Chapter 10: Cecily(1)
Chapter 10: Cecily(1)
Time flew by like an arrow. Since most of the first classes were orientations explaining the curriculum, there were frequent gaps in my schedule.
When "Economics," the final lecture of the first week, came to an end, I remained in my seat even as the other students filed out. I had a lot on my mind.
Damn. They took all the worst parts of high school and crammed them in here.
This place didn't follow the system of my previous life’s universities, where you’d attend lectures for three months and then have a long three-month break before the next semester. Here, classes dragged on for four to five months, while the vacation lasted a measly one or two.
Furthermore, there were eighteen subjects in total. Each subject was worth a maximum of 100 points, and you had to score at least 900 points overall to avoid repeating the year. While a total of 1,200 points or more earned you a scholarship, it was practically impossible.
Scoring 100 in a single subject was hard enough; reaching 1,200 was a realm beyond reach for an ordinary person like me.
For now, I’ll make Philosophy, Humanities, Biology, History, and Theology my priorities... The rest are the problem. I thought I was a liberal arts student, so why is there Math?
I grumbled inwardly, but mathematics played a vital role in this world. It had developed naturally due to its inseparable link with magic.
You know how in old fantasy novels, characters sometimes use mathematical formulas to calculate spells? It’s a classic cliché where the protagonist becomes a magical genius by simply applying formulas they learned in middle or high school.
Well, it turned out to be useful here too. However, it wasn't the school-level math from my past life. Here, when someone invented a new spell, they used logical numerical notation to make the magic easier to cast.
Magic is math and physics? What a horrific hybrid.
No wonder the books on magic were so damn difficult. They were filled with terminology only a mathematician or physicist would use; there was no way a liberal arts student like me could understand them.
Moreover, since this world manifested an energy called 'mana' into balls of fire or chunks of ice, math and physics had no choice but to advance at a breakneck pace. In essence, it was easier to think of mages as beings with computers installed in their heads.
Geniuses like Newton or Einstein from my previous life were practically a dime a dozen here.
For that reason, I gave up on math entirely. That was a major only for true geniuses.
Having been a "math-abandoner" in my past life, I’d briefly considered giving it another shot, but I promptly abandoned that idea the moment the first lecture started.
"...Isaac?"
"..."
"Mr. Isaac?"
"Huh?"
Someone called my name while I was jotting down my future plans in my notebook. A charming, melodic voice tickled my ears.
I turned my head to see who it was and couldn't help but be a little surprised.
Cecile, the Princess of Helium, was staring at me, her blood-red eyes blinking.
"...Princess Cecile?"
"I'm sorry if I interrupted your concentration. You were the only one left in the lecture hall."
"Ah."
I looked around at her words. Just as she said, the room was empty.
It seemed my intense focus had prevented me from noticing everyone else leaving.
"...Where are Princess Lina and Mari?"
"They saw how focused you were and left first. I stayed behind, but since you showed no sign of leaving, I decided to call out to you."
"Hahaha..."
I scratched my head awkwardly. I might have stayed in this classroom until nightfall.
"Thank you. You saved me from wasting a lot of time."
"It was nothing. Are you always like this, Isaac?"
"Um... yes. It happens quite often."
"It’s a strength, but seeing you now, it also seems a bit dangerous," Cecile said with a bright smile.
I felt my face flush at her lethal grin and hurriedly looked away. At first, she felt surreal, like a manga character, but I was gradually getting used to her. You might think getting used to it is a good thing, but it only made her beauty stand out more. That was why I had to avert my eyes.
"Are you busy after this, Isaac?"
As I struggled to cool my burning face, Cecile asked her question. I looked back at her, barely managing to compose myself.
I didn't know why she was asking, but I had to answer. Besides, I didn't have much to do other than go back to my dorm to read or write my manuscript.
"No, not particularly."
"Then why don't we take this opportunity to get to know each other better?"
"..."
I stared blankly at Cecile’s suggestion. It wasn't strange for her to show such kindness. She had been showing a sudden interest in me ever since the Professor Magnus incident.
Just before I spoke, I decided a little joke wouldn't hurt.
"Is that a request for a date?"
"Of course it is."
"..."
I was the one who got countered. I stared blankly at the beaming Cecile, feeling my face turn red in real-time. With that face and that smile, no man could stand his ground.
Cecile let out a soft giggle at my reaction and spoke in a playful tone.
"Mr. Isaac? Your face is turning the same color as your hair."
"...That was a mean joke."
"You're the one who started it, Isaac."
"...My apologies."
Since I’d already been caught, I decided to continue the conversation even with my face as red as a beet. Shame was a luxury at this point.
"...Anyway, I don't have anything special to do. Even if I go back to the dorm, I'll just be reading."
"Shall we move to a different spot, then?"
"Do you have a place in mind?"
"It wouldn't be bad to talk over a light meal."
I checked my watch at her suggestion. The lecture had ended at exactly 4:30, and it was now 5:00.
It was a bit early for dinner, but not too early. If I got hungry later at night, I could just eat the snacks I’d stocked in my fridge.
"Sure. But I don't know many restaurants..."
"I think eating the school cafeteria meal wouldn't be so bad."
"Understood."
While there were many famous restaurants at Halo Academy, the free meals provided by the academy weren't bad at all.
Though it was a space intended for commoners short on cash, it was buffet-style and offered a wide variety of food.
This was only possible because of the massive funding involved, and it was one of the reasons why Halo Academy had a better reputation than academies in other countries. The welfare for students, regardless of rank, was exceptional.
I tucked my notebook under my arm and clipped my pen into my uniform's front pocket. Cecile watched me and asked curiously.
"Do you always carry a notebook and a fountain pen around, Isaac?"
"No. I only bring the notebook for lectures."
I usually carried a small memo pad, but I didn't mention it. She would surely ask why I always carried one.
Cecile nodded, looking back and forth between the magic pen in my pocket and the notebook in my hand. Then, a question occurred to me, and I asked her.
"Don't you take notes, Princess Cecile?"
"I'm a Demon, so I remember almost everything I hear. I can even remember what I ate for New Year's ten years ago."
"Wow..."
Was it because they were a long-lived species? Her memory was incredible.
Books mentioned that the longer a race's lifespan, the better their memory, and it seemed to be true. If so, I couldn't even fathom how good the memory of an Elf—the epitome of longevity—would be.
However, having a perfect memory wasn't necessarily a 'blessing.'
"It might seem like a strength, but it must be quite difficult for you."
"Pardon?"
"It means you remember all the bad things, too."
There is a saying about the 'blessing of oblivion.' It’s better to forget bad memories as quickly as possible, but if that’s impossible, they become wounds you must carry for a lifetime.
Cecile looked dazed as I spoke with a hint of sympathy. But that expression soon shifted into a deep smile.
"I've thought this from the start, but you are a deep thinker, Isaac. Most people would only see a good memory as an advantage."
"The word 'trauma' doesn't exist for no reason."
Even I, with memories of my past life, had traumas. It was when my family from my previous life passed away in an unexpected accident.
The memory of that time was... truly devastating. When something I took for granted as always being by my side vanished without warning, I couldn't even think.
Still, thanks to that, I was able to realize the preciousness of family, albeit late. My family in this life consisted only of good people, so I was living a very satisfying life.
While I was lost in thought, Cecile spoke up, her voice filled with wonder.
"Sometimes when I talk to you, Isaac, I feel like I'm talking to an elder much older than me. How old are you?"
My heart skipped a beat for a moment, but I managed to answer calmly.
"I'm seventeen now. And you, Cecile?"
"I'm 105."
"Ah, I see... wait, what?"
105? I looked at Cecile, wondering if I had misheard.
Cecile tilted her head as if wondering what the problem was, then let out an "Ah" as she realized.
"For a Demon, 100 years old is like just entering adulthood for a human. It’s a tradition based on the idea of becoming a devil by 100 and truly living as a person. Though, even converted to human years, I'm still older than you, Isaac."
"Ah... I see."
I muttered as I shifted my gaze toward the top of her head. Two horns protruded there, proving she was a Demon.
Sometimes I forgot that Cecile was a Demon. Based on her usual behavior, she wasn't a devil but an ordinary, everyday person. Who would think such a beautiful and playful woman was a devil?
Nevertheless, the occasional sense of incongruity probably stemmed from the fact that this lifestyle was new to her. It made sense when I thought about it.
Then has she only lived in Helium until now?
That was likely the case. It was said that the Demons residing in Helium lived there their entire lives.
In the first place, there had been almost no cases in the last 100 years of a Demon coming out to form ties with other nations. That was why Cecile’s enrollment at Halo Academy had been front-page news.
"Hmm."
Did she notice my gaze lingering on her horns?
Cecile let out a suggestive hum and crinkled her eyes beautifully. Then, in a subtle yet expectant voice, she asked me.
"What do you think? Looking at me like this, I seem like a perfectly normal human, don't I?"
"Yes."
"...Eh? Is that it?"
Cecile reacted with bewilderment at my blunt answer. I was the one who couldn't understand her reaction.
I blinked and asked her back.
"What kind of answer were you looking for?"
"Well... that I don't seem like a Demon, or that seeing me live like a human doesn't feel awkward..."
Her voice trailed off the more she spoke. My confusion was brief as I recalled the path she must have walked as a Demon.
Until the Xenon Biography was published, she would have been looked down upon as a Demon and despised as a devil. Furthermore, with her excellent memory, those bad memories must have haunted her incessantly.
I rubbed the back of my neck, unable to think of anything else to say. But the atmosphere felt like I had to say something, so I spoke up.
"Well, I've read the Xenon Biography too, so I think of Demons as people. Besides, I've never been harmed by a Demon, so I don't have any prejudices to begin with."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes."
Cecile seemed to fall into deep thought for a moment, then she looked me straight in the eye and fired off a question.
It might have been my imagination, but her expression seemed to hold both tension and resolve.
"Then, Isaac, what do you think of Demons?"
"Hmm..."
"Do you really... think we can become like humans?"
How should I answer this? I wanted to be as kind as possible, but sometimes a reality check is necessary. Expectations often lead to equal amounts of disappointment.
Even if the Xenon Biography had increased the number of people who treated Demons as humans, their innate nature was something even a god couldn't change. Perhaps even at this very moment, a Demon who had undergone demonization was running amok.
I stopped walking and turned my head to look at Cecile. My face was reflected in her ruby-like eyes.
Seeing her waiting desperately for my answer, I spoke firmly.
"No."
Step—
Just before the cafeteria, Cecile’s footsteps came to a dead halt.
"Demons cannot become human."
A cold atmosphere settled between the two of us.