I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

In the student cafeteria, Baek Hana finished her salmon rice bowl, which had a deep reddish hue, and put down her spoon, blinking.

“Why do you seem so down even though everything went well?”

“Did it go well…?”

Edyn, who had been picking at her food, suddenly widened her eyes as if possessed by an undead.

“This was self-defense…!!”

Edyn messed up her hair as she shouted. Usually, Maria, sitting next to her, would have slapped her on the back for being embarrassing, but.

“Why am I being punished too… Ha, ha…”

Maria seemed preoccupied with her own thoughts.

“Demerits!! That’s fine. We can make up for it later!! Outings and overnight stays? That’s bearable!! But…”

Edyn, who had been about to explode, covered her face with her hands and whispered softly.

“Banning games is too much…”

The two of them, including ‘The Guild’, had been banned from playing games on all electronic devices, and the one who had imposed this punishment on them was none other than their senior, Lee Yesol, with the cooperation of their god, Bwiar.

Baek Hana, who had brought marshmallows for dessert, put one in her mouth and said,

“You were happy yesterday, saying it wasn’t a punishment from your sister.”

“I was just momentarily excited because I survived.”

Edyn sighed heavily and raised her head again.

“But you’ve been unusually cheerful since yesterday. Why aren’t you upset about the restriction on outings and overnight stays?”

“Hmm.”

Baek Hana mumbled as she chewed on a marshmallow, briefly recalling yesterday’s events.

The sudden sensation on her forehead. Usually, her body would have reacted before she even had time to think, but this time was different.

The warm touch and the slow movement of a hand that gently stroked her hair. The warmth went beyond her physical body and deeply into her heart, making her body and mind exceptionally calm.

She couldn’t see it, but she could feel the touch. That touch lingered affectionately, stroking her hair several times as if to comfort her.

Just that alone was enough to dispel the gloom that had weighed her down. And the void it left was filled with a sense of fulfillment that could not be replaced by anything else.

Just recalling it made her heart flutter again. Baek Hana forced down the corners of her lips that were trying to turn up and replied,

“Even if I can’t go on overnight stays, I can still drop by home.”

“It’s unfair…”

Edyn pouted and grumbled.

“Why is Professor Baek so lenient with you…”

Squeak-!!

“……?!”

Edyn closed her mouth at the crisp sound and lowered her head, rubbing her back.

Maria sighed as she looked down at Edyn’s back.

“How many times do I have to tell you to watch your mouth? Huh?”

The disciplinary committee’s letter had already been posted this morning, drawing attention, and yet Edyn was about to talk about the relationship between Baek Hana and Baek Woo-jin in this public place.

Edyn rubbed her sore back and straightened her hunched posture.

“Oh, forget it. Since we’re banned from playing games until the second year, I’ll be staying at the mansion during the vacation anyway!”

“I don’t want to…”

Baek Hana, who rarely showed a serious expression, shook her head firmly.

She still felt awkward about sharing the mansion with her sister, Claire, and the idea of having another person join them was absolutely unacceptable.

“Wow, look at that. You used to jump around, asking me to come over.”

“Yeah. I was a little hurt by your answer just now.”

Maria chimed in, but Baek Hana remained unwavering.

“But I can’t. And since your sister will be there too, will you still come?”

“Yeah. Anyway, you two won’t pay any attention to us.”

Through their experiences, Maria and Edyn had made the remarkable discovery that whenever they were with Claire, their superior, Baek Woo-jin never scolded or punished them.

So, they concluded that it would be a million times better to spend their vacation in the comfortable, quiet, and cozy mansion than to be scolded by Lee Yesol.

However, Baek Hana’s response was unusually firm, and Maria paused for a moment before bringing her hand up to her mouth and whispering softly,

“Do you think you can play in the pool without us?”

“…… .”

Pool, water play, swimsuit.

These three keywords flashed through Baek Hana’s mind.

“Four days.”

“Three days.”

“Fine.”

Baek Hana nodded, and Maria smiled in satisfaction. Edyn, sitting next to her, also started to giggle, shaking off the gloom she had felt earlier.

“Um…”

At that moment, Nam Seo-hee, who was sitting next to Baek Hana, asked,

“Can I come too?”

It was important that she could spend time with Baek Hana during the vacation, but what Maria had just mentioned was too powerful to ignore.

“Oh, you’re also banned from outings and overnight stays.”

Edyn had forgotten for a moment and nodded, waiting for Baek Hana’s answer.

“Are you coming to see me?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course.”

For a moment, Baek Hana’s eyes narrowed, but soon her expressionless face returned, and she nodded. Then.

“Do you want to come too, Nayoung?”

“Huh? Me, me too?”

“I’m not forcing you.”

“No, no, I do want to. I mean, yes.”

Lee Na-young, who had been planning to continue her research during the vacation, didn’t hesitate to nod, thinking that she would be able to see the little fairy she had seen at Baek Hana’s house again.

“Let’s go.”

Edyn, who had finished her meal, suggested, and everyone got up from their seats. After returning their trays, they headed out.

“Um, Hana…”

As they were walking, Nam Seo-hee, who had been sitting next to Baek Hana, spoke up.

“Do you have something to tell me?”

“No, it’s nothing… See you later.”

Baek Hana, who was on her way to the sparring hall for her practical combat skills class with Kang Seong-ho, paused for a moment.

“Do you have something to say?”

“No, it’s nothing… See you later.”

Baek Hana, who usually wouldn’t have hesitated, blinked for a moment, then awkwardly smiled and nodded.

“Okay. See you later.”

The group dispersed, each heading to their respective classes, and Baek Hana arrived at the sparring hall with Nam Seo-hee.

There was still some time before the start of the class, and the students were gathered in small groups, chatting about various topics.

-Did you see the letter this morning?

-What, expulsion?

-I thought they would definitely ask about it.

-I heard that both Jayden and Professor Lee Hyeok attended the disciplinary committee.

Baek Hana’s sensitive ears picked up the surrounding sounds as she was warming up, and then.

“Baek Hana.”

Kang Seok-ho, her sparring partner for the day, approached her.

Suddenly, the buzzing noise around them faded away. Usually, this wouldn’t have been a big deal, but the topic of interest had shifted due to the letter that had been posted in the morning.

“Hmm, maybe we should move to a different spot.”

“Yeah.”

Baek Hana stood up, and Nam Seo-hee quickly joined her, saying,

“I’ll come too.”

“Oh, sure.”

Kang Seok-ho shrugged as if it didn’t matter and led the two girls out of the sparring hall. He moved to a shaded corner to make sure no one was around and opened his mouth.

“First of all, I’m really sorry about what happened over the weekend.”

Kang Seok-ho bowed slightly, not too excessively, to apologize.

“It might sound like an excuse, but if we had known the truth, we would never have covered for her. And… I’m not asking you to understand, but Joo-hee has a bit of a temper.”

“She’s a bitch.”

“It’s not that bad, is it?”

Kang Seok-ho, who had been about to argue in defense of his fiancée, quickly averted his gaze when he felt Nam Seo-hee’s cold stare.

“Well, I’m sorry that you had to suffer because of us.”

“It’s fine.”

Since the main culprit had already been punished, she didn’t hold any grudges against the other students.

“Is that all you wanted to say?”

“No, there’s one more thing. It’s…”

Kang Seok-ho trailed off and slightly lowered his body.

“By any chance, do you know that alchemist who made the potion for me last time?”

The self-healing potion made by Lee Na-young, which Baek Hana had forced Kang Seok-ho to evaluate. And he was the one who had personally experienced the effects of the potion.

“Lee Na-young, right?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Can you introduce me to her?”

“…… .”

“…… .”

As soon as Kang Seok-ho finished his sentence, Baek Hana and Nam Seo-hee glared at him with fierce eyes, as if looking at trash.

“You already have a fiancée…”

“You’re a piece of shit.”

The two girls’ harsh curses made Kang Seok-ho flustered as he waved his hands.

“Wait, I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding you have, but it’s not like that!!”

“How is it not? You’re a piece of shit.”

“A horny dog.”

“No…… .”

Kang Seok-ho, bewildered and exasperated, said to the two girls,

“I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding you have, but it’s not like that. It’s because of the letter that came out yesterday.”

Then he took out his smartphone and showed them a page.

[Title: Additional Item for First Year Academic Evaluation.]

We would like to inform you of an additional category for the academic evaluation. The new category is ‘Gate Conquest’, which will be carried out by the ability and reinforcement system. And non-combat job groups will work together as a team…

Each team will consist of four members, including a close-range guard, a close-range dealer, a long-range dealer or supporter, and finally a non-combat job group…

“Did you read it all?”

“…… .”

“…… .”

As the two girls looked embarrassed, Kang Seok-ho put his smartphone away and said,

“Since we’re allowed to form teams in advance, I was wondering if you two had formed a team with that Lee Nayoung, the alchemist. If not, I was going to ask her if she wanted to form a team with me.”

Upon hearing this, Baek Hana realized why Lee Nayoung had called her in the cafeteria earlier.

“So, can you introduce me to her?”

At Kang Seok-ho’s question, Baek Hana took out her smartphone from her pocket and shook her head.

“No.”

She wouldn’t mind introducing him to other classmates, but.

“You’re not good enough.”

She didn’t want to entrust her friend to a weak man whose only ability was to slightly harden his body.

**

**Late evening.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes, Master.”

Jayden had only realized that Baek Woo-jin hadn’t mentioned the exact time after getting punched by his master.

Thanks to that, he had two bumps on his head, and he was able to make a proper appointment again. And now, he had arrived at the old building of the Alchemy Workshop with his master at the appointed time.

[Confirmed.]

As Jayden brought the ring close, the closed entrance door opened wide.

“Let’s go up.”

“Hehe, okay. See you later.”

The boy, Sean, entered the building alone, leaving Jayden behind.

“I can’t sense anything.”

He tried to spread his mana to detect the traces of the one who had invited him, but he couldn’t find any traces of mana in the building, as if the person hadn’t arrived yet.

“I heard he looked quite young.”

It was hard to determine his exact age due to the strange glasses that covered his eyes, but from the skin that was exposed, he seemed to be in his late twenties at most.

In reality, he was probably much older, just like Claire, who still looked like a woman in her early twenties despite being in her late thirties. He was undoubtedly carrying a very refined mana within him.

“My heart is racing for the first time in a long while.”

Sean, who had ignited his thirst for knowledge after a decade, truly looked forward to meeting the one who had sparked his interest from the very first encounter. He opened the door to the warehouse on the top floor.

“Hoo?”

Indeed, when he spread his mana, he couldn’t detect anything. But at the end of the warehouse.

A man with an unmistakably gigantic build stood with his back to the window, the only source of moonlight in the room.

He spread his mana again, but still, he couldn’t sense anything. It was as if he was looking at a mirage, an unfamiliar sensation despite seeing it with his own eyes.

‘Yes, the one who created the barrier should never be ordinary!!’

From the very first meeting, the client had ignited his knowledge-seeking desire.

Sean’s eyes began to turn golden.

As the light gradually spread, tinting every part of his eyes.

【…….】
【―――!!】

“Heeereek?!”

A scream escaped Sean’s mouth, and his knees touched the floor.

Thud, plop.

Beneath his hands, which covered his eyes, crimson blood dripped down.

Unbearable pain assailed him, but not a single scream escaped his wide-open mouth.

Pitch-black darkness, as if he were in the depths of a bottomless pit.

Within that darkness, something took form.

“Ughhh…”

Sean, curled up on the floor, struggled to get up.

Crimson blood dripped from his hands, which were stained with it.

His face was painted with blood, and he shivered as if he were cold, his lips trembling as he tried to utter his desire.

Just then.

“I did tell you to only do what I asked.”

A voice laced with subtle anger.

The analyst swallowed the desire that had risen to the tip of his tongue and collapsed again, choosing to faint for the time being.

‘…I’m screwed.’

He couldn’t find a way to appease the client’s anger, so he chose to pass out for the time being.