Sera seemed strange. Eating with a professor, of all things. I didn't particularly care, but I wondered if it was appropriate for a student to do that, so I pondered it for a while.
There's a saying that you should run away if a professor offers to buy you a meal, but here she was, wanting to eat together without even being offered. And asking about graduate studies on top of that.
Sera was definitely strange.
We came to eat pork cutlets. I stared at the menu for a long time.
"Sirloin."
"...Si, rloin."
"Tenderloin."
"Tenderloin?"
"That's chicken."
"Chicken...!"
The professor was reading each word from beside me, and among them was one word I recognized.
Indeed, chicken seemed to welcome me warmly wherever I went. I could spot chicken anywhere. But since there was sirloin and tenderloin, I should...
I prefer Western-style pork cutlets. I followed along happily because we were getting pork cutlets, but this felt different. Is this how you're supposed to choose? I like that feeling of just saying, "One king-size cutlet, please!"
But throwing a tantrum here would only trouble the professor and Sera sitting across from me, so I decided to restrain myself.
"Have you decided, Sera?"
"Ah, I'm going with the tenderloin."
Sera answered the professor's question with a smile. Her slightly raised hand pointed at the menu on the wall. Hmm, I tilted my head several times while looking at it, and finally chose one.
"I'll have the cheese. Cheese."
"Oh? You like cheese."
The professor tilted her head to look at the menu with me, then placed our order with the server.
The professor ordered sirloin, Sera tenderloin, and I got cheese. Honestly, I was tempted by the chicken too, but I thought pork cutlets should really be made of pork, so I couldn't bring myself to choose it.
Of course, I could always choose it next time I came.
After selecting our meals, the professor casually took off her coat and hung it on her chair. Watching her, I did the same with my coat.
"So Sera, why are you coming to me for graduate school counseling? You're not even my student..."
"Well, I'm in the Dept. of Spellcraft, but... I want to join your Institute..."
Sera glanced at me briefly and gave a dry smile. It seemed clear that I was her target. Aria had also sent a message saying she wanted to change her registration when she heard I was here.
Of course, it would be sad to suddenly disappear after becoming close friends for a year, but that couldn't be helped, and I didn't see why they needed to follow me all the way to the Institute.
The professor was already making a humming sound while contemplating, with an amused look in her eyes.
"Well, more than half of Academy students do transfer to the Institute, but I didn't expect you to change your path like this. Usually students go under their department professors. Maybe it's because of Urr."
"Eeeeng."
The professor's hand stroked my chin. It tickled so much that I made a strange noise, which made the professor chuckle as if that was amusing too.
That look of someone watching a cute child. I'm used to it now. Though I'm not sure if I should be.
During our conversation, the food we ordered arrived one by one. Sera looked at it quietly before raising her head again.
"That's right. Honestly, I used to think all Demon Gods were hostile, but seeing Urr completely changed my mind. ...I don't plan to work like you, Professor, but thinking there might be more Demon Gods like Urr makes me want to research them..."
"So you prefer just doing research rather than taking a hardline approach."
"That's right."
The professor placed a fork in both my hands. I stared blankly before glancing at the sauce beside me. I was about to grab it and pour it all over when the professor's quick hand stopped me.
"You don't pour that."
"...Eh?"
"You dip it."
But, I wanted Western-style cutlets. Am I not supposed to eat it this way?
Honestly, I could recreate that feeling depending on how I ate it, but the professor didn't seem to understand. Stopped by the professor, I stared at the sauce bowl in my left hand. I stabbed a piece of cutlet with my right hand and dunked it completely in the sauce.
If I soak it in sauce, it should be somewhat similar.
When I pulled the cutlet out of the sauce, a cheese cutlet piece covered in thick sauce greeted me. Afraid the sauce might drip onto my white shirt, I leaned forward with a "hwup" and took a big bite.
"Well, if you're coming as my student rather than my junior colleague, you're welcome. Many who came as juniors ended up dead."
"...Eh?"
Dead. That word startled me, and I turned to look at the professor. She patted my head as if to say there was no need to worry that much.
"It's okay. It has nothing to do with Urr."
Still, since it had something to do with Demon Gods, I couldn't help but worry. As I kept glancing around nervously, the professor repeatedly patted my head, assuring me it was fine.
Thinking I might be interrupting their conversation, I decided to focus on my pork cutlet again.
"So? What do you want to do?"
The professor stabbed her cutlet with her fork and asked Sera.
"What do you mean?"
"What you want to do. Among the first-year Institute students, some already have goals like 'I want to create my own Original' or 'I want to become your junior.' They have such objectives."
The cutlet on her fork soaked up the sauce. But instead of taking it out, the professor swirled it around inside. Unlike her hand movement, her eyes remained fixed on Sera.
"You need to have a goal. That's how I can decide what research to pass on to you. Just paying tuition and attending? Anyone can do that. But if you seriously want to pursue graduate studies, you need to know what you want to create yourself, not just spend money for two years. That's your homework."
"...That's difficult."
"That's how it is for everyone."
The professor's hand moved slightly but stopped abruptly. Just as I was wondering why she stopped, her gaze shifted slightly toward me.
Oops, was I staring too much?
"Urr, do you want to try this? Just say so."
"Ah, no, that's not it... Do you want some ch-cheese?"
"How about you take a bite of mine first?"
I wondered if this was appropriate with Sera sitting right there. I glanced around nervously, but the professor showed no signs of withdrawing her hand, so I just squeezed my eyes shut and leaned forward.
Chomp, nom. I ate the sauce-soaked cutlet. Not wanting to be the only one eating, I stabbed a piece of my cutlet with my fork and offered it to the professor.
"Hmm, thank you."
The professor said that and ate the cutlet on my fork deliciously, just as I had done earlier.
As we exchanged bites, I became conscious of Sera sitting across from us. She was the one who suggested eating together, but somehow it felt like we'd turned her into a wallflower, which made me feel awkward.
If I were in her place, it would be really uncomfortable. Concerned about this, I hesitated for a moment. Wondering how to erase this sense of exclusion, I squeezed my eyes shut and moved my hand.
"...Sera, do you want some cheese too?"
Sera, who had been watching blankly, seemed surprised that she was getting an opportunity too, and her eyes widened.
My arm trembled as I stretched it out with all my might. Perhaps finding my shaky appearance pitiful, Sera leaned in slightly and took a bite with a "nom."
Nodding her head while chewing several times, Sera offered me a slightly pink piece of cutlet. Wondering if I should accept it, I glanced at her eyes.
The answer seemed clear. I stepped forward and rose slightly on my tiptoes to reach the arm Sera extended. Instead of using my hand, I leaned my face forward first and took a big bite, feeling the soft texture beyond my teeth.
Oh, what an impressive texture.
If the professor's sirloin felt like the standard, the tenderloin felt like something you eat specifically to chew meat, which was interesting. I thought I might order tenderloin next time.
"Is it good?"
Sera asked with a smile in her eyes. I nodded.
"Yes."
"I'm glad. The cheese is delicious too."
I wondered if the relationship between students and professors here wasn't as awkward as I thought. Considering that many students go to the Institute despite others grimacing at the mention of it, I could understand why.
After finishing our meal, I stretched. It was essential to loosen up my body after sitting still for so long.
"Urr, did you enjoy your meal?"
"Yes."
The professor patted my back as if to say "well done." I felt strange, wondering if eating a meal was something to be praised for.
Is the professor the type who praises everything? The type who tries to draw out positive energy by praising everything?
"Are you heading home now, Sera?"
"Ah, yes, I should. I got some advice from you, Professor. Thank you. And... thank you for the meal. Next time I'll definitely treat you! I didn't suggest eating together just to get a free meal."
As she smiled awkwardly, the professor waved her hand toward Sera.
"No, if you're considering coming under me for graduate studies, I can at least buy you a meal. If you really want to treat me, buy me a coffee with your research funds when you actually enroll. I'll appreciate that."
"Yes! Goodbye! Bye, Urr~"
"Bye, Sera."
Sera bowed deeply at the professor's words. Then she waved her hand slightly at me. I waved my arm back at her.