Cherreads

Chapter 13 - A Corgi in Human Form

A single sentence from the system's creator, clad in a ridiculous red suit, clashes with the atmosphere of the headmaster's office, now rendered in stark black and white. That sentence echoes in my head, a relentless loop. Words fail me, escaping my lips only as imaginings of a past life's form. It's the stuff of nightmares for a man born frail and thin, his hair a wiry, unyielding mass, a beard obscuring any trace of charisma, rendering him a nobody in this grey, capitalist society.

"A human form?" I repeat his words.

"That's right, a human form." The creator grins, then slumps into a large, black leather chair that seems to have materialized from nowhere. "Being stuck in a short-legged, stubby dog body must be difficult for someone who was once human."

"Well, yes, it is. Moving around isn't exactly convenient. But I'm starting to get used to it," I say cautiously. "Being summoned here during class must mean something important, right?"

"Nope. Just this. The dark arts and an offer of a human body for you." The creator stretches languidly, then leans back against the plush, cool leather, utterly unconcerned.

 

Hey... we were just talking about something important!

 

"What's your goal here?" I ask, distrust evident in my voice. "Why didn't you give me a human body in the first place?"

"Who knows? Maybe I was scrolling through TikTok and saw a corgi video, so I made you like that and brought you to this world... Honestly, you're practically a celebrity at school now, aren't you? A dog that can use magic isn't exactly an everyday sight."

"Even so..."

Deep down, I yearn to return to my human form. I don't want to be stuck in a dog's body where even peeing is a struggle. Even though I'm starting to get used to it, it's not something I can easily accept. These days, I try to act cute to get Anya's attention and affection, and everyone else's too... Of course, if I were in a human body, everyone would treat me differently.

In a worse way, because in the end, I'm just a loser.

"Thinking negatively much, Tom? You think you'll get your old body back? That gangly office worker look of yours, so obviously a loser?" The system creator laughs heartily. "Dream on! If a caterpillar is going to transform, it has to be into something golden!"

Snap!

A finger snap echoes through the room. Magic is at work. My body begins to change. My stomach churns as if filled with fluttering butterflies, contorting my face beyond my control. A green aura envelops me. Cold air kisses my face. My arms and legs lengthen, while the white and orange fur recedes, replaced by smooth, pale skin with tightly packed muscles beneath. My torso slims down, lean and devoid of fat. My protruding snout retracts, becoming a normal human face.

The low angle of vision gradually rises, becoming a high angle. Jet-black hair brushes against the nape of my neck, tickling. The leather wand holster falls to the floor, slowly moving further away from my perspective. Then, the height stops. The whole world feels different. Looking at Anya, still frozen in time, I see how small and delicate she is. Now, she only reaches my toned abdomen. I lower myself, gazing at the slender, beautiful face of the middle school girl, oblivious to my own nakedness.

"The laws of this world still protect the virginity of underage children, you know." The system creator's voice cuts through my thoughts. I snap back to reality and turn to face him, my dangling appendage pointing at him like Excalibur.

"But those laws don't protect you," I say with a grin.

"Whatever. Look at yourself first."

He conjures a large mirror in mid-air, reflecting the image of a handsome young man, stunning even myself.

"Is that me?" I ask myself, but the creator answers.

"Correct. This is your golden form, specially crafted." He shields his wife's eyes, who is now drooling. "I didn't think it would be this perfect. Here's the deal: you have to use this body to protect this world of Caronia. Use the school as your base to prevent the entire magical world from being destroyed."

"What about the kids at school?" I ask, my brow furrowing. My appendage shrinks rapidly. "Are they going to have to fight in a war?"

"You worry too much. I'm the headmaster of this school, you know. There's no way I'd let adorable kids like Anya fight. It'll be the sixth-year students, all the soldiers and able-bodied citizens who will be on the front lines."

"Instead of defending, wouldn't it be better to attack?"

"We don't know where the demons are gathering their forces yet..."

"Wait a minute. You're the creator and you don't know? And you have the power to turn a dog into a human, you can use god-mode cheat codes, why don't you just erase the demons? It shouldn't be that hard for you, like hitting a Delete button, right?" I point out, a highly plausible observation.

"No, I can't. The creator and the destroyer are different people. I can't exceed the functions specified in the WI." The creator says, conjuring a glass of deep purple wine for himself and Fila. "My role is to create and oversee the goings-on of this world. I emphasize, I can only watch. If war breaks out more than three times, the destroyer will take over the task of destruction. Then I'll create a new world, and everything will cycle like this endlessly. But your human form's time is up now. And don't forget, you absolutely cannot tell this girl anything about this."

Snap!

In a heartbeat, the handsome human form dissolves within mere heartbeats into shimmering golden dust, leaving behind only the short-legged Corgi body, the wand holster still cinched at my waist. While the Creator transforms back into the Headmaster 'Connor', and Phila has gone.

"It's my pleasure to talk with you, little dog." says the Creator in an old man disguise and waves his hand farewell.

"You should let time run normally, too!"

"Time runs normally? What are you talking about?" chimes in Anya's voice from behind, "Ah... so dizzy. By the way, what did you and Nappo were talking?"

"It's nothing, Anya. You should hurry to your class now, well, you are allowed to say that you have a meeting with me, only this time."

 

That night, I lie awake, the weight of responsibilities pressing down on me. How many times has it been? I can't recall. My eyes still gleam, reflecting the light from outside. Normally, the dormitory walls emit a faint blue glow. People say the exterior walls absorb moonlight to illuminate the interior with a beautiful radiance.

It's been a full month since I arrived here. I've adapted well to this short-legged, big-bottomed dog body. My magic is becoming quite proficient, and I'm quickly absorbing the culture and traditions of Caronia. I hop off the bed and walk to the window, seeing only the orderly rows of other students' rooms floating beside and above, perfectly aligned. Perhaps my mind is simply too cluttered.

I let out a sigh.

"Something bothering you, Nappo?" A girl's voice comes from behind without warning, making me jump.

"Just thinking." My stubby tail wags uncontrollably, as if pleased that my master hasn't left me to face the night alone.

"You don't talk like a dog at all," Anya remarks, making my stomach clench. "Or maybe you were a human before, then cursed to become a dog? They say in novels that there are curses to transform into animals, waiting for a loved one's kiss to break the spell." She sits on the floor, resting her chin on the edge of the large windowpane. Her sparkling eyes are hidden behind round-framed black glasses, which she wears when not using contact lenses for casting spells.

I pause for a moment before asking, "Anya, have you ever wondered what our relationship would be like if I became human?" Before I can hear her answer, the girl's fist lands squarely on my head.

"Woof!"

"You really might be human. What dog thinks like that?" She sighs. "Two gold coins wasted on someone in a dog's body..."

"N-no, it's not like that at all! I was just asking! Nothing more!" I try to cover up my embarrassment before firing off another question. "I'm a dog who can use magic, your pet. If one day I become human... will I still be your pet?"

Anya sighs before embracing me warmly.

"Then I'll just hug you like this for a long time." My body heats up as she replies with a sweet, gentle voice. Just this is enough to trust that my master won't abandon me. "But we'll see if you're handsome or not. If not, then bye. But if you are, I'll consider what to do."

I narrow my eyes before giving a sly smile.

_______________________________________

To Be Continue Ep.14

More Chapters