Cher-Tam happens by, bearing three pieces of pulled braised beef-filled bread. She is a survivor of the Great Convenience Store War of the main branch and further relays information that the main branch's food surpasses that of the smaller ones, all for the satisfying indulgence of the students.
"But it's not as if there's no way to survive this school," the girl replies, devouring the last of her filled bread before offering some to Anya and Jack. "First years should really know the escape routes of this school. It's not as safe as it seems."
Hearing the upperclassman's words sends a sudden chill down my spine. I can hardly believe that this colossal school, grand as Hogwarts itself, offers no guarantee of student safety.
But then again… that British magic school ended up in ruins, didn't it?
Anya accepts the steaming beef-filled bread, its fragrant aroma wafting up, making her mouth water. A soft rumble emanates from her small stomach. My own face contorts with hunger. But then, Cher-Tam extends a handful of pulled braised beef, a smile like the Virgin Mary gracing her lips.
"You must be hungry, little puppy," she says, her voice gentle. Observing her closely, she is merely a well-proportioned second year, her hair jet black, her obsidian eyes gleaming like the last light in the darkness. Her skin is the smooth, pampered white of a privileged young lady, her slender hands so beautiful they make my mouth water, even with the steaming beef before me. I barely register the meat, lunging to devour it greedily, even licking the grease from her palm until not a trace remains.
Damn it… her palm is as smooth as a baby's skin.
"Hey, Nappo! You can't just eat his food like that! You're such a glutton. I still have some left, you know!" she scolds, picking up more beef and placing it on her hand. But it scalds Anya's slender white hand, causing her to drop the food. I watch with a placid gaze and sigh.
"I absolutely refuse to eat off the floor…"
............
Spellcasting class is a favorite among many students, especially with a beautiful young teacher like Ms. Nita, a sorceress proficient in over a thousand spells, sparking obvious interest among the burgeoning young men.
Still in the bloom of her early twenties, her hair is a vibrant violet, like a rose, her figure an hourglass, with distinct curves and contours. Her azure eyes sparkle with charm. Even I almost succumb to her allure.
We first encounter her by chance in the dead of night, though she remains unaware of our hiding place on the ceiling. Frankly, this young teacher's personality is strikingly different. She openly expresses affection for all her students, treating them like younger brothers and sisters, and even dotes on me, her pet, to the point of hugging and cuddling me like a doll. She even knows I'm a pet capable of casting spells like any other sorcerer. Of course, when my face is nestled in the valley of her breasts, it's practically impossible to stop myself from eliciting envious sighs from the male students.
I sneer wickedly, turning to the male students, and whisper under my breath,
"Jealous, are you, little ones?"
As the time for serious learning commences, Professor Nita refrains from uttering the words 'Dark Arts' even once, opting instead for 'evil things' to preserve the students' sensibilities. She then proceeds to teach spells that are practical for everyday use. The advantage of this subject lies in its lack of reliance on textbooks, as it is a practical discipline. The flawless execution of a spell is prioritized over textbook accuracy, a notion I concur with, given that some incantations I've learned from books have yielded less than satisfactory results.
"Do any of you know why we need to use wands to cast spells, even though historically, no one did?" Professor Nita poses her first question, to which I, lacking much knowledge, listen intently. The young professor smiles before beginning her explanation.
"A wand is merely a tool to focus our magical energy, allowing us to concentrate it on a single point. Casting spells with words is akin to issuing a command for what magic to perform. In the past, one could simply cast a spell by speaking and looking at the target, the magic working through delicate control. Over time, this ability gradually diminished for unknown reasons, leading to the invention of the wand as a substitute." Professor Nita conjures a wooden platform in front of the class without uttering a spell, further astonishing the students. "Casting spells without incantation requires even greater focus, something only a few teachers in the school can manage. Headmaster Connor, of course, can do it even without a wand. And casting a spell without a wand looks like this... Eionna."
A marvel unfolds. The wooden platform levitates effortlessly, while Professor Nita's wand remains untouched. Only her focused gaze is fixed upon the object, captivating and exciting the entire class.
"That's roughly it. It's an advanced art, possibly for university level. But for now, you're just first-year students, and it's too difficult. So, concentrate on casting spells with your wands first," Professor Nita says, approaching me and placing her hand on my head, gently stroking it. Ah... it feels so smooth. "Would you like to try casting a spell, little puppy?"
"Y-yes, Professor," I stammer, retrieving my wand from its holster and holding it in my mouth. Anya looks quite proud.
"Try casting a levitation spell. Make this piece of paper float," she instructs, conjuring a white sheet of paper in front of each student. "Just like we learned yesterday, a simple three-syllable incantation. Focus on the object just right and then cast."
Everyone raises their wands. I notice that the design of each wand is distinct, with no two alike. They struggle to levitate the light piece of paper, no heavier than a feather. Soon, however, Anya casts the spell effortlessly. Naturally, I manage it with ease as well. Believe me, once you grasp the knack of casting, no spell is too difficult for me.
My and Anya's thin white papers float into the air, amidst the silence of the other students. Jack, in particular, gapes at the sight of the girl and her pet casting spells in unison.
The young professor's eyes widen with impressed delight at the satisfactory result. "Excellent, Anya and Nappo! You're the first first-year students to cast the levitation spell so accurately." She then turns sharply to the remaining students, who haven't even managed to make their papers twitch. "You keep practicing until they float. I'll teach the next spell to these two."
"A dog being better at casting spells than me? I won't stand for it!" a husky voice from a boy at the back of the room suddenly declares. "Igionan!"
"Hey! Raymond! You're casting the wrong spell, you idiot!" someone shouts.
Boom!
Sparks erupt, culminating in a small explosion. The pristine white paper is now ablaze, reduced to ash. Professor Nita sighs before casting a water-extinguishing charm.
"Before you can cast a spell successfully, you need to learn to pronounce it clearly and correctly, Raymond," she reprimands the tall, burly student in a calm, cold tone that makes him shrink visibly. "Impatience won't make things any better."
"Y-yes, Professor..."
After that, the first-year Charms classroom is filled with the murmur of students practicing the levitation spell. Once they grasp the technique, each student can easily make their paper float. Professor Nita, satisfied, changes the paper to a stone. Naturally, Anya and I can quickly lift a ten-kilogram weight, having previously lifted a forty-kilogram human body. Anya seems to be limited to ten kilograms, but that's still better than anyone else in the room.
Next, the young professor teaches two more simple spells: the 'summoning charm' and the 'repairing charm,' both requiring greater concentration. I recall seeing the repairing charm when Anya's mother used it on a wall that was cracked by a disarming charm, which had unexpectedly turned into a large, high-powered offensive spell.
Professor Nita conjures an elegant vase and smashes it with a hammer to demonstrate the repairing charm. I'm still not very good at it, while Anya and Jack can easily restore the vase to its original condition.
The following day, the new schedule is tacked to the door of the classroom, and today, as yesterday, their first lesson is Defense Against the Dark Arts. This time, however, everyone must bring their pets.
I have only just begun to see the magical creatures of this world, so different from those in the pet shops of my former life, yet many resemblances to animals from the human world. Glancing around, I estimate that over seventy percent of the students keep owls or other birds, or tiny creatures like hamsters. Of course, I can communicate with them but chooses not to.
"This dimwit can use magic, can he?" a reddish-brown owl pipes up, piquing the curiosity of the other owls, while a small hamster, huddled in fear, trembles before the flock of birds. Standing between them, he bares his teeth at the wide-eyed owl, whose eyes resemble light bulbs.
"If you insult that hamster one more time, I'll bite your neck off, rip out your tongue, and use it to cast a spell on your own tongue."
Believe it, the boastful owl pales, its eyes widening in fear before it nods in agreement.
"S-sorry... won't do it again..."
"Good." He snorts derisively before turning to the hamster, which belongs to Jack... wait a minute, how did it dare to sit next to Anya, my beloved and cherished master!?
"Tell your owner that unless he wants to be sunk fangs into him, and have his tongue ripped out to be riddled with holes by a spell, he'd better move away from my master right now," I threaten in a low voice.
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To Be Continue Ep.11