Ch.53Chapter 53

Evening had fallen. Today, my phone was suddenly flooded with notifications.

The cause was simply Sera uploading photos to the chat room of me wearing pajamas in front of the Professor during lunch. No need to analyze where it came from.

A bundle of photos. Most were solo shots of me.

They were records of me following Sera’s instructions to strike poses. I was speechless when I saw she’d also uploaded photos of me making threatening poses as if stalking mouse-like Sera.

I was starting to see the results of my reading practice, as I could understand some of it. Following the chat in real-time was still challenging—I had to pause and read messages in sequence, which was frustrating.

I wiggled my fingers and saved the photos from the chat.

Humming, I browsed through my gallery. The Professor, who had brought over some food, glanced at my screen.

“Ourr, you received the photos?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Mmm, super cute.”

I stared at the animal pajama photos while wearing the animal pajamas Sera had given me.

The white t-shirt and Dolphin Shorts the Professor gave me were nice too, but I thought this outfit would be fine for wearing around the house, as long as I wasn’t going to the convenience store or something.

I couldn’t wear this all the time, but maybe for a few days?

While looking at the photos, I fiddled with the tail attached to my bottom.

“Let’s eat, Ourr.”

“Yes.”

I nodded and picked up my fork.

After a day passed, I made it through Friday morning without incident, but then my energy dropped a bit.

It was because Aria had scolded Sera for taking photos during lunch yesterday. Sera protested that it just happened that way, and they eventually reached an agreement that involved bathing together later.

It sounds simple when summarized, but considering it took hours to reach that conclusion, I already shuddered at the thought.

I understand that close friends bicker, but listening to them go back and forth on one topic while stuck in the middle was somewhat torturous for me.

Recalling how they only stopped when I frowned and pouted, I thought I should make that expression again next time.

Friday afternoon, after having lunch with the Professor.

I had a study group, but remembering I hadn’t greeted Lenya last week, I deliberately followed the Professor to the graduate student classroom.

“Lenya, hello?”

I waved at Lenya, whose purple bob haircut was striking. She waved back.

“Ourr, you didn’t come last week but you’re here this time?”

“Well, I’m doing a study group at the Academy.”

“Oh. So you decided to study there?”

“Yes, I decided to study reading there.”

Lenya listened attentively, making it comfortable for me to continue speaking.

“Really? How much have you done?”

“I can read chat messages now. But not if they scroll too fast.”

I gave a dry “hehe” laugh.

I’d said I could do something, but the fact that it was still rudimentary somewhat dampened my confidence.

Hearing my voice that seemed both confident and not, Lenya chuckled.

“So speed reading is still difficult? That’s too bad. If you could read quickly later, you could read papers like me.”

“Papers?”

“Yes. Though even as a first-year, this is challenging.”

Lenya waved some papers that were set aside next to her. When I stared at them, she handed them to me, saying I could read them.

“Research… on… the aura of Demon Gods?”

“Exactly.”

Lenya pointed at me with her index finger, as if to say I’d read it correctly. I nodded along, pleased that she said I read well.

But why research on Demon God auras? Didn’t she say before that she wanted to create an Original?

Puzzled, I tilted my head.

“Lenya, didn’t you say before that you wanted to make something called an Original?”

“Did I? Why?”

“Then what’s this? Is this an Original?”

“Ah. That’s me trying to research the Professor’s Original.”

Lenya shook her head, explaining that wasn’t it.

“An Original is a concept of magic that other magic composition departments can’t easily replicate, kind of like a patented magic. Many of these are derived from Demon Gods. Since our Professor’s Original also came from researching Demon God auras, I’m studying this to follow in those footsteps.”

After saying that, Lenya slumped her shoulders.

“That’s what I say, but honestly it’s tough. Being a first-year, I have my own studies to do, plus helping with the Professor’s research… Though I suppose I’m fortunate to see something while assisting with the research…”

Lenya laughed weakly.

It seemed she had thoroughly tasted the bitterness of graduate school during the week I hadn’t seen her. Or rather, it had been two weeks, so perhaps that was to be expected.

I thought about how difficult it must be to balance study and research. By comparison, the Professor, having finished her studies, could focus more comfortably on research.

I gazed quietly at Lenya.

So an Original is like patenting difficult magic? Does that mean others can follow it if they pay royalties? Various questions came to mind.

I decided to ask the Professor later and quietly asked Lenya:

“Then what kind of Original do you want to make?”

“Well… honestly, as a first-year, even if I want to make something, circumstances aren’t favorable. Unless it can produce immediate results, I can’t overlap with topics that seniors or other professors are working on, and I have to choose topics excluding what’s already been done, so there’s surprisingly little left. Now I’m wondering if I need to use my creativity to make something.”

Hearing Lenya’s concerns pouring out, I felt tired just listening.

I made a small sound and fidgeted with my mouth while checking her reaction.

I wasn’t exactly sure how Originals were treated. Whether anyone could use them by paying royalties, or if information disclosure was free—these were my questions.

If it was common for individuals to monopolize them and keep the designs confidential, there would be no reason for me to mention the Professor’s magic. Well, I didn’t know the details anyway.

Seeing Lenya’s many worries, I wanted to help a little.

“How about this?”

“What?”

“I want to grow bigger.”

I waved my arms. The loosely folded sleeves rattled and came undone. Seeing the sleeves covering my hands flapping along my arms, she smiled bitterly.

Recalling our previous conversation, Lenya smiled.

“That’s right. Ourr, you said you wanted to grow bigger. How much bigger do you want to be?”

“Umm…”

I had no sense of how big I should be.

I let out a small groan, unsure whether size should be measured by age or body size.

If I knew this body’s original age, I could at least give an approximate age. Having some specific measurements would make it easier to approach when researching—these thoughts narrowed my brow.

What I didn’t know, I didn’t know. If no one recorded when I was born, and if even I didn’t care about my birth date, I could easily forget my age.

So how could I possibly know this?

In the end, my way of explaining to Lenya became a bit silly.

“I want to be this tall.”

I stretched my hand upward slightly. Lenya’s gaze followed upward.

“And with a chest this big?”

I moved my hands in a round shape. Lenya tilted her head. Then a smile formed.

“Ourr, is the reason you want to become an adult because you want bigger breasts? If you’re curious what it feels like, would you like to touch?”

“…No, that’s not it…”

It seemed she misunderstood, thinking I wanted to become an adult because I wanted bigger breasts, when actually my chest was originally big.

I stumbled over my words trying to add an explanation to the distorted interpretation. Lenya nodded as if it was fine, then took my hand that was hovering in the air and placed it on her chest.

“Is… is this okay…?”

I was bewildered. Not having had occasion to touch someone’s chest, I felt perplexed.

Not knowing what to do, I tried to gently pull my hand away, and Lenya quietly released her grip.

“What’s the big deal? It’s not like it’ll wear out. So Ourr, you want to have a chest like this when you grow up, right?”

Seeing her giggling, I was at a loss for words.

My hand still seemed to tingle with the soft sensation. When I lowered it slightly, I felt something hard—probably her bra—but the soft feeling of another person’s body remained too vividly.

“…Well, I was originally big, but anyway, that’s how big I want to be.”

I continued, flustered. Lenya nodded with a benevolent smile, as if she understood everything.

“Later, when I become famous after creating my Original, I’ll research the magic you want too. …By then, will Ourr have already become a pretty unni?”

“Unni…”

If you put it that way, I’m already an unni.

I looked at Lenya quietly. She seemed to enjoy making eye contact with me and chuckled.

“Oh, right. You mentioned a chat room. Do you have a phone, Ourr?”

“Yes.”

“Then would you like to exchange numbers with me?”

I couldn’t help but admire Lenya’s skillfulness in diligently collecting my number amidst all this.

I handed over my phone. After exchanging contacts and adding me to a chat room, Lenya gasped.

“Ourr, what’s with your profile picture?”

Startled by my cat pajama profile picture, Lenya looked at me with surprised eyes.

“Why… why? A friend gave it to me as a gift. Is it strange?”

“Strange? It’s super cute! Can you wear it here sometime?”

“That would be a bit much for the academy.”

Sera had given it to me as a gift, and I’d wondered if it didn’t suit me, but apparently that wasn’t the case.

Still, I couldn’t do that in a place with other people around.