The entrance ceremony was nothing special. Aside from the big welcome and such, it was all pretty standard. They read congratulatory speeches, the top-ranking freshmen came up to the podium to show their faces, and that was it.
It was so boring that I felt slightly resentful of the professor who brought me here to experience it. I hadn't planned on attending originally.
While sitting in my seat, I tucked my shirt under my skirt and adjusted my belt. After rolling up my sleeves twice to keep them from covering my hands, I pulled up my slipping outfit back onto my shoulders.
I stretched in various directions to loosen my stiff body.
"Ughhhh..."
After saying goodbye to Karen, I moved to another location with the Professor.
"I have a lecture with the second-years today, so I need to go."
"Second-years..."
Chronologically, they were the students who arrived at the Academy when I did. By now, they probably knew more about the Academy than I did.
I followed behind the Professor with short steps. Honestly, the Professor was pretty, but being over 170cm tall, it was challenging just keeping up with those long legs.
As I trudged along, panting, the Professor seemed to notice and glanced back at me. Thinking she might adjust to my pace, I readjusted the materials I was hugging to my chest.
We crossed through the massive building. After walking down a long, pristine white corridor, we finally reached the lecture hall where the Professor would be teaching.
I hesitated to enter since it was my first time, but the Professor gestured for me to come in, assuring me it was fine.
Being second-years, they all wore white and red uniforms instead of the white and blue combination Karen had worn. The seats were packed with students.
"Everyone, quiet down."
With one command, she silenced the bustling lecture hall. At the Professor's appearance, everyone closed their mouths and focused on her as she stepped onto the podium. My heart pounded as I found myself caught in their gaze as well.
Do I have stage fright or something?
"Let's see... Second-year, the lecture is called 'Principles of Demon God Birth.' Who took 'About Demon Gods' in their first year?"
More than half raised their hands. I wondered if they were all interested in Demon Gods.
"Good. You can lower your hands. 'Principles of Demon God Birth.' You might think this should be a first-year course, but it's actually quite profound and better understood after taking 'About Demon Gods.'"
The Professor continued explaining her lecture. I was fine with her starting class on the first day, but I seriously questioned whether it was appropriate to keep me standing on the podium during the lecture.
Of course, I was the only one debating this.
"Since it's the first lecture anyway, we'll save the profound stuff for next week. Today, I'm going to introduce this one."
The Professor wrote only "Principles of Demon God Birth" on the board and put down the chalk. Then she approached me and placed her hand on my shoulder.
I glanced up at the Professor, but her gaze was directed at the students.
"To get straight to the point, this one's name is Urr, a Demon God."
"...Hello, I'm Urr."
I bowed my head to match the simple and clear introduction. After I finished my greeting, the previously silent lecture hall filled with astonishment.
The noise was even louder than before the Professor entered. Bewildered, I turned my head around, and the Professor tapped the podium beside her.
The commotion subsided again.
"If you didn't attend the lectures on Demon Gods because you thought, 'Why learn more about Demon Gods? Just fight and defeat them,' then you wouldn't get benefits like this."
"Excuse me, Professor. I have a question."
While everyone was still confused about how to respond to the Professor's explanation, a female student raised her hand. The Professor silently nodded, indicating it was okay.
With sky-blue hair and blue eyes—someone who would look perfect in the first-year uniform colors—she cast her gaze at me.
"Aren't Demon Gods dangerous? You said before that Demon Gods can't coexist with people."
"That's what I thought then, but as I researched, I found it's not entirely true."
The Professor made a regretful expression, as if acknowledging her past error.
"I'm thinking that if a newly born Demon God is raised by human hands, we might create a situation where they don't become hostile to each other."
"..."
There were no results yet. There couldn't be. I was the only Demon God who remained calm under human touch.
Making definitive statements based on a single case would be stupid before it was arrogant. So the Professor indicated that this was something she would continue to research.
Silence fell. The students seemed to doubt whether I was really a Demon God. The Professor added more to address their skepticism.
"As you learned in your first-year lectures, a Demon God is a being that lives by breaking the rules set by the world. Like living infinitely without the limits of lifespan, or possessing strength that couldn't come from ordinary muscles."
The Professor's hand, which had been on my shoulder, had slid down and was now gently pushing my back. Taking a step forward, I became the center of everyone's attention.
"Urr is such a being. Though I bring her along as Supplies, I'd like you to treat her like a fellow student, like a friend."
It felt embarrassing, like when your mom asks your friends to be nice to you. I wanted to escape this excessive attention.
But since I couldn't just hide in a corner somewhere, I bowed deeply at the waist.
"P-please treat me well...!"
For some reason, everyone applauded my greeting. Not understanding why I was receiving applause, I returned to the Professor's side—though that just meant taking one step back.
"That's it for today's lecture!"
"Professor, can we talk to her?"
"Isn't a Demon God dangerous? I heard that in some village, people got sick after a Demon God visited."
The lecture hall became noisy again after the Professor announced the end of the lecture. All sorts of questions flew in like darts. Confused, I hid slightly behind the Professor, but the students were getting up from their seats, trying to approach me.
I thought the Professor might shield me, but instead, she grabbed my clothes and pulled me forward. I looked back at her with a betrayed expression, but she just smiled.
"Wow. A Demon God...?"
"Is it safe to get close?"
The Professor answered each question from the students. As their prejudices began to break down, fewer students remained wary.
"Hey, why are you wearing such big clothes? Even if you're small, there should be clothes that fit."
"Well, I used to be bigger..."
"You're really cute. How old are you?"
"I... don't know."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"N-no...?"
I never thought I disliked people, but with the crowd surrounding me and bombarding me with random questions, I felt like I was developing a phobia.
I kept turning my head, trying to answer each question that reached my ears.
I suppose there aren't many chances to talk with a Demon God. Since they say there's no other Demon God as friendly as me, it's natural they'd be curious. Still, I wished they would just line up and ask one by one.
"Can I touch you?"
"Your hair is so long. Isn't it hard to manage?"
"You look really annoyed. Look at all those stray hairs sticking out."
The Professor didn't rescue me. Being held by the students and bombarded with all sorts of questions, I was already feeling drained.
With each question answered, it seemed a new one arose, and the students' voices grew louder. Seeing the situation intensify, the Professor gently pushed the students back.
"Now, now, you're making Urr uncomfortable. Ask one at a time."
I'm saved. I thought I was going to die.
Just as I caught my breath, the students seemed to realize they had gotten too excited and carefully formed a line.
The first in line was the girl with sky-blue hair who had asked the Professor a question earlier. She was more than 10 centimeters taller than me, so I had to look up at her.
She bent down slightly to meet my eye level and carefully spoke.
"Your name is Urr, right?"
"Y-yes."
"I'm Iris. Nice to meet you?"
"Yes, nice to meet you too, Iris."
When I nodded, Iris hesitated.
"I've never touched a Demon God before. Can I touch you just once?"
"Where do you want to touch...?"
"Your hair. It looks so full."
"Go ahead."
Answering with a resigned tone, Iris smiled happily and moved behind me. I don't understand what's so appealing about my unkempt hair with stray strands sticking out.
It felt strange, like an animal rubbing against a furry creature.
Following Iris's lead, suddenly all the students in line started introducing themselves to me.
"W-wait... I can't remember all of you...!"
Overwhelmed by the numbers, the students paused momentarily, then looked at the nameplate hanging around my neck.
"Should we all wear nameplates too?"
"Good idea."
They started nodding and agreeing among themselves. Watching them, I heard chuckling from behind me.
"You're quite popular."
I glared at the Professor with narrowed eyes.
It's more like they're just fascinated by seeing an unfamiliar animal.