Chapter 38: The Dollmaker’s Ascent

She came to visit on the third day after I regained my freedom.

Of course, I still had to manage the tower and prepare for lectures, but surprisingly, I had time left over even after handling all of that.

Including sleep, I found myself with four whole hours of leisure time.

Compared to the days when I barely slept, frequently stopping by the infirmary to force my body to recover, this felt like heaven.

It was during this rare free moment, while I was casually flipping through a magic book, that someone summoned me.

It was a summons from Doll No. 134.

I mentally went through the list of dolls.

Who was No. 134 again…? Ah, Cassian.

I had learned her identity during our second treasure hunt when we exchanged names.

She was a prodigy who defeated me—an embodiment of talent.

She had reached the second floor within just one year of enrollment.

Rumors said that she was directly taught by a professor.

Whether that was true or not, one thing remained the same: she was someone who made me feel uneasy.

Still, a summons was a summons.

I had to respond.

Cassian and her swordsmen occupied three of the eight vacant rooms on the second floor.

Other than the lecture halls and the infirmary, the second floor only had eight rooms, so their dominance was evident.

And no one dared to challenge them.

During the second treasure hunt, they had tracked down wizards they held grudges against, severed their limbs, and hung them from pillars.

This display lasted until the end of the lecture.

After seeing such brutality, ‘who would dare treat them carelessly?’

I was no exception.

I carefully knocked on the door to Cassian’s room.

Soon, a stern-looking face emerged.

It was Cassian.

She quickly stepped out upon seeing me, and behind her trailed a doll with “No. 134” engraved on it.

“Did you summon me, Cassian?”

“Mister, change this for me.”

She pointed to Doll No. 134.

I quickly took control of the doll and examined it.

However, I couldn’t find anything unusual.

“There doesn’t seem to be any problem. What seems to be the issue?”

She gestured to the number engraved on the doll’s shoulder and shook her head.

“If I cover this, I can’t tell if it’s mine or not. I don’t like it.”

She had a point.

All the dolls were made to the same standard.

The numbers engraved on their shoulders were the only distinguishing feature.

At the time of creation, I hadn’t cared about appearances or anything like that.

I just wanted to escape that hellish task as quickly as possible.

To achieve that, I focused on efficiency and churned out the dolls rapidly.

“I apologize. I’ve already used up all my materials and can’t make any new dolls.”

I bowed my head as I spoke.

This was the truth.

I had exhausted all my points creating the dolls and could no longer acquire materials.

Cassian pondered for a moment before extending her hand.

A ring glittered on her finger.

“One hundred points.”

I hesitated briefly but then nodded with a smile.

“While it’s true I lack the materials, I’ve thought of a solution. If I use Doll No. 134 as a base, I can create a new doll. Do you have a specific design in mind?”

Cassian pulled out a sheet of paper from her pocket.

On it was a crudely drawn bear, with its head and body nearly the same size.

“Can you make something like this?”

I examined the drawing closely.

It wasn’t particularly detailed—just a clumsily drawn bear with disproportionate features.

Still, the intent behind the drawing was clear.

It screamed “cute.”

‘If that’s what she wants, I’ll match her expectations,’ I thought.

I carefully dismantled Doll No. 134.

Each component and circuit was meticulously disassembled until it was completely taken apart.

These parts would serve as the foundation for the new bear doll.

I started with the body.

Using wood that matched the texture of the doll’s parts, I carefully carved out a central structure.

Then, I integrated No. 134’s components, reviving its original functions.

Next were the arms and legs.

Just as the drawing depicted, I made them short.

The arms were just long enough to meet at the front of its chest.

I attached these limbs to the body.

Finally, I worked on the head, which was almost as large as the body itself.

The head became the focal point.

Round, large eyes.

A tiny mouth.

And a protruding nose.

Each detail was adjusted with care.

When I finally assembled all the parts, the doll looked awkward.

Its proportions were strange: a head and body of the same size, with arms and legs that were less than half their length.

But it was undeniably cute.

I added monster fur to the doll’s body to give it a lifelike feel, blending bear and monster fur for a natural appearance.

After infusing the doll with magic, its heart began to beat, and it awkwardly assumed a stance.

It needed some fine-tuning.

After a thorough functional check, I brought the bear doll back to the second floor.

Cassian was waiting at the staircase.

His eyes sparkled when she saw the bear doll wobbling down the steps behind me.

He watched its movements silently until it stood before his.

“Is this the one?”

Her gaze remained fixed on the doll.

Her lips curled into a pleased smile.

I handed over the doll’s control to her and explained a few points.

“Several functions have been removed due to the modifications. Additionally, its mana consumption is higher than before. Overworking it will cause it to stop functioning within a day.”

“I like it. Thank you, Mister.”

She extended her ring, and I touched mine to it.

Mana flowed, transferring 100 points.

For someone who had spent all his points, this was a godsend.

Cassian returned to her room with the doll, and I headed back to my workshop.

Seeing her delight inspired me.

I decided to use my newfound free time to create a new doll.

***

Cassian began showing off her bear doll to everyone, regardless of whether they were allies or enemies, whether on the first or second floor.

Whenever someone approached, she would proudly display it with a smile.

His effortless promotion led others to seek me out.

As expected, people began asking me to modify their dolls.

However, I set the cost at 100 points.

Lowering the price would only make Cassian uncomfortable.

After all, the first client sets the standard, which is critical for building trust.

Besides, the 100 points also covered the base cost of the doll.

The dolls I distributed were technically my property.

‘How could I give them away for free when each one cost at least 30 points in materials?’

I explained this to those who came to me.

Many shook their heads and left.

It made sense.

‘Why would anyone spend 100 points just to modify a doll’s appearance when it had no functional changes?’

Even I found it puzzling why Cassian had spent so many points.

Several more days passed like that.

Cassian continued showing off her doll, and people kept coming to me—only to give up upon hearing the price.

In this situation, the first person to formally request a doll modification was Jun.

After obtaining the space-eating box, he gathered independent magicians to form a kind of group.

Most of the members were from the lower ranks, banding together to establish their own domain in the tower.

They barely managed to secure a corner room on the first floor.

But Jun wasn’t satisfied with that.

Seizing the opportunity when the powerful noble families, swordsmen, and magician alliances moved up to the second floor, he took control of the first floor.

The power held within his treasure made it possible.

Afterward, he began collecting fees from first-floor magicians who didn’t join his group.

Most magicians, unable to bear the cost, ended up joining him.

As this process unfolded, nearly half of the lecture attendees became part of his organization.

He thus became the leader of another major faction supporting this lecture.

I admired his ingenuity.

‘Look at this remarkable scheming, turning every opportunity into his own.’

I had noticed his cunning nature ever since he stole the treasure.

Contrary to his quiet and heavy demeanor, there was a sly fox lurking beneath.

Having witnessed all this, I could easily guess why he had come to me: to show off.

Being the first to attempt something no one else dared was the fastest route to standing out.

Hiding my suspicions deep within, I greeted him.

Jun now brimmed with confidence.

The pitiful figure he once displayed was nowhere to be seen.

He handed me a picture.

“Can you decorate the doll based on this image?”

I accepted it and examined the drawing.

It depicted a beautiful woman.

Even though it was just a picture, her elegance made it hard to look away.

“Who is this?”

“It’s a portrait of my late wife. She wasn’t a magician, so she passed away a long time ago.”

A bitter smile formed on his face.

I offered my condolences with a brief moment of silence.

Leaving the picture and points with me, Jun departed.

***

Back in my workshop, I studied the portrait again.

The woman in the image was impeccably dressed, sitting gracefully at a table.

She held a teacup in one hand, sipping elegantly.

Her composed smile and serene gaze enhanced her dignified presence.

She was an incredibly beautiful and refined woman.

To be honest, I found it hard to believe she was Jun’s wife.

Though he now carried himself with confidence, Jun had once been pitifully disheveled—completely at odds with the woman in the painting.

But whether it was true or not didn’t matter.

I had been paid, and my only job was to fulfill the request.

Unlike Cassian’s case, I didn’t need to alter the doll’s structure.

I simply had to analyze the woman’s figure and adjust the doll to match it.

Using the portrait as a reference, I quickly began replicating her image.

I paid special attention to her face.

Capturing the depth in her eyes and the subtle grace of her smile was critical.

Using the doll’s face as a canvas, I meticulously recreated the woman’s features in three dimensions.

After several failed attempts, she finally emerged from the portrait.

Although the face felt slightly awkward, it was the best I could achieve.

As soon as I finished the face, the doll exuded a faint sense of life.

‘What kind of clothing would suit such a woman?’

A dress seemed the most fitting.

It would align well with Jun’s intentions, and the perfect example was already in the painting.

The woman in the picture wore an exquisite, vintage dress.

The bodice was tailored snugly, elegantly highlighting her figure.

The skirt, falling below her knees, featured intricate embroidery, enhancing her regal air.

I used the fabrics and leathers I had on hand to recreate the design as closely as possible.

While the limited materials made perfection unattainable, I managed to create a dress that closely resembled the original.

Dressing the doll in it lent her a dignified presence.

With her eyes closed, she seemed to exude a serene tranquility, as if peacefully asleep.

I imbued the doll’s heart with magic.

Its core began to pulse, and the doll opened its eyes.

It was flawless.

The doll moved naturally when I tested it, thanks to the minimal structural changes.

But something felt off.

Its movements were too efficient—unnaturally so for a doll of such elegance.

‘What kind of movements would suit this doll?’

Suddenly, I thought of the bear doll.

Its inefficiency had given it a unique charm.

Elegance, I realized, could be felt in a similar way.

It was the inefficiency of unique, deliberate movements that created a sense of refinement.

With that in mind, I reprogrammed the doll’s motions.

I drew inspiration from Aileen, someone I had met long ago, whose gestures were the epitome of grace.

She crossed my mind for the first time in a while.

‘Where is she now, and what is she doing?’

I couldn’t even begin to imagine.

The finished doll exuded unmatched elegance.

Smiling, I felt confident Jun would be satisfied.

And my prediction was correct.

Jun was thrilled when he saw the doll and even gave me an additional fifty points as a bonus before leaving.

***

The requests began pouring in.

Those who had hesitated after seeing Cassian’s bear were now eager to pay extra for customized dolls after seeing Jun’s creation.

Points started flooding in.

I laughed happily and began pondering ways to sell even more.

‘What if I added functions, not just appearance modifications?’

I experimented with additional features—making the dolls pour tea, emit fragrances, or even change expressions.

These upgrades were available for modest amounts of points.

Although my free time disappeared as I worked on doll modifications, I didn’t mind.

Points were flowing in.

‘What could be more delightful?’

***

The first sign of unease came after I completed my fiftieth doll modification.

It was the one-year anniversary of my arrival at the academy.