Chapter 16: Lyra
The beast-taming classroom was located in the academy’s newer wing, specifically designed for practical beastmaster training.
After awakening his talent, the course had become mandatory for him.
Draco entered the classroom to find about fifteen students already seated, their various contracted beasts creating a menagerie of sounds and colours throughout the room. A large owl perched regally on one student’s desk, while a small fox curled up at another’s feet. The diversity of partnerships was impressive.
He spotted Lyra near the middle of the room, with Aurelius lying calmly beside her chair. The golden retriever’s tail wagged slightly as Draco approached and sat on the empty seat next to her.
That seat had become his own in the past few days.
As he settled into his chair, Lyra’s nose suddenly twitched.
Sniff sniff.
She turned toward him with a puzzled expression, her green eyes widening slightly as she continued to detect the unfamiliar scent.
"You smell good... why?" she asked directly, with her characteristic blunt honesty.
There was no polite small talk or social courtesy, just straightforward curiosity.
Draco’s mouth twitched with amusement at her directness, but before he could respond, Instructor Hartwell’s voice filled the classroom.
"Good morning, everyone. Please take your seats and prepare for today’s lesson on cooperating with your tamed beady."
"I’ll tell you later," Draco whispered to Lyra, gesturing toward the instructor.
Throughout the lesson, Draco became increasingly aware that Lyra kept glancing in his direction.
She wasn’t subtle about it either – every few minutes, she would turn her head toward him and take a small, obvious sniff before returning her attention to Instructor Hartwell.
[Master, the girl next to us keeps smelling you. Is that normal human behavior? In our hummingbird behaviour, this is a sign of finding a mate.] Zephyr whispered in his mind, his tiny head tilting with confusion.
She’s just curious about the shampoo, she definitely doesn’t see me as a mate, Draco replied mentally, trying to focus on the lesson.
"The foundation of effective beastmastery isn’t about controlling your contracted partner," Instructor Hartwell began, moving to the center of the classroom.
"It’s about working together as a unified team where both members contribute their unique strengths to achieve their goal of beating their enemy."
She gestured to a large diagram on the wall showing various human-beast partnerships in different scenarios.
"Who can tell me why cooperation is more effective than simple command-based relationships?"
Several hands went up, and she pointed to a student near the front.
"Because beasts have their own intelligence and instincts that can complement our planning abilities," the student replied.
"Excellent. Your contracted beast isn’t a tool or weapon, they’re a partner with their own perspectives, abilities, and decision-making capabilities. The most successful beastmaster teams are those where both parties understand and respect each other’s contributions."
Sniff.
Draco glanced sideways to see Lyra had leaned slightly closer to him, her attention supposedly on the lesson but her actions telling a different story.
"Effective cooperation requires three essential elements," Instructor Hartwell continued, writing on the blackboard.
"Trust, communication, and complementary skills. Let’s examine each of these."
She turned back to face the class. "Trust means your beast knows you won’t put them in unnecessary danger, and you trust them to use their natural abilities wisely. Communication goes beyond simple commands, it includes understanding your partner’s body language, emotional state, and natural behaviors."
The classroom filled with attentive silence as students absorbed the information. Draco noticed several of them glancing at their own beasts.
"And complementary skills means recognizing where your abilities end and your beast’s begin. A human might excel at strategic planning and tool use, while a beast might have superior senses, agility, or natural combat instincts."
Sniff sniff.
This time, Lyra’s investigative sniffing was so obvious that even Instructor Hartwell noticed.
"Ms. Brightwind, is there something distracting you from the lesson?"
Lyra’s cheeks turned slightly pink, but her expression remained determined. "Instructor, is it normal for people to smell... different after awakening? Like, completely unique?"
"Awakening can sometimes enhance natural scents or create subtle changes in personal aura," Instructor Hartwell replied confused. "Though I’d recommend focusing on our discussion rather than your someone’s fragrance."
Several students chuckled, and Draco felt his own face warming slightly.
[Master, everyone thinks you smell interesting now! This is like when I find really good nectar that other birds want to steal! (≧▽≦)]
The lesson continued with practical examples and case studies. Instructor Hartwell described famous beastmaster partnerships throughout history, explaining how cooperation had led to their success.
"Consider the legendary partnership between Commander Karl and his Golden Eagle," she said, pointing to an illustration on the wall.
"Karl provided strategic planning and equipment, while his eagle used its superior aerial advantage and powerful hunting strikes. Neither could have achieved their accomplishments alone."
She moved to another example.
Draco found himself genuinely engaged with the material, especially considering his growing partnership with Zephyr.
Sniff.
"This is really bothering me," Lyra finally whispered to him during a quiet moment. "You smell like... like something that I’ve never smelled before, in my entire life. It’s driving Aurelius crazy too."
Draco glanced down to see that the golden retriever was indeed staring at him with intense curiosity, his nose twitching constantly.
"Let’s focus on the lesson for now," Draco whispered back. "I’ll explain after class, I promise."
"For our practical exercise today," Instructor Hartwell announced, "I want you to spend ten minutes simply observing your beast’s natural behaviours. Don’t give commands or try to direct them. Just watch and try to understand how they naturally approach problems or interact with their environment."
The students began the exercise, and Draco watched as Zephyr immediately began exploring the classroom with his curiosity.
[Master, there are so many interesting smells and sounds in here! That owl over there keeps staring at everyone, and the fox is trying to hide under its person’s desk!]
What else do you notice? Draco asked mentally.
[The girl next to us, her dog is very protective but friendly. Oh, and there’s something sweet-smelling in someone’s bag over there!]
"Excellent work, everyone," Instructor Hartwell said as the exercise concluded. "I hope you’re beginning to see that your beasts notice things you don’t, and vice versa. True cooperation means combining these different perspectives into a more complete understanding of any situation."
The class ended with Instructor Hartwell assigning homework on beast behaviour, and students began packing their belongings. Lyra immediately turned to Draco, her green eyes focused with unmistakable determination.
"Alright, tell me, what is that smell? It doesn’t smell like any perfume because I’ve smelled every expensive fragrance in the market thanks to my family’s business," she said without preamble.