The Treasure-Hunting Hound
I woke up early in the morning for my diligent workout routine. Back when I was a guy, I'd run ten laps around the village and lift boulders, but... no way... just turning into a girl made even these pink dumbbells feel impossible. After barely twenty reps, my arms were cramping up. Sweat pouring down my face, I tried denying reality, but my folded arms refused to straighten out. Instinct told me that if I forced it, I'd drop the pink dumbbells straight to the floor. Was there any greater humiliation for a man? But reality was merciless and brutal. With a heavy heart, I let the pink dumbbells slip from my hands and wiped my dry face with my trembling fingers.
"This can't be happening!! What happened to all the muscle I built!!"
"Didn't it all migrate to your chest?"
Meru Lume, casually doing handstands on her pinky finger for her morning exercise, replied. These days, it was a peaceful world where vampires could roam under the sun with just sunscreen and a bit of magic. No young vampires crawling out of coffins at night—she'd woken up at dawn and started exercising before I even stirred.
"Gotta maintain this figure~!"
"Yeah... I never gain weight no matter what I eat."
"What did you say...?"
She stared at me in horror, insisting that chugging too much blood made her belly fat explode and she couldn't have that. If it was all heading to the chest anyway, she grabbed mine—but were her hands too small, or were my boobs too big? They overflowed even from one hand, so Meru quietly pulled away, her eyes dead, and headed to the shower first.
Squeeeak—
"Wanna shower together~?"
"N-no thanks..."
I didn't want to shower with a roommate who groped my chest without asking... wait, no—bathing with a guy and a girl together is a huge problem to begin with?! Sighing, I stripped off my top and wiped the sweat under my chest with a towel first. From my armpits to between my breasts, it was drenched—not just damp, but like my body was leaking water.
"Grand Duke, why are you in the laundry basket I was about to toss this towel into?"
"...Pardon?"
<Unlike with guys, you can't just shake it off—>
I chucked the towel right at Grand Duke's face. Letting out deep sighs, I sat on the bed in just my shorts, pondering the future of my academy life. Meru Lume's humming from the shower made it hard to focus, though.
One friend turned into a girl, another mutated from an orc into an octopus monster. I'd sent four professors packing on vacation. Wasn't I the ultimate problem child right now? Causing incidents every class—my reputation had to be in the gutter. Honestly terrifying. Anyone could see I was a failing student. And on bad terms with the top student to boot? I was tiptoeing around the library just to avoid her notice. Why was life so miserable?
"At least today's divination class, so no issues, right?"
I had to wonder if divination even needed its own subject slot. But I'd heard it was useful for grasping people's fortunes, weather patterns, and all sorts of prediction systems. If I nailed divination, maybe I could foresee my future self and learn if I could turn back into a guy. With real talent, I could relay info to my future self for quicker mastery. Hmm, precognition... yeah, it'd be handy. I'd know before causing trouble...
"Wiyuuu~ Come on in and wash up~!"
"Not falling for that twice."
Last time, she came out buck naked after her shower—I freaked and bolted. She pouted that it was just a prank, but the hot steam hitting my skin said it all. No bath towel means naked!!
"Haaa... Gotta leave the dorms in second year..."
<Hang in there, lad.>
"You too, Grand Duke."
<Blast.>
"Divination has many methods, but you're all novices learning the basics, so we'll do crystal ball scrying today." The elf professor, dressed in a crisp white suit, laid out the precautions before Divination class.
"Normally, fortune-tellers cover the orb with cloth? That's to keep other-dimensional beings from peeking through."
"That's what they say."
"Hng."
Why was Sephiroth from the cafe reflected in the orb on my desk? I pointed it out, and he vanished from inside with a disappointed look. Then the Satan guy I'd summoned before popped up asking for job leads, so I quietly draped the cloth over it.
"As you see, too much talent enables one-sided communication like that—be careful."
"Orb!! Orb!! Kyaaaah!! I see our father slumbering in the deep sea!!"
"Conversely, too strong a connection lets them receive back—watch out."
The professor calmed down my octopus-mutated orc friend, who was freaking out over his blank orb.
"No need to worry; these are special orbs made with refined crystals for your first class. They don't connect that easily normally."
He said we'd mine and craft our own crystals later, then told us to touch the orbs. Imagine the future you desire most, but keep it achievable and near-term. Too distant or improbable, and you might see wildly distorted or ruined possibilities.
<Hmm, what future do you want to see?>
"My mom visiting the academy to check on me?"
I aimed super low this time too. If she's worried about her son entering as a girl, she'd drop by once, right? Maybe this weekend? With that light hope, I placed my hand on the crystal orb.
<Note: at your level, you'll see fixed futures. Fate-locking tier.>
"Then, the future where Mom comes to the academy this weekend."
As I focused my mana into the orb—
"Everyone, duck!!!"
The professor hurled himself at my orb, clutching it to his chest and rolling across the floor. Like a soldier diving on a grenade in friendly lines. Cold sweat beading, his face screamed grim resolve: save the students even if it kills him.
"No one saw what reflected, right?! "
"You spirit-dashed in—what could we see?"
Beatus casually remarked that she'd seen me pigging out like a hog at the cafe inside my orb—getting used to it now. Shocking to realize that's how I looked to others...
"P-professor, did I mess up again?"
"No, not at all."
"I just miss Mom..."
At those words, the professor shot up, slammed his knee down with a thud, and forehead-smashed the floor, wailing from the heart.
"Please, anything but that future—I'm begging you!!!!"
No shred of pride left. He just feared a parent visit that much—don't do it.
"At least don't frame it as 'divination viewing the future'!!!!"
Translation: don't pin it on divination or he'd get mobbed.
Aris Witchcraft the First showing up over divination class? Professors and seniors would swarm and beat him into vacation.
<Aah... a sight to bring tears without fail...>
Only Grand Duke here understood, sighing tears from all six eyes. No, I just wanted to see Mom... is wanting your mom so wrong...?
<But think, lad. Your future's full of fails—that report card? Think the First goes, 'Discriminating my son?'>
"Uh... won't she just say I suck at studying?"
<Nope. Right answer: if your face darkens, she razes the academy, minces profs into hamburger for the hospital. Don't grasp how much she loves you?>
"Hard to get like that."
<Prince sexually harasses you, country becomes hellfire. That's her.>
"Mom's that level?"
<In my life, never seen a more insane bitch... ahem, pretend you didn't hear.>
No wonder the prof was sobbing not to summon her. Or at least give prep time and blame someone else.
Classmates and prof staring pityingly—heartbreaking.
"Wait, is this my fault? Not theirs?"
Protest futile, eyes welled up red. But I'd disrupted his Divination focus and caused a mistake, so using prof authority—despite his loss—he handed me a memo with good info.
[Academy Treasure Locations]
It was a map marked with hidden spots. Students used them for points or cash, but the academy hid useful items too. No clue what as first-years, but we could guess the value.
"Ahem, think of it as the professor's bribe for Wiyu."
"Can you straight-up call it a bribe?"
"My life's on the line—does that matter now?"
Divination guaranteed C or higher, so if possible, tell him your desired future privately. Class dismissed like a storm.
I told friends I'd hunt treasures and left the room. Felt iffy saying it, but prof gave it openly. Classmates wouldn't snatch blatant bribe—just asked to show if I found any.
"Mm... ooh... hngh??"
Comparing the memo spots to the first-year map, the academy was ridiculously vast. Space expansion magic, huh? Narrow gaps impossible to pass pulled open. Dead-end walls stretched into entrances when yanked—mind-blowing.
"Treasures hidden all over like this?"
<Even after the First wrecked the place, treasures intact. Think separate spaces.>
Never imagined treasure hunting at academy, but adventure vibes got my heart racing. What treasure awaited me?
Then—blaring music beyond excited. Turned to see someone chasing through the closed gap. Black bob cut, pointed ears. Unknown face—other class classmate? Rumors spread that fast?
"As expected of first-year's top troublemaker, Wiyu Witchcraft... witch-level talent, huh?"
"Huh? What're you talking about? More importantly, who are you? Name?"
"I found this first. Remember that, witch. All academy treasures are mine—let's make it flashy!"
Absurd at her selfish suin girl spiel ignoring my question. She'd found the secret space first—my entry tripped an alarm, probably. Treasure hunting, but fight over it? Stared hopefully no, but she brimmed with fighting spirit.
Unsettling aura as she slowly assumed stance.
With a light chant and pose, light exploded, unleashing a storm from the suin girl's body. Divine Magic class let me sense the ominous holy power. Sword training caught the razor-sharp aura too. Air felt sliced, snapping taut.
<This is a wrinkle. Thought you'd win easy...>
"...Huh?"
<At your level, die once to win.>
Fierce storm centered on suin girl. Clearing—outfit from centuries back emerged. Not tacky, just ancient; fabric screamed high quality.
Thud—!
Shouldering a massive greatsword glowing "red light," now in crowned black frilled dress.
"I, Greatsword Girl, hero's descendant, shall cleave the witch!"
"Eh?"
<What're you waiting for? Run!>
No sooner said, I bolted without looking back. Figured that huge greatsword slowed her. Wrong—she swung once, ripping space. Launched screaming back to the hall with the treasure chest.
"Why do academy kids jump to fighting at the drop of a hat?!"
Well, said that, but I snatched the treasure chest quick and stuffed it between my breasts.
"Ei!! Take this, my badass Witch powers!!"
<You can't win like this.>
"Huh?"
<Witch vs. hero is bad matchup.>
Tell me sooner! No sooner said, the greatsword blade smacked me airborne up the stairs.