Chapter 146: Claire's Animal Domain 

Chapter 146: Claire's Animal Domain 

It was three in the morning. 

Claire jolted awake, fine beads of cold sweat beading on her forehead. 

Upon opening her eyes, she stared at the balcony ceiling, her gaze shifting from dazed to concerned. It took a while for her to fully regain her senses. 

"I'm back again..." 

The layout of the tower dormitories hadn't changed in decades; only the furniture was constantly updated. 

Every dormitory was identical. 

The balcony space was also as narrow as ever. 

Claire never socialized much and lacked a sense of security. 

During her student days, she mostly spent her after-school hours on the balcony, engrossed in books. 

Both the narrow space and a room full of animals brought her peace. 

Speaking of animals... She then remembered. 

So, she got up, picked up Catnip, and peeked into the bedroom. 

She saw her Magic Spirits, who had accompanied her for half her life, all sleeping peacefully in the bedroom. 

This surprised her slightly. 

"Did Dark do this?" 

She turned to look at the bed. 

Her best friend's son was huddled deep under the covers, and at the head of the bed was a spherical familiar with bat wings. 

A bat? 

Claire yawned, still feeling a little sleepy. 

She pushed open the balcony door. With a light flick of the Magic Card hidden in her sleeve, the Field Magic covering the entire bedroom naturally dispersed, and one by one, the Magic Spirits transformed into light, flowing into her card pack. 

Under normal circumstances, Magic Spirits cannot exist outside their Magic Cards for extended periods. However, Claire, known as the [Beast Sage], naturally possesses unique capabilities. 

Whether it's the small Field Card [Zoo] or the large Field Card [Animal Kingdom], both can permanently manifest "Beast-type" Magic Spirits. 

As long as she deploys a Field Card, the area covered by the Field Magic becomes her Animal Domain! 

Entering the bedroom, Claire placed Catnip in the sleeping basket at the head of the bed. Her eyes then sparkled as she looked at Dark on the bed. 

Before coming here, she had already inquired about Dark's current situation from many people. 

But combining her past knowledge of him with what she'd heard over the years, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. 

How could someone who couldn't even stick with the most basic sword training become the model honor student, excelling in academics, character, fitness, and artistic expression, as described by those people? 

Yet, the blanket she held in her arms seemed to silently state a truth. 

"Has he really grown up?" 

Claire bent down, a faint glint in her eyes, meticulously observing the boy she hadn't seen in years. 

"But he still looks so small..." 

She reached out and poked Dark's cheek, the light in her eyes growing brighter. 

It was six o'clock sharp. 

Dark woke up with a start. 

He had been having a jumbled mess of dreams all night. 

From various anime he'd watched in his previous life to all the things he'd experienced in this one, they were haphazardly pieced together, making his sleep quality terrible. 

Especially the dream he had just before waking made him jolt awake immediately. 

When he was about six years old. 

He had torn Claire's book, and as a result, she had turned him into a cat. 

The very next night, he was squeezed between Claire's cleavage and almost suffocated in his sleep! 

What was even more terrifying was this: 

After that, Claire seemed to develop a habit: whenever she was upset, she would take her anger out on him; and whenever she had insomnia, she would turn him into a pillow. 

His mother, who usually doted on him endlessly, even joined forces with Claire several times, sandwiching him between them for several nights, leaving him in unbearable pain and almost giving him psychological trauma! 

That nightmare-like period finally ended when Claire left the Duke's mansion. 

But now, the devil was back! 

Memories lingered in his mind. 

Dark abruptly opened his eyes. 

Claire's scent was very unique—the kind that was hard to forget. 

His eyes immediately fell upon Claire, sleeping beside him. 

Then he instinctively looked down... 

But what appeared in his vision was not his body transformed into a cat, but an expanse of snowy white. 

[Lust +1] 

Dark's expression subtly shifted. He immediately used "Meditation Art" to empty his mind, finally stopping the continued increase of Lust just in time! 

For some reason, Claire hadn't turned him into a cat. 

But she still treated him as a pillow. 

After a brief moment, Dark steadied himself and dispelled the "Meditation Art." 

Claire's dignified and beautiful face was inches away, her breath carrying a faint orchid scent. 

Dark quietly distanced himself, attempting to get off the bed from the other side. 

But Claire's eyelashes twitched, and she opened her eyes, her gaze piercing. 

Claire sat up on the bed and ran a hand through her hair: "Auntie stayed here for a night. You don't mind, do you?" 

Only then did Dark reveal a slight smile: "Of course I don't mind. Didn't Principal Cynthia arrange a dorm for you?" 

Claire chuckled: "She probably did. But I arrived earlier than she expected, and I thought it wouldn't be good to bother her in the middle of the night, so I came to your dorm to have a look." 

Dark's face darkened: "So bothering me isn't bothering anyone?" 

Claire patted the bed: "After all, we have this kind of relationship." 

The morning air was as fresh as ever. 

Dark and Claire walked side by side on the way to the dining hall. 

Claire sniffed the surrounding air, sighing: "Old things always remain unchanged." 

Dark casually replied: "Isn't that precisely where their value lies?" 

Claire remained noncommittal. 

Dark then added: "Auntie Kite, aren't you going to tell me about your travels these past few years?" 

Claire wagged her finger: "Want to know? Then I must recommend you buy a copy of The Travels of Claire." 

Dark was surprised: "You published a book?" 

Claire: "I'm a columnist for Erudition magazine." 

Dark: "Alright, then I'll definitely check it out when I get a chance." 

Claire: "Don't just ask me. How's your academy life going? Have you gotten a girlfriend?" 

Dark rolled his eyes: "Maintaining the dignity of an honor student takes a lot of time." 

The two then entered the dining hall. 

Claire expertly ordered her meal, greeting each of the older demi-human chefs. Just as they finally sat down, Professor Sarah appeared simultaneously. 

Dark became slightly subdued, leaving the stage to Claire and Professor Sarah. 

They didn't immediately discuss official business, but after their meal, they reminisced about Claire's student days over tea. 

Professor Sarah's tenure at St. Marian was second only to Principal Cynthia. 

She had witnessed the growth of countless heroes. 

And she had witnessed the downfall of countless heroes. 

Time was cold and cruel. 

The only thing that could stand against the current of time was the bond between people. 

Professor Sarah felt heartfelt joy at Claire's return to school.

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