WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Coughing Baby

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◈ Surviving in the Magic Academy

Chapter 9

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When is she coming?

It was the third day since I finished cleaning up the shop.

I neatly arranged the puppets that had been piled up at random inside the display cases and posed each one. I shoved all the cheap puppets into the workshop. What if I showed her something like that and made her uncomfortable? Only the highest quality, most expensive puppets remained.

Once I did that, the cramped shop opened up. I even set up a table for receiving guests in the empty space and spent a fortune on an enchanted chair. Now everything would be perfect as long as the guest came.

But the guest who was supposed to come showed no sign of appearing. People did stop by now and then, but they were just the usual nobodies.

I sat behind the reception counter and took out a book. “Circuit Installation Even a Three-Year-Old Mage Can Do Easily.” A general theory of puppetry said to have been personally written and issued by a famous puppeteer of ancient times! I had found it in the underground market yesterday. The seller had no idea what it was, so I managed to get it cheap.

I did not know whether it was real or fake. The knowledge inside it, though, was real. I had gotten so excited that I stayed up all night reading it. The more I read, the more new things I learned. Designs for all sorts of puppets, methods for building optimal circuits, ways to store magical power efficiently, and so on.

Once I mastered all of this, my magic was sure to improve by leaps and bounds. I was wrestling with the book for a long while when the shop door suddenly opened.

Hm?

No signal came from the puppets I had set up around the shop. The fact that someone had bypassed my surveillance system meant they were in a higher realm than me.

I put down the book and straightened up. The one who opened the door and entered was a tiny girl who barely reached my waist. The first thing that caught my eye was her long hair, like gold drawn into thread. Then I met her two eyes, shining with emerald light. She was a cute girl with a lovely appearance.

But my insides churned. I knew the vicious magical power hidden beneath that cute face. She was the very mage who had wiped out the drug organization in a single night three years ago, the Explorer, Irian.

"Welcome!"

I greeted her sharply and quickly stood beside her.

"Irian-nim, it has been a long time. This way, please."

I guided her to the reception table. She looked around as she followed. After seating her in the chair, I manipulated my magical power and awakened the heart of the customer-service puppet.

It skillfully offered tea and refreshments. Then she picked up a cookie and began eating it.

"Oh, this is good."

Of course it was. Ten of those cost one mana stone. It was precious food made with a mage’s utmost care, and eating it helped magical power circulation.

It had felt like such a waste that after buying it, I could not even bring myself to eat it. Maybe I should have tried just one. I swallowed my regret and rubbed my hands beside her.

"Thank you for visiting. If I had known Irian-nim was coming, I would have served you something better. I am truly sorry this is all I have."

"Mm, it is fine. This much will do next time too."

For a moment, my smile nearly cracked. Next time too? Damn it, I would have to buy more. I simply bowed my head and thanked her.

"May I ask how your last exploration went?"

Every time she came, she boasted about the results of her explorations. She must have liked showing off. Since she was going to boast anyway, it was better to ask first and earn points.

"Yes, it succeeded."

She looked triumphant. Her magical power instantly tore through space. From within the rift, she took out a small bell.

I swallowed. I had sensed nothing, yet at some point the bell was right before my eyes. The bell also seemed far from ordinary. I could feel an enormous murderous energy from it.

"This is the result this time. There are lots of magical beasts inside."

"Congratulations!"

Together with the customer-service puppet, I clapped with all my might. She seemed satisfied with our congratulations and smiled warmly.

"Then, may I ask what happened to the puppets...?"

"Ah, the puppets. They all broke."

Her magical power seeped back into the gap in space. Then she took out what looked like the remains of puppets. As I glanced at them out of the corner of my eye, I saw that not a single part was intact. They were all scrap. I sighed inwardly and called the cleaning puppets to collect them.

"I will do my best to make sure the next puppets do not break."

"Yes, work harder."

She nodded. How could someone be that blunt?

These puppets were not made for combat in the first place. I did not sell anything for combat. They were puppets made purely for the user’s convenience. I could not understand how they had broken.

"Then may I ask what brings you here today?"

I asked her as she stuffed her mouth full of cookies.

Puppets. She must have come to buy puppets. My eyes shone as I poured magical power into the puppets I had prepared in advance. First, I would explain their performance and show off their functions. Then she would not be able to resist buying them!

I waited for her to ask me to show her the puppets. But she did not open her mouth for a long while. She just ate cookies and stared at me.

What was this? Cold sweat ran down my back. Had she not come to buy puppets? Soon, she opened her mouth.

"You failed this university exam, right?"

Ghk. That was an unexpected question. I was flustered for a moment, but my mouth moved quickly.

"Yes. I was lacking, so I ended up failing."

I watched her expression. Why had she brought up the exam?

"Yes, the puppets you brought this time were crude too. They were far too lacking for getting into the university."

I squeezed my eyes shut. I had no idea why she was doing this. Had I done something wrong? Should I run? All kinds of thoughts thrashed around in my head.

She just kept staring at me. Unable to bear that gaze, I lowered my head toward the floor. After a long while, she crossed her arms and spoke.

"I suppose you are suitable after all."

I had been waiting with my ears perked up, but I could not understand what she meant. Suitable for what?

"I received this."

She took a bundle of documents from the rift and showed it to me.

I carefully accepted it and looked through it. Inside was a lot of information about me.

My movements over the past twenty years, and even a rough record of what had happened on the island.

My face turned pale. Who had investigated me? No, the investigation itself did not matter much. Anyone could do that if they spent enough money. What mattered was who had handed this to her.

"The child raising five swords gave it to me. The strongest child here."

That bastard did this! Evan, I will never forgive you! My body trembled with rage.

"I needed someone to use from now on, so I was going to use that child, but that one had already gone to the university and come back. It was disappointing. But that child recommended you and gave me this. Your puppets are crude, but I like them. I will go with you."

Damn it. Last time, he told me to send people to him, but I never thought he would be kind enough to hand over even my personal information like this. That sword-user had made me an offering.

What did she mean, go with me? Was she planning to turn me into a puppet? I somehow kept my smile, but I could not stop the corners of my mouth from twitching.

"How could a mere person like me be of any help to Irian-nim?"

I spoke urgently. She ignored my words and picked up another cookie.

"You will not be much help."

She said it.

"But the kids more useful than you all pass the university."

Critical hit! The sudden mental attack left me dizzy.

"It is easier to pick up and use a desperate kid like you. Yes, and your puppets are fun. I have never seen them at the university either."

I was trembling in fear when a meaningful part reached my ears. The university? I looked at her with shaking eyes. Come to think of it, the fact that she kept bringing up the university felt unusual.

"Do you work at the university?"

Had she not been just a wandering mage? That was what I had believed all this time. She tilted her head.

"Did I not say? I am a professor."

A university professor! Not a student, but a professor. She was an incredible big shot.

Then I understood why she kept calling my puppets crude. From a Professor’s point of view, they must have been no better than trash.

But why had a university professor kept buying my puppets? I could not understand it at all. No, that was not what mattered right now. She had said she needed me. A university professor needed me.

Could this be?

"Are you saying you will let me enter the university?"

"Mm-hm."

She nodded while sipping her tea. The university. The university! To me, someone who had not even set foot past the university’s threshold for the past ten years, it was like a dream.

"How long until the next exam?"

She asked. I hurriedly calculated the time. About two months had passed since the last exam ended. About ten months remained. After hearing that, she took out a sheet of paper.

"Your name?"

"It is Evron."

"Good. I, Irian, will teach Evron and make him pass the university. Afterward, you, Evron, will serve Irian at the university. This will remain valid until Evron graduates from the university."

Her magical power wrapped around the paper and created words. The letters, made only of magical power, contained exactly what she had just said. It was a contract. I swallowed nervously.

I had faced many contracts in my life. The very first contract had been Ojo’s. Because of that contract, Ojo had been bound to the clan for two hundred years.

Many contracts had come after that too. I had even made contracts myself. Through that process, I had firmly learned one thing.

Contracts should not be made carelessly. No matter how sweet the reward used to tempt you might be.

But this was the university.

The words on the contract looked clear.

What I had dreamed of all my life. What I had failed to achieve for ten years. She was saying she would make it possible.

I could not stay calm in this sudden situation. What should I do? How? No, before that, what kind of situation even was this?

I stared blankly at the contract.

It was an attractive offer. But I did not know what kind of person she was. Service, she said. If I made the wrong choice, I might end up suffering like Ojo. I was about to say I refused.

But at that moment, my hand moved and injected my magical power into the contract.

Huh?

I had not done that.

When I checked my body in panic, the Sapling in my chest was using magic. It was Magical Deep Breathing. It controlled my body, which had half turned into root. My tree betrayed me!

I hurriedly tried to withdraw my magical power, but it was already too late. The contract, soaked with enough of my magical power, had already formed a perfect balance.

She smiled in satisfaction and tore the contract. The magical power that formed it settled onto her wrist and mine.

"If Evron passes the university after receiving Irian’s teachings, he promises to serve Irian until graduation."

The contract was complete. If I broke the contract, my tree would rot away.

What was this?

I questioned the tree inside my chest. But it simply drank up a huge amount of magical power as if nothing had happened. That shameless attitude made my blood boil. Why?

I realized it too late.

Could it be that this tree thought I would never pass the university at this rate?

I sank to the floor where I stood. Even my tree did not trust me. Was my talent really that shabby?

"Interesting. To think the tree would make the contract in your place."

Irian looked at my chest with interest. I could no longer hide my expression. With my face crumpled like I was about to cry, I looked at her.

"Yes, then the contract is done. I will start lessons tomorrow."

After saying that, she sipped her tea.

"I will be staying here until the next exam too, so prepare my room. Right now."

It was like a bolt from the clear sky. I stared blankly at her.

I had only planned to sell her lots of puppets and make money. In the blink of an eye, I had made a strange contract and was on the verge of losing my house too.

But I could not say anything. A contract could only be made when both sides agreed. My tree had done it for me, though.

After finishing all her tea, she frowned slightly.

"What are you doing? Move already."

At the same time, her magical power growled. My senses snapped awake.

Whatever the case, it had already happened. No matter what was hidden in the contract, one thing was certain. This person was a university Professor, and she would get me into the university. I had to serve her with everything I had.

"Yes! I will clean right away!"

I rose from my seat and awakened the puppets I had kept ready. I had set them out to sell, but now I would be using them for cleaning. I had to create a space the Professor would be satisfied with as quickly as possible.

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