How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 35

Anyone would feel strangely uncomfortable beneath the astonished stare of arguably the most revered mage in the world.

More importantly, Claudia Green possessed a pair of profound green eyes that seemed able to see through all creation. Their dim green gleam lay hidden among the deep furrows time had carved around her lids. She wore an old black robe of the kind favored by religious mages in the previous century, and her hair was coiled so meticulously that not a single strand escaped.

Together with her deathly pale, aged skin and lifeless gray-white hair, the mere sight of Claudia created the illusion that one had crossed nearly a hundred years and returned to a bygone age. Both the solemn severity of her character and the weight of her years placed enormous pressure on the young.

Aisha instinctively wanted to retreat. She wondered whether she had intruded into the wrong place. But the man from Wold Warrior School had clearly brought her here, and the lion who seemed to be its headmaster had also said she should join Claudia…

Breaking through Aisha’s panic, Claudia collected herself and frowned deeply.

“You said your name was… Aisha Byrd?”

“Y-yes… Great Lady Claudia Green.” Aisha trembled and instinctively used the most respectful, longest, and most cumbersome form of address possible.

Claudia paused and repeated, “…Byrd?”

“Yes…”

Aisha’s confidence weakened without her noticing. Was there some problem with her surname? Under Ryan’s dual-surname system, both of her names should have been legal and beyond dispute.

But Claudia merely remained silent for several seconds. Then she fixed Aisha with a steady gaze and asked in a low, hoarse voice, “Why did you not use your mother’s surname, now radiant with glory and honor? As the daughter of Tina Killott the Glorious, you could naturally have received many special considerations.”

Just as the owner of the Tower of Magic’s top floor could place *Great* before their name, people elsewhere in the world who accomplished magnificent deeds could receive epithets suited to those deeds.

The tradition had begun in an age with few names, when such words distinguished people who otherwise shared identical names. Later, it became another form of honor. Conversely, recognized villains or deeply unpopular rulers might acquire negative epithets such as *the Cruel* or *the Wicked*.

Apart from the title *Great*, borne by the mage who occupied the Tower of Magic’s top floor, such epithets were rarely used in ordinary speech. By deliberately adding *the Glorious* to Tina Killott’s name, Claudia was clearly emphasizing her status.

As expected, the other candidates in the common room looked utterly astonished at the name Tina Killott. Some of that shock carried admiration and longing; some carried jealousy and hostility. There were other emotions Aisha could not identify.

In an instant, every gaze locked onto her. Each one felt like ten thousand needles, leaving her nowhere to hide. Aisha began to panic.

Claudia’s penetrating stare was plainly demanding an answer. Aisha did not know how she had been recognized, but she had to respond quickly.

“Because I…”

Because she feared she was not worthy of being Tina Killott’s daughter.

But the cowardly reason caught in her throat. Aisha lowered her lashes. Somehow, saying it aloud before everyone felt like confirming that she truly was as useless as she feared.

The relationship between a daughter and her mother was a curious thing.

When Aisha knew nothing, she had always yearned for the idea of her mother—or simply for the feeling of having one. Her father and grandmother had always told her that she had a wonderful mother who loved her. Though they had never met, Aisha’s heart had always nurtured love and longing for her.

But when Tina truly appeared before her—better and more remarkable than Aisha had ever imagined, and loving her just as Aisha had secretly hoped—Aisha instead began to feel inferior and guilty.

She now possessed something she had not done enough to deserve. If she wanted to accept it without shame, there was only one way…

“I want to become better,” Aisha said shyly and with restraint. “Right now, I still cannot call myself a daughter who would make my mother proud.”

The instant she finished, the young candidates all wore expressions that plainly said, *Good heavens, she doesn’t want to rely on her mother. She wants to succeed through her own efforts.* Their gazes filled with admiration and became much friendlier.

Claudia, however, said nothing. She studied Aisha deeply for seven or eight seconds before finally speaking.

“…I see.”

Claudia spoke slowly. Her wise eyes seemed to understand something as they rested on Aisha, then gradually moved away.

“Sit down and rest with the others. You must be tired.”

Feeling Claudia’s manner soften, Aisha relaxed and hurried to sit in one of the chairs beside the other candidates. Yet they continued stealing peculiar glances at her, which made the wait painful.

Claudia looked at her. “Take off the coat.”

Aisha froze. After a moment’s hesitation, she obeyed. Everyone’s gaze fell upon the crudely treated wound on her shoulder, and Aisha instinctively tried to hide it.

But Claudia said nothing. She merely drew her wand.

The next instant, without Aisha seeing her chant—or even move her lips—threads of mingled gold and silver surrounded her. The silver threads unwound her “bandage,” while the golden threads entered directly into her flesh. Warmth flowed through her body, enveloping Aisha in an indescribable wonder.

Like any ordinary old woman, Claudia somehow produced a sewing kit from her robes and placed it among the flowing silver threads. The silver obediently opened the case, selected a suitable needle and several colors of thread, and began mending Aisha’s torn clothing.

Several minutes later, her wound had vanished completely, and there was no sign her clothes had ever been damaged. The silver and golden threads disappeared. The sewing kit returned to Claudia’s hand, then vanished into a pocket along with her wand.

Healing spells and mending spells were basic magic known to nearly every mage. But no one had ever used them with such grace and rhythm. It was almost as if music had been woven through the casting.

They had to be extremely advanced branches of those basic spells. Yet because Claudia had cast without chanting, no one could know the precise incantations.

It was the first time they had seen the greatest mage in the world display her skill. Even candidates applying to Wold Warrior School stared in amazement, to say nothing of the aspiring mages, Aisha among them.

Aisha could feel her blood quickening in her chest.

There it was again—that sense that something within her wanted to break free.

With a few simple movements, Claudia could kindle longing and curiosity toward magic even in someone without magical talent. The effect on Aisha was stronger still. Aisha herself possessed the innate magic of healing, yet her healing ability could not compare with Claudia’s healing spell.

She wanted to study magic.

A voice repeated the words endlessly in Aisha’s heart.

Claudia paused. No longer looking only at Aisha, she swept her gaze across everyone present.

“I apologize. An accident that never should have happened disrupted today’s examination. At present, everyone is dealing with the problems in the forest, and I’m afraid there will be no further news in the immediate future. Candidates for the Tower of Magic, remain here until you have recovered, then return on your own. Once there is new progress, we will send people to notify you at your hotels. Please also watch the Tower of Magic’s announcements closely.

“As for Wold Warrior School’s examination… I’m sorry, but you are not under my authority. In a moment, I will find an available official from the school to make arrangements for you. Please wait here for now.”

“But—Great Claudia, our examination results…”

A girl applying to Wold Warrior School asked anxiously.

This concerned everyone. All six young people in the room had been interrupted during their examinations. Admittedly, some had only just begun when they were brought out, but others had nearly finished—Aisha, for example, had passed five checkpoints. Making them start again seemed unfair.

“You will be notified separately,” Claudia said simply, cutting off any attempt to question her further.

They were, after all, only a group of young candidates. None had the courage to challenge a powerful advanced mage, so they reluctantly fell silent.

“Then I must leave and assist the others as well.”

Claudia turned as if to go, but paused and looked back.

“There is no need to worry. Both the Tower of Magic and Wold Warrior School possess extensive experience. We will make every effort to reach the fairest judgment. And…”

Perhaps it was Aisha’s imagination, but Claudia’s gaze seemed to settle faintly upon her.

After a pause, Claudia continued, “Candidates for the Tower of Magic, once you are confirmed to have completed this stage of the examination, you must still visit the tower to register certain basic information. Only afterward will mentor selection and placement take place according to your preferences…

“Remember: no matter whom you named as your first choice, no matter what a mentor says or what promises they make, until the final moment, you retain the right to choose what is best for you. You need not concern yourself too much with anything else.”

…

Aisha left Wold Warrior School after resting for an hour. Perhaps because everyone had learned she was Tina Killott’s daughter, the people in the common room had been warm and willing to speak with her. But after what happened in the forest, Aisha had little energy for conversation.

Besides, the time she had agreed to meet Pal and the giant wolf after the examination was approaching. Thinking they were probably already waiting outside the school, she hurried over.

Claudia had completely healed her wound, so there was nothing physically inconveniencing her. She was merely mentally exhausted.

Aisha quickly reached the meeting point. But there was no giant wolf to be seen—only Pal, craning his neck and looking strangely awkward.

“Pal, where’s Les?”

Aisha held the man’s coat in her arms and looked at him in confusion.

The voice from his side startled Pal so badly that he jerked. Only then did he turn, immediately flustered.

“Ah! Aisha! You’re out!”

“Mm.”

Aisha nodded, her expression dimming slightly.

“Um… something went wrong during the examination. I don’t know the result yet… Where’s Les?”

She asked again while beginning to search for the giant wolf, who should have been impossible to miss.

Pal hurriedly stopped her. “Uh… he isn’t here. A teacher from the school… well, requisitioned him.”

“…Requisitioned him?!”

“Yes. I’m sorry, Aisha.” Pal scratched his hair as though he did not know how to explain. He knew the truth, but could not tell her. “I’ve already heard what happened. I was helping at the school and only just found time to meet you. You know… with the creatures in the forest running wild, it’s best to have trained animals help drive them back. Professor Malken said an animal like Les would be suitable… I’m sorry we didn’t tell you.”

Pal shifted the blame to Malken without hesitation. They still needed to find an opportunity to confess everything to Malken, so asking him to support the lie would be convenient. Besides, it was not entirely false. Professor Malken truly had called Les over to help.

Pal himself had later been pulled away to arrange matters for the candidates in the waiting room who had not yet taken their examinations. He was not close enough to graduation to enter the forest and handle the most urgent work, but there were still plenty of tasks for ordinary students.

Unable to see the giant wolf immediately, Aisha felt a rush of disappointment. At the same time, although she had witnessed Les’s formidable strength, she could not help blaming Pal a little for letting him enter the forest.

“…When will Les come back? He won’t be hurt, will he?” she asked anxiously.

“Uh, he’ll definitely be back by tomorrow morning. As for getting hurt… maybe, maybe not, but Wold Warrior School has excellent veterinary facilities!”

Pal spoke awkwardly, already wishing he could escape.

“I’m sorry, Aisha… Um, I may have to go back and help at the school. Can you return by yourself?”

Aisha nodded, tightening her arms around the coat.

For now, it seemed the only thing she could do was return to the hotel and wait for Les to come back on his own.

Suddenly, Aisha remembered something. After a brief pause, she lifted the coat with an emotion she could not quite name and looked at Pal.

“Um, wait one more moment! Pal, have you ever seen the person who wears this coat? Do you know who he—”

“No, no, no! I’ve never seen him at all!”

The sight of Les’s unmistakable military coat nearly made Pal collapse. Before Aisha could even finish, he denied everything with absolute conviction.

“This coat obviously doesn’t belong to a current student! There’s no way I could know him!”

“…I see.”

Aisha gave the overreacting Pal a strange look. But he was right: the coat did not appear to belong to a student. Judging from the Wold Warrior School headmaster’s attitude, that man must also have graduated long ago.

With no other choice, Aisha carefully folded the coat and held it against her chest, looking somewhat dejected.

…

It was not until after midnight that Les finally returned.

When Aisha saw the giant wolf step softly into the room, the tension she had carried all evening finally released.

“You’re finally back,” she said with a smile.

Les froze slightly.

Honestly, he had already been surprised to find the hotel-room door still ajar. When he entered and saw Aisha awake and reading, apparently waiting for him, it felt as though a feather had brushed a soft corner of his heart.

It was warm, yet it made his heart ache.

He walked over with his tail swaying. As if confirming his guess, Aisha closed her book and embraced him. The girl’s faint fragrance instantly dissolved the pressure that had built while he faced Professor Malken, leaving his heart gentle and peaceful.

After Les confessed the situation, Malken’s utter shock and prolonged shouting had made him wonder whether he truly had shown so little interest in women before that even his respected teacher had assumed he would never fall in love.

The girl holding him was soft and warm. Les wanted badly to embrace her in return, but without arms, he could only rest his head silently on her shoulder and draw them closer.

“I’m relieved you came back safely.” Aisha checked him carefully for injuries before smiling. “Um… I’m sorry. Something went wrong with the examination today, and I still don’t know whether I passed. We may have to stay at the hotel a little longer…”

Aisha paused and became distracted.

“But… I met someone very special today. He saved me.”

Les’s heart skipped involuntarily.

He noticed his coat folded neatly at the corner of the bed. The sight of his clothing placed on the bed of the girl he loved made the skin beneath his fur grow warm again.

He watched Aisha in silence, waiting for her to continue, unable to keep from feeling nervous.

But Aisha suddenly laughed for no apparent reason.

“Never mind… I’m sorry. You’re already so tired, and I’m talking so much. We should sleep for tonight.”

With that, Aisha lay down, removed a few layers of clothing, and nestled beneath the blankets. She leaned over and kissed the giant wolf gently on the forehead.

“Good night, Les.”

Click.

The light went out.

Les: …