Raising a Wolf in the Academy

As I tore the scroll, my vision flickered for a moment before a familiar scene appeared.
It was my bedroom in the academy where I had been staying for several years.
‘When you look at this, it’s quite a good job except for the excessive workload… Now’s not the time for that.’
Pushing away the random thoughts popping up in my head, I turned my attention to the most important thing right now.
The large cage that had been transferred with me.
More precisely, towards the creature inside it.
“…..”
Look at the wolf constantly looking around, seemingly confused by the sudden change in surroundings.
Look at the fur moving silently in sync with its continuously turning head.
To think that I was considering things like workload in front of such a creature, the academy is scary. Scary indeed.
“…..”
Even while I was having these trivial thoughts, the wolf continued to survey its surroundings.
I felt an urge to hug it tightly and roll around, but would it be fitting for an academy professor to not be able to resist even this much desire?
After driving away the darkness in my heart, I calmly looked at the wolf.
If it’s the same as what I saw at the shop earlier, it should be quite sociable.
‘I don’t know why they kept such a creature alone, but well, the shop must have had its reasons.’
The important point is. No matter how sociable it might be, it wouldn’t be easy to show the same reaction as before in a situation where the surroundings have suddenly changed.
“…..”
Especially in a situation like now where it keeps looking around.
‘As expected. I should wait until it calms down on its own, right?’
In a situation where one is suddenly exposed to an unfamiliar environment, help from others can be more harmful.
This was a realization I had gained after possessing this body and struggling for days.
So I quietly opened the room door and came out.
Hoping that the wolf would adapt to this space and calm itself down.
‘I left the cage slightly open, so it’ll probably walk around a bit once it gets somewhat familiar.’
…Still, please don’t mark your territory.
Please.
“Well then, leaving the wolf to adapt on its own, shall I start preparing?”
Traditionally, you should eat something special on moving day, right?
I had prepared premium quality meat for today.
It’s my first time cooking for an animal, but it should be better than the food given at the pet shop.
…Probably.
Just as quietly as I had opened it, I closed the bedroom door and crossed the office towards the kitchen.
Mountains of documents blocked the way to the kitchen, but I managed to break through somehow.
“How is this amount supposed to be processed by two people in a week…”
It’s only because my assistant who came in is really kind that we’re barely hanging on.
If I were in that position, I would have quit long ago.
I always feel sorry because the professor’s work is processed together with the assistant in charge.
Every time I say that, she smiles and says it’s okay, which makes me feel even more sorry.
“Really, that son of a… Our chancellor is out of his mind.”
Otherwise, how could he think of cramming a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen all into the office?
It’s not like all professors’ offices are like this, just mine.
The reason? Because I once complained that it was hard to even open the door and go out because of the paperwork.
“Damn it… Is this right to do just because I complained a little…”
I still vividly remember how he smiled after making my office like this, saying ‘Now you can take care of all your meals and sleep in here, right?’
Despite this large-scale expansion, the amount of paperwork itself, which was the root cause of the problem, didn’t decrease.
So the issue of paperwork getting in the way every time I opened the door wasn’t solved at all.
‘I wasn’t grateful then, I’m not grateful now, and I don’t think that feeling will change in the future.’
But in a situation like this, it was helpful.
Because I could make food and bring it right away without having to go far.
Of course, the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages in this structure.
Shaking off these pointless thoughts, I opened the refrigerator and took out the ingredients.
Ingredients that shine with luster even without any processing are placed on the cutting board.
Strength enters my right hand holding the kitchen knife.
“Alright. Let’s begin.”
The preparation for the wolf’s welcome ceremony.
I’ll show off my cooking skills honed through living alone before the possession.
—
The cooking didn’t take very long.
It’s just that the kitchen as a whole now needs remodeling.
“…..”
The cutting board, half burned to ashes and the other half showing ice crystals here and there, was the only witness to this disaster.
“…..”
Don’t ask why the cooking ended normally when the kitchen is in such a mess.
Anyone would end up like this if they were cooking with meat that costs a thousand gold per piece.
“I, I can’t cook…”
Come to think of it, the cooking I did while living alone was just dumping a ton of chemical seasoning.
To the extent of numbing the tongue with strong seasonings to prevent tasting the food.
Of course, I couldn’t put such things in food for a wolf to eat.
As a result.
The kitchen was half-destroyed.
“But I somehow managed to cook. That’s enough.”
Deciding to pass on the kitchen cleanup to my future self, I decided to enjoy the present for now.
I could almost hear my future self wailing, but I lightly ignored it and headed to the bedroom with the finished dish.
Already, I could almost see the creature jumping with joy at the sight of this dish.
The first thing that caught my eye as I entered the room full of expectations was.
The wolf that had already become familiar with this place marking its territory everywhere—
No, that’s not it.
It was the sight of the wolf sitting quietly in the cage, just as it was when we arrived here.
The only difference was that it seemed a bit calmer than before.
Even the cage that I had left slightly open remained in the same state.
‘Strange. Were wolves originally this well-behaved?’
It was a bit puzzling, but considering how affectionate it was when we first met at the shop.
I decided to just think that this wolf was special and move on.
‘Right now, this is more important than that.’
The masterpiece of my cooking life… though it’s just expensive meat grilled.
Anyway.
“Now, look here.”
I lightly drew its attention.
A pair of golden eyes turned towards my face.
“Guess what I brought?”
I naturally guide its gaze from me to the plate in my hand.
“…?”
Question marks appear in the two eyes looking at the plate.
It’s natural.
Right now, I’ve cast a cognitive dissonance spell on this plate, so the wolf, unable to penetrate magic, won’t be able to see the plate and its contents.
After thoroughly enjoying the creature’s eyes filled with curiosity, I put the plate down on the floor.
The pair of eyes also followed my hand to the floor.
“…!”
Judging by the reaction, it seems to have somewhat grasped what this is.
Does this mean that even magic can’t block an animal’s keen senses?
-Thud
As soon as the plate fully touches the floor.
The cognitive dissonance magic is dispelled, and the contents of the plate reveal their majestic form.
“!!!”
‘As expected of wyvern meat. It’s certainly effective.’
Wyvern.
Something like a dragon’s cousin. A rare monster that’s hard to even see a claw of even with a specialized subjugation team, let alone catch.
They said they luckily succeeded in subjugation this time, and I was able to buy some meat because I had some connections with the subjugation team.
‘There was quite a significant expenditure, but… still.’
If I can be imprinted as a good owner to the wolf I’ll be living with from now on, it will be worth it.
‘But why isn’t it coming out?’
The cage is still open. It couldn’t have not seen it.
Despite that, the fact that it’s not coming out means…
‘Does it think this isn’t food for itself?’
I thought that could be possible.
Wolves are animals with strong loyalty.
If it’s a creature that seems strangely intelligent, it might have recognized that I became its owner back at the shop.
In this situation, the owner appears with food that obviously looks good?
It would be normal to think that it’s food the owner brought to eat alone.
‘If it thinks this isn’t its food, I need to change that perception.’
If it doesn’t recognize it as its own, I’ll make it recognize it.
To do that, I picked up the bowl I had put on the floor and entered the cage.
“…!?”
As I entered the cage, the creature started to show a very confused look.
It seems to be having a hard time controlling itself with the smell so close.
-Growl~
Although its stomach growled from smelling the food, the creature rather turned its eyes away from the plate.
Its loyalty, telling it not to touch the owner’s food, seemed to be somehow suppressing its desire to eat that.
‘I’ll free you from that pain.’
I silently put the bowl on the floor and said to it.
“I made this for you. Don’t hold back, eat a lot.”
“…..!!!”
As soon as the permission left my mouth, the creature pounced on the bowl.
-Chomp chomp chomp!
-Chomp chomp chomp chomp!
For a while, only the sound of chewing and swallowing meat could be heard in the room.
Usually, pet shops don’t give much food, so it was amazing how it endured that level of hunger…
It seemed that my past efforts weren’t in vain since I was able to get such a handsome and loyal wolf.
But.
-Chomp chomp chomp!
Watching Whitey eating with its nose buried in the plate, looking like it might chew up the plate too…
-Chomp chomp chomp chomp!
I can’t shake off a certain thought…
-Chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp!
More precisely, watching the mane swaying softly every time I hear a Chomp! sound…
—Since it has its nose buried in the plate, wouldn’t it be okay for me to bury my nose in its fur?
This thought won’t leave my mind.
‘…Would it be okay?’
If it’s a creature that only looked at the wyvern meat dish I put all my effort into cooking until I gave permission.
Wouldn’t it willingly offer its fur to me, its owner?
‘They say even dogs shouldn’t be disturbed while eating, but this is a wolf, right?’
The flower of all self-justifications unfolds in my mind.
‘No. I must endure… If I give in to desire so easily, what becomes of its earlier behavior…’
I almost betrayed it, momentarily overwhelmed by desire, but somehow I endured.
Even earlier, it didn’t even touch the food it’s now eating like a possessed creature until I gave permission.
Even an animal that can’t speak has that much patience, if I lose to just this level of temptation, the dignity of an owner…!
-Chomp chomp chomp!
-Swish swish
The, the dignity…
I tried to endure somehow, but it became difficult to maintain reason any longer due to the tail swaying enticingly right in front of my eyes.
‘I can’t… endure anymore!!!’
-Chomp chomp chomp…?!

‘What the hell is this madman doing?!’