—Marshal—
This is the registration code bestowed upon him by the Walpurgis Royal Academy of Machinart.
He is the most outstanding prodigy since the establishment of the academy, hailed as a rare treasure capable of shattering all records to date. His top-ranking overall performance is merely what's displayed to the public; his proximity to the Wiseman is only because time hasn't permitted him to surpass the position yet.
The reason he received the title of "Marshal" as his registration code is also very simple.
It's because he is the student in the academy who possesses the most automatons. With his own strength, he can manipulate a squad of six, forming a one-man army. In terms of combat power, within this academy, hardly anyone dares to claim superiority over him.
So, he is called "Marshal" by others, solely because he can command a legion on his own, with no other reason.
His name is Magnus.
At least, that's his name for those who know him.
Due to the academy's meritocracy, as the top genius of the academy, he holds the rank of number 1. Magnus naturally enjoys the highest treatment, not only having a standalone room but also being granted a dedicated workshop.
The purpose of the workshop is, of course, to research automatons.
Magnus, a fourth-year student, is not only an automaton user but also an extremely talented puppet craftsman. That's why he was granted this workshop as a special exception.
In the workshop, there is not only a studio but also a study and a living room. It is filled with sofas, tables, and even a stove. On the shelves are neatly arranged various mechanical parts, materials, and books, exuding a mysterious atmosphere.
At this moment, Magnus is sitting on the sofa in the living room, holding a book in his hand.
He is wearing the academy's uniform, yet draped in a pitch-black coat. He stands tall like a youth, with a gentlemanly physique. His whole body emits a mysterious aura consistent with this workshop, making it clear at a glance that he is extraordinary.
However, Magnus wears a face mask that covers the upper half of his face, making it impossible to see his true appearance.
As for the surroundings of Magnus, there are traces of young girls everywhere.
They are young girls wearing pitch-black dresses adorned with frills and lace, exuding an aura of death and decadence. Their faces are covered with veils bearing Chinese characters, giving them a stunningly beautiful and somewhat shocking appearance.
There are a total of six girls. Two stand behind Magnus, one on each side, like loyal guards. Two are tidying up the room, playing and whispering to each other. The remaining two are patrolling by the window, constantly on guard, making it impossible to find any flaws in Magnus's surroundings.
In this situation, even if a bomb were thrown in here, Magnus's automatons would react in time, swiftly taking countermeasures.
Such guards are impossible to find even throughout the entire academy.
From this, it can be seen that Magnus, as the top talent of the academy, is indeed flawless.
To attack Magnus in such a situation?
That is an utterly impossible thing.
However, such guards are not unnecessary.
After all, Magnus's reputation precedes him, and who knows how many people are watching him.
Some hope to step on him to gain fame.
Some hope to eliminate the most troublesome enemy at the Night Party.
Some hope to obtain his precious automatons.
Some hope to uncover the powerful secrets that allow him to effortlessly control six automatons simultaneously.
From Magnus's position, there are almost countless reasons someone might attack him.
So, this level of vigilance is indeed necessary.
However, in the next moment, Magnus is destined to encounter an unprecedented attack.
"————!"
An incredibly sharp cry suddenly resounded without any warning, spreading through the sky above the entire academy as if it descended from the heavens.
"Master!"
"Master!"
When that sharp cry resounded, within the workshop, each of the girls reacted simultaneously. Without hesitation, they moved with the fastest speed, carrying the fragrance in the air like lingering shadows, and converged around Magnus.
Magnus immediately stopped what he was doing, looked up, and his eyes sharpened on the silver face mask.
At the same time, the entire academy was in commotion, and the clamor faintly reached Magnus's ears.
Amidst the clamor, there were even voices like this:
"What... what is that!?"
"An automaton!?"
"I've never heard of anyone having such automatons!"
"Look! It's going that way!"
"That... that's Magnus's workshop!"
Magnus heard conversations like these.
"Thud!"
In this situation, Magnus immediately closed the book in his hand, stood up, and moved towards the window.
"Master!"
"Danger!"
The girls all made such warnings one by one but couldn't stop Magnus's footsteps.
Magnus came directly to the bedside, looked up, and gazed outside.
In the next moment, Magnus saw it.
In the distant sky, a massive black shadow swept across the air and descended toward the direction of his workshop.
"Buzz!"
The six automatons that had arrived at the bedside of Magnus released their magic power simultaneously upon seeing this scene.
Evidently, upon seeing this, the six automatons were ready to attack and take down the intruding shadow.
However, Magnus raised his hand and stopped the girls' actions.
"Master?"
Among the girls, one of them spoke with confusion and doubt.
The veiled face bore the character "fire(火)," and she had long straight hair in a shade of pink.
This automaton was the one that had once battled Rozen in the fiery sea at the Akabane residence—Hotaru.
Magnus disregarded Hotaru's confusion and stared fixedly out the window.
Not long after, the black shadow finally arrived at the workshop, revealing its full form.
It was a gigantic eagle, large enough for a person to ride.
"That is...!?"
Hotaru recognized this eagle, and the rest of the girls did too, one after another.
Back then, in the fiery sea at the Akabane residence, a young man stood before the girls and commanded such a creature.
The eagle overlooked below, and a cold, fierce killing intent emanated from its sharp eyes.
Then, a voice resonated from the massive eagle.
"I, Rorelai Arneet, will pay you a visit soon. Please be a gracious host."
The voice, lazy and nonchalant, carried a playful tone as it emanated from the eagle.
This voice not only stirred Magnus's eyes but also caused subtle changes in the expressions of each girl.
Shortly after, the eagle transformed into pure magic like thick smoke and disappeared.
At the same time, many students, professors, and guards within the academy followed the sound and approached this place, making the clamor more pronounced.
"Master."
Led by Hotaru, the girls looked at Magnus in astonishment.
Under the gaze of all the girls, Magnus remained silent.
It wasn't until a while later that Magnus murmured.
"Has he finally come before me?"
Saying these words, Magnus turned around, separating from the girls, moving forward. As he left, he left behind these words.
"Everyone, make sure to adjust your state."
Magnus spoke indifferently.
"Prepare to welcome our guest."