The Shapeshifter Academy

As it was not an easy decision, only the number of cigarettes increased.

Nervously looking sideways at the burning cigarette, Bendy secretly smiled. Now it was the turn to blow one last blow to end the Principal’s worries. 

“Happy, let’s go.”

At the same time as she exaggeratedly pulled Happy’s saddle, Bendy despaired because this brown deer didn’t listen again and stood like a stone statue.

Hmph.

Even if she pulled Happy’s saddle until she couldn’t breathe, it looked like she was dragging her feet in place.

Bendy’s plan to make the Principal impatient by turning around nicely didn’t work.

“Student Bendy.”

Bendy, who flinched at the Principal’s call, turned her head calmly. 

Principal Milane, feeling half-desperate, took a sip of the cold tea.

It would have been better for her to be in front of her instead of going to the Ministry of Education and messing up.

Even if Bendy gets caught up in an unfair situation by accident, she can cover it up by using the Principal’s line because she has that position.

Furthermore, there was a great possibility that she would leave in disgust since she couldn’t overcome the school’s carnivorous atmosphere. 

“Admission…” 

Principal Milane decided to bet on that possibility, and then she slowly closed and opened her eyes. 

“I will allow it. On the condition that you won’t even come close to the Ministry of Education.”

“Really?” 

Bendy clasped her hands together with delight.

“Thank you, Principal. I will quietly focus on my studies.” 

“Instead.” 

“….?” 

Principal Millane glanced down at Bendy with sharp eyes. 

She had skin as white as porcelain and couldn’t even pull a big deer with her hands. 

Even if she looks at it while rolling over, shouldn’t she hide the appearance of a deer? 

Having made up her mind, she waved her hand up and down in front of her face. 

“Face.” 

“Face…?” 

“Yes, that face.”

Bewildered, Bendy rubbed her cheek like kneading dough.

Principal Milane sighed and took out a thin thread bracelet from a drawer. It was a magical tool that changed someone’s appearance.

“Let’s start with that face.”

*****

Bang! 

Wenston, Bendy’s uncle, was annoyed and put down the useless report. 

Sheep territory, horse territory, goat territory, capybara territory, rabbit territory. Even squirrels and moles, which are omnivores.

The territory of herbivorous shapeshifters has been explored for over a month, but no trace of Bendy Reppy has been found. 

It was as though she had simply vanished into thin air.

“Bendy Reppy…” 

A voice rang out from deep inside.

Wenston threw the vase because he was so angry.

The vase that clattered against the wall fell to the floor.

“Where the hell are you hiding!”

Since she always did what Wenston said with a calm face, it was hard to imagine that she would just disappear overnight.

Even the restraints he made himself. She cut off the anklet she had been wearing since childhood and ran away.

This means that Bendy Reppy’s magical power has reached a high level. 

‘How about my subject….’

Wenston rolled his eyes with his throbbing forehead.

He couldn’t understand it, no matter how hard he thought about it.

He doesn’t know the theory, but when it comes to actual magic, he’s sure it’s slightly better than normal people.

“Damn it!”

Either she has been hiding her skills all along, or there are other people who help her. It was either one. 

From what Wenston saw, Bendy Reppy’s magical power flow didn’t change much, so the probability was close to the latter.

‘Helper.’

Helper, if it’s Helper—.

However, there were no employees left in the mansion, let alone those who could help Bendy Reppy escape. 

As he sighed with frustration, someone knocked on the office door.

“I’ll come in, Lord.”

Just in time, Wenston’s limbs cautiously opened the door and entered.

Glancing at the remains of the vase with a sidelong glance, he opened his mouth with difficulty.

“There is communication from the family that had a marriage talk with Miss Bendy.”

When a sensitive matter came up, Wenston’s eyebrows twitched.

He had been avoiding them until now since he had no idea where Bendy Reppy was.

Wenston, whose chest felt heavy, asked reluctantly.

“What did they say?”

“They say they’ll give it at the end of three months. Even after that, if you avoid detailed discussions related to the marriage talk, it’s a communication that they’ll end it.” 

“….”

“And the 1.5 billion shillings they handed over on condition of Bendy Reppy will be returned immediately.”

“Impatient lion b*stard!”

Bang, Wenston hit the desk violently. Her eyes were red with bloodshot eyes.

“How am I supposed to get that much money in three months!” 

A few months ago, a family that had never been heard from within lion territory unexpectedly sent a letter of marriage.

The conditions are pure blood of the Reppy family.

The dowry was three billion shillings. 

Wenston, who was struggling with his son’s gambling debt with the mansion already mortgaged, quickly accepted the marriage without investigating it properly.

Even though he was blind, it gave him a chance to use Bendy Reppy, which wasn’t worth much, to begin with.

“Where do I suddenly get 1.5 billion shillings….” 

Wenston, who groaned, snapped his fingers.

1.5 billion shillings given as an advance payment by the lion’s family. There was already not a single penny left that could be used to pay off the debt. 

If the lion’s family is angry about the breakup of the marriage and asks him to return the money right away, he must do so—.

It was something that might shake the foundation of the Reppy family as well as the mansion. 

It’s not enough that they are ruthless carnivorous shapeshifters. The lion is belligerent because of their good words, but a family with a marked tendency to be reckless.

There was even a possibility of retaliation.

‘Damn it.’

Wenston’s light brown eyes gleamed with greed. 

At the end of the three months, he must find Bendy Reppy, who has disappeared within them. 

He must be. 

**** 

Burr. Standing in front of the teacher´s desk, I shuddered with goosebumps for some reason. 

Usually, something bad happens in this case. 

I licked my lips, and I quietly turned my back.

I was only a day late for admission because I was getting ready for something, so I didn’t understand why they were making me do something hard like introduce myself. 

I’m not even a child. What do you mean by a self-introduction? 

I was startled as I was fiddling with my hair for no reason. It wasn’t wheat-colored hair, it was an unfamiliar scarlet color.

‘Oh, I changed it.’

The hair was dark scarlet, and the eyes had also changed to scarlet.

I transform into a fox shapeshifter.

A few days ago, Principal Milane suggested I create a fake identity.

‘Let’s at least change that face before entering school.’

‘Face? Why?’

‘You have so many problems on your face.’

In the Principal’s hand mirror, I saw a face I had seen for the past 19 years.

What do you mean by a problem with a person’s face?

When I looked deeply into the mirror, the Principal told me with a deep look.

‘If I enter school with that face, I wonder if I’ll turn my back on this world right away.’

She told me I could stay buried without standing out if I changed my race to a fox shapeshifter, the most common type of carnivorous shapeshifter.

Coincidentally, among carnivores, the surname Reppy was common, so there was no great difficulty in manipulating my identity.

‘This is all I can do for you. The consequences of that are all your responsibility.’

Even if I think about it in many ways, it was a beneficial proposal from my point of view.

Right now, my physical safety is guaranteed, and the probability of being discovered by my uncle is even lower.

‘I’ll do it, fox shapeshifter.’

After the decision, it was all in a hurry.

Change my appearance with magic tools, change my school record. 

And whether it was the Principal’s consideration, the admission was decided to X-class, where relatively mild carnivores such as weasels gathered.

“….” 

Now that I was in front of the classroom, I couldn’t help but stiffen my lips because I was nervous.

Perhaps because it had been quiet for so long, the professor called in a low voice.

“Student Bendy?” 

Oops. Waking up from my thoughts belatedly, I looked straight ahead.

Scarlet, red, gold, green.

The colorful eyes were all focused on me.

“They say she’s a top student. Does it look like a fox?”

“Just by looking at it, it’s a fox.”

“What is it? She’s just that kind of race. How did she get the top spot?” 

There was a slight disappointment in the whisper. Certainly, the common fox shapeshifter didn’t seem to be interesting.

Still, as I received the attention of a carnivorous shapeshifter, my mind went blank.

‘No, I decided not to tremble.’

Gulp. I swallowed dry saliva and pursed my lips.

It was pathetic to be scared of carnivorous shapeshifters.

Who am I? The direct successor of the Reppy family, who rules the deer realm with beautiful fields.

‘Let’s not tremble.’

It was an easy procedure, just saying your name plainly and entering.

Don’t stand out.

“Nice to meet you. I—”

As soon as I opened my mouth with determination, a quiet voice of a student hit my ear.

“Can’t you smell something delicious?”

“—It doesn’t taste very good.”

Because of a slip of the tongue, the successors of the great Reppy family face the fear of the enemy. 

****

Did you hear that? It doesn’t taste good. 

The carnivore’s shapeshifter turned and laughed outright at me.

Sitting in my seat, I quietly lowered my head with both hands together.

‘What’s with staying quiet as if you’re not there?’

I was in a position where I was boasting like a peacock and saying I would feed them right away.

“Hey.”

I have a hunch that it will go down smoothly, and someone poked me lightly.

I didn’t notice the hand, so I just continued my silence.

“It doesn’t look that appetizing.”

As soon as I raised my head in response to the terrifying words, my sight was drawn to a girl with a gorgeous impression. I didn’t pay attention to it, but it seemed she was a classmate sitting in the front seat.

“I am Layla.” 

“…” 

“Are you the top student?” 

Turning halfway toward me, she grinned. 

“I’m also the top student, from behind.”

This was information I wasn’t very curious about.