WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Surviving in the Magic Academy

Chapter 141

──────

The trap I had prepared for Blood Axe was moving along very smoothly. It was happily swimming through that swamp of points, and slowly sinking into debt all the while.

If things kept going according to plan, it would definitely end up half-subordinate to me. I could call this a perfect course of events.

But it seemed some impurity had slipped into that plan of mine.

A few days had passed since Hao told me Tooth Necklace and Blood Axe seemed to be talking from time to time. Since then, I had been checking the treasures’ message board regularly.

And just as Hao had said, I noticed that the two of them really were talking quite often. The same was true in Hao’s tribute room.

I had asked not only Hao, but Hari as well, so there was no mistake. She recognized every treasure that came and went from that room. She said the two of them had been talking far more often over the last few days than before.

Sitting in the middle of the workshop, I lightly stroked my chin. Of course, while their conversations had become more frequent, the contents themselves were nothing special. They were just ordinary small talk.

But that made it feel even more suspicious. Treasures having ordinary small talk? What could be more unnatural than that? The two of them were definitely hiding something. So I had to check.

I closed my eyes and focused on the flow inside my chest. My mind slowly sank into my body. At the end of that descent, it flowed into the shadow tree.

The scenery inside was like a night sky. The puppets’ egos were embedded in the shadow like constellations, giving off light, and all those different stars had gathered to form one vast flow, like a galaxy.

I headed toward that galaxy too. Then I slowly began to observe the flow of information inside it. A great deal of information brushed past me within that flow.

There was the nonsense exchanged by students, and I could feel some decent discussions about magic as well. The flow of wills from the treasures’ chatter existed there too.

All of these were posts contained on the message board. In other words, those posts were all stored in the shadow tree and flowed through it. And every single post was a stepping stone for my growth.

Because of that, I did not treat even the most trivial information carelessly. The purpose of this message board was to steal that information and magical power, then use it to grow myself and my puppets.

The information that accumulated like that naturally flowed along the galaxy, just as it did now. Beyond that, it headed toward the core of the wraith tree, the Fake Tree I had remodeled into a puppet.

I glanced at No. 0. It was also concentrating and refining magical power, just like me. I could see the Fake Tree embedded deep in its chest.

A great deal of information from the message board existed inside that thing. In that sense, it could be called a kind of information storehouse for the puppets.

I gathered every single post this thoroughly. So I had believed it was impossible to hide the contents from me. Until now, that was what I had thought.

But after steadily searching this area over the past few days, I realized I might have been wrong.

“How is it? You still can’t find it?”

I frowned slightly and asked No. 0. It slowly opened its eyes, then felt around the Fake Tree embedded in its chest. After quietly tapping it, it shook its head slightly.

Watching it, I quietly stroked my chin. If the related records could not be found inside No. 0 either, that meant the contents existed nowhere.

I quietly placed a hand on my chest. The area of my shadow tree was the same. I had searched through the torrent of information flowing inside it again and again, but what I wanted to find did not exist.

The reason we were rummaging through the information like this was to check the private conversation Blood Axe and Tooth Necklace had exchanged. This was already our nth attempt.

But despite digging through the information so carefully, I could not find that conversation history anywhere. I lightly raised my magical power and rummaged through it again, but I still found nothing.

All I obtained were faint traces. I scraped those fragments of information together and lightly clicked my tongue. In the end, this seemed to be the last of them. I could no longer find even these traces.

When I first noticed this blank space, I was truly flustered. Back then, I could not even figure out how something like this was possible.

Still, after spending several days analyzing it thoroughly, I managed to notice the method those things had used to hide their conversation history. This was the result of somehow pulling together those faint traces.

I carefully guided those dim fragments of information and added them to the traces I had gathered so far. When I first searched this flow of information, I had passed over them without even realizing they were traces.

That was because the traces were incredibly faint. But by focusing my mind, I was somehow able to recognize how strange they were. Then I gathered and gathered those traces, trying to assemble them into one piece like this.

Feeling the clump of fragments patched together like rags, I lightly shook my head. Now, I could not find any more traces at all. This would probably be the final search.

It could not be helped. I had no choice but to check even this ragged information. I carefully began guiding that clump of information with magical power. Then I transmitted it to the mirror bug in my arms.

The mirror bug lightly flew up, and I saw it display that clump of information on its screen. I stared at it with my arms crossed.

-■■ are ■■ing! We ■ill ■■■ it. Go out■■ and ■■nd ■.

-Stu■ent, ■ill!

That was part of the writing left in their chatroom. Looking at it, I frowned slightly. The writing inside had been fragmented all over, just as it appeared now. It was impossible to understand the contents.

I could infer nothing from this short bit of writing. All I could confirm was that they really had exchanged some kind of conversation.

At that moment, the mirror bug lightly trembled. The trembling, which had been like a slight vibration at first, gradually grew stronger, and along with it, the writing inside began breaking apart even further.

The fragments of information I had somehow gathered were splitting apart again. Within them, I could see strange magical power wavering. That magical power, born from the fragments of information, was quickly eating away at the mirror bug.

The mirror bug could not withstand that magical power and was gradually sinking. I quickly removed the clump of information from it. At the same time, I felt the clump of information twist completely.

It had changed so that I could no longer check the information inside it. I had expected this might happen, which was why I had tried to scrape together even more traces. Watching the mirror bug stagger back into the air, I let out a light sigh.

These fragments of information gave off a feeling similar to a treasure’s magical power. That faint presence seemed to make this feel like magical power rather than traces of information. That was also why the mirror bug had been contaminated.

Lightly stroking my chin, I carefully observed the twisted form of the information. The ragged clump, now changed so its contents could no longer be known, had been processed like magical power.

Treasures often wrote by using their wills. Inside this ragged clump, that treasure’s will could be felt with overwhelming strength. And that was what had turned the writing itself into magical power.

That was why I could not find their chatroom. Their chatroom must have transformed into a clump of magical power like this under an extremely intense will.

And well-processed treasure magical power like this was more than enough to become my strength. Because of that, the writing that had become a clump of magical power must have naturally flowed into me.

No wonder I could not find the conversation history. The conversation those things had shared was surely flowing between the shadow tree and my tree as magical power like this.

Even these partial fragments would have disappeared quickly if I had not pulled them out fast. I had never imagined information could be hidden this way.

I quietly observed my insides. Within me, the magical power that came from treasures was flowing in an extremely complex way. It would definitely be impossible to find the traces of conversation soaked into it.

The treasures knew that I could check the writing posted on their message board. Since this was done with my magic, it naturally could not be hidden.

That was probably why they had tried to delete the conversation records entirely like this. And as this showed, that attempt had been very successful.

A sudden anxiety rose in me. Other treasures might also be hiding their chatrooms like this. What if this suspicious movement was not happening only between Blood Axe and Tooth Necklace?

If many treasures were involved in this matter, it would clearly be impossible to resolve with my power alone. Of course, if they had acted as a group like that, there was no way I would not have noticed.

Still, just in case, I kept checking the flow of that information. Then I soon let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, I could not observe any suspicious movements from the other treasures.

I could not find any traces of their records disappearing. The sensation that a history had vanished could be felt only between Blood Axe and Tooth Necklace.

Only these two were showing such suspicious movement. I tightly sealed the now-unreadable traces of information with magical power and stroked my chin.

I needed to properly understand how something like this was possible and tighten my oversight so it would not happen again. To do that, I had to study this in detail.

After placing those sealed traces into the mirror bug, I quietly frowned. I could not grasp the contents precisely, but there was one thing I knew for certain.

Those two definitely had some scheme. The fact that they had tried so thoroughly to erase their conversation history meant I was not supposed to know about it, and it was also proof that they were up to something.

Then what on earth were those things hiding? As I thought about that, a strangely ominous feeling began to rise. After thinking for a moment, I shook my head.

Even if I sat here and worried, I would not find out. So I needed to move. I stood up and organized my magical power.

If I could not figure it out, I could simply ask the parties involved directly. Treasures were bound to the storehouse one way or another. So they could not refuse my visit.

Then who should I go to? I thought of the two treasures, Blood Axe and Tooth Necklace. Soon, I nodded. I should leave a message for Tooth Necklace.

There was no way Blood Axe had arranged the meeting between the two of them. Its way of thinking was very simple. There was no way a thing like that could hide information with such a complicated method.

On top of that, Blood Axe was currently drowning in points and spewing out its desires. Even if I went to find that thing, I clearly would not be able to draw out any useful information.

So the one leading this matter had to be Tooth Necklace. I needed to visit that instigator. It was probably waiting for me too. That thought came to me.

“Then please keep at it a little longer. If there are any more messages, record them right away.”

I waved toward No. 0. It grinned and raised a thumb. A strong will flowed from it, telling me to trust it.

At that reliable sight, I gave a small laugh and lightly patted No. 0 on the shoulder. Then I left the workshop behind.

The place I had to go was the classroom. I could not enter the storehouse right now, so I needed to face Tooth Necklace through an illusion at least. I left it a message through the mirror bug.

-May I speak with you for a moment? I will connect you to the classroom.

-Aha, of course!

Its answer came back very quickly. When I reached the area near the classroom, I checked the reply and lightly nodded. I undid the classroom’s seal and entered. Silence lightly settled around me.

I stood on the platform and sent magical power into the magic circle. Then it gave off a light glow and spat out a small illusion.

That illusion showed Tooth Necklace. The sight of a necklace strung with several sharp teeth was strange beyond words. It clacked those teeth together, making a clack, clack sound.

-Nice to see you. It has been a long time since we saw each other face to face like this! What brings you to call me?

I glanced at the writing it spat out. I could feel only pure curiosity from it. Of course, all of it was definitely fake. I lightly bowed my head toward Tooth Necklace and opened my mouth.

“I came to ask Tooth Necklace something. I was curious.”

-Kkeukekek, was there ever anything storehouse keeper needed to come find me for? I know nothing!

Tooth Necklace slyly shook its teeth and floated in the middle of the classroom. Watching it, I sent my will into the mirror bug. Then the thing flew up with a flap of its wings and revealed its screen in front of Tooth Necklace.

Inside it, the ragged clump I had sealed was wavering. Firmly sealed inside the mirror bug, it had broken apart even more inside that seal than before.

Now it looked as if not even traces of writing could be found in it. But inside it remained the lingering scent of magical power. That clearly felt magical power was definitely Tooth Necklace’s.

“This is the trace of a conversation between Tooth Necklace and Blood Axe. And as you can see, it is completely ruined. Without me knowing, at that. I came to ask why you tried to hide that conversation history.”

Upon seeing it, Tooth Necklace clacked its teeth cheerfully, as if delighted. Then it bent its body and formed the shape of a laugh.

-Aha, to think you discovered that already! How surprising. I thought I had handled it well... But how did you come so quickly? I thought it would definitely take longer for storehouse keeper to notice on your own.

Tooth Necklace, which had been lightly clacking its teeth, began neatly arranging them as though lost in thought. Then it approached me and gently stopped in front of me.

-Someone probably leaked our information to storehouse keeper. Then who could it have been? Surely Blood Axe, that friend, did not do it? Looking at that simple, ignorant personality, I suppose it might have.

After reading its words, I shrugged. Just as it said, if I had not heard from Hao in advance, I definitely would not have recognized the suspiciousness so quickly. But there was no need to reveal that fact to it.

“Think whatever you like. In any case, I was very surprised. I tend to manage the information inside my message board thoroughly. Especially if it concerns a treasure conducting a lecture.”

I lightly stroked my chin and stared at Tooth Necklace. As if meeting my gaze, it formed the shape of round eyes.

“That was also the case with Blood Axe, who is lecturing this time. But to think you erased that information. Naturally, I had no choice but to find it suspicious. Why did you do that? And what did you two talk about?”

-Oh my, to think you would bring it up so directly. Aren’t you going to do that sort of thing? Our breathless deduction game, I mean. I hide it, and storehouse keeper uncovers it. Playing like that would be fun too.

Tooth Necklace drooped sadly, then flopped onto the floor. I looked at it with narrowed eyes. Every one of its movements was brimming with mischief.

When I quietly stared at it like that, it soon sprang back up. Floating in the air, it circled around me once. Then it formed a smiling shape.

-We only talked a little about the lecture. Things like how the lecture was being carried out. And in the middle of that, I noticed something interesting!

At those words, I lightly frowned. Could Tooth Necklace have noticed my trap? Watching me, it lightly clacked its teeth.

-It was quite an interesting trap. Luring that friend with points and turning it into a debtor. If it keeps going like this, that friend will become storehouse keeper’s slave. Kkekeke, humans truly are scary. That makes them even more fun, though!

Tooth Necklace lightly ground its teeth. A delighted air poured from it. I stared at it.

To think something had seen through my trap. And for another treasure to notice it, not Blood Axe. This was unexpected.

Treasures had very strong individualistic tendencies. They were all interested only in their own desires.

Because of that, I had not paid much attention to the other treasures during this lecture. I had thought Blood Axe would not talk much with other treasures.

But it seemed the conversation those two had shared had gone deeper than I expected. Otherwise, there was no way it could have noticed my trap.

-Ah, still, there is no need to worry. I will not stick my teeth into storehouse keeper’s work.

Tooth Necklace spat out that writing and gathered its teeth into the shape of a smile.

-That friend bragged to me that it had earned a huge amount of points, you see. It was so obnoxious I could hardly stand it. A detestable thing like that deserves what it gets! Oh, watching that friend realize everything at the very end and fall into despair would be fun too.

It rolled across the floor and clacked its teeth as if letting out a light laugh. I stared at it with a slight frown.

What it had said was very clear. It meant it had not told Blood Axe about my trap. Was that truly the case? After thinking for a moment, I nodded.

This trap was built so that someone could escape from it quickly if they noticed it. Like I had done before, they only had to avoid taking on debt.

If Tooth Necklace had told Blood Axe about the trap, Blood Axe definitely would not still be as bewitched by points as it was now. That thing was still piling up a great deal of debt, after all.

Thinking about that, it seemed Tooth Necklace really had not told that thing everything. That also meant my plan had not gone awry.

But hearing Tooth Necklace’s words only made my doubts grow. If they had simply talked about the lecture, there was no need to delete that conversation history.

In other words, the thing was still hiding something from me. But I could no longer question it further about that. The reason it had brought up my trap was very clear.

This could be called a kind of threat. It carried the meaning that it would not interfere with my plan, so I should not try so easily to learn what it was plotting either.

Seeing me pause like that, Tooth Necklace cheerfully clacked its teeth. It floated right in front of my eyes and lightly shook its body.

-I have been a little bored lately, you see. Then I saw this lecture and thought, Ah, something a little fun might be possible. In that sense, I suppose this could be called a kind of game.

At those words, my expression naturally crumpled. Tooth Necklace clacked its teeth happily as if riding a rhythm, then formed a smiling shape.

-Since the friend who was getting in the way happens to be gone too, how could I let this chance slip by? If storehouse keeper blocks what we are doing, you win, and if not, we win. Kkekeke, this will be fun.

Tooth Necklace settled down onto the floor. When I looked at it, it lightly shook its clump of teeth as if waving a hand.

-Well then, I will take my leave. It will soon be time to clean my teeth thoroughly, you see.

It mimed brushing its teeth, then slowly began to blur. It had slipped out of the illusion magic. Like that, it hid its form.

In the middle of the classroom, now filled only with silence again, I reviewed my conversation with it. Then I quietly crossed my arms.

A game. When I recalled the word it had let slip, my head naturally began to throb. I lightly frowned and clicked my tongue. It had called it a game, but from my perspective, it was clearly going to become something serious.

Most of the incidents that had happened in the tower so far had begun from the curiosity of treasures like that. I had racked my brain handling each one. There had also been times when I received Mira’s help.

But now she was not at my side. I lightly stroked my arm. It was the place Mira often leaned against. Feeling so clearly that Mira was not beside me made a slight anxiety ripple in my chest.

I calmly settled it and let out a bitter laugh. Now that I thought about it, this time, there was no one who could solve the problem in my place. Mira and Professor had both left the tower.

Tooth Necklace might have caused this matter because it knew that. Right now, while the two of them were away, would have been the easiest time to aim for that opening.

What came afterward surely did not exist in that thing’s head. A treasure was bound to be faithful to its own desire, after all.

I thought things were flowing too perfectly. I lightly clicked my tongue. Considering this ominous feeling did not disappear, the scale of that game was clearly going to be rather large.

Should I stop Tooth Necklace right away? I could bind it tightly to that room. Thinking that, I shook my head.

To bind that thing, I would have to pour in a great deal of effort and time. The fact that it had brought this up to me meant the matter it had planned had already reached a stage where it could proceed even without it.

So rather than focusing on that thing right away, I needed to figure out what it had done. Like that, a week passed.

During that time, I tried to find anything abnormal. But despite that effort, I could not find anything unusual in the tower.

For a moment, I even thought it might have arranged this simply to tease me. But there was no way. This ominous feeling only grew stronger.

I looked down at the mirror bug with my arms crossed. The gacha screen was displayed inside it. Still, I had managed to find one slightly unusual point.

Blood Axe truly spent points without holding back. Now, its solitary room had become unbelievably luxurious. The points spent on that room alone easily exceeded one hundred thousand.

Of course, all of that was the result of piling up debt. But even if it was debt, that thing handled those points well enough. The gacha craze showed no sign of cooling down.

I slowly frowned. It had already been two weeks since that thing’s lecture began. And that was also the limit I had expected for this gacha. The students’ points had a limit in the end.

But unlike my expectations, the gacha trend was still continuing. Of course, gacha continuing like this was a good thing for me too. Those points were continuing to pile up.

But the extent of that trend was far too excessive. Perhaps this was what Tooth Necklace was aiming for.

---

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried