Chapter 26: A New Resident

“After all, Professor Zenon is an elf, so she isn’t really the age you’d assume from her looks?”

“Eh? Really? Amazing—this is the first time I’ve seen an elf!”

Once I calmed down and listened, I learned that although Professor Zenon looks like a child, she’s in fact a proper adult.

She’s renowned as one of the world’s foremost sages—adept in multi-attribute magic, a master swordswoman, and capable of just about anything.

She’s published countless books, and if you have even a modicum of scholarly interest, you’ve probably heard her name at least once. It’s astonishing.

That such an incredible person should turn out to be this elementary school–looking loli…

Even so, I’m thrilled to have actually met a real elf.

I might even be feeling that coming to another world was definitely worth it.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed that Professor Zenon’s ears are indeed pointed—classic elf ears.

“Whoa, can I just touch them for a bit!?”

“First time seeing an elf? How much of a bumpkin are you?”

“Hahaha. That’s right—this guy has only just come out of the sticks.”

Liluria said that, laughing as she patted my head repeatedly to brush it off.

I mean, I’m not exactly from the countryside—I came from another world…

Well, if I admitted that, this professor might very well use me for human experiments.
If it means keeping my secret safe, I guess I’ll gladly accept being treated like a bumpkin.

“By the way, about that technique you used to block my attack earlier—”

I nodded along to Liluria’s words while reaching out toward Professor Zenon, who was saying something, and then I touched her elf ear.

“!?”

Amazing! It’s even a bit warmer than a human ear.
And it’s so soft and fluffy.

I proceeded to stroke, massage, and even tug at the professor’s ear, toying with it.

“Hey, Ao! What are you doing all of a sudden!?”

Liluria, sitting next to me, and Sylha, right beside her, both grabbed my arm.

Ah, my elf ear—

“Do you even know what you’re doing!?”

“Seriously, Ao! That was really uncalled for!?”

What? I only petted your elf ear, so what?
Sure, I might have been wrong to touch it without permission, but do I really deserve this much criticism?

Come on—the person being touched doesn’t seem that bothered…
Whoa, she’s got a hint of tears in her eyes!

You really hate having your ears touched that much!?
Seeing that expression on someone who looks like an elementary school student fills me with enormous guilt.

“Ugh… m-my first time has been taken away!”

“Don’t say things that sound so scandalous!?”

She spoke as if I’d committed a heinous crime just by having my ear touched.

It’s not as if this is the first time someone’s touched my ear—could you at least choose your words a bit more carefully?

Professor Zenon blushed slightly and, while still touching my ear, said bashfully:

“Take responsibility… alright?”

“What responsibility!?”

“Ao, brace yourself.”

“Ah, kid. Fight!”

I just couldn’t understand what was happening anymore.

Why do I have to be talked to like this just because someone touched my ear?

And what exactly do you mean by “brace yourself?”

Surely you don’t expect me to be ready for some sort of human experimentation as an apology.

Then, Liluria leaned in close and whispered the answer to this utterly baffling situation:

“Touching an elf’s ear is something only a partner who’s sworn to share a lifetime with you is allowed to do, you know? …Could it be that you didn’t know?”

No way I’d ever know that!

I’m neither a native of this world nor someone who actively gathers information about it.

In other words, my knowledge is about as deep as a baby’s.

It’d be absurd to think that I’d know anything about the peculiar lore of elves.

Listening to the shocking news Liluria had just dropped, I felt cold sweat trickle down my back.

I turned to her and, of course, nodded that I really hadn’t known.

Seeing that, Liluria threw her head back in exasperation as if to say, “What are you even doing?!”

I mean, if your ear is that important, you ought to cover it up or hide it properly…

～～～～～～

“Phew, I finally made it back home!”

After that, Professor Zenon—too embarrassed to meet my eyes—mumbled that she’d ask for the job another time and went off to her own house.

Even though I was unaware, I couldn’t help but feel I’d done something a little wrong.

And since neither money nor errands were pressing, after leaving Rozy University we headed straight home without any detours.

“Finally? It’s still only noon, you know?”

“Right, right. At this rate, we won’t even have money for dinner, so shall we head to the Adventurer’s Guild this afternoon to look for work?”

No way!

Damn it, that loli elf.

If she had paid the commission fee properly, I could have been enjoying a leisurely nap by now.

Just then, a voice called out from the second floor.

“What, you guys don’t have any money? Geez, well, no use complaining then. How about I treat you to dinner, at least?”

Saying that, down the stairs came Professor Zenon, toko-toko.

“Huh? Weren’t you supposed to be home!?”

“Why are you here, Professor Zenon?”

Liluria, clearly surprised, asked the question again.

“Why, you ask… because I’ve decided to start living here from today. I heard you’re accepting boarders—I even heard about it from the Adventurer’s Guild, you know? So, from now on, let’s get along!”

Professor Zenon said that nonchalantly.

Boarding, huh… Well, if someone were to pay me, I’d be all for it, but what’s the point of someone who already has a home taking in boarders?

Besides, after leaving Rozy University, we went straight home.

How did she manage to get here before us?

“Ah, I get your questions. First, about the house I was living in—I just vacated it a little while ago. I’m not too fussed about where I live. And as for how I beat you here—it was all thanks to this magic.”

Professor Zenon snapped her fingers, pachin.

In that instant, the same professor—who had been near the stairs—appeared right in front of me.

Teleportation!?

Professor Zenon placed her hand on my shocked cheek and tenderly caressed it.

Then, with a firm pull, gui-tto, she drew my head toward her—

Chu

—and she kissed my cheek.

“Hey! Wait a minute! I haven’t even been kissed yet!!”

“Y-yeah, I think that’s absolutely outrageous!”

The two of them began to make a fuss over it.

Yet the one who gave the kiss acted as if nothing had happened.

…I’d never been kissed by a girl before.