Ren was tightly tied to one of the legs of Aoi's small living room table. The ropes were unnecessarily thick for a simple puppet, and the knot was so tight that he couldn't even move his plush arms.
"This is ridiculous," muttered Ren, struggling in vain to free himself. "Do you really think I'm going to try something perverted? I'm a puppet."
Aoi, standing in front of a mirror adjusting the bow on her school uniform, shot him an annoyed glare. "I don't care what you say. One thing is you talking and moving when I'm nearby, but I'm not taking any chances of you doing something weird while I'm sleeping or changing."
Ren sighed, resigned. "You've got a very vivid imagination, you know that?"
Aoi ignored him and finished putting on her uniform—a simple yet elegant outfit with a pleated skirt and a blazer bearing the emblem of Shirakuma Magic Academy. She looked at herself in the mirror one more time before grabbing her backpack and glancing at Ren.
"Well, I'm taking you with me today. Not because I want to, of course, but because if I don't, I won't stop thinking you'll try something weird while I'm gone."
Ren wanted to protest, but decided not to make things worse. Aoi untied him and stuffed him into her backpack, leaving only his head poking out.
---
Shirakuma Academy was an impressive sight, with towering spires reaching toward the sky and a magical atmosphere pulsing in every corner. Aoi walked down the hallways trying to go unnoticed, but the pink shine of her hair made her stand out among the other students.
Everything seemed fine until she reached the magical training class. It was a practical class where students were required to demonstrate their abilities through friendly duels. Aoi, who always avoided standing out, felt a knot in her stomach when she heard the name of her opponent: Hikari.
Hikari stepped into the center of the dueling field with confidence, holding an elegant magical staff adorned with sparkling gems. Her magic was well known for being powerful and flashy, and the way her friends cheered her on made it clear she wasn't planning to go easy.
Aoi, on the other hand, could barely keep it together. She took Ren out of her backpack and slipped him onto her hand, looking at the puppet with a mix of nerves and resignation. "Well, Ren, looks like we're going to have to work together if I want to get through this with some dignity."
Ren, feeling the magical connection once again upon being placed on her hand, let out a sigh. "Are we seriously doing this? Isn't there another way?"
"No," Aoi replied, shooting him a sharp glare. "Now shut up and cooperate."
The training field of Shirakuma Magic Academy was buzzing with energy. Students filled the area, eager to showcase their skills on the first day of class. The air was electric with anticipation, and between bursts of laughter and hushed whispers, one duel followed another.
Aoi stood at the edge of the field, clenching her fists nervously. Her heart pounded as she watched her opponent, Hikari, step confidently into the center, wearing her usual smug expression.
The ground was etched with runes designed to absorb and dissipate magical energy from the fights. Around the arena, students watched with interest, whispering among themselves as they waited for their turn.
Aoi swallowed hard, gripping Ren tightly in her backpack. Across from her, Hikari stood tall with her ornate magical staff, its crystals glinting blindingly in the sunlight.
Hikari smirked arrogantly, twirling her staff with enviable grace. "You're really going to fight me, Aoi? I don't want to be mean, but... what are you going to do with those little sparks of yours? And what's that?" —she pointed at the stuffed puppet— "Your last attempt at making friends?"
Some of the students nearby laughed. Aoi gritted her teeth, heat rising up her neck. But instead of responding, she took a deep breath and pulled Ren from her backpack, slipping him onto her hand as usual.
"We'll see," she murmured, more to herself than to Hikari.
The professor raised his hand. "Begin."
---
Hikari reacted instantly, spinning her staff in a fluid motion. A golden magic circle formed in the air, glowing brightly.
"Spear of Light!"
A bolt of golden energy shot straight toward Aoi at an incredible speed. The spectators held their breath.
Aoi barely had time to react. She clumsily moved her hand with Ren, generating a weak spark barrier that shattered instantly against Hikari's attack.
"Too slow!" Hikari taunted, lifting her staff again.
This time, dozens of tiny light projectiles materialized around her, floating like fireflies before launching in a swarm toward Aoi.
Aoi squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact.
But before the attacks could land—something changed.
---
"Leave it to me," said Ren, his voice firmer than usual.
A sudden warmth surged through Aoi's arm as her magic flowed into Ren. The puppet no longer felt like a lifeless plush. It moved with precision, almost as if it had a will of its own.
Then, four humanoid figures made of cloth materialized around Aoi. They were puppets—but not small or clumsy. They were tall, nearly human-sized, and their bodies shimmered with dancing shadows as if woven from pure magic.
"What the hell...?" Hikari murmured, taking a step back.
The puppets moved with eerie speed, gliding silently across the field. One extended its hand, and bluish sparks began to crackle at its fabric fingertips.
Then, without warning, it hurled a fire orb straight at Hikari.
The orb exploded mid-air, dispelling Hikari's light arrows. The blast kicked up a cloud of dust, and the shockwave forced her back several meters.
Gasps echoed across the field. No one had expected Aoi to do something like that.
Hikari scowled, her pride wounded. "Don't you dare humiliate me like this!"
---
She slammed her staff into the ground, causing her magic circle to flare brilliantly. The air pulsed with raw power.
"Celestial Radiance!"
A massive explosion of light engulfed the battlefield, temporarily blinding everyone. The surge of energy focused into a single point before erupting outward in a devastating shockwave.
But Ren had already acted.
The puppets raised their arms in unison. Their eyes—just simple button stitches—glowed a deep red as they wove a protective barrier of magical threads.
Hikari's attack hit with full force. The ground shook, the air grew heavy, and the light was blinding.
When the flare faded, Aoi was still standing. The barrier of woven magic threads had held.
"This can't be!" Hikari growled.
But Ren didn't give her a chance to recover.
The remaining puppets moved in formation. Two launched fireballs at Hikari's feet, forcing her to leap into the air. But another puppet was already waiting for her, arms extended.
"Hunter Puppet!"
The fabric figure ignited in flames and spun like a projectile, slamming directly into Hikari and sending her crashing to the ground.
The impact echoed through the training field.
When the dust cleared, Hikari was on her knees, her uniform singed, her staff shaking in her grip. Her face was frozen in shock.
The professor raised his hand. "The match is over. Aoi wins."
For a moment, silence reigned before murmurs swept through the crowd.
"Aoi won?"
"But Hikari's one of the top students!"
"How did she do that?"
---
"That wasn't normal!" Hikari shouted, forcing herself to her feet, her face red with fury and shame. She pointed at Ren.
"That thing is cursed! There's no other explanation!"
Aoi took a step back, feeling all eyes on her. "That's not true! Ren isn't cursed, I… I just used my magic."
The professor frowned and stepped forward, extending a hand. "Give me the puppet, Aoi."
Aoi bit her lip but had no choice. She handed Ren over. "Please… he's not a cursed object."
The professor closed his eyes and focused, searching for any trace of dark magic or malice. But he found nothing.
"There's no sign of dark energy in this puppet," he finally declared.
Hikari clenched her fists. "But—!"
"That's enough," the professor cut in sharply. "Don't make accusations without proof."
He handed Ren back to Aoi and gave her a small nod. "Be careful, Aoi. I don't want suspicious objects causing trouble in this academy. Understood?"
"Yes, professor," Aoi replied, bowing slightly.
As the crowd dispersed, Aoi looked down at Ren in her hand, frowning.
"What are you really…?"
But Ren, with his fixed plush expression, simply smiled in silence.
End of Chapter 7