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Finding My Husband in Another World Season 1 Chapter 3: Adventurer, Student, Drop Out.

I was only half right. I did get into the party, or at least part way. They thought I was part of the extra hires so I spent the evening dumping trash for disposal slimes to consume. Ah well, I made enough off the job to pay rent for a week. It's not like the university was going to provide room and board as well. Plus I was able to lift some of the food Chaza and I had worked so hard to supply for all the rich snobs enjoying the party.

***

It was early. Much too early for my tastes but everyone had to attend the first day morning orientation. After that we just had to show up to classes and I made sure mine were in the afternoon.

"There's a ward on the gate. It wasn't there yesterday when you registered." Moon said.

"What does it do?" I asked.

"It prevents you from summoning, and it won't let Sky enter either."

"It's actually rather insulting." Star added, "It is obviously meant to keep us out, but we are god level summons so it'll have no effect on Moon and I."

I thought for a moment and then grinned. I watched as a witch walked through the gate. Her cat seemed completely unaffected by the ward. "I have an idea. Sky take cloud form and enter my box of holding I'll step through the barrier and open the dimension again and you come back out."

Sky agreed. In the years we'd been together I'd figured out he loved to make most people look incompetent. If there was a way through the magic ward he was going to use it to get in just to prove he was better than any common animal.

Once inside Moon made him invisible. We had at least gotten the invisibility and disguised abilities to the point they didn't require the moons to be visible to work. I could still feel him draped around the back of my neck and I was glad I placed the leather grip pads over my new school uniform.

We still had plenty of time so I strolled along following the student traffic. What really surprised me were the range of ages. Starting at those around five or six and ranging up to at least one individual that looked like he couldn't be a day under two hundred.

***

The orientation was boring and repetitive. Follow the rules, show up on time, respect your fellow class mates, etc. It didn't seem to matter what world you were in it was basically the same speech. Worse yet it just went on and on. At one point Sky even fell asleep and started snoring. That got me some strange looks. They wrapped it up in time for lunch, thankfully. I found a nice place to eat so I pulled out a table, table cloth, chair, and some of the food that I acquired from the party the night before.

I pulled out a knife and started cutting the bread.

"What are you doing?" A young voice asked.

I was a bit startled by the kid in front of me. He couldn't have been older than six or seven maybe ten at the most. "Uh, I'm cutting my bread. I'm going to put some meat and cheese between the two layers then I'm going to eat it."

He rolled his eyes. "I know the concept. I'm asking why you're making such a mess of it."

That's when I noticed his uniform. It was the same as mine except it looked new rather than the slightly used one I had been issued. Obviously he was a young noble. "Because some of us have to make do with what we have. Not everyone has a chef to jump to their every whim."

"No need to be rude. And just for the record I know how to cook." The kid was quick. He'd taken my half loaf of bread and cut it into perfect slices. "What are you going to put on it?"

"Roast charger slices and cheese."

"Any flavoring sauces?"

"No, but I have some wild onion spears I thought I'd add."

"Hot or cold?"

"What? We don't have a way to cook it."

The kid grinned. "Infernus lend me your power." He produced a ball of flame and then passed it over the sandwiches several times until the bread was lightly toasted and the cheese had just started to melt. "Um, you will share with me, since I helped, right?" He asked, sounding as innocent as possible.

"You're a noble, don't you have better food than this?"

He scowled. "I do, but the latest thing to eat exotic things and I'm not going to eat braised orc's head with orange sauce. Never mind the flavor combination is bad. I feel like eating demi-human is just wrong."

"I can't argue with that. Wait, how did you conjure the fireball? Magic is blocked unless in very specific areas."

"I'm a . . . Let's just say it's a special skill that lets me use elemental magic. Sort of like the cloaking you're using on your pet."

"You can sense that?"

"Of course, I'm also a tamer. Though I can only tame demi-human creatures like goblins, orcs, and kobolds. And that's too much like slavery for my tastes so my tamer skill is sort of useless."

"Really? That's interesting since I can only train beast types."

Suddenly the bells started to ring.

"I guess that means lunch is over. Thank you for talking to me. The others barely acknowledge my existence even though I've proven my skills, just because, at ten years, I'm one of the youngest students here."

I smiled, "I don't know what it is, but you're easy to talk to. The only other person I've trusted this much was my slave and is now my adventurer team mate."

"Oh? I'd like to hear more. Maybe at lunch tomorrow. See you then."

As he ran off I put everything back in storage. Maybe I'd show up for day two after all. Something about the kid intrigued me.

***

I was one of the last to enter the class room. I wasn't the last, there were six or seven others that entered after me. Not that it mattered since the professor hadn't arrived yet. I took a seat and pulled out my notebook. It was a special item that Chaza got me for my tenth birthday. Basically it worked almost like a computer. On the first page was a list of categories. I added a new one titled classes. That section opened I added my class list and the year. Chose the first class, Basics on taming, and It displayed a blank sheet. Now I could take notes, make comments and even doodle and once I reached the bottom of the page it would display a new clean page with all the writing being saved.

"Would the last five people to arrive please stand."

I was wrong, the professor had been sitting in the front row looking like an older student. The last five timidly got to their feet.

"Get out. I can't abide tardiness. As for the rest of you let this be a lesson. One class every week the last person to arrive will be dropped. Now you're here because you think you have some skill at taming. I doubt more than four of you have any talent. Summon textbook."

Suddenly each of us had a textbook in front of us.

"Read the first chapter and then I'll start the practical part of the class." He then moved to the desk at the side of the room, picked up a book that had no markings on the front, back, or spine, and he started reading I quickly opened the text to the first page and started to read. Then I skimmed, I skipped to the next chapter. Finally I slammed the book closed I gathered my things and then dropped the textbook on the floor.

"Young man what do you think you're doing?"

"I don't know who wrote that-"

"I wrote that textbook."

"But I wouldn't wipe my butt with it since it's a bigger load of crap than a dragon could drop. It is rather obvious you've never trained a companion in your life."

"You see class. I was expecting such a reaction from at least one of you. This prove he has no talent for-"

"Sky, subdue."

"Training. I suggest you- huh- you-"

"Having trouble? Yeah, it's kind of hard to breath with you lungs are full. Sky release and return."

The professor coughed several times "What did you do? Magic is blocked by the wards."

I smiled. "No magic involved that was my companion." I dropped the cloaking and Sky was draped over my shoulders again. "This is Sky, my Cloud Leopard companion."

I heard whispers of "really rare", "never work with humans, and "how did he catch it"?

"How did you get a monster past the wards?"

"Now see? You're letting your stupidity show again. To you everything is either animal or monster. Well I guess you do place humans in a special "blessed by the God's category. In my observation there are several categories." I pulled up my own notes.

"Animals are just that, animals. They have no magic or abilities. The next level are beasts. They have some skill with magic and skills unique to their species and are generally smarter than animals. Then there are the monsters. They are larger and often driven by magic. They have very little intelligence due to the outside influence that turned them into monsters. Moving into the realm of theory I believe that if a tamer can undo the magical taint afflicting the monster they will be able to tame it and have a very powerful companion. However such a feat would require high level curative or holy magic."

"What about demi-humans?" The kid I shared lunch surprised me as he stood up.

"They are obviously monsters. And I suggest everyone keep quiet unless you wish to be expelled from the school like this ignoramus."

"I disagree. I'm sure most of you have had dealings with elves, dwarves, and beast kin. There are even Halflings that means they are different races of people. Now I'm sure the professor and even most of you would disagree, but while traveling with my teacher I met many demi-humans Mostly wolf-men but we spent a winter in an orc village and they were all quite friendly to those that respected them and their traditions. My master also teamed up with a goblin for two years. He was quit friendly and strangely enough revered all life devoting himself to cleric magic."

There was a lot of whispered comments about me being delusional, which the professor ignored. I didn't go on about how we'd been attacked by fellow adventurers and they'd killed Grup just because he was a goblin. Chaza still checks every adventurer we meet hoping to avenge our friend. I don't think I'll ever tell her Moon and Star ate well that night. Not much remained and I made sure it was disposed of before she could discover what I'd done.

"What about spirits and elementals?" The kid asked.

"I don't have any experience with elementals. As for spirits they fall into the summoning realm rather than taming, due to their power and intelligence. I certainly hope the professor that teaches that class has more intelligence than this one." I looked directly at the professor. "A mentally challenged troll would be able to teach me more than you." I stood and walked out the door. Within seconds the kid had joined me.

"Probably not the smarted thing, following me like this." I said without looking back. I really didn't need to since Sky was watching him closely.

"I'm here to learn. Just from what you said I can tell you know more and have more experience than that professor does so you're a better choice to learn from."

"You're wrong. I'm . . ." I don't know what it was but I suddenly realized I'd fallen back into the habit from my old life of not feeling that I was worth anything. "Fine, but don't blame me if you don't learn anything. Oh and I don't live here. I have an apartment I share with my teammate."

"Oh." I was surprised how quickly his mood changed from excited to sad. "I'm not allowed to leave the school."

"Probably for the best. It's dangerous out there for a noble as young as you seem to be."

"And it's not dangerous for you?" There was a hint of accusation in his voice.

"Of course it is. But Prowl is such a powerful summoner that Star and I can basically come and go as we please." Moon said, as he rubbed against the kid. He suddenly jumped back and shook frost from his fur. "What the hell!" He yelled.

"You have your own master don't be getting overly friendly with ours." A blue skinned kid with snow white hair said, as he appeared.

"Prowl I'm . . . Rider." He paused and looked like he had to really think of a name. "And these are my summon spirits elemental lord of fire Infernii and elemental lord of the arctic cold Arcticii."

Arcticii gave a slight bow.

"Inferno, stop being rude and appear."

"I don't want to."

"I didn't ask if you wanted-" Rider started

A column of flame appeared. "There, happy?"

"No. We've talked about this. Take human form, now."

The flames changed into a five year old boy with red skin and flames for hair.

"Wow, it took a couple of years before Lunarii and Stellarii would physically appear before others."

"Lunarii and Stellarii? As in the gods of the two moons?" Rider asked.

"Oops, sorry, usually I call them Moon and Star since no one believes me."

Rider looked at both the adolescent animals. "If they are who they claim to be have them take human form."

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"They are using the honorific to claim to be high spirits. If they are who they claim to be then they can take human form."

They both sighed. "Sorry Prowl, it was just so embarrassing after losing our true forms Star said, as he turned into a wolf-man, or I suppose a wolf teen would be more accurate.

"Not going to happen. Not until you're an adult."

You do realize if you take human or at least demi-human form means you can sit with Chaza and me when we have dinner."

Moon shifted but he didn't become a tiger ten. Instead he changed into a beast kin tiger boy.

"Oh my gods, Chaza is going to spoil you rotten. I just know it." I muttered.

"Prowl, you've mentioned Chaza a couple of times. Who are they?"

"Ah, we have a complicated relationship, but basically she is my adventure partner and trainer."

"Oh. I see."

I'd almost think Rider was upset at the term relationship. No way could he have developed a crush on me so quickly. I was less than nobody in this world. Admittedly he was cute but I wasn't going to let myself think of anyone that way, except my mate. "She's also sort of my slave, but that's it. I have no romantic interest in her."

"I have summoning class next, how about you?" Rider asked, changing the subject and his tone dramatically.

"So do I."

"What about after that?"

"Shadow magic." I answered.

"I have elemental magic so I guess we're not in all the same classes."

"That's to be expected though. We're here to learn to improve our abilities so there's no way all our classes would be-"

"What are you two doing out of class?" An older student asked.

"Oh! Sorry prefect, we-" Rider started.

"We were expelled from the trainer class." I quickly interrupted.

The prefect rolled his eyes. "Typical. That old fool reduces the class down to only three or four students every year. Go to your head of house and request a different class."

"Sir, if it's possible I'd like to set it up so Prowl here teaches me. He's an adventurer and has a lot more practical knowledge than the professor did."

The prefect looked me over. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"Then you've only been an adventurer for a year."

"Two days actually. However I trained my companion when I was five. So I've had plenty of time to learn. Plus Sky is well behaved and very loyal."

"Sky? I take it you've trained a songbird?"

Rider laughed.

"I beg your pardon, but I suggest you apologize. You've upset him and he's the sort who holds a grudge." I removed the invisibility and Sky hissed. His fur was all on end and glowing brightly. It was obvious he was angry. "When I found him he had been attacked by some large predatory bird. I nursed him back to health, without healing magic, and he's been loyal to me ever since. However he has a grudge against all birds."

"I sincerely apologize."

Sky gave a nod and settled back on my shoulders.

"He understood me?" The prefect asked.

I grinned. "Despite what the Professor claims there are beasts that certainly can learn what we mean. Maybe not the exact words but our intentions and body language for sure."

The bell tolled and we all glanced up as students started pouring out.

"It's been interesting, but you two better get to your next classes."

***

The summoning class had its own courtyard connected to the room. However it seemed a second class was making use of it already. Rider and I chose seats at the back of the room and sat to wait for class to start. It didn't take long for the professor to enter from the courtyard.

"Hello future summoners. It is good to see so many new students here. Summoning is a dying art. Or, at least the learning to become better at it."

I wasn't sure what he meant since there were only eight of us in the class.

"The first thing we will be doing today is checking you mana levels. Once we know your current level I will choose a couple of your higher classmen to provide you with options for your first summoning attempts. Anyone who is unable to form a pact by next class will be given options for other magic paths. Any volunteers?"

Since we already had partners Rider and I waited until all the others had been tested and left.

"Come on you two, don't be shy There are plenty of possible summoning pacts you could qualify for."

"Professor, there is no need-"

"No need to create another scene. Let's just go ahead and get our mana tested then we can tell him we already have pacts." Rider whispered.

I nodded and we both walked to the small lecture stage. Rider went first. The crystal ball that the professor had been using turned black when Rider touched it.

"That can't be right. Jasper bring another mana tester, this one has stopped working."

The teaching assistant quickly brought a second but it was the same.

"Well that is unusual. How about we just make sure. You try instead."

As I touched the crystal it glowed white so brightly we had to turn away, fortunately we did so because then it exploded.

"Um Professor, I think you had better take them both to the headmaster." The assistant insisted.

Minutes later we were in the Head Mistresses' office.

"Ah, Prowl we meet again. It certainly didn't take long for you to stir up trouble. Master Neko, what has he done to upset you?"

"I'm not so much upset as worried. First off let's deal with the youngest one. According to my test he has no mana. Not even the small amount a non-magical individual needs to live."

The Headmistress sighed. "I know. He is a special case. Unlike other magic users he draws mana from the world around him. His parents enrolled him so that we could teach him to control this ability."

"With the amount of mana needed for each summons I can't, allow him to become a summoner." The professor insisted.

"Not to interrupt but I have pacts with the lords of elemental fire and ice. Rather late to stop me from being a summoner."

"And what is the problem with Prowl? Did he tell you, you don't know how to do your job and attempt to storm out?"

I blushed. Obviously word traveled fast.

"No. In fact he's the opposite he has far too much mana. Frankly I'm surprised he's still alive. With his levels he should have died of mana sickness."

"He hasn't because we are constantly funneling the excess energy into our own realms." Moon said, as he appeared.

"Also we make sure he is constantly using his mana."

"He already has summon pacts as well?" Professor Neko asked in surprise.

"It's why I invited him here. As far as I know, no summoner has ever been able to form pacts with both moon spirits. Though with that much mana it explains a lot."

"I get it! You're brothers. The older got all the mana but to keep you healthy your younger brother is able to help regulate your mana levels."

Rider and I looked at each other before we started laughing.

"We met for the first time just today after orientation." Rider gasped out between laughs.

"Still the professor makes a good point. I'm going to be modifying your schedule so that you two have the same classes. It'll be safer for the school if you two regulate each other's mana."

"How is that supposed to work? I use illusion and shadow magic and Rider uses elemental magic."

"I don't use any magic. I draw on my summons skills so I don't need mana."

"Rider? What sort of name is that for the heir-?"

"No! Here I'm just another student. I'd rather be judged as a commoner than as a noble."

"Regardless, your father requires you to learn elemental magic."

"Something I can't do because I don't have mana."

"Prowl, you will attend classes with . . . Rider and provide him with the mana he needs."

"And what about my classes?"

"Rider is a noble you are barely a commoner. It is within the school's authority to make you Rider's protector. Your education is secondary."

"You know what? No. No offense Rider, but I've got my own life." I turned and headed for the door.

"You don't seem to understand. You don't have a choice. I can just as easily make you his slave." The Head mistress threatened.

"You are going to let me leave or things are going to get messy. As in you're about to die a very bloody death. Rider, you're a good kid. I'd rather you not get involved."

"Oh great spirit of the weaver come forth and bind-" Professor Neko started his summoning incantation.

Rider bolted out the door. As fast as he ran I was sure he had a fear of spiders. I closed my eyes. "Moon and Star, let's test out a little theory. I'm going to summon you using as much mana as I can." I thought.

"No just summon Star. There wouldn't be enough room for both of us." Moon insisted.

I concentrated while the summoning professor chanted. I didn't need to chant I allowed Moon and Star to come and go as they pleased so all I had to do is ask "Star come."

"I summon you wolf spider!"

There was a dark laugh from the shadows as a spider the size of a hunting dog appeared. "All of that nonsense for such a weak little thing?" The shadows seemed to part and Star entered the space. He was easily the size of a horse drawn wagon, including the horse. "Flee little annoyance or I will snuff out your existence."

The spider vanished with a pop.

"But- but you haven't even selected a summon creature." The professor protested.

"Fire-urk." The headmistress started to cast but was knocked flat; Cloud Leopard teeth around her neck.

"Now as I was saying, I'm leaving. You can either let me go back to being an adventurer. Or I can kill you and go back to adventuring. Honestly I'd rather not have to leave while there are still jobs to do but if pressed I have no problem snuffing you like I would," I grinned evilly "a spider and moving on to another Kingdom. The choice is up to you."

"Can't I eat them? It's been two decades since I last ate a human." Star begged giving me a puppy dog look.

"No, I can tell they're not going to try and stop us. Plus you'd have to share with Moon and I don't want to listen to the both of you argue which one got the best meal."

***