Chapter 499: 499. Field Survival and Expedition Logistics

"My name is Talandra Mire. I will be your Advanced Beast Psychology professor this year," a professor introduced herself with a plain expression.

She looked like any normal person, with nothing especially striking about her appearance, to think that she was beautiful.

Theo had already changed his clothes and arrived in class on time.

"In this year’s lessons, we will focus on the different beast types and how they react under pressure."

"We will study about prey instincts, predator instincts, territorial instincts and pack instincts."

"Beasts tend to display very different behaviors depending on what type they are. Some constantly show fear and paranoia, while some are naturally rebellious. Some remain confused, while some become excessively loyal for anyone’s good."

"The final type is the unstable ones, beasts that do not function very well as tamed companions but possess qualities that make them exceptional in battle or supporting roles. They will fight by your side, but they are not truly tamed," Professor Talendra explained.

Theo wrote everything down even though most of it was basic knowledge. This was one of the few classes he was genuinely interested in, as it gave him an insight into what his mantis felt and why it behaved most of the times the way it did.

"We will also learn how tamed beasts hide discomfort from weak tamers, something that is a very big problem among newer tamers."

"In such cases, a tamer always keeps their bond open, leaving no boundaries between themselves and their beast. That exposes the beast to the conflicting and complex emotions of a human all the time. Sometimes this exposure helps the beast mature, but in most cases, it begins hiding its true feelings just to help its tamer deal with their own ongoing problems."

"That intention is admirable from the beast’s side and should be considered a privilege. However, over time, suppressing those emotions turns into pent-up frustration and anger, which eventually leads the beast to turn on its own tamers or other humans."

"This class will help you understand how you can get rid of such redundancies in your taming journey," she said before finally stopping after ten minutes of nonstop speaking.

Theo was glad he had the book and that the professor wasn’t straying too far from its contents. That way, he could make proper notes later on as well.

"We will also learn how trauma changes tamers and beasts alike."

"We will also go through examples of some beast-related failures caused by human misunderstanding."

"And in the end, every student must make a case study of their own using the material provided and the lessons taught to you in the class. Your case study will focus on why a beast can turn on its owner. That will determine whether you pass this course or not."

"There will be next to no exams throughout the year aside from that. Mostly explanations and doubts."

The professor’s voice was nothing like the soothing tone of the old man who had taught Material Essence Extraction.

With the explanation of what they should expect from the course complete, the class finally began.

And before Theo realized it, the class had already ended. The short duration annoyed him a little. A three-hour class would work a lot better than just a single hour where the professor constantly had to abruptly end the concept with the promise of explaining it the next day.

The professor left as soon as the class ended, and the students quickly followed.

This time, the class was completely empty when Theo started studying.

But he couldn’t focus. Everything he had heard in the lecture, about all those beast behaviors, made him curious about the condition of the ants, the spider, the crawler, the silkworms, the small livestock insects the ants tended to, and the little scorpion guarding the colony’s entrance.

There was still so much he didn’t know about them, and all that information only made him crave more knowledge.

No one cared to notice him studying even after the class this time, and before long, Theo left for the next class when the 20 minute break reached the 15 minute mark.

The next class was about Field Survival and Expedition Logistics.

The professor was a fit guy with a crazed look in his eyes. He wore a grey uniform from head to toe, along with boots that looked incredibly heavy. Various pieces of unfamiliar equipment hung from the belt around his waist, very different from what Theo usually carried.

"I am Velra Dain, and you are now in the class of Field Survival and Expedition Logistics," the man announced in a cheerful voice.

But despite the smile on his face, his expression remained rigid, his wild eyes making Theo feel that the man was far from normal. Theo didn’t know what to feel about having someone like him as their professor.

Still, there was something exciting about him. Theo could feel it.

"I won’t bore you like all the other professors out there," he continued, instantly prompting murmurs among the students.

"In this class, you will learn real-world techniques on how a person can live, survive, and even flourish outside civilization."

"If I were you, I would take this class very seriously. These techniques and skills are what keep people alive in the long run, after all."

"There have been many dark ages over the last 1000 years, and only those who had already dirtied their hands with harsh experiences were able to keep humanity from being wiped out by dangerous beasts."

"I have already said too much. I want all of you to calmly follow me to the place where we will be spending most of our time for this class. Let’s go!"

Just like that, before anyone could even open the big chunk of a book, they got up, left their bags and accessories in the classroom, and followed the overly energetic professor.

Soon, they reached the back side of the academy, where a small forest began.

"I want all of you to build a camp using your instincts and whatever prior knowledge you have. I want to see how many of you are actually prepared for a survival situation when it comes... and who will die first," the man said with the same crazed glint in his eyes.

"This class is specially set for two hours instead of the usual one, so take your dear time, everyone. Good luck!"