Ch.26Chapter 26

I massaged the Professor’s shoulders with my small hands. While “kneading” might be the right word for it, I was at least trying my best.

Sitting on the sofa, I looked down at the Professor who was seated firmly on the floor as I continued massaging her shoulders. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was doing it right, so I kept glancing at the Professor’s reactions.

Though from my position, I couldn’t actually see her face.

“So, what made Ourr suddenly offer a massage? Do you want something?”

The Professor slightly turned her head. Her gaze shifting toward me almost made me flinch.

“Oh, n-no… I’m just doing it because I want to. Hehe.”

Whatever I had originally wanted to ask no longer mattered. She said she was busy, so I couldn’t possibly add to her workload.

I put more strength into my hands and even used my arms to continue the massage. When my hands resumed kneading the Professor’s shoulders after a brief pause, she stopped mid-sentence and shifted her waist slightly.

“…Ah, that spot just now was perfect.”

“Here?”

“Yes, right there. Oh, who taught you this, Ourr? You’re really good.”

The Professor seemed pleased with my massage, making a satisfied sound. Feeling proud somehow, I couldn’t stop the corners of my mouth from curling up.

After the massage ended, the Professor grabbed her shoulders, rotated her arms in circles, and nodded.

“I feel so much better thanks to you, Ourr.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

As I sat on the sofa grinning, the Professor twisted her waist slightly to adjust her position for a better view of me.

“Would you like a massage too, Ourr?”

“…A massage? Hmm, umm…”

“If you’re considering it, shall I give it a try?”

While I closed my eyes and pondered for a while, the Professor chuckled at my behavior and asked me to turn around.

Before I knew it, our positions had switched. Perhaps because of my small stature, both the Professor and I ended up sitting on the floor side by side.

The Professor’s hands gently approached my shoulders. Maybe because it reminded me of the familiar weight of her coat, it felt strangely comfortable, making me relax.

As I surrendered myself to the Professor’s hands, she began by gently gripping the muscles near my neck, as if trying to loosen them first.

“Heeek!”

“Huh?”

Before I could even wonder what sound had just come out of my mouth, the Professor exclaimed in surprise. Her hands froze, and silence fell between us.

After a long moment of silence, the Professor wordlessly moved her hands again. As her fingers brushed near my neck, my body shuddered.

“Eek!”

My trembling body couldn’t withstand that creepy feeling and jumped up.

“Ourr… are you the type who can’t handle tickling?”

As I stood up abruptly, covering my neck, the Professor stared at me blankly. Another moment of silence seemed to pass, but this time I shook my head first.

“I-I think it’s better if we don’t continue…”

As I hesitantly backed away, the Professor suddenly seemed to have an amusing thought, her eyes forming crescents as she stood up. That amusing thought didn’t seem like it would be amusing for me, so I swallowed a groan.

One step back, two steps back. Then with a “Waaaaaah!” I fled from the Professor.

“Huff, huff…”

“I never knew Ourr could move so fast… Maybe it’s because your clothes aren’t that loose?”

“…I don’t know.”

As I lay sprawled on the floor catching my breath, the Professor was also sitting on the sofa, regulating her breathing. Looking at her, I cautiously spoke.

“…Next time, no tickling.”

“Depends on how Ourr behaves.”

“……”

I made a mental note that not listening could lead to tickle hell.

**

I had an ordinary day. When Tuesday afternoon came, I headed to the third-year lecture with the Professor.

“Magic Studies of Demon Gods.” It was a lecture about how Demon Gods gather and use mana. I was sitting in the very back row with Sera.

Thinking about how I had been with Aria during the “Advanced Applications of Mana Circuits” lecture before, it felt somewhat empty with just Sera.

“Ourr! I missed you so much~”

Sera hugged me as soon as I sat down. Horrified by Sera rubbing her cheek against mine, I pushed her away with all my strength.

“D-don’t do that too much.”

“…Sorry, you’re just so cute.”

I thought I had pushed with all my might, but Sera wasn’t pushed away that far, still at a close distance with her arms raised. It looked somewhat like a surrender pose.

I pouted and glared at her, and Sera gave a bitter smile.

Well, I didn’t intend to get angry over something like this, so I relaxed my shoulders. Then I remembered Aria’s call yesterday.

“Come to think of it, Aria said she wanted to take a bath with Sera.”

“…Huh? She did? She never said that to me.”

“I think she said it was an elven custom.”

“Custom?”

Sera tilted her head as if hearing this for the first time. I tilted my head too, thinking Aria must have explained this to Sera, her friend of three years, if she had explained it to me.

Even if she hadn’t, there were plenty of elves at the Academy, so it seemed unlikely Sera wouldn’t know. Or maybe bath culture is something that only reaches the ears of those interested?

If she doesn’t know, I have no choice but to tell her.

“Elves gather in bathhouses for social meetings.”

As I raised one finger and explained seriously, Sera responded with an equally serious expression.

“So elves only socialize while naked?”

“…I-I’m not sure about that part, but anyway, she said she misses it?”

“Hmm.”

Sera leaned back in her chair. She closed her eyes tightly and fell into thought for a moment.

“Just the two of us would be a bit awkward.”

“Huh?”

“If Ourr came too, I might consider it.”

“…I-I think that would be a bit much for me?”

When I said that, Sera dropped her shoulders as if disappointed.

“Why? I think it would be fine…”

“I was told I can only go with the Professor.”

As I scratched my head awkwardly, Sera let out an “Ah” of resignation. It was a typical student reaction. No matter how friendly a professor might be, going to a bathhouse together would be strange.

Sera closed her mouth. She turned her head away sharply like someone who had been rejected.

Soon after, the Professor distributed handouts and began the lecture, and Sera jotted down the lecture content in her notebook.

As usual, while studying the letters, I raised my head again to listen carefully to the Professor’s lecture. Although I couldn’t understand everything, I found it quite interesting to hear something about Demon Gods.

Sometimes it felt like living in the modern world, but when I came to the Academy and attended lectures like this, it really hit me that this was a fantasy world. That thought made me want to listen more attentively.

“I don’t think the way they receive mana is that different. They normally absorb mana contained in the air and accumulate it, but the method changes after accumulation.”

“…Ourr, are you enjoying this?”

As I stopped my pen and focused on the Professor’s lecture, Sera asked with a smile from beside me.

“Yes.”

I gave her a quick glance before looking back at the podium where the Professor stood. I still couldn’t read what was written on the blackboard, but I found it interesting enough just to listen.

“People have vessels. This is no different for elves or beastkin. Whether large or small, if you keep pouring water into your vessel, it will eventually fill up. But there will certainly come a time when it overflows. When that happens, the body naturally releases mana.”

This time, a drawing appeared on the blackboard. White chalk colored in a cute human figure.

“We discard old mana and accept new mana to circulate it. But Demon Gods have another vessel besides this one. It’s like having an extra vessel to catch the overflowing water.”

Another person appeared. This time, since it was supposed to be a Demon God, a circle was drawn around it. It looked like a person trapped inside a ball. The Professor, wanting to explain the overflowing mana, began coloring outside the person but within the sphere.

My gaze was naturally fixed on this coloring activity that didn’t go beyond the sphere.

“This is the vessel that Demon Gods possess. Even if they’re not Demon Gods who extend their lives by stealing others’ lifespans, you clearly know how threatening it is to be inside this. This is a safety mechanism for Demon Gods born alone in the world. You could say it’s a form of evolution designed to prevent them from dying right after birth.”

This was the first time I’d heard such a story. I was told I was a Demon God too, so I wondered if I had experienced such a moment. I’m not sure. I wasn’t aware that I had been in such a state.

I could understand why people were wary of Demon Gods if just being near that state was dangerous.

But if there’s nothing like that, like in my case, wouldn’t it be fine? As long as I don’t spread strange energy around, I can be with Sera like this, right?

Thinking that, I glanced at Sera beside me, and she briefly met my eyes.

“What do you think, Sera?”

“About taking a bath with Ourr?”

“…What are you talking about.”

What is she saying?

Horrified, I slightly distanced myself from Sera. But Sera also moved her chair, coming closer to where I was.

After this happened a few times, I was cornered against the wall, and Sera listened to the lecture while half-embracing me.

Even though I thought “This is annoying,” somehow I found myself comfortable with this pressure. This feeling of disliking yet liking it, what could it be?

“…Ourr is small, so it’s nice to hug you.”

“I’m definitely going to grow bigger.”