Friday afternoon in the first week of April.
After finishing their week's work, they gathered here to fulfill their duties as members of the Study Group rather than going home.
Unlike before, there was no commotion at all. The sounds of turning pages and pens scratching filled the laboratory.
I glanced at Sera, Aria, and Karen one by one, then after reading the room a bit, I continued studying. I was happy that I could now read most characters, perhaps thanks to my dedicated studying in my spare time.
The Urr who used to struggle when everyone sent text messages in the chat room, not understanding what they were talking about, was now nowhere to be found.
These days, they use voice messages out of consideration for me. But I felt like I could soon tell them they didn't need to do that anymore.
Voice messages might be convenient for me, but for those who can read quickly, having to press play and listen to what someone is saying must be inconvenient. I resolved to study harder to be less of a burden to them.
I buried my head and concentrated on studying. As I was scribbling diligently with my pen, the Professor approached from behind and gently grabbed my head.
"Eek."
"You'll end up inside the paper at this rate. Looking that closely will ruin your eyes."
The Professor lifted my head and upper body slightly, helping me sit up straight.
Back in a proper posture, I glanced up at the Professor. Then I looked back at the paper I had been scribbling on.
The evidence of my hard work was clearly visible. I felt proud. As I turned back to the Professor with a smile, he nodded with an approving smile.
I smiled back and nodded too.
As the Professor and I were grinning at each other, the others who had been absorbed in their studies turned their heads slightly to look at me. As I made eye contact with each person under their focused gazes, Sera spoke first.
"Should we all take a break? Aria, Karen?"
"Sounds good."
"Mmm, yes, please."
Aria nodded, and Karen next to her stretched and gave a sign of approval.
It seemed impressive that they had maintained such concentration when dinner time was just an hour away.
As they decided to take a break before the final hour, I also put down my pen. Karen, who was sitting across from me, got up from her seat with a scraping sound.
"I need to use the bathroom..."
"I'll go too."
As Karen left her seat, Aria also stood up. Sera glanced at me as if she wanted to go too, but I just stared back at her since I had no reason to go to the bathroom.
"Aren't you going, Urr?"
"I don't need to."
I shook my head.
"Ah, you all take a break. I need to go get an answer about something I asked earlier."
The Professor checked the time and hurriedly began to straighten his clothes.
"Where are you going, Professor?"
"I asked them to create a separate space for our Study Group."
When I looked up and asked, the Professor answered while patting my head.
Even though the Study Group only met once a week, not having a dedicated classroom seemed a bit problematic. Continuing to borrow the Professor's laboratory didn't seem sustainable either.
Considering that the laboratory door would be locked when the Professor was away, we definitely needed a classroom where we could come and go freely.
It felt reassuring that the Professor was personally taking care of this.
"Oh, are we getting our own classroom?"
"Yes. I'm checking if there's a classroom we can use freely, but I'm trying to secure Friday afternoons at least."
"Wow. Thank you. Isn't this troublesome for you?"
"Well, I'm doing it because you're all working hard. Besides, it's not like I'm doing that much for you."
The Professor shrugged at Sera's thanks. After patting my shoulder and telling us to enjoy ourselves, he said he'd be back and went outside.
With everyone rushing out, I was left alone with Sera.
I quietly stared at the door the Professor had exited through. Sera, who was beside me, moved her chair slightly closer and spoke to me.
"Urr. It's been a while since we've been alone together, hasn't it?"
"...Yes. When was the last time?"
"Well, this is the first time we've been completely alone, but the last time we talked just the two of us was during that third-year lecture. I was sitting in the corner, and you came to sit next to me."
Was that the first and last time?
With the Professor always around, it had felt natural.
Sera remembered our first meeting in detail. Was that because the encounter was so unique?
I lowered my head slightly. The different form of uniform compared to others. Perhaps it was natural since I had been introduced as a Demon God from the start.
"Hmm, that's right."
As I tilted my head as if trying to recall, Sera gave a bitter smile.
"What, don't you remember?"
"I do remember, but I didn't expect Sera to remember it in such detail."
"Hmm, well, they say first impressions are the most important, right? A good first impression helps people get along well afterward."
"What about when a bad first impression later turns out okay?"
"That can happen too, I suppose, but I've never experienced it. People's intuition is surprisingly good, so sometimes if it's a no at first, it stays a no until the end."
Sera put her index fingers on her head, sticking them up. They looked like horns, or maybe antennas. Based on context, I should probably see them as antennas?
I put my hand on my chin and thought about it seriously.
"Come to think of it, Urr, do you still not have any sexual desire? Talking about that time reminds me."
Sera asked playfully.
"You were so disgusted back then, weren't you? I should have stopped when I saw you didn't like it, but your reaction was just too cute."
Watching Sera chattering away, I could see she was still the same Sera.
I quietly observed her, with her high concentration and equally high mischievousness. Then I slightly averted my gaze. I slumped my shoulders and laughed dryly, which made Sera slowly stop laughing.
"...Huh? What's with that reaction?"
"No, what, what do you mean?"
"Have you developed an interest in sexual desire? You look like you're feeling a bit shy."
Sera leaned her face in slightly. Feeling strangely caught by Sera's grinning smile, I kept my mouth shut.
I hadn't managed my expression well. Am I bad at hiding things? I closed my eyes tightly, let out a small groan, and then pouted. Giving up on the idea of hiding anything further, I opened my eyes wide in resignation.
"It's not that..."
If asked whether I was interested or not, I could answer no.
But for me, it was something I had never felt before, a strange feeling, a new world. So whenever my attention was drawn to it, I couldn't help but focus on it as if I couldn't resist my instincts.
"Do you know about the three basic human desires?"
"...Three basic desires?"
It wasn't that I didn't know. I just tilted my head at the sudden term, and Sera held up three fingers as if she was going to explain it properly.
"Humans have hunger, sleep, and sexual desire."
Her outstretched fingers wiggled, folding and unfolding repeatedly. Seeing that I was listening intently, Sera raised the corners of her mouth.
"Even though they're called the three basic desires, hunger and sleep are related to survival. They're inseparable from human existence, so sexual desire is somewhat supplementary—like a pleasure—to the point where if you had to remove one desire, it would be that one."
"Mm-hmm."
"So, since a Demon God doesn't need to eat or sleep, hunger and sleep might not be relevant to you, but what about sexual desire, which belongs to the realm of pleasure? That's what I was wondering."
"...Well."
I turned my head slightly.
"Is it just that you're not curious because you've never tried it?"
When I pouted and averted my gaze, Sera leaned back with a bitter smile.
It seemed she just wanted to ask something she was curious about.
"Does Sera have a lot of sexual desire?"
"It's just at the level where I enjoy it if I like it, and don't if I don't. I don't have any compulsion or addiction-like feeling that I absolutely must do it."
"I don't know. It's just... it's not that I haven't done it..."
I fidgeted with my hands and mumbled, blushing and trailing off as I wondered if it was appropriate to talk about such things with a friend. Sera gasped.
"I was the same when I first did it. I was like, 'What's so good about this?'"
"Is, is this really something people normally talk about...? Is it because I'm a Demon God?"
When I tilted my head, Sera shook hers as if to say it wasn't strange at all.
"No! Friends normally talk about these things. Usually, girls talk about this kind of stuff at pajama parties, but since we can't have pajama parties with you..."
Sera's expression showed a hint of regret.
Then her eyes suddenly sparkled.
"So how did it feel? Would it be too much if I said I wanted to use this for my graduation thesis?"
"...Sera."
"Sorry."
Sera put her hands together and apologized profusely.
I sighed, thinking that researchers really will study just about anything. My shoulders slumped.
I don't know. The Professor did it for me, and I just felt a sparkle. I wanted to say just that, but I couldn't, so I kept my mouth firmly shut.
But my reason held me back, thinking this wasn't right.
"Can we talk about something else?"
"...Hmm, no?"
When I tried to change the subject, Sera shook her head with a bright expression.
It seemed Sera was very interested in my sex life.