Ch.29Chapter 29

After spending time with the Professor here and there, I’ve come to realize that Wednesday is the most boring day of the week.

Unlike with other years, I didn’t have much opportunity to get close with the second-year students who were about to receive their degrees. They had already chosen their thesis topics and needed to focus on their chosen subjects through the second and third semesters, so there wasn’t really a place for me to fit in.

It’s not like I needed someone to specifically call out “Ourr!” to me, but I couldn’t help wishing for someone like Sera or Karen who would pretend to be friendly and treat me like a friend.

Well, if not, what can I do?

Being a Demon God, it’s a bit awkward for me to approach others first, so I just have to wait in the background for lectures to end.

I sat alone in the corner, scribbling letters on paper. More than anything else, I seemed to be memorizing food menus first. Looking at it this way, I worried I might appear like a pig only interested in food, but fortunately—or unfortunately—no one paid any attention to me.

Only the Professor would occasionally pass by and glance my way. I’d respond with a bright smile. Honestly, there wasn’t much else I could do.

As time passed and the Professor’s lecture was ending, my phone suddenly buzzed.

“…That startled me.”

It was unusual for my phone, which normally only rang at home, to ring right as the lecture ended. The fact that it was in my chest pocket made the surprise even worse.

I took out my phone and lightly rubbed my ticklish chest through my clothes. When I glanced at the screen, it said “Karen.”

Was she calling ahead of tomorrow’s lecture?

“Hello?”

As I put the phone to my ear, the Professor, who was approaching through the dispersing students, looked at me quietly. I mouthed “Ka-ren” to the Professor, who nodded in understanding.

[Oh, you answered quickly! Aren’t you in a lecture?]

“No, it just ended.”

[Really? What a coincidence. So, about tomorrow’s lecture… I was wondering if you’d like to go to the library with me now?]

“Now? The library?”

I didn’t mind, but was she always this studious? Ah, right, she was.

I remembered how she had wanted to borrow books even before the semester started. I hummed thoughtfully and glanced toward the Professor.

“Just a moment… Professor!”

I scurried over to the Professor with my phone in both hands, and the Professor looked at me quietly.

“What is it? Is something wrong?”

“Can I meet with Karen and come back later? She wants to go to the library.”

“Hmm, then I’ll come along too. I’ll look at other books, so just call me when you’re done. We can meet at the entrance.”

“Got it. Karen, it’s okay!”

The Professor readily gave permission. Since this wasn’t just a quick errand but a longer outing, the Professor promised to accompany me but made it clear we wouldn’t be together the whole time.

This way, Karen wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable either.

[Really? Then let’s meet at the library entrance! Ah, the main entrance!]

“Okay, I’ll head over as soon as I’m ready.”

I put my phone away after saying that.

“Professor.”

“Alright, alright. I’m coming, I’m coming.”

The Professor packed up quickly with a wry smile.

We left the Research Building and headed toward the library. The Academy’s library was so vast it was called a treasure trove of knowledge. It always filled me with awe.

It felt like all the books in the world were gathered there.

When we arrived, Karen, who was leaning against the wall next to the door, noticed me and waved.

“Hi!”

Her black hair swayed gracefully. I waved back at the sight.

“Hi.”

“Ourr, enjoy your time with your friend and call me later, okay?”

“Yes!”

The Professor gently patted my head, exchanged brief greetings with Karen, and entered the library first. It would definitely be difficult to find someone in there without calling.

“But why the library?”

After the Professor disappeared, I looked up at Karen and asked. As I tilted my head, Karen fidgeted awkwardly as if embarrassed to explain.

“Well, you see, my family doesn’t have much money. So borrowing books is much better than buying them. And the Academy’s books are more specialized than those in public libraries.”

“Oh… sorry.”

“No, it’s fine! I wanted to tell you. I just… don’t have friends to talk to.”

Karen scratched her head. Her expression looked somewhat bitter. As I watched her, my chest ached for some reason, and I couldn’t help but stare.

“Why don’t you have friends to talk to?”

“…Hmm.”

“Then play with me.”

I reached out my hand slightly.

I already knew how painful it was to endure loneliness.

But someone like Karen seemed like she’d make a good friend, so I wondered why she said she had no friends. Honestly, I thought people would want to hang out with her just because she’s pretty.

Maybe there was something holding her back.

“I’d like that.”

Karen gently took my hand. After a solemn handshake, we entered the library. The space opened up before us. Looking at all the books spread around beyond the checkout counter, I felt overwhelmed about where to start.

It was nice coming with Karen, but places like this always made me feel momentarily lost.

“…Karen, where should we go first?”

“There’s a search terminal over there. Let’s start there.”

“Oh, I see… No wonder you found books so quickly before.”

I had wondered how she did it, but it seemed she had looked up the books when I wasn’t watching. And then when she found out she couldn’t borrow them, she caught me as I was leaving after borrowing my books.

Hmm, hmm. So that’s what happened. I nodded in understanding.

I heard the sound of keyboard typing. Karen checked if a book was available with a serious expression, then printed out a memo from a small printer.

Karen started finding her way using the paper. At the end of our journey, Karen held a book with a hard cover.

“What’s that? Demon God…?”

I recalled the words “Demon God.” Karen seemed embarrassed again and slightly hid the book.

“It’s to prepare for tomorrow’s lecture.”

“That’s impressive for the beginning of the semester.”

“You think so? …Well, I need to work hard to get a scholarship.”

“Come to think of it, you’re a first-year, right?”

I looked at the books on the shelves.

“Do they have a welcome party for freshmen?”

“…I think so?”

“Have you been?”

“No, they said there would be one, but I said I wouldn’t go.”

“Huh, why?”

When I looked at Karen, she made a bitter expression.

“Well, since I don’t have money, I thought I couldn’t handle drinking and stuff there.”

“…Oh.”

“So yeah, when kids asked me to hang out, I said I couldn’t go, and that kept happening.”

Karen clicked her tongue and seemed to want to change the subject, so she showed me the book she had been hiding behind her back.

“Want to see this? It’s a book about the characteristics of Demon Gods. Don’t you think it goes perfectly with the ‘About Demon Gods’ lecture? Could you look at it and explain it to me?”

“I think the Professor would explain it better. Besides, I can’t read.”

“Really? That’s too bad.”

Karen flipped through the pages. She seemed to have found something interesting and scanned it with her eyes.

“Demon Gods live eternally… They break the rule that everything with a beginning must have an end. This is the first rule that Demon Gods break. However, the methods of living eternally vary. Some simply live forever, while others extend their lives by stealing the lifespans of others. Although not much has been discovered yet, there are basically two types.”

After reciting this, she asked a question.

“Which type are you, Ourr?”

“Me?”

Which type am I?

“I don’t know.”

“…Then I guess you’re the type that just lives eternally?”

“You think so? I don’t know.”

“Haha, actually I don’t know either. Even if Demon Gods live forever, humans only live a human lifespan and that’s it.”

Karen closed the book with a thud. I watched her quietly for a moment, then made a suggestion.

“Karen, want to go to the welcome party?”

“Huh?”

She might think poorly of me for suggesting this despite her earlier explanation of why she couldn’t go.

“I’ll talk to the Professor about it!”

But I have my ways.

“Ah, no, it’s fine. Just asking you to borrow books for me was already a big imposition…”

“Trust me!”

“…Really, you don’t have to.”

Karen tried to stop me, flustered by my outburst. But I couldn’t just watch her being left out without friends, so I decided to help.

A big reason was that she was my first friend at the Academy.

“Hey! Please be quiet in the library!”

“I-I’m sorry…”

Startled, I immediately shrank back.

After parting with Karen, I returned home with the Professor. Sitting on the sofa, the Professor spoke with a troubled voice.

“…You want allowance? What for?”

“I, I want to go to the welcome party too!”

“Welcome party? Karen is going to the welcome party?”

When I nodded, the Professor crossed her legs. She seemed concerned about something.

Kneeling, I sensed the atmosphere wasn’t going well, so I just lay down on the floor.

“Please give me allowance…!”

“Ourr!”

“Waaaaaah!”

The Professor scolded me, asking where I learned such behavior, and smacked my bottom with her palm. It hurt so much I couldn’t help but cry out.