The Door of My Bathroom Leads to the Comic World!

"Really? That's fantastic!" Shiomi exclaimed with childlike glee, hugging Sui tightly. Despite being in her thirties, she often acted like a little girl when excited.

"But you'll have to share the results of your research with me," Sui reminded her.

"Of course, that's a given," Shiomi replied. She clutched the small bottle of spice as if it were a precious treasure, her face beaming with pure joy.

As something occurred to her, she asked, "By the way, which part of the plant did you extract this spice from?"

Sui shook his head. "Actually, it's not from a plant. This spice comes from a type of butterfly."

Shiomi froze for a moment, stunned by his answer. "A butterfly?" she asked in disbelief, her curiosity piqued. "Could I see it?"

"Sure, take a look," Sui replied, pointing at the butterfly perched on Megumi's braid. "The spice is made from the phosphorus powder produced by that butterfly."

Shiomi bent down, peering closely at the butterfly resting on Megumi's pigtail. "I thought it was a bow! No wonder it looks so lifelike," she remarked in surprise. Adjusting her glasses, she inspected the butterfly with intense interest.

Hayama, who had been standing nearby, crouched down as well, sniffing the air. "Yes, it's the same scent," he confirmed.

"I'm not very familiar with entomology, but what kind of butterfly is this? It's beautiful. This is the first time I've heard of extracting edible spices from butterflies. Are they poisonous?" Shiomi's eyes widened in fascination as she reached out, almost touching it.

Megumi recoiled instinctively, clutching her braid protectively. The butterfly was a precious gift from Sui, and she cherished it deeply.

"Could you give me this butterfly for research?" Shiomi asked eagerly.

"I'm sorry, Professor Shiomi, but I can't," Megumi replied, her soft voice firm.

There was no way she would part with a gift from Sui.

Shiomi glanced at Sui, her eyes full of hope. "Sui, did you give her that butterfly?"

"Sorry, but I'm all out," Sui replied with a shrug. The butterflies only produced a small amount of spice each day, and even Sui wanted to raise more of them. There was no way he could spare one for Shiomi.

"Oh, I see," Shiomi said, disappointment flashing across her baby-faced expression.

Not one to give up easily, she quickly added, "How about selling one to me?"

Sui chuckled. "Sure, but it'll cost you 500,000 yen."

Shiomi looked startled. "That much?" she asked, her face flushing with a mix of surprise and embarrassment. "The research institute's budget is a bit tight right now. I'm afraid we can't pull that amount together at the moment. Could you give me a little more time? I'll figure something out."

She gazed at Sui pleadingly. While 500,000 yen wasn't an astronomical sum, the research institute often ran on a tight budget, and it had recently been in the red.

"Alright," Sui said with a nod. "When you have the funds, come see me."

"Really? Thank you so much! I'll let you pass your exams later as a token of gratitude!" Shiomi exclaimed, her joy returning.

"Jun, you can't just say that in front of all these students," Hayama said with exasperation, glancing around at the bewildered students nearby.

"Ah? Right, forget what I said about the exams!" Shiomi backtracked, her voice suddenly timid.

Watching the odd dynamic between the two, Sui couldn't help but chuckle. Sometimes, it felt like Hayama was more of a guardian to Shiomi than the other way around.

Hayama gave Sui a small nod of acknowledgment. "I'll remember this favor. If you ever need anything, just come to the Shiomi Research Institute."

"It's nothing," Sui replied with a light smile. Still, gaining Hayama's favor was a pleasant bonus. After all, his acute sense of smell and his position as one of Totsuki's top students could be useful in the future.

Sui then poured a small amount of the spice into a container and handed it to Shiomi.

"I'll share the findings of our research with you once we're done," Shiomi said eagerly, clutching the spice as if it were the most important discovery in the world. Without a second thought, she hurriedly announced the end of the class and rushed off to the lab, leaving the students bewildered.

Sui watched her retreat with a smile before turning to leave. However, Hayama stopped him.

"Sui, could you come outside for a moment?" Hayama asked.

Sui followed him into the empty corridor. "What's on your mind, Hayama?" he asked curiously.

"I wanted to ask where you got those butterflies. And if possible... could you sell one to me? It's clear that Jun really likes them," Hayama said hesitantly, looking slightly uncomfortable.

Sui suppressed a laugh. This pair really was entertaining. At times, Shiomi acted more like a child, and Hayama seemed like the more responsible figure.

After class, Sui made his way to his research group's activity room, followed closely by Megumi, Ryoko, and the others.

Inside the activity room, Miyoko was already there, busying herself with some cooking. When she noticed everyone entering, she smiled and greeted them, "Hey, would you like to try the rice crust I just made?"

Yoshino's eyes lit up as she grabbed a piece without hesitation. "Mmm! It's crispy and fragrant! Really delicious!" she exclaimed, savoring the flavor.

Ryoko, smiling demurely, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before taking a piece for herself. "Let me try it too," she said softly.

Since Sui and Miyoko frequently experimented with dishes, the activity room had started to feel more like a cozy tea room. Ryoko, Megumi, and the others often gathered there with Sui, enjoying tea, snacks, and good conversation.

Sui cherished these peaceful moments. After class, they would sit together, sipping tea, playing cards, and chatting. Occasionally, even Erina would drop by—though she was more interested in poker than tea.

The crispy rice crust paired well with tea, making for a delightful snack. Everyone sat down and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere.

Miyoko glanced at Megumi's braid, noting the butterfly. "Megumi, is that butterfly a pet? It's beautiful. I've noticed that both Miss Erina and Miss Alice have one too," she remarked, a slight hint of jealousy in her voice.

Lately, many people around the academy had noticed the butterflies that Erina and Alice were wearing, making quite a few girls envious.

"Ah? Yeah," Megumi replied, blushing slightly as she stroked her pigtail.