Chapter 89
—-
The underground convenience store of the melee department building at the Academy.
“Professor Si-hyun said!”
Areum shouted excitedly.
“Victory goes to those who persevere and work hard!”
“That’s just a famous quote.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter!”
Even though Eun-byul tried to cut her down, Areum didn’t care at all.
“I did it, you know!”
“Still, that’s really amazing.”
“Hehehe!”
Jae-woo, who had been inspecting Areum’s Hunter license, handed it back to her.
Areum beamed as she looked at her license.
D-rank support-type Hunter, Go Areum.
Her newly updated license clearly reflected her triumphant mood.
Jae-woo and Eun-byul gazed at Areum with envious eyes.
When she mentioned she had something to brag about, they hadn’t expected this.
‘Who would’ve thought she’d get promoted…’
Eun-byul fiddled with her wallet, which held her own Hunter license.
Was there ever a Hunter in Academy history who awakened in late winter and achieved D-rank promotion by the end of May?
No, perhaps not even in all of Korea—or the entire world.
Eun-byul carefully reviewed her knowledge and memories.
‘…Isn’t this the fastest promotion globally?’
That’s how extraordinary the speed was.
For Eun-byul, who was aiming to become the Academy’s top graduate, this was nothing short of shocking and overwhelming news.
And Areum was a rare support-type Hunter at that.
When this news spread, it was certain to cause an uproar everywhere.
Not that Areum seemed to care at all.
‘Or maybe she’s just clueless about the impact.’
Like teacher, like student.
Professor Si-hyun often displayed a nonchalant demeanour, so perhaps it ran in the same vein.
Eun-byul sat idly, listening to the conversation between Areum and Jae-woo.
“Hehe. J-Jae-woo, do you think I can beat Professor’s goblin model now?”
“Haha! Maybe you can.”
Areum clenched her fists like a boxer and threw jabs into the air.
Her punching form was awkward, but her confident expression clearly showed her excitement.
Jae-woo chuckled and nodded at the sight of her.
“You mentioned going to the dungeon with Professor Si-hyun a few days ago, right? Did something happen?”
“Yep! We cleared five dungeons in a row, and I learned so much from Professor!”
“…Five?”
“No way.”
Eun-byul and Jae-woo’s faces scrunched up in disbelief.
They recalled a time when they cleared three dungeons in succession.
Five consecutive dungeons surpassed that.
It was, undoubtedly…
‘Spartan training…’
‘But I kind of envy her…’
Both Eun-byul and Jae-woo shared similar thoughts.
But it wasn’t something they could imitate so easily.
“Professor was so amazing during that time too! Just one hand gesture, and the goblins all fell down…”
As Areum continued praising Professor Si-hyun, the other two silently ate their meals, listening.
Eventually, after they all finished eating and cleaned up together, Eun-byul spoke up.
“Areum, do you have plans today? What are you doing after Monster Studies?”
“Oh, I can’t today! I’m helping Professor Si-hyun with her research.”
“Ah, I see. Jae-woo, I guess it’s just the two of us.”
“Yeah, let’s go. We need to level up too.”
Areum’s promotion greatly motivated the other two students.
It sparked a sense of friendly competition that pushed them toward self-improvement.
* * *
Meanwhile, as for Si-hyun.
She had been waiting in her office since early morning upon hearing about an unexpected visit.
Although she maintained her usual calm expression, her fingers tapped the desk lightly.
‘This should be enough, right?’
The room was spotless.
The books she had been studying were neatly organized on the shelf.
The models she had been crafting were perfectly arranged and displayed.
And, of course, she had her trump card.
‘The handmade treats I got as a gift!’
She had visited an elder’s house just yesterday for a casual visit.
Conveniently, the treats arrived just in time for today’s meeting.
‘Being kind really pays off.’
You never know when things might align perfectly like this.
Satisfied, Si-hyun smiled to herself.
Knock, knock—
The sound of someone knocking on the door halted her movements.
“Yes, come in!”
At her response, the door opened slowly, and a middle-aged man stepped inside.
It was Professor Noh, one of the Academy’s senior professors.
“…What is this?”
Just as he was about to greet her, his eyes fell upon something in the room.
There were grotesque-looking monster models alongside others that emphasized cuteness through deformed designs.
It was, to put it mildly, a bizarre sight.
“Oh, they’re all models. Aren’t they cute?”
“…Ahem. I see.”
He hadn’t expected to be caught off guard like this.
Professor Noh cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lecturer Si-hyun.”
“Welcome, Professor Noh. Please have a seat.”
Professor Noh deliberately referred to her as “Lecturer” to assert a sense of superiority.
However, Si-hyun showed no reaction.
With a polite smile, she guided him to his seat.
‘Hmm, not the reaction I expected.’
As he sat down, Professor Noh studied Si-hyun with sharp eyes.
She was far more stunning in person than in the photos he had seen.
But judging people by their appearance was foolish.
He had come here to verify the rumours himself.
To see if this young lecturer truly possessed the abilities she was reputed to have.
“These are handmade treats from an elder I know. They’re really delicious. Please try some.”
“Hmm, alright.”
Professor Noh slowly picked up one of the treats and tasted it.
His sharp gaze wavered for a moment.
‘…It’s delicious.’
It was unexpected.
Truly unexpected.
The treats satisfied even his picky palate.
He almost impulsively asked about their origin but held back.
This wasn’t the time for such trivial matters.
“Here, have some tea as well.”
Professor Noh took a sip of the tea Si-hyun poured for him.
…The tea was lackluster at best.
“…I’ve been hearing a lot of praise about your Monster Studies lectures recently.”
“You’re too kind. It’s thanks to your permission to use the referenced materials, Professor Noh. They’ve been incredibly helpful. Thank you.”
Si-hyun’s humble response left Professor Noh with a complicated expression.
He hadn’t expected such a polite and proper reaction.
“Hmm, but, you see, recently—”
Professor Noh began his attempt to gauge her.
One by one, he brought up topics designed to test her capabilities.
* * *
Screech.
The sound of the door closing echoed faintly in the hallway.
Professor Noh, stepping out of the office, frowned unconsciously.
‘…This isn’t what I expected.’
He had come to verify the rumours for himself.
And, admittedly, to correct the manners of a mere part-time lecturer.
That had undoubtedly been his goal.
‘…What just happened?’
At some point, he had begun engaging in an academic exchange with her.
In the midst of their logical discussion, he found himself exchanging deeper insights than he had anticipated.
It was no longer a mere conversation between a lecturer and a professor.
She possessed something—something special that he couldn’t quite put into words.
As a result, his visit turned into a time of intellectual exploration.
He found himself fully immersed in the dialogue with her.
Professor Noh tilted his head slightly as he walked down the hallway.
‘Could the rumours about Professor Jeong be entirely true?’
…Still, it wouldn’t hurt to verify it one more time.
Slowly organizing his schedule in his head, Professor Noh realized that, without even noticing, he had started referring to her as “Professor” instead of “Lecturer.”
* * *
After Professor Noh left, back in the office.
Si-hyun, now alone, took a sip of her tea.
‘…I still have a long way to go.’
Professor Noh was a man who excelled at controlling his expressions.
Still, he wasn’t entirely inscrutable.
While he had been expressionless while eating the handmade treats from the elder,
His eyes had flickered slightly when he drank the tea.
As if he wanted to say something but was holding back.
‘Maybe I should have learned the art of brewing tea instead of Go from the elder?’
Si-hyun found herself seriously contemplating her tea-brewing skills.
That was how much she had enjoyed her time conversing with Professor Noh.
It was the first time she had engaged in such a sincere academic discussion with someone.
Professor Noh’s critiques had been sharp, and she had to respond with equally serious thought.
It had been, quite literally, a very fruitful time.
There was a vast difference between merely knowing something and delving into it deeply to explain and share it.
Si-hyun found herself hoping that Professor Noh would visit again.
‘No, no. Should I request a visit myself? Or maybe ask him to audit one of my lectures?’
She considered the monster ranking chart used in her Introduction to Monster Studies lectures.
The framework of the lecture largely stemmed from Professor Noh’s work.
She had studied tirelessly to adapt the knowledge she had learned from the other world to Earth’s standards.
Professor Noh’s expertise in Earth’s Monster Studies was undoubtedly the real deal.
“Ah, it’s about time for my lecture.”
Checking the time, Si-hyun stood up from her seat.
With a leisurely demeanour, she gathered her belongings and left the office.
Stepping outside the building, she greeted several students who recognized her.
“Hello, Professor!”
“Yes, hello.”
Exchanging smiles and greetings, Si-hyun made her way to the Monster Studies lecture hall.
Creak—
“P-Professor! Hello!”
“Professor, good afternoon!”
“Hello.”
In the lecture hall, Eun-byul, Areum, and Jae-woo were already seated.
As Si-hyun approached the podium, Areum, sitting in the front row, grinned widely and said,
“P-Professor! Are there no models today?”
“Ah, that…”
At Areum’s question, Si-hyun suddenly realized.
She had forgotten.
She had left them displayed in the office.
She had worked hard to create models on par with the Goblin model.
Swallowing her regret, Si-hyun replied,
“I left them in the office today. Do you want to see them after the lecture?”
“Oh, okay…”
Areum responded while avoiding eye contact.
She hadn’t thought about seeing them after the lecture.
Whether Si-hyun noticed Areum’s thoughts or not,
She smiled faintly and said,
“But I’ve prepared something even better today.”
“Something better?”
“Yes, a VR device. How about it? Doesn’t it sound exciting?”
Hearing this, not only Areum but also Eun-byul and Jae-woo widened their eyes in surprise.
—
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