Delicious. As I hummed and moved my fork, the professor spoke up first.
"If you make a study group, you can get all sorts of advice. You might get good information from third-years, and if no third-years join, you can study with books I recommend occasionally."
Karen's hand, which had looked anxious, froze in place.
"Will third-years join too?"
"We'll have to ask them. You need enough people to call it a group, right?"
Karen hesitated, then carefully gauged the situation.
"...Um."
"I'm making this suggestion because I've seen you studying before the semester even started. I could at least lend you some of my books."
The professor made the suggestion as if asking what she thought. Her twitching hand moved over the steak and quietly stabbed the meat.
"Research on Demon Gods is still ongoing, so things could change anytime. Wouldn't it be good to get updated information from me occasionally?"
"...I think so. But as a freshman, I feel like I'd just be receiving help one-sidedly rather than studying together, so..."
The professor's offer was attractive, but Karen seemed hesitant, perhaps concerned about only taking without giving. The professor realized what was making her hesitate and smiled.
Then those blue eyes turned toward me.
"Then I think it would be good if our Urr could teach a little writing."
The professor's fork with meat on it subtly pointed at me. I looked at the professor with wide eyes.
Karen looked back and forth between the professor and me before fixing her gaze on me.
"Writing... that's fine. But she speaks well already...?"
"Ah, you really just need to teach her writing. Since we can communicate verbally, she learns quickly, so it'll be rewarding to teach her."
"Then I'll do it... the study group."
"Then it's decided."
The professor shrugged.
After dinner, I was busy when I got home.
Since we decided to form a study group, I needed to contact people who might join. So I immediately picked up my phone and searched through my contacts.
I'm still not familiar with the letters, so it's difficult to use all the phone's functions, but making calls is always possible, so I easily moved my fingers.
Come to think of it, I attended a lecture with Sera and Aria on Friday morning.
"Hmm."
Wondering who to contact first, I called Sera.
[Urr~ Why are you calling first? I was going to contact you tonight.]
"Ah, yes. Sera. Are you interested in joining a study group? The professor will be in charge, and a freshman named Karen said she'd join."
I put the phone on speaker and set it down. Holding the large phone to my ear was quite laborious, so I just lay down on the floor.
Sera's voice, playing loudly, filled the room.
[Study group? Why?]
"The professor will teach us, and it's like a small club where we can study together..."
[Hmm, really? Then I'll join. Professor Yuria is in charge, right?]
"Yes, that's right."
She agreed surprisingly quickly. Since she was considering attending the Institute, I wondered if she wanted to make a good impression on Professor Yuria.
I swung my legs back and forth, then suddenly stopped.
"By the way, do I have class with you tomorrow?"
[Hmm, what shall we do~ Do you want to take classes with me, Urr?]
"I don't know. I'm going to hang up now? I need to call Aria too..."
After making a dismissive sound at Sera's question, I reached for the end call button.
[W-wait.]
Surprised by my firm response, Sera stopped me. From the phone not far from my paused hand, Sera's voice continued.
[Hey, I want to see you, so I was just wondering if you wanted to see me too.]
Her glib voice made me chuckle. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, so the corners of my mouth turned up.
It wasn't exactly that I liked it, nor did I dislike it—it was somewhere in that ambiguous middle. Anyway, I shook my head and casually spoke up.
"—Hmm, then will you come pick me up tomorrow morning?"
[Of course. I already mentioned it to the professor.]
"Huh, when?"
[By email this afternoon?]
She's quick. I didn't know she had such good initiative.
"Anyway, got it. I'm going to call Aria now, so I'll hang up."
[Oh, fine. I'll hang up. See you tomorrow!]
"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
I said goodbye to Sera as a closing remark. Sera hung up first, though reluctantly. After lying still on the closet floor, I moved again.
I tapped the screen to find Aria's contact.
"Hello?"
[Hello. Oh, Urr?]
Aria reacted like someone who just received a random call.
[I was just about to take a bath when the phone rang. You should have called a little later.]
Aria seemed to enjoy talking with someone while bathing. I didn't know if all Elves were like that, or just the Garden Elves like Aria, but it seemed to have become a habit.
After always being in a cheerful atmosphere, suddenly being told to keep quiet and stay still would probably feel jarring.
"No."
I smiled bitterly. Since I hadn't lived as an Elf, I could understand but not really empathize.
Originally, talking on the phone with someone who was bathing felt a bit awkward. Though I'd lost my resistance to bathing with someone after bathing with the professor every day, that didn't mean I was comfortable with just anyone, so I shook my head.
[So? Why did you call? Are we meeting at tomorrow's lecture? Or can't you come?]
"Umm, I think we'll meet..."
I recalled my conversation with Sera. Well, that might be important if it were important, but that wasn't why I called, so I changed the subject.
"More importantly, the professor is forming a study group, and I was wondering if you'd like to join...? That's why I called."
[Study group? Hmm... why?]
Yeah, why? How should I answer that?
It didn't seem right to say we formed it just because Karen wanted to study! Maybe I should explain it as a small group researching Demon Gods.
Come to think of it, not just Karen but Sera also had her own goals. Aria might join with her own objectives too.
"Well, Sera said she wants to create her own Original... and a freshman named Karen said she wants to study... that's the kind of feeling people are joining with. Do you have anything you want to do, Aria?"
I wondered what Aria wanted when she left the Elven Garden for this crowded Academy.
Thinking about it, that might be a good reason for her to join the study group.
[Hmm, well... I don't mind.]
"Huh?"
[I'll join. I'm a third-year, so I need to write my graduation thesis anyway. I should do it for that if nothing else.]
Aria chuckled. I expected some grand answer, but she gave a response aimed at putting out the immediate fire.
It wasn't bad, but it was deflating. I just found myself chuckling.
[What's wrong? You'll understand when you attend the Academy later. Just choosing a graduation thesis topic is a struggle...]
"Yeah, yeah. I got it."
When I answered with a giggle, Aria sighed as if I knew nothing.
Though Aria's expression and tone made her seem like a dull person without emotions, listening to what she said somehow kept making me laugh.
It wasn't particularly funny content, but there was something about the way she expressed her thoughts without any expression.
[Ah, I've made many friends, and I wish we could all go to a hot spring together someday. Regular bathhouses are fine too, but I feel like I'm bothering others there, so I don't like that.]
"...Telling me won't help."
[I know, I know. The professor has to be involved, right? How about when you're older and can go out alone?]
"Will Aria keep living here?"
Aria pondered my question for a moment.
[...I wonder? I don't know. I'll go back if I run out of things to do, but I don't see a reason to return right now.]
It seemed Aria had left the Garden just for fun. Seeing her seemingly docile yet impulsive side made me wonder if this was a form of rebellion.
Setting aside my questions, I ended the call, saying I understood.
At first, the days felt so boring and long, but as I gained more people to talk with and they all responded positively, I felt more at ease.
It's difficult to approach others first, but it's so comfortable and nice when people approach me.
As I lay sprawled on the floor with my phone beside me, the closet door creaked open.
"Urr, don't lie in the closet, come out."
The professor kept finding me whenever I tried to create a personal space and dragged me out. Pulled into the living room, I lay down on the floor next to the sofa.
"But it was cozy and nice there..."
"Then shall we go lie down in the bedroom? Isn't that cozy?"
I shook my head. The professor made a "really?" expression and lay down next to me.
Lying side by side in the living room, I looked at the professor's profile before turning my gaze to the ceiling.
"Professor, don't I have my own room?"
"...Well. I think that would be difficult for now."
Of course, it's probably to follow the rule that a Demon God shouldn't be alone.
Though I'm affiliated with the Academy and can move freely within it, the moment I step outside, I must stay within a certain radius of the professor.
When will I be free? Perhaps when the professor's research is all finished?
Waiting is tiring, but thinking that it's much better than my previous life makes it bearable. Plus, with my growing circle of friends, waiting doesn't seem like such a hard task anymore.