How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 82

Just as Aisha had expected, Eric ended his months-long magical exchange two weeks after her return to the Kingdom of Micks. He packed his luggage and took them back to Wold.

Noel, who had graduated several years before them, looked extremely reluctant to see his teacher leave. He poured out a stream of sentimental remarks, but his heartfelt declaration appeared to make Eric’s scalp crawl. Eric ignored him completely and packed even faster.

“Thorne, Aisha, please take good care of Teacher.”

Before their departure, Noel solemnly said goodbye not only to Eric but also to his two juniors.

“I look forward to the day we meet again.”

Noel was naturally handsome in a bright, carefree way, and his smile made people like him easily. Aisha returned his farewell with a smile. Thorne managed a reluctant nod.

The other mages of Micks came to the palace entrance to see them off as well. Unexpectedly, Queen Louisa herself appeared. The queen was a mage by nature, though she had never received systematic training. She seemed quite interested in Eric’s research and had often come to listen during his stay.

“I benefited greatly from your research into unusual magic. Thank you for making the journey to Micks.” Louisa’s smile was formal, but its warmth and gentleness were perfectly measured and inspired no dislike. “If another opportunity arises, I hope you will be certain to visit us again.”

Eric could not treat a queen as casually as one of his former students. After a pause, he returned the courtesy somewhat awkwardly. Louisa did not mind his poor way with words. She smiled politely, then took advantage of the others saying farewell to Eric and Thorne to draw Aisha gently aside.

Aisha was already surprised that Queen Louisa wished to speak to her personally. Before she recovered, Louisa asked in a low, teasing voice, “How are things between you and another guest of mine—Major General Les Wolf of Beast?”

The single question nearly made Aisha jump. Her face turned crimson in an instant. She opened her mouth and struggled for a long time before producing a helpless sound.

“Your Majesty…”

The corner of Louisa’s mouth rose. “From that reaction, I take it things are going rather well.”

Aisha’s cheeks burned. Unable to speak, she could only stare blankly at the queen.

Seeing that she had genuinely startled Aisha, Louisa smiled helplessly and stopped teasing her.

“Don’t worry. I am merely… observant.”

Her smile was truly kind.

“I will not tell anyone. But… I am happy for both of you.”

“…Thank you,” Aisha answered softly.

She did not understand how the queen knew, but Louisa did seem to bear them no ill will. Aisha gradually relaxed and returned a gentle smile.

Queen Louisa patted her shoulder, as though a silent understanding now existed between them.

Even after climbing into the carriage, Aisha continued waving goodbye. Only when Louisa and the others disappeared from view did she release a breath and settle into her seat.

At that moment, Eric seemed to realize something. He frowned and asked, “Aisha… where is that wolf of yours?”

As far as Eric knew, apart from the period when Aisha took the wolf home, it had been left to roam the forest during their stay. Eric spent most of his time immersed in research and paid little attention to his students’ pets, so only now did he notice something amiss.

At the question, Thorne, who had been propping his cheek on one hand beside the opposite window, turned as though without interest and lazily rested his gaze on Aisha.

“Oh, he returned to the forest.”

Aisha stared for an instant before answering with a quick smile.

“I suppose he never truly adjusted to a semi-confined life…”

They had prepared this explanation in advance. Once they returned to Wold, Major General Wolf certainly could not continue squeezing into the same room with her. Leaving aside whether it was appropriate, the arrangement was plainly inconvenient. Aisha could hardly imagine how he had endured concealing his identity that way for an entire year.

Les had said he would find a suitable residence in Wold—one that allowed him to see her easily.

That meant they needed a reason to explain the giant wolf’s disappearance. Les’s previous “illness” provided a convenient opportunity.

Eric paused at her answer, pressed his lips together, and offered stiff consolation. “Then… don’t be too sad.”

“All right.”

Aisha nodded, guilty that she was lying to her teacher.

“I’ve already recovered.”

“Good.”

Eric inclined his head and looked away.

…

They reached Wold nearly half a month later. Their timing was extremely tight. Almost the moment they entered the Tower of Magic, Eric rushed to the ninth floor of the upper section. After a hurried round of preparation, he ran back downstairs to register for the examinations with the Tower administration and confirm his schedule and challengers.

As expected, Frey, the advanced mage on the eighth floor, had challenged Eric again this year, determined to move up one level.

Eric filed away the challenge notice without expression. While completing the information form, his wand paused over the question asking whether he wished to challenge the mage above him. In the end, he wrote no.

“You still aren’t challenging Lady Claudia this year?” Thorne asked.

Aisha and Thorne had accompanied Eric. Thorne was not especially curious, but this was Aisha’s first opportunity to witness a Tower of Magic evaluation, and she could not contain her excitement. She even wanted to watch the registration itself.

The advanced-mage form was engraved with magical patterns and had to be completed entirely with spells cast through a wand. That alone fascinated her. She stood beside Thorne, examining the documents on the table with interest.

The forms lay in a thick stack. The Tower of Magic examinations included the ranking tournament open to all mages, in which large numbers competed for admission to the first floor of the upper section. The volume of paperwork was therefore considerable.

Naturally, only the mage on the first floor was required to accept challenges every year. For all other positions, challenging the mage above was voluntary. Many mages abandoned upward challenges in order to focus entirely upon defending themselves and preserving their current rank.

Eric plainly did not belong to that type.

“Claudia is not an opponent who can be defeated easily,” Eric said coolly, his voice calm. “If I intend to challenge her, I need more time to prepare. Going now would only humiliate me.”

Eric was always arrogant and utterly confident in his magical ability. His standards for his students were correspondingly severe. Even Aisha looked over in surprise when she heard him speak that way.

“…I see.”

Thorne did not appear surprised. His quiet black eyes settled on Eric.

“Teacher, I want to enter the ranking tournament this year.”

Eric paused and looked at him.

“I acquired useful information in Micks,” Thorne explained. “I believe I can submit my graduation thesis during the first half of this year. I intend to qualify directly as an intermediate mage, so I want to test myself in the ranking tournament first.”

Aisha turned toward him at the explanation.

To graduate, an apprentice mage had to submit a thesis and earn the qualification of a certified mage before being considered capable of practicing independently.

Most graduates qualified as junior mages. Some remained at that level for their entire lives. Old Mr. Kleiss, the only mage at the appraisal center in Aisha’s former town near Philray, had possessed no higher qualification. Naturally, in such a remote place, the residents considered being any kind of mage impressive enough.

Even so, exceptionally talented young mages had always begun their careers as intermediate mages, graduating with qualifications that took others years or decades to earn. Such people were rare and were generally either students of famous masters or geniuses renowned since childhood—like Eric and Claudia.

Thorne was both.

He had only recently celebrated his seventeenth birthday in Micks. He had plainly grown taller, and more of the childishness had left his face, but he was still extraordinarily young for a graduating mage. More striking still was how young he had been when Eric first accepted him.

Aisha had noticed that apprentices in the Tower spoke of Thorne with envy tinged by sourness. Yet just as Aisha knew little of Thorne’s background, almost no one else in the Tower knew much of his family. They understood only that he was a local of Wold who usually kept a low profile.

Given his usual performance, there was nothing strange about Thorne attempting to qualify as an intermediate mage.

As expected, Eric nodded without surprise and gave his approval.

“Then try it. And if that is the case, Aisha…”

Eric turned toward her.

“Apply to volunteer with the healing team. You can practice the magic you learned in Micks.”

Aisha stared, then quickly nodded in agreement.

By the time she completed the volunteer application and returned to her room, another half hour had passed. She sprawled across the bed with nostalgia and released a long breath.

A dust-repelling spell had been left in the room before her departure, so very little dirt had accumulated and there was no real need to clean.

But the room was silent.

Aisha rolled onto her side, opened her eyes, and looked toward the place beside her bed once prepared especially for the giant wolf.

Now it stood empty.

Without that enormous creature nearby, something seemed to be missing. She felt a little lonely.

After a while, Aisha steadied herself and recovered.

Perhaps there was no reason to be discouraged. Major General Wolf had promised to return as soon as possible. In a few weeks, she should see him again.

In spring.

Before spring arrived…

Aisha pressed her lips together in a smile. Since growing up, she could not remember the last time she had anticipated the coming of a new season so eagerly.

Les must be working hard to complete his duties throughout the Helman Federation. Until he returned, she ought to work hard too.

Aisha gathered her resolve.