Before examining the first doll, Professor On spoke.
“You were promised a reward for completing the assignment. This is that reward. Since this is your first task, I’ve prepared something very special.”
As he spoke, he held a small vial about the length of two knuckles.
He opened it.
With that, something trapped inside began to wriggle and seep out.
Professor On used his magic to lightly restrain it.
The students watched in silence.
It was a very peculiar thing.
It resembled a mollusk with dozens of tentacles.
Yet, it seemed to have a form while also shifting hazily like mist.
‘Was it some kind of monster?’ A bizarre energy emanated from it as it probed at the magical barrier Professor On had created, attempting to escape.
He gave it a small shake.
“This little one is a special elixir I created for dolls—Wriggle No. 1. It makes dolls more complete. Every doll in my tower carries one. This little friend will enhance the performance of your dolls.”
At those words, the students’ faces brightened.
Mine was no exception.
This meant that the natural lifelike quality of the tower’s dolls came from this.
Wriggle No. 1—it was a name that suited its appearance perfectly.
“Wriggle No. 1 will also be the judge of your assignment. It will directly enter your dolls. If your doll satisfies it, it will be absorbed into the doll. That means you’ve successfully completed the task.”
“Hmm, how fascinating. I feel my body naturally drawn to it.”
Mira murmured, a thin line of saliva trickling from her lips.
I took out a handkerchief and gently wiped it away.
She nuzzled her cheek against my hand.
As if to prove her words, the dolls on the podium shuddered.
They looked as though they wanted to approach the vial immediately.
Professor On nodded slightly as he observed them.
“Then, shall we begin the examination?”
He stepped toward the first doll.
It was a human-shaped gem doll, its body radiating dazzling light in all directions.
I glanced at the student who had created it.
He looked completely confident.
Professor On lifted the magic sealing the vial.
Instantly, Wriggle No. 1 swelled and surged toward the doll.
It exuded murky, dark-red energy as it seeped into the doll’s body.
Its amorphous form slithered into the doll and disappeared.
Moments passed.
Inside, a pulsating magic flow grew stronger.
The doll began to tremble and creak all over.
I was startled.
The doll’s form was becoming more refined—there was no other way to describe it.
Just like the dolls in the tower, this gem doll was beginning to exhibit signs of life.
I widened my eyes, watching.
‘Had it succeeded?’
But that moment of hope was brief.
The magic transforming the doll began to consume it entirely.
In an instant, it started to decay, like a human corpse rotting away.
Soon, it completely melted into a puddle of translucent liquid.
Professor On stirred the liquid with his magic, retrieving Wriggle No. 1 from within.
He sealed it back into the vial and glanced at the remains of the melted doll, tilting his head slightly.
“Hmm, it seems the doll wasn’t loved enough. This little one devours love. Without enough of it, the doll melts away like this…”
Raising his magic, Professor On lifted the liquefied remains into the air and began reshaping them.
Soon, a doll formed and settled back on the ground.
It looked just like before.
But I could tell immediately—the magic within it no longer belonged to its creator but to the professor.
“There must be penalties for assignments, too. A doll that isn’t loved is an unfortunate thing. So, any dolls that fail the test will be confiscated by me.”
The doll, now claimed by the professor, bowed slightly to its former owner before silently taking its place beside Tiena.
She smiled and gently patted its head.
I stared blankly at the scene.
“Now, onto the next one.”
He tossed Wriggle No. 1 at another doll.
The result was the same.
The doll melted, was reformed, and became the professor’s.
The students’ faces turned pale.
They were watching their dolls being taken from them right before their eyes.
I clenched my jaw.
Taking control of a doll—such a thing had never crossed my mind.
Just what kind of power did Wriggle No. 1 hold to make this possible?
One doll, then another.
Six dolls were judged.
Half had been tested.
Not a single one had passed.
Every single one melted and became Professor On’s property.
I looked at the last melted doll—an armor-clad one.
It, too, had risen and taken its place beside Tiena.
Now, it was time for the next doll.
A turtle.
It trembled violently.
I nodded.
My decision was clear.
The turtle would be safe. Probably.
I glanced at the dolls that had melted before.
They stood still, indifferent to their former owners.
If I failed, my turtle would end up like them.
‘Worse, I might suffer damage as well. After all, the turtle was an extension of myself.’
That thought made my certainty waver.
Then, Mira gently stroked my back.
A mist drifted from her touch, cooling my body, which had grown slightly warm.
I met her gaze.
She smiled softly at me.
“Hehe, don’t worry. You made something truly interesting, Evron.”
I nodded.
She was right.
I couldn’t doubt my own answer.
Professor On stood before my turtle, silently observing it.
The turtle let out a small “Meh” sound.
The professor upturned the vial.
Wriggle No. 1 engulfed the turtle.
The turtle trembled but accepted it without resistance.
Dark energy surged as it seeped into its body.
I closed my eyes and focused on my connection with the turtle.
My essence intertwined with its.
It clung to me as well.
A sensation spread through my consciousness as if I had become the turtle itself.
Inside, I could sense Wriggle No. 1 burrowing into the turtle’s form.
Its tentacles wriggled, reshaping the turtle’s inner structure.
The turtle did not resist.
No, it didn’t need to.
I could tell—it truly was a tool for refining dolls.
Professor On had called it a doll elixir.
He claimed the tower’s dolls all carried one.
He was right.
The circuits it touched began pulsing with dark-red energy, as if they had come alive.
They transformed like veins, embedding themselves deeper into the turtle’s body.
Even as I experienced it firsthand, I couldn’t understand how it was possible.
But one fact was clear—through this process, the turtle was gaining life.
Like the other dolls before it, it was becoming more natural, more complete.
I could feel the turtle’s joy.
Of course, it would be joyful.
A fuller sense of existence was coursing through its body.
But I couldn’t relax.
The other dolls had reached this stage, too—only to melt away in the end.
I gripped my connection with the turtle tightly, bracing for what came next.
Wriggle No. 1 had nearly finished its work.
It had infected every part of the turtle’s body.
Only one place remained—its core, the magic heart.
And the moment it touched that heart—
A tremendous shockwave surged through me.
A powerful mental pressure roared through our bond, traveling along the tentacles.
The impact made the turtle nearly lose consciousness.
Even its sturdy mind, as solid as the moon, was shaken.
And in that instant, I understood why the other dolls had melted.
Professor On had said it devoured love.
That was exactly what Wriggle No. 1 was doing—feeding on the bond between me and the turtle.
And with that power, it transformed the magic heart.
Even the sprout on its back was changing.
I realized something.
This was a form of shedding.
The other dolls hadn’t melted due to failure.
They had simply lacked the necessary materials to complete their transformation.
I let out a bitter laugh.
I hadn’t expected Wriggle No. 1 to consume a doll’s mental connection—its love.
If the professor’s words were true, a weak bond would only be one-sided.
The moment it was devoured, it would snap instantly.
I didn’t know how Wriggle No. 1 consumed connections, but I understood the process now.
So I had only one course of action.
I seized the crumbling connection with my mind and poured my magic into the turtle’s body, anchoring it.
The turtle’s form, on the verge of dissolving, began to solidify once more.
At the same time, I felt the magic flow invading my consciousness.
It was impossible for the turtle alone to withstand the change.
Something had to be provided in its place—something it could consume.
That was how my mind began to be torn apart.
***
‘How much time had passed?’
The turtle started to awaken once more.
As it did, it strengthened our connection, holding firm against the shock alongside me.
The process of change was slow—painfully so.
And in that time, Squirming No. 1 gradually began to fade.
Soon, it wavered like a shadow before seeping into the turtle’s body.
At last, the revitalized turtle raised itself and let out a soft cry, “Meeeng.”
From its body, a natural vitality radiated—something it had never possessed before.
I stared at it with hazy eyes before collapsing onto the spot.
I was utterly drained, both physically and mentally.
‘Who would have thought I’d have to use such a bizarre method just to complete an assignment?’ Then again, as Professor On had said, this could indeed be considered a prize.
The turtle no longer felt like a lifeless doll.
It truly seemed alive.
“First clearance. I can see that you carried out the task thoroughly. You pass.”
Professor On spoke as he gave a small nod.
At his words, the tension left my body all at once.
I had succeeded.
My answer had been correct.
I turned to see the turtle twisting its body this way and that, inspecting itself.
The connection between us felt stronger than ever.
“Hehe, you worked hard.”
Mira smiled faintly and patted my back.
The mist emanating from her enveloped my body, gradually helping me recover.
I offered her a small nod of gratitude.
“Now then, shall we move on to the next doll?”
Professor On said, pulling another glass bottle from his coat.
Inside, Squirming No. 1 writhed restlessly.
And then, another doll melted away.
Again and again, they dissolved—one after the other.
After finishing his inspections, Professor On let out a slight sigh, shaking his head.
Only two dolls remained before him.
Which meant that aside from me, only one other person had passed.
I glanced sideways.
No. 0 was clutching their half-melted doll in silence, shoulders trembling with soundless sobs.
I lightly patted their back, feeling the weight of their sorrow.
They had failed.
But at least they had achieved partial success.
That was fortunate.
According to Professor On, their failure wasn’t due to a lack of love—it was the doll itself that had been the problem.
The power of Squirming No. 1 had been too much for it to endure.
In other words, No. 0’s skills in dollcraft were insufficient.
However, because they had proven their love, they were allowed to take their doll back.
From the look in their eyes, the will to learn had begun to burn brightly.
Their grief-stricken gaze now shimmered with newfound determination.
I took a slow look around.
Everywhere, students were frozen in shock, reeling from the loss of their dolls.
Aside from me, only one had passed.
I glanced at them.
A young man with a slightly sharp, intense expression.
His doll had taken the form of a sword.
Something about his attire felt oddly familiar.
I had seen clothing like that often in the canyon city.
‘Ah, so he’s from there. No wonder he passed.’
I gave a small nod.
He wasn’t a swordsman—just someone who had chosen a sword as his doll.
But those who wielded blades were never bad people.
That was something my own experience had proven to me.
For some reason, I felt a sense of familiarity toward him.
Professor On scanned the room before sighing.
Beside him, Tiena lightly tapped his waist.
He pulled her into his arms and spoke.
“Hmm… I must have miscalculated. I never expected only two of you to pass. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen so many students gathered together, so I had some expectations… Looks like I need to lower them a bit.”
Clicking his tongue lightly, he continued.
“Alright, let’s start the lesson immediately. Since there are only two of you, I’ll make sure to explain things as simply as possible. Open your books to page 20.
“Today’s lesson will be about why each doll develops its own unique traits…”
As he spoke, the books before us flipped open on their own, their pages turning naturally.
At the same time, the dolls on the podium began moving to their designated spots.
Well, all two of them.
The rest remained standing motionless behind Tiena.
“The fundamental structure that forms the core of a doll’s connection is… Hmm, would this be too difficult to understand? Let’s see if I can simplify it…”
Professor On furrowed his brows, deep in thought, before continuing his explanation.
Just as he had promised, it was much easier to follow than the previous lectures.
Even No. 0, seated beside me, found themselves nodding along in understanding.
During that time, my turtle had wandered back to my desk, letting out a small cry.
I placed it gently on the tabletop, and it proudly puffed out its chest, showing itself off.
I chuckled softly and patted its head.
The turtle nuzzled against my fingers.
I used my magic to peer inside its body.
The circuits that formed its entire being pulsed with energy, as if they were truly alive.
“Hmm… This is tempting…”
Mira smacked her lips lightly beside me.
I had to agree.
This would definitely be beneficial to her body.
With her power, she could undergo the transformation we had just experienced without any trouble.
I gave a small nod.
“If I get the chance, I’ll get one for you.”
“Hehe, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
She leaned against my arm, flashing me a teasing smile.
I met her gaze and briefly fell into thought.
‘Could I really obtain another one of those?’
I had no way of knowing.
But as long as I kept attending this lecture, an opportunity would surely arise.
That was what I believed.
I just didn’t expect that opportunity to come within mere hours.
I blinked.
A gaze was piercing through me, pressing down with overwhelming weight.
I glanced in that direction.
Professor On was glaring at me with dagger-like eyes, burning with fierce hostility.
Most likely because of this woman.
I met the clear, shining brown eyes locked onto me.
They belonged to Tiena.
She smiled at me, her lips curving ever so slightly.
At the same time, the pressure from Professor On intensified.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
The turtle let out a quiet cry, as if sensing my distress.
It was now sitting comfortably on Tiena’s lap.
She gently stroked its back and held out a bottle.
A strange magic radiated from within it.
It was the same substance that had fused with my turtle.
Squirming No. 1.
“Here, take this. It’s a gift. I thought it might be useful to the person beside you.”
***
This happened after the lecture had ended.
The bizarre carriage that had brought us here had expelled the other students outside, leaving only Mira and me behind.
It was clear that Tiena had something to say to us.
But I had no idea what it could be.
I cautiously observed her expression.
She was gazing at the turtle resting on her lap.
Then, she finally spoke.
“I became interested in the dolls you create after seeing this little one.
“I wanted to ask you for a favor, so I arranged this meeting.”
She added with a gentle smile.
“You could even call it a request.”