Ch.110Chapter 110

The exam day had finally arrived. I hated exam days. Everyone created an atmosphere where it felt awkward to even start a conversation.

Sera and Aria seemed especially tense, probably because it was their final year. Karen was more stressed since her first semester was important. Even the Professor looked exhausted, trying to conduct research while creating exam questions.

I wondered if the Professor could have researched 24 hours straight if she were a Demon God instead of me.

A life dedicated entirely to research didn’t seem that appealing to me, though I wasn’t sure. Of course, the Professor might actually enjoy researching 24 hours a day, so her answer might differ from what I imagined.

Anyway, this time was hell for me because everyone—the Professor and my friends—looked so stressed that it felt awkward to talk to them. All I could do was sit at the living room table, staring blankly at the Professor typing on her laptop, while I lay on the sofa behind her.

Turning on the TV seemed inappropriate, and texting other friends felt wrong too. With most activities off-limits, I just stared vacantly at the Professor, then at the ceiling, placing my phone on my stomach as I breathed.

I could feel my phone rising and falling slightly with my breathing.

“Eh…”

I couldn’t help feeling mentally foggy. I wished I could find something fun to do, but the problem was that there wasn’t anything like that in this house.

It would be nice to go outside and wander the streets even without friends, but the fact that I was a Demon God and that previous incident meant I couldn’t leave the Professor’s side. That experience was truly painful, and I strongly felt I never wanted to go through it again.

“Professor, do you give a lot of exams?”

“Hm? No, I’ve already finished that. I’m doing research now.”

“Oh? I thought you were making exam questions…”

“No, no. I’ve been researching. Trying to figure out how to create a new body for Ouroboros.”

I had just asked casually, but she’d already finished. Hearing this, I snapped out of my daze and sat up.

Could I interrupt her if she was just researching? Probably not. But since she mentioned research about Ouroboros, maybe I could join in? I wasn’t sure.

So I got off the sofa and carefully took a seat next to the Professor.

“Professor…”

I approached her with a whining tone, and the Professor blinked before making room for me. The Professor, who had been occupying the center of the low living room table, shifted slightly to the left, and I sat on her right, hugging my legs as I looked at her.

Seeing me up close, the Professor seemed surprised by my sudden approach. She stopped what she was doing and stroked my head.

My hair acted as a cushion, making the feeling on my head warm and comfortable.

“Oh my, our Ourr must have been bored?”

“Yes.”

I nodded and leaned my head slightly against the Professor, who chuckled.

“But didn’t you say before that you were making a new body for me?”

“Ah, that. Ouroboros said you could keep it. She actually said it would be easier for her to maintain when she gets a new body.”

Ouroboros seemed quite capable. I could only use my abilities fully in my adult form, but Ouroboros could use her abilities even in a child’s body, which made me think she truly was the rightful owner of this body.

But was it okay for me to accept such a gift?

“Hmm.”

“What’s wrong? Does Ourr want a new one?”

“N-no, that’s not it… It just feels like I’m taking something…”

As I mumbled about the current situation, the Professor placed her hand on my head and gently stroked it. That soft touch seemed to convey that I shouldn’t worry.

I might be imagining things, but I felt I could interpret it that way a little. I closed my eyes and shivered slightly.

It felt good.

“It’s okay. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could coexist?”

“…That’s true.”

“Hehe, Ourr seems excited too?”

“Yes, but when will it happen? Is it too much to ask?”

When I tilted my head, the Professor said “Ah!” and fell into thought for a moment. My gaze was naturally drawn to her as she closed her eyes and swayed slightly from side to side. Having finished her thought, the Professor shrugged.

“Not yet.”

“What’s the problem? I thought magic could do anything?”

“The issue is that we don’t know what acts as the genetic material in Demon Gods, equivalent to DNA in humans. …I wonder if that explanation is too complicated?”

“Eh.”

I felt dazed by the Professor’s rapid explanation. As I narrowed my brows and tried to slowly process what she had said, the Professor eventually provided additional explanation.

“For a person to exist, they need a mother and father, and those parents also had their own parents, right? A child’s appearance is determined by genetics passed down through generations, so if we call that a template…”

“Ehhh.”

“Sorry, was that too difficult?”

I thought she was going to simplify the explanation for someone like me who wasn’t a specialist, but it wasn’t supplementary information—it was just more advanced and lengthy.

The Professor seemed to realize her explanation had become too complicated and smiled awkwardly. I stared at her.

“So is it because I don’t have parents?”

“…It sounds a bit strange when you put it that way, but yes, something like that. Your form was determined by someone other than parents, and I want to find the template that defines that form.”

“Is it like a cookie?”

“Cookie?”

I remembered talking with my friends in the Professor’s lab before. We had talked about cookies then, and somehow I recalled how they were made, so I shrugged.

So there are things even the Professor doesn’t know. I should teach her. That feeling.

“To make cookies, you need a mold, right? When you press it down, it creates a shape… But I guess you can’t do that with people…?”

“Ah, that’s what you meant. No, you can’t do that with people.”

The Professor’s “oh, that” response suggested she already knew about cookie making. She seemed to know about this despite me never having seen her make cookies.

While I was thinking about this absentmindedly, I suddenly realized something.

Even without making cookies yourself, anyone who’s encountered them in life would know how they’re made. Because I had thought of them as fancy confections, I had somehow considered this new information.

Had my brain turned stupid?

I squeezed my eyes shut and buried my head in my knees. As I clutched my head and groaned, the Professor swallowed nervously.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing… It’s nothing.”

I quickly recovered to avoid worrying the Professor, but feeling embarrassed about my foolishness, I found myself pouting.

As the Professor tilted her head at my reaction, I wanted to hide my embarrassment, so I immediately spoke up.

“So, how do you make people?”

“As I said earlier, people need genes and such, but with Demon Gods, those things aren’t easily visible, so it’s difficult to find the template…”

“Hmm, I see.”

I had nothing particular to say in front of the Professor, who had been repeatedly researching Demon Gods.

Even though the Professor was human, she must have spent years researching Demon Gods, so who was I to offer advice? I had just shown off knowledge I thought I had because I mistakenly considered cookies to be fancy confections, but it turned out to be common knowledge.

All I could do was agree with what the Professor said and try to understand. But that was fine. I decided to enjoy being able to spend time conversing with the Professor.

“It’s difficult.”

“Can’t be helped. Other professors find it difficult too, and so do I.”

The Professor smiled bitterly. After holding me with my head leaning against her for a moment, she moved her arm back to type on the keyboard.

Seeing her trying to focus on work on her laptop, I gently pulled my head away. I couldn’t stay longer because I felt like I was holding her back by grabbing her arm.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to disturb your work, Professor.”

“It’s fine, though?”

I shook my head. Whether it was research or creating exam questions, the Professor would have made progress if she had worked alone quietly, but now it had turned into time spent explaining things to me. If I continued, I would just be holding her back.

Still, I was glad to hear about Ouroboros.

Whatever else, she seemed like a good person. I thought we could become good friends. I decided that when Ouroboros appeared, I would take her around to various places.

Hmm, but I’m kind of the senior here, right? I know more about the Academy and the Professor’s house, so I know more.

If my knowledge disappeared too quickly, Ouroboros might not treat me like a senior, so I jumped up from my seat, determined to learn more.

And then I roamed around the house on my two legs.