I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

Haha, this side is also overcrowded, ladies.”
“Ahhhh!”
As soon as the guardian finished speaking, Edyn, who was standing next to Baek Hana, ruffled her hair.
Even though the checkpoint was already far away, they couldn’t find a suitable gate to enter.
“Why are there so many people at 9 o’clock?”
“On Sundays, the by-products and magic stones are more expensive, so there are quite a few awakened ones who stay from dawn until evening.”
“Ughhhh!!!”
Edyn was frustrated, but with no one to vent her frustration on, she could only grit her teeth and suppress her anger.
“Let’s stop and go over there.”
“Haa, I’m so hungry I can’t even move… Carry me.”
Without waiting for Baek Hana’s permission, Edyn jumped onto her back. Baek Hana chuckled and supported Edyn’s hips to steady her.
“Excuse me, students?”
“Yes.”
Baek Hana stopped for a moment as she was about to look for another gate.
The guardian rummaged through his bag under the chair and offered them a pack of sandwiches that hadn’t been opened yet.
“I brought these as a snack, but you can have them. I’m changing shifts at lunchtime anyway. And if you’re looking for an empty gate, it’s faster to go to the outskirts instead of going inside.”
“Oh, thank you.”
As Baek Hana took the sandwiches, Edyn, who was behind her, quickly grabbed them.
The guardian smiled to himself and continued.
“The gates on the outskirts are less popular because the by-products are less valuable and the monsters are more difficult to deal with. In fact, some people even give up and leave even when there are empty spots.”
“I see. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. It’s the weekend, so I hope you have a great time.”
The middle-aged guardian sat back down and waved to the girls as if they were his own daughters.
“Munch, munch. Hey, this is so good! Why does it taste so good even though the combination is weird?”
Edyn offered another sandwich to Baek Hana, who took a big bite.
The sweetness of the jam and the savory, salty taste of the cheese and eggs blended together, making it quite delicious, just as Edyn had said.
“Let’s see, Maria…”
Edyn fed Baek Hana the sandwich while using her other hand to operate her smartphone to contact the rest of their group.
-Did you find it?
“No, but a kind gentleman told us to go to the outskirts instead of going inside.”
-Really? We just got the same advice.
“So should we go left?”
-Okay, I’ll let you know when I find it.
After the call ended, Edyn brushed the crumbs off her hands onto her own buttocks and then hugged Baek Hana’s neck again.
“Are you not going to get down?”
“Do you want me to?”
“I don’t mind, but I don’t really like it… And you’re heavy.”
“Huh?”
Edyn glared at her and wrapped her legs around Baek Hana’s waist, sticking to her. Then, she stretched out her arm holding the smartphone over her shoulder and…
Click!
She took a selfie with her cheek pressed against Baek Hana’s.
“Haha, Nam Seo-hee will be so jealous!”
“Tsk.”
Baek Hana patted Edyn’s buttocks playfully as she walked, showing no signs of getting down.
“Baek Hana.”
“Yes?”
Edyn, who had calmed down, spoke in a slightly more serious tone.
“Are you okay?”
“What do you mean, suddenly?”
Baek Hana blinked and turned her head slightly, and Edyn sighed softly and rested her chin on Baek Hana’s shoulder. Then, she tapped Baek Hana’s cheek and continued.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m here for you if you ever need to talk. You can always rely on me.”
“……”
Baek Hana was taken aback by her friend’s sudden statement.
“…I was born before you, you know?”
“That’s just the birthday the professor gave us.”
“And you’re weaker than me, so how can you be my older sister?”
“What did you say?”
It was a low blow to use facts like that. Edyn growled and tried to bite Baek Hana’s ear, but…
“Hey, there’s one over there!”
“Ouch?!”
Baek Hana jumped at the sight of a gate, and Edyn, who had been aiming for Baek Hana’s earlobe, accidentally bit her own tongue instead.
Baek Hana quickly arrived in front of the guardian, ignoring Edyn, who was groaning on her back.
“Is it okay for five of us to enter?”
“There’s plenty of room, so don’t worry. Just call your friends.”
Baek Hana heaved a sigh of relief at the guardian’s response and patted Edyn’s buttocks.
“Edyn.”
“I’ll get you back for this later.”
Edyn quickly healed her tongue with divine power and sent an email to Maria.
Not long after, the other three members of their group joined them.
“You’re tired, so get down.”
“I was just about to get down anyway~”
Edyn didn’t forget to smirk at Nam Seo-hee, who was glaring at her.
Zap──!
The all-too-familiar sound rang out, and Edyn writhed in silent agony.
Nam Seo-hee smirked at Edyn, while the rest of the group ignored her and approached the guardian.
“Could you explain a little, please?”
“Of course, it’s part of my job.”
The guardian smiled and explained the gate to Maria, who was standing there with a pleasant smile.
“This is a level 3 gate, and the monsters that inhabit it are Murder Ants. The structure is a basic cave, but the ants have dug tunnels everywhere, so it’s easy to get lost. There are signs along the way, but it’s still quite complicated.”
“Murder Ants…”
Baek Hana furrowed her brow slightly.
While capturing the monsters didn’t require any special abilities, the Murder Ants were known to travel in groups of at least three.
Moreover, if not dealt with quickly, they would emit a specific frequency to call their nearby companions, making them quite difficult to handle despite their individual strength.
“Ugh… Come on, let’s just go in. It’s better to get it over with quickly than to waste time looking for another gate.”
Edyn, who had regained her senses, said as she rubbed her sore back.
“You’re right, Hana. I’ll help too.”
Nam Seo-hee patted the sword at her waist.
“Thanks… But do you have a change of clothes?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll support you from a distance.”
Most awakened ones who use swords treat them like a second life, and Nam Seo-hee, the youngest member of the Changgu team, was no exception. Whenever she had the chance, she would infuse her sword with mental energy and throw it.
“Oh, then that’s fine.”
Baek Hana turned her head, and the guardian smiled and asked,
“Are you going in?”
“Yes, here.”
Baek Hana presented her student ID, and the guardian scanned it with his device.
Since there was no guardian-level awakened one with them, they had to confirm their identities before entering in case of an accident.
“Yes, everyone has been verified. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“No, nothing─”
“Wait.”
Maria, who was standing behind them, gently grabbed Baek Hana’s shoulder and stepped forward.
“Could you send someone to look for us if we don’t come out within an hour?”
“An hour… Just a moment.”
The guardian quickly operated his smartwatch.
Beep!
“Yes, I’ve registered it in the system.”
“Thank you.”
This was a privilege that ordinary awakened ones couldn’t enjoy.
“Let’s go.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Baek Hana entered the gate without saying anything, and Nam Seo-hee and Edyn followed her into the blue light.
“Shall we go?”
“Ugh, yes.”
Maria held In-young’s hand and stepped into the gate.
“Seven.”
The guardian, who had been sitting and leisurely reading a novel, turned on his device as he saw the group approaching.
[22/30]
With this group, the gate would be full, with only one spot left. However, that spot was reserved for the students who had requested it earlier.
“Are you together?”
“Yes.”
The guardian greeted the awakened ones who approached him with a different attitude than the students.
“Your IDs, please.”
“Here.”
As he scanned the IDs, the number on the device increased.
“Go ahead, next.”
One by one, the awakened ones passed through the guardian and disappeared into the blue light. And finally, the last one.
A woman who seemed to have spent a lot of money on her equipment approached.
“Here, please.”
“Verified. You may enter.”
The female awakened one carefully approached the blue light, holding her ID.
After finishing his task, the guardian sat back down and took out his smartphone to read his novel.
“Excuse me…”
‘……?’
The guardian turned around at the sound of a woman’s voice behind him. He saw a female awakened one standing in the blue light, her face betraying her confusion.
“Is it… full?”
“Pardon?”
“Is it full?”
“Why?”
“……”
The guardian turned around to face the woman standing in front of the blue light and turned on the device on his thigh.
[29/30]
The gate wasn’t completely full, and there was even one extra spot left.
Yet, the gate was refusing entry?
“Do you have the contact information of the humans who entered?”
“Huh? Oh, yes.”
“Quickly contact them and ask them to come out.”
“Just a moment…”
The woman quickly operated her smartwatch and contacted the party leader.
“Hello? Is anyone there…?”
However, the signal continued for a while, but the party leader didn’t answer her call. She tried contacting the others, but none of them answered either.
“No one is answering…”
“Damn it.”
The guardian muttered a curse under his breath and rushed towards the blue light.
His speed was beyond what an ordinary person could imitate.
“Why did it have to be me…”
The guardian, Jo Ju-hyeok, stepped into the blue light and wiped his face as he looked at the gate that was still refusing entry.
‘There are at least two intruders, and the six who just entered are highly likely to have been neutralized…’
“Ughhhh!!!”
Jo Ju-hyeok instinctively felt that he was in deep trouble. He wiped the cold sweat from his hands and called his boss.