The Shapeshifter Academy

‘Run away…’

Ba-dump, ba-dump.

I shook my head as I tried to ignore the still echo.

“No.”

“Why? You said you have the blood of a wizard. You said you could do anything!” 

I was speechless for a moment.

I’ve been bragging in front of the children that I’m a wizard’s bloodline, but in fact, I’m only good enough to bake sweet potatoes.

It was almost impossible to escape from my uncle, a superior wizard.

“Bendy, let me help you.”

Like it or not, Moni said quietly with her eyes gleaming.

“Come to my backyard tonight. You know the old, unused cabin, right?”

“….”

“Make sure to do it.”

*****

It was a windy night.

Ssrk. I cut through the bushes and stopped in front of the old cabin door.

The foot was lifted and lowered repeatedly. Opening the old door felt like a difficult choice.

‘So, Bendy, run away.’

Wouldn’t one step now be a step that shakes my life completely?

I looked up at the sky embroidered with stars early in the morning, fiddling with the doorknob.

A continent where shapeshifters live together.

There was one clear boundary here.

The boundary between herbivores and carnivores shapeshifters. 

The two species were so completely separated that it could be considered that there were separate areas of herbivores and carnivores shapeshifters.

Even if shapeshifters are an existence closer to humans than beasts, there is a law that forbids eating between shapeshifters. 

Even so, there is no guarantee that the carnivore will not harm the herbivore shapeshifters. 

In some continents, it is said that rabbits rule over black panthers with their paws, but—.

‘What nonsense is that?’

It was an unrealistic sophistry that only the rich talk about.

Therefore, the marriage to the lion shapeshifter was no different to being thrown into a place without any connection. 

‘Can I do it…’

Lowering my gaze, I stared at the anklet holding my left ankle.

The thin jewel anklet shone in the dark.

When I was young, it was a location-tracking restraint filled by my uncle as a gift. It’s also the reason why I couldn’t even run away until now. It was truly an uncle-like action.

“….”

An anklet that is no different from shackles. I wasn’t confident about breaking this restraint containing my uncle’s magic power with my magic power.

Since I was young, I was strangely weak against magic in practice. Studying the theory of the day and night didn’t show much improvement.

Because he was my uncle and knew me better than anyone else, he ignored me whether I went out or stayed in.

At times like this, I wondered what the use of the Reppy family, which inherited the lineage of wizards, was.

‘I’m scared.’

How many times have I struggled in pain trying to break this restraint forcefully?

As I instinctively stepped out of the cabin with fear, I was startled and paused. The clouds passing through the dark sky looked like the head of a lion. 

‘It’s the first time I’ve seen such a terrible looking cloud.’

Frightened, I slowly brought my hand to the restraints.

Gulp. When the sound of swallowing dry saliva was used as a signal to send magic power, a light flame began to fly.

“Ugh.”

I continue to use my magic power while gritting my teeth.

Whoosh—The wind, like a typhoon, blew my hair in a mess.

My uncle’s voice, who kept coming in, kept echoing in my ears.

‘Tsk, how annoying.’

Crack, crack.

Every time the flame flew from the restraints, I felt a sharp pain that made my mind feel like it was spinning.

‘Be grateful that I’m letting you enjoy a noble life.’

Then I can’t choose anything for myself.

I didn’t want to use my uncle’s method of obedience anymore.

“Ugh…” 

I could feel the taste of blood in my mouth.

Clank. At the moment when I was about to faint, the restraints shattered and disappeared.

‘I…succeed?’

There’s no way this is possible.

I was surprised, and my mouth was open and closed, but then I heard a voice from the cabin’s door.

“Bendy, what’s wrong? Aren’t you coming in?”

The owner of the presence was Moni. I hurriedly covered my bloody ankle and covered it.

“Ung, I was just about to go in.”

“I thought you weren’t coming. Come in quickly, come on. My father will caught us!” 

Moni, who was urging me with a whisper, grabbed my wrist and led me.

As I entered the cabin, a pair of eyes sparkled in the darkness.

“W, what is it?” 

Tak, a large brown deer walked through the darkness.

I took a step back, slightly frightened by the appearance of the deer.

“Is this a deer?”

“Of course. It’s our house’s deer!”

“Is it a real deer…?” 

“Tsk, Bendy, I told you. This is a deer carrying a load, and its name is Happy.”

It was a name that was very far from its appearance.

Prrr. Perhaps reading my thoughts, the deer snorted ferociously. 

“Did you see that? Happy always has a temper.”

“Maybe because it doesn’t like its name?” 

“I don’t know. Anyway, it didn’t listen too much, so my father will sell it sooner or later.”

Moni, who was explaining innocently, suddenly turned over the saddle with a stern look on her face. It was a grim expression that didn’t suit for a child to make. 

“That’s why, you should ride on Happy and run away, far and far away.” 

“Riding it?” 

Holding on to the saddle as if holding on to a lifeline, I thought for a moment. 

‘Far…’

At least, I wanted to hide until the marriage talks were broken.

‘If I hide in the area of a herbivorous shapeshifter, I’m likely to be found soon.’

I hesitantly took a thin piece of paper out of my pocket and held it up.

[Shapeshifters Academy New Student Recruitment Guidelines]

Not long ago, at the time when I was unilaterally notified of my marriage to the lion shapeshifter. It was a promotional leaflet I found on a bulletin board in the corner of the city and took it off on an impulse.

A place where my uncle’s eyes can’t reach.

Farthest from Patreon, the Deer territory. 

A place my uncle would never have imagined I’d be. 

‘If it’s a place like that….’

The territory of carnivores shapeshifters. It didn’t exist outside of there.

“Have you decided where to run away?”

At Moni’s urging, I slowly closed and opened my eyes and nodded.

“I have to go anywhere.” 

If it were the most prestigious school for carnivorous shapeshifters, the shapeshifters academy, I would be safe no matter how many carnivorous shapeshifters there were. 

“…Bendy.” 

Moni rolled up the hem of my skirt and held it tight.

“Don’t die.” 

I bit my lip, almost bursting into laughter thanks to the strained expression on her face. There was no way to pour cold water into the serious atmosphere.

I bent over and touched Moni’s reddened cheeks.

“Why would I die?”

“Don’t get caught by your evil uncle.” 

“…Ung.” 

“This is Captain’s, hiks, order.” 

“I can’t disobey orders.”

I hugged Moni’s little body tightly.

“I’ll write you a letter. Can you say hello to the crew for me?”

Moni held back her tears and nodded in my arms.

I smiled bitterly and gently stroked Moni’s hair.

They were a precious friend. Children who filled the empty Patreon Street after their parents disappeared. 

So, despite the looks of my family’s employees, I went out to meet these little kids.

Maybe they filled the empty space in my mind, not the empty street.

“Thank you, Moni.”

Finally, I stood up after hugging Moni tightly.

“Bye.”

It was finally a farewell. After getting ready to face the wind of the beginning, I jumped on Happy’s back. 

“Ack!”

Then I bounced at Happy’s kicking and screaming and then rolled over the straw.

Sniff, sniff.  Blowing her nose, Moni said to me, who was lying on the floor.

“Happy is a bit picky, so it won’t let people ride on its back.”

“Then how do you want me to get on and run away?”

It was a shaky start.

“Happy, even if it’s not that way.”

Prrr.

“You’re wrong, but why do you straighten your chest proudly?” 

In the end, Happy didn’t put me on its back. 

With Happy’s body connected to the cart, I barely arrived at the main gate of the Shapeshifter Academy while looking at the map.

I stopped the cart by pulling Happy’s seal, which moved wildly.

‘This is the academy?’

Not a castle? 

The feeling of intimidation given by the front gate alone was not common.

Looking up at the endless golden iron bars, I checked the document again. 

[Shapeshifter Academy Entrance Exam

Notice of Results]

A month ago, as soon as I left the deer territory, I stopped by the herbivorous territory.

I did take the entrance examination at the test site that was opened there.

I thought there would be two or three applicants, even in the herbivorous territory, but I accomplished a splendid feat alone.

That’s not enough—.

[Exam No. 129]

Gulp. I swallowed dry saliva and opened the notice with trembling hands.

[Passed – Top Student]

Not enough to pass the entrance exam I took while shaking, but I was the top student.

It was said that I scored high in the difficult theory-related field, but whatever it was, it was an unrealistic result.

I crumpled up the notice and put it in my arms. Then, with a serious face, I crossed my arms.

‘Hmm.’

It’s not realistic to stand here in the first place.

Anyway, that’s not the problem right now—.

‘What should I do….’

The problem was that when I arrived at the entrance, all the confidence that had overflowed until just before had run away.

Can I really set foot in this place full of carnivorous shapeshifters? 

An empty exam hall, where no herbivorous shapeshifter applied for a test, passed before my eyes.

Just seeing the carnivorous shapeshifters from a distance made me scared, but seeing them up close was too much.

‘Maybe I’m making the wrong choice?’

I was worried that I might jump into the pit of fire while trying to avoid the lion’s bride seat. 

“…Happy, let’s go back and think again.”

As I made a friendly suggestion, Happy swayed loudly and moved its back legs.

“Ouch!” 

I fell off the cart with a thud, but I was used to it and got up quickly, shaking the hem of my clothes. Far away, the guards who were suspicious of us were approaching.