Surviving at the Magic Academy

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I stole a glance at Tiena. Our eyes locked for a moment, and she responded with a light smile, lifting her teacup. She closed her eyes briefly, savoring the aroma.

“This tea smells wonderful.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

I said, bowing my head slightly. Tiena took a sip of her tea. Meanwhile, Professor On was peering down at us with narrowed eyes from behind her.

Avoiding his gaze, I began fiddling with the plush sofa I was sitting on. The soft fabric sank into my fingers. The classroom we were in had transformed under Professor On’s magic into what could best be described as a reception room.

It seemed like Professor On was displeased with us for some reason, but I couldn’t tell. I watched Tiena as she sipped her tea, wearing a gentle smile.

“I heard Ebron is the original creator of the tea magic that Mauro taught him. I was always curious about how it would taste. And it exceeded my expectations!”

Tiena placed her cup down. It was half-empty. The turtle perched on her lap observed it before conjuring some magic.

A sort of circuit began to draw itself in the air based on that magic. It was perfect tea magic.

As the completed magical circle formed, the teacup began to refill. Tiena gently patted the turtle’s head. In response, it opened its mouth wide and rubbed its head against her thigh.

Professor On’s face began to twist in annoyance as he watched this. He intensified his glare towards me. But I simply remained still; it was a little too close to home for comfort.

Tiena seemed oblivious to Professor On’s jealousy as she playfully poked the turtle’s back with her finger. She then spoke again.

“Mauro sent me a letter recently. He mentioned that Ebron has joined our doll guild and that he’s a talented friend to keep an eye on. So, I’ve been paying close attention to this little guy.”

Hearing that, the turtle looked up at Tiena and let out a “Meh!” before snuggling deeper into her arms. Tiena chuckled at how cute it was.

Of course, this only made Professor On’s glare more fierce. Feeling like my very essence was being pierced, I glanced at Mira, who was sitting beside me. I sent her a desperate look for help.

Mira noticed my gaze and smiled lightly, wrapping her arm around mine. With that, mist gently swirled around, enveloping me. Within that fog, Professor On’s glare began to dissipate.

Thanks to that, I calmed down a bit. I reached out to Mira with the doll I had just received as a gift from Tiena, the Wiggly 1. Mira’s eyes sparkled as she took it.

“Oh my, I didn’t expect you to get it ready so quickly! I’m so touched!”

Mira said, having listened to the conversation so intently. I scratched my cheek, feeling a bit like I was showing off. Mira also expressed her gratitude to Tiena, to which Tiena smiled lightly and replied.

“Oh, it’s just a gift, so please don’t feel burdened.”

“Hehe, then I won’t hold back. The burden will be on Ebron!”

Mira said playfully. Tiena and Mira exchanged glances, creating a peculiar atmosphere as if they were sharing a secret.

Soon enough, both of them beamed smiles and nodded at each other, as if they had come to an understanding. Then they began discussing something regarding Professor On and me.

I chose to ignore their exchange and focused on Tiena’s lap. More specifically, the turtle sitting there. It looked so blissfully happy. I couldn’t help but click my tongue at its adorable face.

I concentrated on the connection between us. Through that bond, I sensed the light desires it harbored. Deep inside its face, however, lurked more sinister feelings. It was having a ball relishing the softness of Tiena’s embrace.

Beneath that innocent appearance, the creature’s heart was as dark as it gets. Knowing this, if Professor On found out, I’m sure he’d want to rip that turtle apart.

The very reason I felt guilty about his doubtful gaze stemmed from this fact. The turtle could be seen as a projection of me.

It was a new self created based on me. I could almost deem it my child. So, it naturally possessed desires akin to my own: my thought processes, my aspirations, my quirks, and so on.

Thus, even such hidden, unseemly desires could be traced back to me. Still, back in the day, I was perfectly fine. It was just unavoidable for it to act like that.

After I brought the doll to life through Wiggly 1, its desires had awakened tenfold. Just like now, it was thoroughly enjoying the longings seeded within its very own body. That connection sent me those feelings.

There was no need to vocalize this secret. Should I keep it between me and the turtle? I nodded in silent agreement as I locked eyes with it.

A “turtle of human preferences,” I mused. It could be a thing, right? As we’ve always discussed. Preferences deserve respect. The turtle wiggled its head against Tiena’s leg. She paused her conversation and petted the turtle.

Along with that, Professor On’s magic began to pierce through the mist surrounding us. I wasn’t sure how he’d react if we spent more time here.

Thus, I hurriedly opened my mouth to steer the conversation back on track.

“Did you say Mauro contacted you?”

Tiena nodded slightly at my question. It was touching that Mauro reached out directly to check on me.

“Yes, so please help out Mauro as much as you can. He’s a poor soul.”

A hint of sadness washed over Tiena’s eyes as she said that. She took a quick glance back. Professor On, who had been frowning heavily, relaxed his expression and met her gaze. With a slight sigh, Tiena continued.

“If he were in perfect health, he might have succeeded in inheriting the tower’s legacy.”

I blinked in surprise. Inheriting the tower? Hearing Tiena’s affectionate term for Mauro felt exceptionally endearing. It was evident they were quite close. Professor On was wearing a slightly bitter expression, too.

Gently, Tiena took Professor On’s hand and nestled into his embrace. He brushed his fingers against her sad face. Then, he bent his head down and gave her a gentle kiss.

Amidst that kiss, Tiena’s sorrow began to melt away slowly. It seemed the kiss lingered longer than expected. The turtle watched with a fascinated expression.

I cleared my throat and averted my gaze. But it was then that I chanced upon Mira. She caught my eye and mischievously smiled before tapping her lips.

“Shall we try it too? I think Ebron’s love might be needed for me to enjoy this!”

She declared, pulling out Wiggly 1 from her arms. She looked thrilled, her eyes sparkling. I shook my head rapidly, forcing a wry smile. Lately, it felt like Mira had been more playful than ever.

This wasn’t a change that started with her. The cause lay with me. After realizing the essence of a doll’s love, I had begun to sense a wave of fondness emanating from her as well. After all, she could also be seen as half my doll.

This made my wariness of her gradually lessen. Clearly, she was aware of this development, as she gave me a soft smile. I subtly backed off a bit, creating some distance.

More than that, I was utterly surprised at how impressive Mauro turned out to be. I had heard glimpses of his talents from Mira, but I hadn’t anticipated it’d catch the professor’s eye.

Quietly, I pondered about Mauro. I wasn’t quite sure where he stood in ranks or how many floors he’d reached. Even using the information guild, I couldn’t find anything concrete. They claimed someone had erased the information.

The lovebird antics between Professor On and Tiena continued until she raised her finger and playfully nudged him away. She looked at us with a sheepish grin.

“Sorry! Whenever I’m feeling sad, this guy just won’t let go of me.”

“Not at all, you don’t need to worry about us. We should be the ones apologizing. We’ll vacate as quickly as we can.”

I said, glancing at Professor On. He nodded satisfyingly at my words. Sensing his mood, I cautiously spoke up.

“So, could I ask what exactly you wanted to request?”

At my inquiry, Tiena’s eyes widened in surprise before she clapped her hands lightly.

“Ah, I can’t believe I still haven’t mentioned that! Our conversations always end up taking unexpected turns. I suppose I just want to spend more time with you all!”

She lightly patted the turtle’s back, which perked up at her touch. She met its gaze.

“What I’d like to request is this little one. This is the kind of creature I want.”

As she said that, she gently lifted the turtle. It let out a “Meh!” and nestled against her cheek. Professor On shot a sharp look at the creature.

I frowned slightly. Asking for a turtle was a request I absolutely couldn’t fulfill. Seeing my expression, Tiena chuckled slightly.

“I may have implied it incorrectly. I mean a request, or would ‘request’ be a better term? What I’m actually asking for is a doll made in the same vein as this turtle.”

As she articulated that, she placed the turtle back on her lap. She rested her hand on her stomach, running it over as she bore a faint smile.

“What I desire is our child.”

That sent me into deep contemplation. This was an intriguing request. It certainly raised my eyebrows and filled me with thoughts. A child between a doll and a human? Was that even possible?

At present, it seemed unfeasible. The unique magic embedded in my wood, the artificial soul, only reacted to my wooden shards.

I cast a side glance at Professor On. Even he couldn’t solve that issue. There was no way I’d be able to either.

While I pondered that, Tiena offered a gentle smile as she looked at me. She spoke in a relaxed tone.

“There’s no time limit, so don’t feel pressured. Just remember that I made this request. Whenever you feel it’s feasible, you can come to me.”

With that, I felt relieved. The tightness in my chest eased a little. Firming my expression, I nodded seriously.

“Understood. Since it’s Tiena’s request, I won’t hesitate to fulfill it. I’ll do my best.”

I wasn’t sure what reward would come, but I figured she’d make sure to take care of it well. It was as she said—if it ever seemed impossible, I could simply give up.

That was my conclusion.

And I conveyed that to Mauro, who was right before me.

On our way back to Professor Ilian’s tower, we stopped by the city. Upon hearing my story, Mauro chuckled heartily.

“Haha, so that’s what’s been happening! Well, don’t stress too much about it. You’re not the only one they asked.”

I blinked slightly at that. Mauro stroked his beard, gazing off into space as if reminiscing.

“I received that request a long time ago. It’s a cherished memory for me. I wasn’t able to fulfill it yet. Just feeling sorry for the Madam.”

He drifted for a moment and then shook his head. Looking at us, he grinned, displaying a cheerful smile.

“This is just a rumor that goes around within the doll guild, but there are whispers that our guild survives for that very reason. Of course, that’s not the only reason!”

With that, Mauro burst out laughing again. Mira, sitting beside me, also chuckled at his words. She gently held my hand.

Warmth radiated from her touch. It was a stark contrast to the coldness of the doll’s body. I instinctively retracted my hand a little. The warmth was something I wasn’t quite used to. It flowed through me, full of vibrant life.

We left Professor On’s tower, and she nestled herself into Wiggly 1. She leaned against me, her face glowing with vitality as she smiled at me. From her smile, I sensed the sweet scent of roses wafting through the air.

“Well then, that ought to yield some impressive rewards!”

“Yes, it should indeed. The Madam has been generous even to those who’ve failed. Be it in scores or materials.”

Mauro said, nodding to this. Mira tightened her grip on my hand, fluttering her eyelashes.

“Hmm, then this calls for some experiments. A lot of schemes to create their child! Right, Ebron?”

“That sounds like a brilliant idea! Today, it’s evident she’s become human, not just in body but in spirit! The Professor’s elixir must have worked wonders!”

“Haha, come on, it’s always been like this.”

Mauro and Mira exchanged smiles. In between them, I found myself just chuckling awkwardly. It certainly felt like they were just looking to poke fun at me. I needed to change the topic before it went on any longer.

“I heard from Tiena that she sent my story in a letter. I didn’t expect such kindness from her.”

At that, Mauro nodded slightly, opening his mouth.

“Well, you did give her quite a grade last time. So I’m obligated to return the favor however I can. Besides, you’re the newcomer of our doll guild!”

“Hmm… while we were discussing, your name came up a bit, Mauro. I was surprised to hear you once had the chance to inherit the tower.”

At that, Mauro chuckled and stroked his beard, showing no sign of concern. He gently pat my shoulder.

“Ah, so the Madam mentioned that as well. You must have left quite an impression on her. Well, that happened a long time ago. About five hundred years back, so there’s no need to fret over it. It brings back memories of when I first received such requests… let me share a little story…”

Mauro seamlessly changed the direction of the conversation. I listened, occasionally nodding in understanding. There was no need to pry further, given his demeanor suggested he didn’t want to delve into it.

He spoke about the days when Professor On conducted lessons. I quietly absorbed his words as they subtly intertwined with the teachings from Professor On himself. There was a wealth of helpful information within them.

Eventually, I lost track of time until he suddenly paused, lightly fist-pounding his palm. He turned to me with bright eyes.

“By the way, are you planning to join the next gathering?”

“Gathering… you mean?”

“Yes, a meeting held by our city guild. The last time it was held you weren’t there. It’s about eight months away, but we can always arrange the date for you. Many are curious about the new member!”

“I don’t mind. Just let me know the date.”

I nodded lightly. Joining the guild wasn’t just about gaining power; it was also about connecting with fellow doll manipulators.

There were certainly possibilities to develop further through these interactions. I was looking forward to meeting the other doll manipulators. Mauro smiled widely at my acceptance.

“Well, I understand you’re busy, so I’ll make sure to align it with Professor On’s class schedule. You’ll be welcomed warmly.”

“I’m looking forward to it. By the way, I also realized I should thank you again. The advice you gave me last time was incredibly helpful. Nearly all the other students failed.”

“Haha, what’s a simple piece of advice worth? You’ve got talent, after all. Just have confidence!”

We engaged in a pleasant banter for a while. It felt oddly soothing to be there with him. We shared insights about dolls and classes, gradually letting time slip away.

Eventually, we parted ways as I made my way back to Professor Ilian’s tower.

The journey to the tower was peaceful. No monsters capable of overcoming the turtle’s size and Mira’s mist were nearby. Upon arriving at the tower, I opened the door with a light heart.

However, I soon found myself in a bind.

It hadn’t even been a week since I left the tower, and yet a major incident had occurred. Thanks to Hao’s antics. I sighed heavily while cleaning up the mess.

So, it had been six months.

Six treasures had been introduced into the classes, and two additional regulations had been imposed. We had managed to uncover all the storages on the sixth floor. There were no remaining doors left.

 

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