Ch.204Chapter 204 – Side Story 5 (End)

# Enhanced Translation

Looking at the time passing by indifferently, I can tell that summer vacation is already coming to an end.

Though I want to go out and play a bit more, unfortunately, time is merciless and departs abruptly, leaving my heart behind. In the end, I have no choice but to pack up my things and hurriedly follow after it.

I can’t believe the second semester is about to start. And to think I still have two more years to go—it paints a future that seems both exciting and challenging.

While I find myself bubbling with interest whenever I learn something new at The Academy, I can’t help but feel burdened as assignments pile up. Indeed, nothing is perfect.

“Still, it’s a shame I couldn’t meet with Iris.”

It’s disappointing that I couldn’t meet Iris even as vacation comes to an end. One reason was that since she chose employment over school, it was difficult to coordinate our schedules.

The distance from here was also awkwardly far, not somewhere I could just decide to go on a whim. With the Professor being busy too, I couldn’t say I’d go alone, which was unfortunate. If only I were a bit bigger, they might allow me to go places on my own.

I sighed softly while rubbing my chin.

“Didn’t Iris say she was working?”

“That’s why I couldn’t meet her.”

It’s fortunate we at least have each other’s contact information, otherwise it would have been truly frustrating.

I told her I started attending The Academy, and Iris shared stories from her workplace. I’m glad we could at least exchange news that way.

With my lips pursed, I was lost in thought for a moment. Sitting on the sofa, I repeatedly lifted my feet left and right before dropping my head. Rather than thinking about other things, focusing on the upcoming second semester was the priority.

“Ouro, do you know how to use a computer now?”

“Huh? Um… a little.”

Ouro spent her non-leisure time during vacation pouring effort into learning computer skills.

“Even if it was like that in the first semester, it shouldn’t be in the second. How could you… You did well on all the exams but got such grades because you didn’t do the assignments… Of course there are things you need to do well, but since it’s practice, you shouldn’t feel too pressured. Everyone was a beginner once. Still, you’re trying hard in your own way.”

As I wagged my finger while instructing her, Ouro nodded heavily as if she had nothing to say even with ten mouths.

Still, it’s admirable to see her working hard instead of not caring. When she lived as a Demon God, she probably thought there was no need to learn such things, so it’s commendable that she’s changed her mind and is making an effort now.

The Professor chuckled as she noticed Ouro glancing at me nervously from the side.

“Now Ouro follows Ourr’s words well. Yes, not doing the Professor’s assignments was a bit much.”

“That really was too much.”

Of course, whether to do assignments or not is up to the individual. But not doing the Professor’s assignments is a bit much. Even if you’re told to attend for fun, if there’s something you want to do, there are things you need to do as well—isn’t that proper?

What Ouro wants is to be with the Professor.

If she just wants to live off the Professor’s money, it might not matter, but she can’t be with her 24 hours a day. After all, the Professor has her own work, and it would be difficult for the grown-up Ouro to follow her everywhere.

Then the only option is for Ouro to enter the academy and become a researcher.

But can just anyone become an academy student because they want to? That opportunity only comes to those with certain grades.

Though it might not be an opportunity everyone would welcome, if that’s what Ouro wants, shouldn’t she meet the conditions first to have any chance?

“Anyway, Ouro, you’re smart. You pick up computer skills quickly when taught.”

“…Ugh.”

Ouro mumbled.

There’s no problem with her learning. For Ouro, absorbing what she sees and hears is as easy as eating cold porridge.

Even if it seems impossible, she could create magic to store information in her memory.

But computers are a different domain. To use magic on computers, figuring out how to do it is still Ouro’s responsibility. Considering that, Ouro’s shortcuts won’t work.

In the end, she has to learn and apply it. She would grumble about how annoying that was.

“Okay… I’ll work hard.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

The Professor opened her arms, pleased with Ouro’s answer.

Ouro hesitated, then slowly approached and hugged the Professor. Seeing such a grown person hugging like that made me tilt my head in confusion. When I see things like that, she still seems childish.

I guess I’m the mature one.

“Ourr, are you aiming for the top spot again this semester?”

Blinking my eyes, I rolled my gaze around before nodding.

Anyone can always work hard to aim for something, but maintaining it is difficult. It’s the difference between having a goal or not. Of course, consistently being first is also an effort, but since I don’t know how close second place will be, maintaining peak condition becomes a challenge.

It was like that this time, so the pressure to perform similarly next time is tightening.

The Professor probably doesn’t mean to put that much pressure on me, but it’s clear she would be pleased if I did well again.

“I’ll have to aim for it again.”

“Really? If Ourr gets good grades again, the Professor will have to give you a gift.”

Seeing the Professor’s smiling face, my eyes wavered.

I’m getting greedy too. I aim for the top spot, and aim again. It’s not necessarily to prove myself, but simply a goal I’ve set as a hobby. But now that I see the goal the Professor has set for me, I feel I need to work even harder.

Since my starting point is different from others, it was easy for me to get ahead so others couldn’t catch up.

Life at The Academy, showing a different path with a changed title. I’m realizing with my whole body that I can live with others at The Academy, not just as an inventory item.

“Professor, what about me?”

“Ouro… if you do your assignments well and get higher scores than before, I’ll give you something.”

“Okay.”

Ouro, nestled in the Professor’s arms, nodded with satisfaction.

A new semester, new students. It took a semester to shed those labels and establish myself as a proper first-year student. As I become more accustomed to The Academy, I start to determine what I should do and what I want to do.

I don’t necessarily need to do something with the Professor, so I’ve been thinking about other futures as well.

Time has flown by as I’ve spent it contemplating what I truly want to do.

“Professor, Ouro says she wants to stay with you doing the same things.”

“Is that so? Then she’ll have to work hard.”

I silently nodded at the Professor’s chuckling response.

Ouro might be a bit simple-minded, making such decisions easily. There might be deeper thoughts… but, well, even if it’s a bit harsh to say, I don’t think Ouro made that decision after much deep thought.

“But I haven’t decided what I want to do yet. I don’t have anything besides what I’m doing for fun…”

I stared blankly ahead. Even if I tried to look beyond, to see my future self, it wasn’t clear, leaving me with a sense of despair.

Researcher? Office worker? What will I become? They say there are special benefits for those who graduate from The Academy, but I don’t have anything specific I want to achieve with such privileges.

Even looking at Sera and Aria, or hearing Iris’s stories, I don’t feel particularly inspired.

Am I just living without any real passion?

With my lifespan now limited, I wonder if this is okay. Should I be more careful with the time I have left? Isn’t this a waste?

“…I guess becoming a researcher would be right? If I enjoy studying like this…”

“I wonder? You need to produce results for that. Do you just enjoy studying, Ourr?”

I hesitated at the Professor’s question.

“It would be nice if I could produce results. But just enjoying learning might not be enough, right?”

“It’s up to you, Ourr.”

It wasn’t a reliable answer.

Though it wasn’t something I could lean on, I know there aren’t many answers she can give to someone like me who’s asking with my life on the line.

“…Coming this far was my desire. Now I want Ourr to do what she wants.”

I blinked at the Professor’s smiling eyes.

What I want to do. What I desire. Dreaming of the future and agonizing over it. While I might have come this far partly due to the Professor’s ambition, isn’t it because of her that I’ve found things I want to do?

“What I want to do…”

The Professor is here, and so is Ouro. There are friends in the research lab and in society.

Where I belong and what I do is for me to decide. I disliked myself for hesitating even though the choice was in my hands. How nice it would be if I could be just a bit more certain.

I clenched my fist tightly, then carefully opened it.

I wanted to hold something precious like a dream in my empty palm. It felt like an intangible wish that briefly stayed before departing. It seems to be telling me that if I want to grasp it, I need to move.

“Can I think about it a bit more?”

“Of course, there’s plenty of time.”

She says there’s plenty of time, even though my lifespan is limited.

Several decades. The years I have left to live are indeed long. During that time, I might find something I want to do.

There’s no need to decide on something right away. I can calmly review and choose what I want to do without any issues. Sometimes the world might rush me, but the more time I invest, the better the results will be.

Actually, that’s just my own hope. But can’t I hope for that much? I don’t want to hear that it’s a waste of time.

After pondering the Professor’s words for a moment, I answered a beat late.

“Yes!”

There’s still plenty of time.

A smile spread across my face, now more at ease.