- Sir! Not all creatures turn into humans, do they? They don't all have the power to do it, even if they want to, do they, sir?

- Mr. Sgoïl, not surprised by this behavior, doesn't even bother to reprimand her. The question being pertinent, he replies: 

- Indeed, not all creatures have learned to metamorphose. You can sit back down now, he adds reprovingly.  

- As you know, not all creatures that are said to be magical - because they use and/or are made of elemental or magical energy - are on an equal footing. Some are more imposing than others, and some far more powerful. What's more, in their behavior, some are harmless to other living beings, while others are dangerous and act like predators, he explains. That's why you're not allowed to go into the forest on your own, he adds.

Yu raises her hand, cheeks and ears flushed from her shyness in class. Head down towards her desk, but her fern-green eyes with golden hints rising to the master. 

- Yes, Yu? What's your question? inquires Monsieur Sgoïl.

- In that case, sir, I guess the weaker ones couldn't learn this magic. But what about predators and divine beasts?

- Good question, Yu. As your comrade said, creatures at the bottom of the magic power ranking, from zero to three, can't use this magic. It's mainly the species between levels four and seven that use it. However, there are a very small number of predatory species that have assimilated it. Imagine making friends with a creature knowing that you ate its brother or sister yesterday? I think this is one of the reasons why predators have been reluctant to try metamorphosis. But there are also so-called harmless species that have chosen not to learn it, in order to perpetuate their lineage and retain all the characteristics associated with their species," explains Mr. Sgoïl, continuing to illustrate what he's saying on the board.

- As for the more powerful creatures between levels eight and ten, very few of them - perhaps two or three out of the twenty or so inventoried - did the same. As magical and elemental creatures want to respect the balance of all things and of magic, most of them wanted to preserve the birth rate per generation, he continues.

- Finally, it's difficult to determine the number of "divine" or "legendary" creatures, whose number of individuals per continent can generally be counted on the fingers of one hand. It's very rare to come across them, or even to see them; they live in seclusion, waiting for the world to need them. And among these creatures there was even one exception. A species now extinct. Their power could change the course of life, and there were only two of them. One watched over the northern part of the planet, and the other the southern part.

- What were the names of these two creatures, m'sieur? asked a student, obviously too curious to wait for permission.

- They were Jetanēi hakki. Large, flamboyantly colored birds. It's a pity they're extinct. . . Well that will be all as new information today, please take the time to write it all down. Don't forget that tomorrow is your first visit to the forest, and you'll all be accompanied by an experienced guide. he finishes by gathering his things on his desk.

Chlotilde suddenly had a flash of evil genius running through her head. Unable to leave her cousin in peace, she calls out during a silence: 

- Hey Yu, you must be a native human, the way you're so weak. You couldn't even learn martial arts, you're not even in level zero, she laughs, without forgetting to look superior.

- That's enough, Chlotilde!" snaps Monsieur Sgoïl, imposing a heavy silence on the room. You'll stay once the rest of the class has left. I'll have a word with your mom. The rest of you can go," he announces, giving Yu a supportive smile.