Ch.64Chapter 64

Where should I go? This was always a dilemma.

Drinking at the Academy was definitely problematic. If it was just third-years, maybe, but with a first-year involved, it was obvious that Karen would be in an awkward position if they got caught.

But outside the Academy, I couldn’t move freely.

The Professor had designated me as “equipment,” which was fortunate, but that wouldn’t work outside.

I could only guarantee my safety under the Professor’s supervision. So if I wanted to go outside the Academy, I had to be accompanied by the Professor.

But that created another problem: how freely could students enjoy themselves with a professor present?

Students would have to restrain themselves around the Professor, and at the same time, there could be issues of fairness if some students claimed to have personal connections with the Professor.

Thinking about the troublesome future ahead if I chose carelessly, I felt a bit sorry for my situation.

“…Waaaaaah!”

Thursday had arrived, and still no proper solution had emerged.

So I sprawled out in the living room and opened my mouth wide, making crying noises.

“Ourr, what’s wrong?!”

I wasn’t really crying. I was just shouting to express my frustration. My expression hadn’t changed, but the Professor, who was cooking in the kitchen, had no way of knowing that and rushed over to me in surprise.

I lifted my head slightly to watch the Professor running toward me, wiping her hands on her apron.

A moment of silence followed.

“You little!”

“Waaaaaah!”

The Professor, apparently realizing I wasn’t crying but just making noise, rubbed a knuckle against my temple.

Well, I was just making noise, that’s true!

This time, real tears welled up. As I screamed in pain, the Professor warned me.

“No more shouting at night! Understand?”

“Yes, I understand…”

I nodded while holding my head and pouting.

But at this rate, we wouldn’t even be able to decide where to hang out. If the Academy was off-limits, and the Professor’s house would be uncomfortable for everyone, where could we go?

The after-parties with the other students looked fun, and I didn’t want to feel left out by being the only one missing.

I would feel sad watching my friends having fun without me. That’s why I really wanted to join them.

I was the problem making it difficult to choose a location, and I strongly wanted to solve it somehow. But the issue was that nothing could happen without the Professor’s permission.

May would be the festival, so I hoped we could figure something out before April ended.

I wiped away the tears that had formed. Kneeling, I glanced up at the Professor. The Professor looked at me with a much softer expression than before.

“Did it hurt a lot?”

“…Yes.”

I nodded.

The Professor gave a bitter smile.

“I’m only doing this because I want Ourr to develop basic morals and ethics for when you eventually mix with other people, so don’t hate the Professor too much.”

“…Yes.”

I nodded again.

Honestly, even though I often had childish thoughts, I wasn’t lacking in moral or ethical awareness.

The Professor had no way of knowing this and was pouring a lot into me, but I couldn’t say anything. It was awkward to explain. Besides explaining, I wasn’t sure if I could convince her anyway.

Would a being like “me” understand moral concepts? Would “I” have ethical awareness?

According to researchers, the correct judgment would be no.

They said it’s difficult to expect such things from a Demon God who established self-identity without parents, friends, or teachers, but I seemed to be considered an exception.

Anyway, even if “I” didn’t know, I did.

“So what should we do? We need to decide by tomorrow…”

As I fidgeted with my fists on my knees while watching the Professor’s reaction, she rolled her eyes briefly and then sighed.

“…Well, let’s try to decide tomorrow? We have the study group tomorrow, so we can talk about it then, right?”

“……”

I stared blankly.

That seemed reasonable, so I nodded repeatedly. The Professor smiled slightly and helped lift me up.

My kneeling body was lifted lightly, and I was able to stand up straight. In my daze, I remembered how easily Aria had lifted me before, so I asked a question.

“Professor, am I light?”

“Yes, you’re light. Maybe because you don’t gain weight?”

“Hmmmm.”

I tilted my head and made a puzzled expression.

A day passed, and Friday arrived.

In the morning, I followed Sera to attend a lecture. The Professor seemed much happier than before to see me going to learn a bit more about magic.

As I walked with Sera, she reached out her hand.

“Want to hold hands while walking?”

“…Why?”

“Sometimes girls link arms when walking together, but since there’s a height difference between us, this feels like a substitute?”

“Hmm.”

I glanced up at Sera. Indeed, with a head’s difference in height, linking arms would probably be uncomfortable.

Is this what girls normally do? Isn’t it uncomfortable? Why do they do this?

Such thoughts crossed my mind, but I didn’t dwell on them for long.

“Do you like holding hands, Sera?”

“With you, it’s fine.”

“…What? So you don’t hold hands with other friends either?”

“Holding hands with you just seems to fit! Like this, see?”

Sera took my hand and held it firmly. When I relaxed my grip, it felt like holding an older sister’s hand.

I wasn’t sure if this was right, so I broke into a slight sweat. When I looked up at Sera, her expression was bright, so she seemed satisfied.

What an interesting person.

With that thought, I just kept walking.

“By the way, Sera. We haven’t decided anything properly yet, but where do you think would be good?”

“Hmm, if we’re just drinking, the Academy would be fine, but if we’re going to sleep over too, I’d prefer somewhere outside.”

“Sleep over…”

I pondered with a “hmm.”

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with a suitable place, which gave me a headache.

“You went to pick up Ourr and now you’re even holding hands.”

“This is the privilege of the person who went to pick up Ourr.”

Aria, who was already seated in the classroom, stared at me. I was startled and tried to pull my hand away, but Sera held on tightly. Instead, she slightly raised our hands as if showing off.

Our hands swayed. Sera grinned and then gently let go.

“Hi, Ourr.”

“Hi, Aria.”

I smiled wryly and waved. Seeing this, Aria extended her hand to me.

It seemed like she wanted me to hold her hand too, so I did. Aria nodded.

“Your skin definitely feels softer.”

“W-why are you checking something like that?!”

Shocked, I pulled my hand away in horror. Aria looked disappointed and repeatedly opened and closed her hand in the air. Then, letting go of her regret, she made room for me.

We sat side by side.

Sera, me, Aria. After deliberately placing me between them, they chatted until the Professor arrived.

“We’re thinking of doing it starting tomorrow, but is there a good place? Karen might get in trouble if we drink inside the Academy. If we’re going to sleep over, it would definitely be more comfortable to go to someone’s house than stay at the Academy, but honestly, we wouldn’t be comfortable going to the Professor’s house.”

“That’s true.”

Sera continued her thoughts based on what I had told her.

The tip of her tightly held pen swayed in an arc. I watched it quietly.

“Where can we go where the Professor can be with us?”

“Being with the Professor is the problem.”

Aria gave a dry answer to my question.

“Even if we’re on friendly terms with the Professor, we don’t expect to meet privately like that. …Plus, if she sees us getting drunk and messy, it wouldn’t be good, and we wouldn’t be able to relax and have fun.”

“Aria’s right. It’s really tricky to find a place for us to hang out.”

Sera sighed.

Then she let out an “Ah!” of realization.

“Let’s just rent a private room at a bar! If it’s like a company dinner, that would be fine, right? …Or not.”

“From what Karen was saying about convenience stores, it seems like she wants a place where we can just eat snacks and chat.”

“Then you know those places nowadays. Hotels that offer short-term rentals.”

“…Ah, that’s right.”

Sera and Aria exchanged ideas with me sitting between them.

Then, as if they’d thought of something good, they nodded eagerly at their bright idea.

“Then what about the Professor after we get a room?”

“…We’ll have to ask her to stay nearby, or just trust us and turn a blind eye… If that doesn’t work, let’s just drink with the Professor.”

As Sera suggested alternatives in a resigned voice, Aria replied with a bitter smile.

“Right, it doesn’t hurt to ask.”