Inheritor Of Magic: The Magi King

Davos looked around the room. "If there are so many sorts of magic users here, it feels more like it's an enclave for learning and study than anything else."

Wolfe nodded. "In a way, you're right. The whole place has an atmosphere that is somewhere between a research lab and a sorority party."

The mages looked confused, so Wolfe continued. "Do you not have them there? A sorority is an all-female college group, often separated by interests or fields of study. They are known to throw parties to which all are invited, and to give each other life and career advice."

Davos snapped his fingers. "A fraternal order, but for women."

Wolfe and the beastkin laughed. "But less drunken and cleaner. Sober and tidy are two things that are not often associated with fraternities here."

One of the older women in the group of mages began to laugh uproariously, while the men looked a bit embarrassed.

"Well, we usually hire cleaning staff. But I suspect that the reason that she is laughing is that in our world, higher education is male exclusive, unless you are studying food, magic or engineering." Davos explained.

Wolfe nodded. "It's actually similar in the Witch Covens. They usually only study those three topics, but that's because they engineer with magic, and for the Witches, only women can use magic. Plus, everyone likes food."

"Are you saying women belong in the kitchen?" One of the beastkin joked.

"Everyone belongs in the kitchen. That's where the food is. Don't tell Cook that I said that, she's prohibited me from the kitchen for stealing cookies." Wolfe replied with a wink.

One of the boys from Elder Johns' class giggled at that. "She banned me too, and said that I deserved the burnt mouth from the molten chocolate chips."

The mages laughed, but one of the bunnies from the serving staff came over with a tray of chocolate chip cookies, and small glasses of almond milk.

"I heard that someone wanted cookies? They're freshly baked, still warm." She offered with an eager smile.

Elder Johns grabbed a cookie and milk combo right away, which encouraged the others from his group to give them a try.

Davos sighed around the first bite. "Oh, this is heavenly. But what is this milk? It almost tastes like fresh eggnog, but I don't see any way that you could have a dairy farm here."

"It's actually made from almonds, and we added cinnamon because that goes best with the cookies. Or at least, I think that's what goes best with the cookies." She insisted.

Wolfe gestured vaguely downward. "We have massive underground magical gardens to provide the food, so there is very little actual meat in most of the meals, unless it is monster meat that someone brought back, or imported from a ranching village. Though that is usually also low-level monster meat."

"The Fae brought us many good plants that substitute for meat products. Since we can grow them with magic, it's just easier this way. Plus, the Elves and the herbivore descended beastkin appreciate it, and the carnivore descended ones don't usually care, as long as there is food." The server explained, twitching her ears in excitement over meeting new people.

Elder Johns nodded. "You don't even notice that it's not there, since the dishes either have a substitute or they're so different from what we're used to that you don't know what to expect. But I will warn you, if you eat the green curry, you might hate your life for the next day."

Wolfe and most of the beastkin laughed, while the mages looked confused.

"There are three types of curry, you see. The green one is made with a type of hot pepper as the base, and it's very spicy, but in a subtle way that creeps up on you about five minutes into eating it for the first time.

The red is tomato-based, and still spicy, but you know it right away. The brown curry is more of a stew, and only mildly curry flavoured." Wolfe explained.

The helpful servers took the empty glasses away, and returned with small sampler bowls of the three curries.

One of the younger mages took a bowl of the green curry right away and basically shovelled it into his mouth, then held it to savour the flavour. Even the werewolves, who loved spicy things, stared at him in amazement as he sighed in bliss and swallowed the mouthful.

"That is incredible. The aroma, the texture, the combination of flavours, that slow burn that is still growing." He announced.

The bunny handed him a glass of sugar water, which he sipped as he contemplated the other two.

"You did it backwards. Now you have to wait until you can taste again." The server giggled.

Davos looked around at his people sampling the food and frowned. "Are we even going to have a discussion about this, or are you just going to sample the local delicacies all day?"

One of the ladies, middle-aged with a bit of silver creeping into her raven hair, gave a Werebear warrior a look up and down, before smiling. "I think it might take all day to sample the local delicacies."

The big man laughed and smirked back. "That's fine, I'm already off for the day."

Davos cleared his throat. "Kindly take this seriously."

The woman smiled at the old mage. "I think we've already all decided to take the job offer. It's better than waiting for the military police to come and pound down the doors accusing us of being deserters, or the Fallen Army to come knocking and informing us that we have been drafted to be servants to their Nobles."

Wolfe smiled at them. "Well, that was the easiest recruitment ever. I will be sure to have cookies and milk ready for the next time I hold a hiring fair. Now, would you like me to open you a portal home so you can pack? If I open it in a secure room, I can keep it open while you move all your belongings over."

"Over to where?" Davos asked.

"Your new tower, of course. I will build it while you pack."