Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner

The next morning.

Simon was awake several hours earlier than usual, walking across campus.

He had planned to meet with Farahann, the Professor of Defense Against the Holy Arts, to talk about his divine beast before heading to his morning class.

'I wonder how surprised the professor would be when he sees Akalion!'

He was looking forward to it.

Simon puffed out his chest and took a deep breath. The early morning air was fresh and crisp.

However…

Caw! Caw!

Some crows were being oddly loud on the early morning road.

Meow!

It was followed by the meows of a cat.

'What's going on?'

When Simon went to the source of the noise, he found the crow and the kittens fighting over a sausage that had fallen to the ground.

'Cami's kittens?'

Upon taking a closer look, it was the kittens that Camibarez was raising. It was impressive to see the tiny kittens, who could be blasted back by just a flap of the crow's wings, stand together and fight against the crow.

Perhaps the crow thought it wouldn't have any chance to beat them, so it flapped its wings and flew away.

Hiss!

The kittens, taking their advantage, made sure it wasn't going to come back. Then, as they turned back to claim their precious spoils of war…

Meow!

They spotted Simon.

The white and black lumps ran toward Simon, not even eating the sausage. They purred, running around Simon's shoes and rubbing their bodies against his legs, demanding to be held.

"Wh-What are you guys doing here?"

Taking a moment to think, Simon remembered that Camibarez had called them Whitey and Blackey.

Simon slowly petted them both, then held them up with both hands and cradled them against his chest. The kittens curled up and snuggled into comfortable crevices in his elbows.

"Let's return to the girls' dormitory."

This place was full of necromancers, and undead roamed the streets. It was a pretty dangerous place for a kitten to move around.

Coincidentally, it was on his way, so he could take them there. Simon walked on, happy to see the kittens' affectionate behavior.

"Whitey!"

This time, he heard a familiar voice.

It was Camibarez in her pajamas, anxiously looking for the kittens.

"Cami!"

"Ah, Simon~!"

She stopped in her tracks, her wings flapping in excitement as she spotted the kittens in Simon's arms.

"Whitey! Blackey! Where were you guys?!"

Simon handed the kittens into Camibarez's arms.

"They were fighting a crow. They aren't hurt, though."

"Oh, thank goodness!"

Camibarez skillfully picked up the kittens. The kittens purred happily.

"These little troublemakers are getting smarter these days. They keep finding a way out."

Simon stared at the kittens as he listened to her.

"Other than that, they barely grew."

One would expect kittens their age to grow bigger by the day, but these ones were still the same size as when they'd first found them months ago.

"Have you already checked if they're monsters?"

"Yes! I've called a professional to have them checked, and…"

She shook her head.

"Even researchers who are knowledgeable with monsters said they've never seen babies of a monster like this…"

"Hmm."

Simon reached out a finger and checked the kittens' foreheads. Perhaps they thought Simon was playing with them, so they playfully batted at his hand with their paws.

"Wait, wait."

He could feel their pointy horns when he gently touched their foreheads with his finger. They didn't seem to be normal cats, after all.

"That's why I've been thinking a lot about them lately."

Camibarez' head sunk down to her chest.

"The warehouse manager also said it's getting too much for them, so…"

"Right, the promise was to keep them for two months, whether they were monsters or not."

"Yeah, as much as I'd like to keep them in my dorm room, I can't because of the school rules… So I've been going around lately, trying to find someone to be their owner! I'm thinking of going to Professor Hong Feng this weekend!"

Simon smiled.

"Then let's all go and try asking her."

"Really? Thank you, Simon!"

It was time for the kittens to return to eat. Sensing that it was time to say goodbye, the kittens struggled, trying to get back into Simon's arms.

Meow! Meowww!

"Y-You shouldn't bother him! He's also busy."

Camibarez hugged the kittens tighter, pulling them closer to her chest.

"They really like you, Simon."

"Yeah."

Simon scratched the side of his head. It hurt to see the kittens so sad, but he couldn't help it.

"I'll see you in class later, then."

Camibarez smiled.

"Yeah, see you later in class, Simon!"

Meow! Meow!

With that, Simon parted ways with Camibarez and the kittens, continuing his walk to Farahann's lab.

Running a little late, he broke into a sprint, jet-black trailing behind him.

* * *

* * *

After fixed up his clothes, Simon knocked on the door with the back of his hand.

Knock knock.

"Professor, this is Simon."

"Come in."

Simon carefully opened the lab door and stepped inside.

He saw the old man in a white robe, his hands held together behind him as he looked out the window. The long curtains fluttered in the wind, and his hands carried a fan.

"Have you been well after your dispatch evaluation?"

Wise, jade eyes turned to Simon.

"Yes, Professor!"

Replied Simon with a smile.

"What would you like to drink?"

"Anything will do."

Farahann snapped his fingers, and the windows closed. Curtains fell as well, darkening the room. A series of divine magic circles on the wall began to shine from around them.

It was a type of barrier that blocked all sounds and matter from getting in or out, meaning no one could listen in.

"Have a seat."

"Thank you."

Simon made himself comfortable.

The first time he came here, Simon was terrified, realizing that Farahann had caught his divinity. But now, this was becoming a sanctuary of sorts for him.

"Professor, you seem to be in a good mood."

"My my, have I been caught?"

Farahann chuckled and stroked his long beard.

"Actually, I've made my home outside the Kizen campus. It's a little place on a low hill."

"Oh, congratulations!"

Farahann placed his antique porcelain teacup down on the table.

"You see, I was invited to Professor Hong Feng's hut once before. An old man like myself couldn't be more envious of the way she managed to live, so I requested Kizen to place my lodging outside. Of course, HQ quickly refused due to security concerns."

"Ah…"

Trickle.

Warm tea from a steaming kettle filled Farahann's cup. The pleasant smell of good tea was one of the things that Simon could always rely on when coming here.

"However, it would seem like the students have been saying a lot of good things about me in their recent dispatch evaluations."

Farahann continued, raising his cup,

"They said that my lessons were helpful when they fought the priests."

"That's true! It was very helpful when I fought the students from Efnel this time!"

"I'm honored. So yes, because the students spoke well about me, Kizen HQ granted me permission to live outdoors."

As expected from Kizen. Nothing mattered more here than one's merit.

It wasn't just the students, but even professors who reaped the benefits of proving themselves.

The fact that Farahann seemed to be recognized by the students and the higher-ups made Simon feel good.

"I believe that, one day, more people will realize your true intentions."

Farahann gave a hearty laugh.

"Thank you very much. I don't know what this old man has done to earn a place so comfortable and to have such a good disciple."

Simon lowered his head in embarrassment.

A cheeky grin formed on Farahann's mouth, utterly unlike what one would expect of an old man.

"Why don't you come visit my house? I haven't shown it to anyone yet."

"Sure!"

The moment they stood up, Farahann's eyes sharpened.

"Something has been detected by the barrier."

"What?"

Farahann waved his fan, and the curtains parted, the windows flung open, and the divine barrier disappeared.

Farahann and Simon stepped out of the building.

"Ah!"

Meeeooow!

Outside the window, kittens were meowing and struggling in the divine net.

Simon said in surprise,

"Whitey, Blackey!"

"Do you know them?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. They must've followed me here."

Simon was sure he saw them being taken away by Camibarez. How did they get out?

Simon approached to rescue the kittens.

"W-Wait a minute!"

Farahann's mouth dropped open in disbelief. His head turned to the kittens, who were licking the divine net.

"Th-Those are divine beasts!"

Simon's eyes widened, too.

"Divine beasts?!"

* * *

Simon entered Farahann's new home.

It was like a watercolor painting. A modest house on a hill surrounded by trees.

Simon exclaimed in admiration and said,

"You built this house in such a short time?"

"Not really built, more like magically transported it."

And in the grass of the yard, the kittens and Akalion—in its tiny plushie form—were playing around.

The aggressive kittens, able to fight crows on equal terms, lunged forward with their claws. Akalion fell on its back, unable to defeat them. It was so cute that just watching them would make even the coldest heart melt.

"How surprising. To think a divine beast owned by a priest would follow you."

Simon had explained what had happened with Akalion to Farahann as they were walking. Simon scratched his head.

"I feel a little… sorry to that priest."

"There's nothing to feel sorry about. No one can say anything about the divine beast picking their master. Even if you had abandoned Akalion there, it wouldn't have returned to that Efnel student."

Farahann also discussed how it was rare for a divine beast to choose its master. So, the study of divine beasts taught students how to lead and nurture divine beasts even before they are chosen as their master.

[Woof! Bwooof!]

Akalion, still a plushie, hid behind Simon's leg to escape the kittens' relentless assault.

The kittens followed after it, wanting to continue playing.

"Stop it, you two. You should get along."

Simon scooped Akalion up into his arms. The kittens meowed and tried to climb up his legs.

"Such precious kids."

Said Farahann, stroking the kittens' heads. The kittens bit Farahann's finger in rebellion.

"I have seen a few divine beasts born in the Dark Territory. But I never expected one, not to mention two, on Roke Island."

"But are they really divine beasts? I can't feel any divinity from them, and they even got along with Cami, who's a necromancer."

"Divine beasts can be categorized into two types."

The most well known was the 'perfect' type, existing as a complete entity with divinity since birth.

However, the 'shapeshifter' type look like animals or monsters on the outside amd change their form when infused with divinity.

Rete's baby dragon, Ran, was the perfect type, while Simon's Akalion was an example of a shapeshifter.

"It is only expected for any divine beasts in the Dark Territory to be the shapeshifter type. Any perfect-type ones, emitting divinity at birth, would have been killed on sight by any roaming necromancers or natural-type undead."

"Th-That's true."

"Shapeshifters have a much better chance of survival in the Dark Territory. In fact, it is likely a product of evolution that these kittens don't mind the jet-black and will only emit divinity once they transform."

Simon looked at the kittens with a serious face.

"Th-Then, if I infuse divinity into these kittens…"

"Yes. They'll recognize themselves and awaken as true divine beasts."

Simon gulped. He wondered what these kittens would become.

At that moment, Farahann stroked his beard and said,

"You said a girl named Camibarez was looking for the kittens' owners, am I right?"

"Yes."

"These divine beasts won't last long in the wild. I want you to be their owner. Because students aren't allowed to bring cats into their dorms, I am able to look after them on ordinary days.

Simon's eyes shone with joy.

"Will you really do that?"

"Haha! Of course."

It was perfect. If he could entrust the divine beasts to a professor who had studied divine beasts, the kittens would almost certainly be safe.

"Well then, would you like to infuse them with divinity and transform them into their true forms?"

"Yes, I'll try."

Simon nodded and slowly squatted down in place. Then, he put his hand on the head of 'Whitey', who was clinging to his leg.

'Wh-Why am I the one getting nervous?'

He felt the tingling horn on his palm.

Whitey, who normally couldn't keep still for even a moment, sat as still as a statue for some reason.

Its round eyes looked up at Simon as if expecting something.

"I'll begin."

Simon took a small breath before letting his divinity flow into the kitten.

——