Freshman Groans and the Newbie Hunt

"Ughhh..."

"Moaning like you're dying first thing in the morning. Did you roll around in bed with your boyfriend or something?"

"What are you talking about... My back just hurts... These things are too damn heavy..."

"Your back, not the ones hanging off the front?"

Beatus couldn't let that slide and smacked her palm against it—smack! The springy sound echoed, but Beatus was the one who ended up yelling "Gahhh!" and rolling on the floor.

"Damn it, what the hell is this physics reflection?!"

"You just smacked someone else's butt with your hand and that's what you're saying...?"

Girls play around like this? I wondered, but Beatus, sprawled comfortably on the floor, shot back, "Beats me?"

Kali's expression soured at the insensitive comment that her butt was ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠too hard and you'd hurt your hand hitting it. She just sat there quietly.

"Can I touch it once too?"

"No."

A girl shouldn't say stuff like she wants to grope a guy's butt!! Protesting that got me blank stares from the two of them, like Isn't that normal?

Hard to argue back when they put it like that, so I changed tack: "Just don't, okay?"

Yesterday, my roommate Meru Lume had kept me up all night tormenting me, leaving me with zero energy.

"I wanna be reborn ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as a rich commoner girl in my next life."

"Coming from you, Beatus, that carries some weight."

"Well, better than being born to a dad with goat-level libido and living a hated life."

"Then how the hell are we supposed to treat you?"

"You could ask if I get as horny as a goat."

Cackle cackle cackle! Beatus laughed heartily, saying she was used to it so no need to walk on eggshells. It seemed like something that could stress anyone out, but her personality was so refreshingly straightforward. Still, I worried a bit about how she really felt inside.

Anyway, when they got curious about my roommate, I told them the story, and both envied me. Even low-ranking nobles were nobles. With all the duties and responsibilities, it sounded exhausting, and academy students apparently struggled to avoid inheriting titles.

"A farmer's daughter with 100,000 square kilometers of land. So jealous~ Just pay taxes and live like a big landowner..."

"But she's a vampire, right? Aren't most vampires nobles?"

"Maybe it varies by clan?"

True, not all vampires lived as nobles. Some could've been stripped of titles and demoted to commoners.

Speaking of titles, how massive were the duties of a duke? Just imagining it made me slump in exhaustion.

Thud.

"Oof... Haha... I feel alive..."

Normally I'd never sit in a back-hurting slouch like this, even if it killed me. But with my hefty chest plopped on the desk, leaning way back in the chair like I was lounging, it felt like I could float away. The bandages made it way more comfortable and secure than usual.

Kali and Beatus chattered about their own roommates beside me, but it wasn't registering. Was I drifting off from the overwhelming drowsiness? Drool pooled at my mouth before I snapped awake in a panic.

"If your roommate's a vampire, yeah, you probably can't sleep at night."

"...Beatus, what are you doing?"

I asked Beatus, who had buried her face in my chest like it was a pillow.

She was sitting backward in the front seat, gripping the backrest, looking utterly relaxed.

"When do you get another chance at boobs like these? Gotta seize the moment! Touch my horns if you want!"

"Even like this, I'm a guy inside..."

"Eh, you keep saying that, but it's not like we're uncomfortable hanging out 'cause you're a girl or whatever, right?"

"No, it's not that..."

"We got guys in our class too. Look over there."

Not sure if they heard us talking about them, but the male classmates smiled back reassuringly, like no worries here.

How to put it—they had that total extra vibe, faces so unforgettable you couldn't forget them after one glance.

They were watching warmly as Beatus hugged my chest and napped on it like a pillow.

"Why's my face suddenly burning...? Is this embarrassment...?"

"Own those tits and live proud. With assets like that, you could take on a princess."

"No..."

"Hey! You guys think the same, right?!"

Instead of answering Beatus's shout, the guys just clapped silently and thumbs-upped.

I should've been one of them...!! Why am I stuck between girls right now...?

"Beatus, you'd still be friends if I turned back into a guy, right?"

"Yeah, no prob. I got a dick too, half guy myself."

"Thanks for the pep talk..."

"But yeah, hard ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to buy that normally~"

Beatus's words, as she rubbed her soft cheek against my chest, stabbed right into my heart.

Yeah, no one knew me, no one knew my past. Me insisting I was a guy alone was just an empty echo fading into nothing.

Thinking that way, I felt like it was time to drop it.

My roommate was considerate, but sharing pajamas or her inviting me to the bath... it was awkward.

"Good morning, everyone. Slight schedule change—originally we'd have six days free to roam, but we'll have temporary orientation classes instead."

The instructor entered at 9 a.m. and announced it, saying we'd meet professors to hear about classes—no textbooks needed.

We'd planned academy tours all six days, so cheers erupted.

Kali, who'd planned to preview, showed off her bag stuffed with every textbook.

"Isn't that heavy?"

"Her parents are shark and T-rex."

"Ah."

She pulled out notebooks, suggesting we share just in case. Even though no classes, might need notes—thanks, I took one.

First-years, as mentioned, took all subjects unlike second-years, who chose electives. First-year covered broad topics, then specialized later. Things like [Field Class (Dungeon Exploration)] existed too, building excitement.

[Liberal Arts], [Economics/Accounting], [Philosophy], [Military Science], [Noble Family Studies], etc. Basics for nobles included.

But commoners attended too—did they learn this? Apparently no discrimination.

Makes sense, commoners could earn titles.

Then [Herbology], [Artifact/Magitech Engineering], [Taming], [Racial Cultures], [Necromancy/Curses/Black Magic], [Divine Magic]..... [Legend/Theology Research], [Summoning], [Divination], [Healing], [Alchemy], [Swordsmanship].

"Why split [Rune Magic] and [Magic]?"

"Rune magic's basically enchanting, I heard?"

For three hours, we shuffled classrooms, hearing professors explain classes and offerings. Then to instructors for class features and rules.

No breaks, constant walking—side effects kicked in.

Throb throb.

"Huff, huff."

My chest... was swelling.

Bandaged tight to stop bouncing, but over time it loosened, sagging. Worse, it was puffing up from the pressure.

Makes sense: bandaged, tight small shirt, coat on top... bound to hurt.

"Ahh, so hot, burning up."

"Yo, brick house, why you even bigger than morning? Transformation type?"

"No, it's... I was compressing them and they swelled..."

"Boobs can swell too, huh..."

"Don't they hurt during periods, Beatus?"

"Succubi don't have those."

What's a period...? Too awkward to ask.

Sweltering anyway, so I ditched the coat—super puffy, ready to burst.

Asked friends to look away, stripped shirt, re-wrapped bandages.

"You stink of sweat. Hit the dorm baths later."

"Girls' dorm has communal baths—meet there?"

"Uh, um... that... bad smell?"

"Bad."

Not musty gross, but sweet and sticky, they said. But yeah, as a guy I'd shower after daily work. Now girl body, skimping two days on more than hair washes—smell expected.

...Gotta strip naked to wash?

Couldn't say no to baths together. How to wash back home...? Deep in agony.

I'd ignored it, but I'm a girl now... seeing naked girls...

It's my body anyway, right? Gotta wash sometime...!

Blindfold? Still gotta touch with hands—what's the point!

"...River near academy?"

"Just give in and hit the baths. Think of it as free show."

"Wait, you can't even enter, Beatus. Don't play sneaky."

"Damn, next time I will!"

Beatus giggled, switched topics smoothly, grabbed my hand: "C'mon, magic class."

I'll wash but dorms probably have private showers. Headed to class.

Professor looking every bit the mage awaited, explaining practical spells and rune enchanting for artisans.

"And magic has one more mysterious realm. Wiyu Witchcraft? Come up front?"

Sudden call-out. Panicking briefly under classmates' stares, I shuffled up. Professor dove in.

"As you see, Wiyu Witchcraft is a witch but learned nothing pre-academy. Magic needs basics from spell circles onward. But dragons and [Imagination] wielders differ. Try it."

"Here? Now? Uh... I really know zilch."

"That's why I'm here. Imagine making fire—or something fire-related, will flames into being."

What kinda brute-force teaching? Grand Duke said it too: just believe you can, most things work.

Time to get witch-comfy. Shook off gloom, imagined flames per advice.

But picturing me casting fire magic? Blocked from start. Comics-inspired imagination, but mana-less birth meant limits there.

Switched: imagined fire-breathing dragon, flames erupting. Heat building inside, chest blazing—jumped, something burst from mouth.

"Pffft!!"

"Gahhh!!!"

Professor, confident against anything, raised barrier. But dragon breath—dragon fire—torched it, roasting him crisp, hair permed black.

Classmates' faces froze in horror.

[Hmm, a bit late. Well... not the prof's fault. Imagined dragon fire, so this is natural.]

"P-Prof not... dead, right?!"

[Didn't write it hoping the kid dies. Looks bad, but fine.]

"Y-Yes... I'm fine."

Professor startled, fell over—no injuries. Amazed himself, explained to class: this is "witch magic."

Ignores theory, basics—produces results via imagination miracles. What high-rank masters achieve innately by witches, he lectured passionately.

"Graduate studies interest you, Witchcraft?!"

"N-No... not really..."

Shuffled off stage, slumped to seat exhausted. Chest still burned—looked down, shirt burned off, bandaged chest exposed.

"Grand Duke... shirt's toast. What now?"

[Don't worry, I'll mend when back.]

"Can't now?"

[Gonna strip and hand it over?]

For some reason, felt like Grand Duke could without stripping. Shirt not fully gone... bandages proved special material.

Class ends ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠soon, zip to dorm for spare shirt at lunch.

"Welcome, cute freshmen. I'm your Magical Beast Ecology prof. Includes duel practice too."

In academy's massive inexplicable jungle, students gawked around amazed.

"Academy has artificial environments to manmade dungeons! Solve most issues inside—no outings needed. Gotta train in beast-infested woods for experience, right?"

Wow, academy... hardcore practicals...

"And today! Bad news for first-years, but maybe opportunity. Per tradition, [Newbie Hunt]!"

"...Newbie hunt?"

Unexpected event buzzed class, but prof continued unfazed.

"Seniors hunt freshmen—not just battle XP, academy tradition to acclimate. Second-years score ecology points hunting first-years—but!! First-year hunts second-year? Earn usable academy points! Even steal their points!"

"Ooooh!!"

"Mass points in one go?"

"First-years team up, traps okay!! Second-years get points too, so watch that. No gain fighting each other—cooperate, survive! 30 min prep! Then 1 hour hunt! Dismissed!"

First-years scattered frantically. Realized wooden swords for this. Never expected—manga trope real, heart raced.

"Meeting second-years early like this... we can win, right?"