Seeing the nervous look on Perry's face, Fido patted his shoulder with a light-hearted smile, trying to reassure him, "You probably just saw something wrong. The shadows in the forest at night always look a bit eerie. Staring at them too long makes anyone feel a bit unsettled."
Perry frowned slightly, still shaken, and hesitantly said, "But… that feeling of being watched felt too real, like something was lurking in the dark, watching me. It didn't feel like the usual tricks my mind plays."
"Probably just your imagination," Fido replied, waving a hand dismissively. "And even if something was watching us, seeing us carry back these chickens and this Silver Glass Flower, it would probably run away!" he added, with a bit of humor to ease the tension.
Seeing Perry still looking nervous, Fido decided not to press further and quickly led him out of the forest, hoping to stop him from becoming more paranoid. They walked through the darkened trees until they reached the lights of the town, where Perry finally felt that unsettling feeling lessen. Fido guided him to the town marketplace, where they handed the hard-earned Silver Glass Flower to Martin. Martin took the bouquet with satisfaction, muttering praise for their efficiency.
"All done with the mission!" Fido said, clapping his hands and grinning. "Next, we just need to get back to the academy and store these ingredients and supplies."
The two headed toward the teleportation booth in the plaza. Fido skillfully entered the transport code and pulled Perry in with him. Light wrapped around them, and in a blink, they were back in the familiar surroundings of the magic academy.
As soon as they landed, Fido turned to Perry. "I need to store these supplies, especially the chickens. I have to take care of them properly. Do you want to head back to the dorm first and rest up? You still look a bit pale."
Perry thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, I'll go to the dorm, freshen up, and change clothes. Once I'm sorted, I'll find you to hand in my application."
"No problem," Fido replied with a grin, shaking the bag on his back. "These little guys are still squirming around in there." He waved to Perry and hurried off to the academy's storage room for ingredients.
Watching Fido's figure disappear at the end of the corridor, Perry stood in place as that odd, oppressive feeling slowly crept back into his chest. He frowned, and, unable to shake the unease, quietly asked the system, "Back in the forest… was there really nothing watching us?"
The system responded quickly: [Host, scans showed no unusual activity nearby. It was likely just a trick of your mind.]
"Was it really an illusion…" Perry murmured, taking a deep breath and deciding to push his worries down. He began heading toward the dorm while continuing to discuss the shadow's possible source with the system, though the system continued to insist that it hadn't detected anything unusual.
With no guide from Fido, Perry found himself studying the academy map alone, eventually finding the shortest route to the dorms.
Dragging his weary feet, he navigated the sprawling academy grounds in the dark. He knew he needed to reach the dorm as soon as possible to change, as a night of hard work had left him covered in dust and sweat, feeling quite uncomfortable. But the massive academy, with its twisting corridors and complex architecture, felt like a maze, and he couldn't help but grumble inwardly. Every few steps, he paused to study the map, which, while detailed, wasn't very easy to read, especially under the dim nighttime light.
"Whoever designed this place must have loved labyrinths!" he muttered, rubbing his aching shoulders. "This map's barely any help!" Rounding a courtyard, he continued forward, but soon found himself growing more exhausted, his steps heavier, his shoulders more sore. He looked up, realizing that the dorm building still looked far away.
"System, how much further is this? My legs are killing me…" he said with a hint of complaint.
The system was silent for a moment, seemingly unfazed by Perry's frustration, and calmly responded, [Host, you could actually use the magic book to teleport directly to your destination.]
Perry froze, stopping in his tracks, staring at the seemingly invisible system interface in disbelief. "What? And you're just telling me this now?"
The system's voice remained steady, [Based on your usual habits, I assumed you preferred to experience the walk.]
"Experience my foot! I'm exhausted!" Perry grumbled, feeling as if the system had pulled a little prank on him. Letting out a long sigh, he took out his magic book, opened its pages, and skillfully traced the location of his dorm with his finger. The pages emitted a faint glow, lines of text appearing swiftly as the air around him grew calm and cool.
"Well, this is a lot easier," he muttered with a hint of lingering annoyance. As the teleportation spell took effect, a gentle light enveloped him, the sounds around him fading until, in an instant, he was standing on the solid floor of the dormitory hallway.
Perry looked around and confirmed he was indeed at the entrance of the dorm, feeling relieved at last.
"Good, the first teleportation didn't go wrong," he murmured softly before walking down the corridor toward his dorm room.
Following the information on Henry's student ID, he arrived at Room 1202 on the third floor. Fishing out the key from his bag, he unlocked the door and slipped inside. The room was quiet and tidy. He set down his bag, preparing to change into clean clothes, when he suddenly sensed something strange behind him. Instinctively, he turned around.
The sight that greeted him left him stunned——a massive lion lay sprawled in the middle of the dorm room!
The lion's entire body was covered in thick golden fur, majestic and imposing. Perry held his breath, taking a cautious step back, not daring to get too close. The lion, seeming to sense an intruder, slowly raised its head, its sharp eyes flashing with a menacing gleam.
Perry couldn't help but ask the system, "What's going on? Did the academy really assign me a lion as a roommate?"
The system's voice replied calmly, "Host, this lion appears to mean no harm and may belong to a special species at the academy… Perhaps it's only temporarily residing here?"
Perry stared helplessly at the lion, unsure what to do next. Unexpectedly, the lion lowered its head as if signaling him not to be afraid. Perry cautiously stepped forward, muttering softly, "I never imagined I'd have such a unique roommate."
As Perry hesitated, the lion suddenly spoke, its voice carrying a hint of displeasure but clearly that of a young man. "Henry! Why are you only back now?"
Perry froze, feeling a surge of panic. He'd assumed this lion was just an unusual roommate but hadn't expected it could actually talk. To avoid revealing he wasn't Henry, he quickly came up with an excuse, forcing a small apologetic smile. "Ah, sorry! I… ran into Mushcat and took it to the professor's lab, so I only just got back."
The lion's golden eyes fixed on him, seeming to scrutinize his words with an imposing intensity. Perry's heartbeat quickened, his mind racing. He had no idea what kind of relationship this lion had with Henry—was it a friend, a partner, or merely a roommate? Worse, he didn't even know the lion's name, so he had to be extra cautious to avoid blowing his cover.
The lion gave a slight nod, apparently accepting his explanation, and said slowly, "I've been waiting for you for hours. Really, if you were any later, I would've had to come find you myself."
"Sorry, I got held up," Perry replied awkwardly, scratching his head as he tried to hide his nervousness. He glanced around the room, his eyes scanning the bookshelves, desk, and walls for anything that might give him a clue about the lion's name.
The room was simply furnished but neatly arranged, with numerous magical books on the shelves and a few peculiar trinkets scattered across the desk, emanating a faint magical aura. Just as he was desperately searching for a clue, the lion turned its massive head, glancing at him with a curious look as if sensing his unease.
"What's wrong? You look a bit distracted," the lion remarked, its tone slightly teasing.
"Oh? Nothing," Perry replied with a forced smile, trying to conceal his anxiety. "I just… feel a bit tired after dealing with a small issue outside."
The lion raised an eyebrow, seemingly not entirely convinced. Sensing this, Perry quickly changed the subject, feigning concern as he asked, "By the way, it's so late, and you're still here waiting for me… Did you have something important to discuss?"
The lion gave a soft snort and stood up, its large form nearly filling the room, exuding an air of authority. "Nothing particularly important. But now that you're back, you can tell me about Mushcat, can't you? How's it doing?"
Perry secretly breathed a sigh of relief, as the topic had shifted to Mushcat. However, he still had to tread carefully with his answers. Nodding, he replied, "Oh, Mushcat is doing well, no major issues." He paused, adding as naturally as he could, "You're quite concerned about Mushcat, aren't you? After all, it's connected to Alan… Oh, sorry, I've been a bit scatterbrained lately, I mean Alan…" Perry had just caught a glimpse of a book with a name written on it and hoped it would prompt the lion to reveal its own name.
The lion narrowed its eyes slightly, a faint smirk tugging at its lips as it gazed at him, remaining silent for a moment before speaking. "Henry, you haven't… forgotten who I am, have you?"
Perry's heart sank, cursing himself for asking too directly. He immediately laughed it off, waving his hands. "How could I forget! Of course, I remember! I just… well, my mind's been a bit muddled lately, so I just wanted to double-check."
The lion blinked, a look of understanding crossing its face as it nodded. "Hmm, you're still the same, always mixing up names. Just in case you 'double-check' again, let me introduce myself." The lion's tail swished softly against the floor as its deep voice resonated through the room. "My name is Alaric. I am your most loyal friend. Remember that?"
"Of course I remember," Perry replied quickly, relief washing over him though he kept his expression calm. "How could I forget, Alaric?"
Alaric gave a low huff, nodding in satisfaction. "Good. I've been waiting quite a while. Next time, if you're late again, don't blame me if I'm not so patient."
Perry was now grateful that Henry's habit of name-mixing had saved him from being found out too easily.