Ch.187Chapter 187

I couldn’t help but smile. Though it might not always be possible, whenever the Professor suggested we go out for something delicious, we’d get busy deciding what to eat together.

I had to look at the phone the Professor gave me, check the categories to see what was available, and then choose what I wanted to eat. Simply put, it was a series of choices.

Life is all about choices. This was just another part of life.

These outings seemed to happen more frequently because Ouro couldn’t eat as much as before.

Considering how she used to eat without limits or restraint, expressing disappointment even after eating as much as she wanted, things were definitely better now. Even without self-control, her natural limits now kept her mouth in check, which meant the Professor’s wallet was safer too.

“…Today, just one per person.”

Today’s menu was rice bowls.

One bowl per person was appropriate. A bowl is typically one serving anyway.

“I want this one!”

Ouro chose randomly just by looking at the picture, and we began our simple meal for the day.

The Professor chewed slowly with her spoon in hand, then stared at me intently. Thinking I had something on my face, I wiped around my mouth with my hand, which made the Professor smile with her eyes.

“I wasn’t looking because something was on your face.”

“Oh, really…?”

My hand, now with nowhere to go, hesitated before returning to the table. As I grabbed my spoon and scooped up some rice, the Professor casually asked:

“Do you think it would be good for Ourr to return to being human?”

The fact that she suddenly asked this meant she must have made progress with her research. No, at this point, she must be fairly certain.

Would it be good to return to being human?

Honestly, I didn’t mind being a Demon God. Though it pained me to see the Professor suffering as she empathized with my death, having a body that wouldn’t stay dead wasn’t such a bad thing.

If there was something concerning, it was that I would have to live forever in this young body while everyone around me aged and died.

If I didn’t become younger, people wouldn’t be able to stay near me because of my aura. Repeating the cycle of dying and becoming young again, people would eventually grow old and distant from me, and ultimately, we would have to say our eternal goodbyes.

“…Hmm.”

“Still thinking about it?”

“A little.”

People are such complex beings.

When I had nobody but the Professor, I thought I’d like to be friendly with everyone. But once I made a few close friends, I found myself thinking that was enough and keeping a comfortable distance from others.

Many people approached me without me having to initiate, but I rarely approached others first, which made me wonder if there was some psychological factor at play.

“What’s worrying you? Is something on your mind?”

“Well, um…”

“It’s okay. We have plenty of time.”

The Professor was more concerned about me and tried to respect my wishes.

Every year, she would work through her heartache to make my body younger. It didn’t seem right to make the Professor go through such hardship.

“I’m okay with it.”

“Huh? Okay with what…”

“I’m okay with becoming human. Ouro is already becoming more human-like… I think it would be nice if I were the same.”

I grinned.

Looking at Ouro, becoming human didn’t seem that difficult.

Though it wasn’t truly becoming human, being able to die like a human, feel full, and have a limited lifespan seemed like a good thing.

It meant we could live and die in the same era.

“Do you like that, Ouro?”

“I like everything.”

Ouro answered my question with a blank expression. While I admired her consistent attitude, I thought it wouldn’t be bad to become like that myself.

As time passed, I once again found myself in that pure white space.

Though I usually came here to become younger, today was for a different reason. I was here to receive the humanization magic I had previously accepted.

The Professor brought several magic circles and laid them out in front of me one by one. She aligned the papers without any misalignment and taped them together.

The complex combination of geometric shapes and Runic Language embodied the Professor’s painstaking efforts.

“Ourr, just stand here. The Professor made it properly, so don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried.”

I grinned.

If it succeeded, great; if it failed, that would be unfortunate.

If it succeeded, I would become human; if it failed and I died, I would just come back to life. I still had room to become younger, so that would be fine.

The Professor looked extremely tense. Unlike before, she didn’t look anxious or worried. She seemed somewhat confident after confirming certain things, yet simultaneously uncertain about what might happen.

“Bear with it for a bit.”

I nodded at the Professor’s words.

The moment she infused Magical Power, light began to flow from where she stood. The light that had been following the lines started to engrave itself into the small geometric shapes and Runic Language, making them glow.

It was blindingly bright even with my eyes closed.

“Ugh…!”

The magic circle activated. My body staggered as if hit by a wave.

The Professor didn’t say anything now. I had my eyes tightly shut, so I couldn’t read what expression she had. The light was too bright for me to even attempt opening my eyes.

Drrrr.

A chilling sensation crept up from my toes. It felt like ice-cold water filling my body from the feet up. In this moment, my body felt like a water bottle.

“Hnngh…”

I tried my best to endure the pain so the Professor wouldn’t worry. But there was a limit to that, as involuntary groans escaped my lips.

It constricted my chest and rose to my throat. I couldn’t breathe properly.

“Kugh, ugh.”

The feeling of something warm leaving my body and being replaced by something cold was filled with indescribable pain. I clutched my throat and tears flowed, but now I could barely make a sound.

As the sensation enveloped my face and reached the crown of my head, I could no longer stand properly. Feeling like oxygen couldn’t reach me, I collapsed to the floor.

“…rr!”

My mind was hazy.

“Ourr!! Wake up…!”

I barely opened my trembling eyes to see the Professor’s face. Seeing her tears, I knew I had made her sad.

It hurt so much I thought I was dying. Recalling the feeling of fainting from lack of oxygen, the sensation in my throat seemed to revive.

I clutched my throat and frowned, but I could breathe just fine.

“Inhale, exhale…”

“I’m sorry. Did it hurt?”

“No, I’m fine…”

The Professor seemed not to have expected this and didn’t know what to do. I tried to reassure her with a smile, insisting I was fine, but she wouldn’t let me go.

Though I felt completely drained and didn’t want to get up, I couldn’t stay here forever, so I glanced at the Professor.

She gently brushed my hair. Looking at my face, she gave a tearful smile and stroked my head.

“You did well.”

“…Did it work?”

“We can’t confirm yet, but we should know in 2 or 3 years.”

“Not 1 year?”

I thought the limit was just until next year, but had my age limit somehow become more generous?

“Let’s go back for now.”

Unable to leave me lying on the cold floor, she picked me up. I was carried lightly back home in her arms.

“Me too.”

Ouro, seemingly envious of me being held, stretched out her arms.

I tried to make room so Ouro wouldn’t get jealous and angry. As I struggled to stand on my own two feet, I somehow felt that my perspective was slightly lower.

For example, Ouro seemed to be looking down at me more than I expected.

“Did Ourr get smaller?”

“Huh? I got smaller?”

Surprised, I turned my head sharply. The Professor just watched me with a bitter smile.

Alarmed by her lack of denial, I went to the sofa in the living room. I also stood in front of the TV and ran to the dining table in the kitchen.

Having spent several years at a physical age with just 1 year left, I knew well. My mouth fell open at the sight of my uncomfortably young physical appearance.

It hit me that I hadn’t just fainted from lack of oxygen—I had actually died.

Of course, I’m alive now. But I wondered if becoming human meant I couldn’t come back to life after dying.

Dumbfounded, I gave the Professor a look asking for an explanation.

“Well, when I used it on other Demon Gods, it seemed fine, but I think it was too much for Ouro because she was too young.”

“…Really?”

“Still, it’s fortunate you became human at the moment of death and revival.”

I understood why the Professor had held back tears. I still couldn’t believe I had nearly died for real.

Originally, I was human, so I know what being human feels like. Having lived as a Demon God for a while, I had momentarily forgotten, but this reminded me that being human means you can die if you’re not careful.

I couldn’t have known this would happen. The Professor must have checked and determined it was safe before using it on me, never expecting this outcome.

“Good thing I didn’t die.”

Though I joked with a smile, my heart still ached.

“Ourr.”

Ouro placed her hand on top of my head.

This was what depressed me. It was sad enough being one year apart from Ouro, but now with a two or three-year difference, I couldn’t even compare in height or size.

“Don’t put your hand there.”

“You’re small.”

“…Tch.”