Ch.4Chapter 4

The Professor handed me a pamphlet. It was an Academy admission guide.

When I opened it, there was nothing unusual—just a map of the Academy’s interior, information about departments, and schedules. Since it was almost March, I assumed they would distribute these to incoming students.

As I looked through it quietly, I noticed there was a festival in May.

“Fes…tival…”

I hadn’t seen one last year. Since the Professor had been taking me everywhere, I didn’t really remember attending any Academy events.

I pressed my upper body against the desk and started reading the interesting text in the pamphlet. The Professor, who had been sitting at her office desk, subtly moved closer to me.

“Ourr, do you want to see the festival?”

“…I’m just curious about what they do.”

Would they invite celebrities or something? What do they do at festivals? As I tilted my head wondering about these things, the Professor placed her hand gently on my head and moved closer.

She seemed to want a closer look at the pamphlet in my hands.

“Oh, you were just looking at the calendar. Hmm, we couldn’t see it last year because I was busy taking you around…”

“……”

“Then let’s go see it when we have time later. If you have friends by then, you can go with them.”

“…Friends?”

I stared blankly at the Professor. I felt sweat trickling down at the mention of the word “friends.”

I fluttered my twice-folded sleeves, trying to make a point to the Professor. Looking like this, people would see me as a little sister rather than a friend.

Besides, if I kept moving from class to class with the Professor, people would obviously think of me as a Demon God or just equipment, rather than a potential friend.

I couldn’t imagine becoming close with anyone. Moreover, remembering how people trembled in fear when they first saw me in this world, I thought it might be awkward until they got used to me.

Even if they did adjust, they probably wouldn’t want to be around me. Only strong people like the Professor could be around me without feeling threatened.

“Smile~ No negative thoughts.”

The Professor grabbed my cheeks and stretched them, trying to relax my expression. I surrendered to her touch as she kneaded my cheeks like rice cakes, pinching and massaging them in circles.

“…By the way, what do you teach, Professor?”

“About Demon Gods? And also Demon God magic theory.”

She held up two fingers.

I knew she was teaching something about Demon Gods. She said she was using me as equipment, so it would be strange if I didn’t know that much. But I didn’t know the details. This was the first time I was learning about it specifically.

It was different from the university life I knew. Even for majors, this fantasy world seemed to have some unique structure.

I wondered if subjects like mathematics were taught elsewhere. Seeing that magic and swordsmanship were the main focus, it seemed possible.

As I clutched the fluttering paper and let out a small groan, the Professor took something out of her pocket.

“Come to think of it, I had something to give you.”

“?”

She placed something beside me. When I sat up to see what it was, I realized it was an ID badge to wear around my neck.

She had asked me to take a photo before, and now I could see it was attached to something with writing on it.

“…What does this say? Equipment?”

“No, it says ‘Ourr.'”

The Professor shook her head. I stared at the letters for a long time.

Ourr. So that’s how it’s written.

As I fiddled with the badge, the Professor patted my head once.

“From now on, wear this around your neck when you’re with me.”

“…Okay. Does this work as an ID card too?”

“I think so? But you won’t be able to do much with Ourr’s card.”

Well, whether it worked as an ID card or not, I could always use the Professor’s card if needed, so there was no need to insist on using mine. I was just amazed to have a badge with my name on it.

I put it around my neck and glanced down at the badge resting on my chest.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s okay, I guess.”

“Good enough.”

The Professor smiled and returned to her seat.

“Ah, students will be coming in soon. I barely finished accepting course registrations.”

The Professor said this while stretching. Seeing her like that made me realize that the entrance ceremony was approaching.

Time passed, and soon the university entrance ceremony arrived. When I entered the Academy through the warp point, the streets were filled with a different kind of bustle than before.

People who lived nearby seemed to have driven cars, perhaps because they didn’t have warp points to use.

“Want to go out and see?”

As I was watching through the research lab window, the Professor suggested it first. I hesitated for a moment before nodding.

When we went outside, there was a different kind of pressure than what I felt watching from afar. The Academy’s main gate boasted a width of two lanes in each direction. Despite using two lanes as sidewalks, the sight of people packed tightly together was impressive.

They wore Academy uniforms, but it seemed like they could choose the design, as there wasn’t just one style.

Some people dressed neatly like in formal suits, while others wore long coats. The same was true for women. I never dreamed there could be so many variations of a simple top and skirt combination.

Perhaps the uniform was just a formality, and the arrangement was up to the individual. I kept looking around, captivated by the various combinations of white and blue. Of course, people also stared at me as they passed by.

Was I looking strange in a uniform different from the regular Academy uniform? Most people just glanced at me as they passed, but among them, a familiar voice approached.

“Professor! Hello!! Ah, hello Ourr!”

“Did you enjoy the book I gave you?”

“Yes, thanks to you, Professor.”

It was Karen, whom I had met before. The black-haired, red-eyed girl. She was previously an incoming student, but now I suppose she should be called an official student. I raised my hand slightly to greet Karen as she approached.

Karen had chosen a jacket instead of a cardigan.

“The entrance ceremony is about to start. Is Ourr coming to watch too?”

Karen asked the Professor, not me. She seemed to understand that the Professor was my guardian and that I needed her permission to move around.

“No, I…”

“Do you want to go?”

I was about to decline, thinking there wouldn’t be anything special about an entrance ceremony. I wasn’t even a student, so I didn’t feel obligated to be there, but the Professor looked down at me with a bright smile.

Seeing that expression, I turned my head with an “umm.”

“Even though it’s an entrance ceremony…”

“It’s important to experience these things together.”

The Professor said this while gently grabbing my sleeve. It meant she wanted me to go.

“Shall we go together then?”

“Sure, which way do we go?”

“It’s over there. I’ll guide you.”

Karen pointed to a building in the distance with a bright smile. It certainly looked massive enough to accommodate many people.

The size of the auditorium, built in a tiered style so that many people could see the stage, was indescribably large.

New students filled the seats one by one. I heard that the valedictorian and salutatorian would take seats at the very front, which made the people sitting in the front row seem impressive.

I felt a sense of awe, wondering how much effort it would take to be the top student among so many people.

Would such students become professors when they grew up?

“Where do you want to sit, Ourr?”

“I can just stand at the back and watch.”

“Should I give you a piggyback ride then?”

“…No thanks.”

The Professor occasionally made jokes that couldn’t just be laughed off.

She’s joking, right? Offering a piggyback ride to someone wearing a skirt.

“I’m kidding.”

The Professor placed her hand on my head with a tap. I don’t know why she kept putting her hand on my unkempt, rough hair. Of course, I did tend to avoid it when she offered to help with it.

“Why doesn’t Ourr take care of her hair…”

The Professor’s hand brushed through my hair. She seemed to be trying to smooth down the stray strands.

“It takes too long because my hair is so long…?”

“But you should still take care of it. Wow, look how it reaches all the way to your hips.”

Meanwhile, Karen, who apparently hadn’t taken her seat yet, was observing my hair beside me.

“…Karen, don’t you need to sit down?”

“There are plenty of seats, and I can sit anywhere.”

Karen grinned and followed the Professor’s lead by reaching out to touch my hair. My hair was long, but I didn’t expect it to become such a point of interest.

When I was just with the Professor, I only felt like an assistant or something curious. But with Karen added, it felt strange to be looked at in a different way.

I shook my head from side to side to shake off both their hands.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

“Please, stop now…”

I covered my head to prevent them from touching it. The Professor, who had withdrawn her hand, seemed embarrassed and gave an awkward smile.

“Sorry, sorry. It just feels comforting to touch it.”

“It’s really comforting…”

Unlike the Professor, Karen removed her hand with a disappointed expression.

“Well, since Ourr is here, I should sit here.”

Karen seemed to think it was time to sit down and turned her head. But she didn’t go far. Since I, not being a student, refused to sit, Karen took the very back seat closest to me and glanced back.

“There will be plenty of empty seats anyway. Won’t you sit down?”

She patted the seat next to her, urging me to sit. I mumbled hesitantly. When I glanced up at the Professor, she nodded as if to say it was okay.

My legs were starting to ache from standing for so long. Conscious of those around me, I slipped into the seat next to Karen.

As soon as I sat down, I pulled up my skirt and adjusted my belt.

“…Safe.”

“What are you doing…?”

As I sighed in relief, Karen, who had been watching quietly, asked.

I realized my mistake and turned my head. After briefly making eye contact with her, I pouted and whispered so only she could hear.

“The, the skirt keeps slipping down…”

“Come to think of it, you always wear big clothes.”

I turned my head sharply. I didn’t see any reason to explain my circumstances further, so I decided to save my words.

No, if I end up walking around as equipment for Demon God classes, will this secret be exposed quickly?

After pondering briefly, I took a deep breath and spoke.

“Actually, I’m a bit big…?”

I gestured as if to say I was tall, had a large chest, long limbs, and had been through such a phase. Karen chuckled.

“You’re so cute.”

It seemed she wasn’t really listening to what I was saying.