The Storm Wolf: Gathering Clouds - 2. Chapter 1 Magician (2/2)

The greenhouse door panel was green, and about ten minutes ago, I had informed Dawn of my visit.

"Hey." I greeted the gray wolf, who was busy with something in front of a blue-green plant. My swollen cheek made my words sound a little slurred.

"Rationalism, Richter." Dawn sighed, put the metal tool in her paw aside, and walked over after removing her gloves. "Please tell me you got into a fight with someone."

"It was just a minor training accident." I said convincingly while touching my heart and forehead in succession. "It's no big deal."

"Yes, that's quite obvious." She sighed and grasped my jaw, turning my head in several directions. "A typical Snow-style toxic masculinity."

I didn't know how to respond, so I silently felt the synchronization and construction of the healing energy flow, trying to identify the commands being issued. Within a few seconds, the swelling on my cheek subsided.

"Did you handle your nose yourself?" Dawn raised an eyebrow and tilted her head as she continued examining me. "Not bad."

"I applied pressure to stop the bleeding first, then induced epidermal regeneration starting from the blood vessels." The corners of my mouth lifted, and I couldn't help but wag my tail a little, trying to keep the self-satisfaction out of my tone.

"You actually paid attention." The master chuckled, retrieving some items from a nearby table. "But some of the scabs are too deep. I'll need to reopen the wound and let the epidermis heal again."

When Dawn inserted some kind of swab into my nostril, I couldn't help but flinch.

"Hold still; it'll be over soon." She reassured me.

Tears welled up suddenly, making me blink hard, but I did my best to stay still until Dawn finished treating the wound.

Once my vision cleared, I saw the Master tossing the swab, stained with reddish-brown blood, into a test tube filled with a clear liquid. The itching sensation at the tip of my nose made me reflexively want to scratch, but Dawn stopped me and lightly patted my head.

"Don't act like a puppy." The reproach in her voice made me flatten my ears in embarrassment and look down at the floor, allowing her to continue inspecting the minor injuries I had treated myself.

After some time, the Master let out a satisfied hum and threw her gloves into the waste disposal chute.

"I think this isn't very healthy," she gestured for me to sit on one of the chairs by the workbench while she walked to the other side of the greenhouse to a wooden table filled with small paper packets. "Do you want me to talk to the Field?"

"No..." I murmured, lowering my gaze again. "The Master Field just... strives for perfection."

"If you insist." Dawn returned with two small plates, each holding a porcelain cup emitting gentle steam that smelled like some kind of flower or fruit.

I wanted to say something to reassure her, but when I met those worried gray eyes, I couldn't force out any more empty words. So, I just picked up the saucer, buried the tip of my nose in the teacup, and avoided directly meeting the wolf's gaze.

"Most of the time, the courses are pretty normal, only occasionally like this..." I wasn't trying to make excuses for anyone, just stating a fact. "It usually happens when my mastery of Domination progresses slower than expected."

"How many Domination cores do you have?" Dawn seemed intrigued by the topic, raising an eyebrow as she asked.

"About thirty thousand, capable of issuing highly precise commands." Perhaps due to some ingredient in the tea, I felt more relaxed, and the aches from earlier training seemed to ease significantly.

"The Field's own limit is only a hundred thousand," the wolf rolled her eyes and spoke with displeasure. "He probably thinks he's found the owner of the Empire's Heart."

"The Imperial flagship of the German House?" I tilted my head, not quite understanding the remark. "I thought the Archduke of Germany was the owner of the Empire's Heart."

"Hmm..." Dawn sipped lightly from her teacup. "It's very complicated; I'll explain it some other time."

After giving a brief acknowledgment, I placed the empty cup and saucer back on the table. Taking advantage of this quiet moment, I glanced around the room while sniffing the air a few times.

Perhaps it was just my overly vivid imagination, but I always felt like the greenhouse had its own seasonal changes, with slight differences every time I visited. The various plants growing, blooming, bearing fruit, and even wilting created distinct scents that composed a colorful world in layers of complexity.

I could distinguish the scent of a few plants, which smelled quite similar to the tea the Master had just brought over. Maybe they were ingredients in the blend. If I combined it with a wave analysis, perhaps I could...

"Appendicular skeleton, upper limbs?" Dawn's sudden question pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Shoulder, upper arm, wrist, paw." I began recalling the imagery from memory, piecing together the bones to complete the picture. "Scapula, clavicle, humerus, radius, ulna..." I had to remember the mnemonic for the carpal bones--"Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle"? "Scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, hamate." I lightly touched my wrist to ensure I didn't miss anything. "Metacarpals and phalanges."

"Types of fractures?" The master cupped my right paw and gently brushed along the grain of my fur.

"According to wound closure, fracture severity, structural location, and physical direction, the diagnosis affects subsequent--ow!" A sudden, sharp pain pierced through, making me cry out, but I held back from pulling my arm away.

"You missed this area. It's not serious, but if left unattended, it could worsen." Dawn said, placing a scanner over my forearm, revealing a small fracture on the ulna. "Once you're proficient enough, you should be able to diagnose more precisely using wave analysis, but for now, just watch closely."

The Master synchronized our waves, tracing command scripts with her fingertips as energy began to flow through my arm.

"Cortical structure?" Dawn asked as she worked on the repairs.

"Uh... Cortical..." It was hard to focus on both the Master's operation and her questions, so I used the sensation of the energy flow touching the structures to jog my memory. "Periosteum, cortical bone, trabeculae, marrow, arranged concentrically as the Haversian system, with the Haversian canal allowing blood vessels and nerves to pass through, interconnected by canaliculi, while the longitudinal spaces are handled by Volkmann's canals..."

Time passed as the Master continued to review and demonstrate practical applications. Occasionally, I let out a pained yelp, but focusing on the world within my mind seemed to help endure the physical discomfort. And when I saw Dawn nodding approvingly, I felt a certain emotion that might be called pride.

I felt that cool breeze by my calf again.

By the time I left the greenhouse, I was nearly drained of all my energy. Maintaining such intense focus on stirring up consciousness was even more exhausting than taking a beating from the Master Field.

But when I returned to the common room of the residential area, I still managed to squeeze out a smile for Kotetsu senpai.

"Is that your blood?" Altai wapiti stood up from the sofa, looking like he'd been waiting for a while. He retracted his terminal into the armband and gave me a concerned once-over before asking.

"If it's not, would that help?" I glanced down at my white T-shirt, only then truly noticing just how many reddish-brown stains had gotten on it. I had to admit, the pattern of splattered blood did look rather alarming.

"Hah, I'm glad you're still in the mood for jokes." Kotetsu senpai rolled his eyes and wagged his index finger left and right. "And the answer is 'no'--you absolutely cannot attend the assessment looking like this. As long as you're my junior, I absolutely can't allow such a thing to happen."

"I don't see any problem." I tilted my head and folded down my right ear to show my confusion.

"Don't see any problem?" Kotetsu senpai sighed, slapping a hand to his forehead. "Forget it, I almost forgot who I was talking to."

I had many questions about this clearly pointed comment, but before I could open my mouth, Kotetsu senpai placed a firm grip on my muzzle to stop me.

"Go change into something that at least doesn't have blood all over it," Altai wapiti's expression left no room for argument. My ears flattened, and I couldn't help letting out a small whimper. "Now!"

A few minutes later, I found myself facing a more awkward situation in front of my wardrobe.

"Yesterday was laundry day..." I scratched my ear, feeling a bit embarrassed. "The laundry hasn't come back yet."

"You didn't keep a spare outfit or an emergency...?" Senpai started but then stopped mid-sentence, looking even more annoyed. "Never mind, what am I even saying? Of course you didn't. Even hoping you'd just pick an unappropriated clothing for the occasion is already asking too much..."

Altai wapiti stared at me again, his brown eyes brimming with unspoken thoughts. Feeling awkward but unwilling to fidget, I just endured his deep gaze.

"I'd like to send you straight to the printing room to get a new set, but they're probably busy today." Kotetsu senpai sighed again and pulled a small metal canister from his pocket. "Give me the shirt. This stuff is strong enough to restore it, but it'll corrode fur."

Watching Altai wapiti extend his hand towards me, I wasn't sure how to respond for a moment.

" Now!" The impatience in his tone overcame my hesitation, so I took off the shirt and handed it over. He hung it on a hanger and sprayed the large bloodstains with the canister. "Normally, this would just take a few minutes, but with such a large area... we'll have to wait." Altai wapiti set the canister aside and crossed his arms with a sigh.

"Why do you carry... uh, something like that with you, senpai?" The pungent smell made me take a step back and brush the fur on my snout.

"In a place such surreal as the Academy, you can't imagine how often you run into all sorts of slime, explosions, or dimensional rifts." Kotetsu senpai spread his hands, and from his tone, I could tell he was serious. "Appearance is the most basic principle. It declares to others what kind of person you are and how you wish to be perceived--broken ribs don't matter, but your clothes mustn't have wrinkles."

I pondered this seemingly nonsensical statement, trying to glean some insight from it, but it just felt like some kind of suffocating social pressure--despite me being a wolf who'd lived in the Senate for over ten years. At this point, Altai wapiti glanced at me critically out of the corner of his eye and began rummaging through his pockets again.

"If you can't even take care of yourself, how can you make others believe you're capable and trustworthy?" He pulled out a comb and walked towards me, and I could only lower my snout and gaze to accept what was about to happen. "You look so pitiful, like I'm abusing you or something."

Kotetsu senpai seemed to be joking, but it still made my ears flush hot, pressing tightly against my head.

"Hey!" I protested quietly as he kept firmly working to untangle the fur on my head.

"How long has it been since you groomed yourself...? Never mind, I don't want to know." Senpai sighed again and held up the comb, showing it was full of white hair.

"I've been shedding..." I turned my head aside, embarrassed, looking at the wolf fur that had fallen on the floor and reminding myself to clean it up later.

"Did you know that a psychic's self-image affects their control within their existence circle?" Kotetsu senpai asked, and I nodded to show I was aware of it. "If you never see being this messy as a problem, even if you could move mountains, you'd never be able to use your Domain to groom yourself."

Master Field had mentioned something similar before, but it was only after senpai put it this way that I finally understood why I couldn't control my tears.

So, am I refusing to acknowledge that as a part of myself...?

Suddenly, a gentle touch behind my right ear sent a shiver down my spine, making my ears spring up and my tail stand straight--what was worse, I think I might have let out a moan--Rationalism, I hoped it was just my imagination.

Kotetsu senpai snorted with laughter at my reaction, which only made the boiling blood in my head feel like it was instantly vaporizing, overwhelming my brain until it short-circuited.

"Don't be so shy. Once, I accidentally touched a spot on Hemp's neck, and he made a similar sound." Senpai's playful tone didn't help the situation at all, only making it more embarrassing for me--though I suspected he did that on purpose. "Canines' reserved nature is quite amusing."

I couldn't come up with any response, so I just averted my eyes and tried to distract myself with anything else I could focus on.

It was only then that I noticed the senpai had already put down the comb, now tangled with a mess of wolf fur, and left it on the table. So... he was grooming me by hand.

I wasn't sure if grooming one another was a common practice among herbivores, but...

"I never expected Master Field to be that kind of person. But then again, rumors are never without basis, I suppose," said Kotetsu senpai. Something in his tone made me turn back to meet his gaze.

"It's hard to avoid this during training…" I muttered, not exactly trying to defend Master Field. I knew well enough that this had little to do with training.

During my time at Hadrian's Wall, if I got hurt during training, Qana would always take care of me. But Master Field seemed more like someone who only wanted to witness the brilliance of a shining gem, without worrying or caring enough about whether the rough stone might shatter in the process.

"Back when I was at the Federal Naval Academy, the seniors and instructors often 'trained' me too," Kotetsu senpai's smile was so perfect that if I weren't so familiar with the emotions buried deep beneath it, I might have missed the unspeakable bitterness. "Altai wapiti aren't exactly likable, you know." He shrugged, casting a glance at Tadao’s side of the room. "But I swallowed every bit of that 'training,' whether good or bad, and learned as much as I could, turning everything into my own strength. In the end, I became better than any of them, graduated at the top of my class, earned the appreciation of the higher-ups, and was recommended to a promising unit. Though gaining the favor of the Council later was a complete surprise, knowing I would become the most powerful psychic in the Federation made me certain that completing the training would only benefit my future career."

Senpai's brown eyes glimmered, and I seemed to sense a certain understanding within them.

"So, what I want to tell you is, one day, all of this will pass." He shrugged and let out a small laugh. "No matter how painful the process, in the end, just seeing the expressions on their faces-- I can assure you, it will absolutely be worth it."

"Thank you... senpai." I didn't quite know how to respond, so I just lowered my gaze and murmured those few words.

I glanced at the sweat-stained shirt hanging on the coat rack. The bloodstains had indeed faded somewhat, but at this rate, it would still take quite a while.

When senpai touched the spot behind my ear again, it nearly made me jump, but at least this time, I didn't let out a groan.

How embarrassing. It was so mortifying that I seriously started to consider whether I should spend more time grooming myself in the future. Maybe practicing with Domination would be another option. After all, as Kotetsu senpai mentioned, this was about my understanding of myself, so maintaining greater flexibility could open up more possibilities.

Just as I was about to ask him a question about this, he brushed that spot again, sending a large shiver down my spine. And that's when I realized-- he was doing it on purpose.

Not the playful kind of deliberate, but... the kind with a clear intention.

I felt my ears stand up straight and the fur on my tail bristle. I was sure the Altai wapiti had seen it too. I was used to keeping my consciousness circle retracted, so I didn't particularly sense any emotional fluctuations from senpai, but...

To avoid overanalyzing things, I gathered my courage and slowly turned around to face the robust stag.

The majestic antlers that crowned his head remained as imposing as ever, and his deep brown eyes were staring straight at me, as if piercing through everything to reach the innermost depths of my soul.

He followed the direction of my fur, tracing a line from behind my ears along my face, gently cupping my chin. Then, senpai slowly moved his fingers, brushing over my neck, passing my collarbone and chest, and finally stopping at my waist, lightly scratching my abdomen along the edge of my belt with his nails.

The overwhelming sensation made me shiver uncontrollably, and I reflexively stepped back, only to find my back pressed against the wardrobe.

Senpai leaned in, giving me no chance to retreat.

"Senpai..." My breathing grew unsteady, and my wildly beating heart sent waves of overwhelming emotions flooding through every part of my body.

"If you want, you can touch." The Altai wapiti lightly held my paw and guided it under his shirt. "Don't tell me you thought I hadn't noticed you checking me out?"

If my ears hadn't already felt like they were on fire, his teasing would've embarrassed me even more. So I just followed my instincts, letting my trembling paw slip under his shirt hem, feeling the solid ridges of his well-defined abs beneath the fine fur.

Kotetsu senpai unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, tossing it over my chair.

At this close distance, the powerful body of the Altai wapiti looked even more perfect. The clear muscle lines, and even the soft light-colored fur that extended from his neck down, created a distinct contour.

I boldly let my paw travel upward, the tickling sensation of brushing against his fur flowing through my palm, before I pressed my paw against his chest and gave his massive pecs a firm squeeze.

The Altai wapiti let out a deep sound, almost like... a growl.

I never imagined that an herbivore could make such a sound.

Then, senpai abruptly embraced me with one arm, gently tugging at the fur on my back, while his other hand roamed over my chest and abdomen. He brought his snout close to my neck, and the warm, moist licks that followed, along with the tender touches, nearly sent me into convulsions as I struggled to suppress my moans.

Senpai's damp nose rubbed against the area behind my right ear before trailing downward, each contact between his lips and my fur causing my breathing to become more rapid and uncontrollable. Finally, he stopped just below my navel, preventing my heart from exploding on the spot.

"If you don't want this, I can stop at any time," he said, looking up at me from his crouched position. One hand was scratching the base of my coiled tail, while the other played with my belt buckle. "But if you want to continue, I'll need your explicit consent."

I was certain my brain had been thoroughly cooked by the heat, rendering me incapable of thinking, let alone speaking.

So, before my eardrums could burst from the pounding pulse, I did the only thing my instincts allowed, slightly raising my clenched fists to my chest and exposing my belly.

Senpai let out a chuckle, which made me so embarrassed that I immediately turned my head away, unable to meet his gaze.

"This works too," the Altai wapiti murmured, undoing my belt.

I let out another involuntary groan, as the intense sensations running wild throughout my body made the tips of my limbs start to tingle, trembling slightly.

When the warm and damp sensation enveloped me completely, the overwhelming neural impulses caused every muscle in my body to contract to its limit. My body stiffened, and I clenched my teeth tightly as the seemingly endless wave of sensations crashed over me in an instant. Amid the rushing torrent, there was no space to catch my breath-- I could only drift along, carried by the current.

"Well then," senpai said, trying hard to hold back a laugh, his tone thick with teasing. "That was quick."

Faced with such a blunt remark, all I could do was curl up into a ball, hiding my head under my tail.

"Hey, what's with you?" Kotetsu senpai turned sideways and pulled me into a hug from behind. "You're acting like a virgin."

My ears stayed flat against my head, unresponsive, as I ran my fingers gently along the fur of the Altai wapiti's arm that was wrapped around me, thinking about how to admit it without making it too awkward.

"Ah," Senpai seemed to catch on to something from my unmistakably revealing reaction. "Was that your first time?"

I tried to curl up into a ball again, burying my head under my tail, but the Altai wapiti decided to hold me tighter, stopping me. I could feel his solid muscles against my back, and the hand ruffling the fur on my head in a soothing yet chaotic manner.

"Believe me, first times are usually terrible," Senpai said, poking my ear with his fingertip. "Unless you meet someone experienced and considerate, any claims about a perfect first time are either lies or illusions."

"I didn't know you were this romantic," I retorted, trying to reclaim some of my dignity, which was entirely gone by this point. "When I was young and naive, I never imagined losing my virginity while talking about this."

"Hah." Senpai responded with a chuckle and kept playing with my ear, but I noticed the moment the Altai wapiti's body tensed. "Uh, a question just occurred to me." He released me and sat up, his tone suddenly awkward. I turned to look at him and saw the Altai wapiti nervously scratching his ear. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen." I wasn't sure what the connection was between his emotional shifts and this question, so I tilted my head, looking to the noticeably relieved Altai wapiti for an explanation.

"I'm just glad I didn't turn into a rapist." His response only left me more confused.

"But I agreed to it?" I scratched my ear, wondering if showing my belly as evidence at court would pose any technical difficulties.

"Never mind, I doubt the Federation has jurisdiction at the Academy anyway, so there's no point in discussing this." He just shrugged, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation.

I wanted to ask more, but as he started rubbing my stomach, all my thoughts crumbled. I could only keep enjoying the gentle touch, occasionally letting out soft moans and involuntarily twitching my right leg.

When the tingling sensation started spreading from my groin, I realized that senpai's interest had shifted a little lower.

"What are you doing?" It felt so embarrassing, but his curious searching made me a bit intrigued.

"I just wanted to know if the rumors were true," he replied, his tone somewhat distant. As he traced the scars on either side with his fingertips, I understood what he was looking for.

"Oh, I forgot that was even a thing," I answered, unsure of why the Altai wapiti was so curious.

"Don't you think it's cruel?" I detected a hint of pity in his tone, but I felt that was a bit exaggerated.

"It's not 'sterilization,' so it's not that severe," I tried to answer seriously, but the persistent itching from my groin was distracting. "It's more like a reversible vasectomy, with a valve-like structure placed in the vas deferens. Although it'll remain closed until the age restriction is lifted at twenty-two."

"That's pretty extreme. What could possibly justify forcing everyone to go through this?" The Altai wapiti's tone still showed a lack of understanding, his brow furrowing slightly.

"It's a bit complicated." I sighed, trying to figure out how to explain it simply. "In short, it's because--"

Before I could continue, the terminal's chime interrupted my words.

"Could you grab it for me? It should be near you?" Judging by the sound, my terminal had probably fallen off its strap when we climbed onto the bed.

Senpai turned around, taking a moment to search, while I remained lying on my back, lacking the energy to move significantly.

"Oh, it's my reminder." He showed me the terminal screen, displaying a notification about his scheduled assessment.

"Ah, I completely forgot," I chuckled bitterly, brushing a few times at my snout. "Do we still need to go?"

"I've got more important things to do. What about you?" Senpai's mocking tone earned him a playful punch from me.

"But I think I do have something important to do today," I tried to recall, apart from the assessment, what else was planned. However, my brain was basically a mush at this point, so I couldn't remember anything. I should have recorded it on my terminal, so I could just check later. "I need to take a look..."

I was about to sit up when senpai suddenly straddled me, gripping my snout with one hand and pressing my wrist down with the other. This action made my ears instantly perk up, flushing with heat once more.

"About first times, there's another interesting characteristic besides usually being terrible," Kotetsu senpai said teasingly. I desperately wanted to look away, but he tightened his grip on my snout, causing me to instinctively let out a whimper, which only heightened my embarrassment. "They're over quickly, but they also cool off fast."

At first, I didn't understand what senpai meant, but soon enough, I figured out through his demonstration exactly what "cool off fast" implied in this context.