Chapter 28: Champ Tiger Creed (2)

“I’m busy right now, okay? I’ll play with you later, so can you let go?”

“That’s disappointing. Are we really like this?”

With a sly voice, a tongue wraps around my neck.

A purple snake, boasting a size that could swallow a tiger in one bite, asks me in a seductive tone, reminiscent of the serpent tempting Eve with the forbidden fruit.

“Our interesting little toy… what brings you here?”

“Who are you calling a toy? And can you let go of this?”

“My, my, what an amusing thing to say. I’m just doing my job as a guardian, you know? Hehe…”

One important thing when talking to spirits:

Never let yourself be overwhelmed in a battle of wits.

Even if you’re outmatched in size, if you start to falter, they’ll see you as prey, not a conversation partner.

I had no intention of becoming Selene’s tasty meal.

…Is cat meat delicious?

“Then you must have some idea why I’m here, right?”

“I have no clue.”

It’s obvious you know but are just teasing me, you damn snake.

“Purple hair, you saw her, right?”

“Hehe, I did. Such a pitiful child. Still clinging to that futile research…”

Her playful voice echoes in my ears.

Futile research, huh?

Selene, being an ancient snake, must have guessed the outcome of that research.

If nothing else, it’s certain that the research will fail.

No, actually, it’s more accurate to say they never intended to complete it in the first place.

Anyway, that’s not the point.

What’s important now is figuring out whether my can opener is an innocent can opener or a villainous one closely cooperating with some dark force.

Business is ruthless, but having a bad girl as a can opener would just be troublesome.

If things go south, she could strangle me.

To avoid such a situation, I need to get to the bottom of this now.

Is Kazein the villain of Act 1?

Or… an unfairly exploited victim?

If it’s the former, I’ll have to reluctantly cut ties with Can Opener No. 1.

No matter what, I can’t keep a villain by my side.

Reforming her is beyond my capabilities.

If it’s the latter, I need to stop the research immediately.

I’m not sure how to stop it, but… that’s why I’m tailing her, so I need this damn snake’s cooperation.

Sigh, either way, it’s tough.

“Hehe, you look deep in thought.”

The tongue around my neck loosens.

As soon as Selene releases her tongue, I sit on her body and scratch her neck with my hind legs.

Ugh.

I need to take a bath when I get back.

“You seem to know everything, huh?”

“Hehe.”

Not a clear answer, but it seems like a yes.

The problem is, it’s hard to gauge how much she knows.

“Let’s have a heart-to-heart talk, us knowing beasts. I’ve noticed some rats scurrying around your territory lately…”

“How do you know about that?”

A voice filled with curiosity.

I turn my head slightly to meet her eyes, and she seems curious about how I know.

In situations like this, it’s best to satisfy her curiosity.

“There’s this purple-haired girl who offers me food, and she’s been doing some research on spirits or something, so while I was watching…”

“You saw the tail?”

“Bingo.”

“Hehe… you’re such an interesting little one. That’s right. They tried hard to hide it, but the tail was too long.”

Selene’s seductive voice nods in agreement with my words.

Despite her sinister nature, she’s still a guardian of the Magic Department.

She wouldn’t just ignore it.

…But why did Act 1 happen?

If she intervened, wouldn’t it have been prevented?

In the original story, you could only really talk to her around the middle of Act 2 with Alice, so I couldn’t ask in the game.

And even if I could, the chances of her giving a straight answer were slim.

And if it’s Selene, there’s a reason she might have guessed.

“You didn’t bite the tail because you thought it wasn’t that dangerous, right?”

“There have been countless little ones scheming in this place over the centuries.”

Yeah, the events of Act 1 might just be a spice to her long life.

Honestly, living for hundreds of years, there aren’t many things that would give her a dopamine rush.

Without such schemes, the Academy would be pretty boring.

…That’s what Selene would think, not me.

“So you’re just going to watch this time too?”

“Hehe.”

That “hehe” is so annoying.

I sigh at Selene’s response and jump down into the grass.

There’s nothing more to gain from talking to her, so I need to get back to work.

“Do you know where the purple-haired girl’s lab is?”

“It’s in the corner on the second floor.”

Ah, there.

I think I know where that is.

“Thanks.”

“Take care. Oh, a little advice—it’s better to open your eyes soon.”

Eyes?

What does that mean?

Can’t you explain it more clearly?

I let Selene’s cryptic words go in one ear and out the other as I entered the Magic Department building.

————-

The Magic Department building is surprisingly large and complex, making it easy for first-time visitors to get lost without a guide.

It’s twisted like Hogwarts, with all sorts of magical shenanigans.

If you don’t know the exact path, you’re bound to get lost.

In Alice’s prologue, she got lost in the department and was 30 minutes late to class, and no one even noticed.

…Come to think of it, I might run into Alice here.

Not that it would be a problem.

I head towards Professor Ruyen’s research lab, where he’s taking a nap, relying on my memories from the original story.

The paths in the Magic Department are exactly as I remember from the game, so I don’t get lost.

If I got lost, I’d have to give up my veteran status.

I’ve played Academy Chronicles for so long.

I’ve seen all the character endings, played through multiple times, used mods when I ran out of things to do, and even did concept plays.

By far, I played Alice the most.

Surprisingly, her build has a lot of freedom.

The mage route is standard, but you can build her in other ways too.

If I need to take care of Alice, I might consider guiding her along the build I used.

Not sure if it’ll work like the game, though…

As I walk, thinking this, a door covered in vines comes into view.

Professor Ruyen’s office and research lab.

The office is next to the research lab, so Kazein should be behind the vine-covered door.

But I can’t open it myself.

There’s a security spell that could zap me.

For a normal person, it’s just a little shock, but for a cat, it’s enough to be dangerous.

Only authorized people can open the door.

To get inside, I need Professor Ruyen or the grad students to open it for me, or make them open it.

And if I cause trouble in the lab, Kazein will take me out.

Kazein would think it’s dangerous for me to be in the Magic Department.

Common sense says a stray cat being here is a bit odd.

Especially in the Magic Department.

If I run into someone mentally unstable, I could end up as a cat that day.

Of course, I have no intention of being taken down by some amateur.

Well, time to go in.

I stand in front of the vine-covered door.

A door where you can’t even see the handle.

Most people wouldn’t even think it could open.

The vines, created by Professor Ruyen’s magic, won’t part unless they want to.

But who am I?

A seasoned tiger.

According to page 35, line 17 of the seasoned tiger’s handbook, there’s a way to open this door.

I take a deep breath.

One,

Two…

Three!

“Meow!”

Open the door, can openers! I’m here! I’m here!

Hearing my loud meow, there’s a thudding sound from behind the vine-covered door.

Then, the vines start to move.

How much time do I have left?

I ignore the gaze I feel on my back and wait for the door to open.

As the vines part and the door opens—

“Ah!? Cat, no!”

Do you think a grad student holed up in the lab can catch me!

I slip between the legs of the grad student trying to stop me and dart into the office.

The way to ensure no one can stop me from entering the lab is—inside the office!

“Don’t do this here—”

Someone shouts from behind, but I ignore it.

What’s important now is—

Jumping onto the lap.

I kick off the ground at the right distance.

Using a cat’s unique leaping ability, I step on the desk, crouch, and hide in the arms of the little girl with an eyepatch lying on the desk.

“Meow—”

What can you do now!

No matter how much you try to chase me out, with the professor as my shield, you can’t get me out!

I smile victoriously at the bewildered junior from within the arms of the golden-haired loli magician, Professor Ruyen.

Unaware of the future that awaits.

“So soft and warm…”

“Meow!”