Ch.75Chapter 75

After spending each day like that, the festival day quickly arrived. I stepped into the Academy with a heart pounding with excitement.

“Professor, look at that!”

The Professor and I always arrive at the Academy earlier than other students. The Professor comes early to do research, so I’ve gotten used to coming in the fresh dawn air.

Because of that, there’s usually hardly anyone around, with only a few professors or work-study students passing by in an otherwise empty scene.

But today was different. Even in the early dawn, I could see people busily moving about. It wasn’t just one or two people, but crowds of people moving toward their respective tasks, making me feel even more excited.

My steps halted. Holding the Professor’s hand tightly, I stood there looking up at people hanging banners. The Professor looked up at what I was watching and smiled wryly.

“Well, days like this help motivate the kids to work hard.”

“It starts today, right? Right?”

“Yes, that’s right, it starts today.”

The Professor smiled and continued walking.

After crossing the large path and passing several buildings, we saw the large library building. People often use this open space as a walking path, but now the wide area was beginning to fill with food trucks.

Perhaps because of that, the doors to the library were closed.

It was unfortunate for students who wanted to study. Still, I thought that since it was a festival day, maybe it would be better to enjoy it together rather than reading books.

We passed by people preparing food, carrying ice boxes from their respective trucks.

On the vast field, there was a stage that I had never seen before. It was impressive that they had built it in just under two weeks.

The grass-covered soccer field and the basketball court next to it were being transformed into viewing areas. I was excited to see what kind of festival would be held there.

I heard there would be singing competitions among students, and even celebrities would come at night, so I wanted to see it at least once. I was thinking I might do that if the Professor said it was okay.

“Professor, what’s over there?”

“That’s near the department buildings… must be booth events. They’re setting up tents there too?”

I turned my gaze in the direction of the Professor’s finger.

Even in the corner of the spacious field, they had started setting up booth spaces. Seeing people moving equipment needed for operating the booths, I realized anew that this festival was no ordinary scale.

When I had casually looked at the pamphlet, I hadn’t realized it, but even without seeing other school festivals, the Academy’s festival was incredibly enormous, beyond comparison with anything else.

I worried that people might get tired, preparing from such an early morning and operating until the event closing time.

“Aren’t your friends doing anything, Ourr?”

“…Well, given the nature of our department, it doesn’t seem like they’re doing anything. And my club is just a study group.”

Since our department wasn’t particularly distinctive, nor was it like an invention department that creates things, there wasn’t much suitable for the department to showcase at the festival.

It’s just a department researching Demon Gods and creating magic formulations—what could we possibly showcase?

Moreover, given the nature of my club, it seemed like there was nothing to contribute to the festival except participating in other event booths.

Can’t be helped. All I can do is enjoy the events that everyone has worked hard to prepare.

“Shall we head back for now? They seem busy with preparations. Let’s come back later and eat something delicious over there.”

“Yes.”

I nodded at the Professor’s words pointing toward the food trucks and turned around.

Back in the Research Lab, I pulled a chair over to the window. Resting my knees on it, I lightly pressed my forehead against the window. Through the clean glass, I could see people moving busily.

Among them, I could also see some unfortunate people.

Black clothing with pure white patterns, an achromatic outfit similar to yet somehow different from the third-year students. The design of the clothes was individually determined, making them even more diverse and interesting.

Being an academy student next to such a festival—the sight of people who had to help with the Professor’s research even on festival days made their shoulders look somehow heavy.

“Wow.”

The dawn air had already changed to morning air under the sunlight.

Perhaps because it was May, the air was warm from the morning, and when I closed my eyes, I felt comfortable. When I came out holding the Professor’s hand again, delicious smells were wafting through the air, unlike before.

Whether they had started from the morning or not, each food truck had put up its sign and begun cooking. Meanwhile, cotton candy was hanging abundantly, but unfortunately, I wasn’t particularly drawn to it.

As I turned my head and sniffed the sweet smell with my nose, I heard someone calling me from behind.

“Ourr! Professor Yuria!!”

“…Karen?”

“Karen.”

She seemed to be one of the students who had come quite early, despite not being involved in festival preparations. Karen approached me with a light jog.

“Wow, I heard the Academy festival was amazing, but seeing it in person is really impressive.”

As Karen glanced at the Professor and chuckled, the Professor looked at Karen and the direction she was looking, tilting her head.

“Karen, haven’t you seen the Academy festival before? They usually allow outsiders to enter freely on festival days, so you could have seen it.”

“Ah, back then I was desperately studying to get into the Academy. There are other academies too, but this one is the biggest… When I was younger, I couldn’t afford to come, and it was awkward to come alone, so, ahaha.”

“It’s good that you made it to the Academy.”

The Professor smiled gently at Karen’s dry laugh. Perhaps because she was a freshman who had shown a lot of effort, there was an atmosphere of wanting to be nice to her.

She looked extremely benevolent.

After looking up at the Professor, I turned my gaze to where Karen was.

“Karen, I want to eat that. Want to eat together?”

“Huh? Oh, the food trucks opened really quickly?”

“They opened super early. Have you had breakfast? I want to eat that stir-fried udon first.”

“That’s fine with me.”

“I have 50 Riel! Let’s go, Professor!”

“It’s Ourr’s allowance-spending day, I see.”

The Professor chuckled at my words and followed behind me.

Since the food truck had just opened, we became the first customers. Standing on tiptoe to peek at what it looked like, I was greeted by a quite satisfying visual.

“How much is this?”

“The basic is 5 Riel 30 Kelt. If you add cheese, it’s 6 Riel!”

Not a bad price.

Since I had 50 Riel… after buying for the Professor and Karen, I could buy two more for myself. Since I don’t really feel fullness anyway, I decided to just eat three times and be done with it.

It was like making wishes to a genie from a magic lamp—I decided to choose only three meals. Thinking there might be something more expensive, I decided to choose within a reasonable range and slightly extended my hand.

“Then please give me three.”

“Yes! That’ll be 20 Riel!”

The event booths seemed to be run by students, but the food trucks appeared to be operated by outsiders. The food truck owner took the money and gave me my change.

I had 34 Riel and 10 Kelt left.

Only two more chances left. As I clutched the money with a solemn expression, Karen, who was watching from behind, opened her wallet in panic.

“No! I don’t intend to freeload, Ourr! Here, I’ll give you money. 5 Riel, 5 Riel 30 Kelt…”

Seeing Karen even taking out her coin purse and jingling it, I couldn’t help but smile contentedly.

“I ordered on my own. Karen, you can eat it. I’ve received a lot of things already.”

Sizzle… the smell of stir-fried udon on the hot plate tickled my nose. As I waited with a grin, before long, a styrofoam package was placed in my hands. As soon as I received it, I handed it to the Professor, who smiled and patted my head.

“This is your allowance for this month, Ourr.”

The Professor had apparently been quietly taking out money, as she handed me bills that she had been holding. Five 10 Riel bills were added.

After staring at them quietly with both hands, I stretched my arms out as if cheering and shouted.

“Yay! Allowance! Karen, I can eat five more times!”

“…No, that’s not it. I don’t want to freeload that much. And I can’t eat that much in the first place.”

Karen shook her head in alarm.

I found her reaction amusing and handed her one portion.

I didn’t particularly want to burden her with a sense of debt. I just didn’t want to see her worrying about money and being stingy with food on such a joyful day.

Even if that was my selfishness, it was okay.

I just wished we could enjoy it together.

Because it was too boring when I lived alone in the forest. When I recall having to spend days in a space where I couldn’t talk to anyone, I definitely wanted to be nice to everyone and keep everyone by my side.

Even if I was a Demon God now, it was fine as long as I could get along with people like this.

“This is Karen’s, this is mine.”

I grabbed the chopsticks that came with it and started eating the stir-fried udon.

As I was munching away, the Professor put her hand on my shoulder in shock.

“Ourr, what are you doing burying your face in the udon?”

“It’s so delicious…”

“Oh my, it’s all over your face.”

The Professor pulled out a tissue placed next to the food truck and wiped my mouth.

Karen, who had been quietly watching, burst into laughter.

As she chuckled, I stared blankly before raising the corners of my mouth.