Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

Ciel tilted her head, puzzled, but I can’t deny Munyechka’s claim. Though in our case, it’s more precise to say that it’s me and not Ciel who’s the actual eccentric. I’m the one sleeplessly researching sorcery nonstop, after all.
Nonetheless, even without me, no one among Ciel’s peers can equal her in strength, so that does make her eccentric in a way.

「Well then, I suppose it’s time for class.」
「That’s somewhat sudden.」
「No one else is coming, you see? Frankly, there’s actually not much to teach you; having a chat would probably be more productive, if you ask me.」
「But I want to learn Puppet Sorcery.」
「You should be able to use Puppet Sorcery within the day, I think.」

Saying so, Munyechka retrieved a doll small enough to sit on her lap.

「Now, this is a doll for Puppet Sorcery; can you figure out how it’s used?」
「Mnn… Can I touch it?」
「Sure, since it’s teaching material. Touch as much as you like. I didn’t make it for myself, so it’s simple in construction.」

Receiving permission, Ciel began touching the doll. I was startled by its smooth texture, but it’s probably made of wood. It has a similar texture to well-polished wood… I think.
It wore a very indigo dress, which Ciel stripped without any hesitation. Probably because she can’t examine it closely with the clothes on the way.
Besides, Munyechka didn’t interject, so it should be alright.

Taking the dress off, it even has proper underwear, but now a magic circle drawn on its back can be seen.
Other than that, it seems to use a magic core as well, so it must be a type of sorceric tool, categorically speaking.
In that case, I just have to decipher the magic circle—and now I understand how it’s to be used. It has two magic circles, though, so that might be troublesome.

「I see. I need to do this, right?」

Ciel also understood quickly and immediately activated the magic circle. It doesn’t seem to use the magic power conductive ink from the other day, so Ciel circulated her magic power as she normally does.
As for the doll’s mechanism, you must first activate the magic circle that operates separately from its sorceric tool functionality. After doing so, the magic circle that makes it function as a sorceric tool will automatically activate, resulting in magic power threads extending from the doll. Together with the first magic circle, this will allow the user to puppet the doll like a marionette.

Unlike an actual marionette, you don’t need to pull on the threads to make it move; you can control it with pure magic power, but it’s apparently easier to move it in tandem with your fingers until you get used to it. Like making it wink when you bend your right index finger, for example.

However, Ciel can already manipulate it with only her magic power, to a certain extent. It’s a bit clumsy, but Ciel is making the doll dance around and around the way she usually does.

「See? We’re pretty much half done with the course.」
「Isn’t that too simple?」
「Normal students aren’t capable of manipulating a doll purely through magic power alone, you know? Most wouldn’t be able to operate this doll’s magic circle to begin with.
Skilled ones would only be able to activate it at most.」
「Is this really enough for a course?」
「Originally, students would be provided dolls to start with, on which they’d need to write a magic circle on. The first lessons would be learning the sort of magic circles and ink required for its functions.」
「Is that ink different from normal ink? We don’t know much about it.」

Not only have we been using normal ink up until now; we’ve even drawn magic circles on the ground with only our shoes, so we honestly don’t know the difference.
Munyechka responded, 「I expected as much,」 showing no sign of surprise.

「 Would I be correct to assume that you two didn’t even know of its existence before your enrollment here?」
「Yes. Ain noticed when activating a magic circle during one class that it was so easy; she conversely had a hard time with it.」
「Activating a magic circle for you two—particularly Ain—is probably as easy as breathing, isn’t it? That magic circle must have been made using general-purpose magic ink.」
「There are other types?」
「It’s basically differentiated by the medium you’ll be writing on. General-purpose ink isn’t particularly choosy. To be exact, it functions even on non-paper mediums, but it wouldn’t be as effective. Say that its efficacy is 10 on paper, it would only be 7 on other mediums.
The other types of ink are made to suit specific mediums. For example, when writing on this doll, you’d use an ink specialized for wood. That one would have the efficacy of 8 on wood, but only has the efficacy of 2 on other mediums.」

「The general-purpose one seems to be the safest choice.」
「Right. That’s why there’s normally no need to know this much. After all, it just becomes a little less conductive when not used on paper.
The inks used for making sorceric tools are also special, which are apparently only taught in detail in Puppet Sorcery and Golemancy.」

I see. I understand, but honestly I don’t think we’d find much use for it. We haven’t had any difficulty with magic circles up to this point, so unless Ciel wants to try it, we probably won’t bother with these inks.

「Well, we probably won’t use it.」
「You probably won’t. There’s a risk of becoming negligent with magic power control if you get too used to it, and it practically only helps in writing. Well, only a few think that way. People normally use aiding catalysts like staves and ink.
Now then, back to the main topic, this course’s objective is for the students to be able to freely move a doll to some extent, so the only remaining thing to teach you is where to procure dolls.」
「Couldn’t we craft one?」
「I can, but it isn’t something any ordinary student can make. First, teaching how to craft sorceric tools is necessary, and at that point, there won’t be time to fulfill the actual course objective; frankly, it’ll be a different course altogether.」
「That’s why this class isn’t popular, is it?」

Hearing Ciel’s blunt comment, Munyechka laughed before nodding.