NOVEL WEB Chapter 30
First things first, I decided to give the Tower a makeover. The place was a dust bowl, spiderwebs flapping like flags in the wind, making it look like a long-neglected ruin.
Before the lectures kicked off, I definitely needed to tidy up this brutal scenery.
The first thing that grabbed my attention was the external wall of the Tower—it looked like it desperately needed some love. Cleaning this beast wasn’t going to be easy. The powerful magical energy flowing through the Tower formed a magical barrier that suppressed surrounding spells.
So, using magic to clean it was out of the question. This barrier was so strong it might as well have been a forcefield. Only someone like my Professor could hope to tackle it.
So, I constructed a doll specialized for climbing up the Tower walls.
I was inspired by the spiderwebs plastered all over. Eight spindly legs, mimicked from a spider’s, gripped the Tower with sharp claws as they scuttled along. They cleaned off the dust with the rags and rolling pins attached to their bodies.
It looked like the grime had been there for ages, solidified like concrete. The dolls moved delicately, layer by layer, scraping away the dust and cracks that were a testament to years gone by.
After painstakingly polishing the Tower, I had to catch my breath in shock.
All along, I thought the Tower was a dreary gray. But surprise, surprise—it turned out to be just a shell of collected grime and cobwebs! As the dolls busily scrubbed the walls, the grime cracked, revealing the Tower in its true glory.
It shone a bright, creamy white, radiating a clear and soft light.
“Right, this was the color all along. I can’t believe I forgot about it,” I muttered.
The Professor commented on it. How can you forget something like that? She seemed to really like the color too. Previously, she never stepped foot out of her room, yet now she often ventured outside for a stroll.
A week went by with nothing but doll-making to spruce up the exterior. The Tower was massive, and the dust had built up so thick, it took way longer than I’d expected. But hey, it was a rewarding project.
What next? My gaze fell on the unruly trees and bushes nearby. Most Mages might not care about such a sight since flying tends to be their primary mode of transport, but isn’t it nicer to have a view that doesn’t look like a swamp?
So, I tidied up the damaged and crooked paths surrounding the Tower.
I leveled the ground and laid down stones of uniform size. At this rate, anyone could stroll through with ease. And what about clearing more area for a garden?
I cleared the mountains along the boundary of the monsters’ territory, nearly wiping out the whole range. Many monsters claimed the lower slopes, but since nothing dared come close to where the Tower was positioned, it was totally doable.
Using a simple growth spell, trees and flowers sprang up along the pathway. They greedily soaked up the powerful magical energy from the mountain, flourishing vigorously. No need for my magic since they only drew from the mountain’s power.
The trees and leaves glowed with a verdant brilliance, while the flowers adorned their petals in vibrant colors. They may not hold much value as ingredients due to the hasty growth, but aesthetically, they were quite the gem.
All this growth took place within the flow I had directed, blossoming beautifully thanks to the carefully structured growth spells ensuring a natural yet orderly arrangement.
The trees stood at even intervals, providing shade over the stone path, and the various flowers swayed in the breeze like gentle waves.
As I stood on the newly created path, I took a deep breath. The scents of flowers, the aroma of trees, even the earthy smell of dirt wafted into my nose. The harmonious fragrance carried a touch of magic, seeping pleasantly into the air.
Though I made it quickly, it turned out to be a garden I was extremely pleased with. Naturally beautiful and tidy enough to provide a gentle sense of satisfaction to any visitor.
While I was strolling around, a Mage was seen flying toward the Tower. Spotting me, he landed gracefully in the garden, carefully clutching the little turtle attached to his chest.
“Greetings! Are you by chance Ebron?”
“Yes. What brings you here?”
He pulled a letter from a small backpack strapped to his back and handed it to me.
“This is a letter from the Arcana Guild. If it’s indeed intended for you, please sign here with your magic.”
He pointed at a thin, gold-plated strip on the left side of the letter. So, the Arcana Guild must have officially designated someone to handle the trade from before. Following his guidance, I left a signature above the gold strip, and with that, it absorbed my magic and crumbled.
“Delivery by Adeline, your swift and safe courier. If you need anything delivered, just leave a request anytime.”
He nodded and floated back into the air, propelling away at astonishing speed.
I stared at his departing figure in awe. What a sight! A wizard of that caliber must have been as powerful as crafting a fully matured tree!
Delivery requests, huh? So that’s how the high-ups in the city handle contract jobs? Learned something new! I glanced down at the letter in my hands. In the hustle of sprucing up the Tower, I’d nearly forgotten that the enrollment period was almost over.
I tore open the letter to check. There were two simple names listed inside. I gasped. One was unfamiliar, but the other was far too familiar.
Hongryeong.
Ah, it was becoming suspicious how often I seemed to run into him. I scratched my head.
Thinking back, it made sense that he’d claim a spot. The woman who secured my position—was her name Hwa-ryeong? Anyway, she certainly looked like she belonged to the same clan as Hongryeong. The spells she cast and the aura of her magic matched perfectly. Naturally, it made sense to push for someone from the same clan.
Even in the University, bloodlines hold significant power. I could bet other clans or groups are doing the same. People like me, wandering souls, wouldn’t even think about such favoritism.
But hey, I have the Professor. Sure, I went through a mountain of trouble, but here I am in university, living in the Tower. That’s a stroke of luck too. I’m sure I’m in for more hardships ahead.
For now, I stashed the letter away.
I had to stay put until the Professor called for me. Knowing her dislike for hassle, it was clear she’d summon me for organizing the students. Until then, no need to move a muscle.
Maybe I’ll decorate the Tower some more.
I had wrapped up the exterior, so now it was time to tidy up the inside. Although I had already been cleaning, the Tower was still almost empty since I hadn’t furnished it properly.
Most students frequented the first and second floors. I could focus on those areas. Not knowing what they looked like before, I swiftly remade the first floor to my liking. I didn’t bother with the hallway and central hall—just set down some chairs for resting.
The most important thing was to decorate each room with character. I planned to make the first floor a relaxation space and gathering area. So, I needed to ensure each room felt cozy and inviting for anyone spending time in the Tower.
First, I had to create a central room.
What shape should I envision? Surely, it needed windows. I demolished the tiny existing windows and cut out grand, arched ones.
Sunlight streamed in, gently illuminating the floor, warming up the previously chilly space. These windows lined the walls, brilliantly brightening the room.
I layered the floor with a thick carpet made from monster leather, ensuring it didn’t dazzle in the sunlight. It was still quite new, which made the fur’s stiffness capture the light even more boldly.
In the center of the room, I placed a large circular table. Magical lamps adorning the ceiling twinkled like stars above, radiating a subtle magical glow.
One wall housed a broad fireplace that crackled fiercely. This pure flame, ignited solely by the Tower’s magic, scattered strong magical energy, creating a warm flow throughout the room.
That alone didn’t seem sufficient for rest space.
So, I scattered large sofas throughout the room. Magic had been cast on these sofas, ensuring anyone could sink into them comfortably, and right beside them, I placed small tables for refreshments.
Finally, I had filled the space with furniture. Anyone stepping inside would surely feel a sense of comfort. Yet, it was all merely a stopgap. Magic wouldn’t last long before dissipating, and the hurriedly made furniture would soon crumble.
I grimaced at the makeshift furniture scattered about. It was unavoidable. With the materials, time, and magic not being up to par, I felt I’d gotten lucky to achieve this much.
To mask the gaps, I set up dolls around the room—specifically ones intended for service, built from the butler doll currently waiting on the Professor.
If they drew attention, it might alleviate some of the room’s awkwardness. That was the best I could manage.
This would serve as the foundation for each room. It was essential to customize and craft a unique personality for every room instead of merely copying and pasting.
Thus, another week passed as I decorated each room.
When I’d finished with the first floor and was taking a break, a soul settled heavily on my shoulder. I almost screamed when I saw it. An eerie, melted figure of a ghostly spirit perched there—it was strange enough to send me into panic mode.
Frantically, I flung it off.
I glared at it as it squirmed on the floor. That peculiar appearance—I’d seen it somewhere before. It had to be the one that slipped out from the Professor’s doorbell.
If that was the case, then the Professor was calling for me. I picked it up with my fingers and headed for the stairs. I pressed the top button out of ten installed on the stairwell. Ascending the stairs led me directly to the Professor’s room.
This was a feature restored by the Professor for the Tower’s functionality. Pressing the button and climbing the stairs allowed access to that floor—a super handy feature! I’d been so anxious passing by her treasure room; now I was relieved to avoid it.
The Professor lay on her bed, gazing into a massive mirror floating in mid-air. I cautiously made my way toward her. The mirror reflected the sixth floor. She was projecting magic through the mirror, inscribing magical circles around her.
“Did you call for me?”
“Yes, come over here. I need you to take a look at this.”
She opened a tear in the air, and papers cascaded out like a waterfall, piling up high beyond the height of her bed.
I grabbed a paper that had floated down to my feet and examined it. It was the name of a magician I didn’t recognize. It appeared to belong to someone applying for a spot in the Professor’s lecture.
“Someone sent this magically. You handle organizing it.”
I had anticipated this, but actually hearing it shocked me. Gazing at the mountain of documents towering over me, I could hardly gauge how many submissions there were. This was insane! I nodded with a smile on my face, forcing my enthusiasm.
“Understood. Is there a specific type of magician you’re looking for?”
After some thought, the Professor shook her head. She meant for me to handle it. I levitated the mountain of papers with magic and stuffed them all into my spatial pouch. It took quite a while to get them all in. How long would it take to sort through all of this?
“Then I’ll select two hundred and present the list.”
“Sounds good.”
I bowed respectfully and stepped back. The Professor remained engrossed in the mirror, saying nothing more. Glancing at it, I couldn’t even comprehend the magic involved. The students going in there must have been in for a wild ride. And guess what? That was me! A sigh escaped my lips.
I pressed the button for the second floor and descended the stairs. With the first floor somewhat sorted out, it was time to tackle the second.
The lectures were about to start soon, so I had to wrap things up!
Upon reaching the central hall, I flipped my pouch inside out on a large table. A massive amount of paper spilled out, flooding the area.
As the documents piled up, I commanded the dolls to dress the surrounding area similarly to the first floor. In truth, there wasn’t much I needed to do on this floor. The magic in each room had been perfectly restored by the Professor, so I just needed to place a few matching pieces of furniture.
The dolls began moving about. I observed them for a moment before returning my gaze to the mountainous paper. It was still streaming out of the pouch. Got it; I needed to select two hundred from this lot. Time to hustle! I rolled up my sleeves and began reading through them one by one.
Each paper included the name, year of admission, and which floor they were currently on.
One of the documents I held stated the name Kashian. She was enrolled in 7,453 of the Lumina calendar, meaning she was a year ahead of me. And here she was, already at the second floor. They say it usually takes an average of five years to go from first to second, so she must’ve been exceptionally talented. For now, I’d set her aside.
Going through each page carefully, I knew I couldn’t let any slip by. This mountain of documents contained incredibly valuable information. If I were to buy this data with points, I’d be racking up thousands with ease!
Names revealed the identity of the individuals. As I read on, I noticed several with similar names popping up. Their years of admission and floor levels mirrored each other. Clearly, they had all applied together from a single organization or clan.
Those folks had to go, too. I needed to adjust the ratios to align with my preferences. If too many from similar backgrounds applied at once, our treasure hunt plan could be derailed.
Perhaps I should only select one from each group? I realized I’d likely come across many similar situations after this.
I paid attention to other factors as well. Ideally, I wanted more recent admissions, and lower floors benefited me the most. Anyone with a higher floor and a recent admission would be marked for exclusion.
The senior named Kashian fit that mold. They were too gifted. Who knows? They could unexpectedly swipe the treasure right from under us! Such individuals would require close monitoring.
Filtering through paper after paper, I eventually narrowed it down to two hundred names.
This was the culmination of two nights of deep thought.
As fate would have it, about half of the selected individuals had rather mediocre credentials. Many had recently advanced to the second floor or were new to the first. They were certain to fall into despair when faced with the Professor’s traps.
I would’ve liked to compile all two hundred from that crowd alone, but it was clear that would tip off our intentions. To keep things subtle, I needed to include some skilled individuals as well.
While doing so, I chose candidates who wouldn’t likely collaborate with one another. And thus, the other half was filled in.
I took the two hundred sheets and headed back to the Professor. They were promptly swallowed into the void of space. The remaining papers were tidily organized and stored to one side in a fifth-floor dorm room. Who knows? They might come in handy later.
Time went on.
The day of the lectures drew near, exactly a month after the enrollment closed.