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One late spring evening, Luelle felt like a charred leaf that had accidentally fallen onto hot logs. The professors had once again praised her for her progress, but the instructor’s displeasure was still radiating, meaning that her other accomplishments no longer mattered. Why was this callous otter constantly criticizing and nullifying all the suffering and efforts of one of his students? Was she somehow worse than the other students? Or was her special treatment due to her background? “Nonsense, he, too, is naturally inclined to meat…” the Doulean convinced herself, continuing to search for the reasons for the instructor’s dislike. However, that day, classes had taken a toll on Luelle’s health, and before reaching the infirmary, she returned to her room and began writing poetry. Oddly enough, this activity had a relaxing effect on the fox, allowing her thoughts to wander freely through picturesque worlds. She composed her first poem after a significant break, several quatrains long, strictly adhering to a specific rhyme scheme and rhythm. At first, the pieces exuded the fresh scent of spring and the awakening of a snow lotus, but over time, Jenkins began to prioritize her own problems, and the lyrics took on a ladder-like form, unusual for a lover of traditional forms. Finally, she carefully scribbled the word “Hunger” with a pen on worn paper. Thousands of images of delicious dishes, all featuring meat in various forms, flashed through her mind. Lots of meat. Tender chicken with a crispy skin, a tuna steak with a smooth texture, braised veal sprinkled with spices – all of this made the hungry Luelle salivate profusely. The sheet of paper with the unstarted poem became damp and unsuitable for further creative work. Meanwhile, dishes with raw offal began to play in her head. Then Jenkins slowly rose from her chair and walked to the window, from which neither the pale sun nor the light azure expanse could be seen. A silent night had descended upon Niral. “It’s so quiet, as if everyone were asleep,” she thought deliriously, “I could slip out of the territory and attack some defenseless chipmunk…” Luelle instantly slapped herself and covered her round face with her paws. “What am I thinking!? I would never, never do that!” Then she assumed a push-up position and held it for several minutes, trying to distract herself from destructive thoughts. When her hunger truly began to subside, the fox jumped onto her bed and tried to sleep, but either the light or the insatiable desire to satisfy herself with something more suitable than amaranth porridge or green tofu cakes awakened with renewed vigor. Unable to bear the temptation to fall into the darkness of dreams, Luelle stood up irritably and began pacing her small dwelling. “No, I can’t do this. I need something to eat, otherwise I’ll definitely lose control! Maybe there are some chicken farms nearby? Yeah, right, I’ll remember the taste of chicken,” she mused, still drooling on her shapeless gray dress. Worn only within the confines of a private room. Without hesitation, Luelle emerged from it and, finding herself in her original form, pounced on the shelves of the most inconspicuous and warm clothing: even in spring, Egalitia smelled fragrantly cool. Ultimately, she settled on a baggy sweater, matching pants, and a hooded robe over it. The entire look was the color of night. There was no need to wonder where Jenkins got such wardrobe items. After all, this was her third spring living at the magic academy. Also, there was a special mystery in how she had already fled the institution’s secure premises in just a few minutes. Luelle’s own memory of what followed remained vague. The only thing she remembered after the foray was the sweet smell of blood and the achingly familiar taste on her tongue. That evening, the fox’s face was covered in feathers, and scarlet spots adorned the area around her mouth. “Thank all the higher powers and magic that I came through the secret corridor and not directly through the main gate!” she thought, her heart pounding, as she stood by the mirror and hastily brushed away the remnants of her crime. But peace reigned in the fox’s soul, for she now felt a pleasant fullness in her belly, something she had only ever remembered until now. Finally, Luelle had plucked the forbidden fruit and intended to use her agility the next time she felt a sudden urge to eat.
The third year was inexorably drawing to a close. After a short break, graduation was approaching, marking the fourth year of the Pharmaceutical Sciences program. For some reason, the feisty fox felt a pang as the students performed for everyone once again. “This is the last time I’ll see this beauty…” she said to Sana, who still had two more years of Animal Psychology left to study. Kairie patted her friend on the head and said, “Don’t worry, you’ll see better concerts, I know.” Luelle giggled nervously, but visibly calmed down afterwards and continued watching the stunts on stage. “Sana’s right, I’m only twenty-two, my whole life is ahead of me, and it doesn’t end with just the academy,” the fox thought seriously. After the welcoming speech, everyone dispersed to the dorm and began preparing, because the next morning, the classrooms, lab rooms, and training halls would once again be filled with students. The fourth course inevitably came into force.
Chapter 5 “The First Quarter”
A purple flame flared on the border between Egalitia and Berrydoule, quickly becoming a tiny flame. The once-vigilant guards were unable to resist the blue moon’s charms and quietly snored from the corners of the fortress wall, their primary purpose forgotten. Meanwhile, the travelers passed through the second gate and found themselves on the northern land, shrouded in a layer of frost-covered leaves and puddles crunching with thin ice. A stocky wolf, accidentally planting one of his plump paws, cursed, causing his less courageous companions to flinch.
“Bellvor, if because of you we end up on the chopping block of this lousy place, then I will not hold back and…” the arctic fox, wrapped almost to the ears in linen fabric, hissed, but the wolf interrupted him:
“Yes, yes, yes, I’ve heard this before. Why don’t you check the condition of those damn ampoules? We’re all responsible for them.”
The third companion silently observed the latest squabble, merely scanning the dense row of trees. His rat’s nose peeked cautiously from beneath his canvas hood, sniffing out any potential dangers. The rodent’s paws trembled not only from the cold but also from the adventure the three wanderers were about to embark on. Suddenly, the wind whistled, and the rat squealed, nearly dropping what appeared to be an important load. Both companions turned sharply and gave him the most contemptuous glance imaginable.
“Ebonis, how did our mistress choose you? You’re shaking like a leaf, even though no one caught us; only nature itself made itself known,” the fox whispered mockingly, to which the wolf growled softly and continued to monitor the situation.
The cowardly rodent chuckled softly but said nothing in response to the predator. As they continued their journey, all three illegal border crossers remained silent, trying to keep their presence on Egalitian soil a secret. Even a simple, quiet conversation could get the wolf, the fox, and the rat into trouble, and their cunning mistress would then devise merciless punishment. Besides, what could they talk about? The eldest of them could only think about successfully completing his duty and then returning to his poor wolf wife and their cub. The white predator dreamed of a reward and of personally dealing with his annoying companion, who was quietly following him. The brown rodent himself was completely unconcerned, as anxiety for his own life and the lives of his teammates crowded out all thought in his small mind. The shaggy autumnal alleys were in no hurry to stop the travelers, whose intentions were clearly ill-intentioned toward the inhabitants of this land. The occasional crystal trees, along with those not yet white, swayed in the icy air, watching every step of the unexpected guests.
“Both of you, listen!” The wolf stopped abruptly and began scanning the rest of the path like a hunter. Ebonis, instantly cowering, and Malion, tense, strained their ears as hard as they could, but a faint ringing sound reached them. It was followed by a faint flash of light off to the side, deep in the trees. The wolf turned left, followed by his companions. The fearsome predator approached and began sniffing the wondrous spot. The sound came again, this time slightly louder, and the flash seemed closer than before. The leader of the small gang immediately growled loudly across the alley:
“Let’s run forward right now! Come on!”
The rat squealed and moved at high speed in the indicated direction, heedless of where he was going. The fox stood for a moment, debating whether to attack the unknown creature or save his life, but the wolf nudged him, and the white fox rushed after his cowardly companion. Meanwhile, the ringing and flashing continued to increase in intensity.
***
The chief of the alcohol-soaked infirmary looked closely into the young fox’s greenish eyes, waiting for further explanations from her.
“Miss, did I understand correctly that you want to change your medical practice to work in a laboratory?” The middle-aged hamster tilted his head in confusion, crossing his short legs over his chest.
Luelle took a deep breath and smiled crookedly.
“Yes, sir, I would very much like to gain new experience here, in this wonderful place! Moreover, I have already checked with the dean of my faculty and the head of the department, and they have given their permission for such an event.”
It seemed that the important argument did not convince the usually flattering and carefree doctor, who loved to eat silver corn in the dining room.
“Oh, I don’t know if you’ll be able to learn anything in your last year here,” he muttered and walked over to the cabinet with packaged medicines. “I know, I know, you showed yourself to be a diligent student, but even your knowledge may not be enough for such scientifically intensive work!”
Luelle’s orange-white face took on a tired expression, and the strange smile vanished. She touched the tense bridge of her nose with her fingers and began to massage it. The hamster, meanwhile, remained silent, pretending to be wildly intrigued by the package of thunderclap migraine medication.
“Mr. Anokan, what do you require of me? I’ll do everything,” she said, perched on the edge of the couch next to a closed shelf. Her feigned, concentrated, yellowish gaze slid over the fourth-year student. Jenkins looked unwell, but her intentions had been clear the moment she stepped through the infirmary door. “Please, I really need to fill in the gaps in my knowledge and get more points on the final exam…”
Suddenly, the room was filled with velvety laughter. Jenkins flicked her fluffy tail and stared in amazement at the amused man.
“Why didn’t you tell me right away that you needed to get gold marks from the teachers?” He narrowed his eyes slyly and walked over to the main counter. “Okay, come with me, I’ll show you what you’ll be dealing with soon.”
The fox hesitated, unable to get up and follow the insufferable beast after such a swift change of heart. “Well, of course, his quirks are inevitable… I hope he really agreed. The dean told me not to return without a satisfactory outcome to our negotiations, if you can call them that,” she thought, containing her displeasure.
First, the healer led her to the universal pharmaceutical storage room, which also served as the source of various medications for all of Niral’s pharmacies. The room was truly vast, housing an endless array of ampoules, pills, tablets, and herbs, stored in gigantic translucent containers. The room was illuminated by magical crystals, which also provided the perfect conditions for preserving all alchemical products in their best condition.
Luelle couldn’t help but gasp in admiration. The hamster, accustomed to this part of his job, nodded understandingly but continued leading his new charge through the maze of sections.
“Why did I bring you here? Well, I’d like to honor you by classifying useful and unusual flowers into special boxes!” he explained playfully, demonstrating the necessary algorithm to the battle sorceress. “I think you understand. Just be extremely careful, because some of the plants here are one of a kind.”
Jenkins, focused, swallowed and nodded, and they both headed for the exit, leaving the rest of the vault untouched. Returning to the reception area, the fox caught the lingering scent of medicine again, and the dark tip of her nose twitched. The medic, without batting an eye, led her into a room with a small number of white cots. They seemed to sparkle with cleanliness. “My, is he really the one who maintains this room?” Jenkins wondered.
“You got it right, Luelle,” the man said meaningfully, standing by one of the beds, “everyone who does an internship with me monitors the cleanliness of not only the infirmary hall, but the rest of the rooms as well.”
In fact, the confused fox did not notice how her curator switched to a more informal form of conversation, but she was more confused by the fact that Mr. Anokan was in no hurry to introduce her to the most intriguing area of her main activity.
“Um, excuse me, but when will you give me instructions regarding the experimental department?” she asked the pressing question with the most innocent eyes.
“Oh, yes, you’ll be doing some work in the lab too, but I was just trying to show you the parts you’re now more responsible for than reagents and hazardous solutions! I’ll take you there now, but you need to put on a white coat; there’s no need to expose your moon robe to the decomposition elixir…”
Luelle was even more perplexed: “Am I supposed to do the dirtiest part of the internship here?” This obvious question angered her, because if she intended to gain the necessary experience in the infirmary, it would be in the most interesting way, through conducting all sorts of reactions and helping the other interns. But she didn’t press the doctor further and obediently followed him, clenching her fangs.
“And also, my dear, watch your bushy tail, otherwise you’ll be cleaning up the mess here too (‘And here?’),” he said, pointing to the red tail floating like an enchanted ribbon. It immediately nestled against its owner’s legs, disappearing behind her dark gray robe.
Having somehow managed to pull on a thin-looking robe over several layers of clothing, Luelle carefully entered the dark purple room, dimly lit by two cold spheres. A symphony of varied aromas played out inside: from pungent sweetness to suffocating bitterness – they burned the nostrils of the fox’s slightly closed eyes.
“Don’t worry, all the smells here are potentially harmless to us, after all, we’re not in a research center lab… However, it’s not far from us, just a couple of kilometers away,” said Mr. Anokan, walking further.
Indeed, nothing had happened to Jenkins; she felt as normal as ever. The only inconvenience was the need to be especially careful and control her tail, which, in her excitement and agitation, could start wagging in all directions. Unfortunately, the flasks weren’t designed to withstand a collision with a fluffy red tail, so the fox had to master all her senses to keep them safe. However, the sight of the entire laboratory took Luelle’s breath away, making the task increasingly difficult. For now, she had to follow the healer and listen to his brief but exhaustive explanations.
“My dear intern, I must warn you of one equally important point. I require your full attention,” he continued, noticing how the predator was gazing at the growing crystals of the curios, whose light radiated warmth. “One of my students often spends time here, but be careful, because he takes his tasks seriously and does not tolerate meaningless conversations!”
The girl, smoothing out the folds of her robe, rolled her eyes. “By any chance, that cynical weirdo?” and immediately encountered the object of her bewilderment and displeasure. He looked almost exactly as he had on that fateful day when her then-classmate had choked to death from eating herbivorous beasts. Stunned by the scene, our heroine didn’t immediately appreciate the hare’s brazenness, and only later, reflecting on what had transpired in her room, did she christen him with such an unflattering nickname. Now, slightly to her right, sat not a young man, but a mature man whose appearance bespoke a lack of sleep and a penchant for nerfinium, an invigorating drink. His apron, worn over a tattered school uniform minus the robe, remained unusually clean, despite his obvious diligent work in a place where it was impossible to leave without acid stains and traces of alchemical reactions. “That means he’s very careful and doesn’t allow any dirt on himself,” Luelle concluded logically, stealthily looking at the impenetrable hare with crystal clear eyes.
“Oh, my esteemed disciple, we were just talking about you!” the hamster exclaimed in his thin voice. “Still working? Very well.”
The silent beast nodded in respect and blinked heavily, turning all his attention to the fox who was examining him.
“Linsu, I brought Miss Jenkins here to give her a chance to get acquainted with the lab, since she’ll be starting her internship here soon,” the middle-aged hamster explained, placing his paw on the fox’s shoulder, which was a bit difficult for him, since the Doulean was ten centimeters taller than him.
“Mr. Anokan, I suppose I’ll have to share this place with her?” the hare asked, narrowing his eyes. “He’s obviously not thrilled with my presence… Well, that’s not going to change,” Luelle admitted with some annoyance, sincerely hoping that this Linsu wouldn’t bother her or annoy her with his grumpiness.
“That’s true, but you’re studying here with the other enthusiasts, so you’ll get along with this girl too,” he babbled good-naturedly, looking at his new charge with his golden eyes.
The white-haired guy did not change his neutral-irritated expression and seemed to be looking for something on the faces of both visitors.
“Healer, all the students this year have transferred to more ‘smelly-pleasing’ classes or changed their entire training,” the hare said slowly, closing several scent flasks and beginning to draw symbols familiar to the fox. At this point, he no longer glared at her but merely held his ears upright to continue listening to his mentor.
Mr. Anokan looked puzzled.
“How… unexpected!” he blurted out, his voice filled with confusion, looking questioningly at the bewildered Jenkins. Suddenly, the hamster jerked, nearly shoving the girl into the shelf holding the Eternity Pollen collection. Following her honed reflexes, she deftly dodged and backed away, so as not to break anything from the academy employee’s emotional outburst. “Right, I was informed about this. How could I have forgotten? Alright, then you two will be here to carry out your tasks. I think you should chat, so that your future internships will be more beneficial for you!”
With a final nod to the fox, the healer disappeared through the door that led to the brightly lit reception area. She turned around, but to her relief, she didn’t meet the hare’s gaze, focused on his notes. Luelle didn’t risk asking questions, sensing it would only inflame the young man. She watched for a moment as the long strands of his hair trembled slightly with every movement, and his painfully thin fingers moved the quill across the parchment as if through thin air. It seemed as if Linsu had immersed himself in an entirely different world, filled with alchemical symbols and the most extraordinary ideas. Since she stood quietly behind him, she couldn’t see his face, but she was certain it glowed with both concentration and detachment.
Deciding that the cold student wasn’t going to spare her even a second of his precious time, Luelle turned and silently walked toward the exit, looking around cautiously to avoid touching any fragile objects. Just as her claws touched the doorknob, she heard a voice calling her name. She turned around in surprise. A pale, delicate-featured face peered around the corner, adorned with dark circles under her light blue eyes.
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