I Killed The Main Characters

The Magic Engineering Tower.

Warm golden light from the overhead lamps illuminated rows of tables cluttered with gears, screws, and half-finished contraptions.

Elias sat at one of these tables.

His blue hair tousled and streaked with soot.

His fingers deftly tightening a screw on a small metal frame.

Roselyn stood across from him, arms folded.

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Her eyes flickering between Elias and the project on the table.

Her usually vibrant aura was clouded with an air of exasperation, though she did her best to mask it behind a pout.

"Elias..."

She started, leaning slightly forward.

"...I've been thinking. We should form a team for the mid-terms."

Without looking up, Elias replied, his tone casual.

"I already got teammates."

Roselyn blinked

"You what?"

"I already joined a team."

He repeated, twisting a screwdriver into place.

Her pout deepened, and she crossed her arms tighter, as if to contain her frustration.

"Fine, then. Whatever."

Elias paused, glancing at her with a raised brow.

"Why are you acting like that?"

"Like what?"

She shot back, her voice slightly higher-pitched.

"Like...that."

He gestured vaguely toward her with the screwdriver, clearly at a loss for words.

"Ugh!"

Roselyn groaned, turning away dramatically.

"I don't care if you're not on my team....

It's not like it matters."

Elias tilted his head, genuinely puzzled.

He scratched the back of his neck, a streak of black soot smearing his cheek.

"Okay... if it doesn't matter, why are you mad?"

"I'm not mad!"

She huffed, her voice a little too loud to be convincing.

"Right...

Elias said slowly, before turning his focus back to the metal frame on the table.

He resumed tightening screws, his expression a mixture of confusion and determination.

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft cranking of metal and the occasional clink of a tool being set down.

Finally, Roselyn broke it.

"Well, if you're not teaming up with me, I'm getting Draven..."

She announced, her voice laced with determination.

Elias pushed his hair back, the gesture unintentionally smudging more soot across his forehead.

He barely looked up as he said.

"That's awesome...He's a great pick."

Roselyn stomped her foot, the sound echoing in the quiet workshop.

"You're impossible, Elias!

I don't get you lately."

Elias looked up this time, genuinely startled by her reaction.

"What do you mean?"

"Normally..."

Roselyn said, jabbing a finger in his direction.

"...you'd be all over the idea of passing the mid-terms with flying colors.

Either you don't care about passing anymore, which is weird...

Or you found some magical super-team that's better than anything I could come up with."

Elias shrugged, turning back to his project.

"I don't care too much this time...

I've got enough points from the theory tests already."

Roselyn frowned, watching him work in silence for a moment.

Finally, she asked.

"What are you even working on, anyway?"

Elias's lips quirked into a small smile, and he held up the nearly completed frame.

"A puppet."

"A puppet?"

Roselyn echoed, stepping closer to get a better look.

"Yeah."

Elias placed the small metal figure on the table.

It was no larger than the palm of his hand.

its body composed of intricate gears and plates.

Its limbs were jointed, and its head had a simple, featureless face.

Roselyn raised a brow.

"What's the point of it?"

"It's not just a puppet..."

Elias said, his voice gaining a hint of excitement.

"It works using mana threads.

Watch."

He held up his hand, and thin, glowing blue threads extended from each of his five fingers, attaching to various points on the puppet's body—its arms, legs, and head.

"The threads are made from mana," he explained.

"They're connected to specific joints and gears in the puppet.

By channeling mana into the threads, I can control its movements.

Almost like pulling strings on a marionette.

The difference is that the threads also supply energy to the gears, making them turn and move the limbs."

Roselyn leaned in, her irritation momentarily forgotten as she watched the puppet spring to life.

Elias's fingers moved deftly, and the puppet mirrored his movements.

Its tiny arms raised and lowered, its legs bent and straightened, and it even executed a small, clunky dance.

"See?"

Elias said, his tone almost smug.

"I can control every joint individually by adjusting the mana flow to each thread.

The gears amplify the movements, so it feels natural."

Roselyn's eyes widened.

"That's... actually amazing."

Elias grinned, his blue eyes sparkling with pride.

"It's just a prototype.

Eventually, I want to make one that can act independently, with a small mana core as its power source."

The puppet spun in a small circle, its movements surprisingly fluid for something made of metal.

Roselyn watched it, a mix of admiration and curiosity on her face.

"How long did this take you?"

She asked.

"A couple of weeks..."

Elias admitted, still focused on the puppet.

"It's tricky balancing the mana flow and the mechanical parts.

Too much mana, and the gears jam.

Too little, and it won't move at all."

Roselyn crossed her arms again, though this time there was no pout—just a thoughtful expression.

"So, this is why you're not worried about the mid-terms?

You've been busy building a dancing metal doll?"

"It's not a doll..."

Elias said, feigning offense.

"It's a puppet."

"Right..."

Roselyn said, smirking.

"A puppet."

Elias rolled his eyes but didn't argue further.

He continued moving the puppet, making it bow theatrically before letting it rest on the table.

Roselyn tilted her head, watching him with a newfound appreciation.

"You know, for someone who claims not to care about the mid-terms, you're putting a lot of effort into this."

Elias shrugged.

"I just like making things.

Besides, it's more fun than stressing over exams."

Roselyn smiled, a small, genuine smile that she quickly hid by turning away.

"Well, I hope your little puppet can dance you through the practical tests."

Elias chuckled, wiping his hands on a cloth.

"Maybe it will.

Or maybe I'll just wing it.

Either way, I'll be fine."

Roselyn glanced at him, her earlier irritation melting into something softer.

"You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"Probably..."

Elias said, flashing her a lopsided grin.

***

Noah stumbled into his dorm room, the door creaking shut behind him with an ominous finality. The dim lighting barely illuminated the sparse furnishings, but he didn't care about any of that now. His focus was singular: the bathroom.

He made it to the toilet just in time, gripping the porcelain edges as his body convulsed violently. The taste of bile and remnants of tea burned his throat, and he heaved again, the toxins forcing their way out. Each retch left him weaker, and he slumped forward, his body hot and slick with sweat.

How did he even manage to drink the whole thing? The question gnawed at him as he gasped for air. He spit into the bowl, his lips curling in disgust at the acidic taste that lingered. It wasn't just a drink—it was a test, a deadly one.

He coughed and leaned back, his legs trembling beneath him. His watery eyes glanced at the sink, and he dragged himself to it, turning on the cold water. Splashing his face, he tried to wash away the sweat and exhaustion clinging to him like a second skin. His reflection in the mirror was pale and drawn, his blue eyes bloodshot and brimming with determination.

He pulled his damp hair back, studying himself in the cracked mirror. The ordeal had left him rattled, but alive.

"That [Killing Intent] skill saved my life," he muttered, his voice hoarse. It had been a gamble to rely on it so heavily, but without its constant edge keeping him alert, he would have succumbed to the poison much sooner.

And then there was the [Cold Embrace] curse.

The curse wasn't a blessing—it never had been—but tonight it had kept him alive. Nullifying the magic effects of the tea was the only reason he had managed to endure each sip. Still, thinking back, maybe he shouldn't have finished it all. But he had to.

Noah stared into his reflection, his jaw tightening. "I had to stay in character," he whispered, the words like a mantra. Maya had to believe he was unshaken, that her attempt was a failure. That she had underestimated him.

But even now, he could feel the lingering effects. His body was weak, trembling from the strain of fighting the toxins. His skin was clammy, his muscles sore, and his head throbbed with a dull ache.

He leaned closer to the mirror, his eyes narrowing. "She's really out to kill me," he murmured. The events of the evening replayed in his mind: Maya's widened eyes, her clenched fists, her faltering smile. She was dangerous, more dangerous than he had anticipated.

If she was willing to poison him so deliberately, what else was she capable of? What other traps would she set?

The mid-terms.

Noah's breath hitched as the realization hit him. The mid-terms were set in a forest—a sprawling, lawless expanse where accidents could easily happen. There were countless ways to kill someone there, and Maya undoubtedly knew that. If she had already made one attempt on his life, she wouldn't hesitate to try again in such an environment.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "I need to do something about her," he said, his voice low and venomous.