"N... Nappo!?" Anya's eyes widen at the sight of the diminutive army of summoned familiars. I smile, a surge of pride swelling within me. It has been a near-bloody endeavor to master the clone spell, not to mention the other two or three combat-oriented incantations I've been striving to perfect. Of course, the flashlight spell now obeys my will, no longer flickering and dying as it once did.
I beam, utterly forgetting the throng of students descending upon the clearing. It is no wonder that some pause to admire the adorable spectacle of my miniature legion, their phones clicking with captured images... Wait a moment... phones?
"Anya! Do they have smartphones in this world?" I whisper, excitement buzzing within me. The notion of smartphones existing in a world steeped in magic, the antithesis of science, seems impossible. The girl tilts her head, a flicker of confusion in her eyes, before producing a pink-cased phone.
"Everyone has them. Science may be considered superstition here, but these phones are conjured by magic. I hardly consider them scientific; they are merely magical communication devices."
'But... isn't that almost entirely based on scientific principles?' I think, but dare not voice aloud, lest I reveal myself as a faulty product.
"Dispel," I mutter, releasing the tension in my muscles, halting the spell. The ten clones vanish, eliciting gasps of delight from the watching crowd.
"Oh my! It's so adorable! Can your pet use magic? What is it? I've never seen it in any textbook," a girl gushes, approaching to pet the wand-wielding creatures, her questions tumbling out in a torrent. "Are you a first-year student? If so, be prepared for a rigorous year. The headmaster has recently implemented a new curriculum to align with the government's mandate. I am Cher-Tam, a second year. You may call me by my name. And truly, this little one is quite endearing.'
A delicate hand strokes my fur, a wave of warmth spreading through me. I instinctively lean into the touch, and soon, a swarm of girls surrounds me, their hands caressing and tickling. Anya, witnessing this scene, is taken aback by her pet's sudden popularity.
"Does it have a Maji account? I would love to follow it." A girl snaps a picture, her gaze questioning.
"Ah, no. I acquired it only yesterday evening, and have yet to acquaint myself with it." Anya's cheeks flush slightly.
"Wait, I recognize this creature! I saw it plummet from the sky, nearly meeting a gruesome end. Fortunately, a witch intervened, halting its descent at the last moment!" This revelation only fuels the girls' adoration, leading to a frenzy of petting, leg-pulling, cheek-pinching, and bottom-patting, arousing a flicker of annoyance within me.
"Alright, students! Today is an open semester. Gather around and stand in the line!!" A deep rumble echoes, sending the entire student group reeling. They snatch their brooms, taking flight in a hurried scramble. Moments later, Anya's gaze falls upon a tall figure, cloaked entirely in black. His bald head gleams, catching the light, while his face bears a tapestry of scars. Yet, it is his eyes, shrouded by a patch, that hold the most chilling intensity. Sunlight streams behind him, casting a dark shadow that envelops both myself and Anya. A suffocating pressure descends, and a keen eye reveals that the once bustling courtyard stands empty, as if we have been drawn into another realm entirely. "All student pets must remain caged unless accompanied by their owners," the figure states, his voice a frigid whisper that breeds terror. Anya stares, unblinking, her body trembling.
'Take care of my daughter,' Sola's words resonate within my mind. I unleash an attack, a surge of magic aimed at the intruder.
"Stikelmo!"
A crimson sphere of arcane energy erupts from my wand, hurtling towards him. He's not even moved a limp as if the battle in this magical world is no brainer.
Until the moment I realize that I underestimate how cruel of this world unveil before my eyes. That man flicks a wand in his hand and the arcane sphere dissolve in the air easily. I cannot stand for this, and I prepare to unleash an offensive spell, a curse, but Anya intervenes, seizing me.
"Stop it, Nappo! I will be expelled if you won't!!" Anya cries and pulls a wand from my mouth.
"No, Anya! I won't stop! That man wants to hurt you! I will finish him with the magic I learned from you! I won't miss this time!!" I declare, baring my teeth, disregarding my mistress's words.
"But he's a professor!" she exclaims, tapping my head lightly and pinching my cheek to bring me to my senses, causing the wand to fall to the floor. "More than that, he's a defense magic arts professor. There's no chance for you to win against him."
I take a careful look at the professor while thinking about Anya's words. She's right... This man is not someone that I can win with simple incantation. I, a novice who has barely wielded magic for an hour, challenging a professor is sheer folly. I can only manage a soft growl before burying my face in my owner's arms, a constant undercurrent of pressure and fear within me.
"Enough playing for today. I'm not surprise that this furball will cast a curse against me at all." the middle-aged professor remarks, slipping his dark wand into his long white robes. His emerald eyes bore into me, and I swear his gaze nearly rends my soul, so I avoid his eyes. "You should take care your pet better. Now, go stand in line. The ceremony will start soon." With that, he vanishes, leaving a scar on my psyche, and I secretly vow to defeat him one day.
In the grand hall of Escuria Academy of Magical Arts, students from all over the country gather, numbering over a thousand. As a pet, I am not allowed inside, so I ask Anya to keep me in her pocket ring, where I spend my time studying magic. Normally, I dislike textbooks, but the ones here are like novels, captivating and never dull. Especially the history of magic, with its records of wars, rebellions by elves and high elves, and the extinction of the orcs. I use my paws to turn the pages, reading every word until the end, and I make sure to underline important passages with a quill so Anya can understand the content better.
In my past life, I was a recluse, a bookworm with a passion for reading. I was the quintessential nerdy type, bespectacled and friendless, deemed too uncool by my peers. My sole redeeming quality lay in my academic prowess, a stellar record that culminated in my ranking as the faculty's top scholar. This achievement stood in stark contrast to the bitterness of my early career, the harsh reality of the corporate world for a fresh graduate.
Now, in this new world, I vow to become a prodigy, to earn the universal respect as the supreme corgi mage.
"Nappo, could you lend me the history book?" Anya's hand reaches into the dimensional pocket-ring. I fold the corner of the book, then clamp it in my jaws, offering it to her. Due to its hardcover, my teeth marks are barely visible, and with its thickness of about five hundred pages, my jaw strains slightly.
Afterward, I retrieve the 'Mathematics for Magicians' book and begin to read. Its content is rather simple for my level of comprehension. I wonder about Anya's learning capacity. If possible, I wish to assist my kind and merciful master.
Eventually, I lose track of time reading the mathematics book until a slender, pale hand reaches out, returning the history book, and then she calls for me.
"Nappo, are you asleep? You can come out now." The girl's voice rings out. I jump out. History class has ended; next is science. I am perplexed by the subject's name, but I can easily guess which book is required.
I observe that each classroom's decor differs drastically. The history classroom is adorned with artifacts from various eras, as if one is studying in an ancient museum. There are gray-black earthenware dishes, faded paintings, and numerous broken wands of various designs mounted on the walls. Upon closer inspection, they resemble strange faces of unidentifiable creatures.
The science classroom, however, is strikingly different. Framed pictures of disassembled iPhone components, from the first model to the current one, hang on the walls. Naturally, my eyes widen at seeing everyday objects from my world in this one. My jaw drops, and my stubby legs freeze in place, compelling Anya to pick me up.
"What are you looking at?" The girl follows my gaze. "Oh! Those things are fictional. Science is considered superstitious. Science was an elective back in my district school days. It was deemed a useless subject."
"But it seems to be mandatory here," I whisper.
Anya nods.
"First-year students do not yet have the right to choose their own subjects," Anya declares, resting her head on the desk. "It's not until around fourth year that they can select their own courses. The whole curriculum spans six years, you know."
"So, it's like high school then..." I murmur under my breath. "Then, by that logic, Anya is in her first year of high school...make sense."
"What are you muttering to yourself? Come on! Get into the bag, now. Class is about to start." Anya chants a spell, opening the portal of her ring-bag. Just then, something occurs to me. I give my mistress a pleading look.
"Nappo, what's wrong? Why are you giving me that look?" she asks, startled.
"Being in the bag is lonely...can I come to class with you...?"
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To Be Continue Ep.5