The dormitory of the Escuria students stands at the island's edge, where the sea merges into the vast ocean. Anya whispers tales of this ocean, teeming with merfolk, krakens, and countless other creatures, but such fancies must yield to the stark reality of the towering dormitory.
"Do you think there might be a lift?" I ask, my voice trembling with the fragile hope of a reprieve for my short, low-slung legs, dreading the claustrophobia of my master's pocket-ring. That, however, would be an imposition.
"I have no idea," she replies, her gaze drawn upward.
The dormitory scrapes the highest clouds, a mere leap away from the atmosphere. "What is it?"
Her question dashes my hopes of a convenient conveyance. My eyes struggle to gauge the height—no less than two hundred stories... how do these people erect such a sky-piercing edifice? A mundane skyscraper of this magnitude would surely dwarf the Burj Khalifa in my world, a mere eight hundred meters. This dormitory, I suspect, soars two or three kilometers.
"What if we cast a levitation spell and fly up?" I suggest, my legs quivering.
"Now, now... let's be optimistic," Anya counters, her voice a nervous tremor, her hands slick with sweat. "Someone might deliver us to our floor. Besides...levitation spells can't lift the caster, and they demand intense concentration."
The path to the seventieth floor stretches dauntingly, yet we venture through the grand entrance into a vast hall, where students cluster at long, black wood tables, absorbed in homework or after-school activities. Unlike its deceptively compact exterior, the hall yawns wide, its walls of bare brick adorned with evenly spaced torches, casting a light that rivals electric bulbs.
"School's out, then," Cher-Tam approaches, her smile brimming with such charm that I must avert my gaze. "Navigating this place can be tricky, but once you master teleportation, it's a breeze."
Anya exhales, as if releasing a pent-up breath, and follows the upperclassman to a stone staircase that dwindles to a few steps. Above, the rooms fragment into floating, orderly blocks, receding into shadows beyond the reach of the hall's light. My jaw drops at the sight. If I were to sleepwalk and open a door, I'd surely find myself reborn in another world.
"When do we learn teleportation?" Anya asks, her eyes darting between the towering blocks and the inert marble steps.
"Teleportation is a third-year course, but our parents teach it from an early age... watch." The girl winks, then vanishes, leaving a gust of air in her wake. A moment later, slender fingers tap Anya's shoulder, making her whirl around. Her wide eyes sparkle with delight, radiating a vibrant pink aura.
I barely register the disappearance, but believe me, this spell, I have yearned to learn since a past life. To travel anywhere in a blink, hours compressed into a heartbeat.
It is so effortless.
"This spell is harder to master than levitation, you know. Might take half a year of practice," she smiles, patting Anya's head affectionately. "Now, let's get you to your room. What's the number?"
"704," the girl replies, her face flushed a shade rosier than usual.
"Seventh floor, room four, then." Cher-Tam taps her foot, then casts her wand at the four stone steps. They rise slightly above the ground. She guides us onto them, then announces the room number. Instantly, the marble steps soar into the air.
I cling tightly to Anya's leg, fearing a dizzying fall.
In mere moments, the stone carries us safely to the seventh floor, room four, aligning perfectly with the balcony jutting out a meter. Anya, still reeling from the room number, blinks in surprise.
"I thought it was the 70th floor," Anya murmurs. "The school wasn't clear."
"Typical," Cher-Tam shrugs. "They like us to interpret things. I went to the wrong room last year, nearly died of embarrassment. But it's fine now. Oh! To open the door, tap the knob with your wand. It's a protection mechanism against intruders."
"My dog can use magic. What if he wants to go somewhere alone?" Anya asks, not looking down at me still clinging to her leg. But when I glance up, I see something.
Oh... a white bear cub pattern...?
"I'm not sure about that. Usually, no one brings pets to school or lets them roam alone," Cher Tam says, crossing her arms. "Birds, you can let them fly, they'll return if trained. But for Nappo, it shouldn't be too hard. He can summon the stone steps with his wand or learn the teleportation spell. It wouldn't hurt. I'm rooting for you."
My face burns as she winks.
'Alright, go to your room. Rest up. You have classes tomorrow. And don't forget the homework. It's not a threat, but it's quite a lot here. See you!' Cher Tam waves and vanishes into thin air.
Anya pulls out her wand and taps the brass doorknob. A click echoes, signaling the door is unlocked. She pushes it open.
The room is twice as spacious as it appears from outside. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, opulent and grand. The room is rectangular, with cream-colored walls and medium-sized windows on all sides, opening to the adjacent rooms. Privacy-seeking girls would struggle without curtains. Thankfully, these are thick and secure.
A two-meter-wide Japanese table sits in the center of the room. The floor is covered in soft Tatami mats, inviting a sprawl. Before I know it, I'm face-down on the cool, plush surface.
'These mats are so comfy; I could roll around all day!' I roll and roll, drifting off, until my head collides with the table leg, jarring my senses.
Anya opens her ring-pouch and summons her belongings: a large tan leather suitcase, and a satchel for classes, outings, and trips. Then, she closes the pouch.
"We'll do this together, Nappo. Practice your summoning spell," she says, sitting beside me and scooping me into a hug like a doll. She buries her face in my belly, inhaling deeply. "Puppy scent, so divine."
She sets me down and opens the suitcase. I expect an expanded interior, but it's filled with human female clothing: t-shirts, jeans, shorts, tank tops, skirts, uniforms, pajamas, and an array of colorful underwear that makes me blush. I'm mesmerized, my eyes locked on the display.
"I'll poke your eyes out, Nappo. Aren't you a male?" Anya's eyes narrow suspiciously. She lifts my hind leg, revealing my 'balls' as proof. A murderous aura emanates from her. A glowing green wand points to my neck, sending shivers down my spine.
"What if I said I'm a female?" I try to deflect but sweat beads on my skin.
"With these balls, you dare claim to be a female? You pervert!" Anya flips me onto my back, the two longans waving hello, a spiritual violation. Her slender finger points at my dangling longans, stripping me of my dignity. My mouth hangs open in mortified embarrassment. "And what are these? Should I remove them?"
"No! No! No! I beg you, dearest master, I shall not transgress!" My voice trembles, raw with fear, shame, and the utter ruin of my manhood. My eyes widen, tears threatening to spill.
Suddenly, Anya chuckles, a low, throaty sound, before bursting into full laughter. In the short week we have been together, never has she displayed such childish emotion, always a somber stillness, an air of premature adulthood.
Yet, this is a welcome change, her emotions blooming with a more youthful vibrancy.
"Very well, a dog you shall remain, better than a lecherous man. But if you dare to harbor impure thoughts, I will curse you to swell and cling to the ceiling, understand?" The tip of her wand glows again, a silent command. I nod, compliance my only option.
"I understand!" I stand on my hind legs, my left paw raised in a clumsy salute, eliciting another wave of laughter from Anya.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! You're ridiculous, Nappo!" She raises her phone, the lens pointed at me. "Hold still, I want to post this on 'Maji' first."
"What is this 'Maji'?" I lower my paws as Anya taps and swipes across the screen.
Gods... how I miss my own phone.
I pray someone has the kindness to erase my search history...
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To Be Continue Ep.7