Evening had fallen. Today, my phone was suddenly flooded with notifications.
The cause was simply Sera uploading photos to the chat room of me wearing pajamas in front of the Professor during lunch. No need to analyze where it all started.
She sent a bunch of photos. Most were just of me alone.
They were records of me following Sera's instructions to strike poses. I was speechless when I saw she'd even uploaded photos of me making threatening poses as if I was targeting mouse-Sera.
I was starting to see the results of my reading practice, as I could understand some of it now. The challenge was that I still couldn't keep up with the chat scrolling speed, so I had to pause and read everything in chunks.
I wiggled my fingers and saved the photos from the chat.
As I hummed and browsed through my gallery, the Professor brought over some food and glanced at my screen.
"Urr, you got the photos?"
"Yes, I did."
"Hmm, super cute."
I stared at the animal pajama photos while wearing the animal pajamas Sera had given me.
The white tee and dolphin pants the Professor gave me were nice too, but I thought this outfit might be fine for wearing around the house, as long as I wasn't going to the convenience store or somewhere similar.
I couldn't wear this all the time, but maybe for a few days?
While looking at the photos, I fiddled with the tail attached to my bottom.
"Let's eat, Urr."
"Okay."
I nodded and picked up my fork.
After a day passed, and having spent Friday morning uneventfully, I started feeling a bit down.
It was because Aria had scolded Sera for taking photos during lunch yesterday. Sera protested that it just happened that way, and they eventually reached an agreement that involved taking a bath together later.
It sounds simple when summarized, but considering it took hours to reach that conclusion, I shudder just thinking about it.
I understand that close friends bicker, but having to sit there listening to them go back and forth on one topic was somewhat torturous for me.
Thinking about how they only stopped when I frowned and pouted, I figured I should make that expression next time too.
Friday afternoon, after having lunch with the Professor.
I had a Study Group, but remembering I hadn't greeted Lenya last week, I deliberately followed the Professor to the Institute Student lecture hall.
"Hi, Lenya!"
I waved at Lenya, whose purple bob haircut was quite striking. She waved back.
"Urr, you didn't come last week, but you're here this time?"
"Well, I'm doing a Study Group at the Academy."
"Oh. So you decided to study there?"
"Yes, I decided to study reading there."
Lenya listened so attentively that I found it easy to keep talking.
"Really? How much have you learned?"
"I can read the chat messages now. Though I can't read if they scroll too fast."
I gave a dry "hehe" laugh.
I'd said I could do something, but the fact that I was still awkward at it somewhat dampened my confidence.
Hearing my voice that seemed both confident and not, Lenya chuckled.
"So speed reading is still difficult for you? That's too bad. If you could read quickly later, you could read through papers like me."
"Papers?"
"Yes. Though even as a first-year, this is still challenging."
Lenya waved some papers that had been set aside next to her. When I stared at them, she handed them to me, saying I could read them.
"Research... on... Aura of Demon Gods?"
"Exactly right."
Lenya pointed at me with her index finger, as if to say I'd done well. I nodded along, pleased that she said I read it correctly.
But why research on Demon God auras? Didn't she say before that she wanted to create an Original?
Puzzled, I tilted my head.
"Didn't you say before that you wanted to make an Original?"
"Did I? Why?"
"Then what's this? Is this an Original?"
"Ah. This is research on the Professor's Original."
Lenya shook her head, explaining that wasn't it.
"An Original is a concept of magic that even other Dept. of Spellcraft students can't easily replicate, kind of like patented magic, and it turns out a lot of it comes from Demon Gods. Since our Professor's Original also came from researching Demon God auras, I'm researching this to follow in those footsteps."
After saying that, Lenya slumped her shoulders.
"That's what I say, but honestly, it's tough. Being a first-year means I have my own studies to focus on, plus helping with the Professor's research... Though I suppose I'm fortunate to see something while assisting with the research, so in a way..."
Lenya laughed weakly.
It seemed she'd gotten a good taste of graduate school bitterness in the week I hadn't seen her. No, it had been two weeks, so maybe that was to be expected.
I thought about how difficult it must be to balance studying and research. By that logic, the Professor, having finished her studies, could focus more comfortably on research.
I looked at Lenya quietly.
So does an Original mean patenting difficult-to-make magic? Does the patent mean others can follow it if they pay royalties? I had many questions.
Deciding to ask the Professor later, I quietly asked Lenya:
"What kind of Original do you want to make, then?"
"Well... honestly, as a first-year, even if I want to make something, circumstances aren't favorable. If it can't produce immediate results, I generally shouldn't overlap with seniors or other professors' topics, and I have to choose subjects excluding what's already been done, so there's surprisingly little left. Now I'm wondering if I need to use my creativity to make something."
Hearing Lenya's concerns pour out, I felt tired just listening.
I made a small sound and fidgeted with my mouth while checking her reaction.
I wasn't sure exactly how Originals were treated. Could anyone use them if they paid royalties? Was the information freely available? I wondered.
If individuals typically kept them exclusive and the designs confidential, there would be no reason for me to mention the Professor's magic. Well, I didn't know the details anyway.
Seeing Lenya's many worries, I wanted to help a little.
"How about this?"
"What?"
"I want to grow bigger."
I waved my arms. The loosely folded sleeves rattled and came undone. Seeing the sleeves covering my hands flapping along my arms, she smiled bitterly.
Remembering our previous conversation, Lenya smiled.
"That's right. Urr, you said you wanted to grow bigger. How much bigger do you want to be?"
"Umm..."
I had no sense of how big I should be.
I groaned softly, unsure whether size should be measured by age or body size.
If I knew this body's original age, I could at least give an approximate age, and having some specific measurements would make it easier to approach when researching. I furrowed my brow at the thought.
What I didn't know, I didn't know. If no one recorded when I was born, and if even I didn't care about my birth date, I could easily forget my age.
So how could I possibly know this?
In the end, my way of explaining to Lenya became a bit silly.
"I want to be this tall."
I stretched my hand upward slightly. Lenya's gaze followed upward.
"And with a chest this big?"
I moved my hands in a round shape. Lenya tilted her head. Then a smile formed.
"Urr, do you want to become an adult because you want bigger breasts? If you're curious how it feels, would you like to touch mine?"
"...No, that's not it..."
It seemed she misunderstood, thinking I wanted to be an adult because I wanted bigger breasts, when actually I originally had large breasts.
I stumbled over my words trying to clarify the misinterpretation. Lenya nodded as if it was fine, then took my hand that was hanging in the air and placed it on her chest.
"Is... is this okay...?"
I was bewildered. Not having had occasion to touch someone else's chest, I felt perplexed.
Not knowing what to do, I tried to gently pull my hand away, and Lenya quietly released her grip.
"What's the big deal? It's not like it'll wear out. So Urr, you want to have a chest like this when you grow up, right?"
Seeing her giggling, I was at a loss for words.
My hand still seemed to retain that soft sensation. When I lowered it slightly, I felt something hard, probably her bra, but the soft feeling of another person's body remained too vividly.
"...Well, I was originally big, but anyway, that's how big I want to be."
I continued, flustered. Lenya nodded with a benevolent smile, as if she understood everything.
"Later, when I become famous after creating my Original, I'll research the magic you want too. ...By then, will Urr have already become a pretty Unnie?"
"Unnie..."
If you put it that way, I'm already an Unnie.
I looked at Lenya quietly. She seemed to enjoy making eye contact with me and chuckled.
"Oh, right. You mentioned a chat room earlier. Do you have a phone, Urr?"
"Yes."
"Then would you like to exchange numbers with me?"
I was impressed by Lenya's skillfulness in diligently collecting my number amid all this.
I handed her my phone. After exchanging contacts and adding me to the chat room, Lenya gasped.
"Urr, what's with your profile picture?"
Lenya, startled by my cat pajama profile picture, looked at me with surprised eyes.
"Why... why...? A friend gave it to me as a gift. Is it weird?"
"Weird? It's super cute! Can you wear it here sometime?"
"That would be a bit much for the Institute."
Sera had given it to me as a gift, and I'd wondered if it didn't suit me, but apparently that wasn't the case.
Still, I couldn't do that in a place with other people around.