Chapter 6: Awakening

The entire academy was encircled by an imposing wall over eight meters high, with surveillance cameras placed every dozen meters or so. Around the clock, automated sentinel robots patrolled the perimeter.

The architectural style of the academy was strikingly varied. Apart from a few central buildings that gleamed with a futuristic metallic sheen, the rest resembled traditional pavilions and towers, connected by winding, secluded paths. Exotic flowers and ancient trees dotted the grounds, interspersed with ornamental rocks and artificial hills, all linked by water pavilions and corridors. An elegant and timeless atmosphere pervaded the entire setting.

Many young girls in short skirts and traditional garments wandered gracefully through this enchanting environment, each scene unfolding like a painting.

At the heart of the academy lay the medical wing.

Inside a sterile room with silver-white walls, bright ceiling lights illuminated every corner without casting a shadow. Against one wall stood three cylindrical tanks. Each tank was encased in glass rings with metallic tops and bottoms, seamlessly connected to the ceiling and floor.

Two of the tanks were empty, but the middle one was filled with a deep green liquid. Inside it floated a girl named Waka, her long black hair flowing behind her like a silken veil. Her large, black gem-like eyes were wide open, curiously taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.

She had been awake for some time now and realized she was submerged in this strange tank. Flexible metallic tendrils hovered around her, scanning her with probing lights. She wasn’t sure what their purpose was, but the areas they illuminated felt pleasantly warm against her skin.

Recalling fragments of her original body’s memories, she gradually understood her location.

“This must be the academy’s medical room. Am I undergoing treatment?” Waka wondered silently.

She soon realized that the liquid around her was extraordinary. Though she wore no breathing apparatus, she neither felt suffocated nor the sensation of breathing at all. The mystery baffled her.

Suddenly, a noise came from the side. Turning her head, she saw a woman in a white lab coat enter, holding a tablet. The woman wore black-rimmed glasses, appeared to be in her mid-twenties, petite, and exuded a calm demeanor.

“Oh, you’re awake earlier than expected,” the woman said as the automatic door slid shut behind her.

She approached Waka’s tank and admired the exquisite girl before her as if she were a living masterpiece. Standing just 1.49 meters tall, Waka was delicately proportioned without the slightest excess flesh. Her slender waist fit perfectly within a single palm, and her long, graceful legs were flawless.

Her youthful face was pale and tender, exquisitely crafted like a work of art that would stun anyone who saw her. Her eyebrows fluttered lightly, and her large, sparkling eyes could captivate with a single blink. A small, refined nose and faintly pink lips completed her delicate features. Her small, white hands covered her chest and lower body, as if harboring an unspoken embarrassment.

“Oh, you’re shy!” the woman, whose name was Suye Kin, realized. The little girl was bashful about being observed.

But then she muttered thoughtfully, “This girl has lived in the academy her whole life, never venturing outside. She shouldn’t feel shy… perhaps those five missing days exposed her to the outside world.”

Nodding to herself, Suye Kin tapped something on the transparent glass of the medical tank. The glass functioned like a touchscreen, displaying various information.

Inside, Waka couldn’t understand the data. She continued to cover herself, refusing to let the stranger see her.

She wanted to protest but found she couldn’t make a sound.

“…The rib fractures have fully healed, internal organ contusions have resolved, bruising cleared, and the skin wounds left no scars… all physiological indicators are normal,” Suye Kin said after reviewing the data. “You’re incredibly lucky. Considering the explosion site you were found at, you only sustained minor injuries.”

She then pressed a button to open the medical pod.

With a rush, the deep green liquid flowed out through pipes at the base, and the metallic tendrils retracted. The buoyant support vanished, and Waka awkwardly placed her feet on the cold metallic floor of the tank.

Still covering herself, her small jade-like feet turned inward slightly as she stood timidly, evoking a protective tenderness.

With a soft click, the curved glass door of the pod lifted open.

Cold air rushed in, causing Waka’s alabaster skin to shiver.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea overwhelmed her, and she vomited. A large glob of the deep green liquid spewed from her mouth and nose, unfortunately toward Suye Kin standing just outside the door.

Yet Suye Kin remained calm, not even flinching. Before the liquid could reach her, it evaporated into thin air without a trace.

This astonishing physical property left Waka stunned. She couldn’t help but ask, “What is this stuff?”

“This is regenerative fluid,” Suye Kin replied, observing Waka closely. She noticed the girl had become more human-like and was more convinced of her theory.

“What’s regenerative fluid?”

“It’s a precious medicine that repairs damaged cells, regulates cell metabolism, and slows cellular aging—working at the cellular level. In short, it’s very expensive,” Suye Kin casually explained.

“How expensive?”

“Five... oh, I almost forgot, you’ve grown up inside this academy and probably don’t understand money,” Suye Kin changed her approach. “That entire tank’s worth of regenerative fluid would equal the salary of an ordinary person working three lifetimes.”

“What?!” Waka gasped, her mouth wide open in shock. “That expensive?”

“Of course.”

“The academy really is wealthy,” Waka marveled.

“Don’t think the academy gives it to you for free. Every expense from your childhood onward is recorded on account and will need to be repaid,” Suye Kin said.

“What? That’s three lifetimes' salary! How am I supposed to pay that back?” Waka exclaimed, standing rooted in place.

Suye Kin gave her a half-smile. “Little Waka, you’ll definitely be able to repay it. Your value is far greater than a mere vial of regenerative fluid.”

“Really?” Waka asked.

“Absolutely. You’ll enjoy all the riches and splendors of the world. Regenerative fluid will probably only be good enough to wash your feet,” Suye Kin joked.

Waka was speechless, recognizing the woman was teasing her.

Enjoy all the world’s splendors—she was no princess.

“Go next door to clean up, change your clothes, then come with me to see the dean,” Suye Kin instructed.

“Okay,” Waka nodded and walked to a metal door nearby.

Inside, the ceiling sprayed warm water automatically. Metallic tendrils extended from the walls, scrubbing her gently with bathing cloths.

Waka thought about meeting the dean. From her original body’s memories, the dean was very strict, and all the girls in the academy feared her.

‘Hopefully, she won’t recognize me,’ Waka thought.

She had already absorbed all of her original body’s memories, but the urgency of last night had left no time to review them until now. Taking this moment during her bath, she skimmed through the memories.

She found her past dull and monotonous. From a hazy age of three, she had lived entirely within the academy, studying etiquette, languages, poetry, painting, singing, dancing, and more.

Every move and word had been rigorously controlled.

This had rendered her original self almost emotionless, like a wooden doll.

Merely recalling these memories weighed heavily on her.

‘No wonder the original me wanted to escape. Life in this academy isn’t human at all!’ Waka shuddered inwardly.

Three minutes later, Waka finished her bath and dried herself, feeling refreshed.

She donned a white dress handed to her by the metallic tendrils and stepped out.

Suye Kin led her out of the room.

They walked down a pristine, brightly lit metallic corridor.

“By the way, Sister Suye, besides finding me at the explosion site, did you discover anyone else?” Waka asked sweetly.

“No people, but many bodies,” Suye Kin replied.

“Was there the body of a young boy?” Waka pressed.

“Are you in love with him?” Suye Kin teased.

“No, just asking,” Waka said.

Suye Kin glanced at her and saw no trace of affection in her eyes, thinking she had overthought it.

“No matter what you had with that boy, it’s impossible now. You were the sole survivor at the port last night. Even bodies are incomplete for everyone else,” Suye Kin said.

“Oh,” Waka nodded and didn’t ask further.

‘Looks like my precious magical girl avatar was shattered in the blast too, but there’s still a faint connection. I should be able to repair it with my true spirit point.’

At that moment, they arrived before a large door.

As they approached, it opened automatically.

Waka took a deep breath and steeled herself before stepping inside.