"Aah!"
Edmund flew in the air, landing on the ground after a few meters.
His training suit torn and dusty, he raised his body.
"I can go on! Again."
With his teeth clenched, Edmund stood up and walked towards Cyril, picking up his rapier on the way.
Cyril held his spear in front of him, his breathing completely calm.
He is much more fired up than I thought.
As Edmund walked in range, Cyril lowered his body and dashed forward.
Deliberately moving a level slower, he swung his spear.
Edmund ducked, the swing barely passing over his head.
With excitement growing, he thrust his rapier at the open body.
Cyril observed the spear that couldn't be moved in time, then glanced at the rapier approaching.
Not bad.
With the corners of his mouth slightly arcing, Cyril let go of his spear.
Using one hand, he grabbed onto the rapier.
The weapon immediately froze in space.
Edmund found his strength incapable of moving it even a little bit.
Panicking, he threw a fist with his other hand.
Cyril calmly caught the fist and twisted it.
"Ouch!" Along with his hand, Edmund's whole body turned around.
Getting him in a hold, Cyril threw him forwards, letting him drop on the ground.
Soon frustration covered Edmund's face as he turned to his stomach, staring at the sky.
"Damn it! I was so close!"
"No, you weren't!"
"It was impressive." Cyril nodded and walked a few steps closer.
"In what way? You dealt with me as if you were disciplining a child. Don't patronize me, Cyril. I thought you were better than that!"
Edmund shook his head and slowly got off the ground, taking deep gulps of air.
I was being honest.
"Really? His fighting didn't really improve. He fought like a desperate amateur."
Maybe, but it does feel better somehow... Why is that?
Cyril pinched his chin, contemplating.
In the meantime, Myra approached, Rose at her side.
"Don't worry about it. I am telling you, results won't be achieved in such a short time. You have to calm down."
Edmund rolled his eyes, snapping at her.
"I will calm down once there are clear results! I don't like wasting my time!"
Myra shrugged, her face blank.
"Fine. Take a rest, I'll fight with Rose now."
Rose at the side quietly gulped and clutched the dagger in her hand tighter.
Edmund took a deep breath and slowly walked away from the field, taking a seat on a bench.
"Sorry, I lost control of myself."
Cyril observed their interaction and walked away as well.
"I'll train with Morpho now."
A red butterfly waited for him on the other edge of the arena, impatiently fluttering her wings.
"Sure." Myra absentmindedly nodded and readied her spear.
Rose, standing opposite her, slowly took a deep breath and raised her dagger, her other hand making a magic circle in the air.
Without observing their battle, Cyril walked in front of the butterfly and crossed his arms.
Her compound eyes met his cold blue ones, and sparks lit up in the air between them.
"You can start." Cyril calmly relaxed his body.
The butterfly immediately shot forward, aiming at his head.
Cyril blocked her charge with his hand, to which Morpho quickly retreated and attacked again.
Like this, he danced with her for a while.
Morpho practiced on a living human to her heart's content.
"Good job, everyone!" While Rhamn cheered in the background.
After having fought enough, both of them started practicing Selene's technique, striking at blades of grass or whatever could be of use.
Cyril held two fingers together and jabbed at a bush near the field.
As he struck its leaves, the bush shuddered and twisted, soon losing a few of its branches.
I need to be gentler...
He frowned and stepped back, contemplating the results.
To the side, Morpho was striking grass, acting as an improvised lawnmower.
Should I ask Selene? No, I can figure it out myself.
"That's enough for now."
He looked around at the others.
Rose and Myra were discussing the duel in detail. Rose even pulled out her notebook, writing something down with a focused expression.
Edmund was not seen, having left some time earlier.
Morpho flew up onto his shoulder and twitched her antennae somewhat reluctantly.
"No, we have to go. I still have something to do. You can practice the first part of the technique back in the dorm."
Having reined her in, he walked towards the others.
...
"Tigris, we are home."
Cyril walked through the door. Morpho immediately flew off his shoulder, shooting to somewhere specific.
However, upon reaching the bed, she froze and hovered in place, her insect eyes scanning the area in confusion.
"Where is Tigris?"
Cyril failed to find the conspicuous tiger in his usual spots and looked at Rhamn standing nearby.
She had a mischievous smile.
"Hehe, Tigris is hiding~"
Oh, so it's fine.
Cyril gave a sigh of relief and continued with his routine.
Morpho, the red butterfly, continued slowly flying through the room.
She checked under the table, in the kitchen, and in the bathroom but found no traces of the white coward.
She glanced at Cyril, who began studying without any worry, and twitched her antennae with determination.
As a red blur was flying around the whole room, Cyril noticed a slight buzzing sound coming from the drawer of his desk.
"...?"
Opening it, he discovered a brass pocket watch, slightly shaking among his other things.
Selene?
He took it out and opened the watch. Inside was a small crystal.
It began shining brighter as soon as he injected mana.
"My disciple? It is I, your Master." A quiet, serene voice rang out from the watch, though it appeared obscured and somewhat muffled.
"...I hear you."
Cyril held the watch in front of him and talked to it, his face as calm as ever.
"How has your progress been? Have you familiarized yourself with the spell?"
He observed Morpho flying in the kitchen and replied.
"Yes."
"And do you need my help with anything? You must only ask, and I shall guide you."
"No need."
Selen grew silent on the other end for a few seconds.
"Is that so..." Somehow her voice appeared a bit disappointed.
"Is that all?"
"Yes. Keep up your training. I will visit you soon."
With that, the brass watch grew quiet, no longer emitting light.
Cyril tossed it back in the drawer, observing it for a while.
An item like this is rather expensive. She must have quite the connections.
"Nothing compared to ours."
Maybe, but still I am curious who she is and why I've never heard of someone as strong as her.
As he was contemplating, suddenly a pitiful meow caught his attention.
The cupboard in the kitchen was opened, revealing Tigris, who cowered in the corner as Morpho hovered in front of him, her antennae twitching with battle intent.
"Morpho, stop."
Cyril hurriedly walked closer and shielded the cupboard from the flying red menace.
Morpho landed on the table and sent him a pitiful glance of her own.
"Tigris doesn't want to take part, don't force him."
Morpho stayed silent for a moment and flew back to her terrarium, landing there with her back facing them.
Cyril sighed as Tigris nudged his hand in gratitude.
"Just try to respect each other."
...
The next day Cyril walked towards the castle, Morpho and Tigris on his shoulders.
"Do you two have any issues with each other?"
The butterfly and the tiger immediately shook their heads.
"How can that be? We are one family!"
"Then you should be more thoughtful."
Cyril made a little lecture to them as he walked, describing the family values.
Earlier this morning Morpho again happened to chase Tigris, who, in his frantic escape, completely ruined Cyril's breakfast.
"You don't even need to eat with me here. Don't blame them."
Rhamn valiantly defended, trying to uplift her creations' moods.
I want to eat. Besides, you are spoiling them too much. Morpho may be fine on her own, but Tigris is clearly too soft as of now.
"What are you saying!?" Rhamn's intangible hands hugged the white cat, who meowed in confusion.
"He doesn't need to change! He only needs to be a happy kitten!"
Let's talk later...
At this moment Cyril approached the castle's doors.
Just as he was about to grab Tigris off his shoulder, an academy staff member walked up to him and lightly bowed.
"Please, I'll guide you along with your beast companions."
At this unusual greeting Cyril raised an eyebrow and halted.
Special lesson, right.
It will involve them as well?
He glanced at the creatures on his shoulders.
Morpho raised her wings, excitedly peering into the castle doors.
Tigris only tilted his head, half in confusion, half in reluctance.
Cyril nodded and stepped inside, and a staff member guided him deeper into the castle.
Along the way, he noticed many more students from various classes on the same path.
They arrived at a specific room, but where most students were left outside looking intrigued, Cyril was led further in.
There, in a long hall, stood their Spell Making professor, Richard.
Before him was a pile of bracelets, with which he fiddled to no end.
As he noticed a student, Richard raised his head and motioned for him to come closer.
"You are here, good."
After Cyril approached, Richard grabbed a specific bracelet nearby as well as a small ring.
Just as he was handing them to Cyril, he froze, noticing a cute white cat on the student's shoulder.
"Is the tiger cub capable of fighting with you?" Richard's voice was a level more tired.
Tigris quickly shook his head from side to side.
"No."
"Oh, thank goodness." Richard breathed a sigh of relief and gave him one bracelet and one ring.
"Here, wear this, and make your butterfly wear one. It can participate without issue. Don't worry about harming the students."
With that, Richard ignored him, returning to fiddling with the pile.
Cyril equipped a familiar bracelet, then helped Morpho wear the ring on her insect leg.
The red butterfly excitedly moved her limbs and made a little spin in the air, testing the new equipment.
The sight of a butterfly wearing jewelry was somewhat unusual.
"It suits you." Cyril said to the butterfly.
"She wears it well," Rhamn nodded with pride.
Tigris on his shoulder glared at the excited insect with jealousy and lightly pawed at Cyril's neck.
"You can't fight, so you won't need one. Sorry."
The butterfly smugly fluttered her wings.
"Meow."
The defeated feline's tail hung limp.
Richard stopped moving for a few seconds, blankly observing the top freshman student talking with animals.
"...Now go inside. Rendel will explain things to you there." He pointed to a stairway at the end of the hall.
Cyril nodded and walked into the passage leading underground, two creatures on his shoulders.
It was a winding stone staircase dimly lit up by magic lamps.
At the end of it, he was greeted with a bizarre sight.
After exiting the passage and adjusting to the sudden bright light, Cyril saw a beautiful forest with plenty of trees and colorful plants.
He raised his head, staring at the clear skies above him, and carefully felt the wind on his skin.
There were even sounds of insects flying in the air and animals moving through the grass in the distance.
It's like he was back outside the city, among nature.
How is this possible?
Cyril stood still. He and the two creatures on his shoulders silently observed the peculiar sight around them.
"I am getting a bit more interested, it is a special test after all!"