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[-12: Distortion occurred in Room 3 on the first floor. (5 days ago)
ᄂ0: Resolved. (5 days ago)]
[-136: The infirmary feels strange. (3 days ago)
ᄂ0: Resolved. (3 days ago)]
[-134: When will my teddy bear arrive? (2 days ago)
LO: Resolved. (2 days ago)
ᄂ134: Thank you! (2 days ago)]
[0: I’ll be closing the bulletin board for about three days. (2 days ago)
└1: Could you tell us why? (2 days ago)
└0: I’ll be attending a lecture. (2 days ago)
└1: I see, good luck. (2 days ago)]
“Clean this up now.”
I spoke to the Mirror Bug.
The screen it had been projecting disappeared, revealing my reflection.
The fatigue under my eyes was glaringly obvious.
‘I wonder when these dark circles will go away.’ Ever since I entered university, they only seemed to grow darker.
The Mirror Bug folded its screen, nestled into my palm, and slid back into my pocket.
I’d hoped to use it to communicate in this place, but it was futile.
The bulletin board I had created by modifying and revising the Mirror Bug’s functionality again and again was more than just a communication tool.
It allowed messages to be left in one place for everyone to see.
The concept of writing was far more efficient and straightforward than speaking.
All I had to do was check and address the inquiries when I had time.
The bulletin board was a good idea.
It saved me from having to rush whenever someone called, leaving me with more time to refine the Mirror Bug, a task I genuinely enjoyed.
But there were limitations.
The short communication range was one of them.
The stars attached to my Shadow Tree were few, representing only the dolls I currently possessed.
The further the distance, the weaker the connection to other dolls became.
The range barely extended to encompass the mountain around the tower.
A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
‘It’s my lack of skill.’ I needed to polish my magic further.
As the tree grew, so would its range.
‘Though looking at it now, even that seems difficult.’
My chest tree remained bare, stripped repeatedly during experiments.
While the shadow tree beneath it flourished, the upper tree had paid the price.
***
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over me.
A tiger, at least five meters tall, appeared.
Its eyes were filled with pain and madness, and its body radiated immense magic.
It seemed to rule this area.
But it was too small.
A tortoise lashed out at the charging tiger with a kick.
The tiger was sent hurtling to the ground.
The tortoise approached and swallowed it whole.
Chewing with satisfaction, it let out a pleased rumble.
Clearly, it found the meal delicious.
Examining the carcass dragged into my workshop, I noticed its body was stained with shadowy streaks, likely contaminated by the shadow river flowing from Professor Heisen’s tower.
The tortoise must have relished the meal, as shadows were its main source of sustenance.
I handed the carcass back to the tortoise, and it began to chew.
‘This creature wasn’t here last time.’
It must have wandered and settled here recently.
In the distance, a white mountain came into view, its black trunk branching out in all directions in an eerie manner.
I moved toward it slowly.
As I got closer, the details became clearer.
A towering black spire stood at the mountain’s peak.
The previous lecture had been missed due to my focus on research and advancing my skills.
It didn’t matter much, as I would have ranked last anyway.
This time, though, I felt differently.
My skills had grown, albeit slightly.
So had my shadow.
With a sense of resolve, I headed toward the tower.
***
Nothing had changed.
“Oh, you’ve grown a bit stronger. Congratulations on your progress!”
Baun laughed heartily before leaving.
I couldn’t thank him—Model 0 had been crushed in his hands.
My consciousness quickly faded.
Gripping my pounding head, I opened my eyes.
Myra was staring at me.
It seemed I had returned to the lecture hall.
I gave her a small nod.
The pain vanished quickly.
Before, I would have collapsed for a long time, but now I felt fine.
The agony of tearing my Shadow Tree had been worse.
‘At least I’ve grown—if not in strength, then in endurance.’
“You’re… new to this again….”
“Yes. I guess I’m still not skilled enough to surpass the others.”
I offered a bitter smile.
Myra covered her mouth as she let out a soft laugh.
“Still… what you’ve nurtured is… interesting….”
Her magic gently reached out to me, causing my Shadow Tree to stir.
It extended beyond my body, brushing against her magic as if greeting an old friend.
A profound presence began to seep into me.
It traveled along the connection to my core, sending a shiver down my spine.
Her magic carried something eerie and incomprehensible.
Model 0, fully healed, poked out of the shadows.
Myra playfully prodded it.
Even the tortoise approached her, flipping over and showing off.
She petted it fondly.
Both my Shadow Tree and dolls seemed to find her familiar.
Perhaps it was because she wielded shadows too, though I wasn’t certain.
“I didn’t think… it would proceed like this… I thought it would take… much longer….”
“It’s thanks to you, Myra. I prepared this as a token of gratitude.”
From my dimensional pocket, I took out a Shadow Doll.
It rose slowly, bowing to her.
Model 1, my first creation.
Her advice had been instrumental in guiding me.
Presenting her with my first achievement was a gesture of thanks for her help.
Myra smiled brightly at Model 1.
When she touched it, the shadow within unraveled, revealing a strand of light within.
“Such a pretty color… Thank you….”
She withdrew her hand, and the doll returned to its original form.
Model 1 approached her, serving tea.
As she sipped quietly, her gaze shifted to her shadow.
Something stirred within it.
Watching it intently, she turned her attention back to me.
“The professor… is calling for you….”
“Pardon?”
“It’s probably… good news… No need to worry….”
She handed back my shadows and dolls before I could respond.
Her shadow engulfed me.
I blinked.
***
The location had changed.
A neatly organized desk stood before me, with documents perfectly aligned.
The room was lined with spacious bookshelves filled with books.
I recognized the place.
It was Professor Heisen’s office.
He sat at the desk, sorting through documents.
Glancing at me, he gestured toward the chair in front of him.
I sat cautiously, unsure of what to expect.
He continued writing, leaving me alone as the pen moved steadily across the paper.
The scene felt oddly familiar.
‘Had this happened before?’ I sat quietly, waiting for him to speak.
‘How much time had passed?’ Finally, he looked at me, and I straightened my posture, bracing myself.
“Well done.”
I blinked. ‘What was he talking about?’ I couldn’t understand what he meant by “well done.”
He tilted his pen, and the magic emanating from it absorbed the tortoise hanging from my chest.
The tortoise settled into his hand, looked at him, and let out a small cry before rubbing its head against his fingers.
It showed more affection than it had even with Myra.
Professor Heisen examined the creature carefully as he began to speak.
“Over the past thousand years, only five students have completed my lecture. You are the sixth.”
I simply blinked in response.
He paid no attention to me and continued.
“Show me the others.”
I quickly understood his meaning.
He must be referring to the shadow-bound dolls like the tortoise.
I pulled out the dolls from my dimensional pocket.
Several shadow dolls and a few Mirror Bugs floated into the air.
Professor Heisen used his magic to probe their structures.
As he carefully examined their composition, a faint smile appeared on his face.
“Not bad. Quite an interesting design.”
At last, I understood what he was talking about.
He was praising me—for the shadow dolls I had created.
“Thank you.”
I bowed deeply.
To be told I had talent… It was the first time I’d heard that since coming to the university.
Now that I thought about it, even before enrolling, such praise had been rare.
My heart began to flutter slightly.
“If it weren’t for your unique magic, this wouldn’t have been possible. You’re aware of that, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I understand.”
I nodded.
He was right.
I had conducted several experiments.
Attempts to use the shadow branches I’d gathered from others had failed.
They couldn’t withstand the overload and shattered.
Only the false soul flowing through my own branches could sustain the process.
“Each mage who has completed my lecture has transformed shadows through their unique magic. Unlike the fools who only take what is given.”
His gaze met mine, tinged with slight regret.
“It’s a shame I can’t use you here. What you’ve created would be perfect for menial tasks.”
A cold sweat ran down my back.
He eyed me briefly, clicking his tongue, before he waved his pen.
The floating dolls landed on his desk.
He extracted the shadows embedded in them.
Like before, the shadows unraveled, revealing stars within.
His eyes turned to me.
His magic connected with the stars and guided my Shadow Tree.
With the assistance of his overwhelming power, my Shadow Tree temporarily took form.
He inspected it slowly before clicking his tongue again.
“There’s still much to improve. The self is crude, and the connections are inefficient.”
He began jotting notes with his pen.
After what felt like an eternity, he tossed a sheet of paper filled with dense writing at me.
The magic binding everything vanished, and everything returned to normal.
I caught it carefully, swallowing hard.
My heart pounded as I skimmed the paper.
It contained a wealth of advice.
I bowed deeply, my head nearly touching the ground.
“Thank you.”
“I respect those who can create such individuality. This is my repayment for showing me new possibilities, so there’s no need to thank me so profusely. If anything, it’s not enough. I’ve allowed others to stay in my tower. Though they’ve all fled now.”
He waved dismissively.
After a moment of thought, he moved his pen again, scribbling something on a piece of paper.
He tossed it toward me, and the magic carried it to my hands.
“I’ll write you a recommendation letter. It should help in your future promotions.”
My hands trembled as I gingerly touched the paper.
Such generosity… Once again, I bowed deeply.
For the first time since entering the university, I felt genuine warmth fill my chest.
‘So this is what it feels like to be acknowledged.’ My body quivered slightly.
“I didn’t expect such results. Perhaps I’ll have to bring someone like you in after this lecture ends.”
He gestured to the objects on his desk, floating them back toward me.
I carefully returned them to my dimensional pocket.
He averted his gaze, returning to the documents on his desk.
“Now that you’ve created your shadow, there’s no need to attend my lectures anymore. You may leave.”
And with that, a shadow enveloped me.
***
In an instant, I found myself back in the lecture hall.
Myra was watching me.
Her eyes flicked to the papers in my hand, and she let out a small laugh.
“Looks like… things went well….”
“Yes, though it’s a bit overwhelming.”
I glanced down at the papers in my hand, unable to hide the smile spreading across my face.
A buoyant feeling filled me.
“So… you won’t be staying here….”
She spoke with a trace of sadness.
I nodded silently.
She already knew I’d be staying at Professor Irien’s tower.
To console her, I shared some news she might enjoy.
“Still, after this lecture ends, Professor Heisen mentioned he plans to bring someone in.”
“Is that… true?”
Her face lit up, and the dark circles under her eyes seemed to fade slightly.
After a brief pause, she spoke again.
“Why settle for… just one? Ten people might be… better….”
She smiled, but a heavy emotion lingered in her tone, something I had glimpsed before.
“I suppose I’ll… have to go out as well….”
She chuckled shyly, but behind her, a grotesquely twisted shadow swayed ominously.
For a moment, I silently offered my condolences to the unknown souls she might encounter.