How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 31

“Pal, do I… have Les’s scent on me?”

“Huh?”

Pal had used the excuse of “taking the wolf for a walk” to speak with his cousin that day. But when he brought Les back, he was met with this unexpected question from Aisha.

Seeing the distracted expression on her face, his thoughts involuntarily wandered in a somewhat sexual direction for an instant. Fortunately, as a pure and courageous black panther, Pal quickly regained control and forcibly dragged his mind back onto the proper path.

Impossible, impossible! His cousin was so upright. How could he possibly do anything strange while still in beast form and concealing his identity? Absolutely impossible!

Yet even after choosing to trust his cousin unwaveringly, Pal could not help glancing toward the enormous gray wolf beside Aisha. Les had gone completely still, every muscle in his body taut. He was clearly nervous.

“Uh, why do you ask?”

Guiltily avoiding Aisha’s eyes, Pal stared at her shoulder instead.

Aisha suspected nothing. She smiled uneasily and explained, “At the briefing session, a boy said there was a strong animal scent on me. At first, he even asked if I had a beastfolk lover. But then he said humans couldn’t sense that kind of smell, so I thought I should ask you…”

“Ah. Ah, so that’s it.”

Pal breathed a sigh of relief, though at the same time, he felt even guiltier.

It was impossible to claim there was no trace of Les’s scent on Aisha. If Pal were honest… it was extremely strong.

He cautiously glanced at Les.

Les remained rigid all over. He could feel heat rising in his face. If thick gray fur had not concealed the color beneath, he would probably already have been blushing.

It was rather embarrassing to explain, but once beastfolk fell in love with someone, it was impossible for them not to leave some trace of their scent behind. As long as Les remained near Aisha, as long as he unconsciously radiated affection for her, he would continue marking her with his scent.

This had become especially true since their voyage to Wold. They spent nearly every day together, and fur retained scent more readily than anything else. Aisha was forever coming over to kiss him, hug him, stroke him, and rub against him. Naturally, the scent had grown much stronger.

Every beastfolk scent carried a particular meaning. Humans could not perceive it, but beastfolk and wild animals could easily distinguish those meanings by smell. In Beast, introductions were sometimes unnecessary; people could readily identify married couples, blood relatives, and friends from scent alone.

The scent Les had left on Aisha told every animal and beastfolk with ease that she had a powerful suitor.

A remarkably possessive suitor who was plainly ready to tear apart any threat at any moment in order to win her heart.

The message of adoration and courtship was so obvious that even Les sometimes felt uncomfortable when he smelled it himself. He had always been grateful that Aisha could not understand what the scent meant.

But now…

Les looked at her uneasily.

It should not expose his identity. The scent marks of beastfolk and wild animals were no different, and many pets left the scent of a suitor on their owners as well. Still… he cared about how Aisha might react.

Pal more or less guessed what Les was thinking. After calming himself, he answered, “Yes.”

More than yes! *I start panicking the moment I see you from a distance, future cousin-in-law! It feels like there’s a wolf behind you waiting to rip me apart!*

After a pause, Pal stared hollowly ahead with an expression of incomparable solemnity and virtue.

“But it isn’t very strong. It shouldn’t affect anything.”

Hearing his precise answer, Aisha let out a soft breath of relief.

It would have been impossible for her not to care at all after the boy said she smelled of an animal. It was not that she disliked Les’s scent. Honestly, she had never noticed the usual animal smell on him. On the contrary, his fur was always dry and clean, carrying a faint scent of wind. He seemed to know how to bathe himself.

But Aisha could not help worrying that she might be bothering other people without realizing it.

Pal paused, then explained further. “Future sis—no, Aisha, you don’t need to worry about it. Beastfolk are accustomed to scents like that. No one will care. And even if Les’s scent is on you, we can still smell your own scent underneath.”

In Pal’s personal experience, Aisha was a rather pleasant-smelling human. Mostly because she was clean, bore no malice, and had a gentle temperament. Her scent leaned toward the faint floral fragrance one might associate with a girl.

So that was how it worked.

Aisha relaxed a little. But after thinking about the limited knowledge she had of animals, she ventured another question.

“And… um, Les is very strong and rather large. Would his scent frighten other animals? During the examination… could it be considered cheating?”

At the briefing session, Professor Claudia Green had repeatedly emphasized fairness and honesty. Anyone judged to have cheated would immediately be disqualified, and in serious cases, could be permanently barred from every school in Wold.

Pal considered the question before answering.

“Ordinary animals would indeed be a little afraid.” Like him.

“But to account for this special issue with beastfolk, the animals in our school forest are specially trained. They won’t abandon an attack merely because someone has a powerful beast form, so it doesn’t count as cheating.” Yes, those animals were braver than he was.

After answering both questions, Pal felt a wave of exhaustion. Even so, he dutifully continued explaining everything.

“Actually, a powerful scent isn’t always an advantage. You know, wild animals can’t distinguish beastfolk from their own kind. Sometimes they mistake beastfolk entering their territory for invaders and launch a coordinated attack to defend it. And mating season… uh, that can cause trouble too.”

“Trouble?”

“Yes,” Pal said mournfully. “It’s bad enough when animals of the same sex attack you relentlessly as a rival. But I heard that one of our older lion students happened to take his graduation examination just as all the lionesses in the forest went into heat. Seven or eight lionesses came from every direction, surrounded him, and rolled all over the ground to stop him from leaving. Unfortunately, he didn’t finish within the time limit and had to delay graduation for a year.”

“…”

Aisha listened with her mouth open, utterly stunned and unable to think of a response.

“Of course, you don’t need to worry about anything like that,” Pal hastened to add. “The animals on the entrance examination routes have all been spayed or neutered, so they won’t go into heat. And you’re only carrying a scent. You aren’t a target for attack.”

…

After Pal left, a fully reassured Aisha went over and hugged Les. He paused briefly, then silently adjusted his posture to let her hold him.

“I’m sorry I even worried about your scent,” Aisha said with an apologetic smile as she leaned against him. “The real examination is about to begin. I think I’m… extremely nervous.”

Les could tell she was speaking the truth. With a beastfolk’s keen senses, he could hear that her heart was beating faster than usual. Her palms were cold, and there was a faint tremor in her breathing.

Unable to comfort her aloud, Les thought for a moment, rose, and circled her once. Like protecting a fragile egg, he carefully enclosed her with his body. Then he lay down again, curling Aisha completely within his fur in the hope that it would make her feel safe.

Aisha froze, then embraced him, deeply moved.

…

In the blink of an eye, another Monday arrived.

The day of the formal entrance examination had finally come.

“Don’t be nervous, Aisha. The entrance examination is easy!” Pal thumped his chest encouragingly outside the examination venue. “The route only has animals that aren’t very aggressive, and it’s just one kilometer (about 0.6 miles) long. Last year, I changed into beast form and ran it. Even counting the fights, I got out in less than twenty minutes!”

His tone was half reassurance and half boasting. Aisha managed a strained smile.

She had reviewed diligently for many days, but when the examination truly arrived, she was still terribly nervous. That morning, she had checked her wand, examination permit, and examination materials at least fifteen times before daring to leave. Even so, by the time she was nearly at Wold Warrior School, she was still afraid she might have dropped her wand along the way.

The giant wolf seemed to understand her unease. After a pause, he leaned over and rubbed his head against her hand in comfort.

Les’s enormous body, thick gray fur, and steady, tranquil gaze all inspired a sense of security. The moment he touched her, Aisha did indeed feel a little better. She embraced his neck.

“I’ll do my best. I’ll come out and find you as soon as I can. And…”

She looked at Pal.

“Thank you for coming all this way to look after Les. I’ll come out through the exit later…”

When she came downstairs from the hotel that morning, she had been rather startled to find Pal waiting especially for her.

“It’s fine. Just come find us when you get out.”

At the words *look after Les*, Pal laughed dryly with a guilty conscience and unconsciously looked away.

After one more farewell, Aisha jogged into the examination venue.

Once her figure vanished behind the gates, Pal looked at the giant wolf beside him.

“Shall we go too?”

Les’s gaze was clearly still fixed on the direction in which Aisha had disappeared. Only when Pal spoke did he finally draw it back. After a pause and a careful check that no one was nearby, he changed into human form.

If Aisha passed today’s examination, they would know for certain that they needed to remain here for a long time. Pal had been right: it was not as though absolutely no one in Wold knew Les. Besides… now that he had come, it would be impolite not to greet his old teacher.

Their plan for today was therefore to find Malken while Aisha took her examination and explain the situation to him in private. If all went well, perhaps they could also obtain the latest examination news from Mr. Malken.

But… for some reason…

Les frowned.

Watching Aisha leave had filled him with a bad premonition, even though nothing had seemed unusual through the previous day.

As a graduate, Les understood the admissions standards of Wold’s schools. Aisha had not graduated from a basic school for magic and was therefore a little weaker in magical foundations. But magic was a profound discipline, and a basic school for magic taught little beyond the general knowledge added to an ordinary education. Most people did not begin formally studying magic until sixteen or seventeen. Aisha had not fallen far behind.

Furthermore, she possessed considerable magical power and comprehension, as well as the status of a mage with unusual abilities. No matter how one looked at it, admission should not be a problem.

Then… why…

Les felt intensely restless. March had already brought spring. Beneath the sunlight of a clear day and the warm spring breeze, his mood somehow worsened instead.

“Les?”

Seeing him stare blankly for no apparent reason, Pal could not resist prompting him.

Les returned to himself. After a pause, he said, “Let’s go.”

…

“It seems there are more applicants than usual this year?”

At that moment, in a secret auditorium within Wold Warrior School’s academic administration section, a bearded, middle-aged darkfolk instructor shifted his wings uncomfortably against the back of his chair. He stroked his beard while studying the images displayed along the walls of the circular hall.

“Perhaps it only looks that way because the candidates from both schools have been brought together,” replied a powerful human instructor, leaning forward in satisfaction as he studied the crystal-clear images. “Still, receiving support from the Tower of Magic has been a wonderful thing. This year’s examination is much easier to observe than before. I have to admit… magic is certainly useful.”

Six images appeared around the circular hall. Beneath each one, a magic array rotated, projecting its light onto the wall to form a moving picture. Five of the magical screens currently showed entrances to examination routes. Only one displayed moving people: the candidates’ waiting room, where students of every race could be seen nervously preparing their examination materials and weapons. The image was so clear that even small gestures and fine details were plainly visible.

The human instructor could not help praising it. “This spell is magnificent. At last, we’ll have criteria beyond route-finding and magic-array activation! Every bonus and penalty will be perfectly clear. We’ll be able to see each student’s strengths and weaknesses. This is marvelous! Oh… I heard the Great Claudia created this spell herself?”

“That is correct.”

A hoarse, elderly female voice suddenly rang out, startling both men. The darkfolk instructor and human instructor turned together and saw Claudia Green standing at the entrance with the other members of the Tower of Magic’s upper section. She wore old-fashioned clothing and a stern expression.

She inclined her head slightly. “Thank you for appreciating my work.”

“Lady Claudia!”

At the arrival of the Tower of Magic delegation, not only the two warriors who had been speaking, but everyone else already seated in the auditorium hurried to rise. The nine mages and ten warriors shook hands, then returned to their seats in a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

Once Claudia sat, she looked again at the two instructors and explained, “I personally arranged every observation array on the grounds. In a moment, they will automatically follow the students and observe their true performance along the routes.

“Activating all six magic arrays remains the sole objective criterion for passing this examination. Any candidate who activates all six will be confirmed as having passed. Their various performances during the examination will be recorded as supplementary information. Once the traditional mana test and mana-flower test are complete, all results will be provided to the candidates’ preferred instructors for mutual selection and a second round of placement.”

After a brief pause, Claudia continued.

“As this is our first examination in the new format, its standards will inevitably be imperfect. There is no need to adhere too rigidly to every provision. During the proctoring process, everyone may speak freely. As agreed, the detailed scores for this examination will be decided by the twenty… no, nineteen examiners present. Confirmed completion through activation of all six arrays accounts for sixty points. The remaining forty points will be awarded collectively. Please strive to remain impartial.”

Claudia paused and nodded apologetically to the others.

“I am sorry. Eric Green, from our tower…”

Everyone immediately understood. Though they did not know the precise reason behind Eric’s behavior, they had heard something of his willful reputation. Geniuses commonly had their peculiarities, and they all responded with understanding.

Once the matter of Eric was set aside, the group resumed discussing the examination details and analyzing which standards might need adjustment.

Time passed second by second. As though it were an omen, the second and minute hands met at twelve. The great clock in the distance began to sway, and its heavy chimes resounded throughout the Heart of the World.

Dong—dong—dong…

The bell rang nine times before falling silent. The examination had officially begun. The students were about to enter the grounds.

All nineteen examiners picked up pen and paper at once, raised their heads, and fixed their eyes on the image of the waiting room.

Within it, the students began opening their examination materials. The secrecy arrays on the sealing wax of every envelope had vanished with the first toll of the bell.

At that moment, no one in the candidates’ waiting room—including Aisha—knew that nineteen pairs of eyes were watching them from the shadows.

She was finally about to take the first step of the examination. Sweat dampened her palms, and it took several trembling attempts before she managed to remove the contents of the envelope.

Inside were a map and a card bearing half of a magic array. After reading the instructions on the waiting-room wall, Aisha took out her examination permit and aligned the half-array printed on it with the half on the card.

The two halves merged into a whole and immediately blazed with brilliant golden light. A glowing number six soon rose into the air. After spinning for ten seconds, it shot through the door and joined the other streams of golden light flowing into the six great magic arrays at the forest entrance.

At the same time, the magical screen in the proctors’ auditorium that had shown the waiting room began to change. Before long, it too displayed an entrance to one of the examination routes, just like the other five screens.

A rapidly increasing number appeared in the lower-right corner of each image. Several minutes passed before all six finally stabilized.

Every number was identical, and together they added up to the exact number of candidates.

The magic had finished registering every student.

“Let us begin,” Claudia announced.