I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

The familiar and cozy feeling on my back and the back of my head.

My heavy eyelids lifted with surprising lightness.

What came into view was white hair, skin, and blue eyes.

“I, I think it’ll be fine now……”

Mumbling to herself, she reached out her small hand towards my face, probably because she didn’t realize I was awake due to my glasses.

Gulping—

The sound of her swallowing was loud enough for me to hear.

Her nervousness was endearing, and I wanted to quietly observe her, but unfortunately, I couldn’t do that.

“Baek Hana.”
“Heek―?!”

Baek Hana, who had been about to take off my glasses, jumped in surprise and fell backward onto the floor with a loud thud.

Without even looking, I knew she had rolled off the bed.

The girl who had climbed on top of me, thinking she was still a child, was gone, and I slowly sat up.

Before falling asleep, my physical condition had been fine, and I felt relatively well-rested.

However, the lethargy I hadn’t felt since last year had returned, indicating that the fatigue accumulated in my soul hadn’t completely dissipated yet.

After a brief assessment of my condition, I called out to the girl who didn’t seem to be coming up from below.

“Baek Hana.”
“Y-Yes?!?”

Baek Hana responded with an unusually stiff voice and quickly got up from the floor.

“Did you cause some kind of trouble while I was asleep?”
“No, I, I didn’t……”
“……”

Her blue eyes darted around restlessly.

Baek Hana had always been like this.

Whenever she did something wrong or felt guilty about something, she would avoid eye contact and use formal speech, which she rarely did otherwise.

‘……She seems to be in good condition.’

I wasn’t particularly interested in what trouble Baek Hana might have caused. The scope of her mischief was limited within the house, after all.

What was more important was examining her physical state.

“Come closer.”
“Hmm? Oh, uh, uh……”

Did she break something?

Baek Hana approached me cautiously, stepping with small strides, her eyes darting around as she glanced at my face from time to time.

With quick, small steps, she drew near and perched on the edge of the bed. Then, she fidgeted with her long, slender fingers on her knees.

“Do you have a fever or any aches?”
“Hmm? No, I don’t feel hot……”
“……Just act normal instead of being so formal. I won’t get mad even if you broke something.”
“No, it’s not that!! I, I didn’t break anything……”

She exclaimed, then glanced up at me, her shoulders trembling as she reverted to her usual casual tone.

“Give me your hand.”
“Huh? Why… do you want my hand……?”
“Be quiet and give me your hand.”
“……What’s with you, seriously….”

Baek Hana’s white hand gently landed on my palm.

‘She does have a slight fever…’

And her pulse was abnormally fast.

‘Her condition seems unusual, and this must be what she’s hiding.’

With her hand in mine, I asked, “Can you sense the magic in your body?”
“Hmm? Yeah, I feel something strange around my chest… Is that magic……?”
“Yes.”
“Huh…… So, I’ve Awakened, right?!”

She figured it out quickly.

With her head lowered shyly, she suddenly exclaimed and climbed onto the bed, sitting on my long thighs and looking up at me as she asked again.

“So, I’ve Awakened, right?! Can I go to the Academy with Maria and Edyn now?!”
“Get down.”

Her cheeks, which had been soft a moment ago, suddenly stretched as she fell to the side with a thud.

I let go of her cheek, which I had been holding, as she naturally fell off my knees.

With her cheeks free, Baek Hana rubbed the spot I had pinched and looked up at me, her eyes defiant and her lips pouting. It made me want to smack her lips just once.

“……So, as I was saying.”

After glaring at me for a moment, she crawled up to me and rested her head on my thighs, looking up at me as she asked,

“Can I go to the Academy too?”
“Yes. But you’ll have to take the entrance exam—”
“Waaah!!”

Baek Hana interrupted me, jumping off my lap and rushing out of the bedroom.

The flow of energy indicated that she was heading to her room, probably to share the news with the two girls she hung out with.

I took out my smartphone from my pocket and looked at the bright outdoors.

The first thing I checked was the date and time.

It was the festival day. So, 13 hours had passed since Baek Hana collapsed.

‘She must have eaten on her own since she’s not complaining about being hungry.’

I swiped my finger to open the email app.

[Claire Bean Assen]

The only woman I exchanged emails with, aside from Baek Hana.

I sent her an email saying I would visit the temple later in the day and got out of bed.

The priests and holy knights who had been busy maintaining order during the festival, as well as the young priests who had sneaked out to enjoy the festivities.

Even clergy members needed adequate rest, so on this day, the day after the festival, the clergy members stationed at the Academy branch were enjoying their rare day off.

Some slept in late, while others went shopping outside the Academy for the first time in a long while.

“Hmm……”

Among them was, of course, Claire.

However, just as she was enjoying a rare late breakfast after a late wake-up, she had to rush to get ready upon receiving an unexpected email.

[Professor]
-I’ll come to see you soon.

As soon as she read the email from Baek Woo-jin, Claire hurriedly swallowed her cereal without even pouring milk on it and rushed into the shower to get ready.

‘It’s probably for an outdoor schedule…’

As she put on her outdoor attire, she surmised that Baek Woo-jin’s visit was related to an external schedule.

Going out with Baek Woo-jin.

“……”

Although they had spent countless days together, Claire had started to feel strangely conscious of Baek Woo-jin ever since their physical contact yesterday.

Claire, who had been looking in the mirror, undid her tied-up hair and once again combed through her sleek golden hair, which fell to her waist, making sure there were no loose strands.

“Cough, cough.”

The man who had felt comfortable until yesterday now felt difficult in a different way.

Claire cleared her throat as the finishing touch and left her room to greet Baek Woo-jin, only to spot two girls running down the hallway.

“J, Executioner!!”
“It’s about Hana!!”

Maria and Idni, the two girls who hung out with Baek Hana.

They were running towards her, calling out Baek Hana’s name.

“Heck, heeek……!!”
“Hana has, has Awakened….”
“……Has Hana Awakened?”
“Yes!!”
“Uuuung!!”

At Claire’s question, the two girls vigorously nodded their heads up and down.

‘It’s because of Hana’s Awakening.’

It seemed that Baek Woo-jin was visiting her because of Baek Hana’s Awakening, not for an external schedule.

Claire walked past the panting girls and headed downstairs.

‘Hana has Awakened…’

Because of Baek Woo-jin’s presence, she had suspected that something might happen. But as the years passed without any signs, she had forgotten about it, seeing only the bright, pure, and cute side of Baek Hana.

Then, suddenly, she received the news of Baek Hana’s Awakening.

Usually, when someone Awakens, they also become aware of their ability and how to manifest it.

And some Awakeneds don’t realize their abilities, so they can have their abilities appraised for free at any temple of their choice.

Although the appraisal is free, it’s not truly free because it involves revealing one’s abilities to others, which can be sensitive information.

And Baek Hana belonged to the latter category.

‘Will he tell me about it…?’

Baek Woo-jin was more serious about Baek Hana than anyone else.

Above all, he was someone who could directly communicate and negotiate with the god she served, despite not being a believer.

The fact that he was coming himself, instead of just sending Baek Hana, meant…

Claire’s thoughts didn’t get any further.

Clack—

The door of the temple, usually tightly closed, opened with the turning of the doorknob.

“Ah, Sister.”

Claire, who had been standing, bowed slightly to Baek Hana, who was sticking close to Baek Woo-jin and waving at her.

It wasn’t so much a bow to Baek Hana as it was a response to Baek Hana’s wave, along with a greeting to Baek Woo-jin, who was standing next to her.

“Sorry to disturb you on your day off.”
“……It’s fine.”

At those few words, the corners of Claire’s lips twitched.

“Maria, Edny. Are the two of them upstairs?”
“Yes. We also received the news of Hana’s Awakening from those two.”
“I see. Baek Hana.”
“Hmm?”

At Baek Woo-jin’s call, Baek Hana, who had been blinking her eyes, raised her head.

“I’ll call for you later, so go and play for now.”
“……Do you have to discuss things I’m not supposed to hear?”

‘……?’

Claire tilted her head at Baek Hana’s unexpected response.

Usually, she would have smiled brightly like a flower in bloom and run upstairs.

“Some of it.”
“……So, can’t I just cover my ears during those parts……?”
“Go upstairs.”
“……”

At Baek Woo-jin’s firm reply, Baek Hana made a complicated expression and rolled her sky-blue eyes slightly, glancing at Claire.

“Baek Hana.”
“……Hmm.”

At Baek Woo-jin’s repeated call, Baek Hana finally moved away from his side and headed upstairs. Or rather, she hid herself behind the wall of the stairs.

“Sit down.”
“Oh, yes.”

Although Baek Hana was still hiding behind the stairs, Baek Woo-jin didn’t mention it any further, so Claire sat down without bringing it up either. But then—

Giii—

Claire felt an intense gaze on her, coming from behind Baek Woo-jin’s shoulder.

Peeking out from behind the wall of the stairs, Baek Hana was staring at her intently.

And it was uncomfortably intense.