"Um, I thought that was quite the taboo, especially with Deus Necros and all… Did I read wrong?" Ludwig asked, hesitantly glancing at Van Dijk. The thought of necromancy and manipulating death was still unsettling to him, and yet here he was, under the tutelage of one of the most fearsome necromancers in existence.
Van Dijk's expression shifted into a smile, but it wasn't one of warmth. "Indeed it is taboo, but that's not what I meant. To bring you back to life would be something only a fool would attempt, and I assure you, I am no fool," he said, his voice dripping with pride. He gestured dismissively toward Ludwig's skeletal form. "However, I can fake your presence. It's pointless for you to remain here in this state."
Ludwig frowned, genuinely confused. "How come?" he questioned, daring to push for more information.
Van Dijk's smile faded into a hard line. "I hate those who ask too many questions," he growled.
"I apologize, Master," Ludwig replied quickly, bowing his head slightly, his skeletal fingers clenching in anxiety. He had to remember his place; despite his increasing intelligence and freedom of thought, he was still under Van Dijk's control.
"Good," Van Dijk said, satisfied with Ludwig's submission. "Now, the reason I don't want you lingering in this tower is that you possess intelligence far greater than any other undead I've encountered. You reason and think, and your capacity for both seems to grow by leaps and bounds with each passing day. It's as though you're unlocking more of your potential with every second. You need to cultivate that potential, so I'll be sending you to the Black Tower Academy."
Ludwig's hollow eyes widened at this revelation. The idea of going out into the world, interacting with others, wasn't something he had even considered a possibility since his death. And yet, here was Van Dijk suggesting it. But the Black Tower Academy? He had read enough to know what it was: a place where the arcane was studied with unparalleled dedication, a center of magical learning. However, he couldn't ignore his appearance.
"I would guess that thing," Ludwig pointed at the jar still in Van Dijk's hand, "has something to do with all that?"
"Indeed," Van Dijk said, grinning. "Quite the smart lad, aren't we? You see, this is no ordinary jar. Inspect it, and you'll see for yourself."
Ludwig complied, focusing his mind on the jar as he muttered, "{Inspect}."
[Symbio-Slime]
Category: Consumable
Description: A slime created by an unknown mage. It is able to mimic the fleshly build of its carrier.
"I don't understand," Ludwig said, frowning again as he tried to process the information.
Van Dijk sighed, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "I guess you're not as smart as I thought. Do you think you can attend an academy looking like that?" He gestured toward Ludwig's skeletal body, waving his hand up and down. "No one's going to let a walking pile of bones attend lectures on elemental magic or alchemy."
Ludwig looked down at himself, his stark-white bones reflecting the dim light in the room. "I suppose a bony skeleton would be quite the sight…"
"Not just that," Van Dijk continued, his tone growing more serious. "Remember, necromancy is banned and forbidden in most circles, especially at the academy. This slime will allow you to appear human—or at least, like you once did."
Without further explanation, Van Dijk tossed the slime at Ludwig. The writhing, gelatinous creature immediately latched onto his bones, creeping into the crevices between his ribs, slithering up his spine, and binding itself to every inch of his skeletal frame. Ludwig tensed, his instinctual horror of the living mass crawling over his dead form making him freeze in place.
The sensation was unsettling, but soon it subsided, and when Ludwig glanced down at his hands, he gasped. Skin had appeared—his skin. His bones were now covered in flesh, pale but real, with nails, hair, and the appearance of veins. His face, reflected in a nearby mirror, looked exactly as it had before his death. It was a strange, hollow sensation though, as he couldn't truly feel any of it. It was a shell, external and false.
"Good, quite the handsome fellow we were," Van Dijk said, pleased with the result. "This slime will fool anyone around the Sixth Circle of magic. For those above that, they'll need to be incredibly scrutinous to realize something's off. Don't waste it—it's one of my precious tools."
Van Dijk flung a heavy coat over Ludwig's newly 'fleshed' shoulders. "You can't 'sense' yet, but cover up for now. I'll send those two fools—Sebas and Evan—to fetch you some proper clothes later."
"Thank you, Master," Ludwig replied. Despite his state of undeath, there was something oddly comforting about being clothed in flesh again, even if it was fake. Van Dijk had given him a tool he didn't need to offer, and Ludwig couldn't help but feel a small measure of gratitude.
"Now," Van Dijk continued, his tone turning instructional once again, "since you've finished reading the basic materials I provided, you'll need to further advance your studies. At the academy, you'll be paired with students around your age. I'll be sending you with a recommendation letter, and you'll be admitted as a transfer student. Study well, live like a human for now. I'm sure you still remember how to, deep down."
"I believe so," Ludwig replied, uncertain but willing to comply.
"Also, whenever you're done with classes for the day, come back to the tower to continue your advanced studies. Don't mingle too much with the other students—there's always the risk of exposing yourself. The Symbio-Slime isn't impervious to damage, and if it takes too much, it will begin sapping your mana to sustain its form. Don't make trouble for yourself," Van Dijk warned.
"I'll keep that in mind, Master Van Dijk," Ludwig said, bowing slightly. He felt odd, receiving so many warnings. The academy would likely be full of young mages, people his age—or at least, the age he had once been. Could he truly pass as one of them?
"Good. Now, look out that window," Van Dijk said, pointing through the narrow frame. Far in the distance, a small pyramid-shaped tower was barely visible beyond a sprawling hill. "That's the Black Tower Academy. You'll be spending the next few years there, amassing knowledge. What I have in this tower is far more advanced than what you'll find there, but without a basic understanding of magic, everything in my study is meaningless to you. Keep a low profile, but excel in your studies. Destroy your peers in academics, if possible. I don't want my only pupil to be a blundering fool."
[A New Quest Has Been Added!]
Difficulty : B+
Quest: Study at the Black Tower Academy
Description: You have been tasked with learning at the Black Tower Academy, where you'll have access to vast resources and knowledge. Advance your understanding of magic over the course of a minimum of three years.
Quest Rewards: Rewards scale based on your achievements at the academy.
Final Reward: Class Change to Skeleton Mage.
Do you wish to accept this quest?
Yes / No?
Ludwig considered declining for a brief moment. He could just leave once outside Van Dijk's tower, complete the Eternal Quest of escaping Van Dijk's control. He was desperate for freedom, after all.
But before he could make a decision, the system overrode his thoughts.
[Quest Automatically Accepted!]
Failure to comply with the quest will result in Death.
Failure to follow Bastos Van Dijk's instructions will result in Death.
Attempting to escape the Academy premises without permission will result in Death.
"Brother…" Ludwig muttered under his breath as he read the endless list of death-related consequences tied to the quest.
Van Dijk's sharp hearing didn't miss the muttered word, but he chose not to comment. Instead, he simply smirked. "Once your clothes arrive, you'll depart for the academy. Make sure to return here every night for additional study. I've placed some materials in this ring," he said, handing Ludwig a second storage ring. "Take a couple of books with you if you feel like torturing yourself with more reading, but no Necromancy, no Dark Magic, and absolutely no Curses at the academy. Even I can't save you if you're caught dabbling in those."
"Thank you, Master," Ludwig replied, accepting the ring.
"You've thanked me enough," Van Dijk said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Wait here until your clothes arrive, then leave for the academy as soon as possible."
With that, Van Dijk turned and left, once again leaving Ludwig alone with his thoughts.
The academy loomed in the distance, an entirely new chapter in Ludwig's strange existence, where survival would depend not on strength or combat, but on his ability to outwit his fellow students and conceal the truth of what he really was.