Ch.60Chapter 60

I remembered what happened with the Professor and shuddered. Trying to recall that tingling sensation gave me a strange feeling, so I quickly shook my head to clear it away.

When I quietly looked at Sera, she rested her chin on her hand and smiled contentedly.

“I love talking about these things with Ourr because your reactions are so cute.”

“…So was that thesis thing just a joke?”

“Kind of, don’t you think? You’re the only Demon God who’s friendly with humans, so if I wrote a thesis about it, it would basically become a diary of Ourr’s sex life.”

“Ugh.”

Come to think of it, she was right.

If someone asked how she would prove it or what evidence she had, Sera would undoubtedly respond without hesitation, “Well, Ourr told me so.”

This was supposed to be an Academy graduation thesis, and the professors who would read it definitely knew who I was. I became troubled thinking that if they happened to notice it later, it would be awkward.

What if they thought of that thesis whenever they saw me?

I turned pale and grabbed Sera’s arm.

“Please, anything but that…”

I was fine being considered equipment or whatever. I was satisfied just having the right to move around inside the Academy whether the Professor was there or not. It felt like adding something to my previously boring daily routine.

But writing a thesis about this was a different story. I grimaced at the thought that professors I might encounter somewhere could think such things about me.

“No, no…! I’m not that kind of person, really!”

When I clutched at her while whimpering, Sera raised her voice in surprise and grabbed my hands.

Her startled gaze scanned my face. She gently took my desperately clutching hands and stroked my head with her other hand.

“It’s true. I won’t sell you out just to graduate. I may seem like a slacker, but I actually study like an honor student.”

Sera’s thumb pointed at herself confidently. I couldn’t help but stare at her self-assured display.

Just then, Aria entered through the door and let out a snicker.

“All the honor students must have frozen to death.”

“Shut up, Miss Fifth-in-the-Department.”

“Hey.”

Sera pointed her finger at Aria. Hearing herself called fifth in the department, Aria gave Sera a serious look.

Karen, who was following behind, looked Aria up and down in surprise.

“F-fifth place?”

“Oh right, Karen hasn’t taken the exams yet, so you wouldn’t know.”

“Ahaha… Well, yes. For now, I’m just aiming for grades good enough to get a scholarship. The national scholarship.”

When Aria glanced at Karen, Karen scratched her head embarrassedly and gave a bitter smile. It was impressive how she specifically mentioned the national scholarship, probably to avoid any misunderstanding about merit scholarships that might make her feel more embarrassed.

Staring at her, Aria shook her head at Sera.

“I think a true honor student should also have the attitude of one. Sera, you don’t.”

“Is that so? Hmm~”

Sera narrowed her eyes and shrugged.

Whether she was an honor student or not, she seemed not to care from the beginning. She glanced at me, and after confirming that my tearful expression had disappeared, she played with my cheek.

“By the way, where’s the Professor?”

“She went out for a bit to set up a study group club room for us. She said she’d definitely make time for us on Friday afternoons when we can all meet.”

When Aria sat down and casually asked, Sera answered fluently on my behalf.

This was good news for those studying at a table in the corner of the Professor’s research lab. Aria responded with an “Oh” of admiration, and Karen’s eyes sparkled.

“R-really? Does this mean we can have our own club room and gather people?”

“Well, if it’s spacious enough, we could, but I wonder if anyone would actually join. If Friday is completely free of classes, I doubt anyone would come.”

Sera scratched her cheek.

“Besides, students who want to study will do it on their own anyway. There are already plenty of clubs, so would anyone really want to join a study group?”

Aria leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. Her arm extended slightly. Karen, watching this, smiled regretfully.

“Still, it would be nice to have people to study with…”

“Won’t the study group disappear after a year?”

I let go of Sera and placed both arms on the desk.

All three of them looked at me. I glanced at them and then pointed at Sera and Aria.

“Sera and Aria are third-years, so they won’t be able to come next year, right?”

“That’s true.”

Although everyone knew this fact, actively worrying about it was a different matter. Aria’s gaze, seemingly agreeing with my words, turned toward Karen.

If the seniors disappear and only I, who studies language, remain, the study group can’t be maintained. Clearly aware of this fact, Karen narrowed her shoulders and placed her clasped hands on her thighs.

Trembling slightly, Karen moistened her drying lips as if troubled.

“Y-yes… I don’t have many friends among the first-years… Even though I talk to them sometimes thanks to Ourr, it’s fundamentally difficult to become close… I guess I’m the type who gets along better with seniors.”

Karen scratched her head with a dry laugh.

While she was sad about the study group disappearing, she seemed perplexed by the situation she couldn’t control herself.

Seeing Karen’s regretful expression, Sera and Aria stared at each other as if exchanging opinions.

Finding the momentary silence uncomfortable, I tapped the desk with my hand. At the dry sound, everyone jumped and focused their attention on me.

“I have a friend!”

“Huh?”

While they were making dumbfounded sounds, I pulled out my phone’s contact list.

Besides the Professor, there were Sera, Aria, Karen, and also Lenya and Iris. Since Lenya was an academy student, I thought I could at least invite Iris, so I held out my phone.

“Who do you have?”

“A second-year named Iris…”

I felt confident when I first thought about having a friend, but when I tried to proudly tell everyone, I became embarrassed because I only had one number.

Moreover, she wasn’t even in the same year as Karen, just a friend I met during a different year’s lecture.

Honestly, if I hadn’t followed the Professor to attend lectures for different years, I probably would have ended up with just one friend like Karen. Because of this, my chest, which had almost swelled with pride, shrank back timidly.

As I drooped my shoulders and gently wrapped both hands around my phone, Karen clapped her hands.

“Then if we invite that senior’s friends too, maybe we can somehow maintain the study group…”

“Don’t be so anxious. We have plenty of time, and I’m planning to join Professor Yuria’s lab.”

In response to Karen trying to think ahead, Sera made a calming gesture. Karen stared at her.

“Oh, what do you plan to do in the research lab?”

“Well, the Professor said she’d like me to think about that before coming, but honestly, I want to do so many things. Like Karen, I want to study, and like others, I want to create something original.”

As Sera crossed her legs and pondered seriously, Aria, who was watching her intently, shook her head.

“She’s too greedy.”

“People should be greedy. Without desire, you can’t achieve anything.”

I let out an admiring “Oh.”

My eyes sparkled, and Karen, noticing this, glanced at me.

“Ourr, are you sparkling like that because you want to grow bigger?”

“Ah.”

Hit right on the mark, I froze.

I glanced at Karen, who was chuckling. Aria beside her was also giving me a knowing look.

Feeling self-conscious, I pouted.

“…Maybe.”

“Well, don’t worry too much. Everyone grows bigger with time anyway.”

“That’s right.”

Sera playfully patted my shoulder. Aria nodded in agreement.

It felt strange being treated like a kid who just wanted to grow up quickly. So I jumped to my feet.

The chair clattered backward, and I stood there, clenching my fists and shaking them up and down.

“No! No! I was originally big!”

When I shouted, everyone nodded with smiles, saying, “I see.”

Why did their expressions contradict their words of agreement? I felt annoyed at all of them. As I pouted and huffed, the door suddenly opened with a clunk.

“…Ourr, what’s wrong?”

It was the Professor’s voice.

Startled by the sight of me standing and shouting, the Professor rushed in as soon as she opened the door and looked at me. I stood there awkwardly and scanned the others with my eyes.

Pointing at the three of them, including Sera, who were all smiling kindly, I tattled right away.

“Professor! They don’t believe me! I told them I was originally big…!”

“That could be true. Ourr, you’ll grow soon.”

“Ugh…”

The Professor just brushed it off.

I couldn’t tell if she wanted to hide that I was a special Demon God or if she just wanted to tease me in this moment, so I twitched the corners of my mouth.

“The Professor is mean too.”

When I turned my head away sharply, the Professor immediately ran over and hugged me. Then, with incredible strength, she lifted me up.

“Eek!”

“Why is our Ourr acting like this~?”

In front of everyone, the Professor lifted me and planted kisses on my cheek.

Horrified, I struggled to escape from the Professor’s embrace, but ultimately failed.