Ch 15 The Boss of the Familiar

Asterion had originally found Kurou back when she was just a fledgling.

Unlike other birds, she was a strange, brilliantly clever raven who claimed her dream was to see the whole world.

She was definitely far from ordinary.

She didn’t let her broken tail feathers or her weak heart hold her back; all she cared about was to fly as high as she could.

Asterion had taken a liking to her spirit and took her in as his familiar.

Once he implanted a mana heart into her, Kurou started eating better and quickly learned how to hunt like a pro.

‘Hey, boss! Boss! I spotted a really tasty-looking monster the other day! Can you catch it for me?’

Actually, she might have been better at talking than she was at hunting.

They had traveled together for an incredibly long time—well over a hundred years.

Kurou absolutely loved adventuring.

She was a bird meant to soar the skies, after all. She spent most of her time perched on Asterion’s head, occasionally flying off whenever something caught her curiosity. But it rarely took her more than a few days before she came right back home to him.

Except for that final journey to face the goddess.

He had purposely left Kurou behind. It was far too dangerous of a battle for her to be in.

He could still clearly remember exactly what he told her.

‘Just take a nap here for a bit, Kurou. I’ll be right back.’

He had cast a sleep spell on her that would last a month before heading off to confront the goddess.

What must Kurou have thought when she finally woke up all alone, without Asterion there?

“…It’s been way too long.”

I’d promised to be right back.

Asterion gently stroked Kurou’s head. The little beauty mark on the spot where an eyebrow would be. Her feathers that were a bit damaged and stiff right now.

It was all exactly as he remembered.

…Come to think of it, I changed her name to Kiki. Yet here I am, still calling her Kurou.

“Hmm, Kiki. Kiki.”

If there was one single thing he regretted about meeting Kurou, it was the fact that when he first named her, Asterion had been into… well, Japanese culture. Or, more specifically, animes.

Back when he had first crossed over into this world and found her, he had wracked his brain trying to come up with a name when she asked for one.

She was black. And at that time, Asterion thought she was a crow.

So he named her “Kurou,” a Japanese word that meant black and sounded similar to crow.

But after that, countless people would ask what her name meant, and it eventually became way too annoying to explain.

At first, he’d lied and said it was a traditional name from some obscure Eastern country, but people kept grilling him for details. Every time that happened, a deep, cringe-inducing shame would creep over him.

So eventually, he forced a name change on her, declaring that Kiki would be her nickname.

Of course, this stubborn bird absolutely hated being renamed.

‘I’m Kurou, you damn old geezer! How could you possibly call me anything other than this incredibly cute name?!’

That’s how she always used to throw a fit.

Whenever she heard the new name, Kurou would angrily peck at his earlobe in protest.

Remembering that made Asterion’s lips twitch into a smirk.

She used to be so full of life, yet here she was, limply draped over his arm.

I should feed her until she’s stuffed, but…

When she used her magic to enlarge herself, Kurou was a bottomless pit who could easily polish off a hundred servings in a single sitting. But in her current tiny, exhausted state, ten servings would probably be more than enough.

How many kids even go to this academy? Well, nobody’s going to notice ten missing servings. Schools usually make more than enough food just in case.

Asterion wrapped himself in [Camouflage] once more as adjusted Kurou’s position in his arm. High-ranking professors might be a different story, but for standard campus staff and cafeteria cooks, seeing through an Archmage’s stealth would practically be impossible.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

***

Asterion scanned the sprawling academy grounds.

Tucked between several ivory towers, he spotted a stone building belching out thick, majestic plumes of smoke.

Churning out smoke like an active volcano, that place was definitely the dining hall.

As he made his way over, the rich scent of food wafted into his nose.

The savory aroma of freshly grilled meat, the rich scent of vegetables sautéed in butter, and the sharp, exotic bite of whole peppercorns and spices tingling his nose.

It even managed to stimulate Asterion’s appetite, and he hadn’t even been planning on eating.

And just like that, he arrived at the dining hall.

“…They really threw a ridiculous amount of money at this place,” said Asterion.

He could see the interior perfectly through the towering glass doors.

Magical lamps were strung across the soaring vaulted ceilings, glowing softly like a woven galaxy. The floors were polished with top-grade marble, magically treated to muffle the sound of footsteps. It was a hall capable of seating hundreds of students, and right past that was the kitchen.

Cleaning staff and dozens of cooks were bustling all around the place.

Asterion casually scanned the gold-plated menu hanging by the entrance.

[Today’s Special]

Ogre Tenderloin Steak

Kraken Ink Pasta

Cream Soup with Mandrake

They were some expensive-looking dishes.

As expected from the people squatting on his treasures—the food quality was absolutely top-tier.

This is right up Kurou’s alley.

Asterion confidently strolled right into the dining hall.

There were plenty of staff members milling about, but not a single one noticed him.

They just assumed the door had blown open for a second.

“Ugh, why’s the door open? It’s freezing…”

Asterion slipped right past them and walked through the open iron doors into the kitchen.