Quest of Automata King

The Headmaster and the Teacher

“Good afternoon! Welcome to the Magusica’s Supplies Shop!” greet shopkeeper cheerfully. She is a Beastmen with cat ears and fluffy hand that resembling cat’s paw. When she looked at the visitor who turned out to be Mui, she held her breath for a second before back to her cheerful attitude.

“Ah! May I help you? Are there anything you need?” asked her. The Beastgirl seeing Mui walked straight forward, approaching her. She have heard about the rumored that one of the first years students are Devil, and he is being enrolled by headmaster himself.

Sheep horn is there, right on his head, while the rest of his body is covered with traveling coat, the one that students usually wear when they are on the mission outside of the school. She looked as he walked straight to the counter, seems oblivious with his surrounding.

Until finally, Mui hit the sounter table. The side is hitting his stomach, and he grunt for a second before coming back to his senses.

“Huh? Wha— Oh yeah! The shop!” he said suddenly, rubbing the part of where he hit his stomach.

“Uh...? Something I can help?” asked her, a little bit confused of what have just happened in front of her.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t watch where I’am going. Do you sell new uniform? Probably with extra large size?” asked Mui.

“We certainly do! Over here!” she lead Mui to the cabinet with uniforms that being hanged according to the size. He take one of the XL size, and went to the fitting room to checking his new uniform.

Not long after that, Mui gets out with new uniform, he hanged his cloak with one hand, and torned clothes at the other. The Beastgirl looking at him with curiosity

“I have heard about the new Devil student from among the students and the staff. They said that you’re a shortie, but that rumors turn out wrong eh?” she asked Mui suddenly. The boy lifted his face to the shopkeeper, noticed that she is seeing his old uniform that now is filled with torn and hole, because he moved around.

“Oh well, it’s kinda difficult to say this, but I did look a little shorter compared to how I look like now,” laughed Mui. “Oh, by the way, I also need a new sets of uniform with this size, the old ones probably will not fit anymore,” he gives a look at the torned clothers on his hand.

“Sure, but it will take around one week to prepare it. You fine with that?”

“Sure,” said Mui. Not long after that, the girl pass him the request form and hand over some money. The Beastgirl serve him just fine, in fact, it feels like this is the first time that Mui felt such a friendly gaze other than his roommates.

“It’s difficult to have your growth spur suddenly happened right? Suddenly you body goes bigger and changed, and your clothes won’t fit anymore,” laughed her. Mui smiled and also laugh as a sign of agreement. For now, he have to use that ‘growing spur’ story to explain how he suddenly turned from the skinny Devil to tall and buffed.

“How you’re doing in this school, it’s not easy isn’t it to gather around people that are far different than yourself?” asked her.

“Indeed, but not everyone is bad person here,” answers Mui with a smile. “My Roommates are pretty chill with me, sometimes, there are other good people too that stands up for me whenever I’m getting to trouble,” said Mui. The Beastgirl handed him the receipt with a smile. Mui received it and read the name of the shopkeeper.

“Aya Barstar?” asked him.

“Just call me Aya. Hey, you’re a first year student right?” Aya replied with another question, she put her hand on the counter, as her tail wiggling behind her.

“Yes?”

“Then this is a good time, here,” Aya hand him some paper written with attractive words.

“A coupon?” asked Mui, “For what?”

“Next week is new semester for you guys isn’t it? Usually, around this time, first years are allowed to go outside of the campus, to exploring the town. Town of Magusica selling many things to help the students, from simple stationary, until the bizzare ones like potion materials,” explain Aya.

“Of course there are entertainment establishment too. Whenever you’re in town, alone or with friends, just go to the ‘One Thousand Barrels!’ We serve food and beverages, sometimes the traveller bards are there too to sing!” she said.

“Thanks... But can I really take this?” Mui seems reluctant about receiving the coupon from her, especially with the sign fifty percent off for all foods that he ordered.

Aya laughed, “You’re such a worrywart! Of course! That is the main point of voucher, to promote your business isn’t it?” she looked at Mui who showing a glimpse of smile.

“The truth is, that tavern is owned by my father. And I think it will be a good idea to promote it to the students, since they eat a lot.”

Pushed by Aya’s words, Mui decide to put those vouchers to his pocket. “Thanks then, I’ll make sure to drop by,” he said.

“Just reminder! The booze are off limit for the students!” said Aya. Mui smiled and shove those papers into the pocket of his new uniform, and then go out of the shop after giving Aya another thanks.

***

Meanwhile, on the other side of the campus Chiro Ptera walked toward one of the hallway. Her expression is silent and serious, but her body languange still let out alluring aura. Once in a while, she passed through students who greet her.

“Good afternoon Ms. Chiro!” said the third and fourth year students one by one. Chiro didn’t answer them, instead, she just gives her smile and little nod as she passing them. She didn’t have time to make a small talks with the students.

Her direction is only one: the headmaster’s office.

“...Therefore, with the direction that we found regarding to Cyzon Crystal, we think that in the future, there will be much more interesting invention and inovation coming from this peculiar substance.”

Oliver is talking to the see-through layer that appeared from a device. Behind the screen, he see Chiro coming into his office and then standing at the side of the door, waiting for him to finish his current work.

He rolled his eyeball to one of his teacher, and then back to the screen. Over there, he is talking with three person. An elderly man who wears militaristic attributes, and another two man that wearing suit and slightly younger.

“Interesting, Headmaster,” said the elder after Oliver finished his explanation. “What comes to your mind regarding of those new innovations that you said?” asked him.

“The possibilities are limitless, Previously we have found that Cyzon is able to transit picture and sound to another crystal, this make us able to held this sort of meeting, which not required to present in the same place,” said Oliver.

“I quote this from my latest finding. ‘More than the ability to transmit and receive sound and picture, there are far more abilites that Cyzon could do. With the right amount of mana and magic method to control, we can unlock the natural mathematic ability hidden inside this jewel.”

There is a moment of silence between the three of them. As if they kind of not understand what Oliver is talking about.

“Um... Very well, Mr. Headmaster. We will waiting for more good news in the future.” Said the millitary old man. After that, the connection of that screen is cut off, and that see-through panel is gone, leaving Oliver and Chiro alone in this room.

“Yes Miss Chiro Ptera?” asked Oliver politely, just like how he did with his fellow Teachers.

“So? You have done it?” asked Chiro. Her words are simple and straight to the point. For a moment, there is silence between the two of them, until Oliver get up on his chair.

“’The Key,’ yes. I have given it to him,” said Oliver. Knowing her guess is right, Chiro let out a sigh, she held her right palm toward her forehead.

“To the brat that know nothing about it? What the hell are you expecting!?” shout her angrily. “I see him inside my class, he is not skinny and miserable like how the first time he appeared. His body is bigger, and I swear I heard the fabric of his old uniform ripped appart!”

Listening to that Oliver gaze to Chiro. “Wait, what happened? I don’t understand what are you talking about?”

“That Devil boy! Mui, coming into my class late. He wearing travelling coat on top of his body, and saying that suddenly his uniform is not fit with him this morning,” Told Chiro.

Oliver put his hand on his chin, and then walking to the window. There, he could see the part of Forbidden Forest.

“Sudden transformation, is that what you wanted to tell me?” asked Oliver. Chiro didn’t answer, she just let out another sigh and and wandering to the room to one of the cabinet.

Over there, she looking to the place where a certain key used to take place.

“I think you could say that. Sudden transformation, he appear different from what he usually looked, and today...” Chiro threw her eyes to Oliver. “I asked him to lining up the ingredient for the potion, and he looked... Different.”

“Is it looked like that he starring blankly as he doing the assignment?” asked Oliver. Chiro nodding.

“Yes, like... He is also looking at something else,” said Chiro.

Slowly, smile appeared on his face, then accompanied by giggle that makes Chiro lift one side of her eyebrow.

“Finally! I have looking for numerous people, hundred test subjects dies because of this! Who knows that the only compatible person for the Grimoire is a nameless brat from nowhere!?” said Oliver, his excitement mixed with laughter and annoyed.

At this time, Chiro is quiet, she knew very well that once Oliver showing this rotten side of him, his personality changed almost one hundred eighty degree.

“Then what?” asked her, “What do you want to do with him?” Her question is not demanding any explanation or his responsibilites, Chiro just asking, plainly.

Oliver turned to the forbidden forest again. “Now? We wait. He may received that power, but I don’t really know what he could do with that. And with those knowledge, and don’t know where he going to go next, he will come to me once again, the person that handing the key over to him.”

Chiro looked at Oliver’s back, who is still focused to the scenery outside of the window. She nod and then walk outside of the door.

“Just tell me if you’re going to do something again. Don’t leave me in the dark.”

And then, the door closed.