mine.

Wood—my hand rose to my chest. Even though it was a doll’s body, I could feel the stirrings of my wood inside. It had blossomed from my very soul. That thought emerged as the piece twitched lightly.

 

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