I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

In the evening, after all the day’s activities were over, the girls gathered in Baek Hana’s room as usual to get ready for bed.
“Oh, my body aches…”
“Huff!”
Edyn lay down on the floor, massaging her thighs, while Nayoung, who was already lying on the bed, laughed softly.
“What’s so funny? A friend is in pain.”
“Sorry, sorry.”
Nayoung quickly apologized.
“It’s just… it’s a bit odd to hear you talk like that, Edyn.”
“That’s true. You look like a pure foreigner, but you speak like a native Korean.”
Maria, who was sitting next to them and applying a nutritional supplement, agreed with Nayoung.
“Hey, that’s discrimination! I’ve never even been abroad…”
Edyn pouted and grumbled softly.
Indeed, Edyn and Maria looked like they could be mistaken for foreign royalty or nobility, but they had been raised by Lee Yesol and the other priests since they were very young.
“Ugh~!! Ahh…”
Edyn stretched her arms above her head and yawned, then clasped her hands behind her head and spoke.
“But it’s good that The fairy is feeling better.”
“Yes…”
Nayoung quickly nodded in agreement.
Maria, who had finished applying the supplement and was cleaning up, chimed in.
“But didn’t it seem like The fairy was following the professor around a bit strangely?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure.”
“Seo-hee, what about you?”
“…”
There was no response.
Nayoung turned her head to look at Seo-hee, who was lying next to her.
“Seo-hee, wake up.”
“Wow, you’re such a tough girl. How can you fall asleep as soon as you lie down on a pillow?”
Edyn shook her head, looking disgusted.
Maria smiled and turned off the light, as if it were something she had planned to do all along. Then, a soft light illuminated the desk.
“Haaah~ What are you doing? Why don’t you lie down?”
“I’m going to lie down.”
Edyn patted the spot next to her, and Maria shook her head and lay down. Then, she slightly lifted her head and looked at Baek Hana, who was sitting at the desk.
In fact, Maria brought up the topic of the fairy, not because she wanted to, but to draw Baek Hana’s attention.
After the training session ended, all the women in the mansion, including the fairy, went to the bathroom.
-Hey, did you get into a fight with someone?
-No.
-But you have bruises on your neck and back…
Everyone’s gaze turned to Claire at Baek Hana’s words.
And everyone saw it.
The red and blue bruises on her fair skin, like territorial markings.
-Wow, really?
-It’s… Hmm!
Claire coughed softly in response to Edyn’s surprise.
-It was… something that happened outside.
-I see.
Edyn, who was a bit naive, nodded her head, and Nayoung, who was just as naive, blinked her clear eyes.
-Did you get hurt that badly?
-Yes…
And Baek Hana, who was just as naive as Nayoung, stared at Claire with a puzzled look.
-The fairy!
Just as the atmosphere was getting strange, the fairy, which was sitting on Baek Hana’s shoulder, lightened the mood.
-Let’s go in quickly~ The professor is waiting for us.
Maria cleverly shifted the focus away from the topic.
After all, she knew what the marks on Baek Hana’s neck and back were.
The only thing that bothered her was that Seo-hee, who had been quietly keeping her mouth shut, seemed to have noticed as well.
‘Ugh… Why didn’t the Executioner erase those marks?’
She must have known about them.
Or, even if she didn’t know, that person would have…
Claire’s face turned bright red as she suddenly imagined something sinister.
‘…I don’t know. I did my best.’
Maria decided not to worry about it anymore and closed her eyes.
But…
‘Are… Are the two of them together right now…?’
Although the bedroom and study were separated by a door, the distance between them was only a door apart.
‘Maria, what are you thinking? That’s a disrespectful thought. The fairy is there too… even though it’s there…’
Once it falls asleep, it’s not the type to wake up easily, is it?
That night, Maria had trouble sleeping.
A few days had passed since Baek Woo-jin returned to the mansion.
‘…Something’s strange.’
Baek Hana, now quite familiar with the training routine, finished her session and soaked in the bathtub, gazing up at the steam-filled bathroom ceiling as she sorted through her memories.
-Woo-jin~
-Hmm!
When she poked her head into the study to greet him in the morning, her sister, who was suspiciously close to him, coughed.
-Good morning, Hana.
-Good morning, unnie.
-Then, I’ll go prepare breakfast…
And she hurriedly left, as if hiding something.
That wasn’t all.
Her sister’s face had been bright red several times during dinner, and she would distance herself if he came too close.
Baek Hana knew that her sister had always been cautious and respectful towards him, but her behavior over the past few days was different from before.
‘Woo-jin seems a little different too…’
Sometimes, very rarely, he would smile at her. But recently, he had shown that rare smile several times.
-Go to bed now.
-Just a little longer~
She had taken advantage of the accumulated affection and spent time sitting on his lap for the first time in a long while.
-When do you plan to grow up?
-What are you talking about? I’m already fully grown.
-Hmm.
She mustered up the courage to lean forward and show him her chest, but he just smiled faintly and gently stroked her hair.
He also accepted skinship that he would have scolded and chased away in the past.
‘Ugh… That’s good, but…’
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle!
Even now, she could still feel the touch of his hand gently stroking her cheek and fixing her hair as she leaned against his arm that morning.
“Hey, Baek Hana!”
“…”
Baek Hana, who had been soaking in the bathtub, turned her head.
“How long are you going to stay in there? Come out quickly. I’m hungry.”
-I’m hungry too!
Edyn and the fairy sitting on her shoulder shouted at Baek Hana.
“Where are the others?”
“They’re drying their hair outside.”
“Already?”
“What do you mean, already?”
Edyn came over to the bathtub and pinched Baek Hana’s red cheek.
“It’s been 30 minutes already. What were you thinking about?”
“Hmm…”
“What are you talking about? Just come out.”
Edyn and the fairy left the bathroom, and Baek Hana, who was alone, rubbed her slightly stinging cheek and stepped out. She then went to the kitchen after having her hair done by Seo-hee, who was waiting for her as usual, and put on her clothes.
Clatter.
They sat in their usual spots, each with their own utensils.
Baek Hana scooped up some stew filled with bacon and potatoes and glanced at the opposite side. Until the festival, Claire had always sat at the end of the table, but at some point, she started sitting in the same row as Baek Woo-jin.
‘As I thought…’
Just as Baek Hana was about to think about their relationship, Edyn, who had been hastily eating, cautiously spoke up.
“Professor…”
“What is it?”
Baek Woo-jin, who had been drinking coffee and looking at his smartphone instead of stew, looked up.
Edyn shyly fidgeted with her fingers and said,
“Well, summer vacation is almost over…”
Edyn, who had been stiff at the beginning of the vacation, was now acting like her usual self around Baek Woo-jin.
“So, can we go swimming one more time before it ends?”
“I told you that you’re free to do as you please after training.”
“Aish…”
As if to say that wasn’t what she meant, Edyn brought the tip of her spoon to her lips.
“Professor, why don’t you come play with us too? You didn’t play with us this year.”
Even Maria, who would usually smack her on the back, glanced around cautiously.
-Play!
The fairy, which had been quietly eating the chocolate Baek Woo-jin had peeled for it, looked at him with sparkling eyes.
“Professor~”
Tap, tap.
Edyn, who had been using her cute appearance to make coquettish noises, kicked Baek Hana’s shin under the table with her foot. It was a signal for her to help.
After a moment of hesitation, Baek Hana opened her mouth.
“Yes, let’s play together. You didn’t watch the fireworks with us either.”
“Hmm.”
As soon as she mentioned the fireworks, Baek Woo-jin sighed and nodded.
“Just for tomorrow.”
Not only Edyn, but Maria and Seo-hee also secretly clenched their fists in joy.
“Professor…”
Baek Woo-jin, who had been about to look back at his smartphone, turned to Claire.
“When you take a break, it’s more efficient to fully rest.”
“…”
Baek Woo-jin looked at Claire’s face for a moment without saying anything.
“You can skip training tomorrow.”
Even Nayoung, who had been quiet until now, smiled brightly in joy.
Only one person remained calm.
Baek Hana calmly pretended to be happy.