Cornflower Witch

Chapter 384 The Triple Greatness of the 'Puppet School'
The ultimate goal of synesthesia? Silti pondered this question deeply.

The other party wouldn't ask this question without any basis. According to the professor's pre-existing concepts and framework, synesthesia is also meant to help individuals transcend the constraints of life and gain greater freedom.

Following this line of thought and imagination, if she could see what the doll saw, and the doll could react in various ways according to her thoughts, then the doll would be a part of her. This would mean that she would no longer be limited to a single body and identity, but could gain more life experiences and accomplish more things she wanted to do.

“Based on what you said before, I guess the ultimate form of synesthesia you mentioned should be that the master possesses multiple identities in one body at the same time, feeling and acting simultaneously, greatly expanding the limitations of life,” Hiltiya replied.

Upon hearing this answer, the other person's eyes flickered slightly, and then the door to the room where the two were located was pushed open, and another Professor 'Fukalen' walked in.

“That’s right, it seems you weren’t distracted just now, you really listened to what I was saying.” Professor Fukalian walked in and sat down with the person from the previous room, but this was not the end.

The cabinet in the room opened by itself, and the third Professor 'Fukalen' emerged from it, tidied her clothes and hair, and came to stand in front of Hilti.

Three identical Professor Fukalian sat on the sofa opposite Hilti, each doing something different: some were combing their hair in front of a mirror, some were pouring tea, and some were taking out paper and pen and quickly sketching and writing on it.

Soon, three cups of hot tea were placed on the tea table. The three of them picked them up at the same time, drank a little, and then tilted their heads slightly to smile at the girl.

"How do you feel seeing the three of us?"

Hilti opened her eyes slightly, a faint light flickering within them, as she analyzed the three Professors Fukalian before her, trying to find differences.

"It's very unexpected..." she suppressed her surprise.

Is this some kind of secret technique?

“That’s right, this is the ‘Dream Substitute’, the ultimate use of the ‘Sympathy’ I just told you about.”

"Of course, its purpose is not just to bluff people." After saying that, the three put down their teacups and stood up. One of them made a grasping motion in the air with both hands, and a long sword fell into his palms and he brandished it. The middle one slightly opened his hands in front of him, and a virtual spellbook appeared out of thin air. The last one raised his finger, and three fireballs of different colors appeared and spun around him.

"Three people, using three different special skills, dealing with three different scenarios, and solving three problems and troubles—this is the triple greatness of the 'Puppet School'."

"Hedra, would you like to learn?" the professor with short chestnut hair asked with a smile.

"I……"

Hilti suddenly realized that refusing an invitation was so difficult. She had come to the Mage Alliance with a mission, but now she seemed to be facing her greatest challenge. It was as if a little voice in her mind was telling her to accept the invitation and complete the mission. She didn't necessarily have to go to the 'Mithril Clock' school. If she missed this opportunity, she might never have another one.

Shaking her head to banish the seductive voice, Hiltiya took a deep breath to calm herself down.

Wow, this professor is amazing! Without any enthusiastic words or promises, she simply presented that beautiful ideal vision and the vaguely visible magical path, which attracted people and made them deeply fascinated. If she had woken up in this life, not in the Woodland Alliance, but in the Mage Alliance, she would probably have been immersed in it long ago.

“I’m afraid I can’t learn it.” Hilti closed her eyes, then opened them and answered honestly.

"Oh, why is that?" The other person didn't get angry immediately, but instead asked for the reason.

"Because my elders at home want me to join the top school in the league, only in this way can I fulfill my long-cherished wish." She chose to tell part of the truth.

"Can't this be changed?" The three people on the other side pondered, each with a different posture.

"Probably not." Hiltiya shook her head, feeling that she was being too greedy.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you." The other party was a professor from the academy who came specifically to guide her. He must hope that she would join. She wasn't stupid; of course she could see through such enthusiasm.

"Sigh, it seems there's no other way." Seeing this, the other party could only sigh.

“However,” the three of them turned around and walked over from the sofa again, “you really are a simple child. It’s rare to see such an honest student as you.” Fukalian’s eyelids were slightly closed, and her fingers were gently waving in front of her eyes.

"Although I can't teach you the secret technique of 'Dream Substitute,' I will still teach you the technique of 'Sympathy.'"

"Study hard, Hedra. Although this is a widely used secret technique, very few people can truly master it."

Professor Fukalian then explained to Hiltiya in detail the theory, effects, principles, and various methods of application of this secret technique.

"...For example, if you attach synesthesia to your bird, it can be used for reconnaissance, allowing you to survey from high above."

"On a smaller scale, it can also be attached to small dolls and objects as a form of surveillance to prevent someone from entering your room to steal things."

"However, it also has certain limitations. It cannot be too far away. If it is too far away, you can only have a vague feeling, which is what I just mentioned for monitoring purposes. You can only feel the door in front of you opening and closing, but it is difficult to see the specific things clearly."

“I understand,” Hiltiya nodded.

"Are there any other solutions to this limitation?"

“Yes, but the difficulty is beyond the reach of ordinary mages. Let me think, you need to be at least at the fifth rank to access deeper applications.” Fukalian shook her head.

Afterwards, Hilti continued to experiment and construct a magical model of 'synesthesia' until she finally succeeded in casting it on a bird, making it fly up and see the pages of the books on the top of the bookshelf.

"Not bad, not bad."

The three professors, Fukalian, applauded, looking at the black-haired girl with a mixture of affection and regret.

Faced with such gazes, Hilti felt very embarrassed, as if she were a bad person who had let others down.

“Third tier.” Suddenly, Fukalian uttered these two words.

"Huh? What?" Hilti turned her head and looked at the professor with confusion.

“What I mean is, when you reach the third level, come back to Rolik Academy, and I will teach you the ‘Art of Hearing,’ a secret technique that allows puppets to hear and speak.” The other person sat on the sofa, crossed their legs, and made a decision.

"Consider this a reward for testing whether you've studied diligently. Oh, by the way, you'll still have to participate in the academy's competition at that time. If you get into the top four, I'll teach you the knowledge of the 'Art of Hearing'."

"Knowledge is dangerous and should not be easily imparted to the ignorant, otherwise it will distort the original intention and violate the original wishes and ideas."

"Do you know why the academies only teach low-level secret techniques to outsiders? It's because once valuable high-level knowledge is spread out, we don't know where it will be used afterward."

“The things that exist in nature have been tempered and balanced over time, but the new things we create are different, and no one knows what changes they will bring.”

"The establishment of the Mage Alliance was not smooth sailing. Six hundred years ago, during the 'Battle for the Peak,' the alliance split into two parts and fought a civil war. After the war, nearly five hundred high-ranking mages were executed, and thousands of formal mages were imprisoned for life. After that, schools of thought were formally divided, and academies were established, and the exchange and fusion of technologies ceased without restraint."

"If you want to learn the secret techniques of both major schools at the same time, there is only one way: win the triennial academy competition and gain the approval of the Alliance Council."

"As an aside, the results of the Academy Tournament will directly affect the ranking of each school in the Mage Alliance and the most real competition for interests. Therefore, the strongest young people in each school will be selected to participate, and there will be no room for sentimentality. Sometimes, even some participants will die in the tournament."

"Geniuses and victors are not blamed. At that time, both the school of thought you chose and the school of thought you came from will be proud of you."

(End of this chapter)