Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: You Are a Creature That Should Not Exist
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You are a creature that should not exist.
[Shoggoth]
Am I seeing things?
I rubbed my eyes and looked back down at the file.
[Tekeli-li♪]
...This is weird. Now I'm even hearing some bizarre laughter.
Could this be some unknown side effect from passing through the dimensional gate?
Hmm, yeah, it has to be that.
Otherwise, there's no way Professor Rena would suddenly switch the genre to cosmic horror.
"Professor Rena...? I think something's wrong with my eyes. Or maybe it's information contamination."
"What you saw is correct. What's the problem with it being a Shoggoth?"
"Who tells a master's student to interview a Cthulhu! They're insane for real!"
I threw a fit, and the professor jumped in surprise.
Her vines stood straight up like startled fur, perfectly reflecting her mood.
"You just said the right answer yourself, but you don't understand it?"
"Pardon...?"
"Even as a master's student, you're a scholar first. And scholars must produce academic value, of course. True academic value comes from advancing one step beyond existing discussions."
The professor crossed her legs, tapping her foot calmly as she spoke.
It was in the tone of someone explaining an utterly obvious premise.
"Naturally, I don't expect grand achievements from a master's student like you. But you should at least plant the seed for new discourse."
"But out of all the things in the world, why Cthulhu? There are plenty of other established—"
"Do you think repeating existing discussions is right? The scholars in other ecology departments have already investigated those perfectly."
"Investigating ordinary like slimes or orcs would just result in a summary post or a report at best."
"Ugh, you don't have to put it that harshly..."
The professor chuckled and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't worry, Yuan. You're young, fortunately. Honestly, people say you have to finish your master's in two years flat, but that's just a fixed idea. Especially in our ecology field, where we deal with everything under the sun."
Why did her next words fill me with such dread that my body trembled?
"Frankly, I think it's fine if you take three years for your master's... no, even five! Don't worry about financial support. I'm backed by the Demon King's castle, after all. For a disciple like you, anything's possible!"
"...Professor Rena."
"Oh, yes! Have you finally made up your mind?"
"You are a creature that should not exist."
I just buried the professor.
The reason wasn't anything grand.
She had the vibe of dragging me into grad school hell for a thousand years, like a Paris hell wouldn't be complete without it.
Her species used to hunt humans back in the era of the nine previous Demon Kings, before she was even born, and it seems their nature hasn't changed much.
...Of course, only in my imagination.
"Heh heh~ As expected, you have to listen to the end in Korean, right? Thanks for cooperating, Yuan."
Once I finally accepted, the professor leisurely sipped her tea.
"Sigh... You should've explained it from the start."
"I tried to, but you jumped the gun first."
"Isn't this a normal reaction when it's a Shoggoth?"
"That's exactly why I chose them as interview subjects."
"Pardon...?"
The professor dropped the remaining tea from her cup onto two flowers on her body.
Alraune species sometimes ingest liquids through their flowers rather than mouths.
As the mood settled, the professor spoke again.
"Humans still fear Cthulhu on instinct at first glance. Well, we get tense around them too, even if not outright scared."
"Can't be helped. Cthulhu are in classification, but their very essence is different."
"Heh heh, they're truly beings from beyond the stars."
The beings called came to Earth through gates from other dimensions.
Here, refers to the magical creatures under the Demon King who loves humans.
They follow their lord, the Demon King, agree with her will, and achieved coexistence in forms friendly to humans.
But 'Cthulhu' are different.
They were in the same dimension from the start.
Beings who watched humans from afar long before human civilization rose.
Sometimes appearing in dreams to grant inspiration, the remnants of which built the Cthulhu mythos we know.
Anyway, the Cthulhu took a stance closer to observation, raising nests rather than direct contact with humans.
But then something like, 'Heyyy~ You squid-heads watching? Now we're the ones (pure love) corrupting humans~'
With the provoking them (according to Cthulhu claims), they hurriedly changed course.
In the end, they descended to Earth and took on bodies humans would find appealing.
Thus completing today's coexistence system.
"The problem is that the Cthulhu race is truly out of spec. Cosmic horror isn't an empty term."
"They only made indirect contact with Earth because they worried humans would go mad."
It's the inevitable gap in stature, I suppose.
No matter how much they suppress their power and majesty to descend in beautiful forms, fully controlling it is impossible.
So people tense up instinctively upon first meeting Cthulhu, even knowing rationally they're safe.
The Cthulhu are cooperating with the Demon King to solve this, but...
The academic consensus is that more time is needed.
"As you know, it's not like no one has taken Cthulhu as pets. Actually, the more you meet them, the more you adapt and the intimidation fades."
"The first time is the hardest. That crawling pressure and chills...!"
"Heh heh, do you know 'Stock Clown' by any chance?"
"I'm more surprised you know it, Professor."
It's a character that's become a meme everywhere, beyond stock communities.
I had one, you little punk.
And tons more gems like 'People are dying' etc.
For the professor to bring up such a meme out of nowhere?
"Quite fascinating. The original Stock Clown meme character grows stronger by feeding on human fear. But in Korea, it became purely an object of ridicule."
"Probably because the distorted image got so famous and widespread."
"Exactly, Yuan. Do you know what kind of fear the Cthulhu race evokes?"
"...Fear of the unknown."
Something you can never oppose or reject, not even properly comprehend.
Fear based on the powerlessness and worthlessness it brings.
"Some see it as awe. There's a difference in stature, after all."
"Is this interview to help popularize Cthulhu more? To dilute the instinctive fear by making them familiar?"
"As expected, sharp as ever! Planning to publish a book through the interview and report. And process it into videos for the internet too."
Now the pieces fit.
A plan to dispel Cthulhu misconceptions a bit and soften instinctive fear.
So Cthulhu who like humans, like the, can approach more easily.
The intent is good.
And with the sponsor being who they are, research funding will be plentiful.
But a fundamental question arose.
"Why is this in our major? Isn't it more humanities territory?"
"Heh heh, ecology fundamentally explores the contexts and meanings that one organism holds for other organisms and environments."
"That's too macro~"
"Our job is just securing raw data for the promotional material's backbone. Processing and promotion will be handled elsewhere, so no worries."
"We're the crucial first button. Heavy shoulders~"
The professor smiled contentedly.
She stood from her chair, stretched, and looked at the shelf.
Displayed there were her recognized achievements and degrees from academia.
"It's a project that benefits public good and personal gain all around. Not just about getting a master's degree."
"Even if you skip PhD and go corporate, this experience will be useful."
"I'm happy as long as I can live happily with Hikari."
"Heh heh, how about PhD on Nurarihyon ecology? They're a rare species too."
"Writing a thesis on my daughter's growth would take more than ten years."
"That's fine by me. Even if it takes fifty! You have to become a PhD, Yuan!"
"Demon! Why does it always end up there!"
Anyway, I accepted the offer.
After that, I got more detailed explanations on the project.
Surprisingly, not just Cthulhu but other minority species too.
Which would come up would be a fun surprise for later.
And since it had been a while, when the professor insisted on dinner before leaving, I got a free meal too?
"Then I'll count on you, Yuan~ Next time, definitely bring your foster daughter!"
"Get home safe~"
I bowed and adjusted my bag.
"Finally, I can go to you."
My steps quickened toward the subway station.
The announcement for the next stop, Express Bus Terminal, felt painfully slow.
The immigration officer at the dimensional gate even asked why I seemed so anxious.
Looking at my reflection in the bus window back in Promere, I looked ridiculously eager.
Still.
Still though.
"Hikari...! Hikari...!"
How far did I run?
In the darkened residential area, one house emitted an especially warm glow.
The boarding house.
Our home.
"I hope I'm not late...!"
The door flew open!
"Wewcome home!"
A lisping child's voice.
Golden hair swaying in cute pajamas.
And those incredibly pretty light purple eyes.
My one and only daughter.
"I'm home! You waited a lot, huh! And when did you get so fluent?!"
"Ehehe... Books... Studied hawd..."
Hikari, hugged tight against me, acted spoiled and pointed at the sofa.
It was the fairy tale series we'd read together over the weekend.
Did she keep reading and studying even while I was in Seoul?
"You're so great, I'm going crazy!"
I scooped up her adorable body and hugged her tight.
The moment our eyes met, we both grinned at each other.
"The daughter fool is back?"
"Ah... Ihana! Was Hikari good today?"
"Heh heh, wanna hear? Hurry and unpack. Wash up too."
I couldn't hold back.
How lovable Hikari must have been in the one day I was gone.
And I wanted to spoil her rotten too!