Ch.42Chapter 42

Another day passed without incident, and before I knew it, it was a weekday.

It was time to leave behind the incredibly comfortable short-sleeved attire and return to my uniform. Instead of the fluttering fabric, I was now covered in a thick material that seemed to wrap stiffly around my body. Whether it was because of the sleeves that were large enough to cover my hands, I definitely felt heavier.

I jumped up and down in place, and the uniform that had been awkwardly hanging on my shoulders straightened out a bit. As I rolled up my sleeves, the Professor, wearing her coat, looked at me.

“I should probably stop wearing such thick clothes soon. Don’t you think, Ourr?”

“…Then what should I wear?”

“Maybe just the shirt underneath?”

“Hmm…”

I gently placed my hand on the white shirt visible between the open jacket. I could feel the touch directly against it.

I remembered a time when I wasn’t wearing anything underneath, and my body and chest grew, revealing what was inside. I frowned, hesitated, and let out a small groan.

I should probably wear something underneath, I thought worriedly as I glanced at the Professor.

But when the Professor made me wear something underneath before, it was extremely uncomfortable. Would it be any different now?

I still had time to think. Considering the bare skin under the shirt, I furrowed my brow. After mumbling for a while, I cautiously spoke up.

“Professor…”

“Yes?”

“Should I wear something underneath?”

The Professor seemed to ponder what I meant for a while after hearing my question. Then, not long after, as if realizing what I was talking about, her eyes sparkled as she clapped her hands together.

“Ah! That’s right! If you’re going to dress lightly from now on, you should definitely dress lightly, right?”

“…I guess so.”

Though I was the one who asked, I wasn’t particularly pleased with the answer, so my lips pouted. After thinking for a while, I let out a sigh with slumped shoulders.

It felt like giving up.

“Then I guess I’ll have to wear something…”

“Let’s go buy it today!”

The Professor, seemingly in a good mood, hummed as she picked me up and hugged me tightly.

Lifted suddenly, I let out a surprised “Huh?” And just like that, I was carried outside the house.

Whether it was out of concern for others’ eyes or not, she put me down by the time we reached the elevator. I had been terrified thinking we were heading straight to the Academy like this, so I sighed in relief as I calmed my heart.

As I exhaled a quiet “phew,” the Professor suddenly looked at her phone with a serious expression.

“…What’s wrong?”

I couldn’t help but ask, seeing the Professor’s expression turn so grave. When I cautiously asked while reading her mood, her gaze wavered and turned toward me.

“Ah, well… It seems the Professor suddenly has something to attend to.”

“Eh? But it’s Monday morning.”

“Yes. …Still, since Ourr can move around the Academy on her own, let’s go there together at least.”

Eh.

“Eh…?”

Only surprised sounds escaped my mouth twice in a row.

I couldn’t help but make a dumbfounded expression at the Professor’s sudden announcement that she needed to leave me at the Academy to attend to some business.

As I looked at the Professor with a mix of surprise and bewilderment, she apologized to me several times and took me to the Academy.

She had suddenly left for work before, but I didn’t expect her to have urgent business again so abruptly, so my confusion didn’t easily subside.

The Professor instructed me not to leave the Academy grounds and then quickly left. Left alone in the Research Lab, I quietly sat in a chair.

There was supposed to be a lecture for second-year students on Monday morning, and I wasn’t sure if they would be happy or sad about the sudden free period, which made me feel awkward.

Well, the Professor would handle it.

With my day suddenly cleared, I sat in my chair with a blank expression, waiting for the Professor. It wasn’t like I had more time to spend with the Professor since there were no lectures, nor did I have more time to spend at home.

So I eventually took out my phone.

“What are you all doing?”

After sending a voice message, replies came back almost instantly.

[Resting since I have a morning free period.]

[On my way to school. Going to borrow some books from the library.]

Aria and Karen replied. Seeing that one person hadn’t read the message, it seemed Sera was probably still sleeping.

Sera was sleeping, Aria was at home, and Karen was on her way to school. I could tell all three were skilled enough to arrange free periods on Monday mornings.

By the way, it seemed unusual that Karen would come to school early for the library despite having created a Monday morning free period.

Is Karen the Demon God instead of me? Well, that’s not how one becomes a Demon God, but still, such peculiar behavior seemed out of the ordinary.

After groaning quietly, I held my phone silently.

“Since the Professor suddenly had something to do, should I go to the library too?”

I thought it would be fine as long as I didn’t leave the Academy grounds, so maybe I could hang out with Karen.

[Oh, you’re coming, Ourr? That’s fine with me. I’ll read books with you too.]

Karen happily replied to my question. At least I’m not being treated poorly everywhere. It felt good to know someone welcomed me, and the corners of my mouth curled up.

Just like taking a bus, you can use the warp point by tapping your card. I could take a bus if I wanted to save money. But since I said I was coming, it wouldn’t take Karen long to arrive.

After considering various options, I checked that my ID badge was properly around my neck and hopped off the chair.

Then my phone made a notification sound.

[Hey, I want to come too. The library, right?]

Aria seemed to have changed her mind upon hearing that Karen and I were meeting, and after sending a message saying she’d come right away, she went silent.

Not much time had passed. I was standing at the main entrance of the library inside the Academy. I had habitually come here because Karen always used this entrance.

I absentmindedly looked up at the massive building. I sent a voice message to the Professor. When I told her I’d be at the library with Karen and Aria, she sent back a cute emoticon with heart eyes.

Even without trying to decipher it or having someone explain it to me, I could tell what her response meant. I chuckled.

“Ourr! Did you wait long?”

“No, I just got here.”

I waved my hand at the sight of Karen.

The blue color complementing the white uniform was definitely pretty. I almost wanted to tug on the Professor’s clothes and ask her to buy me one. Of course, I had no intention of throwing such a tantrum.

After all, I had my own allowance.

“Karen.”

“Yes?”

“How much does an Academy uniform cost?”

“…Oh, good question.”

Karen thought for a moment and then slightly spread two fingers.

“Two? Twenty thousand?”

“No, two hundred.”

“Ah, um…?”

The uniform costs two hundred?

As I froze in place, Karen burst into laughter and spoke to me.

“How could a uniform cost twenty thousand? Two hundred is expensive enough.”

Karen’s response made my brain freeze.

If her reaction is that twenty thousand is too expensive, then two hundred doesn’t mean two hundred thousand. Ah, right, I’ve been living without knowing the currency unit here.

I took out the money I had received from the Professor again. Even though I had received money, I hadn’t checked how much it was. Even if I had planned to give it to Karen, not checking the amount was a mistake.

Whether it was because the Professor had been handling financial matters for me, making me complacent, or because I was planning to give it to Karen and didn’t care about the amount, I decided I should definitely find out this time, so I focused my eyes.

I took out the crumpled money and carefully read the numbers.

“One, two, three…”

Twelve in three bills, five in four bills. A total of fifty. I held it quietly and looked at Karen.

“I have fifty Riel.”

While I was fidgeting with the money, Karen seemed to have been counting along, as she chuckled.

“Riel?”

“It’s the currency unit. You didn’t know?”

“…I didn’t. So this is Riel.”

I absentmindedly fiddled with the money.

So I have a quarter of what I need to buy a uniform. That’s far from enough. I sighed, thinking that since I wasn’t a child receiving an allowance, the uniform might be just a dream.

Besides, it would look strange if I bought a uniform. Given that I was currently classified as equipment, wearing a student uniform would look odd, and even if I did wear one, the question of what color to use would remain, so I could only let out a deep sigh.

“Do you want to wear a uniform, Ourr?”

“Hmm, no. I was curious, but not anymore.”

I shook my head.

“Why?”

“…I want to be friends with everyone, but I think it would be difficult if I were assigned to a specific year.”

“Really? I think what you’re wearing now is cute too.”

Karen patted my head as I clutched the money tightly.

“By the way, you came with your hair down today? Want me to brush it for you?”

“Yes.”

I nodded. Karen then took out a brush from her bag and showed it to me. It was the expensive-looking brush that Aria had given her before.

“My sister kept wanting to take it, but when I told her I got it from a senior, she quieted down. So I’m able to carry it around.”

“You have a sister?”

“Yes. I have a younger sister. She keeps me busy. Maybe it’s because she’s at that age… Just a moment.”

Karen lowered herself and brushed my hair. Perhaps because I had just roughly dried it after washing it yesterday and then lounged around, it was slightly tangled.

My head was pulled back each time Karen brushed my hair.

“Karen, ow!”

“Ah, sorry.”

“No, it’s okay… my hair is tangled… ow!”

“…Sorry, it’s really tangled.”

With my head tilted back again mid-sentence, I turned my head and stared at Karen. Karen made a genuinely apologetic expression. Meanwhile, her hands were showing her palms as if telling me to calm down.

“…These things happen.”

Since her intentions weren’t bad, there was no reason to blame her. I closed my eyes again and started receiving Karen’s brushing. The gesture, which had become noticeably gentler and softer than before, made me feel good.

“Ourr, Karen!”

“Ah, it’s Aria.”

By the time I thought my hair was quite organized, Aria, who had hurriedly put on her school uniform, waved her hand. The third-year uniform mixed with black caught my eye.

“Ah, senior. Hello!”

“…You can call me unnie. It’s all the same once I graduate anyway.”

“Shouldn’t I be more respectful after you graduate?”

“Is that so?”

While Aria and Karen were exchanging greetings, I rolled my eyes toward the brush stuck in my hair. I couldn’t see it, but I could definitely feel the sensation of the brush tickling my scalp.

“Karen, are you done with the brush? Can I take it out?”

“Ah, no. I’ll finish it up.”

“Okay.”

As I nodded and waited, Aria glanced at me and quietly reached out her hand.

“Then can I help too? It’ll be easier to read books in the library if we organize your hair.”

“Ah, I have a tie.”

Karen took out a rubber band from her pocket and held it out. Seeing that, Aria nodded and took one.

“Um, the library…?”

After glancing at Aria and Karen, who had started focusing on touching my hair, I cautiously asked.

“In a little while…”

“I just got here, so I’ll just touch it a little.”

But they started concentrating as if their original purpose wasn’t the library at all. Well, Aria’s purpose wasn’t the library to begin with.

As I received the attention of both of them, I had to endure the stares of people coming and going to the library. So I felt a little embarrassed.