Let’s Go Together

Mikhail and the Salamander

There was finally a Spiritology class on Monday.

Of all the courses at Basamiel Academy so far, the only ones Adrian hadn’t attended yet were from the Administrative Faculty and the Spirit Faculty. Since the entrance ceremony had been held just last Monday, this week marked the official start of classes.

He didn’t particularly care about the Administrative Faculty, but the Spirit Faculty aligned closely with Adrian Heather’s interests—so the dragon began the morning in high spirits.

The prince had apparently gone out for his morning training again, as his bed was empty. With a cheerful bounce in his step, Adrian left the dorm and made his way through the academy’s central garden toward the lecture hall.

Since most first-year classes took place in the morning, the central garden was calm and peaceful.

There was still a bit of time before Spiritology class began. Continuing the relaxing mood from the weekend, the dragon indulged in some alone time. Dew lightly clung to the fresh garden grass, and he enjoyed the crisp morning air all to himself.

However, Adrian wasn’t the only one who had started the morning early.

While savoring the quiet morning alone, he spotted the prince walking ahead of him.

He seemed to have just finished training and taken a shower, heading straight to class afterward. Mikhail’s bright silver hair was still slightly damp. His treasured sword was strapped at his hip.

As the two walked quietly through the central garden—

Rrrrmmmbbbllle—

A tremor shook the ground, just like the one they had experienced during the alchemy class.

“Another earthquake?”

Adrian commented from behind, and the prince grumbled.

“Seriously, who builds an academy in a place like this?”

Once the shaking stopped, the two students straightened their lowered bodies.

That’s when it happened.

From beneath the garden where they were standing, something let out a howling cry. Adrian and Mikhail immediately turned their heads toward the staircase that led downstairs. There was a narrow stone staircase outside the lecture hall building that descended into the basement. The sound had come from there.

“…How long until class starts?”

The prince asked, eyes still fixed on the staircase.

“Hmm… about thirty minutes?”

Hearing Adrian’s response, the prince began walking toward the stairs.

They had no idea where the steps led, but it definitely looked suspicious. Adrian was just as curious, so he followed behind. If they stumbled upon something interesting, great—if not, they could simply take the stairs back up to the lecture hall.

Clack, clack.

The sound of two pairs of academy shoes echoed off the narrow stone steps leading underground.

As they descended the stairs, they found themselves in the basement level of the same lecture building where they’d followed the alchemy professor before. Apparently, these stairs provided a direct route from the garden into the building’s basement.

A bit of a dull expedition, honestly…

RRRRMMMMBLE—

Once again, something let out a deep, guttural roar, and the corridor they stood in shook violently with another tremor. Mikhail lowered his stance and gestured toward the direction the sound had come from. There was a heavy iron door there.

“There.”

“…You’re actually going?”

Seriously, now? Adrian raised an eyebrow. He’d only intended to check out the location, planning to come back later on his own. With people around, he couldn’t even use magic freely—of course he’d rather not have a cumbersome companion tagging along.

“Oh? Afraid, are you?”

The prince smirked, taunting Adrian Heather.

Then, leaving Adrian standing in the hallway, Mikhail strode toward the iron door. With a push of his hand, the door creaked open without resistance.

Beyond it, a staircase led further down.

“……”

Adrian glanced at the alchemist’s room next to where the prince stood—it was the same place where they’d attended class before.

This was still part of the academy building. If the place was actually dangerous for students, there should’ve been some kind of warning sign on the door… or at the very least, it should have been locked. It wasn’t like going in alone would get him killed or anything…

Still, the dragon hesitated. If the prince ended up hurt—or worse, dead—later, it was obvious who they’d come questioning: his one and only roommate.

Adrian nodded toward the stairs.

“If you’re leading the way.”

“Obviously.”

Mikhail stepped onto the staircase.

A wave of hot air whooshed up from below.

The deeper they descended, the more the sweltering heat clung to them. By the time they reached the bottom, Mikhail had come to a stop, staring at something ahead.

“What is it?”

Adrian asked as he caught up from behind.

“…Is something like this even allowed to exist under the academy?”

With a grimace, the prince pointed to a section of the underground before them.

The place they’d arrived at was a massive cavern. Judging by the smoothed, worked stone along the walls, it looked like the cave had been carved out intentionally.

Only then did Adrian understand the look on Mikhail’s face.

Half of the cavern floor was covered in a sea of red.

But looking closer, it wasn’t just a red sea—it felt more fitting to call it a sea of death.

The edges were blackened and solidified, cooled from their original molten state, yet thin red fissures streaked through the cracks as though they could reignite at any moment.

It was a massive lava lake.

So that’s where the hot air had been coming from. A lava lake, boiling away beneath the academy.

Adrian stepped up beside Mikhail.

The earthquakes were one thing—but what had caused that howling roar earlier?

As the dragon scanned the cavern, his eyes landed on something curious. He locked eyes with a living creature peeking out from the lava’s edge.

“Oh.”

Apparently sensing Adrian’s gaze, the creature swam toward them, slicing smoothly through the molten lake like it was water. It glided right up to the edge in front of them, slipping closer with an easy grace.

It was about the size of a crocodile, cutting through the lava with fluid, unbothered motions.

Starting from the center of the lake, it swam all the way to the edge near Adrian and Mikhail—then climbed ashore and began walking. Each step left behind a trailing drop of molten lava, plopping off its body in red globs.

Sssshhhk—

It was a fire-breathing lizard.

Adrian stared down at the creature, intrigued. It seemed like it was seeing a human for the first time, hissing out soft bursts of flame—sshhk- sshhk—as small sparks flared at the corners of its mouth.

“I thought they were extinct… but I guess some survived.”

The fire-breathing lizard paid little attention to the prince, who stood closer. Its gaze remained fixed on the dragon behind him.

That made sense—creatures that had lived long in a place tended to possess sharper instincts than humans. They often recognized dragons mid-revelry with ease and respectfully acknowledged such noble beings.

“…What the…”

With a soft shring, Mikhail drew the sword strapped to his waist. He extended it toward the lizard, giving it a light poke, as if to test the threat.

The lizard, which had been fixated on the dragon, shifted its focus. It puffed up slightly, posture tensing as it turned toward the prince’s sword.

“Is this a dragon?”

The dragon corrected the prince’s misconception.

“No.”

Adrian accepted the lizard’s respectful gaze with casual indifference.

“It’s a salamander.”

“Salamander, dragon—aren’t they kind of the same thing?”

Mikhail muttered under his breath.

Completely different species, Adrian thought, glancing at the salamander as if to say, Right?

The salamander, however, had no eyes for him anymore. It kept its gaze locked on the prince, who still stood with sword in hand, emanating clear hostility. No wonder the salamander had been staring so intently at the prince’s sword.

It suddenly puffed up—then chomp—lunged forward and clamped its huge jaws around the blade.

“Ugh…!”

Mikhail quickly reached for the sword, but Adrian stopped him just as fast. The salamander had just swum through boiling lava. Even the slightest contact could cause severe burns to a human.

Mikhail, unaware of Adrian’s caution, tried grabbing the sword with his other hand—but it was already too late.

In one swift motion, the salamander wrenched the sword from Mikhail’s grip and clamped its mouth fully around it. The large blade jutted awkwardly out of the creature’s maw.

Then it tilted its head back, opened wide—and gulped the sword down whole.

They could practically hear the swallowing sound echo through the cavern.

And then… the salamander turned and swam back into the lava.

Midway across the lake, it lifted its head once more, gave a powerful lurch downward, and disappeared beneath the surface. Its body, then its long tail, slipped silently beneath the molten waves.

The prince and Adrian stood frozen in silence, trying to process what had just happened.

Hey. You can’t just leave like that…

Adrian called out to the salamander in his mind, but it never resurfaced.

“Ah.”

Adrian quietly added an explanation to the prince.

“…Salamanders feed on metal.”

And that, he thought, is the difference between salamanders and dragons.

They are entirely different species—as I said.