Raising a Wolf in the Academy

“Ugh… Professor?”
“Are you coming to your senses?”
I used a hangover cure spell on her.
Although she made quite an impure statement, she was in a drunken state.
Considering her usual behavior, I gave her the benefit of the doubt.
After finishing a light meal with her who had regained her senses, we leave the cafeteria.
Checking the time… Oh no.
“Ms. Aisha. We might be late if we don’t hurry.”
“Y-yes… We should walk a bit faster…”
Thanks to our drunkard alchemist, all the time that should have been plenty flew away.
‘Damn Alkea, let’s see what happens to your collection… Come to think of it, didn’t our Chancellor like alcohol a lot?’
Thinking it would be quite interesting to casually leak the locations of the high-quality liquors hidden all over the academy.
We start walking in a half-running pace through the corridor that seems like it will go on forever.
How much time has passed?
The lecture room door came into view.
-Slide!
“Finally… arrived…”
“Good work. Take a moment to catch your breath.”
As if she was already planning to do so, her chest repeatedly rose and fell greatly.
I create a water bottle with magic and hand it to her.
“Th-thank you…”
She opens the lid with trembling hands and brings it to her mouth.
-Gulp gulp
Seeing that sight that could be described as passionate, I started to feel thirsty too.
Just as I was about to quickly make another bottle.
“Professor. Good morning.”
“Good morning, Professor!”
Students started to come in.
“Yes, good morning.”
I received their greetings with a smiling face, but inside I felt terrible.
‘I thought I’d catch my breath… But I have to start right away.’
What can I do. This is the life of a professor that I chose to walk.
Seeing Aisha still panting made me feel weak, but I gesture without showing it.
At the same time, she starts distributing the prepared materials.
After confirming that even the student in the last row received the materials, I spoke in a loud voice.
“Then, let’s start today’s class. Everyone, please focus.”
*
*
*
I was a bit anxious starting in a not-so-good physical condition.
But the class proceeded smoothly as always.
‘I was really disappointed with this peacefulness… when I first taught.’
A class that starts and ends without any incidents.
In my first class, which I started expecting developments similar to the academy stories I saw in my previous life, I couldn’t hide my disappointment.
I definitely thought something would happen.
Like an unidentified intruder bursting in during class, or the academy going into emergency mode. Things like that.
No, in fact, the real reason for my disappointment was something else.
“…..”
A student questioning whether I’m qualified to teach them is almost a cliché in academy stories.
So, as soon as my subject was decided, I frantically searched for materials.
If someone raised their voice questioning my qualifications, I was planning to show an overwhelming difference in knowledge.
Having made such thorough preparations…
‘There wasn’t a single student who picked a fight.’
Whether they were all model students or not, everyone diligently attended the class.
I endured for a few months thinking ‘It’s just the first day,’ ‘The troublemakers must be testing the waters,’ but…
Nothing came back.
No, actually there was one thing.
‘Thank you letters for Teacher’s Day, and from all the students…’
Only then did I have to admit.
That these students are too kind.
That they’re not the type to nitpick the contents of the class or suddenly challenge the professor to a duel to test their skills.
‘Yes, for example…’
“…..”
The blue-haired student who’s been raising her hand high and quietly waiting for her turn to speak since a while ago.
Surprisingly, she’s from one of the top-ranked noble families in the empire.
Judging by her impression alone, you’d think she’d be extremely particular about status and background.
But her actions are the complete opposite.
Far from caring about status or background, she treats everyone equally as if it’s no big deal.
Like her older sister who graduated last year, she was a being that showed you shouldn’t judge people by appearance alone.
“Ms. Liannis. Do you have a question?”
Only when I allow her to speak does she start to open her mouth.
The girl with good looks, good family background, and even good personality had one problem.
“Yes, Professor. It’s a question related to the ‘multi-incantation using mana with opposing attributes’ you just mentioned…”
She asks questions right before the class ends.
And they’re questions that take long to answer.
I discreetly turn my head to check the time.
Time left until the end of class, about 10 minutes.
What she’s talking about is a question that would take at least 15 minutes to answer, even if explained quickly.
“…if we do that, we could further amplify the efficiency—”
“—Ms. Liannis. I’ll give you the answer to that question separately later. We have some announcements to make today.”
“…Yes, I’m sorry.”
“No, what are you sorry for? Ms. Liannis is just being diligent as a student.”
I stop her from lowering her head and start talking about the upcoming exam.
“As you all know. The exam is just around the corner.”
Various reactions erupted from all over the lecture room.

Expectation, excitement, despair, etc. Various emotions were felt.
Along with occasional words like ‘Finally… it has come…’
“Professor. Then, how will this exam be conducted?”
“Will it be a written test like last time?”
“How about a practical test after a long time, Professor!”
“Ignore that blockhead, Professor! Please, make it a written test this time too!”
After restraining them with one hand as they became increasingly noisy, I continue speaking after confirming it’s quiet.
“I understand your wishes, but as you know, our academy’s examination method is…”
All the students nod at my words as if they were just saying it.
Random.
Surprisingly, in this academy, the type of exam to be taken was determined randomly.
Written is literally written.
It’s the same as the exams in my previous life.
Practical is fighting monsters in a designated dungeon.
Whether the exam will be practical or written depends purely on luck.
A student majoring in magic for large monsters might have to take a written test.
A student majoring in subjects that require brain work like alchemy might have to take a practical test.
…By the way, these examples are things that actually happened.
The students who took alchemy last year.
The day before the exam, they had to fight monsters carrying the potions they made.
If you’re unlucky, such a disaster could occur, but.
On the other hand, it’s a fair system that reduces the chances of cheating that much.
‘…or so the students believe.’
The reality was completely different.
The professors arbitrarily decide to make the ratio of subjects taking practical and written tests roughly 1:1.
I was really surprised when I first heard it.
What school in the world would conduct exams in such a way?
If this wasn’t a fantasy world, I would have thought it was a joke to tease the newly appointed professor, it was such an absurd thing to say.
I’ve adapted now, but still, that incident last year was unexpected.
Alkea, the professor of alchemy.
The incident where he chose practical purely because he thought it would be interesting and drove the students into the dungeon.
There was no way students who were holed up in workshops touching herbs would have the strength to face monsters.
Naturally, as expected, the number of students who got full marks was 0.
It’s fortunate that he gave out scores afterwards.
Otherwise, all the students who took alchemy last year would have had to retake the course.
It was a moment when the already rock-bottom perception of Alkea sank even deeper—
‘—This is not the time to be thinking about this.’
Realizing that I was still standing in the lecture room, I grabbed my mind that was about to wander off.
I declared the end of the class to the students.
“I will notify you about the exam method as soon as the results come out. Then, today’s class is over.”
“”””Thank you for your hard work!””””
“Thank you all for following along well through the long class.”
As soon as the words ended, students started pouring out.
“Ms. Aisha. Shall we head out too?”
“Yes, after… cleaning up the lecture room a bit.”
“…Alright, I’ll help.”
I cleaned the empty lecture room with her.
I don’t know how it was in my previous life, but here, cleaning up after lectures was the job of professors and assistants.
*
*
*
A little while later.
Having finished cleaning up, I was walking down the corridor with light steps.
The reason for showing such an excited appearance was simple.
“Ms. Aisha. If my memory serves me right…”
“Yes, you don’t have any afternoon classes today… The class just now was your first and last class of the day…”
Because there were no more classes today.
I was naturally excited at the thought of returning to my office and playing with Whitey all day.
Thinking about the soft fur, black moist nose, and golden eyes that seemed to emit light waiting for me…
‘Whitey, I’m coming!’
As I was walking down the corridor, quickening my steps even more.
Aisha spoke to me.
“You’ve been looking in a good mood since yesterday… Did the Chancellor say he’d extend the vacation period?”
“Of course, that would be nice. But you know the Chancellor’s personality.”
“That’s… true…”
Even Aisha, who always maintained her smile even when surrounded by mountains of documents, shook her head.
‘What kind of life are you living?’
Just as I was about to start an in-depth discussion about the Chancellor’s humanity, we arrived at my office.
‘Come to think of it… I’ll be seeing Whitey often coming and going from now on. It wouldn’t be bad to get acquainted in advance, right?’
It would be a big problem if Whitey judged her as an intruder and bit her when she came secretly to process documents like yesterday.
With that thought, I invited her for lunch.
I could naturally show her Whitey while having a meal.
It was to make Whitey familiarize with Aisha’s scent so as not to attack her later.
“Oh right, Aisha. If you have time, wanna have lunch together…?”
Wait a minute.
“Where did she go?”
I turned around at the casual speech that came out naturally, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Did I just get ditched before even inviting her for a meal?