This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

The next month or so, Kain's life at Dark Moon College settled into its usual rhythm from his first year: attending classes, training, receiving reports on the beer business and going on the occasional mission.

Aside from the addition of Gabriel and the search for a solution to his predicament, life was as usual. With the exception of some new faces…

Though it hadn't been long since he was a first-year himself, the difference felt stark. The first-years seemed so much younger, their expressions bright and unguarded, their voices carrying a mix of wonder and nervous energy. Compared to them, he felt like a seasoned veteran—a strange thought, considering that there was only a one-year gap in their ages.

"They're like a bunch of wide-eyed chicks," he muttered under his breath, smirking as he watched one group of first years practicing enhancing each of their senses for the spiritual skills assessment held not long after school started.

He too remembered how anxious he was for that test and found their familiarly nervous faces cute, in a way, but also a reminder of how much he'd grown.

His thoughts were interrupted when he sensed a familiar presence nearby…or maybe it was the sudden stunned silence of the first-years practicing nearby that clued him into who was approaching.

Turning slightly, he spotted Serena approaching at a measured pace, seemingly unaware of all the stares, or more likely just accustomed to it by now.

"We have another field assessment in a month or so, will Gabriel be okay in your absence?" She asked. Despite appearing cold and aloof, the question showed her concern for the child Kain had hidden away in his lab, that the school was technically not informed about.

If the college were to know, Kain wasn't confident that they'd let him continue to be in charge of Gabriel, and with everything Gabriel had been through, he would be unlikely to trust an unfamiliar researcher.

Moreover, Kain wasn't sure if anyone else assigned to take care of Gabriel would have his best interests and not resort to turning him into an experimental subject again.

Therefore, due to the secretive nature of Gabriel's identity, he'd only allowed Serena, and occasionally Bridge, who both already knew about him, to enter into his laboratory.

Kain replied to Serena's question, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah…similar to when I left one of the Vespids to watch over Bridge when he was sick previously, I will leave one to watch over him as well. Moreover, I'll be able to communicate with him at any time using Bea."

"You're still coming to the lab later, right?" Kain continued, "Gabriel has been asking almost everyday about when you'd come again."

"Of course." Her words were even, almost indifferent, but there was a subtle weight to them that conveyed her reliability. "I don't understand how you could describe him like a guarded wild animal when he first awoke…he seems pretty warm to me."

Kain rolled his eyes, though he couldn't hide the faint irritation that flared at her words. "Yeah, he seems to prefer you. Despite that I am the one that provides his food and shelter, accompanies him everyday, and use all my freetime to pour over research notes

for him

! He prefers

you

! Curse, this cruel looks-based world…"

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Serena, didn't reply to his grumbling, but the twitching corners of her lips seemed to indicate that she heard him and didn't sympathize with him in the slightest.

The conversation on the way to laboratory might have continued had they not been interrupted by a haughty voice.

"Kain!"

Turning toward the source, Kain inwardly sighed as he saw Alaina Ashenclaw striding toward them. Her long blonde hair swayed behind her, and her green eyes gleamed with a mix of arrogance and excitement.

That was one new unwelcome addition to Kain's school-life this year. Alaina Ashenclaw, who Kain had helped previously to evolve her Glimmering Salamander Yara into the Cinderlight Salamander, had successfully awakened an affinity, formed a contract with Yara, and enrolled at Dark Moon College—where she just so happened to keep running into Kain.

"Fancy seeing you here, I wasn't expecting you! We keep running into each other by accident!" She said.

Kain looked around at all of the buildings that were in the section of the university almost exclusively only frequented by professors and staff, since every building was pretty much used to house their personal labs and were not open to students.

"Yes… what a coincidence…"

Serena's gaze flicked toward Alaina briefly before returning to Kain, her expression unreadable.

Alaina didn't seem to notice his lukewarm response, her attention quickly shifting to Serena. Her smile grew sharper. "Oh, Serena. I didn't see you there. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

'

Didn't you just say, you weren't expecting to see me either…?

' Kain made the conscious choice to remain silent and not call out her poor lying ability.

But Serena had no such reservations, "Likewise, it's interesting how often you end up in unexpected places, Alaina. Particularly areas of the university where students are typically not allowed to enter."

Alaina faltered for the briefest moment, but her confident smile quickly returned. "Well, I'm sure it's not off-limits to students…"

Alaina turned her attention back to Kain, her expression softening into something she likely thought was charming. "Kain, you still haven't shown me your lab. It's unfair that Serena gets to see it and not me."

'What's our relationship that me not allowing you into my lab would be considered unfair?!'

Serena's expression didn't shift, but there was an unmistakable sharpness in her gaze as she spoke. "Fair? The lab is restricted and under tight security. It's not a playground for children with no relevant business to some and tour."

Alaina's smile tightened as she glanced at Serena's chest, and then her own flat one, clearly reading too much into the 'child comment'. "I wasn't talking to you!" She snapped.

Kain stepped in before the tension could escalate. "Serena's right. The lab isn't open to just anyone—it's not personal, Alaina. It's about keeping things secure."

"But she gets to enter," Alaina pressed, her tone sharper now. "Why her and not me?

Serena tilted her head slightly, her gaze steady. "Because Kain trusts me to help him with his research, and that's not something you can force."

Alaina bristled, but before she could respond, Kain spoke again, his tone firm. "I don't have time for this, Alaina. If you'll excuse us, we will be on our way."

The dismissal was clear, but Alaina didn't move immediately. She looked between Kain and Serena, her jaw tightening. Finally, she huffed a sharp breath and stepped aside, her heels clicking loudly against the pavement as she stalked away.

Kain let out a low exhale once she was out of earshot. "She's persistent, I'll give her that."

"She's something," Serena replied dryly.

Kain shook his head and gestured toward the lab. "Come on. Gabriel's probably already sulking about us being late."