Puppetry was an obscure branch of magic.
Since it was a system of magic determined by innate talent, few knew about it in detail, and even fewer practiced it.
Because of this, people held many misconceptions about puppetry.
One common joke was that all seasoned puppet masters eventually became obsessed with their creations.
That baseless rumor spread throughout the magical world.
As a result, people often mocked puppet masters, calling them “puppet freaks.”
I simply laughed it off.
‘But rumors are always rooted in some truth.’
That thought crossed my mind.
Perhaps I was witnessing, with my own eyes, one of those long-standing puppet masters.
***
“You need to start the lecture.”
The woman spoke in a whisper.
Professor On looked at her with a hint of regret, but she firmly shook her head.
I took a closer look at the woman.
She possessed an almost unbelievable level of realism.
A considerable amount of magical energy emanated from her.
At first, I thought she was a mage.
‘But a puppet?’
Noticing my gaze, she smiled.
Professor On clicked his tongue when he saw this and turned his eyes toward me, irritation flickering within them.
‘Had I stared too obviously?’
As I remained frozen, Mira gently embraced my arm.
On glanced at her before fixing his gaze on me again.
“Be careful next time. I don’t like it when someone steals Tiena’s attention.”
I quickly nodded.
His gaze shifted away from me to the other students.
Letting out a sigh of relief, I slumped slightly.
“You shouldn’t stare at another man’s woman like that. It’s quite inconsiderate,” Mira said with a playful smile.
‘A woman? But hadn’t he said she was a puppet?’
‘No, I had to respect others’ preferences, just as I had thought earlier.’
I simply nodded.
Professor On, still holding the woman called Tiena in his arms, pulled out a card.
Magic shimmered over its surface, forming a single clear letter—”On.”
“Hmm, you all came here using these, right?”
It looked exactly like the one in my possession.
I took it out and ran my fingers over it absentmindedly.
Seeing us holding the cards, he continued, “I was the one who summoned you all. You already know that. I sent one to every city, so each of you must have come from a different place. Still, I’m glad you all joined this time. There was a year, two hundred years ago, when not a single person came.”
His gaze slowly swept across us.
This time, he wasn’t looking at the puppets.
He was looking at us.
There wasn’t a single trace of emotion in his expression.
It was as if he were observing inanimate objects.
“I have no great expectations for any of you. But I do expect something from your puppets. I only want one thing—to help you learn more about puppetry through this lecture, so you can create better puppets.”
He held the woman in his arms a little tighter.
She, in turn, gently wrapped her arms around his waist.
He smiled slightly at her before continuing.
“I will train you for five years. Each lecture will last three hours, followed by assignments. If you complete them successfully, you will be rewarded. If you fail, you get nothing.”
‘A reward?’ I wondered what that might be.
But he didn’t elaborate.
He simply moved on to the next topic.
“I’ll clear a section of the tower for you to use. But always be mindful of your actions. This is a space for puppets, after all. Right, Tiena?”
The woman nodded with a soft smile.
Staying here… I found myself wanting to, if possible.
Just like that woman, I was intrigued by the tower’s puppets.
But I had to manage Professor Irien’s tower, so it was impossible.
A shame.
I clicked my tongue, feeling as if I were missing out.
Professor On quietly manipulated his magic, causing the space to distort.
A pile of books suddenly spilled out of the rift, floating in midair before drifting toward us.
“Now, take these. These will be your textbooks for the lectures. If you fully grasp their contents, you may even earn a certificate.”
I carefully accepted the book.
A title was embossed in a band across the cover—On’s Fundamentals of Puppetry.
No. 0 silently emerged from the shadows and stared at it with glittering eyes.
Professor On tilted his head as he noticed the puppet.
“Hmm, do we have an auditor? Stay close to your master and study together. You seem to have some skill in handling puppets.”
At those words, No. 0 smiled and settled beside me, curiously poking at the book.
“Now, let’s turn to the first page. Today, you’ll learn about circuits. Circuits are the most fundamental part of puppet-making. No matter what kind of puppet you create, circuits are essential. After all, puppets, as you know, are a form of magic.”
I quietly flipped through the book, listening to his words.
***
Chapter 1: Circuits.
Beneath the heading, lines of black text densely covered the white pages.
Professor On glanced at us before speaking again.
“But is a puppet’s core circuit composed purely of magic? No. A circuit made solely of magic is no different from an ordinary spell. Puppets, unlike conventional magic, are something much more special.”
His gaze drifted over the students before landing directly on me.
“You there. Do you love the puppet beside you?”
I cleared my throat at the unexpected question.
Turning my head, I saw Mira grinning, as if amused.
She lightly poked my side and whispered, “Come on, answer. The professor is waiting.”
I hesitated, watching her expression, then shook my head.
I did care for her.
She was the culmination of my puppetry skills, after all.
‘But love?’ That was a different matter.
Mira’s mischievous smile deepened.
She started poking my side more insistently.
Professor On observed us for a moment before nodding slightly.
Then, he gently pulled the woman beside him closer by the waist.
“Then learn to love them. Puppets become stronger when they are loved. Just like Tiena.”
Saying that, he pressed a light kiss to the woman’s lips.
She responded with equal tenderness.
They didn’t seem to care that we were watching.
Their kiss lingered for quite some time.
When he finally pulled away, he looked at us again.
“Yes. A puppet’s circuit isn’t formed by magic alone. There is another type of circuit, one that connects to you—an emotional circuit. A bond of affection.”
I blinked.
Glancing around, I wondered if anyone else understood what he meant.
Luckily, the others seemed just as confused as I was.
Their expressions mirrored mine.
Professor On noticed and quietly blinked.
“Well, I didn’t expect you to understand. Let’s skip this for now and discuss how magical circuits are structured instead. Turn to page four.”
He began reading aloud as if reciting a passage.
His flowing voice filled the space, and I listened in silence.
“A puppet’s circuit is essentially a path through which magic flows. I’m sure you all know that much. But did you know that something other than magic can also flow through these circuits? Something like… a soul.”
It was the first time I had heard such a thing.
‘A soul flowing through a circuit? Was that even possible?’
Professor On demonstrated an example.
Watching it, I quietly marveled.
And just like that, I became deeply engrossed in his lecture.
He paused occasionally to take questions, and the others eagerly spoke up.
I, too, asked about a few parts I didn’t fully understand.
He answered in great detail, though his expression remained utterly indifferent.
I actively participated in the lesson, absorbing knowledge that was completely new to me.
And so, time passed as smoothly as flowing water.
***
“Alright, let’s wrap things up here. That’s all for today.”
At Professor On’s words, I finally blinked.
A mirror bug hovered nearby, displaying the time.
Before I knew it, three hours had passed.
I glanced around.
Everyone seemed too preoccupied with digesting what they had just learned—even those seated on the fourth floor.
And it was no surprise. The knowledge we had received was an overwhelming flood of information about circuits, generously given without reservation.
I was no exception.
The things I had already known were given depth, and entirely new foundations were built for what I hadn’t understood before.
These revelations seeped into me like water nourishing a dry tree.
I stared blankly at Professor On.
This was a real class.
A lesson filled with nothing but high-quality information.
That was why it felt so strange.
Up until now, every lecture I had encountered followed a laissez-faire approach.
Those who lacked knowledge or power were left to struggle at the bottom of the tower.
But this class was different.
He was filling in our gaps, guiding us.
The problems I had been struggling with suddenly felt as though they were connecting seamlessly.
I quietly looked down at Fundamentals of Puppetry.
“Fundamentals,” huh?
If this was just the basics, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what lay beyond.
As the class ended, the book vanished as if it had melted away.
No. 0 looked at it with regretful eyes.
I was sure my expression mirrored him.
For puppet masters like us, this knowledge was more valuable than gold.
The fact that he was sharing it so freely—it was almost unbelievable.
‘Why was he doing this?’
I turned to look at Professor On, that question lingering in my mind.
He met our gazes and smirked slightly.
“Hmm, you always make the same faces after the first lesson. That look that says, ‘Is he up to something?’”
He had hit the mark perfectly.
He was right.
The moment the lecture ended, I found myself worrying.
‘Would he demand something outrageous in return for this knowledge?’
He shook his head lightly.
“This is an investment. An investment in your puppets. As I’ve said before, I want them to evolve. I want more of my kind in this world—just as Tiena does. That’s why I called you here.”
The woman in his arms nodded in agreement.
Smiling, she wrapped her arms around him.
He held her close and continued, “Rather than discussing something as trivial as my motives, let’s move on to your assignment. We talked about love earlier, didn’t we? I love the puppet I created. You should love yours too.”
Mira poked my side again.
I did my best to ignore her and focused on Professor On’s words.
“Your task before the next class is to create a puppet that you love. One that you love now, and will continue to love in the future.”
And with that, Professor On’s lecture on puppetry came to an end.
***
I left the structured tower in a daze.
No. 0 looked similarly spaced out, his mind still lingering in the lecture hall.
A proper class inside a tower.
What a bizarre experience.
The space was strange.
The lecture was strange.
And the professor was strange.
Mira poked my side again.
This time, she did it so persistently that I couldn’t ignore her any longer.
I finally turned to look at her.
She smiled up at me, clinging to my arm before resting her head against my chest.
“Hehe, isn’t this assignment ridiculously easy? I feel like the perfect result is already right in front of you. Guess who?”
She looked up at me mischievously.
I let out a wry smile.
This was exactly why I had tried to ignore her.
She was clearly enjoying this situation far too much.
This teasing would probably last until the next lecture.
And if I failed to complete the assignment properly, it would never end.
I had to get it done.
‘Love. Love, huh?’
‘Professor On had told me to create a puppet that I loved.’
‘But what did that even mean?’
I still didn’t know.