Surviving at the Magic Academy

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A girl with golden hair was leaning against the table, staring out the window. Her emerald eyes were unfocused, simply gazing blankly into the void.

It was Professor Ilian. Her belly was noticeably round, and she gently rubbed it. The magic around her shimmered lightly, filled with happiness.

It was the result of my efforts. I nodded in satisfaction, feeling a swell of pride in my chest. It seemed today’s lunch had pleased the professor greatly—after all, she had devoured three bowls!

All the time invested had truly paid off. There’s nothing more delightful for a chef and servant than seeing their master happy. I gazed at the professor with a content heart.

Then, it happened. The professor turned her gaze toward me. This time, it felt remarkably fresh and new. It was as if all the wisdom of the world was contained within those eyes.

She seemed to need tea. I hurried to prepare refreshments and presented them in front of her. As I tilted the kettle into the empty teacup, the refreshing aroma of tea wafted through the air.

It was a scent that calmed the heart. Her expression softened as she closed her eyes, savoring the fragrance.

But she couldn’t move her hands. Probably because her belly was full of food. She had eaten far more than usual, and the feeling of fullness was hindering her movements.

Her eyes sparkled. That meant I had to help her. That’s how a chosen servant should behave.

Carefully, I used magic to lift the teacup and brought it to her lips. The professor naturally opened her mouth to receive it, slowly starting to savor the taste.

Soon, she nodded slightly. She clearly liked it. Her body sank deeper into the chair. I offered her a light palate cleanser, a translucent piece, to pop into her mouth.

It melted quickly inside her mouth. Her expression grew even dazed. It was a type of ice cream made from gathered clouds, washing her palate clean along with the tea’s fragrance.

I nodded quietly, realizing I had been wrong before. I should never have made the professor move her finger. Even such simple service should have been my responsibility. That was a servant’s duty.

With such noble intentions, I naturally placed another snack into her mouth. She mindlessly accepted it, and with each action, I poured in my utmost effort. Just to ensure she could be even more satisfied.

Along with that, I traced various circuits on the chair. The magic embedded in the chair entwined around the professor’s body, naturally massaging her and beginning to melt away her fatigue.

Within that comfort, her smile widened, and a hint of laughter began to appear. Seeing that, I too smiled with content.

Now, it was ice cream time. Also, let’s have some tea. The professor continued munching away without a pause.

How much time had passed since then?

Gradually, her distended belly started to flatten. Like a baby bird, she accepted everything I offered her, quivering slightly.

She looked around in a daze, glancing down at herself and then at the treats I had been offering her through magic. For a moment, she blinked.

Soon, a spark returned to her eyes. She slightly frowned at me, her gaze containing a hint of displeasure. I cautiously opened my mouth to speak.

“Did I do something wrong? How could I cause a wrinkle in the professor’s beautiful face? Please tell me, and I’ll correct it immediately.”

I said this while subtly placing my hand on my chest. The sourness that appeared on her face deepened. It seemed she hadn’t recognized my sincerity. I closed my eyes for a moment in disappointment.

“… I feel like this one really ate something it shouldn’t have.”

The professor mumbled, pushing the tea cup in front of her away with a flick of her finger, giving me a sideways glance.

“What’s this? Why are you suddenly acting so out of character? If you want something, just say it.”

Was she actually concerned for me? How grateful I was! I shook my head lightly.

“What could I possibly desire? I’m simply grateful for the grace bestowed upon me by you, Professor.”

The professor looked at me with a slightly shocked expression. It seemed she didn’t believe my words. To doubt me over something like this was surprising. I reflected upon my past actions and how neglectful I had been toward her.

Yet everything I said was genuine! I had come to understand her true nature. I recognized the incredible opportunity I had. Thus, I needed to respect her even more.

Now, I wasn’t afraid of any mages at the university. The wandering mages were no more. I had advanced to a much higher level. Who would dare challenge me when I had a dragon backing me?

Yes, she was the dragon. And I was the humble caretaker she had appointed. Who was I? A dragon’s loyal subordinate.

As I reiterated this, a strong sense of pride surged within my chest. Professor Ilian felt different somehow. No, it wasn’t that—she had always been significant to me.

No, my memory was correct. She was my mentor and my master. My unwavering loyalty had remained unchanged since the moment I first encountered her.

“What is this really…?”

I saw the professor clutching her forehead. One day, she would surely realize my true feelings. Believing this, I quietly closed my eyes.

It was certain that the professor wasn’t just an ordinary mage. I had thought this even before I came to the university. Her appearance and her magical prowess were exceptionally unique.

But I hadn’t delved into what kind of being she was. No matter her identity, my only duty was to keep the contract. That was my belief.

In such circumstances, being drawn closer to the professor’s true self began with a simple question.

After the new semester started, I felt a twinge of anxiety. It was because the professor had stopped resorting to violence. Instead, she had become overly kind.

I wanted to know the reason behind her transformation. I began collecting clues one by one, soon discovering that it was due to the magical power of the treasure I had started to hold.

Then, I wondered why she was kind to a treasure. That question piqued my curiosity as well. If it were before, I probably wouldn’t have cared. I would have just stopped there.

But I couldn’t suppress my curiosity toward the professor. Just as she had been kind, I too began to be increasingly drawn to her. It was a natural flow generated by the treasure’s magic.

As I investigated, I suddenly started to catch onto her identity. It was around a week ago when I became certain that the professor was a dragon. I still vividly recalled that day.

On that day, Mira picked up the carving knife I had entrusted to her. Grinning, she lifted it with both hands.

“Yes, just as you said. This belongs to Professor Ilian.”

“Is that so?”

I nodded quietly. I had entrusted the carving knife to her because I felt a familiar magical resonance akin to the professor. Perhaps only I could perceive it.

For the past six months, she had been manipulating it at my request, trying to investigate its origins. Using her sense of smell, she had been attempting to connect the scent of the professor with that of the carving knife.

“It’s quite interesting. I can distinctly feel the scent characteristic of scales. If Ebron hadn’t mentioned it beforehand, I wouldn’t have thought it belonged to the professor.”

“Scales, indeed, that’s an accurate description. This was made from a single scale transformed. And as she discerned, it belonged to Professor Ilian. It implies that Professor Ilian is indeed scale-folk.”

“I knew she wasn’t human, but I never expected her to be a dragon. How fascinating. I never thought everything Ebron had speculated would turn out to be true.”

As she handed the carving knife back to me, I couldn’t help but chuckle. I never thought it would be genuine.

Yet now, I was sure. The scale-folk who were loved by treasures, and who loved treasures in return, were unique. They were dragons. Professor Ilian was undoubtedly that dragon.

Her presence at the university was the proof of this. Extranormal beings were prohibited from entering the university. In the empire’s terms, ‘monster’ would be the correct term.

There were many extraneous beings across the continent. Some took human forms, while others appeared as various hybrids.

In the empire, such beings were treated rigorously as monsters. Their entry was forbidden, interactions with them were restricted, and their magic was prohibited.

However, it was impossible for all these rules to be strictly enforced. The continent was simply too vast. The empire, which occupied half of it, likewise could not keep all extraneous beings out.

Thus, one could occasionally encounter such beings within the empire. Outside the cities, they wandered these outskirts. I had encountered them a few times myself.

During those encounters, I came to understand why the empire treated them as monsters. Extraneous beings were born imbued with magical power, just like the monsters.

They differed in mindset from humans. Additionally, their innate abilities were unlike those of humans. In a society where even swordsmen were often regarded as monsters by mages, there was no way for such beings to be accepted.

Hence, the empire vehemently rejected them. Especially in this university, which could be seen as the heart of the empire, that atmosphere was even stronger. Extraneous beings were entirely unable to even take exams.

Yet, there were a few extraneous beings that the empire did not treat as monsters. Like the turtle I had once hoped to create, and the dragons like the professor.

The only common trait they possessed was overwhelmingly powerful strength. The word ‘dragon’ sent shivers through my heart with its intense magical energy.

“Hehe, so you’re that happy, huh? It shows on your face.”

Mira smiled as she spoke. I scratched my cheek lightly when I saw her. Happy, perhaps? I hadn’t thought about that. As soon as I was sure the professor was a dragon, my heart had attracted me toward her even more.

“Yes, I suppose I can feel some of it as well. It’s quite a strange sensation.”

I said, repeatedly clenching and unclenching my fist. In many legends and tales, dragons always appeared as symbols of absolute power. They were often portrayed as the masters of treasures.

As that tale indicated, dragons possess an inherent power that draws treasures to them. It could be regarded as an instinct or bloodline ingrained in their very essence.

“I feel the same. I’m starting to get more excited about what the heart of that person might be like. When I eventually hold the heart of that person in my hands, I wonder what expression Ilian will make.”

Mira spoke dreamily, placing her hand on her chest, seemingly feeling the heartbeat beyond it. Her face began to turn bright red with excitement.

Even after hearing about the dragon, she wasn’t giving up on targeting the professor. I couldn’t help but smirk at her unyielding desire.

The heart, now that I think about it, there was that rumor as well. The tale of a dragon’s heart being at the center of the university.

It sounded quite credible. There were very few sources of infinite magical power and strength capable of maintaining such a vast dimension. It had to be something like a dragon’s heart.

Dragons were those who were complete from the moment they were born, naturally growing with the passage of time.

And that was exactly what our professor was. Now, I understood what the source of her unfathomable magic was.

I sank into thought and then blinked. Wait a minute, hadn’t I just hit the jackpot? Not just at the university, but even in my life as a mage.

She had appointed me as her storehouse keeper. She entrusted her treasures to me, just as she had been doing until now. Yes, I was the one in charge of the dragon’s treasury, essentially a trusted aide.

I was taken aback by how the professor regarded me so importantly. A feeling of gratitude surged as I realized she had granted me such a significant role. Filled with loyalty and pride, I nodded my head in understanding.

Yes, that was a week ago.

Since then, I had wholeheartedly dedicated myself to the professor.

“Why are you acting like this? Explain your reasons.”

I slowly opened my eyes at the sound that echoed by my ear. The professor was looking at me with a displeased expression.

I scratched my cheek gently. It seemed my feelings had been a little too much. I felt somewhat wronged. Despite trying to care for her, she doubted my intentions first.

The professor scrutinized me intently. I cautiously read her expression. The magic around her began to swirl ominously.

It seemed she was determined to uncover the root of my transformation. Today, she appeared to be quite serious about it. Until now, she had just let it slide.

“… If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask you one question?”

I spoke softly, meeting her gaze. Upon hearing my words, the pressure of magic around her began to ease slightly. She looked at me and motioned for me to speak, a subtle tilt of her head, inviting me to ask.

I swallowed lightly. And carefully opened my mouth. Upon reflection, there was no need to keep what I had discovered a secret from her. In fact, directly asking her could be the most straightforward approach.

“Professor, are you… a dragon?”

At my question, she coughed a little. What began as a soft cough didn’t stop easily and soon grew into a fit. I produced a handkerchief and slowly wiped her mouth.

Then I hesitated, about to wash the handkerchief with cleaning magic. I paused and glanced at it.

Hmm… This could also be considered a type of dragon saliva, couldn’t it?

Suddenly intrigued, I thought, could I conduct some research on this? Maybe I’d discover something special. With that thought, I secretly sealed the handkerchief with my magic and tucked it into my pocket.

Seeing the professor’s surprised expression, I nodded knowingly. Indeed, it seemed I was correct. A strong sense of satisfaction filled my chest.

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