The sky was blue, and the clouds gently floated like foam that was pushed ashore by the calm waves of the ocean. The birds sang wonderful songs, swimming through the air, their vivid colors decorating the stone halls of the Academy. Shaden would have enjoyed the scenery while going home.
If it weren’t for this crazy wolf girl who kept on jumping all over the place.
“Get down from there!” Shaden shouted. This girl was quite the handful. He didn’t expect her to jump on top of the walls and stick on with her claws. Then continue to travel from there. She was definitely seven, right? Were seven-year-old beastmen usually like this?
“I’m trying to!” Mistilia shouted back while jumping on another ledge. No, she clearly wasn’t. She was enjoying herself as far as Shaden could see.
“What are you doing? If you want to see the area, I can show you!”
“Don’t care! I can do it alone!”
She quickly darted across the halls and disappeared into a stairway. Shaden ran after her in a hurry. But by the time he reached the second floor, she was nowhere to be seen.
“Well…”
Shaden let out a huge sigh. He couldn’t do anything about this.
“Guess I’ll go home then.”
〄 〄 〄
“Search for things that breathe and beat, mark the way to whom I’ll meet – Detect Life.”
It was a simple spell learned from one of Shaden’s books. A simple but power-consuming one. The spell’s range changed with the amount of mana you used to cast it. Shaden had barely remembered the incantation after minutes of toiling his brain; he didn’t know the exact concepts behind the spell. But it had been useful when he had to find Shidey.
Now he was finding a mischievous, scurrying, young girl who ran about like a child. Well, she was a child. Which was why he was worried for her. His Instructor had entrusted her to his guidance.
He cast the detection spell again. The spell acted like a one-time radar; he couldn’t keep track of live movements. What he was trying to do now was to find the entity that was moving from place to place the quickest.
After determining some candidates inside his mind, he chanted the spell a third time.
“Aha.”
Among all of the dots he sensed, one was moving in a straight line across a vast distance. Shaden couldn’t possibly know all of the interiors of the Academy, but he knew which area the dot was traveling in. One of the big halls that led to the cafeteria. He remembered that the ladies here baked bread around that time to feed as snacks to the students.
He whispered the spell one last time. Yep, the dot was definitely heading that way. Had Mistilia smelled the aroma of freshly baked bread?
Shaden ran in the direction of the cafeteria. If she wasn’t there, he could always try again afterwards.
He passed by the classrooms and took a turn to the left. Then to the right at the center of the corridor. Just in case, he chanted the spell again. Yep, the figure had stopped right where the tables were. It was accompanied by another figure, and two other figures were nearby. Most likely the ladies who baked.
Along the way, he smelled bread just like he thought he would. He continued down the large hallway until he found the entrance to the cafeteria at the end. He gave himself a small pat on the back with his mana-hand. How could he be so smart?
He jumped through the open doors and glanced around. His eyes spotted the brown ears on one of the tables nearby, but he didn’t let out a cry of joy. Because the Headmistress and the wolf girl, who was cowering behind her, were staring straight at him.
“Boy! What are you doing there! Quickly, come here!” exclaimed the Headmistress.
Bewildered, Shaden hastily obeyed and approached the Headmistress as quickly as possible.
“Did you see anyone, boy? Anyone suspicious?” asked the Headmistress. Yet her eyes were fixed on the doors of the cafeteria.
“No? What’s wrong, ma’am?”
Mistilia was shaking behind the back of the Headmistress. Her eyes were wide open and darting around the room in fear.
Suddenly, the Headmistress raised her robed hand and held out her palm. She muttered something, and glow of light-green formed in front of her open palm, transforming into a circle of magic. Intricate patterns instantly decorated the circle.
Shaden cocked his head. By the green hue of magic, it was some kind of support/utility spell. But why?
“Don’t worry, little child,” the Headmistress stated as she comforted Mistilia. “There is no one here.”
“Re-really?” Mistilia muttered. “Am I safe?”
“Yes. As long as you are here, no one will harm you,” soothed the Headmistress.
Shaden waited in confusion. He had found the girl, but now things were awkward.
The Headmistress turned her head towards Shaden, her eyes sharp and piercing.
“Boy, did you perhaps happen to use a certain type of detection spell on your way here?”
Shaden hadn’t wanted to reveal his proficiency in magic, but the situation looked too serious for him to lie. “Um…yes?”
“And did you happen to repeat the spell multiple times?”
“…yes?”
The wolf girl, who had stopped shaking, stared daggers at him like he was her worst enemy.
“Boy, there is one thing you must know about that certain spell.”
“…?”
“Search for breath, mark blood – Detect Life.”
A shortened version of the spell Shaden had used, but the same one nevertheless. But just when the Headmistress finished her incantation, Shaden felt like something swept over him. Like a kind of sound wave or pressured air that had flown past him.
“Do you understand now, boy?”
Had the feeling been a result of her magic? His brain started to grind its gears as he thought of a possible explanation. The book hadn’t told him that his enemies could also sense the magic. And by the nick of his hair, he had understood vaguely which direction the magic had come from.
“You…felt my magic. But why was—” he pointed towards Mistilia, “—she so scared?”
“Boy, you will not understand. You are dismissed for today.”
Shaden was about to protest, but the Headmistress’s glare told him otherwise. What had he done wrong? Why was the girl so afraid of detection magic?
Shaden bowed his head slightly to the Headmistress and walked away.
〄 〄 〄
With a flick of her arm, the Headmistress closed the doors to the cafeteria. A slight gust enveloped the room as the force of her strike rebounded off the air.
“Everyone, come out now,” she declared.
From behind the pillars, the servants of the Academy stepped out. They resumed their duties after the Headmistress sent them off with a clap. She pulled her robes from the small girl who was pouting now with her arms crossed. The mix-breed wolf girl’s cheeks were puffed out and her eyebrows were furrowed.
“Miss Lightmoon…No person in their right mind would ever dare to come here with hostility. But as I have stated before, you mustn’t wander around. What would you have done if you were alone?”
“I’d run away!” exclaimed Mistilia. “That little kid will never catch me!”
“It’s not the boy you have to be wary of, foolish girl,” berated the Headmistress, her voice suddenly turning into ice. “Remember you are only here because I owe your mother a favor. You will behave. Is that clear?
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Mistilia turned her face away from the Headmistress and reached for a slice of bread. Her hand was promptly smacked with a small stick that the Headmistress conjured from under her robe.
“Is it clear, Miss Lightmoon?”
“Yes, yes, I understand.” Her tail swished unhappily while her ears drooped slightly.
“Good. Now this time, do not leave the servant that has been assigned to you. Do not expect protection when you will not abide by the rules.”
“This is all because of that kid!” complained Mistilia. “Father told me I should always run around to hone my senses, so I was just doing that!”
She quickly shut up under the stern glare of the Headmistress. The small wolf girl chewed on some bread in dissatisfaction. She had never been caged back home.
Meanwhile, the Headmistress was reflecting on the incident. It was quite peculiar. As a master of the arts, she could naturally detect any signs of movement within a 20-meter radius, much more if she concentrated. However, the boy had waltzed in like a visible invisible man. She had only noticed his presence after she felt his spell bash against her in a crude manner.
Then there was the boy using the magic. Judging by the first bash’s texture, she had quickly determined its location and distance from herself. To spread mana over that extent…the boy possessed more mana than the average human adult. Maybe even more than lower-class mages. At the age of five!
“He will need some additional evaluating,” she muttered. She took out a piece of paper from under her robes and scribbled a brief memo about him with her mana. The examination for the year would be in a few weeks. There was no need to rush.
“Do I really need to train with him?” whined the wolf girl, her mouth filled with bread. “He looks so weak and small, and that annoying look on his face—”
“He managed to scare you, girl. What is done is done.”
Mistilia frowned and ripped another bite out of the bread with her sharp teeth.
Hmph. She would make that brat cry for scaring her.
〄 〄 〄
Day 1
Shaden’s sword was smacked away and he quickly jumped back to grab it. However, the agile wolf girl kicked it away in a flash before he could and gave Shaden a punt on his bottom. Shaden fell to the floor on his face but instantly got back up.
“See! He’s so weak. How do you even expect me to train with him!” complained the wolf girl. She threw away her stick to the side. “I could beat him up with only my claws.”
“You are not old enough to go up, little Miss,” stated Instructor Reedock. “And you must realize your circumstances.”
“I know, but this wimp—" she said while pointing towards Shaden, “—can’t even put up a good fight. How am I supposed to improve?”
Shaden picked up his stick from the ground. Boy, her remarks hurt him.
“He is five.”
“Hmph!”
The Instructor let out a huge sigh and muttered something under his breath.
“Shaden!” he said.
“Yes, sir!”
“Go back to swinging and training your body. I’ll give Mistilia a lesson.”
Mistilia stuck her tongue out to Shaden. Seriously, what was her deal?
“Got it, Instructor.”
He retreated to the corner of the room with his stick and started to swing. For the first time since he had been born, he felt humiliated. This girl of seven, this cheeky wolf wouldn’t even stand a chance if he activated his mana-hands. But training was training. He pushed down the urge to complain.
He had a lot of time to train.
Day 5
Shaden got smacked away again. But this time, he covered his face while Mistilia whacked at his arms with her stick.
“Stop! That is enough!”
The Instructor had ordered Mistilia to spar with Shaden every day until he let go of his sword. However, Shaden grew more tenacious after each match as he circulated his mana and improved his physical prowess. Naturally, the hot-headed wolf girl grew impatient. Now she swung her sword at Shaden mercilessly.
“Hah! How’s that!” she exclaimed as the Instructor chopped her head with his hand. “Oww!! What was that for!”
“This is a spar, not a one-sided beating, girl,” he scolded, his voice hard. “Kid, how are your arms?”
“They are perfectly fine, sir.”
It was a lie. It hurt like hell and throbbed like water in boiling oil. He quickly cast a healing spell from under his breath and relaxed as the pain faded away.
If he hadn’t prepared beforehand and failed to cover himself with protection magic, his bones might have broken.
The Instructor grabbed Shaden’s arms and inspected them while Mistilia pranced around in the back, making faces at Shaden.
“Already healed?”
“Yes, sir.”
The Instructor placed his hand on his messy hair and heaved internally. Why were both of the children he had been assigned so…so intense?
“May I go train, Instructor?”
“Yes, yes, go ahead,” he replied with a wave of his hand.
Shaden took his stick and returned to the corner of the room. He had dodged some swings today before he had been caught off guard by the girl’s kick. Tomorrow, he would do better. Perhaps ask his brother or father for some training tips.
Day 17
“Why you little—”
Mistilia bashed at Shaden primitively with her stick as he parried blow after blow. Realizing that she wasn’t getting anywhere, she sent a kick at Shaden’s chest. Shaden barely blocked with his stick and was sent flying backwards. He crashed onto the floor, a small cloud of dust rising around him. Mistilia let out a satisfied snarl.
Then Shaden got back up, his sword in hand. She sensed magic emitting from him again.
“Hey, I’m not done yet, little wolf!”
“Don’t call me that!”
She bared her teeth and ran towards Shaden like a mad beast. Her presence suddenly amplified, causing Shaden to flinch at the change. Her features looked more vibrant, and her body glowed slightly.
Mistilia had started to circulate. She was finally going serious on him now. It had taken a few weeks, but as his circulation improved, his mind felt clearer, and he could move much more efficiently.
He raised his stick to block her attack—
—then cried out in pain as the full force of her reinforced strike met his weapon, pushing it back onto his chest and face, squeezing the air out from his lungs. He tumbled across the floor, bleeding from his nose that was pulsating endlessly.
“Serves you right,” said Mistilia as she made the motion of sheathing her stick.
Shaden wiped his nose and saw the blood drip onto his hand. His head was ringing with blood and rising fury. He tightened his grip on the stick beside him and raised his eyes in anger.
“What do you mean!? All this time, I’ve just been trying to spar and improve! Why are you acting so haughty?! What did I ever do to you!”
Shaden got up on his legs once more and chanted a healing spell. The pain dulled and the flow of blood ceased to continue. Mistilia’s yellow eyes were glaring at him with a childish hatred. They could have talked it out. But she always refused to associate with him.
“You’re just—” she paused for a moment. “Annoying.”
“Annoying!” Shaden knew Mistilia was seven years old. He was older, so he had to act the part. However—did this brat never receive any discipline from her parents? He was seriously considering busting out his mana-hands to smack her around and watch her cry. He knew he shouldn’t, but the dangerous thought crept out from his inner darkness.
“Shaden! Why are you bleeding!” exclaimed the Instructor. He had just returned to the room after conversing with one of the servants. “This feeling…Mistilia, did you use circulation?”
The girl pouted her cheeks and turned her head to the side. “Hmph. What if I did?”
“Girl! It is far too dangerous for a five-year-old!” The Instructor quickly went to Shaden’s side and examined his body. “Did any of your bones break, kid?”
“No, sir,” replied Shaden with a deep breath. His mind was clearer now. “I’m perfectly fine.”
“Fine?” cried the Instructor. “You’re bleeding!”
“Not anymore.” Shaden quickly reached down and wiped his nose with his shirt. He picked away at the drying blood, adding spit to the area to clear the stain. “I need more training.”
The Instructor watched as the young boy started swinging with renewed vigor. His tenacity was something special, alright. Most children he had taught would cry for their mothers, and he would have to take them around town to buy them treats.
No…wait—most children he had taught were never stressed like this. He was a Juvenile Instructor!
He shook his head and turned to Mistilia. She was impatiently twirling her stick, wanting to begin the spar as soon as possible.
One who was too ambitious, one who was persistent like a boulder.
The thought, ‘wasn’t he getting too old for this?’ crossed his mind. Then he realized he was in his late thirties.
He massaged the corners of his eyes. His son would probably cry and complain if he were here.
〄 〄 〄
“Yo, Demund,” said Rhyne. “Demund? Demund! Mr. Blanner!”
“Huh? What?” blurted Demund as his mind returned to the room. “Oh, hey. What did I miss?”
“How do you solve this problem? Because the book states that the answer is D, but I can’t find the sentence in the passage that proves D. Only B, but I’m not sure.”
“Oh. That.”
Demund kindly explained to Rhyne the solution.
“Seriously! How didn’t I see that!” Rhyne slapped his face and pulled it down in frustration.
“You need to read everything and look at the whole plot.”
“I know, I know. Eesh, such a stupid mistake.”
Demund looked down at his own sheet of problems. He had already solved all of the assigned ones, so he was reviewing from the book itself. But he hadn’t realized he had zoned out.
“You look kind of out of it today,” stated Rhyne.
They were in class together, and the teacher had given them some free time to review their homework and quiz results.
“Really?”
“Uh-huh. You were just staring at nothing even when I called you. You got something on your mind?”
“No…” Demund recalled being thwacked again and the stupid grin of the wolf-girl. She was cute, but her personality was just like that of a spoiled little brat. “Not really.”
“Come on, that’s clearly not the case. I might not be Riley, but I can still tell.”
“…it’s something really stupid.”
“Come on, man. What is it?”
Demund put down his pencil and sighed.
“You know how I can dream?”
“Yeah?”
“So basically, in my dream, I am getting beaten up by a little wolf girl.”
Rhyne’s eyebrows went up as a goofy look formed on his face.
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“What! I mean—you’ve never experienced it. Actually, would you enjoy it if your sister beat you up every day? She is pretty.”
“Hell no!”
“See what I mean?”
“But…it’s a little girl, right? How strong can she be?”
Demund’s sigh grew even deeper.
“I don’t know, man. I don’t know. Let’s just focus on the next test.”
“Yeah. That’s probably for the best.”
The two boys who knew what it felt like to be beaten up by a girl silently returned to their class material.
〄 〄 〄
Day 42
Mistilia’s stick sung a dangerous melody as it split apart the air above Shaden. She immediately slashed down with all her might, making the ground clap like a firecracker. Shaden didn’t miss the opportunity; he quickly sent a kick flying towards Mistilia’s legs to destroy her balance.
However, Mistilia’s keen ears and senses detected Shaden’s attack and she jumped into the air at a moment’s notice. However, taking that chance, Shaden slashed his sword upwards in a crude manner, aiming for Mistilia’s stomach. She clumsily raised her weapon in a panic.
*CRACK*
For the first time ever, Shaden disarmed Mistilia. The wolf girl spun in the air and landed on all four limbs. Her forte was unarmed combat, after all.
At the back, the Instructor started to clap. “Well done, kid. Well done!”
“Not fair!” shouted the wolf girl. “He was circulating. I wasn’t!”
“Well, now you can.”
“Eh?”
“What?”
A funny grin appeared in the Instructor’s face as Shaden turned in horror while Mistilia turned with anticipation.
“Kid, you’ve improved a lot. You can handle this, right?”
The Instructor had given up on thinking of Shaden as a potential crybaby. The best he could do now was push him past his limits.
“I mean—”
“He can! He definitely can,” interjected Mistilia. She had a mad smile on her lips, and her tail was swishing excitedly behind her. “Right, Shaden? Or are you just a baby?”
Shaden touched his nose. Then shrugged.
“Fine.”