“Would you like a piece too?”
“Cats can’t eat paper.”
“Too bad. It’s a shame to miss out on something so delicious…”
“It doesn’t look tasty…”
Seeing Goat looking at me with a genuinely pitiful expression made me feel like I wanted to yawn, but since I was the subordinate here, I had to hold it in.
Who knows what might happen if I upset this crazy goat?
“By the way, I didn’t expect you to come looking for me. You’ve got quite the nerve, haven’t you?”
“It’s only polite to get acquainted with your neighbors.”
“Polite, polite… Do you know what happened in the Bahraman dynasty 621 years ago?”
The conversation took an abrupt turn.
But I couldn’t get dragged into it.
That paper-devouring goat is probably the most malicious being I’ve ever met.
“I don’t know.”
I’m not a lore enthusiast, how would I know?
I’m not even sure if it’s explained in the original work.
“Honest, aren’t you?”
“Do I have a reason to lie?”
“Ordinary people who think they’re smart often delude themselves into thinking they can deceive others.”
I guess that’s his way of telling me not to act out. I never intended to, so I just nodded along.
“Then what’s the truth?”
“Knowing oneself and being honest is the truth.”
“That’s difficult.”
“That’s why academia is so fascinating. The desperate screams of grappling with unsolvable problems are the most exquisite delicacy in the world.”
This guy’s really terrifying.
For a moment, I felt grateful I wasn’t reincarnated as a human.
Or more precisely, as a student of the Academic Department.
If it weren’t for the Academic Department, I wouldn’t have had many chances to meet this guy.
Despite his words, he’s actually quite kind to those he likes. Really.
“Well, so did you really just come to say hello?”
“Unfortunately, I’m not a beast with the intellect you’d appreciate. I just want to settle in a corner of the garden and live out the rest of my days in peace.”
“That’s an intriguing answer, neither ordinary nor extraordinary.”
“Think what you will. After all, to you, I’m just a small beast living a fleeting moment, right?”
In my words, Goat’s pupils changed subtly.
Beyond interest, his expression showed he was pleased. Success, perhaps?
“It could be, or it might not be. Don’t hastily judge life. Fate is capricious, and the most absurd things can happen without any reason.”
“When you say it, it sounds like a curse.”
“Oh, despite appearances, I’m revered in the academy as the Paper Devourer. I don’t resort to curses like those common folk.”
It’s absurd how proudly he says that nickname.
It doesn’t seem like a good nickname no matter how you look at it.
Anyway, it’s a relief that those square pupils didn’t turn into crosses.
“Then, can I go now? Cats need to sleep in the morning.”
“I know. Over a thousand cats have passed through this academy.”
“A thousand… That’s a lot.”
“Most were just ordinary cats… but you’re different. I’ll look forward to our next meeting.”
Goat’s square pupils curved downward. It was a bizarre sight.
“…Nine? Nine?”
“It’s not easy.”
Were the things I experienced at night just a dream at the end of winter?
Or were they real?
I found myself sitting on a familiar bench.
The rising sun was blinding.
“Time to go back… huh?”
“Go back where? You just got here.”
“Huh?”
The brown-furred one kept tilting its head left and right, seemingly unable to comprehend the situation, repeatedly saying “huh?”
It was comical, but I couldn’t just laugh.
It reminded me once again of how weak I am in this academy.
I should try to live quietly without causing any trouble.
Although, any trouble would probably be taken care of by the main characters anyway.
Still, it’s a bit unsettling.
Depending on who among the five is the protagonist, the main storyline changes.
Of course, it’s not something I should worry about.
I’m just a mere background character;
I shouldn’t meddle in what the humans are doing.
What can I do with this small body in a world full of swords and magic?
If I were a Dynamaxed background tiger, maybe… but even then, I’d probably only be slightly stronger than a goblin.
“Hey, listen to me. Don’t cause any trouble, okay? If you do, those guys will eat you.”
“Ah, okay! I won’t cause any trouble!”
“I hope you understand me.”
If I run around carelessly, I might just end up in trouble.
But not running around is against the instincts of us beasts…
How much can a fragile cat do in a world full of monsters?
“I’ll keep that in mind!”
“Good, now let’s get some sleep.”
I’m tired after walking around the academy.
I curled up quietly on the bench.
———————
“The entrance ceremony is in two days… I heard there are many notable new students this time—”
“Senior, should we be worrying about new students now? We need to graduate soon—”
“Does it make any difference if we worry?”
“…You’re right.”
Kazein, a direct graduate student under Professor Ryuen, sighed at her junior’s complaints.
Working under Professor Ryuen, whose sense of time is as stretched as mozzarella cheese, means your sighs are just as long.
Her predecessor took a full ten years to escape graduate school, so perhaps her twenties will also end here.
Maybe even in her thirties.
Although Professor Ryuen’s lab is stretched thin, it’s a comfortable environment for research.
She always talked about needing to graduate, but it was just a habit she picked up from her seniors.
“By the way, senior, how’s your personal research going?”
“Not much progress.”
“Isn’t that research a bit hopeless? Trying to turn ordinary animals into spiritual beings.”
“I have to try as much as I can.”
In reality, she doesn’t have much time for personal research amidst her workload, but her research continues steadily.
It’s a promise she made and a regret she can’t let go of.
“Senior, you’re too much of a romantic for a researcher.”
“Research is originally built on romance.”
“I prefer practicality over romance. At least I won’t go hungry.”
As always, Kazein let her junior’s complaints go in one ear and out the other, turning her head towards the garden.
‘It’s about time those kids are getting hungry.’
The cats she coincidentally met in the garden.
They were the cutest cats she had ever seen in her life.
Well-behaved and accustomed to human touch, but firm in setting boundaries.
“Senior, what’s wrong? You suddenly look upset.”
“What’s with that tone, junior?”
“I’m actually older than you.”
“Only bringing up age now, how cowardly.”
“It’s the privilege of being a half-elf.”
The cheeky junior crossed her arms and raised her head.
She looked so smug that Kazein wanted to smack her on the head, but seeing her confidently casting protective spells made her hold back.
Instead, she decided to retaliate with words.
“Then can I call you auntie now?”
“Why would I be an auntie!”
“Humans over thirty are called aunties, right?”
“By half-elf standards, I’m still a fresh youth!”
As always, Kazein laughed off her junior’s vehement protests and turned towards the garden.
“Alright, junior. I’m going to the garden for a bit. Wake the professor if he falls asleep.”
“If I wake him, he’ll just whine and refuse to get up…”
“Tell him his cocoa will get cold if he doesn’t wake up. He’ll get up right away. I’ll be back soon, okay?”
“Don’t get too attached, senior! Stray cats disappear on their own!”
Leaving her junior’s shouts behind, Kazein quietly walked down the hallway.
‘Should I prepare something special after the entrance ceremony in two days?’
The exorbitant prices at Pelisec Academy aren’t kind to her wallet, but a little treat for the cute kids should be fine.
“I’ve saved up quite a bit of emergency funds, so it should be okay.”
‘Those pitiful cats waiting for me are more important than emergency funds!’
With optimistic thoughts, she lightly brushed off reality and her footsteps became even more lively as she walked down the hallway.
Towards the garden.