''Thanks.''
Amina turned away from the cheetah now looking peaceful in its sleep, and met Finn's gaze.
''We couldn't have done this without you.'' He continued. ''You must have been very surprised. What had happened is very normal around here and other Beast Hospitals.''
....That should explain why no one offered help. Amina recalled when she and Finn had arrived to the scene of the cheetah and the Beast medical students. The doors were still opened for some time for a passerby to look inside the ward.
''How did you know the War beast is a male?'' asked Finn.
Amina stared at him in silence for a moment
''His fur.''
Shouldn't he know that? She momentarily wondered after giving a reply.
''That's it?'' Finn raised his eyebrows.
''Yes.'' Amina answered, wondering why he seemed surprised. ''I am wrong?''
One of the visible differences between a male cheetah and female cheetah was the fur. Males tend to have thicker and noticeable fur around their necks and shoulders. Unlike Instructor Skrit's rat, she could tell the cheetah was a male with just a glance.
However, she could be also wrong since this was Animyth and not her previous life. Finn's reaction also made it possible that she was wrong.
''No...'' Finn let out a faint laugh. ''I didn't expect you notice that.''
''...?'' Amina was still confused. Why wouldn't she notice that? Most Beasts were either male or female like animals, and their genders should already be known to their respective Beastmasters.
''Most Beastmasters don't care to know the gender of their Beasts.'' Finn explained. ''It's different for Beast medical students since we're studying how to treat Beasts and gender is an important factor when administering treatment.''
''It's surprising to see that a student from the Beastology department knows.''
''.....''
So...not all Beastmasters knew the gender of their Beasts.
Thanks to Finn, Amina learned something new today.
But....how did I know the cheetah was a male?
A question suddenly popped up in Amina's thoughts.
The only feline carnivores she had ever cared for as a zookeeper were lions and tigers. And those animals didn't belong to their zoo. Their small zoo with its lush, natural greenery, often served as small temporary haven for animals. Other zoos occasionally sent in their animals that were either recovering or unresponsive.
So how had she known the difference between a male and female cheetah? She had never worked closely with a cheetah before and this was something she, a failing student would not easily remember after so many years.
The Assessment test...
Amina also recalled how she had been able to answer the assessment test and Professor Ateles's short oral test. The scientific names....the classification....how had she answered them so easily?
Even while reading, there were times when information of animals just surfaced in her head at the sight of their appearance in the book or Beast names.
Strange....
Amina knew her limit. She wasn't supposed to know this much about different animals, even with her experience as a zookeeper. At university, she had always struggled with zoology. She had a hard time remembering different biological features and scientific names with their correct spellings, how could she now remember them now at Animyth?
Seeing the crimson-eyed student deep in thoughts, Finn assumed that she was pondering of his words.
''You really don't know a lot about Beastmasters, do you?'' Even as a busy Beast medical student, he has read somethings about the infamous Young miss of the Blackthorne family on the academy forum.
Those students don't know what they're writing...
Finn scoffed in his heart. A first-year student who could calm an injured S-Class War beast without the Beastmasters was definitely not without talent. Perhaps she was a very a late bloomer, and her talent was beginning to manifest.
''Well, at least, I understand why Professor Ateles chose you to be his research assistant even though you're still young.'' Finn was among many Beast medical students who was displeased that a mere first year student got accepted by the same instructor who had rejected their applications to work at his laboratory as a research assistant.
And not just any student, the infamous Beastless Young miss of the Blackthorne family.
Just the thought of unexpected acceptance, had made Finn's blood boil in anger. Professor Ateles might be a notorious instructor in the academy, but his reputation as a senior researcher was unmatched.
Especially when he's the disciple of one of the greatest Beastmasters in the Western Beast Empire.
His research works had made multiple headlines on the news, and contributed tremendously to the Empire. Just working under such person was the dream of many Beast medical students. His name would give them an edge to be posted at top Beast hospitals or top guilds as healers, not the average ones.
Yet the Professor had rejected all their applications and chosen a complete fresh man. The weakest one at that.
As if that hadn't been enough anger for Finn, Professor Ateles had assigned him to mentor the same first year. Finn had wanted refuse at first, but then, he thought he could make an impression on Professor Ateles.
But, it was different now.
He genuinely wanted to guide the infamous Beastless Young miss, and also repay her for her tremendous help. The fact she could calm an S-Class War beast meant her Beast attribute was no joke.
She could be Healer....Finn thought, wondering if she would be the first Healer from her family. As far as he's aware, the Blackthorne family was known generally for their powerful War beasts, not Guide beasts
Either way, Finn was filled with the determination to train her properly. Not just to fill her with knowledge, but to make sure she wouldn't be a stain to Professor Ateles's name.
Even if she's already one for now.
''As your senior, I should let you know that not every student of the Beastology department likes the department.'' He mentioned with a sense of duty. ''Why would they care about what they studied when most of them wanted to get into the Beast Combat department?''
Beside him, Amina had already snapped out her thoughts for some time. When she couldn't find the reason of what was happening to her, she decided to leave it alone and listen to Finn's words.
Perhaps it was because she was in the villainess's body, but then again, the villainess wasn't one with such knowledge from her previous life. Amina just decided to use this strange phenomenon to her advantage in the Western Beast Academy.
''Let's go.'' Finn turned around, away from the sleeping cheetah. ''You need to see a Healer.''
As he parted the blue curtain and stepped out, his words reminded Amina that her body had been slammed against a metal surface.
....Th..a..n..k
Just as Amina turned halfway, a faint whisper brushed her ears. She paused and looked back at the cheetah. The War beast was still sleeping peacefully. There was no sign of it being awake.
....Did I hear wrong? She wondered, her gaze lingering on the cheetah for a moment, before she turned away and stepped out.
~~~~
April 11, 5120 (Monday)
''Hey, did you hear what happened at the Beastology department?''
''Hear what?''
''About that Beastless Young miss. I heard she became the research assistant of that instructor that gave us test on his first class.''
''That weird instructor? What's his name again?''
In the Cafeteria of the Beast Combat departments, students were having their lunch during the fifty-five minutes' break. Among them was one of the popular tables of the first years, the one where the newly found Saintess of Beasts ate her own meals with her two friends.
''Professor Ateles. I heard he works at the Beast Research Institute.''
''Really? Why did become an instructor then? I heard anyone working there earns a lot.''
''That's not the question, Inari. The question is how did that Beastless Young miss become his research assistant?''
The two were discussing about the rumors they heard from students they knew from the Beastology department.
''Isn't it obvious?'' One of students, Inari; a female student with foxy eyes and deep orange hair, scoffed. ''Her family pulled the strings again.''
''But I heard the instructor wanted her as his research assistant.'' said Mara, the other student with dark brown hair and eyes.
''And you believe that?''
''Well, that's what I heard.''
The two female students continued discussion until Inari asked the quiet one among them.
''What do you think, Rosaline?''