Marie looked at herself proudly in the mirror. She looked as beautiful as ever, her blonde hair shining like gold, her eyes sparkling like two blue sapphire crystals. Her skin was clean and white like porcelain.
Marie was now wearing the academy uniform. The uniform looked new; her white shirt was still stiff and smelled of ironing. It was covered by an elegant and neat long black vest. Her black skirt, with its sharp, neatly arranged pleats, swayed every time she moved her hips, falling just above her knees. Her legs were covered with white socks pulled up to her thighs and shiny black patent leather shoes that gleamed like obsidian.
On her chest was a pin with the academy logo: a small sprout with a bud shaped like a four-pointed star. Fitting its name, Sprout of Hope. It meant the academy would nurture sprouts with the potential to become humanity's hope.
By the way, the academy uniform was also equipped with an intermediate-level protection spell. Its purpose was to protect the students from potential dangers during physical activities. Not too strong, but very helpful.
Marie was truly impatient to leave.
In the mirror's reflection, Morgan appeared to be holding a pin. Marie compared it to the pin on her own chest. She turned around, full of curiosity.
"What are you carrying?" asked Marie.
Morgan gave a small smile. "A surprise!! I'm coming with you to the academy too." Morgan proudly showed his pin. A pin with the academy logo.
The news struck her like a thunderbolt on a clear day.
Marie froze. Her eyes widened, her mouth hung open silently for a few seconds. "Whaaat?!?!? B-but how?"
Morgan chuckled softly, almost mockingly. "Heh, while you were asleep. I met Abraham to ask him to get me enrolled in the academy too. And here I am, in my uniform. HAHA!" he laughed.
"Bu- But, the academy doesn't allow its students to bring personal servants!"
Marie couldn't imagine how embarrassed she would be with a grown man in an academy uniform following her everywhere. She didn't know how to answer when her friends asked. Just imagining it made her cheeks redden.
Morgan raised an eyebrow. "I'm not coming to the academy as your servant, but as someone your age." A small smile appeared on his face.
His body began to tremble slightly, his bones creaking softly. The flesh under his skin contracted. His bones cracked, producing sounds like breaking twigs. His skin tightened, his body shrank, his muscles tightened.
The friendly-faced adult man in front of her disappeared, replaced by a teenage boy... a handsome one. He was slightly taller than Marie, with slender shoulders, a face like a porcelain doll with black hair. His eyes were still blood-red, but they looked brighter.
Morgan looked like a prince from a foreign land. If his previous form was that of a servant, then his current form was 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 passed over his head.
The servant's clothes that the magic circle passed over transformed into an academy uniform exactly like the one Marie wore. Except Morgan was wearing the boys' uniform with long trousers, 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 gotten used to his servant form? Morgan could change his form as he pleased. He had done it twice before her: first when he became the black horse leaving Ertama village, and second when he became a friendly-faced servant to be inside the castle.
If he could turn into an animal or an adult, surely he could also become a handsome teenager.
"Hmm, the uniform adjusted to my size automatically." Morgan looked over his new uniform.
"How is it?"
Marie showed no expression, hiding her annoyance. Now she would be with that demon non-stop for 3 years at the academy. Marie just hoped they would be in different classes.
Marie sighed, resigned. "Let's hurry and get on the carriage, we might be late. Bring the bags!"
"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 2 majestic armored horses. The sound of clopping hooves and rolling wheels was heard as it traveled on 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, probably only a 3-hour journey. The academy was located in a city called Mathma, a city where scholars studied.
"So, the Sprout of Hope academy is... how?" Morgan asked.
Marie shifted her gaze from the meadows and replied. "Umm, well, the academy is a very prestigious place. The current headmistress is a great sorceress named Lady Miranda. She is the greatest Archmage of this century, you know?"
"Putting that aside, are you sure you can hide your true identity at the academy? There are many instructors there who I'm sure can't be easily fooled," she said in a tone full of worry.
But Morgan remained relaxed. "Relax. I'm not disguising myself as a human; I am *becoming* human itself."
"What do you mean?" Marie tilted her head.
"I mean, I am currently transforming my body into a human one, but I'm using a human body that I'm inhabiting with my 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 large country, no wonder he has a handsome face.
Ah... I remember when the original owner of this body made a contract with me. He was very cunning, tricked me into doing what he wanted for a cheap price, hehe."
The furrow on Marie's brow deepened. "So, the servant form..."
"That's right!" he said cheerfully.
Marie felt uneasy with this newly revealed fact. 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.
Marie stood before the gates of the *Sprout of Hope* academy. In fact, the academy was like a city built within a city, occupying thirty percent of Mathma. Its large gates looked impenetrable. The academy was built like a fortress, with high walls made of white stone, a moat surrounding it, and many tall towers creating a magic dome that protected it.
Morgan stood beside her, his hands tucked into his pockets. "Wow."