Chapter 27

I'm back on the sofa, once again sprawled on it. This time Anna and Eliza aren't trying to torture my ears or tail. For once. They are both reading on either side of me, still within reach whenever they want.

"Oh right. I met Claire today." I start while playing with a small 'ball' of space between my fingers. "She seems nice. Very anxious though."

"Oh? Did she say she wanted to eat you too?" Anna answered, lifting an eyebrow.

I looked at her with an exasperated expression.

"Luna is just weird for that. I don't even understand why she would say something like that."

Eliza giggled on the other side. I lifted my head to point at her.

"Don't you say anything."

"What would I say?"

"That I'm supposedly cute"

"You aren't denying it."

"I am."

"Then you are wrong."

"I'm not."

"You are."

I huffed slightly while she looked way too pleased with herself. I crossed my arms as I settle my head back on the sofa.

"I hate you."

"You love us."

"Maybe."

"For sure."

"Okay I do."

This time it's Anna that giggle at my words.

"Anyway! I got her number, I'd like for us all to hang out. Break her shell a little. She seems talented enough to join us as our Archer."

The two girls exchanged a glance for a fleeting second and I feel a lot of things was said at that moment. I'm a little confused as they look at me.

"Are you trying to seduce another girl already?" Anna ask, suspicion in her voice.

"W-what?! I never tried that!" I almost choke on my words, looking at them with an offended expression.

"You did with us."

"No I did not. I was myself."

"Exactly."

I groan slightly. I never tried to seduce them at all. Everything I do is just me being myself.

"That's what I can't understand." I mutter under my breath.

Their expression soften, smile appearing on their lips.

"I told you no? I'll make you understand." Anna answered even if I didn't ask her to.

I let silence answer for me. It's still too hard to understand. And accept that but well, I trust them. And I guess I do love them. A heavy sigh escape my lips before I get up from my sprawling.

"Let's go sleep. I'm tired."

They both smile as they settle their books down before following me to the bedroom. Tomorrow there's just two more classes. Then we have to go talk to Virina. We did plan to do that once we have some real free time. Lunch and after classes doesn't count at all.

Morning came way too fast again. I getting increasingly irritated by mornings that ask me to get up for studying.

How much time one usually spend in the Academy already?

I kind of hope our schedules will be kind of lighter later on. I have an ominous feeling it won't. And not because of classes.

After breakfast we separate again. This time the morning passed by in a flash. The music and cooking class were instructive enough for me to not see the time going forward. The Academy was quite considerate for people like me wanting to learn 'side-skills' if I may call it like that. So those classes were filled with students that didn't awakened anything related to cooking and music.

Maybe that's why the music class was held by Lysi, the kind senior that saw Anna and Eliza becoming my girlfriends. While it was a little embarrassing, I was happy to see her. She's nice and play really well. I really hope she can help me play better so I can play for them.

We're now in front of Virina's office after lunch. It was surprisingly easy to have an appointement with her. I suspect she specifically instructed her staff to accept immediately if it concerns me.

Shrugging internally over that, I knock lightly on the door. A single muffled 'Come in' answered us through the wood.

Her office isn't as big as I thought it would be for a headmistress. The center is occupied by a massive dark wood desk with scattered reports, folders and papers all over. Behind it is a comfortable-looking chair. Each walls are adorned with bookshelves going from floor to ceiling, all full of various books. Some sections are suspiciously locked behind glass and chains. The last wall is occupied entirely by a window making the sun pour in the room, avoiding the need of artificial light.

In front of the desk is a little area with two sofa face-to-face and a coffee table in the middle.

Virina is sitting on one of them, a cup of tea in her hands.

"Good afternoon ladies. Please do sit." She says as she sends us a smile.

We take place in front of her, Anna and Eliza falling in place on either of my side.

Virina poured us some tea and pushed a plate of cookies toward us. One of them appear mysteriously in my hand. I don't know when though.

A knowing smile lift the corner of the headmistress' lips.

"So Jane, Eliza, Anna. How did you find your first classes?"

"History is boring." I instinctively answer.

Eliza immediately made a strangled noise stuck between amusement and nervousness, like she didn't expect me to talk so bluntly to the Headmistress. I know it seems strange. We didn't talk too much with Virina the day of my awakening. But my instinct tells me she's not all that attached to formalities, seeing her outside of the Academy set-up didn't help with that impression too. And I'm pretty sure I'm right since she didn't react to my bluntness.

But I can understand Eliza's reaction. It's her first real meeting with Virina after all. It's understandable she has more respect for her. Of course it doesn't mean I don't respect her at all. I'm just... More comfortable with her?

"That's what I thought I heard from the teachers, yes." Virina's voice is tinged with amusement as she sip from her tea. "But please be more... Discreet, when sleeping in class."

I flinch slightly.

"Oh. Uh. They noticed?" I laugh sheepishly as my ears angle backward in embarrassement.

"Not hard to notice when a certain Fox starts to purr, as quietly as she thinks."

Anna barely restrain a giggle behind her hand and my head snap toward her, my eyes narrowing.

"Don't laugh."

"But that was adorable."

"I was comfortable."

"We saw that."

"It's your fault, both of you."

"Sure, whatever you say love."

A tiny offended noise escaped me while Virina looked at us with warm eyes. Eliza said nothing but I could feel her shoulders shaking with restrained laughter. I huffed as I crossed my arms, tail swaying softly behind me at the compliment.

"Anyway! I'll try to be less noticeable next time. If my two girlfriends keep their hands to themselves."

"Thank you. You are lucky they are used to your reaction though. That's why they said nothing. You were still pretty close to get thrown out of the window if your purring was louder. Speaking of it, I think you promised something no?"

Right. We did promise Virina to tell her what we discovered about foxkins.

"Well. Yes. There's a few things. I think a lot of my uuh... Features? Are the same as a regular beastkin. But stronger. I noticed that my hearing is better than others. Same with eyesight."

My mind brings me back to the dagger class, where I could see every 'stealthed' student. I only failed to detect Luna until she was close. And I couldn't notice the teacher at all.

"Oh right. I'm pretty sure I can see through stealth too. I mean, weak one at least. I'm pretty sure it's not something normal."

Virina hummed in thought at that information.

"Seeing through stealth you say? What was it like?"

"The students seemed to have hazy silhouettes. I couldn't see their faces for real but I knew they were here."

She lifted a hand, palm facing the ceiling.

"What do you see?"

"Uuuh... You hand?"

She smiled slightly.

"Now try to concentrate a little more on your eyes. And look again."

Puzzled, I still focus on my vision. Slowly I can see a vague blue shape forming above Virina's hand. But that's not all. Around us is the same blue color, just very diluted. The room even seems to shimmer a little.

"What's that? There's... Something above your hand. And all around us."

"That's pure mana. You do know it exist everywhere right? It's just invisible unless we use it for spells or even just elements. Seems like, Jane, you can see it with enough concentration."

Eliza leaned forward slightly, looking very interested in that. Meanwhile Anna is leaning against me with a smug expression like she's the one with that ability.

"Wait. I wasn't concentrating at all when I looked at them."

"Then you instinctively did it in case it became dangerous for you."

That... Kind of make sense. And Luna did surprise me just before, maybe my body was still in a 'fight of flight' state at that time.

"Is that also the reason why I could smell the elements in class?"

Virina tilted her head with confusion.

"Smell? What do you mean?"

"Well, in 'mana manipulation' when everyone used their elements... I swear I could smell and differentiate them even without looking. Maybe it's because of the mana used?"

She rubbed her chin in thought. If that's the case... It could be pretty useful. Very useful even. But also inconvenient sometimes.

"I think... With those two combined.. We can safely say that a Foxkin is very attuned to mana in general. Be it pure mana or elemental mana. That may be the reason you have all the affinities. That's very interesting."

"Will those particular informations be made public, Headmistress?" Eliza suddenly interject from my side.

Virina turns her head toward my white-haired girlfriend, studying her expression. Eliza's brows are furrowed in concern. Then the headmistress smile softly.

"No. I will just inform them of the slightly better specs of foxkins compared to other beastkins. I know what you are worried about, Miss Havenflow. Ouroboros will not have this information."

My eyes widen at that. I forgot. I seem to be on their list. And if they knew about my... Peculiarities, they would be more prepared to deal with me. And probably a lot more interested. I just don't know if it would be to kill or capture me.

"Good. I wouldn't have forgiven the Academy if you would have leaked that. Familly goes before anything." Eliza nod slightly, taking my hand in hers without turning her gaze away from Virina's eyes. "I will not let anyone harm her."

"Hey don't you forget me ! We will not let anyone do anything." Anna chimed from the side, but instead of just taking my hand she sprawl herself over my shoulder with a bright smile.

A little giggle escaped Virina as she covered her lips with one hand.

"Of course. I heard from the music teacher about both of your confession. Lysi was quite loud about it. Saying it was 'the sweetest thing she ever saw'." She said with teasing in her voice.

My cheeks warmed immediately and I just wished the floor could open and swallow me whole. Sadly it didn't happen. Since my hand is held and my other side is kind of 'occupied' I use my tail to hide my face.

"Please let's change the subject..." I whisper through my fur.

The three girls giggle softly as I glared at them from above my tail.

"Alright alright. Let's talk about something else. You didn't come just to report your finding on your race, right? A simple written report would have been sufficient." Virina said, her tone returning to a calm one.

We three exchanged glance and they both nodded to me. I take a deep breathe before locking my eyes with Virina's.

"Like earlier, please do not tell anyone what I'll tell you now. We... Aren't exactly sure either anyway."

This earned a brow lifted with curiosity from Virina.

"When Ouroboros attacked all the cities and Domes... We got sucked into a Dungeon. A new one that appeared inside the city." I start slowly. "I know. It shouldn't be possible. I did learn something out of classes you know. Anyway. We were just guarding the entrance while waiting for the army when it dragged us in. Then..."

I stopped for a few moments. I'm not sure how to describe what happened really. When you think about it and what we learned of Dungeon's mechanics.. It sounds impossible.

"A... Tablet? Stelle? I don't know what to call that. But it popped out of the ground. On it was written that this dungeon was a kind of... Introduction? For me. It was written I was an 'Ender'. Whatever that is."

"Ender... " She whispered.

"Yes. I think the theory you have in your head is right. There was also instructions written. At that time I had to kill the Gobelins, all of them. And at the end, after getting out, the Dungeon just... Disappeared."

"What?!" Virina stood up instantly, startled by my words.

"Just like that. Dungeons shouldn't disappear. At all. But I didn't tell you all that just for the sake of it. If all Dungeons I dive into disappear after I finish them... I'd rather avoid stripping the Academy of them."

"What happens if you don't do the task on that... Tablet?" Virina sat back down, but we could she her body still tense.

"We have no idea. But I suppose the Dungeon isn't considered 'finished', so it should be safe."

She hummed again, pressing her back on the sofa while looking pensive. We let her think in silence. I didn't tell her everything of course. Like the information I got after I touched that gate. I do trust her, but not enough to reveal everything. Call me too cautious I don't really care. And since neither Anna or Eliza said anything, I think they agree with me.

Probably feeling bored, my dear Twin started to play with my ear, sending it twitching each time her fingers brushed on a tickling part.

"Hey stop that!" I whisper quietly, trying to not interrupt Virina's thinking.

"Nope, it's fun."

I groan slightly out of fond exasperation. Meanwhile Eliza was idly playing with my fingers in her hands.

A few minutes later Virina straightened a little, smiling as she saw Anna's shenanigans.

"Alright. I understand why you don't want to strip my Academy of Dungeons. But I think it should be safe as long as you don't complete those 'task'. Actually, are you sure they would appear in another Dungeon?"

For once the information locked in my head gave me the answer.

"I don't know how to explain. But yes, I'm sure. It should be like in the one we finished, the tablet will appear and describe the task."

"Then it should be fine. But it may still be a good idea to try if you can really close them. There's a Dungeon in the Outside that isn't really useful. No real ressources, weak monsters not worth using for training. It should be a perfect test."

My eyes lit up. If she insisted I stay in the Academy's Dungeon to train it would have been quite boring. I'm too curious to know if I can do the same as before.

And maybe there's something to gain from closing them. Or 'Ending' them I guess.

There should be, if I can trust what the tablet said.

"But for now it's the only one I can think of. I need to consult my sources to know if there's others. I would like them to not be too far from the Academy. Right now you girls are too weak. And there's only three of you. You need to find more teammates."

We all nodded our heads. It makes sense. There would be no point in putting ourselves in danger we have no chance to escape. Of course it doesn't mean we would turtle-up in the Academy until nothing can stop us. That would take an insane amount of time, if we can even achieve that.

"We do have a few people in mind. Well, at least I do." I say, looking at Anna and Eliza who nodded as they understood who I was referring to.

"Claire and Luna right?" She said with a knowing smile.

"Uh? How did you know?"

"I'm the Headmistress."

"Right. Them. Claire is clearly a great Archer. And Luna... Is weird but should make a good scout. I don't think they would accept right now of course. It takes time to accept something like that."

"Just don't take too much time. If you saw their potential, others did too. They might get snatched before you try."

She's right actually. Not pressing them is respectful. But we shouldn't delay too much. I have a vague feeling it's important to have them before we attempt to close too many dungeons.

"Well girls, you should go prepare and try to enter one of our Dungeons. Just so you can see the difference between the one you did and a 'classic' one. I'll get the informations "

We all get up after a sound of agreement. Having something to compare to would be a good idea.