Surviving at the Magic Academy

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Professor On took a step closer to me. She stared intently at the little girl in my palm.

While calmly observing the little one, Professor On cast a sideways glance at me.

“Is this your project?”

Professor On asked, pulling out a slender needle from her pocket. She swallowed the saliva that had begun to accumulate in her mouth as she looked at it. Naturally, my gaze landed on the ‘failures’ around us.

The failures were all motionless, as if they were frozen in mid-air. It seemed like their connection to their owner had been severed. It was the result of being pierced by that needle.

Professor On lightly waved the needle. A fierce magical power surged within it. Those dolls with severed connections had all ‘earned’ their fate for failing to meet the standards she had set.

If the girl in my palm couldn’t meet those standards, she would end up like that too. I trembled at the memory of last time when I lost my doll after she was pricked by that needle during the previous assignment. But this time would be different. So I sent my will to the girl on my palm.

Receiving that, the girl stretched her body wide. Letting out a yawn, she removed the shell that was attached to her back and looked at me with a relaxed expression.

She pointed inside the shell. I conjured some magic and filled it with a bit of water for her. She washed her face lightly with it and then put the shell back on her back.

With a refreshed look, she surveyed her surroundings and nodded slightly at Professor On.

Then, she waddled off. It was the only way she could express her movements, given those little limbs.

“Well then, let’s see.”

The girl stood on my fingertips and let out a loud “Meh.” I presented her towards Professor On, who extended her palm towards me.

She naturally jumped onto Professor On’s palm. Of course, she nearly fell midway due to her weak jump. But with my magic, I caught her and carefully set her on Professor On’s palm.

The girl puffed out her cheeks as she looked at her body. It seemed her current form was uncomfortable. She let out a dissatisfied “Meh.”

Professor On tilted her head slightly, holding the girl on her palm.

“What kind of doll is this?”

He slowly took out the needle. As he did so, he glanced at the spot where I had come from. I turned my gaze to follow his. There was Mira, waving her hand lightly and smiling.

“It doesn’t look much different from the structure of that doll.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

As I said that, I casually looked around. This time, not the failures, but the successes.

I chuckled bitterly while observing them.

The one who was making swords created a doll in the shape of a person. The one who was making armor created a kind of ghostly figure covered in an amorphous body. They had succeeded through that.

Perhaps that was the method Professor On desired. It was also the method I had tried while recalling other doll manipulators. It meant expanding into an area that one hadn’t explored or touched before.

Of course, I was merely stuck in the realm of imitation. But they had not stopped at simple imitation as they were showing now. They had gone further and created something entirely new.

In contrast, what I had made was somewhat different. I gazed at the one sitting peacefully on Professor On’s palm. Its structure had hardly changed from the dolls I had been making.

But I was confident. Yes, it was this newness that was the core of this assignment. Whether it aligned with Professor On’s perspective or not. It only mattered that it was an outcome he couldn’t deny.

I infused that newness into her. In a way that was different from theirs. While they had created a new doll in a new way, I had infused newness into the existing doll.

I sent my will to her. Receiving that will, she briefly loosened her body on Professor On’s palm before flopping down.

As she did, her shell began to vibrate, steadily growing in size.

It grew large enough to cover half her body. She curled up her body and began to wiggle her way inside the shell. In no time, her whole body was hidden under the shell.

The shell containing her settled gently onto Professor On’s palm. Then, it began to gently vibrate. That vibration was very short-lived. Soon, it shifted slightly, and something popped out from within.

“Oh ho.”

Professor On murmured. The little one who escaped from the shell let out a “Meh.” The form of the girl was nowhere to be seen. Instead, what took her place was a turtle.

The little turtle shook its body energetically. It looked very happy. The previous form must have been quite constricting for it.

I nodded. I understood its feelings. The current body must have been very different from the previous one. This was the newness I was showcasing. With bated breath, I gazed at Professor On.

“This is… interesting.”

I could see the boredom slowly washing away from Professor On’s eyes. He then lifted the shell and looked into the turtle’s eyes while letting some magic flow. That magic began to flow through the turtle’s body.

“Everything that constitutes the body is changing, huh? Except for this shell. Is there something magical contained within? Hmm, no. More like….”

He lightly tapped the shell and nodded. Glancing at me, he chuckled softly. I blinked at that sight. Had I misread? That smile was gone in no time.

“It’s a power derived from the body. You’ve drawn out the properties of the material and created this change. Quite fascinating. Impressive.”

I nodded at his remark and admired him quietly. Was it because he was a professor? He recognized the source of this change that I had created all at once.

Of course, there was no way he could discern what the material was. That was inevitable. Because what was contained within was crafted from the Professor’s own body!

The power of that change resided not in the shell but within the turtle’s internal magical heart. The turtle gradually began to understand how to use that power. And at the end of it all, it had manifested the change it had now.

The transformation was astonishing. Its composition, power, and even the nature of its magic had changed. If the connection hadn’t been established, even I wouldn’t have realized it was a turtle.

It was comparable to a revolution of existence. Of course, very distinct limitations existed. The girl’s body could no longer grow. It was merely locked in that state. A limitation of a replica.

There was one way to overcome that limitation. Simply keep cramming more in. I contemplated Professor On’s by-products. Rubbing my hands together while thinking of him, I paused for a moment.

Somehow, I felt like others might misinterpret that I was treating the professor as a test subject. I felt a bit grim even thinking about it. But that couldn’t be helped. I shook my head lightly.

All I had was sincere intent for the professor. This kind of experiment was also all for her.

To serve her better, I needed to understand her in detail. Yes, I had nothing but that pure heart.

“Hmm, what should we do? Should we try changing forms again?”

Professor On said as he lightly shook the needle. The turtle looked at the needle intently, letting out a “Meh.” It then slipped back into its shell and began to wriggle around. Moments later, the little one that emerged looked like a girl again.

Professor On picked her up once more and examined her carefully. He tilted his head for a moment, then nodded willingly. He tucked the needle back into his pocket.

“Well, it’s a bit different from my intention. But this is also a possibility. You could say it has gone beyond my assignment. You’ve passed.”

It was a success. I made a fist. Professor On handed the turtle back to me. I gently received the little creature. It raised its hands to me, wearing a proud face.

It sent its will to me in return. I lifted its shell and placed it atop my heart. The turtle burrowed into the pocket on my chest. I scratched its shell softly.

“Now you go in. I got to enjoy the last round.”

Professor On said. I slightly bowed my head to him and to Tiena, who was standing kindly beside him. She waved her hand at me lightly.

As I returned to my original spot, Mira reached out her hand. She subtly picked up the turtle that had burrowed into my chest. The turtle, about to drift off to sleep, was startled by her movement and quickly looked around.

Mira, with a cheeky smile, placed the little turtle in her hand and began to poke at it. The turtle swiftly hid in its shell, avoiding her fingers. Mira lightly tapped the shell and looked at me.

“So, you succeeded.”

“Yes, I used the professor’s body. It was only natural for it to succeed.”

I said, glancing at the turtle. It lifted its shell, peeking out with inflated cheeks. The face that resembled the professor was puffed up as it let out a “Meh.”

Mira smiled as if it was adorable and began poking at it again. After the turtle transformed, Mira also began taking an interest in it.

It started exuding a hint of the professor’s aroma. It seemed that somehow, that delighted her. Conversely, the turtle, at this moment, was just getting teased.

“Alright, let’s proceed with the class. I believe four of you have passed now. There’s one more than before. There were quite a few interesting projects as well. I hope this means you’ve been keeping up with my class.”

Professor On said. I glanced sideways. I saw Unit 0 opening the book placed in front of it. It had also managed to wrap up its assignment successfully, with a new transformation contained within that doll.

“Now, let’s turn to page 60. Today, what I’ll explain is related to the assignment you just completed. Previously, you’ve learned why each individual doll has its own uniqueness. Today, we’ll be going further from there. You have a kind of limitation…”

Unit 0 started moving several hands—no, tentacles—taking notes on what Professor On was saying. I didn’t expect that transformation to be like this. I couldn’t help but chuckle seeing it with multiple tentacles attached to its doll body.

This was something only a shadow could do. Professor On nodded while watching it. Although it had wandered away from the assignment, he still found it quite amusing.

And so, Professor On’s monotone voice resonated in the classroom. Yet the knowledge conveyed was exceedingly heavy. I focused as hard as I could, absorbing it all.

Amidst the background sound of the turtle letting out cries from Mira’s hand, time passed by. And at the end of that time, I blinked quietly. Before I knew it, the class had ended entirely. The surroundings had changed as well.

Now, where we were standing was a reception room filled with various decorations. It was a transformed version of the classroom from which the students had all departed.

I silently looked at the turtle. It was clinging to Tiena’s lap, crying as if whining. She gently stroked the head of the little creature while smiling.

“Hehe, is that so? But I don’t think Ms. Mira harbors any bad feelings. She must find the turtle adorable.”

It appeared quite natural for her to communicate with the turtle. It was probably because she too was a doll. I quietly followed her example, serving her tea.

Tiena lightly fidgeted with the teacup while smiling at me. Along with that, a sharp gaze fell upon me. It was from Professor On. I was becoming accustomed to that scrutinizing gaze.

Of course, the pressure remained the same. Dodging that gaze, I stealthily hid behind Mira. Tiena, observing my actions, gently tapped Professor On’s hand. With that, his eyes shifted away from me.

“I can’t believe this child would transform like this. I’m truly surprised. Did you have some success, perhaps?”

Tiena lifted her teacup, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. There was a light spark of anticipation on her face. I scratched my cheek faintly, pondering the term success. Now that I thought about it, it wasn’t quite that.

But still, I had brought something to show her.

I rummaged through the space pouch in my pocket and pulled out a small bottle. It was filled with magical liquid. In the center, a tiny doll, the size of my palm, was peacefully sleeping.

“Hmm, you brought this all the way here? No wonder I felt an itch in the connection.”

Mira commented with a smile, tapping the bottle with her finger. At that moment, the little one inside twitched slightly before gently opening its eyes.

It locked eyes with Mira and nodded before closing its eyes again. It looked very much like Mira. Mira looked at it with a faint smile.

Then a “Meh” sound rang out. The turtle sitting in Tiena’s lap stared curiously at the bottle. I carefully placed the glass bottle down in front of it. Thinking back, this was likely the first time it would see it.

The turtle began to compare its own reflection in the glass bottle with the doll sleeping inside. It tilted its head slightly. A “Meh” of confusion escaped its lips.

That couldn’t be helped. Its current appearance looked remarkably similar to that tiny doll asleep inside the bottle, like a reflection in a mirror. I stole a glance at Mira. The face that resembled Professor Ilian made a grimace as it looked at me.

Somehow, it seemed like all the dolls I made ended up resembling the professor. I nodded. Perhaps that was a testament to my sincerity. My feelings for her were naturally manifesting in the appearance of the dolls I created.

The turtle lightly punched the glass bottle, seemingly displeased with its reflection. However, what it had forgotten was that it was not currently in a turtle’s body. That body was a mere imitation of the professor’s.

So, as it hit the bottle, it ended up rolling on the spot, clutching its own hand and letting out a cry of distress.

Watching it, I shook my head. I could somewhat understand its feelings. The turtle’s ego had been built upon me. That meant, it had formed an identity as a male. But now, it had taken on the appearance of a girl.

It wouldn’t be able to change that appearance any further. The power of the change that stemmed from the professor had fixed its body as it was. So from now on, it would have to live as that girl.

Well… isn’t that a good thing? I mean, it gets to wear the professor’s body. That’s another blessing, to say the least. One could even say I had given it an incredible opportunity.

“Oh dear, how pitiful… come here.”

Tiena said, pulling the turtle into her embrace. The turtle’s eyes sparkled, diving deep into her arms. Then it clung to her chest, whining. Tiena hugged it even tighter.

Professor On’s eyes sparkled at that scene. However, perhaps because it was now a female form, I didn’t sense the same sharp gaze from him as before. Maybe the turtle noticed that and clung to Tiena as if to hide.

While in that state, Tiena briefly glanced at Mira and me. I shook my head in response. This couldn’t be considered a success.

“As you can see, this doll was made based on Ms. Mira. However, it failed to give birth to a new soul within. It merely resembles her physically.”

Mira sighed softly at my words. But it was just for a moment. She started to chuckle, glancing between the glass bottle and us.

“Hehe, you said you created it based on Ms. Mira. Then, this little one must be the same. Looks like you two have quite a good relationship. I’m genuinely happy for you both. Perhaps you can help me with something, maybe?”

Tiena said, petting the turtle. Mira gazed quietly at me and clicked her tongue softly. I scratched my head while meeting her gaze.

“If it’s a resemblance, that’s fortunate. Looking like a turtle doesn’t apply to me at all. That would be Professor Ilian.”

That’s Professor Ebron’s opinion, Mira said, glancing at me. Tiena briefly blinked at those words. Then she alternated her gaze between the turtle and Mira.

“Oh my, is that so?”

“Yes, and I’m very much anticipating what might happen when Professor Ilian finds out about this.”

Mira placed her hand on her chest while saying that. There was a hint of distance in the gaze she directed toward me. It felt like a kind of disdain.

I cleared my throat lightly. Even I thought it was a bit excessive. But, well, I hadn’t been caught, so that was something, right? I looked at the turtle again. It was nestled against Tiena’s chest, burying its face there.

Honestly, I hadn’t planned on putting a turtle in there at all. I aimed to encapsulate a new ego within it. However, none of them had managed to harness that power correctly. They merely got stuck in the form of a girl.

In order to wield that power effectively, a strong body was necessary. A sturdy spirit and body that would not be undermined by change. And, I had only one such existence by my side. That was the turtle.

So, that’s how it ended up with its current form. I had no solid grasp of how the turtle’s body was made. I just did my best to draw out even a sliver of potential contained in the professor’s fragments.

I didn’t recognize how that transformation process worked, and neither did the turtle that wielded it. They simply used it because they could.

As such, during the process of implanting a body into the turtle, the power underwent considerable alteration. That was inevitable since it was merely a fragment. It was a blessing though; with that alteration, it was likely Professor On wouldn’t recognize it easily.

A perfect crime… no, it wasn’t a crime. I merely acted from a pure heart, assisting the professor while simply gathering some by-products along the way. It was all to know her in more detail.

“I acted solely out of my feelings for the professor.”

“That’s exactly the problem…”

Mira let out a light sigh. I wondered since when she had become so devious. She muttered something like that. It seemed she was greatly misunderstanding. I had only come to realize the truth. The professor’s grace, that blessing.

While we were at it, Tiena clapped her hands to gather our attention. Looking at her, she smiled brightly.

“So, shall we get to the point? I can’t keep you all here for too long.”

I nodded. This gathering had initially been set up because she had something to ask from us. That request, I felt a bit tense at the thought of what it could possibly be.

Her previous request was to create a doll based on her and Professor On. Could it be that she was about to ask for another?

Noticing my tension, Tiena waved her hand lightly. She then pulled out an envelope from her belongings and placed it on the desk.

“It’s not a big request, so don’t worry. Just hand this to Mauro, that child. I heard there’s a gathering happening soon.”

A gathering. I hadn’t expected her to mention that. Just as she said, I was also planning to go to the stalactite city to attend a guild meeting after this lecture ended. I stared at the envelope in front of me.

“You can open it if you’d like, but it’s not really necessary. You’ll learn the contents soon enough.”

“No, I will convey it right to Mr. Mauro as you instructed.”

I said, stuffing the envelope into my pocket. It was likely filled with information about the puppet guild. Given that, I didn’t have to verify the contents myself.

“By the way, Mr. Ebron, this will be your first gathering, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The puppet manipulators’ gathering. I was quite eager to know what kind of format it would take. Perhaps sensing my thoughts, Tiena wore an awkward smile.

“It’ll probably be rather different than what you expect. So, don’t be too disappointed when you go.”

I couldn’t understand the meaning behind her words at that moment. That marked the end of our time together, and we were on our way to the city.

Standing at the gathering’s location, Tiena’s words resonated in my mind. Not to be disappointed. Seeing the scene before me made me automatically grasp the meaning behind her words.

“Come on in! Everyone’s waiting for you.”

Mauro peeked out from the cave and gestured for me to enter. Yes, the cave. This was the location where this gathering was being held.

I quietly looked around. It was a small mountain. The cave was located halfway up that mountain. With a sigh, I followed him inside. A musty earthy smell greeted my nose.

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