Doggone Academy

Jenia slapped the underwear onto the bed with a face full of annoyance.

“What’s going on, what did we miss? We had the keys, so who could it be?”

Haley pouted as she responded.

“If it wasn’t someone sneaking in… perhaps it was the junior who brought it in themselves?”

Absorbing those words and muttering as if she’d been betrayed, Jenia grumbled.

“I thought she was innocent… How infuriating.”

Jenia slipped her hand under her skirt and slid down her underwear to the floor.

Then, with force, she hurled her worn underwear on top of the pillows.

With a slap, the lingerie stuck to the pristine white bedding.

Haley screamed out.

“Are you crazy? You can’t just throw around what you were wearing!!”

“Something seemed off about her pretending to be so innocent. It’s too annoying to let it stand.”

“Even so, you plan to attend classes like that?”

“Yeah. What does it matter, I’m sure others do it too.”

“…”

“You should leave one behind too.”

Haley furrowed her brow for a moment, wrestling with her thoughts internally.

Being offspring of a prestigious imperial family, she knew getting caught could mean being confined at home.

“Ah… Damn… I don’t know.”

In the end, she also stripped off her underwear and tossed it onto the bed in an awkward stance.

Jenia lifted one corner of her mouth at the sight of the art club president’s crude act of rebellion.

“My guess is… this year our freshman will collect the most.”

Not all freshmen experienced a welcome ceremony equally. Whoever stood out the most, for better or worse, naturally received the most attention.

Haley agreed with Jenia’s statement.

“…Even considering Hubert and Jordi, our newbie is the best after all.”

It was proper for a senior to raise their junior’s value. Though it might seem trivial, who garnered the most interest was also a point of comparison among peers.

“Let’s go. It’s time for class.”

Finishing their business, they left Room 31F.

Leaving the door wide open.

***

Upon reaching Eternia’s dock, everyone transferred to the campus-bound carriages that had been waiting.

Trisha and I, with different destinations in mind, headed for Silveryn’s estate.

The fatigue accumulated over time suddenly hit me, my body feeling drained.

Luna and I differed from the others by engaging till the end of the exercise, having been through even more intense confrontations. Naturally, we were far more exhausted than the rest.

Our appearance was a mess as well. Having not washed properly for a week, we reeked of dirt and sweat.

On the carriage, Trisha dozed off occasionally before lying sprawled across the seat, fast asleep.

After arriving at the estate, I carried Trisha, who was oblivious to the world, inside.

This could be the last time Trisha would stay here – though there might be a chance for her to visit again someday.

Despite being in better shape than me, she was just as disheveled. Unable to place her on a bed, I set her down in front of my room’s fireplace and kindled a fire.

Then, the long-awaited bath was mine to enjoy.

Soaking in the steamy water, erasing the grime of days past, I noticed the teeth marks still imprinted on my shoulder.

Despite being days old, they were as clear as if they were fresh.

Massaging them did nothing to diminish the marks. Could Trisha actually be a vampire?

After bathing, I returned to my room to see Trisha’s shed clothing trailing from the fireplace to the bed.

Lifting the bedding, I discovered Trisha curled up under my blankets. Her white hair was exposed, and even her artifact was stripped off.

“Get washed and go to bed.”

She mumbled, half-asleep.

“Ugh… I don’t know… I want to sleep.”

She’s got some nerve, using the bed like it’s her own, discarding her worn clothes so carelessly that I couldn’t even tidy up the blankets.

I sighed and took a seat at the desk.

Then I remembered Sion’s letter, which I had nearly forgotten about.

It was a letter that inspired great reluctance to read.

‘To Candy’

It was undoubtedly addressed to me.

Bracing myself, I undid the seal and unfolded the letter inside.

“Just as I thought…”

It wasn’t a letter written by Sion. As I suspected, it contained a message from her master, Gesin Greig.

To think a Swordmaster, ranked within the top ten on the continent, would take an interest in me.

Back when I lived in the orphanage, I couldn’t even dare to speak to the nobility, and now I was holding a letter from a Swordmaster – something I never imagined in my life.

Holding my breath, I read the contents.

“[…I heard about the duel atop Mount Grace from Sion. She says the real top student is you. I’ve heard about your unique sword and the swordsmanship I’ve never seen before.]”

“[…I would like to invite you to a dinner. Feel free to come masked; I won’t mind. I’d be pleased if you visited without feeling obligated.]”

Included was the address of one of the Rigved residences, along with the date and time. Looking at the date… it’s the day after tomorrow, virtually no time to ponder. I was planning to consult Silveryn, but this was a bit unsettling.

Additionally, the envelope contained banknotes that could be exchanged for gold coins – a considerable sum, equaling several months’ wages from my time as an artisan.

What’s this about? Uncertain of the intent behind the inclusion. Is it for the carriage fare? It’s too generous for such a purpose.

Though the invitation encouraged me to come unburdened, it was impossible not to feel anxious. What can I do, it’s an invitation from a Swordmaster.

…I suppose I must go.

***

The next day I waited at the back of the lecture hall for the final lessons of the Circulatory System. The aftereffects of the exercise hadn’t wholly subsided, and I felt half-dead. Students began to fill the room, taking their seats one by one.

Then a group of about half a dozen girls made their way to the upper row where I was sitting.

As they approached, a few of them turned to me and greeted.

“Hello~”

They were strangers to me. Assuming the greeting was for someone else, I impassively observed the scene.

They joked around, voicing complaints playfully.

“Why aren’t you saying hi to us~”

Then, they giggled among themselves before moving down to sit in the lower rows.

Was the greeting for me? If so, this was an ominous sign. How could strangers recognize and greet me like that?

Soon after, an unknown girl with a thick book clutched to her chest came up to my row and offered the same greeting.

“Ah, hello.”

I watched her warily, and she covered half her face with her book, looking a bit flustered.

“Oh, sorry.”

Then she quickly scurried down.

The situation demanded serious concern. Up until the practice, nothing like this had happened.

I live a double life, after all. Clearly, something concerning me had occurred.

The most likely scenario was related to the Circulatory System results. Either the fact Luna and I were a group was leaked, or that we brought back the horn was mistakenly made public.

Several students glanced in my direction, giggling and whispering.

The atmosphere felt odd, as if I’d caused trouble or was the subject of gossip.

Just then, Luna entered the lecture hall. She didn’t give me a single glance and took her seat in the middle row.

The attention on Luna was not as heavy as on me. What could it be? Did Luna know something?

Candinella then walked up to the podium, organizing the bustling atmosphere.

She glanced at a pocket watch and leisurely awaited the latecomers. She spared no scolding for those who arrived belatedly.

Finally, with the lecture hall full, Candinella began to speak.

“The reason I’m here is to announce the schedule for the second Soderton Circulatory System practice.”

The atmosphere in the lecture hall dropped ominously.

“Kidding, I’m here to explain the grading process. Relax your faces.”

She lifted everyone’s spirits for a moment, then began explaining the credit and debit system for the exercise, noting which entry levels resulted in how many points or deductions.

The students wore grim faces, recalling their experiences during practice and mentally calculating their scores.

When it came time for questions, about thirty students raised their hands all at once.

Candinella stated.

“If it’s about your own grades, put your hands down. Come see me after class.”

Five hands fell, while the rest remained stiffly raised.

She picked one, and a male student asked loudly.

“Is there someone who brought back the horn of the beast from this exercise?”

Only two people, including the seniors, managed to bring back a horn.

This topic had been the biggest buzz among the freshmen ever since. Even those unconnected to the top staff couldn’t help but be interested because of the potion of love.

Candinella smiled faintly as she scanned the lecture hall.

“If you intended to ask the same question, put down your hand.”

All hands were lowered.

An eerie silence befell the room.

“First, I won’t say who it is. It’s clear everyone would pester them for the potion out of envy or stalk them. There’s also the fear of theft.”

She added after a deliberate pause.

“And… there is a student who brought back a horn. That student was clever, brave, and accomplished the task in a unique manner. It’s regrettable I can’t explain the process to all of you.”

No one dared to speak out.

“While I can’t reveal who the top student is, remember that the potion of love affects the mind. So if anyone feels they may have accidentally ingested it, come to see me personally. I will assist with any antidote. Any more questions?”

The silence remained. No one ventured to guess who achieved the difficult task.

Candinella declared the end of the class and called out a few names.

“Ah, Hubert, Sion, Damian, there’s a matter concerning dormitories I need to discuss with you. Come see me!”

A few female students turned and looked up at me, giggling.

“…?”

Students then began rising from their seats, flooding out of the lecture hall like a released dam.

And those called out stood before Candinella at the podium.

She scrutinized the faces of the three of us and remarked.

“At a glance, it seems you aren’t marked as disliked. Could be counted as a silver lining among misfortunes. Alas, regardless of advisories, the welcome ceremony always leads to mischief. Hubert and Sion, you two, given the dormitory damages, will need to relocate to temporary accommodation. Go see the Witthrush Hall maids or housemasters.”

A student named Hubert bowed graciously in reply.

“Yes, thank you.”

Damages? What unusual occurrences took place at the dormitory during our absence?

Candinella then gave me a fixed look as I seemed still unaware of the situation and commented.

“Damian, it seems you haven’t checked your dorm yet, have you?”