WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Coughing Baby

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◈ Surviving in the Magic Academy

Chapter 114

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After my meeting with Tiena ended, I was on my way to the city. I looked at No. 0 wriggling on top of the turtle’s head. The fellow was moving the dozens of tentacles attached to its body as it carved a puppet.

It looked very much like No. 0 itself. That was this assignment too. Creating oneself as a puppet. The fellow still had not found the thread of it and kept fumbling in circles.

Of course, I had somehow passed without even meaning to.

I quietly leaned back. A fresh green scent wafted from behind me. It was the turtle’s sprout. It naturally cast shade over my head.

For this assignment, I had submitted the turtle right there on the spot. Professor On passed me as naturally as if it had been expected. It meant I had surpassed at least a small part of Professor On’s curriculum. Satisfaction filled my chest.

Then someone lightly tapped my shoulder. When I turned my head, I saw Mira. She was leaning against me a little, smiling. Just like that, she opened her mouth.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of scene unfolds when people who use puppetry gather. Surely they won’t all be like Evron.”

As she said that, Mira narrowed her eyes.

Like me? What was that supposed to mean? She did not seem to have any intention of telling me. I lightly scratched my cheek and shook my head.

“As Tiena said, I think it would be better not to expect too much.”

“Why?”

Mira tilted her head. Facing her, I thought of the city we were heading toward. And of Mauro’s puppet shop, tucked away in one corner of it.

“There is, after all, a difference in scale.”

The city overflowed with organizations. People gathered to chase profit wherever one went. Such organizations sprang up like weeds, then disappeared just as quickly.

In the middle of all that, as the location of its shop showed, the On Puppet Guild had very little influence and very few members. All they had was a deep history and the common thread of puppetry. Though that was also why I had joined them.

So, as Tiena had said, it was better not to expect much. Seeing my face, Mira smiled mischievously.

“But Evron, even as you say that, your face is showing a great deal of expectation. Why not hide it a little?”

“Ahem, was I doing that?”

I quietly touched my face. At my fingertips, I felt the slight smile lingering there. As she said, it seemed I was rather interested in this gathering.

But it could not be helped. This was the first time I would properly meet puppeteers.

Of course, I had met many puppeteers in passing. There were also people taking the lecture with me right now. But they all saw one another as competitors. Because of that, it was difficult to find a chance to talk.

The fourth lecture had already ended. Yet in all that time, I had not even properly exchanged names with them. I had been busy managing Professor Irian’s tower, and once that class ended, I was always driven out of the tower.

So, excluding Mauro, this would be my first proper exchange with puppeteers, and in a gathering grand enough to be called one.

A gathering. I had heard about them a few times from other students. I had heard that those belonging to organizations often held such meetings. Apparently, they took place in very different ways depending on the organization.

Then what would a gathering of puppeteers be like?

With that curiosity, I headed to the city. At the end of that path, I met Mauro.

“I see. Then I should quickly answer that curiosity of yours.”

Mauro nodded. At those words, I gave a small dry cough. Then I needlessly looked around. We were inside a room filled with hanging puppets. Those puppets held traces of very delicate carving within their bodies.

After admiring them for a moment, I glanced sideways at Mira sitting beside me. She smiled with her eyes at me. There was a bit of mischief in them.

Mira had told Mauro that I was full of expectation. Seeing the two of them burst into laughter while looking at me, I sighed. If I left them alone like this, they would only keep teasing me.

“Please stop teasing me and accept this. Tiena asked me to deliver it.”

As I said that, I took an envelope from my clothes. Mauro accepted the envelope and undid the small wavering seal on it. He pulled out a few sheets of paper from inside and began reading them slowly.

“Mm, I see.”

Mauro lightly nodded. He put the papers back into the envelope, then stroked his beard. In that state, he sank into thought for a moment. Soon, focus returned to his eyes.

“Originally, I was going to spend more time here and make your curiosity grow even bigger. But it seems we should move a bit quickly.”

Mauro burst into hearty laughter. Then he began rising from his seat. He smiled at me, wrinkles folding around his face. A thick playfulness was contained in it.

“I think I must quickly deliver this news to the others as well. What a shame. A protagonist like you is supposed to appear last.”

“A protagonist? That is absurd.”

I smiled bitterly and shook my head. Then I stood up after him.

More importantly, what had been inside that envelope? It seemed to be an important message. Perhaps he noticed my gaze, because Mauro lightly patted my shoulder.

“You can hear what it is once we go there together. Now then, let us be off.”

Saying that, Mauro began preparing to leave. He took out a cane from somewhere, looked at us, lightly tapped the ground a few times, then slowly moved his feet.

It must have meant to follow him. Mira and I followed behind him. He walked very leisurely. His steps followed the flow of people toward the center of the city.

Were we holding the meeting in the city? Well, there was no place better than the city for mages to gather. Other organizations usually held meetings in the city too. It seemed we were the same.

But as if going against that expectation, Mauro headed to the dock. It was the path leading outside the city. He glanced at us, then floated up. Seeing that, I nodded.

Mm, it seemed the meeting was being held outside the city. Thinking about it, limiting the meeting place to the city had been the wrong idea. And was this not a gathering of puppeteers? The city would obviously be too cramped a place for it.

Like that, I followed behind Mauro. After leaving the city, he headed straight for a small mountain nearby. Once we reached its middle slope, Mauro looked back at us and smiled.

“It is here.”

I quietly blinked at him. Then I looked around. There were only a few rocks embedded nearby. There was nothing that could be called a clear entrance anywhere.

“Here… you mean?”

“That is right. You brought your card, yes?”

Mauro said that while taking a card from his clothes. It was the card with “On” written on it. At his question, I nodded. Since he had told me to bring the card, I had prepared it. I fiddled with the card inside my clothes.

“Then that is enough. I will go in first.”

Mauro held up his card and stood between the piles of rocks in front of us. Then he quietly placed the card on the ground. The magical power wavering from the letters on the card began seeping into the earth.

After some time passed, Mauro picked up the card again. Then the ground where the card had been placed crumbled slightly, revealing a path. It was a small tunnel that seemed just large enough for one person to barely squeeze inside.

Mauro naturally squeezed his body into that tunnel. Along with him, the entrance naturally disappeared. Perfectly. If I had not seen Mauro enter, I would not even have known it existed.

“I didn’t think it would be a place like this.”

Mira murmured quietly. She was right. I also had not thought there would be a gathering in a place like this.

As I blankly stared at the place where Mauro had vanished, the soil stirred slightly, and the path opened again.

“Now, hurry in. Everyone is waiting for you.”

Mauro stuck his head out of the earthen tunnel and beckoned to me. I sighed and followed him inside. A musty smell of dirt filled my nose.

Meh, the turtle cried. The fellow, who had been sticking its head outside, burrowed deeper into my pouch. It seemed this environment was not to its liking.

“Both of you, watch your steps. Sometimes the ground collapses.”

Mauro said that while feeling the ground with his cane. He began moving forward slowly. Following his warning, we also carefully moved our feet.

Mauro, walking ahead, seemed very familiar with this earthen tunnel. Even though the tunnel was so low that he had to bend his waist halfway, he headed forward without hesitation. Following his guidance, we moved deeper inside.

The deeper we went, the darker the earthen tunnel gradually became, and the damper it became as well. As if the air did not circulate properly, the musty smell only grew thicker.

I glanced at Mira beside me. Her lips were sticking out slightly. For her sake, I drew magic for a moment. The magic circle held magical power and spread into the surroundings.

Along with that, the surrounding air began clearing. It was Environment Optimization Magic. It had been written in the grimoire Professor Irian had given me as an entrance gift. It was also the spell I used the most among the magic contained within it.

“Oh my, thank you. As expected, there is no one but Evron.”

Mira smiled and leaned against me. I carefully supported her and nodded slightly. After all, it had become hard for me to endure too. Mauro approached us.

“That is a good spell. Thinking about it, everyone wore expressions like yours when they first came here. It has been so long since we had a new member that I failed to consider you.”

He let out a hearty laugh. He did not seem bothered by this environment at all.

“Would you like me to cast the spell on you too, Mauro?”

When I said that, Mauro shook his head.

“Now, there is not much farther.”

Mauro said that and began moving again.

Just as he said, perhaps we were close to our destination, because the earthen tunnel gradually began widening. Now it was large enough for us to walk with our backs fully straight.

I could feel from my toes that the ground had also been leveled a little more evenly. Of course, it did not change the fact that this was still an earthen tunnel.

At the end of that widening tunnel, we entered a huge cavern. No more paths continued from there. It seemed this was the center of the tunnel.

I carefully looked around. In this cavern, where there was almost no light, only very thick darkness had settled. I could feel several traces of magical power wavering here and there within that darkness. They were probably mages who had arrived here earlier.

“Why are you all sitting in the dark like this? Show your faces, everyone.”

Mauro said that and raised magical power. The magical power leaving his hand became light and decorated the ceiling of the cavern. Along with that, the darkness wrapped around the cavern began to fade.

Several mages became visible within that light. They were people wearing shabby robes. Beside them, as they leaned against the wall, stood puppets with magical power wavering through them. Looking at them, Mauro lightly waved his hand.

“You came early. Dagon, I did not know you would come today. Amelia, the same goes for you. It seems everyone was waiting for the new member!”

Mauro approached them like that and began speaking with them without reserve. I also followed behind him and lightly greeted them. With a very bright smile on my face.

“Nice to meet you.”

They shrank back slightly, then nodded. How should I put it? It felt as if they were wary of me. I took another step toward them. Then they flinched and backed away.

They met my eyes, then quietly turned their gazes away.

What was this? I could not tell why they were reacting that way.

“Now, let us talk later. I will introduce this friend to the place for a moment.”

Mauro naturally stepped between me and them as he spoke. Along with that, the mages nodded. Like that, we moved away from them and began walking through the cavern.

“It is likely because of the young lady beside you.”

Mauro smiled and whispered to me.

Did he mean Mira? At that, I glanced at her. Since she had stored her power inside, only magical power like that of an ordinary puppet flowed from her.

So there was no reason for them to avoid her simply because of that power. Then why was it? I soon understood the reason when I saw Mira move lightly.

A strong scent of roses brushed the tip of my nose. It came from Mira. It was also something that had become far too familiar to me now. But it also held charm magic.

Mira looked at them. Then she took one step toward them. The scent grew thicker, and the mages inside hurriedly fled.

“These people are interesting. Their reactions are really fresh. They are giving off such pure scents.”

Mira laughed lightly while looking at the puppeteers. The mages watched her mood, then each returned to a corner and crouched down.

Mauro also burst into hearty laughter. He approached me, lightly patted my shoulder, and nodded.

“Among us, a puppet means the puppeteer. In that situation, the young lady spread that scent, so they were a little flustered. That is why they ran away.”

“Oh my, is that so? I made them misunderstand.”

Hehe, Mira covered her mouth and laughed. Mauro did the same. I, caught between them, could not laugh. So that was why they had avoided my gaze? Because they thought I was seducing them?

“Well, the fact that everyone is inexperienced from only touching puppets is a large part of it too. They will soon understand that it was a misunderstanding, so do not worry.”

Mauro said that. A bitter smile came out on its own.

First impressions mattered in every meeting. To ruin it like this. Just as he said, I absolutely had to clear up this misunderstanding.

“Now, come this way.”

Mauro led us toward the center of the cavern. There was one long table there. It was a very shabby stone table, cracked as if it might break at any moment. Seeing that, I slightly frowned.

“This is where the gathering will take place. It is a little shabby, yes. After all, we have no points.”

Mauro said that and slightly stroked his beard. He laughed heartily again.

“We are in a situation where even renting a place in the city is difficult. If we did not even have this place, perhaps our guild would not have been able to hold gatherings at all.”

I thought it felt like that.

I smiled bitterly as I looked at the table. Like that, the little bit of expectation left in my heart collapsed.

I should have noticed from the guild’s location. The reason it was stuck in the lowest part of the city, and in a corner at that. It must have been because that was the cheapest district in the city.

I had already guessed that it was a somewhat poor organization. I had investigated it beforehand. But to think their meeting place had to be an earthen tunnel too. I had not imagined that.

“This place can be called the essence of our guild and a hideout. The university probably does not know about this place either.”

As he said that, he winked one eye. It was a gesture that did not suit his stern-looking face at all.

Because of his behavior, my heart began to feel a little lighter. Well, what could I do? I was already here. More importantly, there was something that bothered me a little.

“To call it a hideout, it is a little…”

I trailed off while lightly brushing the table with my finger. I was a little reluctant to say the words that would follow. As if he had understood the rest of my sentence, Mauro nodded.

“It is a little unsightly, yes.”

Mauro said that and stroked his beard. His gaze turned toward the mages stuck in the corner. Looking at them, he lightly shook his head.

“Mm, it is because there is no one to manage it. Everyone only knows how to handle puppets, not how to decorate… We did try decorating it a few times, but it broke quickly. Time passed like that, and in the end, it became this.”

At Mauro’s words, I sighed. Then I slowly looked around. Strange magical power flowed through this huge cavern. And at the source of that magical power were tree roots.

Through the light Mauro had raised, I saw tree roots tangled everywhere. Those roots, filling the walls and ceiling, drew strange circuits and created a single spell.

Should I call it concealment magic? The reason I had not noticed this place from outside seemed to be that magic. It was such high-level magic that I could not understand it even while looking at it.

“What do you think? It is magic I created in my prime.”

Mauro said that while looking at the tree roots, following my gaze. At those words, I glanced at him. It meant he had been a mage capable of creating even that kind of magic. I began to grow a little more curious about his past.

Of course, there was one thing more important than that.

I felt something gradually wriggling inside my chest. Along with it, my magical power also began to ripple.

The surroundings were far too much of a mess. I could not simply sit and watch these unsightly pieces of junk. No matter how short the stay, should it not at least look like a place where people lived?

“May I tidy this place up a little?”

“Tidy it up, you say? Well, I do not mind.”

Mauro blankly nodded. I lightly bowed my head to him, then scattered magical power. Along with that, several puppets that had been sleeping inside my spatial pouch began waking up.

Several puppets began spreading toward the corners of the cavern. They first packed down the floor, then carved a circuit on top of it.

Using that floor as a foundation, they raised several pillars. Those pillars rose to the ceiling and began functioning as the central axis of the magic circle. When magical power flowed through that circuit, the earthy smell and dampness wavering around us gradually disappeared.

It was Environment Optimization Magic, the spell I had been using so usefully on the way here, and even now. I dismantled the magic that had wrapped around the area and lightly breathed in.

Very refreshing air sank deep into my lungs. It felt like the heaviness pressing down on the surroundings had thinned a little.

Should I lay down more magic from here?

No, I could not.

I lightly clicked my tongue. The limit of magical power allowed by this earthen tunnel’s magic ended here. Unless I touched the structure of that magic, I could not create more usable magical power.

What a shame. To think I could only purify the air.

Soon, the puppets that had neatly organized the surroundings gathered around me.

Together with them, this time I began breaking the huge stone table in the center. The table broke in an instant, became powder, and disappeared.

Then I gathered that powder and drew one spell. It was the Perfect Table spell. Inside it, the table began regenerating quickly. Into its previous form, and beyond that, into the original form it had possessed at the beginning.

The completed table gave off a soft light and showed a heavy presence. After confirming that the puppets had placed several chairs in front of the table as the final step, I put them back into my clothes.

Seeing that, I nodded. Now it looked a little like a place where people lived. Though I was a little dissatisfied. Still, this much was enough for a short stay.

“Ohh, impressive.”

Mauro lightly clapped his hands. The other mages, who had been blankly staring at me from the corner, did the same. I gave them a small bow. The reason I had cleaned was nothing else. It was to earn at least a few points with them.

Why had they not even done this simple cleaning? I wanted to say that out loud, but I did not. There might have been some reason I did not know. Though I did not think it would be anything major.

“Then wait here for now. Everyone will come soon.”

Mauro said that as he sat down on the chair I had prepared. He leaned his cane against the table and smiled at me.

“Oh, this chair is comfortable. What kind of magic is contained in it?”

Sitting beside him, I told him a little about the magic that composed the chair. He briefly drew that magic and seemed very pleased.

And just as he had said, people soon began entering one by one through the tunnel entrance. My puppets set up at the entrance naturally led people to the table. The mages who had been in the corners did the same.

Like that, not even two hours after we arrived, quite a large number had gathered. I looked around. Were there roughly thirty people? Those who filled about half the table were whispering and talking with one another.

“How many have gathered, more or less?”

I whispered to Mauro. He answered that it was a little more than half. If this was half, then there were over fifty in total. Fifty puppeteers. This was the first time I had seen such a large number gathered.

“Ahem, hm. There are still some who have not arrived, but shall we talk? Everyone, please focus.”

Mauro said that as he stood from his seat. Along with that, the resonance of magical power was transmitted through the table to everyone. The noise died down, and everyone’s gaze gathered on Mauro.

“What number gathering is this today? The five hundredth? The six hundredth? Thinking about it, it has already been six hundred years since I took charge as guild head. When I first took charge of this guild…”

Like that, Mauro began telling his own story. After that, his words continued for quite some time. Long enough that three more people entered while he was telling that story.

The others were all doing their own things without paying any attention to Mauro’s words. They looked used to this situation. Even Mira let out a small yawn and leaned against me.

After continuing the story for a long while, Mauro lightly tapped my shoulder. When I raised my head, he was looking down at me. He lightly gestured. It meant I should stand.

“Now, then, I will end the story about the opening of the gathering here. I should also explain the new member who has joined our guild this time. I think he was mentioned at the last gathering too. This is Evron-gun. Everyone, please take good care of him.”

At those words, I felt gazes gather on me. I carefully rose from my seat. Then I slowly bowed my head toward the mages in front of me. I felt steady magical power ripple from them and touch me like threads.

Those magical powers faintly flowed over my body and observed me. I quietly entrusted myself to that flow. That observation was very careful, and it was being carried out with a friendly feeling. Soon, those magical powers returned to their owners.

“Hello. My name is Evron, and I have recently joined the On Puppet Guild. I am only a new student who has not been on the second floor for long, so I would be grateful if all of you seniors could give me much guidance.”

Saying that, I lifted my head. The others lightly clapped for me. Meeting their gazes, I lightly bowed to each person one by one. And inwardly, I smiled bitterly.

I could tell the reason why they did not clean this earthen tunnel, or rather, why it had not been organized. They were squirming while looking around, as if the environment of this tunnel I had tidied felt very awkward to them.

These people really were… Mm, I should express it nicely. They looked exactly like puppeteers. Exactly the image the world had when looking at puppeteers.

As if making it obvious that they had all learned from Professor On, every one of them had a puppet beside them. The puppets had very diverse forms.

Looking at those puppets naturally filled me with admiration. Very strong and beautiful magical power flowed inside them. As Mauro had done, they were moving toward a realm I could not reach.

I could immediately tell that they treated those puppets very preciously. But they themselves looked as if they had not taken care of themselves at all. They seemed not to care much about what they looked like. They looked utterly shabby.

So the state of the tunnel probably meant nothing to them. Aside from those puppets, nothing would have entered their eyes. It was very puppeteer-like.

Like that, I sat down while wearing a very bright smile on the outside.

“You can talk with him after the gathering ends. Everyone has plenty of time, after all. Then let us return to the matter of the gathering. Originally, there was no plan for today’s meeting, but Evron-gun, who participated in Professor On’s class this time, brought a letter.”

Mauro said that and took an envelope from his clothes. Then he quietly placed the papers inside it on the table. It was what I had given him before coming here.

“It is a letter sent by Madam.”

He filled the letters on the paper with magical power and scattered them over the table. The contents left the paper and floated in the air, becoming visible to everyone. Everyone’s gazes gathered on those lines. Mine did as well.

“Well, she gave many kind words. Among them, there is one important matter. Two years from now, the general assembly will open. So everyone, prepare.”

At those words, the puppeteers’ hazy expressions gradually hardened. I felt the magical powers rippling between them wriggle even stronger. Amid that change, I met Mauro’s gaze.

“Mm, you may not know. It is the day when the twelve guilds that exist in each city gather. Professor On and Madam will come too, so it can be called a great festival for our guild.”

The general assembly. I remembered looking it up. Just as these puppeteers held gatherings in the city, it was said to be the day when all the puppeteers of every city gathered. I had heard it happened once every twenty years or so.

“I see. I did not know.”

I nodded like that. Because I had not known the details. I had not known that Professor On and Tiena would also come to that place.

It was the moment he was about to explain more about the general assembly. Suddenly, magical power began rippling greatly beyond the tunnel entrance. Along with that, someone’s voice was heard.

“Damn it, are you still holding gatherings in this filthy place? Let’s live like people, like people.”

At those words, my head nodded on its own. I did not think there would be someone who said what I had wanted to say in my place. Like that, several people entered in a line through the entrance.

All of them were dressed neatly. Their clothing was very different from the puppeteers wearing these shabby robes. Mauro smiled at them with both arms spread wide.

“Ohh, I thought you would not come. You came too. Hurry and sit.”

“Sit? Where is there even space to sit in this filthy earthen tunnel… Mm?”

Was that the owner of the voice just now? The young man with a plump face standing at the front of them blinked. Then he quietly looked around. His gaze swept through the tunnel and headed to the table where we were sitting.

“What, you decorated it a little. I only came to see the new member’s face, though.”

He tapped his greatly swollen belly and smacked his lips. Like that, he walked toward the table. As he continued sweeping his gaze around, his eyes met mine.

After looking at my face for a moment, he saw Mira leaning against me and his eyes sparkled. He approached me without hesitation and lightly patted my shoulder.

“Ohh, beautiful. Truly excellent. You must be the owner. You, do business with me. I take six, you take four. How about it?”

At those words, I blinked.

Business. That was a new thing to hear. And I had not expected to hear it from a puppeteer either. As I faced him, something about him started to feel a little familiar.

“Hehe, he has the exact same face as Evron when you think of points.”

Mira laughed as she said that. I looked at her.

That resembled me?

She looked at me and lightly nodded.

I looked at the young man again. At his eyes, shining with greed.

To think I had lived with eyes like that. It seemed I needed to reflect a little on my past.

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