Let's Pair Up
The first word out of Instructor Anju's mouth at the start of first period was so ridiculous I nearly laughed out loud. But I knew better. She wasn't saying it because she'd lost her mind over mating or anything like that. The other instructors had used the exact same word, or something close to it. Why? Because the very first class of the day was, of all things, a health lecture. Correction—it was also a history lesson. And the opening topic of that history class was the definition of pairing.
"I-Instructor! What do you suddenly mean by that...!"
"Is this sexual harassment?"
The girls flushed bright red, completely flustered. At least the spider beastman Zepi checked the boys' reactions, met my eyes, and let out a dry chuckle. Everyone else looked equally mortified. Why? Because when someone said pairing, it obviously referred to that kind of act.
"What? You're all adults, aren't you? This is part of the curriculum, so what's the problem?"
"You're joking, right?"
"You just mean forming teams of two, don't you?"
"Hmm."
PAIRING
COPULATION
REPRODUCTION
With every alternative she wrote, her intention grew more blatant. Still, considering the subject of the class and the instructor's lesson plan, it wasn't actually strange.
"You are all the result of your parent organisms' reproductive activities. That truth applies to every living thing without exception."
Instructor Anju began speaking with genuine seriousness.
"There are occasional exceptions, like snail beastmen who don't have fixed genders—the loser simply becomes female. Oh, and for reference, the winner doesn't become male. The mating organs simply manifest in that form... Ahem. Just common knowledge. So why are we talking about reproduction?"
She clearly loved sharing random facts and looked ready to launch into all kinds of stories, but the students' icy stares made her clear her throat and return to the main topic.
"It's because while some of you received proper education before coming here, others arrived without any knowledge whatsoever until reaching adulthood!"
Why was the first class on the first day sex education? Because every race had different upbringings and curricula, but also because those who grew up too sheltered literally knew nothing about the subject.
"On behalf of the more bashful students, let me ask one thing. Has anyone ever heard that they were found under a bridge when they were born, or that a stork beastman delivered them in a basket?"
No one answered. But Instructor Anju carefully studied each student's reaction, accurately sorting who was innocent and who was sly.
"Neon, what about you?"
"I don't know."
Several students turned to me with surprised faces. Some because they thought I was genuinely clueless. Others because I'd used polite speech.
He's a student, after all.
Even if the instructor wasn't exactly acting like one, basic etiquette in the classroom was the minimum expected of a learner.
"You don't know? Oh my, you—"
"I was never raised by parents."
I wasn't about to let her teasing slide. Since she was trying to mess with me, I immediately counterattacked using the background and upbringing I'd been given.
"I don't know my parents' faces, but I learned plenty from the ones who gave birth to me through their chests."
"Uh, yeah. Right. Seems like you know the details after all."
What a shame. I could've told them about my past life as a veterinary surgeon who once assisted in the delivery of a female bear.
"Good. Then let's standardize the term as reproductive acts. Everyone shares common knowledge about these acts, but there's one easy-to-forget problem. Sebius?"
"Yes, Instructor!!"
The called-upon Sebius shot up from his seat.
"If a minotaur and a mermaid married, could they have a child or not?"
"Huh?"
"To speak more broadly—can bovine beastmen and merfolk produce offspring through reproductive acts?"
"......Isn't that impossible?"
Whether different species could reproduce. Not just me—everyone in the room already knew the answer.
"Correct. It's impossible. Unless they're the same species, a tiger and a cat won't produce offspring no matter how much they mate."
It couldn't happen. Bastet had made that crystal clear.
"The act itself may be possible, but fertilization will never occur."
It was knowledge she'd gained more from human academics than from anything taught at the academy. Intercourse itself would be possible. They could get excited, reach satisfaction. But it would be no different from a monkey using a frog. What did that mean? When you worked at a zoo, you saw all kinds of things. Though honestly, it was something my friend had sent claiming it would help with academic studies.
"If different beastmen date each other, it would be pure affection between them, completely unrelated to species reproduction, right?"
Instructor Anju spoke in a meaningful tone. She didn't deliberately look anywhere specific, but several students unconsciously glanced in a certain direction.
"W-what are you looking at? What kind of misunderstanding is this?"
The gazes were aimed at Sebius and Lily. Lily freaked out and shook her head violently.
"We're from the same region and have known each other for ten years! We're childhood friends! It's not like that at all!"
"I see. That's fine! Even though it's a misunderstanding, I personally think it's perfectly okay for different species to date and share love inside the academy. It's not illegal."
Instructor Anju clapped her hands together loudly.
"However, it's a common occurrence among those who have just become adults to fall into shock when they realize they can't have children after falling for someone outside their species. That's why I'm bringing this up. This is... one of the limits and curses placed upon beastmen."
What was the limit and what was the curse? The answer was simple.
"Even if beastmen begin to change and become more like humans, offspring can only be created between members of the same species."
Interspecies reproduction was absolutely impossible.
"There is only one exception where it's possible despite different species. What is it? Princess Bleber. Do you happen to know?"
"Of course I do."
Excluding the single exception everyone knew.
"Humans, right?"
"Correct! Humans. Um—"
A faint hesitation crossed Instructor Anju's face. It was obvious she felt that continuing would cross the line from education into something else. There were clearly parts that were academically and scholarly... inappropriate.
"I can't go into detail, but humans can reproduce regardless of whether their partner is male or female. That's why in the past some beastman races hunted humans... Ahem. Ah, sorry. The topic got away from me again."
Personally I was curious, but I couldn't suddenly say, Enough about reproduction—tell us about human hunting instead.
"Unless your partner is human, you cannot expect reproduction. If feelings develop even though the other person isn't a viable breeding partner? That would be pure love. A love that transcends species!"
Instructor Anju formed a heart with her hands and winked. If I'd had a camera, I could have captured that pose perfectly. Unfortunately, I could only burn it into my memory.
"So we're going to pair up now, but don't go getting all explicit just because you're paired with the opposite sex or same sex. Understood?"
"......."
"Aaaah, seriously. My jokes really don't land. Fine. I'll speak plainly, so listen carefully. When I say pairing, I literally mean forming pairs. Creating teams. The pairs that will compete in the class-versus-class tournament."
Finally, she was speaking like an actual academy instructor.
"All students from the thirteen classes, including Class 13, will form teams of two and spar against students from other classes. Tomorrow, we'll be conducting mock battles with Class 3."
"Huh?"
The announcement itself felt incredibly abrupt from the students' perspective.
"Sparring?"
"Yes. Sparring. Isn't it natural to get to know your classmates better while preparing for something like this? Hehehe."
"It's the method of fostering internal unity through external enemies."
"Exactly!"
Instructor Anju snapped her fingers and laughed at Bleber's comment.
"You're free to choose your own partner. Make your list and submit it tomorrow morning, so finish your discussions and form your pairs before then."
"U-um, Instructor?"
"Yeah, I know. I know exactly what you're all worried about."
Instructor Anju pointed at each student one by one.
"Class 13 currently has nine students. If we form teams of two, unless we borrow someone from another class, one person will inevitably be left without a partner if we only pair within the class."
"......."
"As for that one person—"
"This one shall do it."
Corvalt raised his hand and stepped forward.
"This one can easily handle two opponents alone."
"Hmph! In that case, I'll do it! I'm pretty impressive myself!"
Sebius puffed out his chest and huffed, clearly trying to one-up Corvalt.
"Unfortunately, I suspect this next part will change your mind?"
What ended the two males' battle of pride was the word Instructor Anju had written on the blackboard.
"The person without a partner will receive penalty points. That penalty will naturally result in lower scores during the sparring, and the record will negatively impact you at graduation."
"!!"
Tension instantly filled the classroom.
"Is that... true, Instructor?"
"Yes. Penalty. Care to take it?"
"......."
Corvalt quietly lowered his hand. If it were anything else, maybe not, but anything related to the King's Symbol required careful movement.
"You have until tomorrow morning! It doesn't matter who you pair with, but if your name has no partner on the list, the penalty will be severe, so prepare yourselves!"
"T-this is ridiculous!!"
Annelis slammed her desk and shouted.
"Someone has to be sacrificed! There will be classes with even numbers...!"
"Yeah. Exactly. So what?"
"......!!"
"That's how the world works. There's no such thing as fair and equal."
First period. Its beginning was a lesson on nature's cruel providence.
"Those who lose in competition are simply weeded out and eliminated. Did you think obtaining the King's Symbol would be a fair and easy path?"
"Instructor."
I quietly raised my hand.
"Yes. Student Neon. What's your question?"
"Are the rules written down accurately somewhere? Or should I take the instructor's words at face value?"
At my question, Instructor Anju's eyes narrowed.
"At face value."
Confirmed.
I wouldn't even need to ask Bastet.