How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 40

“As you can see, there’s your bed, wardrobe, storage chest, desk, and bookcase. Hmm… and that blanket. Teacher added it at the last minute after seeing your pet. He was in a hurry, so he may come back to adjust it while you’re away or in the middle of the night. Just pretend you didn’t notice.”

“Over there are your separate washroom and bathroom. The door beside the bookcase opens onto a magic research bench and a laboratory table. That will be your personal laboratory. It’s a little small, but it should be usable. The tools may not be complete, so you can buy what you need in the commercial district. There are shops inside the Tower of Magic too… Hmm. The quality here is quite good, though the selection is relatively conventional. If you want laboratory tools made by dwarves or elves, you’ll still need to visit the commercial district. Of course, what the tower sells is more than enough for a beginner.”

“And there’s the balcony. You can see a long way from here. Whether you grow flowers or other plants is up to you. I suggest plants that can be used in potions. They’ll be useful in future lessons and tend to repel insects. Hmm… hopefully your wolf isn’t allergic.”

Aisha followed Thorne through her new room.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, she would live here for the next several years apart from holidays spent visiting family. Since the Tower of Magic occupied such a vast area, each floor was spacious inside. Aisha’s room was much larger than she had imagined. It even had a laboratory and private bathroom. She could hardly have been more delighted.

Still… she had to admit that the room had been arranged with extraordinary care and excellent taste. Aisha could not explain precisely what made it so good, but the whole space felt comfortable and clean. Its cream-colored palette was exceptionally soft.

Thorne continued explaining the rules of the tower and Aisha’s schedule.

His tone was cold—or perhaps carried a faint, awkward impatience—but his explanations were extremely detailed, far clearer than the mass of information Mr. Eric Green had thrown at her all at once.

Aisha listened while writing notes in a small book, nodding whenever Thorne looked back to make sure she was following.

He continued, “I’ve already put your timetable on the desk. During the first year, new students have to attend general lectures on the first floor of the Tower of Magic’s lower public section in addition to studying under their mentor. Those lectures won’t begin immediately. You’ll need to wait until you receive your uniform, probably next month… Hmm. Honestly, those classes are good for sleeping through. But you’ll have to buy your own books. I threw out my old ones long ago.”

“All right. I understand. Thank you.”

Once Aisha had written everything she needed in her notes, she smiled.

Thorne kept both hands in his pockets and glanced at her distractedly.

“…It’s nothing. If you have any questions, come ask me. I’m next door… Honestly, I find it troublesome, but I’ve studied under Teacher longer than you have, so there’s no helping it.”

Aisha paused and asked with some curiosity, “Um, Thorne… may I ask how old you are?”

She felt embarrassed asking someone’s age so abruptly. But Thorne looked astonishingly young. He had supposedly been accepted four years ago, which meant he must have been remarkably young at the time.

“…Fifteen. Nearly sixteen.”

Thorne shifted uncomfortably, plainly reluctant to answer.

“Why?”

“No reason.”

So he really is younger than me.

Aisha smiled in understanding and felt much more relaxed.

Eric Green appeared very strict, and she had only just arrived. She had scarcely interacted with other mages before. Under these circumstances, a “senior” younger than she was naturally less intimidating than someone many years older.

Thorne was over a year younger, which felt just right: his age put her at ease without sacrificing a sense of closeness.

After several seconds, Aisha smiled again. “Thank you. I’ll come ask if I need anything. Oh, and thank you for helping with my hair at the briefing session too.”

“…It was nothing. I’d almost forgotten about that… So this is the large animal you keep.”

Thorne’s gaze naturally settled on the giant wolf who had remained near Aisha throughout the tour and stayed there for a long time.

Les’s ears shifted uneasily.

His mind returned involuntarily to what had happened earlier. From the conversation just now and the occasional remarks exchanged during the tour, it was not difficult for Les to infer that Thorne was the boy who had told Aisha at the briefing that she carried an animal scent.

If Thorne was not beastfolk, then his senses had to be extraordinarily keen.

…Would he notice something?

Les’s heartbeat quickened for two beats. Perhaps it was only his imagination, but once the worry appeared, he thought he saw the mage boy’s eyes flicker.

Aisha nodded. “Mm. His name is Les. He’s been with me for the past several months. Hmm… though I wouldn’t say I’m the one keeping him. During the day, he goes to the nearby forest to find food and returns at night. Actually… sometimes I worry that one day he’ll leave and never come back.”

The fear was not without reason. According to Pal, that was how Les had left Pal’s family. The wolf had shown no sign of distancing himself from her, but Aisha could not hear an animal’s thoughts and could never be entirely certain.

In truth, even Aisha could not say whether she was keeping the wolf company or the wolf was keeping her company.

At least… she would treasure the time they had now.

After a moment’s thought, Aisha looked at Les tenderly and placed a hand against his neck, stroking him gently.

A shiver ran down Les’s spine.

That look alone was already more than he could bear. He wanted to melt into a puddle and become one with her. For an instant, being exposed here and now seemed not to matter at all.

He instinctively lowered his body and leaned closer so she could stroke him more easily—and so that he too could be nearer to her.

I won’t leave.

He answered her silently in his heart.

“I see. So that’s how it is.”

Thorne looked away. He apparently had noticed nothing, and Les relaxed.

“I’ll go back now,” Thorne said. “I have homework I haven’t finished either.”

“Mm! Thank you for all the trouble.”

“…It was nothing.”

After Thorne left, only one girl and one wolf remained in the room.

The tension Aisha had carried since entering finally eased. She breathed out softly and looked around the unfamiliar space. Then she turned to the giant wolf and smiled.

“Let’s start putting everything away. If there’s still time, we may need to buy some daily necessities later. We’ll be living here from now on… Hmm. I hope we can finish before evening.”

Les resisted the urge to nod. He knew Aisha was only seeking the feeling of companionship, not truly expecting an answer from him.

All he could do was remain beside her and, when she grew tired from unpacking, lie down so she could lean against him to rest.

Les lowered his eyes, faintly dejected.

…

Moving was exhausting. After spending the entire afternoon unpacking, Aisha washed up that evening and quickly fell asleep, buried beneath the blankets and breathing evenly.

Les watched her quietly from nearby.

A wolf could see clearly in darkness, allowing him to make out Aisha’s long, thick lashes resting against her closed eyelids, her small nose brushing lightly against the pillow, and her gently pressed lips.

Aisha had always been a beautiful girl. But after falling in love with her, Les found her unconditionally adorable from every possible angle. Even when she sneezed, he wanted to lift her like a child and soothe her.

Such tenderness sometimes made Les himself feel powerless. The emotion was unfamiliar and left him awkward and uneasy. Not knowing what to do made him clumsy, yet there was nothing he could do about it.

Time passed second by second.

At last, the sound Les had been waiting for that night reached his ear and broke the silence.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting, Les.”

Carter III’s voice came through, as steady and reassuring as always.

“Has that girl… fallen asleep?”

Les gave Aisha one more deep, reluctant look before finally drawing his eyes from her face. He turned and walked onto the balcony. As he closed the door, he carefully used his body to block the spring wind, still carrying a faint chill, afraid it might make Aisha ill.

Once he was certain no one else was present, his Adam’s apple bobbed before he answered in a low voice.

“Your Majesty.”

Since concealing his identity and moving in with Aisha, he had almost no opportunities to speak with anyone besides Pal. Les had always been the quiet type, but maintaining the role of a “wild animal” for so long had inevitably left his voice dry and rusty.

Now that he spent more time with Aisha, long-distance communication had become more difficult. To reduce the risk of discovery, he and Carter III had agreed to speak twice each week: Wednesday at noon and late Sunday night. At noon, Les could hide in the forest and wait for the call.

But today was neither Wednesday nor Sunday. The circumstances were simply unusual.

Hearing Les speak, the cat emperor understood that the human girl he was courting had most likely fallen asleep and continued with relief.

“Today should have been the day the results were announced. How did it go? Did she pass?”

“…She did.”

“Good. You have greater freedom of movement in Wold than in Helman. That puts me at ease.”

The cat emperor truly relaxed. Les had been so preoccupied with Aisha’s examination that his attention constantly wandered during their conversations, and he spoke even less than usual. Now that she had gained admission, Les should return to his former state.

Of course, Carter III did not blame him. He understood the feeling. When someone fell in love, their thoughts inevitably began to orbit the other person. It was difficult to escape and impossible to prevent.

After a slight hesitation, Carter III asked, “And what of your own situation? Have you made any progress?”

“I…”

Les’s throat was dry. The words were difficult to say.

“…No. I… don’t know what to do.”

The officer who had once been the most decisive and steady presence on the battlefield now sounded helpless and lost.

He had to admit that he lacked experience with women. He had never pursued anyone. More accurately… before Aisha, he had never felt anything remotely similar.

She had opened the gentlest door in his heart, then pulled him into a maze without directions.

Les had excelled at Wold Warrior School. He knew how to bring down the strongest and fiercest opponent. But he did not know how to enter the heart of a delicate girl.

His birth parents could no longer teach him. His Majesty, who cared for him, had no romantic experience himself. No book, teacher, or lesson at school had ever mentioned a strategy for anything like this.

It might have been the sweetest battlefield he had ever entered, yet without realizing it, he had fallen into the most insoluble predicament of his life.

Their relationship had stalled, as though it might remain fixed this way forever.

The cat emperor heard the strand of helplessness that Les himself might not have recognized. He sighed, paused, then said, “…You know, the trouble with the darkfolk has been more or less settled over the past few days. Starting next week, I should have some free time.

“What do you think? Do you need me to visit?”