In a medieval castle hall, several people had gathered, each with unique and inhuman features.
This was Lowis Academy, an academy where monsters came together to learn. The studies could range from ordinary subjects, such as mathematics and science, to unique ones, like combat and survival.
Amidst this crowd of races, a young man dressed in a black suit stood out; his lack of special traits drew attention.
That young man was me.
This academy of monsters had been discovered a few years ago. My goal here was to infiltrate and await further orders, reporting my situation periodically.
My eyes scanned the crowd; many species were gathered in this hall. The ones I could identify were vampires, werewolves, ghouls, mermaids, and several unrecognizable ones.
I was the most unique one there precisely because I had nothing special. Some eyes turned toward me—most with curiosity, others with pure disdain. It seemed that my "human-like" appearance unsettled them.
My right hand clutched a briefcase containing my tools, while my eyes turned to the folder in my other hand. Inside was my new identity as a monster.
My new name was Leon, of the shapeshifter race. My backstory was that my parents had been killed by humans, and my purpose in enrolling here was to take revenge on humanity.
"Heh."
The person who wrote this backstory deserves a raise. Who would imagine that the one who hates humans the most is actually a human?
Hmm… The only problem is this shapeshifter part. Even with my tools, I can't fully replicate a shapeshifter's transformation. The only advantage is that shapeshifters are rare, and little is known about them, making it easier to fake.
"Silence!"
A loud voice silenced the crowd. My eyes turned toward its source, and there I saw—a seductive woman in a red dress, floating above our heads.
I could swear she wasn't there before, so how did she suddenly appear?
"I see many gathered here to learn in our academy."
Her eyes swept across the crowd, lingering on me for a few seconds before moving on. My heart stopped, then started beating again. For a moment, I thought I had been exposed, but I caught a flicker of interest in her eyes. I had to be cautious.
The headmistress's speech was brief. She introduced herself as Eris, a succubus and sorceress. I couldn't gather much else from her words, except for the answer to my earlier question: she had probably used a teleportation spell to appear above us. Spatial magic is rare, but we're talking about a succubus, a race known for their powerful magic.
"Everyone here is admitted to Lowis Academy. I ask that you enjoy your stay at Herdin Castle."
There was a note of malice in her voice, and it seemed only I had noticed, as the others were too excited about being admitted to care.
When I blinked, Eris had vanished, confirming my suspicion of teleportation.
I looked around. Most were excited, while a few remained serious. It seemed they also realized this was a test. What exactly was being evaluated, though? I didn't know.
"Please follow me, I will lead you to your quarters."
I turned toward the cold voice, carrying the breath of the dead. It came from a gaunt man in a butler's suit—a zombie.
I followed the crowd behind the butler. Within minutes, the stragglers caught up with us.
The butler led us through a series of dark corridors with many turns, until we reached a massive hallway lined with doors.
"Here are your quarters."
The butler bowed once and disappeared into the dark corridor, as if his task was complete.
Doors lined both sides of the hallway, facing each other. They were all identical, the only difference being the numbers on them.
Since no one had been assigned a specific room, some groups of the same race began to claim certain rooms for themselves, and inevitably, conflict arose.
"Room number one is mine!"
"Yours? What makes you think a mangy mutt like you deserves number one?"
"Shut up, bloodsucker."
"What did you just call me?!"
The group of vampires and the group of werewolves started bickering. It was a matter of pride, as if room number one was special.
I honestly had no interest in watching such childish fights, so I slipped past them. Many others without groups did the same.
I had no intention of making friends with any of them, so I ignored them and claimed a room for myself—room forty-two.
The inside of the room was nothing grand. Several beds were lined up close to each other. The beds were of poor quality, but what caught my attention most was the lack of a wardrobe.
If this room was to be our permanent quarters, the presence of a wardrobe was crucial. After all, where would we keep our clothes?
This was a test—I was sure of it.
It made no sense to act without information. The best option was to sleep, and that's exactly what I did.
Placing the folder with my information inside my briefcase, I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes, drifting to sleep while remaining on full alert, ready to react.
Hours passed, and the sound of the door opening woke me.
I quickly got up and grabbed my briefcase from under the bed, standing guard against whoever had entered.
Breaking my expectations, a slender girl stepped through the door.
"Hey! Who are you?! And what are you doing here?!"
The girl jumped at the sound of my voice, her wolf ears perking up as she looked in my direction.
"H-Hi?"
"Answer my questions."
I was inflexible about this. I needed to know her basic information before making a decision.
"M-My name is Edith. I was a wolf of the Silver Moon pack…"
She looked down at her hands, cracking her knuckles, hesitating before finally continuing.
"…I was expelled from my pack and was looking for a place to stay… I didn't know this place already had an owner. I'm sorry."
Silver Moon pack… Never heard of it. But she seemed sincere. Having her as a partner could be useful, especially since she was a lycanthrope. With their strong bodies, they were excellent specimens of flesh to study…
"Oh? I see. I'm sorry if I scared you."
I decided to play the role, changing my attitude completely. I put on a gentle smile and said, as if genuinely regretful:
"It's hard to trust someone I don't know, especially after everything that's happened."
My eyes grew melancholic, as if recalling painful memories, like the betrayal of someone dear.
Edith sympathized with me, looking at me with pity and kindness. Empathy reflected in her eyes, as if she were seeing a reflection of herself, not a stranger.
She seemed to want to get closer but feared that it might be uncomfortable for me, since I was still recovering from a recent trauma.
I wiped away the fake tears that had gathered in my eyes before saying:
"Forgive me for the unpleasant display."
Edith blushed, averting her eyes and stumbling over her words as she replied:
"Unpleasant? No! It was pleasant—I mean! It wasn't pleasant to see your suffering! B-But it wasn't bad either. No—I mean…"
A soft chuckle escaped my lips, and that seemed to calm Edith's turbulent emotions. She fell silent, staring at me with a silly smile, as if happy to have made me laugh.
It's amazing how someone so simple can be cheered just by another's happiness.
"You seem like a good person, Edith. Please, be my first friend."
I wasn't lying. I really wanted her to be mine—it would be a waste for such a good girl to be used by others.
"Are you serious?"
Edith's smile vanished. She looked surprised, even emotional, as if it were the first time she had heard those words.
"You really want to be my friend?!"
She asked louder, her voice trembling with expectation, her shoulders shaking slightly as she cracked her knuckles more often.
"Of course I want to be your friend."
I spoke firmly, meeting her gaze with conviction, leaving no room for doubt in her mind.
Then—
With an unexpected movement, she jumped on me. I almost drew a sword and struck, but stopped at the last moment.
Now she was lying on my chest, and I didn't know what to do, since my social lessons didn't cover this. So I decided to improvise.
I slowly stroked Edith's hair. She seemed to enjoy it, snuggling closer against me. She didn't seem like she would get up, so I adjusted my posture to make it more comfortable for her to sleep on my chest.
With my free right hand, I tucked the briefcase back under the bed. After a moment of hesitation, I wrapped Edith in my arms. I didn't know much about her, but I could tell she was sad and vulnerable. What I could offer her was warmth and safety.
It didn't take long for Edith to fall asleep with a smile on her lips. I was tempted to move her to another bed, but I didn't. She looked so happy, as if she had finally found a place where she belonged.
And her body wasn't uncomfortable at all. In fact, it was very soft—it was like hugging a plush toy while sleeping… Or at least I imagine it would be like that.
Besides, Edith would trust me more after realizing she had slept with me when she woke up. It wasn't just a psychological matter but also a racial one, since werewolves only sleep with their partners. Having her like this was a way of asserting dominance.
"Sweet dreams, Edith."
I brushed my lips against hers for a moment—they were soft—but in the end, I kissed her forehead instead. I wasn't that close to her yet, so kissing her lips seemed inappropriate and could even lead to rejection.
Edith might think I was taking advantage of her vulnerable state, which wouldn't be ideal.
So I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
Hours passed quickly. After seven hours, sunlight filtered through the window, and that's when I opened my eyes.
Edith was still asleep, her body completely wrapped around mine. She purred softly, deeply asleep.
Are you a wolf or a cat?
I rolled my eyes before analyzing the room. From yesterday to today, nothing had changed, which confused me. It seemed this test wasn't as simple as I had imagined.
"Nyhhh~"
A cute yawn came from Edith as she began to wake. She stretched her arms and arched her body, but froze mid-motion when she saw she was sitting on top of me.
With an agile jump, she leaped off the bed, tripping on the corner and nearly falling.
I got up to catch her and grabbed her hand. But since my balance was off and Edith pulled on me in her panic, I ended up falling on top of her.
We both hit the floor with a thud, our faces very close. Edith's eyes were locked on mine. I could see the blush spreading from her cheeks down her neck, along with her quickened breath and trembling lips.
"Is—Is this where w-we kiss?"
I blinked at her question. That was unexpected. Yet, given our closeness, it did seem appropriate according to my training. But I had to ask first.
"I don't know. Do you want to?"
"Mhhh… Do you?"
Edith glanced at my lips and asked softly. I believed that if I said yes, she would let me kiss her.
"Yes."
The answer came quickly, and with the same speed, I leaned in toward her. She timidly closed her eyes, her lips parting slightly, trembling and ready for the kiss.
Her breath caught in her throat, her shoulders shrinking in anticipation.
But instead, I lowered myself just a little to the side, brushing my lips against her flushed cheek. Her blush deepened, and her eyes opened in a mix of surprise and confusion.
I smiled brightly at her and asked:
"Did you like my kiss?"
Edith snapped out of her daze and replied:
"It wasn't what I expected… But I liked it."
She smiled beautifully back at me, looking happy to have received a kiss—even if it was only on the cheek.