Chapter 102: Reflections of Creation

Beyond the massive glass window that covered one side of the room, a single sun blazed with intense waves of heat.

The professor had told me that when the university was founded, they had taken a star and processed it into what we saw now.

It was something she had heard when she first became a professor.

The sun radiated such overwhelming magic and light that it was hard to believe it had been artificially created.

Its brilliance reached even into the room we were in.

A spell cast upon the window softened the sunlight, warming the room gently.

The golden rays danced inside before settling on the table touching the window.

And there, seated at the table, was Professor Irien.

She seemed pleased with today’s meal, as a faint smile lingered on her lips.

Seeing that, I, too, smiled slightly.

The sunlight reflected off her golden hair, scattering a dazzling radiance.

Her hair, like fine strands of pure gold, was mesmerizing enough to draw in any observer.

She lifted the teacup I had placed before her and gazed outside.

The cup fit perfectly in her hand, and the embedded gemstones were linked by circuits, producing various magical effects.

I absentmindedly fiddled with the knife at my waist.

It was a new creation, crafted using the knife the professor had bestowed upon me.

The magic flowing through the carving knife filled me with energy.

This knife had no offensive capabilities whatsoever.

I hadn’t expected it to take on this form, but all it did was assist me in my craft.

Yet, it was incredibly useful.

It responded to my will and always guided me toward the best possible outcome.

The objects it shaped turned out far more refined than I had envisioned—just like that teacup.

Lately, I had taken great interest in using the knife to remake objects.

Most of the items in the professor’s office had already been replaced—crafted to be more beautiful, more perfect.

Now, only one thing remained.

I looked at the table she was leaning against.

It was enormous—large enough to seat dozens of people, which made sense given its size.

That very size made the professor’s small stature stand out even more.

She barely reached my waist.

That was precisely why I wanted to replace the table.

It failed to do justice to her dignity.

Observing her now, she looked less like a formidable scholar and more like an adorable young girl.

‘An adorable girl, huh?’

I chuckled at the thought.

There was an old saying among wandering mages: If you encounter someone who looks like a child, run.

And if they seem powerful, run even faster.

It was an ancient piece of wisdom.

Mages always aspired to reach greater heights.

The sensation of surpassing one’s limits and reconstructing oneself into a superior existence—once felt, it was impossible not to crave more.

I was no exception.

But most mages failed in that pursuit and died.

While they possessed long lifespans, that did not equate to immortality.

Many fell, unable to overcome the limits of their lifespan.

Though a mage’s body remained in peak condition, it could not completely halt the slow accumulation of age.

Eventually, those who hit that wall began to wither.

Thus, among mages, anyone who retained a youthful appearance could mean one of two things.

One possibility was that they were genuinely young—prodigies who had shattered barriers again and again, with a future still brimming with time.

Such individuals would undoubtedly be surrounded by powerful supporters.

One misstep, and you’d be as good as dead.

It was best to avoid provoking them entirely.

The other possibility was that they were not human—beings who had stepped beyond the constraints of mortality.

Approaching such entities was dangerous.

‘Who knew what they truly were? What if they were creatures that preyed on humans? That was why this saying was upheld like a rule among wanderers.’

I had lived by it, too.

I stared intently at Professor Irien.

For a long time, I had assumed she fell into the first category.

But lately, I was beginning to doubt that.

Well, either way, I was here to seek her advice.

Sensing my gaze, the professor glanced at me.

She inhaled the scent wafting from her teacup before taking a sip.

Then, with a soft smile, she gave a small nod.

After swallowing her tea, she finally spoke.

“So, what is it you wanted to ask?”

“Professor, do you understand love?”

At my words, she choked slightly.

Setting her teacup down, she looked at me with a mixture of surprise and confusion.

Meeting her gaze, I spoke seriously.

“I’ve been pondering the concept recently, and I thought you might have an answer. After all, your passion for treasures could be considered a form of love.”

She opened her mouth slightly, then rubbed her face with one hand, letting out a quiet sigh.

“Love? No, I just collect them because I like them.”

“Is that so?”

I nodded quietly.

It seemed she didn’t have a clear understanding of love either.

I poured more tea into her empty cup.

She glanced at me briefly before wrapping her hands around the cup and taking another sip.

I watched her for a moment before asking slyly, “Then… have you ever been in love?”

Pfft!

She spat out her tea.

Coughing violently, she fumbled while the butler calmly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.

As I expected, she knew little about love.

It seemed I wouldn’t be getting a clear answer from her.

Somehow, I had anticipated that.

I glanced at her youthful appearance and nodded to myself.

The professor trembled slightly, her magic fluctuating along with her emotions.

‘Hm. Maybe I pushed it a bit too far this time.’

Sensing an incoming blow, I quietly wrapped myself in protective magic.

My instincts were not wrong.

“…Get out!”

Her face flushed, and her magic surged, slamming into me.

I was sent flying out the door, tumbling across the floor before finally coming to a stop.

I lay there for a moment before looking up at the firmly shut door.

It had been a while since I’d last been hit by her.

Counting the days, it had already been over four months.

Perhaps that was why my head was throbbing more than usual.

Just then, someone gently placed a hand on my head, soothing the pain with a soft warmth.

I turned slightly and saw Mira standing beside me.

Today, she wore a new outfit—a light, flowing dress.

Meeting my gaze, she smiled playfully.

“Hehe. It’s been a while since I last saw you get thrown out like this.”

“It has, indeed.”

I brushed off my clothes and stood up.

Truthfully, my second question had been half a joke.

I hadn’t expected such an explosive reaction.

‘A joke, huh.’

It was strange that I could joke around with Irien now.

Lately, she had softened far more than I had imagined.

If this had been the past, merely mentioning love would have resulted in my soul being wrung dry.

Back then, I wouldn’t have even dared to ask.

Playing tricks on her would have been unthinkable.

But things were different now.

She clearly had some level of affection for me, and I, in turn, had grown comfortable around her.

It was a natural pull—almost instinctual.

That was why I had asked if she loved treasures.

It was because of this feeling.

I clenched and unclenched my hand.

‘Is that why people are drawn to her, as if she were a treasure herself?’

It was a curious thought.

***

“So, that’s why you came to me?”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

Surrounded by dolls, I sat at the table’s center and looked across at the figure before me.

“Heh. I never expected you to come here, much less to ask about your assignment.”

Mauro smiled, his wrinkled eyes slightly narrowed.

He extended a teacup toward me.

As he poured the tea, I quietly looked around.

The dolls were immaculate—perfectly fitting for a workshop named “On’s Doll Studio.”

“I’m sorry. I tried to come as quickly as possible, but I had a lot to take care of. Please accept this as a token of my appreciation for introducing me to the lecture. I’ve prepared some points for you.”

With that, I sent the Mirror Bug flying.

It fluttered straight to Mauro, who gazed at it intently before bringing his ring to it.

The points I handed over to him totaled 20,000—the entirety of what I had received from Heaven’s Ring.

I had realized something while attending Professor On’s lecture.

The opportunity I had received was given out of pure goodwill, and for a puppeteer like me, it was an invaluable stroke of fortune.

Exchanges must always be handled meticulously.

Since I knew there was no ill intent behind this, I had to return the favor with sincerity.

“This time, I’ll accept it gratefully. But next time, there’s no need to bring something like this. You’re one of us now, after all.”

“Though, if you do bring something, I won’t refuse.”

He added that with a stroke of his beard.

I tilted my head slightly at his words.

“One of us…?”

Mauro chuckled heartily and pulled out a card.

Just like mine, it bore the emblem of “On.”

“This is something required for the course, but it’s also a sign that you’re part of our guild. The moment you accept it, you officially belong to us. So naturally, that makes you one of us.”

A dry chuckle escaped me. I had anticipated that they would try to recruit me into their guild.

But I hadn’t expected them to state it so boldly.

I had never imagined that simply accepting the card would mean becoming a guild member.

I had misunderstood.

It wasn’t that I needed to join the guild to attend the lecture.

It was that by attending the lecture, I automatically became part of the guild.

That was why he had given me this card.

Noticing my expression, Mauro laughed again and waved his hand dismissively.

“Don’t let the word ‘guild’ intimidate you. There’s no obligation. It’s just a group where skilled puppeteers can socialize. That’s all. It’s what Madam wants as well.”

At the mention of “Madam,” I naturally recalled the woman who had been in Professor On’s arms.

I remained silent, waiting for Mauro to continue.

He took a sip of tea, stroked his beard, and finally spoke.

“If you don’t want to be part of the guild, you’re free to leave. You won’t be expelled from the lectures or anything. However, you won’t get my advice anymore. Ahem. After all, it would be difficult for me to share my insights with someone outside our guild.”

He winked.

It was a rather playful gesture for an old man.

Seeing his lightheartedness, I let out a small, bitter smile.

“I’d be honored to be considered one of you. As you said, puppeteers should support one another.”

I nodded calmly.

Truthfully, even if Mauro hadn’t brought it up, I would have asked about it myself.

I had been interested in their guild for some time.

I needed power.

At that, Mauro burst into laughter.

“A fine decision! Finally, our city has a new recruit. Do you know how envious we’ve been of other cities?”

“Then I’ll be in your care, Guild Master.”

“Just call me by my name. No need for such formalities.”

Mauro waved his hands dismissively.

He then gave me a brief explanation of the “On Puppet Guild.”

He mentioned that the members gathered once a year in the city, though participation was voluntary.

Once every ten years, puppeteers from all cities would convene for a grand meeting.

It was similar to what I had already researched.

The guild was completely informal, leaving everything up to individual discretion.

And that was precisely why I wanted to join.

***

Much later, Mauro finally brought up the topic of my concerns.

He had been forced to do so after failing to withstand Mira’s bored stares from beside me.

If not for that, he probably would have rambled on about the guild for much longer.

Mauro cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Ahem. My apologies. I lost track of time while explaining. Anyway, I hear the professor has given an interesting assignment.”

Mauro gazed at me, a knowing smile on his face.

“Well, my advice is simple. The assignment is to create a puppet you love and will continue to love. Then, shouldn’t you first find a reason to love it? It might be worth searching for a clear answer to that question.”

“A reason…?”

I sank into thought.

‘A reason to love. I had been contemplating the assignment, but I had never considered why I should love the puppet.’

“That’s all for my advice today. As I’ve said before, puppets are also a form of magic. You need to ponder and find the answer for yourself to gain true understanding. The answer might be closer than you think.”

Mauro’s words made Mira smile.

She leaned in, lightly wrapping her arms around mine and resting her head on my shoulder.

A faint scent of roses sharpened my focus.

“Oh my, the closest thing to him right now is me.”

Mauro let out a booming laugh at Mira’s remark.

He struck the table lightly and nodded.

“That may be true! Take good care of him, won’t you?”

“Fufu, I already am. He is my master for life, after all.”

“With such a fine lady by his side, this young man is truly blessed. Though, I’m not entirely convinced she’s just a ‘lady.’ Hohoho!”

“What are you saying? I’m just a delicate young woman.”

“Ahaha, ufufu.”

The two exchanged laughter, clearly enjoying each other’s company.

Watching them, I smiled wryly.

They certainly seemed to get along.

Or perhaps the opposite.

From then on, only light conversation filled the room.

Mauro offered no further advice.

As he had said, the rest was up to me.

I was already grateful for the guidance he had given me.

A reason to love.

Pondering that thought, I slowly made my way back to the tower.

***

Several days passed.

Just as I was lost in thought, Unit 0 approached me, brimming with excitement.

The puppet had completed its work and eagerly dragged me along.

It had been a month and a half since it locked itself in its workshop.

Standing before its creation, I stared in a daze.

There, in an enormous form—was me.