[Herta's POV]
Academy... I never thought I'd get the chance to attend one after living in this world for eight years. The last time I did was in my previous life, before I was pushed down a flight of stairs by bullies, which led to a painful death and my reincarnation into a new body.
Given this opportunity, I'm committed to learning from my past mistakes. I will avoid needless escalation, consider respect, and prioritize stable alliances.
That being said, a few weeks had passed since I received the academy's invitation letter, and the manor had been bustling with quiet anticipation. My parents didn't say much, but I could sense their pride each time their eyes lingered on me just a second too long.
This morning, however, my living dolls were notably meticulous as they dressed me in a dark blue blouse, a burgundy overdress, and a comfortable cloak, as if today were more important than I was willing to admit.
Knock... knock...
Suddenly, a knock interrupted the silence.
"Enter," I answered without turning.
Creak...
The door swung open, and Marlene entered before she bowed politely. "Milady, your parents are waiting for you at the front porch."
I know, give me a moment," I replied, turning to my dolls. "No. 17, No. 18, pick up the pace."
At my word, their hands moved like synchronized clockwork, swift yet precise. They adjusted the ribbon on my collar, fastened my belt, and pinned the beginner insignia to my blouse.
"Also, please remember what I told you last night, Milady," Marlene reminded calmly.
I glanced over my shoulder, slightly troubled by her notice. "I know."
Taking a last look at my reflection, the uniform is finally complete. The academy has provided it for free as promised.
I turned around and gave a short nod.
The dolls lined up behind me, their movements quiet but perfectly synchronized. Marlene, on the other hand, took her place beside the door, her hands folded neatly in front of her.
Together, we descended the staircase, each polished step echoing underfoot, softened only by the plush carpet running down the center.
At the base, near the edge of the grand hall, my parents stood waiting—my father in a sharp charcoal coat with silver trim, and my mother in a lavender gown with soft floral pattern.
Noticing my presence, both of them turned toward me with warm expressions.
"Oh my, you look absolutely charming, sweetie," Mother praised, her hands clasped near her waist, her eyes tenderly gazing at me.
Father chuckled proudly, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You've grown into such a refined yet adorable young lady. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the boys in the academy lose focus the moment you walk in."
"Albrecht!" Mother shot a sharp glance, her tone firm yet amused. "She's still a child. Don't go putting silly ideas in her head."
He raised his hands in mock surrender, a sheepish smile tugging his lips. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry. But can you blame me? Look at her—our daughter's so cute."
Hearing his absurd remark, I couldn't help but roll my eyes in annoyance. Such a compliment was never said until occasions like this.
If only they knew I wore this for functionality, not fashion.
clop... clop...
Suddenly, the faint sound of hooves clopping can be heard outside.
We all turned to notice a horse carriage pull up just beyond our front gate. Marlene promptly strode toward the entrance and opened it, letting the vehicle enter our yard. The coachman hopped down and opened the door with a practiced gesture.
Three familiar figures stepped down.
The first to emerge was Mr. Bellum, adjusting his collar with precise motion. Followed behind was Mr. Benjamin, his optimistic smile already lighting up his face as he stepped out. The last one was Miss Patavia, her green hair tidy today, holding something wrapped in a soft bundle.
Father, seeing those three coming, stepped forward to greet them. "Welcome, all of you. I'm glad you could make it."
"It's good to see you all," Mother added. "How have you been?"
"We're all doing fine, Madam Theresia," said Mr. Bellum, nodding politely.
Mr. Benjamin grinned, both hands on his hips. "Hello there, little missy. Long time no see."
"It's been a while, Sir," I responded, tilting my head curiously. "So, what have you been up to for the past three years?"
He beamed even wider, puffing his chest a little. "Oh, a lot has happened! First, Patavia and I got married two years ago, and a year after that, she got pregnant, and now, we have a child of our own."
I raised my eyebrows in intrigue and turned to my parents, who were visibly surprised by the unexpected revelation.
"Wait, you two are married?!" Father exclaimed. "Not only that, you two had a child?"
"We are," Miss Patavia confirmed with a gentle smile. "And yes, we have a son."
Curious, I walked towards her. "May I have a look?"
"Sure," she agreed, crouching slightly while lifting the edge of the cloth.
As I took a glimpse at the soft bundle, I saw a few-month-old baby. His hair was a soft shade of blue, and his eyes were barely open beneath pale lashes.
He could have been weirder than expected.
Narrowing my gaze, I asked, "What is his name?"
"Stephen Sommerville Lloyd, " Miss Patavia answered.
I nodded, acknowledging his name. "I see..."
After that, I turned to my parents and gave them a nod, letting them know I was prepared to leave the house. My mother picked up on my gesture and glanced at our caretaker.
"Marlene, keep everything in order while we're gone," she instructed. "Notify us if something gets out of hand."
"Don't worry, Madam," Marlene reassured. "I'll maintain the manor's peace."
While they were busy chatting, I walked inside and noticed my dolls, waiting for my orders.
"Maintain perimeter surveillance," I commanded. "Make sure no one, other than Marlene, can enter the manor without her approval. Understood?"
"Understood," the dolls responded in perfect unison, their porcelain faces indistinct.
Once the security measures were in place, I returned outside the manor and found everyone was waiting for me.
"Hop in," Father declared, gesturing to the carriage.
Without a word, I approached the vehicle and climbed inside.
---------------------------------------------------
During the journey, I listened to the conversation among the grown-ups as we made our way to the academy. The gentle rocking of the carriage and the rhythmic clatter of hooves faded into the background as Mr. Benjamin shared more details of his life with Miss Patavia.
He talked about the time they held a private wedding between just the two of them, and how they lived under the same roof afterwards.
"And so, when Stephen was born, this healthy little ball of cuteness cried for a whole minute straight before Patavia had to kiss his forehead to settle him down. I swear, that boy's lungs scared the midwife to death."
As he recounted the memory, Miss Patavia chuckled while cradling the baby in her arms.
"You've told this story twice already," Mr. Bellum interjected, glancing out the window.
Mr. Benjamin leaned back and grinned at him. "True, but Albrecht and the little missy haven't heard it yet. Besides, it was a good one."
"Fair enough," Mr. Bellum responded, letting out a faint sigh.
Hearing his reaction, I couldn't help but notice the subtle shift in his tone. It wasn't reluctance—more like serene curiosity. I wonder if he genuinely agreed with Mr. Benjamin or if he chose not to argue with him. Not that it matters, but it intrigued me nonetheless.
Just then, Mr. Benjamin turned to my father and me, beaming colorfully. "So, what about you two? What have you been up to these past three years?"
Father rested his hand on my shoulder as he answered, "Well, Herta and I, along with Bellum, have been working on a device that safely detects spiritron particles and initiates elemental summoning without any issues. It's based on the recent Spark Model Hypothesis research."
"Developing a device without me?" Mr. Benjamin raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. "Now I felt left out and mildly betrayed."
"Oh, come now, Benjamin," said Miss Patavia, giving his arm a gentle pat. "You've been busy being a proud father to Stephen, so let the others invent something on their own for now."
"I know, it's just a joke," he admitted with a grin, prompting his wife to hit him playfully on the shoulder. After that, he turned to me and asked, "How about you, little Missy? Have anything interesting to share?"
Hearing his question, I hesitated. The thought of my living dolls flickered in my mind—they're certainly interesting, perhaps too interesting. But then, I remembered what Marlene had told me last night: "Keep your constructs hidden for now. The world isn't ready to know just yet."
I understood what she meant. Still... if it's just among close peers, it would be fine, right?
Steeling myself, I began with a warning. "I do have one, but promise everyone in this carriage you won't tell anyone else about this, okay?"
"Okay..." he replied, clearly confused, exchanging glances with Miss Patavia, Mr. Bellum, and my parents, who shared equally puzzled looks. "Is this something completely confidential?"
"Not exactly, the world wasn't ready to know it yet," I quoted before telling the truth. "For you see, I have created a bunch of living dolls modeled after myself."
Mr. Benjamin blinked, caught off guard. "Living dolls, huh? How did you make something like that? Magic? Craftsmanship? or both?"
"She used both," my father interjected. "We helped her create the dolls, then she summoned elementals and used the constructs as vessels."
After the explanation, Mr. Benjamin fell into silence, digesting the information. I could see the gears turning behind his eyes, curiosity battling with disbelief. Was he impressed? Nervous? Jealous? It was hard to tell—until he furrowed his brow and leaned back, his arms folded.
"This sounds familiar," he mumbled before glancing at the gentleman. "Hey, Bellum, what was your personal project again?"
"Personal project?" I repeated, curious.
Mr. Bellum frowned at Mr. Benjamin as if he had just snitched him. "I told him not to say it out loud, but yes, I do have a project of my own, and it is comparable to Miss Herta's dolls."
"Oh? You also summon elementals and put them into vessels, Mr. Bellum?" I pressed onward.
"Not at all," he replied, shaking his head. "Instead of binding elementals to vessels, I aimed to create synthetic life from scratch. No magic summoning. Just pure engineering—intelligence built from the ground up."
I narrowed my eyes slightly when I heard synthetic life. Is he inching towards the concept of artificial intelligence? The idea was thrilling because someone else had thought something I hadn't yet considered. But it was dangerous too. Just how far had he gotten?
Before I could ask him about it, I noticed the carriage had arrived at the academy. Its exterior was surrounded by massive brick walls with towers at each corner.
As our vehicle approached the location, we saw a large crowd of children in uniforms walking along with their parents towards the front gate.
"Alright, we've arrived," Mr. Benjamin announced as he gestured to the coachman, prompting him to dismount and open the door for us.
One by one, we exited the carriage, except for Mr. Benjamin and Miss Patavia, who remained seated inside.
"Why aren't you two coming out?" I asked in confusion.
Mr. Benjamin smiled at me and explained, "Well, we have other business to attend to."
"Thanks for your company, everyone," said Miss Patavia, waving her hand while showing her child with her other hand. "Have fun at the academy."
We all waved in return as the coachman closed the door and returned to the front, pulling the carriage away. Once they're gone, I turned to my parents, wanting to move forward, but then realized Mr. Bellum was also here.
"Why didn't you leave with them, Sir Bellum?" my mother asked, also noticing his presence.
The gentleman adjusted his hat and explained himself. "I have taken up a temporary teaching post in this academy."
"Oh? What subject are you teaching?" she asked, looking mildly impressed.
"Magical Engineering and Applied Enchantology," Mr. Bellum replied. "Specifically on theories and design."
Hearing that, Mother gave a reflective sigh. "Makes me wish I'd applied too. Oh well, I will try again another time."
Later on, we walked through the front gate, past a line of guards, and into the bustling crowd of students and guardians.
---------------------------------------------------
Upon entering the academy grounds, we were greeted by the sight of a luxurious three-story structure, its white facade gleaming under the sun. A pair of banners flanked the entrance of the building, fluttering gently in the wind like silent heralds of tradition and prestige.
Just as we were about to head inside, Father slowed down and paused momentarily.
Turning towards him, I asked, "Why did you stop, Papa?"
"Something wrong, honey?" Mother added, her tone tinged with concern.
Mr. Bellum observed his line of sight, puzzled. "Where are you looking at, Albrecht?"
"Over there," Father responded, pointing in a certain direction.
We all followed his finger and spotted a familiar black-haired woman in a white oriental dress, standing to the side, engaged in conversation with someone.
"Was that Ruan Ling?" Mother pondered, her brows furrowed slightly in recognition.
"It seemed so, Mama," I verified, identifying her appearance with my unique skill. "We should check who she was talking to."
As we approached the woman, more of her companion was revealed—a young girl clothed in the same academy uniform I wore. However, what shocked us next was the striking similarity between the two, as if the girl were a younger version of the woman herself.
"Ruan Ling, I didn't know you were escorting a child," Father remarked lightly. "Was she your close relative's daughter?"
"Hmph, how foolish," the woman sneered, folding her arms with an air of annoyance. "Do you take me for someone who'd babysit other people's children? This one is mine."
Mr. Bellum tilted his head, confused yet intrigued. "I would assume you gave birth to this little one with a husband of your own."
"I don't need a man to create this fine specimen," she replied nonchalantly, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.
Mother stepped forward, concern edging her voice. "Ruan Ling, don't tell me you…"
"Yes, I did it by my own two hands," the woman confirmed. "And with biological engineering, of course."
Biological engineering? So, she synthesized her own daughter without a partner? That would explain the uncanny resemblance—but it also raised more questions than answers. Just what kind of experiments was she conducting behind closed doors?
This is getting interesting.
Determined to unravel this mystery, I approached the girl and introduced myself.
"My name is Herta Wissenschaft. What's yours?"
"...."
She didn't answer my question. Instead, her eyes scanned me silently, narrowing in suspicion —no, evaluation.
"Hmph."
Without saying a word, she huffed through her nose, turned on her heel, and walked away as if I weren't worth acknowledging.
"Well, that was rude," I muttered under my breath, unimpressed.
I glanced at Miss Ruan Ling and caught her glaring at me, her gaze steeped in contempt, as if she was cursing my entire existence.
"Let's see how much of a genius you are against my daughter. Hmph."
Then, just like her daughter, she huffed defiantly, revolved around, and strutted away with a purposeful stride.
"Well, the mother was just as rude," Father muttered the same remark, also unimpressed.
I turned to meet his gaze, and we both broke into a quiet laugh, letting the tension slip away.
Looking to my left, Mr. Bellum stood still, his fingers curled beneath his chin, lost in thought—likely contemplating the implications of biological engineering to his project.
Glancing to my right, Mother's eyes remained fixed on the entrance, concern flickering subtly across her face. Whether it was because of Miss Ruan Ling or the girl caught her attention, I simply don't care about them anymore. Their rudeness displeased me.
"Look, there they are!"
All of a sudden, a loud commotion erupted near the front gate, and all heads shifted toward the noise. The crowd parted ways as two lines of fully armored knights marched forward in perfect formation.
We moved along the gathering of bystanders and spotted the reason for the disruption—two noble-looking children in custom-made academy uniforms flanked by the knights. One was a pink-haired girl with lively blue eyes, and the other was a blonde boy with striking red eyes.
"Who are they?" I muttered, intrigued by their presence.
"They are the prince and princess of Nasca," Mr. Bellum answered calmly. "Their names were Rudra Nasca and Lucia Nasca, respectively."
Satisfied with that answer, I kept my eyes on the two children as they made their way toward the academy building. The blonde boy, Rudra, kept his gaze forward, confident and calm. But then the pink-haired girl, Lucia, paused mid-step and turned her head in my direction.
She didn't do anything else—just a fleeting glance. Eventually, a faint smile tugged at her lips before she quickly turned back and continued walking without a word.
Was that a flicker of recognition? Curiosity? Or merely a coincidence?
Whatever it is, I'd find out soon enough.
Glancing at my companions, I gave them a subtle cue.
"Mama, Papa, Mr. Bellum, shall we?"
They all nodded and accompanied me into the building's entrance, where the next chapter of my new life starts. Though challenges will be waiting for me beyond those doors, I'm ready to face them head-on.