Chapter 112: The Dragon’s Secret and the Forbidden Creation

Professor Irien was a dragon.

Since she had admitted it herself, it must be true.

It had been a month since she revealed her identity to me.

Over that time, another treasure of knowledge had been shared through her lectures.

The idea that Professor Irien was a dragon still didn’t feel real.

Others probably wouldn’t believe it easily either.

The secret she carried was that shocking—and astonishing.

But as she had said, nothing had changed in the tower.

Only Mira and I knew her secret.

There was no reason for me to tell anyone else.

The number of people aware of this secret was surely very small.

Suddenly, Professor Heisen came to mind—along with the warnings he had given me.

Though his words remained hazy in my memory, they were still there.

He had told me to engrave Professor Irien’s grace upon my soul and to devote myself to her completely.

That even if it cost me my life, I should live only for her.

At the time, I didn’t understand why he was telling me this.

But now, I did.

It wasn’t just a warning—it was advice.

After all, the opportunity to stand beside a superior being like a dragon was rare.

Professor Heisen must have known about her identity as well.

Gratitude toward him welled up inside me.

Thinking back, I had received a great deal of help from him.

Someday, I would have to repay that kindness.

‘But how had he discovered her secret? Had he also received her aid? That, I did not know. And perhaps, it wasn’t something I needed to know.’

‘For now, all I had to do was follow Professor Heisen’s advice and serve her with all my heart.’

With that thought, I looked at Professor Irien and steadied my resolve.

She was gazing blankly out the window.

Beyond the wide glass pane, the sun hung high in the center of the sky, radiating its brilliant light and magic in all directions.

The sunlight bathed her in a dazzling glow, almost like a halo.

Seeing that, I nodded to myself.

She carried an air of dignity truly befitting a dragon.

As I observed her, I quietly tidied the table.

I wondered if she had enjoyed today’s meal.

Seeing the empty dishes, I smiled lightly.

As I picked them up, a cool chill ran up my fingers.

These plates had been crafted solely for today’s dish.

For this meal, I had prepared yukhoe made from a frost serpent.

To enhance its texture, I had shaved thin layers of ice to create the dish’s plate, carving patterns into it so the cold would linger.

It seemed my efforts had not been in vain.

She had emptied several plates, savoring the flavors.

That meant it was time to serve dessert.

I gently placed a teacup in front of her.

Pouring the tea, I set a small pudding on top.

It had been crafted from the magic extracted from the frost serpent and processed at a low temperature.

As the pudding unraveled like a serpent, it slithered through the teacup, releasing a strong fragrance and a chill that spread beyond the cup.

Professor Irien’s gaze naturally followed the movement.

Watching her, I smiled.

As she had said, nothing in the tower had changed.

But there was one thing that had.

My own heart.

She and I both knew that the pull between us originally stemmed from the magic of treasure.

But what now filled my heart was a natural, unwavering devotion toward her.

Looking back, she had given me everything.

Thanks to her, I had entered the university, climbed the ranks, and even gained the position of storekeeper.

For a wandering mage, these were more than I deserved.

From the very first time I met her, I had felt something growing—an admiration that steadily took root.

Yes. From the start, I had known she was different from other mages.

I nodded to myself.

And so, I had to express my gratitude through my actions.

I kept my eyes sharp, carefully observing her every movement, making sure she was never uncomfortable.

Professor Irien quietly lifted the teacup and took a sip.

A small smile appeared on her lips.

Her feet lightly tapped against the floor.

She seemed pleased with the tea.

For a dragon, it was an unexpectedly adorable gesture.

I tried to imagine her true form.

I had never seen it, but it must be as vast as this tower.

That enormous being was contained within her current body.

Of course, from the outside, she only looked like a petite young girl.

Her form was indistinguishable from that of a human.

That was why I couldn’t tell what her real body looked like.

I had once considered whether this was merely an avatar, with her true form existing elsewhere.

But I soon realized that wasn’t the case.

After learning she was a dragon, I had collected various traces from her—saliva, strands of hair, anything I could find.

‘How could I pass up the chance to obtain the remains of a dragon?’

But her body was just like that of an ordinary human.

There was nothing foreign, no sign of wood-like texture or unnatural elements.

Her body was wholly her own.

She had, in a sense, undergone a complete transformation.

It was incredible.

To alter the very nature of a dragon into that of a human—it was no different from shapeshifting.

Truly worthy of a dragon.

‘How could I not follow her?’

‘And if I followed her, there would surely be benefits to reap.’

Professor Irien paused in her tea-drinking and glanced at me.

She let out a small sigh.

Setting down her teacup, she rested her chin on her hand, a slight frown forming.

There was a trace of annoyance in her eyes.

“I keep telling you, stop staring at me like that.”

I placed a hand over my chest and bowed my head.

A deep sense of guilt washed over me.

‘How could this be? I didn’t even realize I was staring at her so intently.’

“I apologize. Just looking at you makes me happy, and I lost myself for a moment.”

“…I made sure your mind was functioning properly, so why are you like this?”

Professor Irien let out a heavier sigh.

Shaking her head slightly, she lifted the teacup again.

I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling the golden magic that pulsed faintly within.

A fine, intricate web of power was interwoven there.

A seal she had personally placed upon me.

When the magic of treasure had begun corrupting my mind, making me blindly worship her, she had grown irritated and left this mark on me.

The spell blocked the magic from seeping into my thoughts.

Thanks to it, I now had a clearer mind than before.

The pull toward her was no longer overwhelming.

This, too, was a kind of fortune.

The golden net and the key it formed had become a barrier, shielding my mind.

And that gift had come from her.

Which was precisely why I followed her even more.

‘How could I not, when she had even bestowed upon me such a rare and precious spell?’

“Speaking of hair, allow me to tidy yours a little, Professor. You can relax as always today.”

I smiled brightly as I spoke.

Professor Irien shot me a disapproving look.

“Lately, you’ve been acting far too casual with me.”

A faint ripple of magic flickered around her.

There was a trace of suspicion in it.

I hurriedly bowed my head.

“What do you mean? I only respect and follow you with all my heart.”

“…Something’s off. This feels strange.”

Professor Irien murmured, fiddling with her teacup.

But even as she said that, she naturally leaned back into her chair.

This was the result of the time I had spent diligently attending to her.

Quietly, I stepped closer to her.

“Then, if you’ll excuse me for a moment.”

Taking out a comb from my pocket, I gently ran it through her hair.

She glanced at it briefly before closing her eyes.

With care, I smoothed out her golden locks.

A silky radiance flowed through my fingers like fine threads of light.

I continued combing with reverence, letting the magic in the brush enhance her hair’s luster.

She relaxed under my touch.

Today, I planned to braid it.

A refined, elegant style that would suit her well.

And so, I carefully tended to her hair.

And within that flow of magic, I gently ran my fingers through the professor’s hair.

The magic that stemmed from that touch softly coursed through her body.

Along with it, a soft, low hum escaped from beyond her throat.

It was like the satisfied purring of a cat.

With that, the two of us worked in perfect harmony, delicately adjusting her.

As we did, the exhaustion lingering in her body and magic melted away.

The doubt that had clouded her face faded along with it.

Instead, a deeply satisfied expression took its place.

That was a relief—it meant that our service had pleased her.

But my work was not yet finished.

Moving with even greater care, I used various spells to massage her body gently.

And before I knew it, some time had passed.

The professor let out a faint snore.

It seemed she had fallen asleep.

That also meant that today’s session with the professor had come to an end.

I gave a small nod to the butler and slowly left the room.

The rest would be up to him.

The moment I stepped out of the professor’s chambers, a smile naturally spread across my lips.

Of course, it did.

Today’s harvest had been quite bountiful.

Lightly patting the things I held in my arms, I descended the stairs.

My destination was the fourth floor—the workshop.

***

As soon as I stepped into the workshop, the first thing to catch my eye was a massive cylinder at its center.

Just seeing it made my heart flutter with excitement.

Inside the glass cylinder, a grayish liquid was filled halfway up.

It was the magic-infused liquid I had painstakingly crafted over the past month, pouring nearly all the magic I had at my disposal into it.

I quietly checked the liquid level.

It had decreased considerably since I last left.

That meant that what was inside had absorbed a lot of it.

I would need to replenish it soon.

At that moment, someone gently wrapped their arms around mine.

Before I could turn my head, a deep rose fragrance reached me first.

Just from the scent alone, I knew who it was.

“Fufu, you’re back. How was your day?”

I tilted my head slightly to look down at Mira.

She met my gaze with a small smile.

I gave a slight nod in response.

“I feel like I got a little closer to the professor today. Thanks to you, Mira. And I made a good harvest as well.”

Saying so, I pulled out a small bundle from my chest and carefully unwrapped it to show her.

Inside, golden threads shimmered—it was strands of the professor’s hair.

Alongside it, the bundle contained other things, like some recently trimmed fingernails.

All of it had come from the professor.

Looking down at it, I smiled in satisfaction.

“You brought more….”

Mira clicked her tongue lightly and leaned her head against me.

Together, we walked toward the cylinder.

Carefully, I unwrapped the bundle before the magic circle inscribed in front of it.

After a brief moment, magic emanated from the circle, reaching out toward the bundle.

The energy cradled its contents, making them vibrate gently.

Within that vibration, the materials disintegrated into fine dust, sinking into the cylinder.

The magic-infused liquid rippled in response.

Within the murky currents, a small mass could be seen, its form slowly growing as the dust adhered to it.

That would become the result of my latest project.

No one would be able to deny its significance.

The thought brought a small smile to my lips.

Mira gave my shoulder a light pat.

“Of course, I won’t say anything, but if Irien finds out about this, she’ll be really shocked, you know? She might even get seriously mad.”

Mira’s words made me quickly cover her mouth with my hand.

I glanced around, just in case.

Even though the workshop was shielded with security magic, if the professor put her mind to it, she could easily bypass it.

After all, the tower itself was her domain.

I checked the flow of magic surrounding the workshop.

Everything seemed normal.

That meant the professor wasn’t watching this place right now.

That must have been why Mira dared to bring it up.

I also inspected the magic around the cylinder itself.

Unless the professor examined it very closely, she wouldn’t be able to detect what was hidden inside.

The layers of magic-infused liquid effectively concealed everything.

Clearing my throat lightly, I let out a small sigh of relief.

Mira wasn’t wrong.

‘If the professor found out what I was creating, she’d undoubtedly breathe fire in rage. She might even rip my soul out for the first time in a while.’

I turned my gaze back to the massive cylinder before me.

Inside, the small mass continued to drink in magic.

It was, in a way, a replica created by gathering the professor’s traces.

I had asked the professor about transformation magic a few times before.

Since that process was precisely what I aimed to pursue in my project.

But the professor had told me that it was something imprinted upon the body.

That was why she couldn’t teach me how to do it.

That answer had sent a spark through my mind.

‘If transformation magic was something ingrained in the body—then why not create another body?’

And then place a doll inside it.

That was the thought that had led me to create this.

It was a similar method to the one I had used when crafting the doll that resembled Mira.

“But no matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem to align with the project’s original goal.”

Mira commented, glancing at me.

I shot her a brief look in return.

I was somewhat aware of it myself.

‘Stealing a dragon’s method? That definitely wasn’t what the professors had in mind when they gave the assignment.’

“Well… as long as I succeed, that’s all that matters, isn’t it?”

I scratched my cheek.

Hmm… even I had to admit, I might have taken things a bit too far.

But I was a mage.

The desire to know was something that naturally drove me forward.

Besides, this wasn’t truly a living body.

It would be more accurate to call it a kind of flesh puppet. It lacked the necessary components to be considered a real human body.

And even if it were completed, it wouldn’t compare to the professor, who was a dragon.

In fact, it wouldn’t even be stronger than the human form she currently inhabited.

It would be nothing more than a shell.

But that was precisely what I wanted.

I watched the small mass steadily grow in size, my eyes gleaming.

“I can’t help but worry about Irien,” Mira murmured as she leaned her head against my chest.

“Though, I suppose it’s not me who’s going to get scolded. And since you don’t seem like you’ll stop, I think I’ll just sit back and enjoy the show.”

‘Scolded? There’s no way that’ll happen. As long as I finish the doll before the professor notices, everything will be fine.

As long as I don’t get caught.

As long as I don’t get caught…’

Suppressing an ominous feeling, I repeated those words to myself.

***

Another month passed, and the day of Professor On’s lecture arrived.

Standing at the podium, I glanced at the other students.

Their eyes gleamed with anticipation.

“Now then, show me your doll.”

Professor On’s voice carried a distinct boredom.

I bowed slightly, then carefully took hold of the sleeping figure in my arms.

“Here it is.”

Slowly, I opened my palm.

There, lying on it, was a tiny girl no bigger than my finger.

Feeling the light, she rubbed her eyes and let out a small yawn.

I sent a thought toward her, and in response, she raised both arms and opened her mouth.

A tiny bleat escaped.

“Meh.”

On her back, a small shell was attached.