Ch.68Chapter 68

Prompted by Sera’s encouragement, Aria looked flustered and serious, but when Sera clenched her fist and cheered “Aria, Aria!” like a supporter, Aria didn’t seem to mind as she cleared her throat and stood up.

Ahem, ahem, she cleared her throat several times.

Aria stretched her arms forward and opened the beer can she was holding. After Sera, now Aria had opened her can, so Karen followed suit and opened her beer as well.

“Ah.”

I struggled to open my beer can and held it out, and Aria, confirming everyone was ready, continued speaking.

“Since our study group was formed not long ago, there’s no real history to speak of, and there aren’t any seniors who’ve been in the club for a long time, but since we’ve all gathered here to work hard, let’s maintain good senior-junior relationships.”

“Wow, since when do you say such sensible things?”

“And let’s all meet at the Academy to see Ourr!”

“Ohhh!”

At Aria’s final shout, Sera started clapping like a seal. I was slightly afraid because I couldn’t understand why she needed to put down the beer she was holding tightly just to clap.

Sera had already told me to come to the Academy after finding something I wanted to do, but now Aria was saying we should go to the Academy just to see me, which made me wonder if this was madness.

“Ta-da! Cheers!”

Sera stopped clapping and picked up her can. As she pushed it close to where Aria’s hand was, Karen and I followed suit and brought our cans together.

Clunk, it was a dry sound.

“But why did you say you want to see me…”

After clinking my can, I quietly pulled it back. I could see the can I held close to my chest. Since it was opened, I could see the liquid sloshing inside through the darkness.

As I muttered with my lips pursed, the others didn’t pay attention and started drinking their beer.

“How is it, Karen? Is it drinkable?”

Sera, who let out a “Mmm—” sound of appreciation, asked Karen beside her. After taking a few sips, Karen looked at her beer quietly and nodded nonchalantly.

“Yes, it’s not that bad. It’s tasty.”

“That’s good. What about you, Ourr?”

At Sera’s question, I came to my senses and raised my head. Curious about my reaction, Sera, Aria, and Karen all stared at me.

Especially Aria, sitting next to me, had an incredibly intense gaze.

Just because her expression doesn’t change doesn’t mean her eyes are gentle.

Sweating profusely, I put the beer to my lips without even having a chance to challenge what Aria had said earlier.

I glanced at the others and then drank the beer. Gulp, gulp. I could feel the carbonation. A tingling sensation and some strange, indescribable flavor and aroma filled my mouth.

It felt weird—bitter yet refreshing.

“…Ugh, it’s, strange.”

I thought it would be okay, but my tongue seemed to have trouble accepting the taste. I drank about two sips, but it was somewhat bitter, not really to my liking.

They say all alcohol is like that, but still, I’d rather eat other tasty things if possible.

“If it’s strange, stop drinking it.”

Aria slightly extended her hand. She was gesturing for me to give it to her.

I shook my head.

“That’s not it?”

“Yeah…”

Though it didn’t taste good, I also thought I might as well get used to it now since I didn’t know when I’d be able to drink alcohol again. The Professor would never give me alcohol, so I should drink it here while I can.

“Then shall we eat?”

Sera changed the atmosphere. I slightly raised my body and grabbed a cheese stick from the table. I took a bite and gulped down some beer.

Aria chuckled beside me.

“Ourr eats well.”

“Kya!”

I let out an exclamation as I removed the can from my lips.

It wasn’t that it tasted good, but I tried to enjoy it as if I were drinking for the atmosphere. When I scrunched my eyes tightly and quickly pulled the beer away from my mouth, I felt some kind of refreshing sensation.

To wash away the bitter taste, I put the remaining cheese stick in my mouth.

“Come to think of it, I’m planning to go to the Academy, and Karen, didn’t you say you were going to the Academy to study too?”

“Yes, I’m thinking of going to the Academy too. …Rather than achieving something specific, I just want to study first. Actually, I heard you get paid for research at the Academy, so that seems good too.”

While I was chewing food in my mouth, I could see Sera and Karen discussing their future.

I was curious about what everyone wanted to do at the Academy, so I stared at them.

“…A friend I know said they wanted to create an original.”

When I sniffled and spoke, the conversation shifted in that direction with an “Oh.”

Original, original. I was drawn to the repeated word. My mouth felt bored, so I picked up some food from the table and put it in my mouth.

I filled my cheeks and kept chewing. As I gulped down beer, I felt my face getting hotter bit by bit.

My body felt warm, and my face was hot. I also felt like blood was rushing to my head. I felt dizzy, as if in a daze. My head felt heavy, making me stagger.

“—Ourr?”

I felt like something was ringing in my ears.

Thinking it might be Aria’s voice, I dazedly raised my head. Aria’s face seemed to be rippling somehow.

Why was I feeling this way after just drinking beer? Wondering if I was this bad at handling alcohol, I tilted my head. I groaned and gripped my hand tightly.

After gulping down the remaining beer, I let out a deep sigh.

**

Ourr began to stagger.

“…Ourr?”

Aria tilted her head and looked at Ourr. Ourr seemed to have trouble holding her head up properly and swayed before leaning against Aria.

At the sight of her suddenly falling into Aria’s arms, Sera and Karen, who had been discussing originals, stopped their conversation and looked toward Ourr.

“She’s drunk already?”

At Sera’s dumbfounded voice, Aria carefully reached out. She slightly lifted the can Ourr was holding and opened her eyes wide.

“She finished it already…?”

Unlike humans, Ourr was a Demon God who couldn’t feel fullness. It seemed she had quickly drunk it all without the sensation of her stomach being filled.

Though it was said she couldn’t feel hunger or fullness, no one expected to confirm this firsthand in such a place, so Aria’s eyes widened.

“Did you drink it all?”

“Aria…”

Ourr’s eyes were slightly unfocused, as if she were in a daze.

Leaning against Aria, Ourr pouted her lips and then buried her face. Her face, flushed as if from the alcohol, wore a smile as she giggled.

“Ourr is cute.”

“She’s cute.”

The sight of her unable to steady herself and mumbling while leaning against Aria seemed adorable to Sera and Karen.

“Ourr looks uncomfortable. Should we lay her down on the side?”

“…I like her like this, but okay.”

Though Aria said it was fine as it was, she nodded and agreed to follow Sera’s suggestion.

They laid Ourr on the bed. The three of them smiled wryly and raised their cans, never having dreamed that Ourr would pass out so soon after arriving.

“I guess even Demon Gods can get drunk on alcohol.”

As Sera looked at Ourr with a fond expression, Karen beside her nodded.

“More than that, did you see? They say Demon Gods usually don’t feel hunger or anything like that, but it seems Ourr doesn’t have that point where humans think ‘this is my limit’ when drinking something.”

“…She seemed to just gulp it down without a break. Next time we play with Ourr, we’ll have to set a limit on glasses.”

It was a large, elongated can of about 400 ml. If there had been rice or some solid food, she might have been able to pace herself, but they learned the lesson that if given such a large can at once, she would drink it all.

“Besides, seeing her giggle after drinking a whole can of beer is super cute. I was actually planning to ask for a kiss when she got tipsy.”

“You’re scary, Aria. Karen, let’s not get drunk in front of Aria, okay?”

When Aria casually brought up kissing, Sera realized that what she had said at the convenience store wasn’t a joke and immediately warned Karen.

Karen held her can firmly with both hands and turned her head toward Sera.

“Huh? Oh, I’m fine.”

“…I gave her something with low alcohol content, but I guess she’s not as weak as Ourr.”

Sera shrugged, seemingly relieved at the sight of Karen remaining composed.

Just as they were about to continue their conversation centered on Ourr, a strange sound was heard from somewhere.

Everyone’s gazes converged. And then their heads turned toward the source of the sound.

“Mmm, mmm…”

Ourr was rolling around on the bed. As she rolled around, groaning, her oversized jacket naturally came off. Now in just her shirt, Ourr unbuttoned it one by one as if she were hot.

But only a few buttons were undone. Her hands were clumsy due to being drunk.

“Mmm…”

Her body seemed to be hot, as if various parts were burning up.

No one had thought that the small amount of alcohol consumed could affect Ourr like this.

Ourr, who had been rubbing her thighs together, moved her hand downward as if feeling itchy again. Lying face down on the bed, she rubbed her body against it as if wanting to rub against something.

The three who had been drinking at the table silently watched Ourr.