Niles
Niles splashed cold water on his face. He had never had such a jarring awakening in his life. Had Susi really just done that unconsciously? He hoped he hadn’t hurt her, but his survival instinct had kicked in when he’d woken up wrapped in scaly coils. Aside from this morning's experience, he rather liked the naga, and he probably wouldn’t have minded at all if he’d woken up with her other half warped around him. She looked almost human from the waist up, rather pretty even, with copper skin and straight black hair. Only her snake-like eyes really made her top half look inhuman.
An involuntary shudder ran through his body at the thought of her snake-half, though. After this morning, he was afraid he’d have a hard time being too close to her. But that was alright. He didn’t think she was really interested in him. She’d flirted outrageously with him at first, but once her sister was out of the room, she’d backed off. That made him think her early flirting was some sort of act for her sister's benefit.
Looking in the mirror, Niles saw he looked just the same as he had before coming to this world, well, except now he had a little blood-red dragon wrapped around his throat. Had she been there all night? He reached up to scratch her head, and she made the trilling sound that he hoped meant she liked it. He felt an odd tingling where the elemental touched his skin. It was faint. In fact, he only noticed it when he thought about it, so maybe it was just his imagination. Hopefully, he wouldn’t start growing scales, or lose his hair, or something. He was about due for a haircut, though, or maybe he should grow it out and go all barbarian. He’d have to find a razor, too, or grow a beard. For now, he’d have to rock the stubble look.
Hearing talking in the other room, Niles decided he had better hurry up and get dressed. It sounded like there were new voices, and he didn’t want anyone walking in on him like last night. He would really have to talk to Birgit about the fact that there was no lock on the bathroom door if he ended up living here. That thought made him wonder how long he was going to be stuck in this new world. It sounded like Birgit had little incentive to find a way home for him, though. He had little choice but to trust in her goodwill and sense of fairness, and he had little faith in those these days.
At some point, he’d accepted that this was all real, he realized, and he had to ask himself how much he really wanted to go home. His life had not been all that great, and there was magic here. He was in an actual wizard school of some sort. Just thinking about that made his inner geek go wild at the possibilities, but he still knew next to nothing about this world. From what he’d heard so far, besides magic, there were also other-planar horrors, whatever those were, and actual duels. He would need to keep pushing Birgit to find a way for him to return home. That way, he would have an escape route if this world didn’t turn out to be as cool as isekai anime always made it seem.
At least there was indoor plumbing here. It operated a little differently, but it seemed to work as well as what he was used to. It had been rather embarrassing to have to ask Birgit how to make it work, though, and she hadn’t been aware of anything like showers, so he would miss that. Hopefully, the food would be good here, because he was starving.
Niles quickly finished washing up and got dressed in some of his new clothes. There was a second pair of the off-white pants he’d worn last night. He hadn’t been paying much attention to fashion last night when he was first summoned, but he was pretty sure they were meant to be baggy. They were only loose on him, though, and a few inches shorter than they were probably supposed to be. Susi had supplied him with two long-sleeved shirts of the same color, but neither of them fit. He could put them on, but he was afraid he’d rip the seams if he moved much. Instead, he put on a long, sleeveless tunic he thought was probably meant to be worn over the shirts, but he’d have to wear it on its own. It covered him more than his tank top had, at least, especially after that lightning bolt burned a hole in it. He slipped it on over his head, and it fit fairly well, though it was a bit snug around his chest. He certainly was not going to go shirtless after the way Birgit and Susi had looked at him last night. It was like they’d never seen a man without a shirt before. Maybe they really hadn’t. He really had no idea how conservative their culture was, and he didn’t want to get arrested for indecent exposure or anything.
The tunic was light brown and made of a heavier fabric, almost like denim. It came down to his knees, but the bottom part was split up the middle in the back and front so his legs could move freely, or maybe it was meant to make horse riding easier. There was a broad, cloth belt, or maybe it was a sash, for his waist, but after a few tries, he gave up trying to tie it in place and decided to ask for help. The talking had stopped in the other room, so hopefully it was safe to come out.
Opening the door a crack, Niles saw that only Susi and Birgit were in the living room, so he walked out. “Can one of you show me how this belt thing is supposed to be tied?”
“Well, first, your surcoat is meant to be worn over a shirt.” Birgit said.
Niles shrugged. “The other shirts didn’t fit. This was the best I could do, unless you want me to go shirtless.”
Birgit’s big eyes almost popped out. “No, no, that will have to do.”
“I will help you with your sash,” Susi offered, gliding over and taking the sash from him.
She proceeded to give Niles a very hands-on demonstration of how to tie it. He wondered if she was trying to make up for this morning, or if she was putting on another show for her sister. From Birgit’s expression, he suspected it was the latter. The kappa stalked off to the bathroom, and Susi quickly finished and backed away.
“I’m sorry I reacted like I did this morning,” Niles said once his sash was tied. “You really caught me by surprise. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Susi smiled. “No, my serpent half is quite resilient, and I could tell you were just trying to escape, not hurt me.”
Niles returned her smile. “Good, I appreciate you sharing your mat with me. Is there anything I should watch out for today?”
Susi’s smile turned mischievous. “Boredom mostly, if you are going to have to sit through Birgit’s classes with her. I think she has her combat casting class this afternoon, though, so that might be more exciting.”
“I don’t have to worry about duels or arch-rivals or anything, do I?” Niles pressed.
Susi slithered around so that she was sitting on a coil of her serpent half. “You shouldn't have to worry about duels. Birgit just declines them. Her rank is so low that it doesn’t matter. And no one challenges a familiar. As far as rivals go, Birgit's only real one is Crochel Mudraker. That kappa has had it in for her since their first year. She’s normally just catty, though.”
“Crochel,” Niles mused, remembering the name. “Is she a pale, greenish-yellow kappa with yellow hair…wears fancy dresses?”
“Yes,” Susi blinked in surprise. “You know her already?”
Niles laughed. “She’s the one who shot me with the lightning bolt.”
“That sounds like her,” Susi grumbled. “Watch out for her. She is a sneaky one and has no scruples. Since she is just a commoner, she has a real chip on her shoulder and likes nothing better than showing up nobles. Brigit is one of her favorite targets since, unlike most of the other nobles at the school, she does not have any guardians, or at least she has not until now. Hopefully, you being around will keep her away. Crochel has said and done quite a few very cruel things over the years, so if you can keep her at bay, I am sure Birgit would be very grateful.”
The door to the bathroom opened, and Birgit emerged, her dress smooth and her hair neatly arranged. She also had on an inordinate amount of jewelry: several necklaces of different lengths, and there were at least half a dozen bracelets on each arm. Niles thought she had probably been wearing them last night, too, but everything else had distracted him too much to really take note of it.
“Alright, Niles, let us go have breakfast.” Birgit said, ushering Niles to the door.
The sun had just come up as they made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Susi stayed behind. Evidently, students ate in a specially designated area, but since Niles was a familiar, he could eat there as well. Despite the early hour, there were still far more people moving around the campus than there had been last night. As they walked, Niles quietly asked Birgit about the different people they passed, discovering he could guess the race of many of them just based on his knowledge of mythology.
Satyrs had goat horns and hooves, at least. They tended to walk with an odd gait, so Niles suspected they had goat legs as well, but the ones he saw wore long dresses or baggy pants, so he couldn’t tell for sure. Cyclopes and gorgons looked almost human, except the former had only one eye and the latter had snakelike hair. Though it was more like the tails of a bunch of snakes. There were no snake heads in the mix, but they did writhe around like they had a mind of their own sometimes. Goblins were small and green. Trolls were big and blue. They also had horns and favored tattoos. Gnolls were hyena people, and rakshasa were tiger people. He’d already been introduced to kappa, arachni, and naga, so that only left solar and lunar elves. Birgit said they looked much like Niles, but were not quite as big, and the only difference between the two types was their coloration. There were only a few of them in the academy, though. All of them were guests from their home kingdoms of Solaria and Lunaria, and none of them were in Birgit’s classes.
Niles noted that he was definitely above-average size, compared to most of the other races. He saw a couple trolls that might have been a little bigger than he was, but most of the people he saw were smaller.
The campus was just as impressive in the light of day as he’d thought it would be. The quasi gothic architecture was far more colorful in the daylight, and the intricate details worked into the stonework were very impressive. Adding to the overall appeal of the campus, the gardens and sculpted topiary were obviously very well tended.
The Great Hall was one of the largest buildings on campus, and the interior was very impressive. Five large dining areas radiated out from a central kitchen, taking up most of the ground floor of the pentagonal building. The different dining sections were divided by decorative partitions that looked like they could be moved around to divide the space up differently or taken down entirely.
The sections were by no means equal. The first-year section features long, plain wood tables and benches, while the fifth-year section featured smaller, round tables covered by nice tablecloths with floral centerpieces and comfortable chairs set around them.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Birgit led Niles to a table where a cyclops and a gnoll were already sitting and made introductions. “Niles, these are my good friends Lady Uma, daughter of Count Skot of Phemus, and Lady Hilaria, daughter of Baron Nittan of Boneyard.”
The two ladies were both wearing long, conservative dresses, like all the other women Niles had seen, save Susi last night, but that had probably just been her sleepwear. Uma’s looked a bit fancier than the other two, but not garishly so. They were also both wearing much jewelry, at least as much as Birgit, plus they had multiple rings as well, which Birgit probably couldn’t wear with her webbed fingers.
“I am so pleased to meet you,” Hilaria said, smiling brightly. “Please, do come and join us. We have only just started. I am so happy you formed a contract with Birgit. She is one of the most talented mages in our entire class. Her rank is only low now because of the dueling system here. I am sure with such a formidable guardian familiar as you, she will soon be leaving Uma and I in the dust.”
“Have a seat,” Uma urged. “We want to hear all about you and the Hu plane.”
Birgit chose a seat, and Niles sat in the one next to it with Hilaria on his other side. He had expected to have to go up and get food cafeteria-style, but a waitress came up as soon as he sat down. Birgit told him to order whatever he wanted, but there was no menu. Seeing eggs, bacon, and something that looked like oatmeal with berries among the food that Birgit's friends had, he just ordered that.
All eyes turned to him once the waitress left, so he had to think quickly of what to say. “Well, from what I’ve seen of your world, mine is not all that different. The sky is blue, and the grass is green. There are only people like me there, though, no non-hu.” He decided to just go with the whole hu thing to make things easier. “It’s a big place, but I have no idea how big Deca is, so I can’t really compare.”
Niles really wasn’t sure what else he should say. He didn’t want to say anything about magic or his world’s lack thereof, to stay clear of his inability to get home. He certainly didn’t want to become a test subject.
“Were you a great warrior there?” Uma asked, her one eye staring at Niles intently. “It was so amazing how you shrugged off that lightning bolt last night.”
“Actually, I was a computer programmer,” Niles answered. “That’s someone who works with a kind of machine that we have that stores information. I do have some training in martial-arts though.”
“You consider fighting an art form, how interesting,” Uma noted.
“So, what classes do you have today?" Niles asked, hoping to shift the focus away from him.
“Our first class is Evocation with Professor Kahn,” Hilaria answered. “He is a veteran war mage, and they say he fought at the famous Battle of Crimson Gorge. He can be quite scary. After that, we have a break, and then in the afternoon, Birgit and I have our compulsory mathematics course with Professor Lykos, while Uma just lounges about.”
“I told you that you should not wait so long to take mathematics," Uma interjected. “You could be lounging, too, if you had listened.”
“After that, we all have combat casting with Professor Kahn again," Birgit added. “I will have to take you shopping for clothes after that, or possibly we could fit it in after Evocation class as long as it does not run late.”
“You are taking him clothes shopping?" Uma asked.
Birgit nodded. “Yes, his world’s clothing is quite different from ours, and he wanted to find some clothes that would blend in better. These are just borrowed clothes he is wearing now.”
“I rather liked the clothes you wore yesterday,” Hilaria pouted. “But I see you have put your own spin on our local fashion as well.” She reached out and ran a hand down Niles bare arm. “I have to say, I like it.”
“Do they not wear sleeves in your hu world?” Uma asked.
Niles laughed. “We do sometimes. I just could not find a shirt that fit.”
“No wonder, you have such big, strong arms.” Hilaria said, feeling Niles biceps with both hands. “I think you should keep dressing just like this.”
They continued to talk as they ate. The food was quite good, though the portions were a bit on the small side. Niles was glad he’d ordered three things instead of just one, and by the time he had finished it all, he was sated, if not stuffed. The manner of speech of the three friends seemed formal to Niles at first, but he began to realize that was just the way they talked. Stripping away their precise speech patterns and careful diction, they really had a light, easy banter that showed the three had been friends for some time.
As soon as they finished breakfast, they went right to their first class. Entering one of the large academic buildings right next to the Great Hall, the interior was very much like the building Niles had been in last night. Even the classroom they ended up in had the same tiered seating as the one he’d arrived in. Though, rather than a summoning diagram taking up the front of the classroom, there was a desk and a lectern.
The trio picked a desk off to one side of the class on a middle tier. The tables all had three chairs in front of them, but Hilaria pulled a fourth chair from another table so Niles could join the trio. It was a little crowded, and Birgit seemed a little uncomfortable with it, moving as far from Niles as she could. But Hilaria did not seem to mind sitting next to Niles at all, and sat close enough that they were practically rubbing shoulders.
The classroom looked like it would seat at least fifty, but it was only about three-fourths full when the instructor arrived. Professor Kahn was a rakshasa, an imposing tiger-man dressed in black robes, like Professor Spinner had been last night. He moved up to the lectern and surveyed the class with a steely gaze.
Locking his eyes on Niles, he spoke in a deep, resonant voice. “I see we have a visitor today. Would someone care to explain?”
Brigit rose and cleared her throat nervously before speaking. “This is my new guardian familiar, Niles.”
The professor raised an eyebrow. “I would hope you will have no need for a guardian in this class, but it is your right to have him present as long as he does not create a disturbance.”
After that, the professor paid no further attention to Niles as he began his lecture. With no background in magic aside from the quick description Birgit had given him last night, most of the class went over Niles' head. It seemed like there was a good deal of memorization, not only in magic words, but gestures, body postures, and symbols that could be inscribed on something or just written in the air. Niles had never been good at things that required lots of memorization, like spelling or foreign languages, but he planned to ask Birgit if she could teach him a simple spell or two, just to see if he had a knack for it. It would kind of suck to be in a magical world and not be able to use magic.
Another important factor in spell-casting he picked up from the lecture was that you had to use the correct type of magic or magics. Some spells seemed to take just a single magic element, but others took a carefully proportioned combination of elements. It all seemed very complicated, and it was not a quick process unless you had a pre-cast spell item, like a wand.
As Niles watched Professor Kahn demonstrate, and the class practice, he began to notice a glow as they channeled magic. Each of the different elements had its own color, and he could see them trace patterns and mix colors as they cast their spells. The intensity of the glow varied from individual to individual. Professor Kahn had a very bright glow when he cast, but Birgit’s glow was much fainter when she copied him. Uma’s and Hilaria’s glows were somewhere between them.
As he became accustomed to spotting the subtle glow, it became easier and easier to pick out, so much so that he wondered how it had not been obvious right from the start. By the end of class, he couldn’t not see it. He also noticed that certain objects had a glow to them, most notably all the jewelry the girls wore. Did they have pre-cast spells on all of them? Given how complicated spells were, it made sense to carry a supply of already-prepared ones. Looking around the class, he saw all the students had a good bit of glowing jewelry, and several openly carried glowing wands as well. Given the baggy pants all the men wore and the ladies' long dresses, Niles thought they could all be hiding a wand or three.
As he scanned the other students, he spotted Crochel. The pale kappa was looking right at him and glared when she saw him look her way. She had more glowing jewelry than anyone in the class. Niles smiled at her, and she pointedly turned away without returning it.
Niles was sure the class lasted for well over an hour, but there was plenty to watch, so he didn’t mind. It would probably get pretty boring once the novelty wore off, though.
“What did you think of the class?” Hilaria asked once Professor Kahn concluded his lecture and dismissed the class.
“It was interesting,” Niles answered as they all rose and started for the exit. “Most of it went over my head, but I was able to pick out a few things.”
“Like what?” Uma asked, her intense stare focussing on Niles again. He couldn’t tell if she was really showing interest, or if her one eye always made her look like she was staring.
“Well, I’m getting so I can recognize the colors of the different magic elements,” Niles answered.
In front of Niles, Birgit stopped and turned back to look at him. “What do you mean by that?”
Niles gave her a puzzled look. When you channel magic, I’m getting so I can recognize what type of magic you are casting by the color. Fire is orange, water is aqua, earth is a kind of ochre. I haven’t caught all the advanced and rare colors yet, but I think I can pick out all the basic and common ones.”
“You can see magic?” Uma gasped, her single eye growing wide.
“Can’t you?" Niles asked.
“No,” Birgit answered. “No one can.”
Hilaria grabbed Niles arm and began gesturing with her other hand. “Here, what am I channeling?”
“That’s easy, life,” Niles answered. “It’s the same color as Ruby.”
The gnoll pulled Niles over and gave him an excited hug. “You can see magic. That is so amazing.”
“That will be so useful in your role as Birgit’s guardian,” Uma added. “You will be able to tell what type of magic an enemy is preparing.”
Niles was feeling pretty good about having a special ability as they exited the classroom and started down the hall, but then a shrill voice pulled them up short. “Birgit Hazzerbog, if you are going to bring that creature with you everywhere, you could at least teach him to dress properly.”
Turning, Niles saw Crochel and a small mob of female students walking quickly toward them. They were a mixed bunch, but Crochel was clearly the leader. A tall, stocky troll woman hovered next to her like a bodyguard. The space between the two groups cleared, and other students began lining up along the sides of the hall, expecting a show.
“I am sorry, Crochel,” Birgit said calmly. “The clothes on his plane are quite revealing, as you saw last night, and I have not had time to take him shopping for clothes here yet. These were all I could find that fit him on short notice, but I plan to get more suitable clothes for him soon.”
Crochel crossed her arms and glared. “Well then, until you have some, you should send him away. It is nothing short of indecent the way you parade him around half-dressed. I have a mind to make a formal complaint to the headmaster.”
Niles could see Birgit was very uncomfortable, so he stepped between the two. “What’s the matter, Crochel? Are you afraid you won’t be able to control yourself around me? I saw you watching me in class. You were practically drooling. Is that why you tried to burn my clothes off last night? Maybe if you ask Birgit nicely, she’ll let you have a little alone time with me.”
“How dare you?” the big troll woman snarled, stepping right up to Niles, nose to nose.
She had the bearing of someone used to people backing down because of her size. But she was not quite as tall as Niles, and no way was he going to back down.
“Now you’re more my size.” Niles said, raising an eyebrow and smiling. “Are you wanting some alone time, too?”
The troll took an awkward step back, her blue skin darkening to the point that her tattoos almost vanished. “I… no… I would not… I never…”
“Just… just get your creature some proper clothes,” Crochel cut in, before whirling and leading her mob away.
Niles heard some snickering and saw even a few of Crochel’s coterie suppressing their mirth.
“Now that is the way to be a guardian familiar,” Hilaria laughed. “I do not think I have ever seen Crochel put down so hard.”
“And did you see how strongly Trudy reacted,” Uma added. “I think the troll really was interested.”
