How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 55

“Micks?”

Aisha repeated the name in surprise.

Eric nodded.

“A former student of mine with innate magic came from Micks. I believe he returned home after graduation and took a position at the royal palace. He wrote to me several months ago. The palace’s senior court mage had died, and they needed a replacement. Without consulting me, he recommended me to the queen.”

“And you accepted the position?”

That surprised Aisha even more. Eric had lived in the Tower of Magic for ten years without changing his routine. He hardly ever agreed to step outside.

The Tower of Magic was merely a professional association and paid its mages no salary, so its members were naturally free to work elsewhere. Yet Eric had always disdained the prestigious positions that other mages coveted and could scarcely be bothered with them. Most of his income came from his students’ tuition, research grants from the Tower, and a number of magical patents, with the occasional special commission besides. As the second-ranked mage in the Tower, he earned more than enough from those sources alone and had no need to worry about his livelihood.

That was why Aisha could make no sense of his sudden announcement that he intended to work and conduct research in the Kingdom of Micks.

After a pause, however, Eric said, “…No. I turned down that position months ago. This will only be a short research visit. It should not last longer than half a year.”

Aisha still looked puzzled. Eric coughed softly, as if to conceal something, before continuing his explanation.

“…Thorne has found no inspiration for his graduation project. The trip may help him. Of course, going to Micks should benefit you as well. As you know, mages from the kingdom of religion are particularly skilled in healing magic.”

That was true.

The Helman Federation consisted of four kingdoms. Saint Regin, the capital of the Kingdom of Micks, was home to the Grand Temple, the foremost symbol of the faith. The entire nation was deeply devout, and during the Age of Religion, Micks had held an exalted position among the human kingdoms. In those days, the Church had been expected to cure difficult and mysterious illnesses as proof of the power of faith. Healing magic had therefore developed at tremendous speed, and all of it had ultimately been attributed to “the divine power of God.”

As religious belief declined across the world, the royal court of Micks declined with it. Apart from the great numbers of pilgrims and tourists interested in its sacred ruins whom it still received every year, the kingdom was now much like any other.

Modern magical theory meant that God could no longer offer a wholly convincing explanation for magic. Even so, the tradition of exceptional healing magic among the mages of Micks had endured. A journey there truly might help Aisha. Even before she had known that her power was innate magic, she had once considered going to Micks in search of aid.

There was only one problem…

“My general lectures won’t end for another two weeks,” Aisha asked tentatively. “Until then, I’m still free to come and go, aren’t I?”

“Of course.”

Eric nodded.

“You ought to tell the people at the Free Arena in advance that you will be away for some time. You can also begin packing for Micks. If all goes well, you may even be able to visit home while you are there. Micks is in Helman, after all. Returning from there will certainly be easier than returning from here.”

As he spoke, Eric’s gaze drifted subtly away. Aisha had gradually learned that he did this whenever he tried to express the sort of concern that did not come naturally to him—though perhaps he was also embarrassed that she might read too much into it.

She smiled, warmed by his rare thoughtfulness. “All right. Thank you, Professor.”

“Mm.”

Eric seemed taken aback by her thanks. Only after a moment did he answer softly. Then he turned, left the sitting room, and disappeared into his laboratory once more.

With Eric gone, the sitting room fell quiet again, leaving only Aisha and Thorne.

Aisha let out a faint sigh.

Before today, the prospect of leaving Wold to study elsewhere would have filled her with uncomplicated excitement. Yet now, of all times, the news left her strangely melancholy.

How long would Major General Wolf remain here? Would he stay… longer than two weeks?

All at once, Aisha realized that she was upset because she might not have enough time with Major General Wolf.

The thought startled her.

W-what was happening to her?

Flustered, she pressed a hand to her chest. Sure enough, her heart was pounding as though it might burst through her ribs at any moment. Her body felt hot, her palm felt hot, and nervous sweat had begun to gather against her skin.

Aisha had no idea when it had started. She could not tell whether racing up and down the Tower of Magic twice had simply exhausted her, or whether it was because… she had thought of Major General Les Wolf. Her chest tightened. Confusion and panic made her tense, which only made her heart beat faster, until even her cheeks began to burn.

“Hey!”

The boy beside her abruptly broke into her thoughts. Aisha turned and found Thorne studying her with an odd, searching look.

“Are you all right? Your face is really red.”

“Oh, I’m fine!”

Aisha hurriedly came back to herself and gave him an awkward smile. Realizing that she had been sitting there in a daze, she grew even more embarrassed. She said a hasty goodbye to Thorne, then fled to her room, intending to bury her face in the blankets until she calmed down.

Thorne remained on the sofa and watched her run away with both hands over her scarlet face. A click sounded as she vanished behind her door. Only then did he slowly look away, deep in thought.

…

*What in the world is wrong with me?*

Aisha was still asking herself that question in a fog the next day. She had lain awake thinking until late into the night, and when she rose that morning, she was dizzy and hopelessly distracted. When she greeted the giant wolf, she said “good evening” instead of “good morning.” At breakfast, one look into Les’s blue-gray eyes made her blush for no discernible reason. Then, embarrassed and exhausted from her sleepless night, she buried her face in the giant wolf’s fur to calm herself—and nearly fell asleep there. She had almost been late for Eric’s morning tutorial, and Eric did not tolerate lateness.

She absorbed scarcely anything from the afternoon lecture either. The day ended with Aisha still staring into space and her notebook nearly blank. If the lecturer had not loudly announced that this was the second-to-last week, she might even have forgotten to say goodbye to the few mages from her cohort with whom she had become close.

When she told them that she would soon be accompanying Eric to Micks, they were all astonished that Eric Green intended to leave the Tower of Magic. Nevertheless, they wished her a safe journey.

With her affairs at the Tower settled, Aisha composed herself, took a deep breath, and went to find Pal.

Major General Wolf had said that he was temporarily staying somewhere near Pal, and that she could contact Pal if she needed to find him.

By the time Aisha finished explaining why she had come, nervous and hesitant all the while, Pal’s expression had become wonderfully complicated. The black panther had no talent for hiding his feelings. Beneath his stare, Aisha grew steadily more uncomfortable, plagued by an inexplicable sense that she had something to feel guilty about.

Even so, Pal thumped his chest and promptly promised to pass on her message.

Sure enough, when her lessons ended the following day, Aisha met Major General Les Wolf in the central square as arranged. He was as tall and handsome as ever, and stood out so strikingly among the crowd that she spotted him at once. She had not expected to keep him waiting and hurried over.

This was already their fourth meeting. Aisha had grown far more at ease with Major General Wolf’s stern face, on which expressions were so difficult to read. They exchanged polite greetings, and then…

Her heart began pounding out of control again.

“…I’m sorry,” Aisha said over the frantic thud in her chest.

“I only learned yesterday that my professor plans to leave Wold for a while. I may be going to the Kingdom of Micks next, so you might not be able to find me at the Free Arena. Um, and the date of my return to Ryan might change too, so…”

Her voice dwindled as she spoke. She did her best to conceal the trace of disappointment in her words, afraid he would notice and think her a strange girl.

Les watched her lower her head guiltily and said nothing for a moment.

He had, of course, learned that Aisha was going to Micks on the very same day she had. The news had startled him at first, but he soon realized that Micks and Ryan made little difference to him. In Ryan, he would inevitably have to live beneath the same roof as Aisha’s parents. Compared with that, Micks was considerably safer.

Les pressed his lips together. “Actually, I… will be leaving soon as well.”

Aisha’s heart clenched. The faint ache made her ask before she could stop herself, “Are you going home? Will you… ever come back?”

“No.”

Les paused before continuing.

“…The diplomatic visit I mentioned is about to begin. I will soon be traveling to Helman.”

Aisha’s head snapped up. Her gaze met the deep blue-gray eyes fixed upon her.

The beastfolk man’s calm eyes seemed to contain a vast reserve of strength. Beneath their still surface gleamed a conviction and resolve that invited absolute trust—and sent Aisha’s heart stumbling out of rhythm once more.

“If you’re willing…”

He regarded her hesitantly, as though awaiting her decision.

“I can make Micks my first destination. We could… meet there again.”

A breeze whispered between them, carrying with it the faintest suggestion of romance.

Aisha could not be sure whether this was truly the beginning of something, but…

“Yes. I’ll wait for you.”

She heard herself answer with a sweet smile.

…

“So you will be leaving Wold for a time?”

That evening, during their scheduled call, Carter III’s intrigued voice sounded directly in Les’s ear.

Les nodded.

“Hmm… I did not expect that special pass I issued you would prove useful so soon,” the cat emperor said in high spirits. “Entering Helman as a visiting officer should make it far easier for you to spend time with Aisha. Publicly revealing your identity is probably still unwise, but at least your situation will be much better than before.”

It was true.

At the memory of Aisha’s happy smile that afternoon, Les felt his own heart soften. After some thought, he said, “…Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“There is no need to thank me for so small a matter. I have told you before—you are no different from my own children.” Carter III’s tail swayed lazily. He would never admit it aloud, but gratitude from a child he trusted plainly delighted him and made him more inclined to chat. “By the way, which kingdom did you say you were visiting? Shall I contact the Federation in advance and ask them to arrange suitable lodgings for you in the capital?”

“I… will probably still stay with Aisha.”

Les was also troubled by how best to handle the identity associated with his pass. After a moment’s consideration, he added, “Still, please contact them for me.”

“Mm, certainly. So—which kingdom?”

“The Kingdom of Micks. It is known as the kingdom of religion—”

“—!”

“…Your Majesty?”

His familiarity with Carter III, combined with an animal’s instincts, allowed Les to catch the faint wrongness in the ensuing silence.

No answer came for a long time. The cat emperor might have vanished into thin air. At last, Carter III’s voice sounded again.

“…Micks? I see. You are going to… Micks?”