Ron stood at the edge of the school’s temporary accommodation area, looking at the four-wheeled carriage that had just been assigned to him, with a slight frown.
It was an ordinary travel carriage, with a simple protective varnish covering the wooden body.
The interior of the carriage was somewhat narrow but tidy, yet there was nothing in front of the carriage—the beasts of burden that were supposed to be there were nowhere to be seen.
"Apologies, Ron Wizard."
The law enforcement officer responsible for coordinating the evacuation explained apologetically:
"Recently, the beasts have all been assigned to transport evacuees. Your application was a bit late, so we can only provide the carriage frame for now. However, we will prioritize your request, and it is expected that the beasts will be provided within half a day."
The officer who delivered the carriage bowed respectfully, fearing that the newly promoted wizard would be displeased.
Ever since the news of his promotion spread, everyone in the school who interacted with him was both curious and in awe, desiring to get closer yet instinctively keeping their distance.
Ron nodded slightly, not surprised by this arrangement.
In a state of emergency at the school, resources would naturally be prioritized to ensure the safe evacuation of most people. Even as an official wizard, he would not excessively interfere with such arrangements.
On a deeper level, he didn’t concern himself with such trivial matters.
Seeing the slightly nervous expression of the law enforcement officer, Ron waved his hand gently:
"No need to worry, the carriage frame will suffice."
His voice was calm and emotionless, like a still pool of water, but this very calmness brought an inexplicable pressure.
The law enforcement officer clearly breathed a sigh of relief and hurried away.
After walking a few steps, he couldn’t help but look back—the newly promoted official wizard was quietly standing in front of the carriage.
The black robe gently fluttered in the breeze, and he stood as still and mysterious as a statue. Even without any threatening movements, an innate fear sprang from within.
Ron watched the officer leave, and a flash of inspiration crossed his mind.
His thoughts shifted to the stand-in puppet he carried with him.
"Since there are no beasts, why not..."
A thought formed in his mind—to use the stand-in puppet to pull the carriage.
This not only saved on magic stone costs but also allowed the puppet to further adapt to complex movements in practice, making it a rare practical test.
Before making a decision, his mind had already instinctively assessed magic power consumption, efficiency comparisons, and the potential additional effects—this kind of analysis had almost become second nature.
"Without beasts and drivers, how do you plan to proceed?"
Lady Allen, who was seeing him off, couldn’t help but ask, her voice filled with some incomprehension and more curiosity.
Even by wizard standards, a carriage without beasts was merely a burden.
The school would usually provide departing wizards with strong beasts and guides to ensure their dignity remained intact.
An official wizard walking? That would simply be beneath one’s status.
Although Ron had always been indifferent to such formalities, Lady Allen was still perplexed by his choice.
"You will see soon enough." Ron’s lips curled slightly, revealing an almost imperceptible curve, without offering further explanation.
He retrieved the puppet, which had undergone numerous evolutions, from his inner robe pocket.
The puppet’s appearance had become increasingly human-like, but the surface of its skin was covered in strange, scale-like patterns.
Its eyes were a pair of eerie green composites, emitting an uncanny glow, with faintly visible patterns of fine blood vessels at the edges.
Ron injected a strand of spiritual power into the puppet, just as a surgeon would precisely insert a scalpel into a specific area.
The puppet immediately came alive in his hand, rapidly expanding to nearly the height of an adult.
At this moment, the puppet was approximately 1.8 meters tall, its muscles solid and taut, covered in semi-transparent dark scales, with a faint row of small spikes visible along the spinal area.
The whole gave off a semi-human, semi-beast transformed appearance.
Those scales displayed faint patterns in the light, resembling the traces of some ancient creature.
"Very good." Ron nodded in satisfaction, issuing a command in his mind: "Pull the carriage for me."
The puppet silently walked to the front of the carriage, gripping the horizontal bar where the harness should have been.
A surge of gray-black energy emanated from its surface, forming a structure similar to a harness, automatically attaching itself to the yoke.
This was a result of Ron’s recently cultivated adaptive ability in the puppet, allowing it to alter its structure and function as needed, greatly enhancing its practicality.
In the distance, several apprentices setting up a protective array noticed this scene and involuntarily paused their work, dumbfounded by the sight.
A wooden puppet, pulling a four-wheeled carriage that was supposed to be drawn by horses—this eerie scene was bone-chilling.
The puppet’s movements were smooth and natural, like silk, devoid of any mechanical feel, resembling a real living being.
No matter the angle, those composite eyes seemed to silently watch every onlooker, even though its head did not turn.
Anyone caught in its gaze felt a chill to their bones, as if being targeted by a predator.
After waving goodbye to Lady Allen, Ron leaped into the carriage and casually closed the door.
He watched in satisfaction as the puppet pulled the carriage according to his will, consuming far less magic power than he had anticipated.
As the charging progress continued to rise, the bond between the puppet and himself became more intimate, and the efficiency of energy transmission significantly improved, possibly explaining the reduced consumption.
"Let’s go." Ron gave the order, and the puppet immediately began to move, pulling the carriage forward.