Marie looked at herself in the mirror with pride. She looked as beautiful as ever, her blonde hair shimmering like gold, her eyes sparkling like two blue sapphire crystals. Her skin was as white and pristine as porcelain.
Marie was now wearing her academy uniform. The uniform looked brand new; her white shirt was still stiff and carried the scent of ironing. It was layered with an elegant and neat long black vest. Her black skirt, with sharp, neatly arranged pleats, swayed with every turn of her hips, falling just above her knees. Both legs were covered in white socks pulled up to her thighs, and she wore shiny black patent leather shoes that gleamed like obsidian.
On her chest was a pin bearing the academy's logo: a small sprout with a four-pointed star-shaped bud. True to its name, "Sprout of Hope," it symbolized the academy nurturing sprouts with the potential to become humanity's hope.
By the way, the academy uniform also came equipped with a medium-level protection spell. Its purpose was to protect students from potential dangers during physical activities. Not overly powerful, but quite helpful.
Marie truly couldn't wait to leave.
In the mirror's reflection, Morgan appeared to be holding a pin. Marie compared it to the pin on her chest. She turned around, full of curiosity.
"What are you holding?" Marie asked.
Morgan smiled slightly. "A surprise!! I'm coming with you to the academy too." Morgan proudly showed his pin—also bearing the academy logo.
This news struck her like lightning on a clear day.
Marie froze. Her eyes widened, her mouth hanging open silently for several seconds. "Whaaat?!?!? B-but how?"
Morgan chuckled, almost mockingly. "Heh, while you were asleep, I went to Abraham and asked him to get me enrolled in the academy too. And here I am, in my uniform. HAHA!" he laughed.
"B-But the academy doesn't allow students to bring personal servants!"
Marie couldn't imagine how embarrassed she would be if a grown man in an academy uniform followed her everywhere. She wouldn't know how to answer when her friends asked. Just thinking about it made her cheeks flush.
Morgan raised an eyebrow. "I'm not coming to the academy as your servant, but as someone your age." A slight smile appeared on his face.
His body began to tremble slowly, his bones emitting soft cracks. The flesh beneath his skin contracted. His bones creaked, producing sounds like breaking twigs. His skin tightened, his body shrank, and his muscles toned.
The friendly-faced adult man before her disappeared, replaced by a teenage boy... a handsome one. He was slightly taller than Marie, with slender shoulders and a face like a porcelain doll with black hair. His eyes were still blood-red but appeared brighter.
Morgan looked like a prince from a foreign land. If his previous form was that of a servant, his current form was that of the prince he served.
Morgan attached the academy logo pin to the servant's clothes he was still wearing. Then, a magic circle appeared beneath his feet. The magic circle slowly rose until it reached the top of his head.
The servant's clothes touched by the magic circle transformed into an academy uniform identical to Marie's. The only difference was that Morgan wore the boys' uniform with long pants, not a skirt.
When he finished, Marie could only stand there in stunned silence.
'Ah, of course, how could I forget.'
Was it because she had grown accustomed to his servant form? Morgan could change his form at will. He had done it twice before her: first when he became a black horse to leave the first village, and second when he became a friendly-faced servant to enter the castle.
If he could turn into an animal or another person, of course he could also become a handsome teenager.
"Hmm, the uniform adjusted to my size right away." Morgan examined his new uniform. "How do I look?"
Marie showed no expression, hiding her annoyance. Now she would be stuck with that demon for three years at the academy, nonstop. Marie could only hope they would be in different classes.
Marie sighed in resignation. "Let's hurry and get on the carriage; we might be late. Bring the luggage!"
"Okay!"
***
Finally, the two of them were on their way to the Sprout of Hope academy. A white carriage adorned with gold ornaments, pulled by two majestic armored horses. The sound of hooves echoed as they traveled along a wide path flanked by two vast meadows.
The Sprout of Hope academy was located far to the east of Eden City, not too far away—probably just a three-hour journey. The academy was in a city called Mathma, a city where scholars studied.
"So, what's the Sprout of Hope academy like?" Morgan asked.
Marie turned her gaze from the meadows and replied, "Umm, well, it's a very prestigious academy, full of competition. The current headmistress is a great sorceress named Madame Miranda. Under her leadership, many students have won awards in various competitions, and the academy has earned many gold medals. Basically, it's an amazing academy.
Aside from that, are you sure you can hide your true identity at the academy? There are many instructors there who I'm sure won't be easily fooled," she said with a worried tone.
But Morgan remained relaxed. "Don't worry. I'm not disguising myself as a human; I am becoming human myself."
"What do you mean?" Marie tilted her head.
"I mean, I'm currently transforming my body into that of a human, but I'm using a human body that I've filled with my own soul. So, no one will realize I'm a demon unless someone can see souls."
Marie frowned. "So, you mean, your current form originally belonged to someone who once lived?"
"Correct! The owner of this body was once a prince from a great kingdom
... I remember when the original owner of this body made a contract with me. He was very cunning, tricking me into doing what he wanted for a cheap price."
The furrow on Marie's brow deepened. "So, the servant form..."
"That's right!" he said cheerfully.
Marie felt uneasy about this new information. Once again, she was reminded that Morgan was a demon.
The carriage suddenly stopped. Unexpectedly, they had already entered Mathma City and were now in front of the academy gates. An old coachman opened the carriage door.
Marie stood before the gates of the Sprout of Hope academy. The academy was like a city built within a city. Its massive gates seemed impenetrable. The academy was built like a fortress, with high walls made of white stone, a moat surrounding it, and many towering spires creating a magical dome that protected it.
Morgan stood beside her, slipping both hands into his pockets. "Wow."