FSE

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"I think attending all of the appointments makes perfect sense." Hamp senpai took a big bite of toast slathered with red jam. I noticed Tadao twitch ever so slightly. "Only four invitations? That’s not reasonable at all. You’ve completely upset the balance." I was a little puzzled as to how he could make such a conclusion so casually. "The Masters must’ve coordinated this. Just go, you’ll be fine."

"Even the 'teacher’s pet' thinks so, so stop worrying, Richter," Kotetsu senpai teased, but the Border Collie clearly didn’t find the humor, letting out an annoyed growl.

"Hey, no need to get angry!" The Altai Wapiti raised his hands dramatically, palms out. "How about I buy you a drink to make it up to you?" Kotetsu put on a pitiful expression, but the Border Collie just snorted and shoved the tall deer aside.

"Earl Grey tea, and don’t you dare add mint, you heretic!" Hamp yelled, looking up. The Altai Wapiti waved a hand dismissively as he walked toward the terminal in the center of the cafeteria.

I finished my scrambled eggs and moved on to the remaining half of my croissant. Sure enough, I still couldn’t tell the difference between maple syrup and cane sugar. The Snow bloodline was undeniable.

That peculiar sensation of being enveloped by someone’s consciousness made me instantly raise my head. I saw Hamp senpai weaving complex gestures with both hands, while Tadao, looking unsure of what was happening, stared at the Border Collie—who was now isolated by a strangely shaped irregular field.

Trying to decode Hamp's intricate construction commands, I couldn't quite grasp the full effects of the other instructions, beyond the equations forming the outer boundaries of the field. But the complexity… it was like nothing I’d ever seen or imagined possible. I thought about committing the image to memory, but the sheer quantity of data… impossible.

"Make the choice that will keep you alive," the Border Collie said in a low voice, his mouth barely moving as he picked up the half-eaten toast. "But don’t betray your true self." He lowered his gaze and took another bite of toast. "Dif-tor heh smusma."

Following the Collie's eyes, I glanced at the plate. The jam streaks spelled out a word—one that could be interpreted in different ways, but generally meant "fool."

With a completely natural motion, Hamp used the last bit of toast crust to wipe the word clean from the plate, erasing all evidence it had ever existed. He then popped the crust into his mouth, and the field dissolved.

"I don’t know why, but Kotetsu really likes the strange taste of mint." He continued, as if nothing had happened. "Must be some kind of herbivore preference, I think." He glanced at Tadao. "No offense."

"I don’t mind mint," Tadao said quickly, glancing between me and the Border Collie. He’d clearly picked up on the tension but chose not to comment further.

"It’s still better than milk." Kotetsu returned to the table, placing a white teapot along with a matching set of dainty porcelain cups and saucers. "I’ll never understand why carnivores have such weird quirks." He shivered slightly and shook his head. "Milk tea."

"Milk is nutritious, you know." Hamp grabbed the teapot and poured himself a cup of dark amber tea. I could smell a faint hint of citrus. "And I’ve never complained about your cud-chewing."

"Milk is for calves," Kotetsu said, taking a sip of his… soup? I could see small white cubes of tofu floating in the beige, cloudy liquid. I sniffed a few times, catching a faint sour smell.

"What’s cud-chewing?" Tadao asked softly, giving Hamp a curious glance.

The Border Collie raised one eyebrow and tilted his head slightly toward Kotetsu.

"It’s just a carnivore myth," the Altai Wapiti muttered, staring into his bowl, clearly uninterested in explaining further.

Hamp lifted his teacup to his muzzle, inhaling deeply, without saying a word.

I had a feeling that if I didn’t quickly master the art of deciphering the various undercurrents of the Academy, I’d soon drown in its endless mire of secrets.

Was Hamp senpai implying that his… faction, was offering me protection? But… "the choice that will keep you alive" didn’t sound particularly reassuring. And what was that phrase at the end? Dif-tor heh smusma… Was that some kind of code? I thought I’d finally shaken off the shackles of my past, but it seemed I’d just dived headfirst into something even more dangerous and unknown.

Qana warned me, didn’t he? But who knows—an unpredictable life full of possibilities is still a thousand times better than a stagnant pond.

Speaking of stagnant ponds…

I glanced across the cafeteria, where a group of wolves had gathered around a few tables. The different colors of the seven factions’ fur were all represented, and judging by their body language, they seemed to be having a lively discussion. Many large tails were slowly swaying back and forth.

Piqsirpoq must’ve noticed me looking because he turned around and flashed a slightly guilty smile before turning back to the conversation.

I lowered my head and finished the rest of my breakfast. I wasn’t too discouraged; after all, I understood the situation perfectly, and my tail still managed to wag a couple of times in response.

"…Club activities, you could say." I tuned back into the conversation, realizing Kotetsu was speaking.

"More like a secret society," the Border Collie teased, sticking out his tongue. "It’s technically a club, but calling it harmless sounds a little too suspicious, right, Mr. 'Ends justify the means'?" He elbowed Kotetsu, who just grunted in response.

"But…" Tadao hesitated for a moment, and I perked up, pretending I had been paying attention the entire time. "If they’re holding an expo, can it really be called a secret society?"

"Only those with enough power to back it up can openly declare their intentions." The Border Collie shot Kotetsu a meaningful look, but the latter just rolled his eyes. "People with any sense won’t run their mouths before the deployment are handed out." He shifted his gaze back to Tadao. "I suggest you do the same."

Tadao blinked, looking like he understood, though it was hard to tell. I was deeply relieved to know I wasn’t the only one completely overwhelmed by the storm of complexity washing over us.

I scanned the cafeteria, trying to identify which of the confused-looking faces might belong to students from my intake.

A small group of canines had gathered nearby, including a husky who looked particularly vacant, tongue lolling slightly. I wondered if he always looked like that. I recalled my research on the many domesticated breeds of the Canine Empire, and the countless questions I had about the ancient Siberian House—airheaded, wasn’t that the right word?

But speaking of breeds, that title likely went to poodles. I glanced over at the terminal operator with his fluffy curls and drooping ears… he looked downright bizarre. I still couldn’t fully accept the sight of dogs that looked so different from gray wolves. When the poodle walked past our table, I quickly averted my gaze, pretending I had never lost focus on the conversation to avoid being rude.

"As for you," Hamp turned to me with a weary sigh, "remaining neutral is no longer a luxury you can afford."

"Or," Kotetsu added, "are you prepared to make enemies of everyone?" His tone was so casual, but did the Altai Wapiti mean something more? Maybe this tense environment was starting to give me mild paranoia. I shook my head vigorously, pretending that the itchy feeling crawling across my body wasn’t real.

"Normally, I’d dismiss that as nonsense," Hamp gave Kotetsu a sidelong glance, and the deer just shrugged. "But…" The Border Collie turned his head slightly, glancing at the wolves’ table. "Soon, others will assume you aren’t under the Senate’s protection. That could be dangerous."

I wasn’t sure what that meant, or if I even wanted to know.

"Either way, all the options have been laid out for you." Hamp gestured at the terminal on my arm. "Consider them carefully." The brief flash of red in his eyes reminded me of what he’d said earlier. I folded my ears back flat to show my gratitude and acceptance.

Suddenly, my terminal buzzed, nearly startling me out of my seat. Silencing the reminder, I awkwardly flattened my now-erect ears, excused myself, and prepared to meet with the Masters.

The Border Collie and Altai Wapiti both wished me luck, demonstrating their communication signal as they did.

Thanking them once more, I got up and packed my things, depositing my tray at the return station, making sure not to make too much noise or get too close to the wolves’ table.

Once the cafeteria doors slid shut behind me, I finally relaxed and let out a deep breath. Some things, it seemed, wouldn’t be easy to shake off, no matter how much you wanted a fresh start.