As we boarded the carriage towards the demi-human region, I opened a bottle of coffee latte. Sipping it as we all cross the great white elf forest, which is owned by The Primordial Kingdom now. My name is Revi, and I am a student aiming to be a scholar in the human region. Currently, I am 17 years old. I am on a trip to the demi-human academy to conduct a comparative study between the knowledge they have there and the knowledge they have in the human region.
"Revi! May I have a sip of that?"
"Ah, sure." I held out my hand to a friend sitting next to me. His name was Colt.
"Hey, give some for me too!" Another friend of mine decided to hog the bottle away from Colt. This man's name is Trent.
As the trip continued, we arrived at the borders between the great white elf forest and arrived at the immigration post to enter the Demi-Human region. "Next, please!" The immigration officer said as I stepped forward to the counter. I presented the officer with the documents I had previously filled.
"Let's see."
As the officer checked my papers, I looked at the noticeable bunny ears that were on the officer's head. She looked pretty cute for a demi-human.
"Revi Valerich?"
"Yes. That's me!" I smiled at her.
She took a look at the passport, checking my face, gazing up and down as if she was trying to make sure of something. Her hands then returned to my papers as she said, "Thank you. Please enjoy your stay."
Her smile emits sparkles. I wonder if that's a demi-human power.
"That girl is so cute!!!" Trent said as his face became beet red. "I think she is interested in me." He continued.
"Keep on dreaming, sucker! She was smiling more when she looked at me!" Colt said.
They went on a debate for a few minutes before we began to walk towards our destination. The Demi-Human Academy, Astrea Academy (AA). The streets of this region looked a lot like a village as they're many green surfaces around us. Maybe it seems like a city if they care more about the plants than caring about their skyscrapers.
The students then finally arrived at Astrea Academy. The building was looking quite different than other buildings in the region. I don't know how many acres the academy is, but it does seem pretty big than a regular high school or other private education institute.
"Welcome esteemed scholars from the human race!" The voice of a woman was heard. Then, a figure flew to the front of the academy. She was a demi-human with bird-like wings from her back. "I am Kya! I welcome you to Astrea Academy."
I can feel Trent and Colt going crazy at her words.
Then, another demi-human student joined her. This time, it was a gorilla demi-human. He looks like a gorilla, but his skin is like that of a human. "Pleased to meet you, human folk! I am Gula!" Then demi human students, one after another, came introducing themselves to us.
"Hey, you!"
A finger touched my shoulder.
As I turned my back, I could see a female lamia demi-human that had pink hair. "Don't you want to mingle with anyone?" She said as she crossed her arms. I didn't understand what she meant. But like maybe she wants to mingle with me? Oh yeah, that may be right!
"Please to meet you, Miss Lamia. My name is Revi," I said, giving a slight bow at her.
"Eee??? How did you know what my species is?"
"Ah! I used to read the documentation regarding demi-humans that are available in the human region."
"Eeee??? You're so diligent! Well, my name is Rea. Please to meet you."
I shook my hands with Rea. The sensation was a bit new to me. I could feel her skin having more scales than that of an average human. But I don't see this as weird. Time passes as we get introduced to the environment of AA. During the whole tour, I stayed together with Rea as she clung to my arms.
After the trip, we went to the dorm, but the scholar group decided to split since many of them wanted to do something else before going back.
BUK!
I could feel someone hit me.
"What the heck, Revi! How can you rizz up girls on the first day of school!?" Trent said.
"He do got that rizz though. Don't be too jealous, Trent," Colt defended me.
"Yeah. I suppose he do got that rizz. I was just jealous of the fact that girl clings to his arm!"
In response, I only smiled at the two.
***
"Ahhh!! I am so tired from mingling with everyone!" Colt said as he exited the shower room inside the dorm. The dorm we are staying at has shared spaces for a kitchen, bathroom, toilets, and washroom. Despite this being a demi-human region, it is surprisingly quite similar to that of humans in terms of furniture.
"What time do we have to go again tomorrow?" I said as I drank coffee.
"Eh? Is there any schedule for tomorrow? I thought it was a free day." Trent said.
"Yeah. We are free tomorrow. The next event we have to attend is the day after tomorrow."
I see, so I have some free time tomorrow, huh?
"I see thanks for that."
"Oh yeah, by the way. Trent and I were thinking of doing something tonight," Colt said.
"Ah, is that right? What were you going to do?"
"We are gonna check the red light district."
"Hee? Is that so?"
Hearing my response, Trent spoke, "Why did you sound so uninterested? Listen, we can never go to places like that in the human region, but here we have more freedom!" Trent spoke as Colt joined him in laughing.
"Haha, sure. I'll go along as well."
"Now that's the spirit!"
As I entered my room, I saw a letter on my window. Opening it, I grabbed a square-shaped tablet. Hmmm, I see. So it's that time, huh?
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Hey Revi! Are you ready?" I can hear Colt's voice at my door.
Opening the door, I greeted him as we three went downstairs and started walking to the red light district.
"Agh... Is it normal to have this much crowd?" Trent said as we were caught in the middle of the wave of people.
"Yeah! This is just too much!" Colt said.
"Hey. Wait, where's Revi?" Trent asked.
"Hey guys! I am sorry I forgot my wallet. You guys go on ahead," I shouted so that my friends could hear me.
"Alright! See you later, Revi!" I could hear Trent's voice.
***
Inside the dorm of Astrea Academy. A female elf with long white hair sneaked inside by picking the lock and entering it. To her surprise, she can see traces of mana emitting from a particular room. She knows this aroma, this intensity. It originated from her master.
Knock, Knock, Knock!
The elf woman knocked on the door and slowly opened it.
"Long time no see. Sierra," said a man wearing a black trench coat. His mana flows calmly inside this room, much like the chilling breeze of the night.
"I am here to report the situation, Lord Ruin!" Sierra bowed her head as she held the notes close.
"I see..."
"The preparations are ready. We are ready to support you in any way we can."
"The moon will be full this night... The time of awakening, however is not yet."
"As expected from you! You already know about the artifact needed for the activation!"
"Heh." Ruin didn't say a single word but let out a single laugh of amusement.
"The artifact is located in the basement of Astrea Academy. We have secured a map that..."
"The beasts of this land are much more human than we thought. Not yet enough to be as we are. Yet hiding was always their specialty."
Sierra widened her eyes as she looked at the map again. "No, it can't be!"
"What we're looking for isn't available to be seen with mere eyes."
Sierra then opened the map and cross-checked it with the information available. "So that's why you went to the entertainment district! You knew that they hid that artifact there!"
Ruin turned his back on her and said, "The more occupied it is, the harder it is to find. Needle inside Haystack"
"Since beast folk also used mana, our tracers couldn't carefully check whether there was an artifact at the district or not! I will report back at once and prepare to proceed with the search for the artifact!"
"Let the ruination begin." Ruin puts on his white eye mask as bluish magical energy begins emitting.