Author's note: I made a drawing for the cover picture of the story, but I can't figure out how to size it so I can use it. TT^TT

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"Where was I?"

"You were summing up the lesson."

"Oh, yes, right. The last sub race of the fey is the elementals. There are many debates as to whether or not they should be counted as such, but I count them.

The merfolk keep to themselves and are sometimes considered to be the aquatic revision of beastmen, both races disagree with that.

Beastmen look like across between humans and animals, and some act like that too. There are many different tribes of beastmen, which one they belong to is based on which type of animal they share the characteristics of. The common type generally have the ears and tail of an animal. The sub race looks like an animal with a human shape. They live in deep wilderness and are much more attached to tribal life then the common variety. Beastmen love competing in strength, it's like a gentle version of the law of the jungle. The summoned tend to expect humans discriminate against and enslave beastmen, but I don't know why.

The last of the six races, although many humans loath to admit it are the diviom or as they are now called demons. They are on average as strong as the elves. There two types, because there are way too many sub races, one that looks like humans with horns, wings, are similar things, and ones that look like monsters. The human like ones are very similar to beastmen if you think about it. They are on average stronger than humans so they're strongest tend to be stronger than ours.

 The human race thinks of them as evil. They were called the diviom because they were almost always divided. Only the king that would be born every 300 years could unite them. They use to get along with all the races fairly well, even though they are warlike, but humans ruined that. A long time ago some kingdoms joined together and decided that they are actually monsters, demon was originally a term for a type of monster that looks quite similar to them, and claimed something about the land being rightfully theirs. Long story short humans started a war and held a grudge when they lost. The diviom are a lot like crass elves how like to fight, although most elves don't like them exactly for that reason. Dwarves treat some of them like potential drinking buddies. Beastmen, especially the full beast types like to fight with them for fun, they get along. Merfolk like them the best of all the races, they don't like humans too. Pixies are also pretty fond of them. All the races, besides the sides involved, originally took a neutral stance to the war, but since a lot of them did business with humans they began to side with them."

"Old man, you're human too."

"Yeah, but I know that all the races have a lot of jerks. I welcome anyone with potential to be a student at my school, as long as they don't cause trouble."

"Then there are demons at the academy?"

"Maybe, I make a point of not checking the race of my students, but it is a bit hard for them to come here. We are surrounded by human countries, so for fear of discrimination the diviom that come here have to hide their identity. The two races are in a state of active war."

"Humans are pretty stupid."

"Yes, unfortunately a lot of them are."

"Well, their war means nothing to me. I think that all the races are basically the same so I won't discriminate. After all, all of you are just as bad."

"Err, good boy, good boy."

  The old man awkwardly petted my head. I smacked his hand away.

"Chaise we've been sitting here awhile, why don't you run outside for stretch while I get the next lesson ready."

  I nod and run out the door. The puppies are following at my heels.  It was so boring to sit still and listen to him lecture. We run around the house and weave through the trees, at least I do. The puppies are trying to catch me so they charge straight ahead or split up so one runs the opposite way around the house. The old man calls my name and I head in. As I go through the door I hear the sound of footsteps and I look behind me to check. There's a little girl walking towards the house just starting to show from behind the crest of the paths slope. I shrug and go inside, at the pace she's walking she probably won't get here until half an hour has past. I return to my seat in the eating room. The old man has brought the books, paper, ink, and pen that he bought yesterday to the table. I peek in the books and am surprised to find it full of pictures with few lines of squiggles. The old man takes the book and shows me the cover while pointing at the squiggles.

"These are letters. Letters represent sounds, each one meaning something different. When put together they make words and sentences. This reads 'The Sword of the Wandering Knight'."

  He took a piece of paper and wrote a list of letters. Then he made me repeat after him each letter and all the sounds they represent. I was just about to start practicing writing the letters when there was a knocking sound coming from the door.

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"Excuse me?"

  The old man got up and went to open the door. I trailed behind him with the puppies trailing behind me. It was the little girl I saw early. Hmm, maybe I should have told the old man when I saw her coming. Oh well. She has light green hair and light purple eyes. She seems very timid.

"Lavender what are you doing here?"

"Miss Ramount asked me to deliver these to you."

  She shifted the basket she is holding to show the plants inside.

"Right I gave an herb gathering quest to the guild. Alright, the reward was a silver, right? Here you go."

"Actually, I was wondering if I could get some magic lessons instead this time. Can I?"

"Hoho, you don't need to trade you reward for that. I'd be happy to teach you. You just had to ask. The academy doesn't have classes this time of year for a total of three months. There is still two months until opening ceremony. I'm willing to give you lessons during that time. You don't mind right Chaise?"

"No, I don't mind."

"Ah, I forgot to introduce you to each other. Chaise this is Lavender. Lavender this is Chaise."

  He didn't introduce me to other people. Hmm, the only reason I know that word is because of Garet.

"Nice to meet you Chaise."

"Nice to meet you."

"This is your first time meeting a child your age, right Chaise?"

   I nod. I look curiously at the girl when I realize he's right. She tries to hide behind her basket, her face is red. Is she angry? She doesn't smell or stand like she's angry though. She must be embarrassed. I wonder why~ I continue to watch her.

"I was planning on teaching Chaise about magic after lunch. Why don't you stay and eat with us? Afterwards you can join the lesson. It would be killing two birds with one stone."

"Are you sure? I'd love to!"

"Come on in. I'll get started on cooking. You know your letters right? Could you help Chaise practice his writing? It will give you two something to do while you wait."

"Sure!"

  I think she's too excited. We move to the table and I go back to work. While I was writing she noticed the puppies and stared at them longingly. She probably wants to pet them. The old man tells us to clear the table. We bring the stuff I was using to my room and put them on the desk in there. When we get back to the table we all sit down and start eating. Lavender thanks the old man for the meal.

  As we're eating I realize something. I decide to ask to make sure.

"You're not human are you?"

  She drops her fork stunned. The old man looks up from his food and raises an eyebrow at me. She looks down at her food with a red face. Then she stares at me indignantly. I wonder why?

"That's right, she is a half-elf. How did you figure out she isn't fully human? Her ears aren't showing, her hair is in the way."

"She smells a bit different then humans do. The way she moves is different too."

"Hmm, interesting. That does make sense. Lavender don't worry he really doesn't care about the difference in races. Nor will he discriminate against half-breeds."

"Really? You won't be mean to me because I don't belong to any race?"

"You're a humanoid aren't you. There all basically the same race right? I don't even understand what your talking about."

"I just finished teaching you that they aren't the same race Chaise! *sigh* Some people treat half-breeds poorly."

"That's stupid."

"Yup."

  Me and the old man go back to eating. She looks embarrassed again. Bipedals are weird.