Staring at the firmly shut door, I stood in silence.
When the time for the duel arrived, the two swordsmen guarding the door escorted Cassian out of the room.
Half-carried on the back of the teddy bear, she followed them.
Mira and I silently watched her leave.
I wanted to follow them immediately, but we were blocked from stepping out.
We didn’t have the privilege of being spectators.
Thus, we had no choice but to stay in this room and wait for Cassian to return.
I wasn’t particularly nervous, though.
The outcome of the duel was obvious.
‘How much effort had we put into honing Cassian until now?’ The only reason I wanted to follow her was to see her movements firsthand.
Since that was no longer an option, I had to trust the teddy bear.
Truth be told, I was somewhat anxious.
‘What if they told her to leave the bear behind?’ Fortunately, they didn’t go that far.
That bear was Cassian’s possession.
They must have noticed how she always kept it close.
They probably knew how much she cherished it, so they didn’t bother separating them.
Even during the first duel, the bear observed the duel and provided us with footage.
It would surely be the same this time.
For that purpose, I had made slight modifications to the bear.
The footage from the first duel had been blurry, as it relied solely on the bear’s memory.
It was incomplete and unreliable.
The video only captured Cassian and her opponent’s major movements.
Details like muscle contractions or where their gazes fell were impossible to discern.
We could only speculate and deduce through her stories.
That couldn’t happen again.
To prevent it, I embedded mirror bugs throughout the bear’s body.
These bugs, in various sizes, sparkled like jewels, adorning its figure.
When they were first embedded, the bear seemed pleased, twisting and turning to examine itself.
It was such a natural reaction that even those who escorted the bear with Cassian didn’t pay much attention to it.
I gazed at the enormous mirror bug positioned in the center of the room.
‘If I could have brought it along, that would have been ideal.’
A shame, really. Gently waking it, I watched as the bug responded to my will and illuminated its screen.
Soon, a body appeared on the screen.
It was Cassian’s.
Her entire form was dissected and displayed, revealing even her innermost structures perfectly captured within the mirror bug.
This was data Mira had analyzed by thoroughly examining Cassian’s body.
All I had done was input the information she provided.
Even if I were to dissect Cassian myself, I couldn’t possibly have gathered such precise details.
This data held immense value for me.
It allowed me to surpass my own limitations and lay the foundation for a superior doll.
Mira had said that Cassian’s physical abilities were extraordinary.
‘If a doll were created based on that, what would it be like?’ Of course, it couldn’t replicate everything.
Their structures were fundamentally different.
But even if only a fragment of it could be incorporated, it would be more than enough.
Still, it wasn’t perfect yet.
My eyes glinted as I stared at the incomplete data.
I needed to fill in the missing pieces.
“She’ll win, right?” Mira asked.
I turned to look at her.
She met my gaze and smiled warmly.
Sitting casually in a chair I had crafted, she quietly sipped her tea.
I nodded and replied, “Of course.”
***
Once again, I glanced at the door.
Not a single sound came from beyond it.
Then, I remembered a question I had for Mira.
Looking at her, I opened my mouth to speak.
“Is it truly impossible to modify someone else’s body the way Cassian’s was modified?”
“Yes, it is,” she replied. “I’d have to enter their body directly to understand its structure. I don’t intend to do that with anyone else, nor could I, since Evron has bound me to this body.”
She caressed her form with a rueful smile.
I let out a sigh of resignation.
There was no way around it.
I couldn’t extract her from there, or she would surely escape my control.
“If I weren’t bound like this, I’d have already taken that body for myself. But as it stands, I can only make minor adjustments to let her use that body temporarily.”
“You can’t imagine how uncomfortable this body is.” She grumbled, and I couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.
As always, her words seemed to stray slightly from the realm of living beings.
Perhaps that was the perspective of a treasure.
Still, her presence gave me some confidence.
Normally, they wouldn’t have paid me any attention.
But thanks to her modest power, I could involve myself in this duel, even if just a little.
The points I had invested in her hadn’t been wasted after all.
“One day, I’ll make you a proper body,” I promised.
Mira nodded at my words.
I watched her for a moment before asking another question.
“What happens if someone forcibly alters a body?”
“If it’s a full reconstruction like Cassian’s, they’d probably die. A body is delicate. If you meddle too much, it collapses.”
“What if you made just minor adjustments? What if we overlaid the data you’ve recorded onto someone else, even briefly, to let them experience that talent?”
Mira sipped her tea thoughtfully before tilting her head.
“It might be possible, but only slightly. It wouldn’t last more than five minutes. After that, they’d likely suffer severe rejection and partial collapse.”
I nodded. That possibility was enough.
Slowly, I extended my left arm toward her.
She looked at me, and I could see the excitement on my face reflected in her eyes.
I couldn’t help it.
It was a chance to experience true talent firsthand.
“Then, would you test it on me? I have something in mind, but I need to experience it first to make a judgment.”
With a bright smile, Mira grabbed my hand.
Slowly, she began stroking it.
Mist seeped out from her touch, softly permeating my arm.
The sensation of my magic and body being invaded was peculiar.
Everything in my arm unraveled gently in the mist.
It was strangely pleasant, a soothing euphoria emanating from it.
I began to understand why Cassian entrusted her body to Mira so willingly.
Suppressing my magic, I let myself flow along with it.
‘Talent. What did it truly mean?’
In the next moment, I understood.
My arm suddenly felt lighter, filled with unprecedented strength.
A sharp sensation radiated from my fingertips and coursed through my entire body.
‘Ah, so this is Cassian’s physical prowess.’ Awe filled me.
It felt as if everything in my arm was entirely under my control, extending beyond just my body to something greater.
And then, I lost consciousness.
A powerful shock originating in my arm overwhelmed me, shattering everything in an instant.
It happened in a flash.
“Oh my, not even twenty seconds,” I heard Mira murmur as I collapsed onto the table.
***
When I opened my eyes again, two hours had passed.
The sensation of someone touching me jolted me awake.
The first thing I did was check my arm.
The overwhelming sensation from before felt like a distant dream, and my arm now felt unbearably heavy.
I clenched and unclenched my hand repeatedly.
It seemed Mira had treated me while I was unconscious, but the aftermath still lingered.
I finally understood her warning about the dangers of granting others this talent.
I had lasted only twenty seconds, and yet my insides had been left in disarray.
Healing myself with magic, I smiled bitterly.
‘Was that what she meant by “slight talent”? Then what would it be like to wield the complete version?’
I could see why she wanted to take that body for herself.
I couldn’t recall anything about what I had felt during those twenty seconds.
It was as if it had been forbidden to me.
Even so, it was enough.
I had experienced the magnitude of that talent firsthand.
‘If others were made to feel this, how would they react?’ As I pondered this, someone tapped my shoulder.
Turning, I saw Mira smiling.
“I woke you up. She’s here,” she said, motioning toward the door with her chin.
The two swordsmen entered the room, opening the door wide.
Cassian followed closely behind them, walking briskly.
She was a bit battered but looked far better than before.
Her characteristically blank eyes now held a deep satisfaction.
Seeing us, she smiled faintly and raised her arm.
“I won.”
“Well done,” I replied with a nod.
Mira quietly rose from her seat.
She approached Cassian slowly and embraced her gently.
Cassian blinked in surprise, looking at Mira, who smiled warmly and softly stroked her body.
Cassian stood, battered and bruised again.
Mira sighed and said, “You can’t keep ending up like this. You need to win more perfectly. Does it hurt here?”
“Eek.”
Mira gently infused Cassian’s body with mist, and Cassian flinched at the sensation.
I averted my gaze.
When I didn’t understand what it felt like, it didn’t bother me, but after my own experience earlier, it felt slightly awkward to watch.
“And how about here?” Mira continued.
“Ahh.”
“Hmm, then what about here?”
Mira kept tracing her hands over Cassian’s body, and Cassian’s face began to turn slightly red.
I noticed the swordsmen standing by the door were glancing in our direction.
Since the barrier wasn’t set up yet, they could see everything that was happening.
Bowing my head slightly in apology, I layered multiple barriers around us.
Mira spent a while teasing Cassian before finally returning to my side.
“Now, sit back and relax,” she said, signaling to the dolls nearby.
The shadow dolls, which had been standing like statues, carefully guided Cassian.
She followed their lead and sat in a chair.
The dolls began casting spells over her: healing, regeneration, and maintenance spells to care for her body.
Her injuries began to fade rapidly.
These shadow dolls had been modified and specifically created for Cassian’s needs.
Over the past week, they had worked to keep her body in optimal condition.
Under their care, Cassian visibly relaxed.
Her eyes grew slightly dazed, and a dreamy glow settled on her face.
Mira watched her with a gentle smile.
While Mira focused on Cassian, I turned my attention to the teddy bear.
The bear raised both arms and ran toward me.
As it stopped in front of me, its body began to tremble.
Attached to it, small objects fell off one by one.
They were mirror bugs.
As I sent my will into them, the bugs swiftly soared into the air.
I quietly reviewed the footage stored within them.
The scenes of the duel were vividly captured.
Satisfied, I nodded.
I hadn’t dared connect to the mirror bugs during the duel, worried that their magic might be detected.
Instead, I had left everything to the teddy bear, and it had performed beyond my expectations.
I lightly patted the bear’s head.
It had done exceptionally well.
I quickly uploaded the footage onto the board and turned toward Cassian.
A large mirror bug appeared in front of her, displaying the uploaded footage.
“Now then, let’s review the duel,” I said to Cassian.
She widened her eyes, staring at me. “I just got back…”
“That’s why we’re doing it now. Reviewing immediately helps you better identify and improve on weak points while the memory is still fresh.”
“…You told me to rest.”
“You can rest while watching. We can discuss as you relax.”
I played the footage.
The scene began with the two opponents facing each other before charging forward.
The duel was one-sided, with Cassian relentlessly driving her opponent back.
Although her opponent’s blade grazed her a few times, Cassian used those moments to counterattack, delivering deeper cuts to her opponent.
After a few exchanges, her opponent collapsed.
Watching the footage, Cassian nodded confidently. “I won easily.”
“No, it’s still lacking,” I replied.
The video ended, and the mirror bug vibrated, rewinding back to the beginning.
This time, as the footage replayed, a score appeared above Cassian’s head: 100 points.
Cassian made a face of disbelief at the score.
As the footage restarted, it displayed her dodging an opponent’s thrust and countering with a clean strike.
Yet, her score dropped by one point.
I paused the video and looked at her.
“What was your intent with this move?”
“I just dodged and slashed when they thrust at me,” she replied vaguely.
I sighed. This was the same as during our first duel review.
Cassian never gave detailed answers.
Mira had mentioned it was because her movements were purely instinctual.
“In that case, I’ll analyze based on your intent,” I said. “Now, here, your arm’s angle wasn’t ideal, which is why the blade grazed you. Your step here was also half a step too far forward, resulting in…”
I continued pointing out details about her posture, balance, and movements.
My focus wasn’t on the combat strategy itself—after all, that wasn’t my expertise or concern.
Instead, I evaluated her physical movements, analyzing how her body could achieve its most optimal trajectory.
Each critique resulted in deductions from her score.
Mira occasionally chimed in with her own observations about the fight, and I adjusted the deductions accordingly.
About halfway through the video, I paused. Cassian’s eyes were half-lidded, and her score had dropped to 30 points.
She had made 70 inefficient movements during the duel.
Cassian looked at me with a dazed expression, clearly overwhelmed.
Before we could continue, I sensed someone approaching.
Glancing at the door, I felt a sharp magical energy approaching from beyond it.
“Well then, let’s take a short break,” I suggested.
“Yay!” Cassian cheered, raising her arms in delight.
The door opened, and a cold-looking young man strode confidently into the room.
The two swordsmen at the door gave him a slight bow.
I discreetly dropped the mirror bug to the floor, where it transformed into an ordinary reflective surface.
The man casually tore through the barrier I had set up and walked toward us.
Standing before us, he offered a calm smile before clapping his hands lightly as he looked at Cassian.
“I thoroughly enjoyed watching your duel,” he said.
Cassian nodded slightly, and the man shifted his gaze toward me and Mira.
“I assume her performance is thanks to your assistance. Her movements exceeded our expectations.”
I bowed slightly, and Mira waved her hand dismissively, smiling.
She spoke cautiously. “May I ask why you’ve come?”
“Ah, it’s about Cassian’s request. She asked for permission to go out for six hours a day, correct?”
Hmm, they responded quicker than expected.
I had advised Cassian to make this request after winning the duel.
Regardless of what she planned to do, it was crucial to secure time outside.
The man slowly scrutinized us, his gaze lingering on Cassian and Mira before finally settling on me.
“Evron, I presume. I owe you an apology for my previous rudeness.”
‘So, he knew my name. ‘
That explained his unexpectedly polite demeanor today.
It seemed he had looked into us, likely even discovering our affiliation with Professor Irien’s tower.
‘How much did he know?’ It was unclear.
I forced an awkward smile and shook my head.
He nodded calmly and continued speaking.
“Six hours. That’s acceptable, as long as you don’t leave the city. Within the city, you’re free to do as you wish.”
“Thank you,” I replied, my eyes widening slightly.
I hadn’t expected them to agree without conditions.
I thought they might reduce the time or impose additional restrictions.
Yet, they agreed so easily.
‘What was their ulterior motive? I couldn’t tell.’
“However, they will follow you,” the man said, glancing at the swordsmen by the door. “We still require minimal supervision.”
After bowing slightly, he excused himself and left the room.
‘Had he come all this way just to deliver that message? He could have simply instructed the guards to relay it.’
‘What was he thinking? And what was the Blade Association’s intent?’
Whatever the case, we had secured permission to go out into the city.
That much was certain.
***
And so, we stepped out into the city.
Taking a deep breath, I filled my lungs with the metallic tang of iron.
The stale air felt oddly refreshing.
We had been cooped up in that room for the past week, and just leaving it lifted my spirits.
“Well then, let’s get moving,” I said, glancing at Cassian and Mira.
We needed to act quickly.
Information had to be gathered.