NOVEL WEB Chapter 92
“Ebron: I’m temporarily stepping out of the tower to attend a lecture. Don’t worry, the bulletin board will continue to operate, so feel free to chat away!”
“I will be doing this every three months, so if you need anything, please let me know before I leave!”
└Pidoqui: “Massacre? Massacre. Massacre? Massacre!”
└Tooth Necklace: “Ah, so that means the tower will be empty. This should be fun! Every three months, huh? I’ll remember that. It’ll be a day of freedom!”
└Sky Ring: “Oh, that’s easy. I wanted to talk more, but I’m looking forward to the next lecture, anyway.”
└Delicious Tongue: “sk-needs. Tasty monsters! This request is…”
└Tooth Necklace: “Should I buy one for you? I’ve been collecting these points lately, you know. With this, you can grab whatever you want. Jealous? Of course, you are! Hahaha!”
└Pidoqui: “Mass-massacre…?”
└Tooth Necklace: “Oh no, we have a promise, remember? We need to communicate with humans to hold the lectures. So hurry up and practice your speaking!”
└Pidoqui: “Massacre…! I will massacre you!”
The rules have a natural tendency to guide people along. That’s just how it was with the announcements I wrote. The students started paying close attention to the statue on the first floor each time they came to the tower. And beside them, the Mirror Bug spat out today’s points.
Hao fell back down to the second floor again. It was only natural since he had lost most of the strength he gained from devouring life. It was the result of his own greed.
His case quickly spread throughout the tower via the bulletin board. Upon hearing the news, Tooth Necklace excitedly clacked its teeth and rolled happily on the floor.
And those who heard the news started to handle the power of treasures more carefully. Previously, just like Hao, those who had recklessly used their teeth began to eat life at a reasonable distance.
Seeing the calm situation, they smiled contently. Thanks to Hao, everyone was happy in the tower. People would be careful with their powers, and if anything abnormal occurred, they would come to me.
Of course, Hao might have suffered a bit, but it was still beneficial for him. If he kept absorbing power like that, he would have gone mad quickly, just like Tooth Necklace said. Surviving like this was better than nothing.
The lectures were scheduled to be held once a month. The sooner they receive the power of the treasures, the more power they can grow. This was also noted in the syllabus.
Of course, once all treasures had given out their power, the lectures would no longer continue. After that, the students would train in a cycle of practice and dueling. They’d do so while receiving advice from the treasures.
Thus, the treasures prepared for the lectures, and the students grew their powers through training in the tower. They often asked me which treasure would hold the next lecture.
I didn’t reply to them. After all, it would be of no use to them. There was no need for me to open my mouth about it.
They headed to someone else instead of me. Just like Hao was doing now.
“Yes, yes.”
Hao nodded vigorously. He was staring excitedly at the Mirror Bug in front of him. Words were being written all over the Mirror Bug.
– “Right. So there’s no need to worry about the next lecture. Just stay still, and it will give out power. Oh, thinking about it, that fellow seems to prefer women over men. So, how about cross-dressing this time? It’ll definitely catch its eye! Hahaha!”
This was the writing of Tooth Necklace. Hao was obtaining advice from it in exchange for points. Hao nodded blankly at those words.
Does he really believe that? I smirked. Hao was writing down Tooth Necklace’s serious words with a very earnest expression. It seemed that the next lecture would unfold in a rather peculiar scene.
Thus, I didn’t actively seek to communicate with my students. After all, there were treasures around. In the future, more treasures like them would chat with the students. I didn’t need to force my way into that flow.
I just needed to ensure that there were no glaring mistakes in the operation, as if I was creating new rules. The tower’s structure was perfect in this way. It could operate just fine without me.
And so, another week passed. Nothing happened in the tower.
I quietly observed the Mirror Bug. The bulletin board was silent. The chatter of the treasures that usually filled the air had also ceased.
And why not? We were far away from the tower. It was the third day since we left that place.
The Turtle took a step forward, its massive feet trembling the earth, causing trees to topple. The Turtle continued to move forward without hesitation.
The mist surrounding it concealed its massive body. The monsters that heard the trembling earth drew near but lost their way, never fully grasping its form.
On top of that creature’s head sat Unit 0, eagerly scanning the surroundings.
After all, it had been quite a while since it had left the tower. The last time was when heading to Professor Heisen’s tower, bringing Unit 0 along. That was several years ago.
Moreover, during that time, all it could do was endure the pain of its body always being ripped apart. An outing for it was just a series of torment.
But today was different. It quietly fiddled with the card marked ‘On.’ Pure arcane energy flowed from it. Hwa-ryeong had signed up for a lecture and returned it.
Fortunately, Professor On’s lecture was held this year. It was a small-scale class with only twelve members. It seemed it had been opened only to those possessing that card. Right now, we were on our way to participate in that.
This lecture was conducted by private enrollment. Hence, there wasn’t even a syllabus. According to Hwa-ryeong, it was a lecture only for those designated by the professor. If I hadn’t had this card, I wouldn’t have known it existed at all.
I felt a surge of gratitude for Mauro. Along with it stirred a bit of curiosity. Why had he given up such a precious opportunity for me?
Who knows? For now, I decided to treasure that gratitude deep in my heart. After all, this was an opportunity.
Unit 0 had a small hole in its chest where a fake wooden piece had been attached. It had been left behind temporarily. For now, it seemed necessary to maintain the tower’s system.
In truth, Unit 0 had contemplated leaving it behind because of that. However, it was brimming with excitement as it looked at me, so it ended up coming along. It also had quite an interest in Doll Manipulation.
It seemed the anticipation for the lecture had made it bounce with excitement since leaving the tower. Of course, I felt the same way. My heart was filled with excitement.
How much had we moved? We could tell we were nearly at our destination. I pulled out a map for a moment and found that the topography around matched almost perfectly with it.
“Oh, that must be the tower! How fascinating!”
Mira said from next to me. I looked in the direction she was pointing. I still couldn’t see its form clearly. But I sensed a massive flow of arcane energy heading toward that spot.
We moved the Turtle’s feet in that direction. And I soon understood why she had said that. As she mentioned, the tower looked exceptionally fascinating.
It was a massive sphere.
Can we even call that a tower? The sphere was suspended in midair, kept at a certain distance from the mountain’s peak. And it was rotating steadily at a constant speed.
I gazed at it with an absent mind. The magic circles etched on its exterior constantly changed, creating bizarre transformations. It resembled a rock, or a moon, or perhaps an eye.
Magic drawn in by the rotation flowed along the surface of that sphere and seeped into it. That was the source of the magical flow I had felt earlier.
Peering from the steep mountainside, I stared up at the sphere. The Turtle shrank down, clinging to my chest. I stroked its weary back and slowly moved forward. Unit 0 slipped beneath my feet.
As I climbed the mountain, the strength of that sphere felt even more potent. If I were to condense Professor Ilian’s tower into a sphere, this would be the feeling. It boasted overwhelming arcane energy and size.
I quickly reached the mountain’s peak. It was vast and flat as if specifically made that way. The sphere floated quietly at its center.
And below it, quite a few figures were wandering about. They seemed to be the ones participating in the lecture. Today was the day the tower would be opened. There appeared to be at least dozens of them.
Slightly blinking my eyes, I recalled Hwa-ryeong saying that there were only twelve participants, including me. So why were there so many people? I approached them with curiosity.
As I drew closer, their figures became clearer. And I realized I had been mistaken. There weren’t many people. The rest were all dolls.
The doll manipulators seemed to have noticed our approach, casting quick glances our way. The attention that flowed towards me eventually landed on Mira, hanging from my arm. They widened their eyes slightly upon seeing her.
After briefly observing her, they inclined their heads towards me. They definitely admired her fantastic frame. A feeling of satisfaction began to swell in my chest. Along with that, a smile unconsciously crept onto my face.
“Heh, that’s cute. They really like this sort of thing.”
Mira said, smiling and looking at me. Feeling a bit shy, I cleared my throat.
But what could I do? She was indeed the finest doll I had created. Of course, I wouldn’t have been able to put her together without the professor’s help. But she was undeniably my doll.
Other mages seemed oblivious to that brilliance. They didn’t seem to be interested in dolls at all. They only knew how to use my doll but failed to understand the exquisite composition and beauty behind it.
But these people were different. They seemed to fully comprehend the significance contained within Mira’s form, just as doll manipulators should.
They identified that at a glance. They must have deep respect for the art of Doll Manipulation. My camaraderie with them soared.
Their levels of expertise varied widely. Some seemed like they had just arrived at university, while others oozed the heavy arcane energy of someone lingering on the fourth floor. They were all settled, waiting for the tower’s doors to open.
I took a glance at their dolls. Some had swords on their backs, while others adorned themselves with armor.
There were those handling monster corpses, and there were also those who had captured human forms in their dolls, just like I did. The forms of the dolls were as diverse as the number of people in their numbers.
So, how do we get inside that sphere? I thought, looking up at the sphere. The Mirror Bug floated up lightly and displayed the time. There was still an hour left until the opening.
Then I suppose we’ll have to wait. No one else seemed to be arriving. I was the last to arrive.
While I was chatting casually with Mira, I noticed a guy in armor pulling out new armor. As he changed into it, he looked around.
He cleared his throat for a moment and then nodded lightly. The armor was magnificent. The intricate circuits within emitted robust arcane energy that could withstand any attack.
It was clear that he’d woven each thread of those circuits meticulously to create such a massive form. Just seeing the small portion of the revealed circuits made me appreciate the effort that went into it.
How much time must he have invested in crafting that? Moreover, that armor wasn’t merely circuits woven together. The technology contained within was complex and diverse beyond my understanding. It took tremendous skill.
He relaxed his body lightly as if to show off the armor, then chuckled, scanning the surroundings. It was a grin tinged with mischief. It seemed he grew tired of waiting idly. The energies of those around him began to stir.
After checking the atmosphere, they all began to pull out their dolls and cleared their throats. Their gazes were sharp, checking for any flaws in each other’s dolls. Yet, all their dolls were flawless.
In the end, they exchanged knowing nods. I didn’t have to pull out my doll. My finest doll was right next to me.
I puffed my chest out. Their dolls were impressive, but it seemed none could surpass Mira.
Of course, if we judged solely by skill, some of them might have surpassed me. When judged by magic alone, their dolls often outshone mine.
But the total amount of points invested was different. I glanced at Mira. She was admiring the dolls of others. How could I not appreciate what I put into her? The points within her were something they couldn’t even fathom.
Plenty of points guaranteed overcoming limits.
Just as we explored each other’s dolls, the sphere began to respond soon after. It was time for the opening. The base of it opened, and a strong flow of magic began to pour out.
It soon solidified transparently, creating a long staircase. That staircase settled right in front of us, waiting patiently.
That meant we were being beckoned to ascend. The doll manipulators began to organize their dolls and started climbing the staircase. I followed behind them. At the very top, through the opened base, a door revealed itself.
They passed through that door without hesitation. I slowly followed suit. A strange sensation like space being cleaved passed through, and our surroundings lightly swayed. And we reached the insides of the tower.
The inside of the tower was full of noise. Voices shouting, sounds of movement, and so on. That lively chatter coursed through my entire body.
With my dazed senses, I quietly surveyed the surroundings. I blinked slowly. We found ourselves in the midst of a colossal corridor. People filled the surroundings, moving busily.
I looked back. The door we passed through remained as it was. It’s definitely a tower. But then who are all these people? Even those who had entered before us seemed just as bewildered.
At that moment, Mira lightly tugged at my arm. I glanced down at her. She met my gaze, grinning with amusement.
“Here, it’s fun! There’s not a single living thing!”
With that, I looked around once more. People were moving around expressing vibrant emotions.
Someone shouted at the person in front of them, while another was chatting to someone beyond the partition. Some lay on the floor as if drunk. Their movements were exceedingly natural.
I lightly brushed my shoulder against someone passing by. Our shoulders collided. He frowned, glancing at me, then clicked his tongue and walked away.
“Tch, I was busy enough already. Be careful.”
I watched his figure retreat. The body I confirmed through magic was made of flesh, with blood coursing through it. The flow was perfectly natural.
“Is that really a person?”
Mira lightly touched the arm of someone passing by. The mist escaping from within brushed over that body and returned to her.
“Indeed, there’s no scent at all. Huh, they’re all dolls.”
My eyes widened. All of them were dolls? I could hardly believe it even after witnessing it myself. Others seemed to have heard Mira’s mention, and each started checking the ‘people’ around them in their own way.
Then, before us, a transparent carriage came to a halt. Only after it stopped did I realize it was by our side.
Seeming to be unaware of it, the dolls around casually strolled past. The door opened quietly, and a voice emerged.
“Get in. The professor is waiting for you.”
The magic emitted from there guided our bodies naturally. Upon boarding the carriage, everything around started to blur. The carriage continued across people and walls, heading somewhere.
We arrived in a beautifully decorated room at the journey’s end. The carriage expelled us there, then vanished without a trace. I couldn’t sense its presence at all.
In the center of the room was a massive table. It appeared two people were seated there, having a meal. A skinny man and a beautiful woman.
“Darling, guests have arrived!”
The woman slightly bowed her head toward us. But the man didn’t even acknowledge us, simply opening his mouth slightly. The woman awkwardly smiled and fed him a piece of meat.
The man chewed and swallowed. He then gently smiled at the woman and rose from his seat. A powerful arcane energy emanated from him. Just such a strong current almost made me stagger.
He approached us. Up close, his form looked extremely bizarre. He was like a skeleton covered only with skin. It appeared he was Professor On.
He waved his hand lightly, causing the room to tremble and begin transforming. The beautiful appearance of the room gradually faded, and soon, the space morphed into a lecture hall.
The woman came to stand beside him, having risen up amidst the change. The man gently held her, gazing at us.
“Hmm, so you’re the newcomers this time. Please take your seats.”
Following his words, we each found seats and sat down. He slowly began to look us over. His gaze lingered not on the people themselves. Instead, he was examining the dolls we’d created with his eyes. His glance passed over Mira.
“In the next five years, I’m Professor On. I’ll teach you every three months. It looks like quite a variety of doll manipulators have come this time. I really like those dolls.”
As he spoke, he lightly caressed the hand of the woman in his arms. The woman smiled as she held his hand. They looked quite affectionate. Mira noticed this and crept toward me, whispering with a grin.
“Is that woman a doll too?”
I caught sight of Professor On planting a gentle kiss on the woman, or rather, the doll. Staring at that scene blankly, I closed my eyes. Oh, um. One must respect tastes.