WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Coughing Baby

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◈ Surviving in the Magic Academy

Chapter 117

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When I opened the tower door and stepped inside, the stars rippling across the shadow tree sensed my presence and poured out light. I smiled quietly at the feeling that filled my chest. This was everything I had built up until now.

At that moment, the air in front of me wavered faintly. Within that ripple, a single figure slowly began to reveal itself. It was a girl with striking purple hair and eyes, as if they had been filled with jewels.

It was Hari. Her star was also giving off a faint light from my shadow tree. She gave me a slight bow. Her complexion looked rather tired.

“Did something happen?”

I asked because if she had appeared like this, it meant she had something to tell me. She brought up a translucent window in front of herself. It was the screen of the mirror bug I had given her before.

She operated something, then let out a small sigh. Then she sent me a faint will. Should I call it a bit of whining? It carried the meaning that she had truly been through a lot.

At the same time, my mirror bug vibrated softly. It quickly flew up and hovered in front of me. Then it showed me its screen. The story Hari wanted to tell me was written there.

I slowly read through it and nodded. Just reading it was enough to make me understand her tired face. Written there was a brief record of Hao’s movements while we had been away from the tower.

“Oh my, that child really is something. To be led around this much by the other treasures. Hari must have had such a hard time.”

Mira, who was reading the contents beside me, giggled softly. Her eyes sparkled with amusement.

Originally, there had been a sort of line to the requests the treasures gave Hao. Things that would not do too much harm to Hao, things that would not cause serious damage to the tower, and so on.

But the things recorded in the mirror bug right now had gone far beyond that line. There was even a request asking Hao to offer up all four limbs. That one had been posted by Blood Axe.

It must have taken advantage of the time we were away from the tower to vent all its desires. Like this, the treasures’ requests had become even more bizarre and strange than before.

I clicked my tongue. This was why I always had to be careful when dealing with treasures. Their way of thinking itself was different from humans. When a treasure showed interest in one thing, it simply focused on that alone and dug deeper and deeper into it.

And what they were interested in right now was Hao. That was why Hao had also been the first one I planned to check on as soon as I returned to the tower. There was no telling if Hao had been bewitched by a treasure and caused another incident.

Hao had not betrayed my expectations. While I was away, Hao had run wild with great excitement. As Hari showed me, Hao had roamed the tower almost every single day, all to resolve the treasures’ requests.

If those requests had gone through as written, another rule might have formed in the tower. I glanced at Hari. Thankfully, there had been many cases where Hari noticed it ahead of time and stopped it.

It seemed she had done her very best to protect Hao over the past week. I nodded toward Hari. It looked like giving her a mirror bug had been the right choice.

Hari made a slightly proud face and nodded. Maybe it was because she had eaten away quite a bit of Hao’s mind, but even making that expression now looked rather natural.

I lightly stroked her head. I had never thought a full week would pass without a single incident. In response, the shining ring floating above her head let out a small hum and vibration.

I lightly looked her up and down. She looked completely different from when she was first made. At this level, I could call her quite reliable now. Her power and ego had both become sufficient. In that case, it should be fine to entrust her with bigger work.

“From now on, I’ll ask you to serve as an administrator of the tower. When I’m away, the puppets left in the tower will obey you. Please manage the tower well with No. 0.”

I spoke gently to Hari. If she could command the puppets, it would be easier to manage Hao. She fell into thought for a moment, then nodded.

No. 0 rose smoothly from inside my shadow. Then it met Hari’s eyes. The two approached each other and clasped hands in a handshake. I smiled in satisfaction as I watched them.

With these two here from now on, it would be fine for me to leave the tower briefly. Just as Professor had entrusted the tower to me, I too had become able to entrust a small part of my burden to them.

They began sending wills to each other and talking. I watched them for a moment, then shifted my gaze to Mira. Perhaps she sensed my stare, because she met my eyes.

“Would you like to go up first? I think I should greet Professor Irian first.”

I said that to Mira. Professor would obviously know that I had returned. But should I not see her face in person and offer my greetings? That could be called the basic mindset one of her close aides ought to have.

When I thought of Professor, a smile naturally appeared on my lips. Mira looked at my face, let out a slight sigh, and gave me a sidelong glare.

“Really, how did you end up so fixated on Irian...? Do as you please, Evron.”

She pulled away from the body she had been half leaning against and tapped my chest with a finger. Then the spatial pouch in my arms naturally flowed along the mist into her hand. She waved and headed toward the stairs.

I quietly watched her back for a moment, then began straightening my clothes. Before meeting Professor, I needed to look as neat as possible.

I sent out a little magical power. That magical power formed set circuits and began drawing magic circles. Magic to cleanse clothing, magic to infuse fragrance, and so on.

They were very simple spells I had created while assisting Professor. Like that, various magic circles wrapped around my body. Feeling the magic clean me, I slowly moved toward the stairs.

I climbed the stairs and stood before the door leading to Professor’s room on the tenth floor. The door, where powerful magical power flowed, was firmly sealed. I needed to announce that I had arrived. I lightly cleared my throat and glanced at the doorbell.

The small bell hanging before the door was releasing strange magical power. That too was a treasure. If I classified its power by the grades I had set, I could describe it as about a Grade 1 uncertain entity.

Of course, right now it was simply being used as Professor’s doorbell. I carefully rang it. Then magical power began wriggling inside it. From within it, a wraith poked out its head.

It was a very familiar face. It was the one that always came to deliver Professor’s words. The wraith looked at me and tilted its head.

I looked at it and lightly jerked my chin toward the door. It stared blankly at me, then crossed the barrier of magical power and headed beyond the door. A little time passed, and from beyond the door came the sound of something bursting with a bang.

Soon, the wraith slipped back outside the door. Half of its form had grown blurry. It seemed Professor had gotten annoyed. The wraith made a wronged face and gestured toward the door.

It must mean I should go in. As if proving that, the magical power surrounding the door began to fade. Soon, the seal was completely released, and the door began to open wide.

I stepped through the door. Then I nodded lightly. Even though I had been away for a week, the room was still perfectly clean. It was the result of Butler’s thorough management.

Butler, who had been standing near the entrance, saw me and quietly approached. It lowered its head slightly, then pointed toward the center of the room. There sat a huge bed large enough for ten people to lie on.

And in the middle of that bed, there was a faint wriggle. When I slowly headed there, I saw Professor Irian. She had poked her head slightly out from a pile of blankets, her face still a little heavy with sleep.

I approached Professor and quietly knelt. I could not dare look at her from a position higher than hers. Like that, I gave Professor a slight smile.

Professor stared blankly at me, then lightly shook her head. Soon, she made a displeased face, pushed through the blanket pile, and sat up. She yawned while sitting on the edge of the bed.

“What strange thought are you having this time?”

She waved her hand. Then the magical power lingering beside her wrapped around my body. That magical power gently began to pull my body upward. Under that pressure I could not resist, I had no choice but to rise according to her will.

“So, what is it?”

She asked while rubbing her eyes. Dignity seemed to seep from each of those simple movements. As expected, her bearing was worthy of a dragon. I bowed deeply toward her.

“I came to offer greetings and an apology. I dared to be absent for an entire week. I can only offer my deepest gratitude that you have taken the time to consider someone like me.”

When I said that, Professor made a somewhat sour expression. She rested her chin on her hand. Then she looked at me with a slight frown.

Seeing those furrowed eyes made an aching feeling rise in my heart. To think I had made wrinkles form on Professor’s divine face. Even a hundred apologies would not be enough.

At that moment, Professor moved her magical power again. The mass of magical power approached me, hovered around my head, and began to settle in. The magical power that seeped into my head met the golden net rippling inside and stopped.

“Your head is definitely fine. How strange. You weren’t like this before. Are you really changing?”

She muttered that, then began touching the net. Under her hand, the magic wrapped around my head formed an even sturdier structure. To think she was reconstructing magic for me again. What an honor.

When my eyes sparkled with emotion, Professor Irian glanced at them and let out a small sigh. “It really is strange,” she muttered, and her eyes twitched slightly.

Her magical power slipped out of my head in an instant. Then her gaze went to my chest, to the small pouch attached to my robe. It was where turtle was staying.

I swallowed lightly and gently stroked turtle’s shell. At my touch, it woke from sleep with a drowsy face. The one poking its head out from the pouch had the appearance of a turtle.

“Did this one change somehow? I feel like there’s something familiar about it too.”

Professor tilted her head as she said that. When she lightly beckoned, her magical power gently wrapped around it. Within that magical power, it floated into the air and headed toward her.

Watching that, I felt a bit of cold sweat on my back. Was she going to find out? But I firmly braced myself. As long as it did not take the form of a girl, there was no way Professor could notice what was contained inside.

Just like Professor, the power of that transformation was extremely flawless. Professor placed it on her palm. Turtle looked at Professor and let out a “meeh.” Professor examined it for a moment, then clicked her tongue softly.

“Was it just my imagination? Something has definitely changed. It also looks strangely tasty.”

“If you wish it, Professor, I will gladly cook and offer it to you. That is my heart toward you.”

Turtle looked at me and blinked. A hint of betrayal flickered in its eyes. It buried itself in its shell and let out a weak “meeh.” Professor watched that and lightly clicked her tongue.

“It was just a figure of speech. Take it back. What would I do after eating a puppet?”

She returned turtle to me. I let out a sigh of relief inside. I had occasionally brought turtle here, but this was the first time Professor had directly touched it like this.

If Professor dissected it or something, she might find out. But I knew very well that Professor Irian would not do such a troublesome thing.

Still, I had been a little worried, but thankfully my prediction did not seem wrong. A perfect crime... no, a perfect structure. I looked at turtle and smiled in satisfaction.

It met my eyes and voiced its complaint with a “meeh.” As if I would really try to cook it. I had only said that for Professor’s sake. Thinking that, I slowly soothed it.

Of course, if Professor truly wanted it, I would do it. But she would not want that. Professor knew very well what turtle meant to me. That was why I had been able to bring it up so easily.

Professor lightly stretched. Then she turned and showed me her back. I naturally took my place behind her and took out a comb. Then I carefully began brushing her hair.

“I do sort of like this kind of thing, though.”

She glanced at me and closed her eyes. I could naturally tell that she felt comfortable with me. Pride filled me. To think she would entrust herself to me so easily. All the time I had spent working hard to assist her had been worth it.

I did my best to tend to her hair like that. During that time, she opened her mouth.

“Ah, right. I should tell you too. Something came up, so I’ll be going out in a month.”

My hand flinched at those words. Then she looked up at me. Her eyes asked why I had stopped. Under that gaze, I moved my hand again.

But my hand movements had no choice but to become a little awkward. I had heard something very shocking.

I quietly blinked. Around six years had passed since I came to the university. During that time, Professor had never once left the area around the tower. The reason was very clear. It was because moving around was a bother.

And Professor, who could be called the very incarnation of laziness, was going outside? Her, when the most she ever did was very occasionally leave her room for a walk around the tower? She glanced at me and continued speaking.

“You’ll be coming with me too, so prepare.”

I nodded at those words. If she was moving, should I not naturally follow as well? It was only obvious. I carefully opened my mouth toward her.

“May I ask what business you are leaving for?”

When I said that, Professor clicked her tongue softly and split the air. From inside that gap in space, a small envelope rode magical power and slipped out. It landed in her hand.

She handed it to me. I stopped my hand for a moment and accepted it. There were several sheets of paper inside the envelope. I slowly began reading the contents written there.

It was a sort of letter. A letter sent to Professor. Inside were warm words of goodwill. To summarize it roughly, it was telling her to make time and come visit for once after so long.

I could understand why Professor had gone out of her way to tell me this too. Strangely enough, my name was also written inside it. It said I should come with her.

A sudden curiosity rose in me. Who could write to Professor in such a familiar tone?

Like that, I reached the end of the letter and confirmed the person who had written it. Seeing it startled me. It was only natural. The title President Vermilion was written at the end of the letter.

“This is...”

Professor clicked her tongue again at my reaction. She let her body sag and let out a sigh. The gesture was full of annoyance.

“It’s exactly as written there. The president called us. That’s why I’m telling you to prepare in advance. Now go. Thinking about that bastard’s face made me want to sleep again.”

She lightly waved her hand. Then her magical power snatched the papers from my hand. They disappeared beyond the gap in space again, and that magical power gently pushed me away.

Professor squirmed and shoved herself back toward the bed. Buried inside the pile of blankets, she closed her eyes with a sulky face. She did not seem to want to talk anymore.

“Then I will take my leave. Please sleep well.”

I said that and left Professor’s room. I felt a little dazed. The president. That meant the head of the university. It also meant the greatest mage in the university.

It was someone I had never imagined I could meet while I was only on the second floor. This too must be Professor’s grace. I slipped the golden thread I had just gained into my arms and bowed toward the firmly closed door.

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