Surviving at the Magic Academy

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6th floor was practically bubbling with ominous magic that you could feel from below. This magic was different from what I had sensed earlier. It was a swirling mix of undeniable malice and despair that tickled my body, squeezing the air out of my lungs.

I cautiously sent up a doll. It was ready to break into pieces, after all. I had more dolls on standby just in case.

But nothing seemed off. The doll that climbed the stairs looked around. The hallway was incredibly clean. Even the paintings and sculptures on the corridor walls proudly showcased their beauty, lighting the way.

Contrary to my expectations, everything looked as fine as could be.

The doll cautiously moved forward. When it reached the central hall, it spun around, scanning all directions. The structure of the 6th floor was transmitted to my mind.

The central hall was spotless. It was in perfect condition, without a speck of dust. It was almost too pristine, hinting at what a mess the previous floors had been in.

Just like the lower floors, the 6th floor was composed of ten rooms. It seemed like this was the overall structure of the tower. The central hall and twelve paths formed the foundation of the tower.

So what on earth was this 6th floor supposed to be? I spotted a room with a half-open door and decided to step inside. There was a bit of junk scattered around. Yet, it too was in perfectly intact condition.

The doll exited the room and naturally retraced its steps. As if saying nothing was wrong, it fiddled with a painting or a sculpture on the wall and then made its way back down to the 5th floor.

I quickly searched the doll using my magic.

I sensed nothing unusual.

My face stiffened. The absence of anything wrong was more unsettling. How could I be fine when surrounded by such sinister magic?

I activated the explosive magic embedded in the doll. Red circuits began to draw themselves all over its body. It soon formed a magical circle and, in an instant, the doll exploded.

At the same time, a chuckle seeped through the magic. It vanished into the explosion.

I stepped back, cushioning the impact with a barrier spell. Something had blended into the doll that I hadn’t noticed at all. My heart sank. What if I had been completely oblivious? I could have been killed right then and there.

I replayed the scenes the doll had sent back in my mind.

From the doll’s perspective, the scenery of the 6th floor appeared flawless. I had thought so, up to that point. But the sounds of the seedlings stirring excitedly hinted at something unusual.

The real oddity struck when I entered the room. Those bits of random junk—wood pieces and stones—were there. As the dolls observed them, I started to realize the strangeness of this floor.

There was no magic at all.

The floors I had climbed so far were mostly wrecked and covered in dust from broken magic. Except for the 3rd floor, which was in perfect condition, all the remaining magic was intact.

Yet, viewed through the doll’s eyes, there was no magic being sustained on the 6th floor.

So how could it be perfectly fine?

Something had clearly manipulated the doll’s view. With that thought in mind, I examined the doll thoroughly. But I found nothing and could only discover clues after blowing it up.

I stiffened my face and quickly retreated from the stairs leading to the 6th floor. The ominous magic began to swell even more. Did it realize I had caught on? It chuckled malevolently.

“Wait, does that mean I have to go through there…?”

A bitter smile crept onto my face.

Cleaning—those words bound me firmly. It wasn’t just stemming from my natural feelings. I glanced at my wrist. The contract was tightly holding me down.

‘If I pass the university through Professor Ilian’s teachings, I promise to serve Professor Ilian until graduation.’

This had activated right after the entrance ceremony. It shackled my actions and forced me to behave. It was the same now. Whenever I felt the urge to run away, the contract vibrated slightly, pressing down on me.

Did that mean even this cleaning order counted as service? This is why magicians avoid contracts. If it’s included in the contract, you have to fulfill anything.

So, I had no choice but to move forward, even knowing something strange lurked above, capable of deceiving me enough to blend in with my dolls.

I steeled my resolve. Even without the contract, it was something I needed to do. Whatever awaited up there couldn’t be scarier than the professor.

I recalled the time I was hit so hard I thought my soul would be ripped out. The fear I felt back then didn’t even compare to this. Remembering that moment filled me with confidence. Nothing was scary.

Sending the doll again seemed pointless. I was going to be on that path anyway. I needed to check for myself.

I looked at the turtle I was holding. This was the only thing I could trust right now. It met my gaze and wiggled its mouth. The seedlings, controlling it, seemed to urge me to trust it, emitting magic.

I took a deep breath and slowly climbed the stairs.

Once I reached the 6th floor, I quickly scanned my surroundings. As expected, the information sent by the doll was merely a ruse. The surroundings were entirely covered in dust and garbage. However, I couldn’t find anything strange.

I placed the dolls ahead and made them start cleaning. They skillfully organized the path as they moved forward. I keenly observed them while probing the surrounding magic.

The ominous magic filled the entire 6th floor. My heart raced. It felt like something was watching me through that magic. No, it was definitely keeping its eyes on me.

“I came to clean! This is a task given by Professor Ilian!”

I yelled unnecessarily. This was the professor’s tower. This strange entity had to be linked to the professor. I thought that if I revealed this, it might be a little more cautious.

The magic shuddered slightly. It seemed it was somewhat surprised too. I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. Judging from the magic’s reaction, it seemed I could pass through pretty easily.

But that was a big mistake.

Just as I made my way halfway to the central hall, I suddenly sensed that someone was walking in front of me. I wasn’t sure when they had arrived. They seamlessly took their place in my line of sight.

A chill ran down my spine. I was sure I was the only one here. I quickly sent out a few dolls. But they couldn’t reach that person. They stumbled suddenly and dashed off in random directions. The same went for the magic.

That person maintained a certain distance from me while walking. If I ran, they ran, if I walked, they walked.

No matter how fast I went, I couldn’t catch up to that figure. The surrounding ominous magic thickened.

And when I reached the central hall, it dawned on me.

Ah, that’s my own reflection.

In an instant, the atmosphere of the space shifted drastically.

Whispers giggled from all directions, echoing beside my ears. Simultaneously, the space began to split. The walls trembled, and the floor seemed to melt away.

I quickly checked the path I had come from. The way to the 5th floor had already melted away into nothingness. The ominous magic, now like a thick fog, seemed to be clouding my mind.

“Damn it.”

I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood. The sharp pain snapped me back to attention. I had to focus.

I threw the turtle to the ground and launched myself. The turtle expanded and landed firmly on the ground. As its heavy mass pressed down, the melting floor began to shake. But it seemed unable to break free from that weight.

My body got sucked right into the turtle. I’m glad I had decided to bring it out after all. The turtle took off running at high speed.

The turtle wasn’t as sturdy as it usually was during the exam. It wasn’t the magic that was the issue, but the materials.

To restore the parts used during the exam, various materials were necessary, but I lacked the funds for that. Ever since the professor settled down, I hadn’t sold a single doll. As a result, I had to compromise and shove in what wood I could find, holding back tears.

If I had known I was going to use it so soon, I would’ve taken a loan to restore it perfectly! Regretting bitterly, I controlled the turtle.

I had no idea when that being had seeped into the turtle’s body. To defend against it, I doused the turtle with plenty of my magic to activate the protective spell. Checking outside through the turtle’s mouth, I charged forward.

In the distance, stairs appeared. In this writhing reality, at least the stairs stood firm. As the turtle pressed on, the changes intensified.

The walls closed in around the turtle, and the ground seemed to suck it under like a swamp. The numerous dolls trailing behind were already engulfed, disappearing somewhere.

The turtle did not let me down. It tore through the oncoming walls with ease. It trampled on the earth trying to bind my feet.

Breaking through all those obstacles, the turtle quickly reached my rear. Perhaps because I was seated snugly in the turtle, it had stood still, not moving.

The turtle crushed it without hesitation. The being scattered like an illusion. At the same time, cackling laughter filled my ears. I felt dizzy from that laughter.

I bit my tongue to shake off the wooziness. I was so close now. The stairs were right in front of me. The closer I got to the stairs, the more the ominous magic that filled the 6th floor began to fade. Perhaps its power couldn’t reach this far, as all the opposition seemed to weaken.

Finally reaching the stairs, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

I climbed off the turtle and collapsed onto the stairs. That laughter… it felt like it was still ringing in my head. The turtle quickly shrank back down into my hand.

I crawled up halfway up the stairs, gasping for air. Glancing down, I swallowed hard. The 6th floor was twisted beyond recognition, with every possible route blocked. The magic, as if regretting not catching me, squirmed and attempted to approach the stairs.

Not only had the cleaning failed, but the 6th floor was entirely ruined. Surely, the professor would understand. I took a deep breath, gazing up at the spiraling staircase above.

I had to ascend. There was no room for choices or time to spare.

All the dolls I had were gone.

That’s how I set foot on the 7th floor. Surprisingly, it was intact.

The magic forming the 7th floor operated as it naturally should. It was a completely different sight compared to the 6th floor. I couldn’t sense any magic and felt no unnatural vibes.

Carrying the turtle in my arms, I slowly moved forward. I reached the hall quickly. The path leading here was utterly comfortable and clean. My anxiety began to fade.

And when I finally reached the hall, my mind went blank.

What is that? I thought as I looked up at the ceiling.

There was a colossal universe. No, it looked like a gigantic orb containing a universe.

Or maybe not. What I saw there was a gigantic eye. Our gazes locked.

In that moment, my vision shattered.

The outlines of everything split into twelve branches, and each path manifested as a singular eye. The true reason embedded within guided me into an endless abyss, and I embraced it with all my strength. That unified reason burrowed into me, shattering all that constituted me, and I melted into it with pain. My soul was crushed, and my existence shattered into countless pieces, suffusing into a tiny darkness. It swallowed me whole. I am no longer me. In the whirlpool of madness, the twelve versions of me laugh endlessly. I am them, and they are me, coalescing into a singular dance of madness echoing in my soul, endless as the abyss itself.

“Ah, that was a mistake. I didn’t expect to find myself here.”

Something struck my head.

Consciousness flickered out, and I was sucked into the darkness.

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