Beast Academy: Raising Baby Beasts with Cashback 500%

[System Cashback Activated! Gifts: The Best Guide to Become a Pro Ribbon Essence Athlete e-book, 1x Currents-Calming Potion, 1x Stamina Booster Potion (30,650 Credits). Cashback: 153,250 Credits. Total Gift Value: 470,209 Credits.]

It was the first time in a long while that Shani had given a high-value gift. A wide smile spread across her face, completely unaware that Jeryon’s eyes had never truly left her lovely features.

Jeryon had noticed that Shani always beamed brightly whenever she gave him gifts, leaving him flustered and thoroughly bewildered.

Why was she happier about giving something away than the person receiving it?

To Jeryon, Shani was an anomaly. A brightly shining anomaly, such that whenever she wasn’t around, he couldn’t help but feel a lingering sense of emptiness.

With curfew fast approaching, they headed back to their respective dorms after Shani reminded Jeryon to read the e-book she had given him.

Upon returning to his room, Jeryon opened the e-book, intending to read just the first few pages before turning in due to exhaustion.

Yet every page he read felt like an epiphany.

Concepts he had struggled to grasp were explained in meticulous detail. There were even specialized tricks for those who hadn’t mastered controlling beast essence yet.

Thoroughly intrigued, Jeryon decided to give it a try right then and there.

His eyes widened in astonishment as he realized he could control the power circulating within his body far more smoothly.

Beyond control, he could actually discern the subtle difference between the flow of essence and the flow of energy.

It wasn’t just the techniques in the book aiding him. It felt as though his very body had undergone a transformation.

Something seemed to click inside his mind. This wasn’t the first time he had felt a sudden shift in his body. Every time it happened, it was right after Shani handed him a drink.

At first, Jeryon had merely viewed Shani as his lucky star, but now suspicion crept in, this couldn’t all be mere coincidence.

From the very beginning, Shani had been far from ordinary. It was only because of her background as an orphan from a small border town that people rushed to judge her at face value.

Not to mention, there were secrets regarding Shani that Elias and Rowena held close to their chests, secrets they refused to share with him.

Jeryon stood up and picked up the ribbon, eager to test out the techniques he had just read.

He followed the steps carefully, one by one. First, a firm footstep, then raising his hand, followed by a slight hop. He flicked his wrist in a sharp, square pattern.

Simultaneously, he channeled his essence power into the ribbon in his hand. The ribbon coiled into a perfect circle, glowing with a vibrant hue.

”It worked...!” Jeryon gasped, astonished.

The strange trick actually worked. To form a smooth circle with the ribbon, the wrist movement required a square motion.

The ribbon glowed steadily and held its shape for three whole seconds. Previously, it had flickered like a broken lightbulb, collapsing in under a second.

Still, the most rewarding breakthrough was that he could finally feel the distinct difference between essence and energy inside his body.

Riding the high of his drastic progress, Jeryon lost all desire to stop practicing, completely ignoring his body’s fatigue.

In the spacious solitude of his dorm room, Jeryon leaped, pirouetted, and bent his body left and right. For the very first time, he didn’t feel a shred of repulsion toward this sport.

He only stopped around midnight when his body temperature spiked suddenly. He knew that if he pushed any further, he would fall ill—or perhaps he was already coming down with something.

Still, the burning passion in Jeryon’s heart remained unquenched. Lying back on his bed, he opened the e-book once more and flipped to the author’s biography page, curious about the author’s career.

’If they could write a guide this detailed, they must be a top-tier athlete.’

Unfortunately, after typing the author’s name into a search engine, he found zero results, as if no person by that name existed anywhere in the world.

”Huh? How is that possible?”

Amidst his growing confusion, Shani’s bright, radiant smile flashed across his mind.

”Shani... who are you, really?”

Regrettably, there was no one to answer his question as he drifted off into a deep slumber.

...

The next day, Jeryon demonstrated the results of his practice in front of Eric and Flora, who happened to be passing by.

The two of them stared in shock, their expressions quickly giving way to pure admiration.

”People like you are the ones who should’ve joined our club from the very start! You’re like someone born specifically for Ribbon Essence, Prince,” Eric commented, talking as if he were already an official, veteran member of the Ribbon Club.

”Prince, for someone who only started training four days ago, your performance is remarkable,” Flora praised, smiling warmly.

”You were able to adapt the techniques to suit your body, your essence control is great, and your movements carry a natural grace.”

Jeryon merely offered a faint, flat smile in response, unsure of how else to react to their praise.

In truth, he was simply copying the techniques from the book, with no real idea whether they actually suited his body or not.

His essence control had only clicked into place just last night. And as for his movements... Jeryon stubbornly refused to admit that his body was even capable of moving so gracefully.

”You only have one flaw, Prince,” Flora continued in a serious tone, though her gentle expression put anyone at ease.

”Your performance lacks soul. Everything is too rigid, too purely technical. But that’s fine. It’s only the beginning.”

After that brief demonstration, practice came to an end.

Jeryon and Eric made their way back to the Panther Building after Shani texted to let them know she had already returned.

Along the way, Eric rambled on incessantly beside Jeryon.

”It takes professional athletes decades to discover the absolute best technique for their bodies. That’s why no matter how hard a newbie tries, they can never match a pro.”

”Meanwhile, you managed to find your own style in just four days! I’ve been training since I was three and I still haven’t found mine. My sisters told me it’s because a child’s body keeps changing, so I shouldn’t overthink it...”

”Now I realize that was just an excuse. The truth is, I’m not as great as everyone makes me out to be. I was just lucky to be born into a family of athletes, giving me a head start over everyone else.”

Jeryon was at a loss for words. He hadn’t expected Eric to pour his heart out like this.

Fortunately, Eric didn’t seem to expect a response anyway, seamlessly switching topics as if he hadn’t just uttered a single emotional word.

As they stepped out of the Tiger Building, they spotted two familiar figures. Shani and Kiran.

It turned out Kiran had come to pick Shani up, and the two had lingered to watch the lively crowd outside the Tiger Building.

Both girls noticed Jeryon and Eric approaching.

”Why do they look like besties from a distance?” Kiran murmured, pondering aloud.

”Hmm, maybe because Eric treats Jeryon like a regular student instead of a prince,” Shani guessed.

”True,” Kiran replied, snapping her fingers.

”Right? Even that chatterbox Sonny is still terrified whenever Jeryon throws him a glance,” Shani added.

Kiran nodded along, though in reality, she knew exactly why Sonny acted like that. It wasn’t because he feared Jeryon’s royal status. It was because if Sonny got too close to Shani, Jeryon might actually obliterate him.

Kiran kept that theory strictly to herself, giggling under her breath until Jeryon and Eric arrived in front of them.

The four of them continued toward the Panther Building together.

”Ella’s grabbing a table for us,” Kiran mentioned after checking a text from Noella.

Ding.

The elevator doors opened. Walking a short distance forward, they spotted the cafeteria entrance, where Noella was standing and chatting with Garth.

”Arthy’s been looking pretty listless the past few days, so I’m taking him to the clinic this Saturday. Do you want to come along?” Garth asked, standing notably closer to her than usual.

Noella nodded in agreement. ”I’ll drop by your room after dinner to check on Arthy.”

...

After spending a full week inside the healing pod, Nyx was finally discharged that afternoon.

Shani immediately scooped the little panther into her arms, pulling it into a tight embrace.

”Why are you being so clingy, Mother? It’s hot!”

Shani instinctively pulled Nyx back, holding the furball up with both hands while studying its adorable face.

The childish, milky voice piped up again. ”Why did Mother stop hugging me? Do you not recognize my scent anymore because we’ve been apart for so long?”

”Mother, Mother! It’s me, Nyx! Mother, I need to rub my scent all over you!” The familiar protest echoed loudly in Shani’s ears.

A smile bloomed across Shani’s face. She murmured in a playful tone, ”Is a baby allowed to be this wishy-washy?”

Nyx tilted his head, confused by what his mother meant, but seeing her gentle smile, his panic quickly melted away.

”Mother, do you remember me now?!”

...