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With a slight bow, I introduced myself to Tammy.

“Greetings, Instructor. My name is Pixie Adel, and I’m here for the Familiar Recognition Test.”

“…Oh my.”

Tammy covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with surprise.

Why such a reaction?

My curiosity didn’t last long.

As I narrowed my eyes, Tammy began to murmur,

“I heard there was a student who managed to tame Instructor Ares’ bird…”

“That’s never happened.”

“Ah, my mistake. Just a slip of the tongue.”

Tammy chuckled awkwardly.

The fact that Sijo belonged to Ares was a secret among the instructors.

She must have spoken without thinking.

It was for the best that I shut it down immediately.

It wouldn’t do for others to know about Sijo’s true origins.

In any case,

Her reaction piqued my curiosity.

To think that someone with such a ditzy air could be an instructor…

Perhaps this test would be easier than I anticipated.

Not that it mattered. I was confident in my Familiars’ abilities, but an easy pass wouldn’t hurt.

In fact, it would be quite welcome.

‘…Passing is as good as guaranteed.’

If we succeeded, Sijo’s ownership would be officially recognized, and I could freely utilize Gu Poison in front of the other students.

My only concern was Rene.

Would she recognize Gu Poison?

Gu Poison’s appearance had completely transformed after consuming the Homunculus.

He barely resembled his original form anymore.

This gave me the confidence to bring him out openly.

Thus,

“When shall we begin the test, Instructor?”

“Oh, right! Let’s get this started. I’m a very busy woman, you see!”

“…..”

I hadn’t even asked.

Suppressing a flicker of doubt, I followed Tammy as she began leading the way.

As we walked, she turned to me.

“You are familiar with the test procedures, yes?”

“Indeed, I am well-informed.”

I nodded in response.

The Familiar Recognition Test.

It consisted of three distinct stages.

First,

The ability to communicate with one’s Familiar.

Of course, this didn’t necessarily mean engaging in verbal conversations.

While some Magical Beasts possessed the ability to speak, the majority could not.

Therefore, this stage assessed whether the Familiar could understand and act upon its master’s intentions.

In other words, it tested the ‘connection’ between master and Familiar.

This was crucial, as an agitated Familiar could easily lose control and wreak havoc.

Second,

The Familiar’s combat capabilities.

Gu Poison would excel in this stage without a doubt.

His venom, potent enough to bring down Terias, spoke for itself.

Sijo, however, was a different story.

His abilities lay in reconnaissance and shared vision.

Not exactly combat-oriented skills.

However,

Sytan was preparing for war.

Sijo’s unique talents would surely be recognized as valuable assets.

The most crucial stage, however…

Was the third.

If we failed this final stage, both Gu Poison and Sijo would be disqualified as my Familiars.

A sliver of anxiety wormed its way into my heart.

I tried to maintain my composure, but I couldn’t shake off the unease completely.

‘…I have to trust them.’

They had helped me countless times before.

“Alright, let’s begin. First, please take out your Familiar”

Tammy instructed, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I reached inside my uniform and carefully retrieved both Gu Poison and Sijo.

Sijo, having slept soundly, seemed full of energy. Gu Poison, as always, remained stoic.

With a nod, I directed them towards Tammy. Sijo flapped his wings and landed gracefully on my shoulder, while Gu Poison coiled himself around my arm.

Tammy’s eyes widened in fascination.

“Oh my, what’s this one called?”

Such a blatant display of interest was understandable.

A snake like Gu Poison was a rare sight in the Demon Realm.

Perhaps it was akin to a human encountering a cobra for the first time.

However, revealing Gu Poison’s true nature was out of the question.

‘I need to give him a proper name.’

Gu Poison’s transformed appearance made it less likely for someone to recognize him.

However, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Caution was my motto, after all.

‘Let’s see…’

I pondered over a suitable name, but then it struck me that I could draw inspiration from his very ‘existence.’

He wasn’t quite a living being, nor was he entirely inanimate.

A creature forever bound to conceal his true nature because of me, unable to return to his original master.

Perhaps it was just me, but I saw a reflection of myself in him.

A particular word came to mind, and I uttered it with newfound conviction.

“…Heoksal.”

A name that embodied darkness and death.

It seemed fitting, considering my own fate was intertwined with those very concepts.

Like master, like Familiar.

The name suited his appearance perfectly.

“That’s…a rather chilling name”

Tammy commented, shuddering slightly.

I, however, was rather pleased with Gu Poison’s new alias.

I wonder if he liked it.

— ….

I glanced at Gu Poison, who was staring back at me intently.

As always, his thoughts remained a mystery.

At least he wasn’t angry. I suppose that was a passing grade in his book.

“Anyway, let’s begin. First up, we’ll assess your connection. Judging by how well they listen to you, it shouldn’t be a problem…but we have to go through the motions, you see.”

“What would you have me do, Instructor?”

“Let’s start with something basic. I want you to order your Familiar to attack me.”

“Excuse me?”

Tammy, who had been stroking Sijo, made a rather absurd request.

Attack her?

Even if she wasn’t aware of Gu Poison’s true nature, it was a preposterous demand.

If Heoksal were to bite her…

The mere thought sent shivers down my spine.

As if sensing my apprehension, Tammy shook her head.

“Don’t worry, I have safety measures in place. Just tell him to stop right before he reaches me.”

“I’m not sure I understand…”

I understood that she had a way to defend herself, but why ask me to stop him at the last moment?

Tammy elaborated at my request.

“It’s to gauge their obedience. A Familiar who truly heeds its master’s commands will cease their attack immediately.”

“Very well.”

Heoksal was perceptive. He’d understand my intentions regardless of how I phrased the command.

But what about Sijo?

He possessed no offensive capabilities whatsoever.

Tammy, who had been petting Sijo, spoke up.

“Have this little one attack me as well.”

“…He is Instructor Ares’ bird, after all.”

She muttered to herself.

It seemed Sijo was already vetted, making this test a mere formality.

That was a relief.

Without hesitation, I issued the command to both Heoksal and Sijo.

“Bite the instructor before you.”

In that instant,

Whoosh-.

Heoksal shot forward like a coiled spring, launching himself from my arm towards Tammy’s neck.

Even Tammy, who had boasted about her safety measures, stumbled back in surprise, landing on her backside with a thud.

Just as Heoksal coiled himself around Tammy’s neck, his venomous fangs bared and dripping, I spoke.

“Halt.”

— ….

As if on cue, he froze mid-air, his body going slack before he gracefully slithered back onto my shoulder.

Chirp, chirp!

Sijo, who had been pecking playfully at Tammy’s arm, also ceased his assault at my command.

— Peep!

He fluttered back onto my head, chirping triumphantly.

Heoksal’s performance had been nothing short of convincing.

One moment he was a deadly predator, the next a docile companion.

As if nothing had happened.

“Wow…”

Tammy, still recovering from the shock, stared at Heoksal in awe.

“You pass the first stage. That snake is…intense. I prefer my Familiars on the fluffier side, to be honest…”

Now that she mentioned it,

Most of the Magical Beasts in the lab seemed to be of the furry variety.

“I share your sentiment.”

Heoksal had proven invaluable, but I had to admit, I had a soft spot for cute creatures like Sijo.

As if understanding our conversation, Heoksal flicked his tongue out in response.

— Hiss, hiss.

My bad.

I quickly averted my gaze, pretending I hadn’t noticed. Turning back to Tammy, I inquired about the first stage.

“Well then, Instructor. I trust that was sufficient to demonstrate their obedience?”

“…Yes, I’d say so. But we’ve only just finished the first stage.”

She replied, holding up two fingers.

The second stage is the combat assessment.

Tammy paused, a thoughtful look on her face.

“Hmm…”

She glanced at Sijo, then back at me.

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

She was trying to figure out how to assess Sijo without offending Ares.

After all, Sijo’s abilities were already well-documented.

Prolonging the inevitable wouldn’t benefit anyone.

“If you’ll allow me, Instructor.”

With that, I gently lifted Sijo from my head.

As I held him closer to Tammy, Sijo tilted his head in confusion.

— Peep?

He seemed to grasp the situation quickly enough, his chirps taking on a hesitant tone.

I was about to instruct Sijo to establish a shared vision with Tammy.

It was the most efficient way to demonstrate his unique abilities and secure a pass for this stage.

— Peep…

However, Sijo seemed hesitant to share his vision with a stranger.

I sighed. It seemed I had no choice but to resort to bribery.

Reaching into my pocket, I retrieved a small, glistening object.

Sijo’s eyes widened as I held it before him.

— Peep…!

It was a candy.

Not just any candy, but one of the highly coveted treats from the academy’s cafeteria, limited to one per student.

Sijo’s eyes darted back and forth between the candy and me.

— Chirp…

Well then.

Could he truly resist such a tempting offer?

I narrowed my eyes, a sly smile playing on my lips.

Tammy, witnessing this exchange, muttered under her breath, her eyes wide with a mixture of amusement and terror,

“Y-You’re like…a kidnapper…!”

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