I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy - Chapter 38

Her eyes widened slightly.

I had lifted her up to help her see into the attic, and now that she had spotted the fairy, I lowered her back down.

Her feet touched the floor, and I released her waist.

Standing on the ground, she looked up at me, her lips quivering as if she wanted to say something.

Apparently, she thought that she had to keep her voice down because of the whisper I had given her earlier.

‘Well, unless it’s an explosion or something.’

A fairy in hibernation wouldn’t wake up from the sound of casual conversation, at least according to my knowledge.

I closed the attic door and took her hand, which was still staring up at me.

“Ah……”
“We’re leaving.”
“Yes……”

As I spoke first, she quickly responded, reminding me of Baek Hana in the past, and a slight smile curved my lips.

Fortunately, she was looking down, so I didn’t have to force down the smile as I usually did.

We quietly descended the stairs and stepped outside.

By now, it should have been fine for her to speak at a normal volume, but she still kept her head down, looking at the ground.

I had noticed that her body temperature had been rising unusually since I held her hand, but I hadn’t expected her to be so shy that she couldn’t even look me in the eye.

We had been walking together since dawn, so I assumed she would have gotten used to it and built up some tolerance. But from her reaction, it seemed that wasn’t the case at all.

“Claire.”
“Yes……”

Her gaze, which had been focused on the floor, slowly lifted until she was finally looking straight ahead.

I wanted to make contact with the fairy before it moved its nest, and for that, I needed her help. Fairies were curious but also easily frightened, so her divine power would be useful in calming its nerves.

More importantly, fairies loved handsome men and beautiful women. They also enjoyed fun and playful things.

Objectively speaking, Claire was a beauty, someone anyone would acknowledge as such.

And here I was, wearing these ridiculous glasses.

I thought our combination would be enough to attract the fairy’s attention.
Of course, I also had a few other tricks up my sleeve.

To that end, I wanted to have a proper conversation with Claire, so I started to let go of her hand.

Squeeze.

But she didn’t let go of me.

“Ah……”

She let out a small exclamation, then quickly released my hand.

“I’m, I’m sorry… I was just thinking about something else for a moment……”

I stopped her from bowing her head again, a habit she seemed to have, and gently held her cheeks, tilting her head back so that she was looking up at me. I called her name.

“Claire.”
“Y-yes……?”

Her clear blue eyes, as transparent as glass, fluttered nervously, and I could feel the heat from her cheeks against my palms.

“I’ve told you this many times already, but let me say it one last time. Don’t bow your head. It makes me uncomfortable to see you like that.”
“U-um…”

Claire nodded her head quickly, her lips, which were redder than her flushed face, pursed tightly.

“Are you okay?”
“Yes…”

Even if she was an Awakened, if she harmed herself, she would still take damage. So, despite biting her tongue, she must have been in quite a bit of pain.

I closed my eyes slightly and released her cheeks, which she had been nodding since a while ago.

Tap tap—!!

She quickly backed away, and a subtle glow emanated from her body for a brief moment before fading away. She then pouted her lips, which had been tucked in, and said,

“I’m really… I’m fine… Yes…”
“You look like it.”
“Ah…”

As I took a step forward, Claire took a step back, startled.

She widened her eyes, perhaps surprised by her own reaction, and then—

“I’m sorry…”

She instinctively tried to bow her head to me, but remembering what had happened earlier, she quickly straightened her neck, tensing her neck muscles.

‘The method may have been a bit extreme, but it seems to have worked effectively.’

I had used one of the methods I frequently employed on Baek Hana when she was still naive, a sort of shock therapy, and it seemed to have had the desired effect on Claire.

“Claire.”
“Yes, yes…”

Although her eyes were directed at my face, if one looked closely, it was clear that Claire was looking at my lips, not my eyes.

I felt the need to change the atmosphere a little, and coincidentally, there was something I needed to bring anyway, so I said to Claire,

“I’d like you to bring some sparkling jewelry. Any shape will do, as long as it sparkles.”
“Jewelry…”
“I’m asking you to.”
“Oh, yes… I’ll get it right away.”

She turned away from me as if she were running away, and I continued,

“There’s no need to rush. I’ll also bring some food.”
“Yes…”

However, contrary to her response, Claire quickly disappeared from my sight at an incredible speed.

-Wooo~!!

The vibration in my pocket.

I reached into my pocket and took out my smartphone, which lit up the screen on its own and spewed out noisy sentences.

[ (^∀^*) So sweet, so sweet!! ]
[ (•ω<)☆ Please continue to be proactive like this in the future!!]

The screen turned off on its own again.

‘I guess smashing a statue or two should be fine.’

I was planning to return the favor, so I took out the item I had prepared and was about to put it away when—

-Ring-ring.

The screen, which had been turned off, lit up again, and the only notification I had set sounded. I flipped the phone over to see the screen.

[ Baek Hana: (Photo) ]
[ Baek Hana: You said you two weren’t dating. ]

I glanced at the photo of me and Claire with our arms linked and moved my fingers to compose a reply.

There was no need for excuses; I would simply state the facts as they were.

“……”

Just as I was about to send the email, I deleted everything I had written and called Baek Hana instead.

To ensure that no interruptions would occur during the call.

.

.

.

-Claire.

“Focus, focus……”

The soft voice in her ear kept her from losing concentration, but she still ended up biting the inside of her cheek, causing a small wound.

She had to do something to snap her out of it, even if it meant causing her some pain.

As the bitter taste spread in her mouth along with a stinging sensation, the voice that had been plaguing her gradually faded away.

“Haa.”

Her chaotic mind finally began to settle, and Claire decided to leave the wound in her mouth untreated, just in case.

‘This is…… from Yesol.’

Ever since she had run away from Baek Woo-jin, Claire’s memory had been unstable.

She was able to piece together the events by looking at the luxurious envelope in her hand.

After receiving Baek Woo-jin’s request, she had gone to the temple first to find something that sparkled. There, she met Lee Yesol, who had just finished her meal and greeted Claire with a bright smile.

It was a smile filled with pure and innocent emotions, but for some reason, Claire had the urge to slap her, an urge she quickly pushed aside.

After explaining the situation briefly, Yesol, grateful for the delicious dessert Claire had made for her, gave her a bag containing earrings and necklaces that she had originally intended to use to dress up Claire.

With the items she needed in hand, Claire headed to the old alchemy workshop to meet Baek Woo-jin, and now here she was.

‘……How pathetic.’

On top of stammering and tripping over her words, she had even bitten her tongue. She felt so ashamed and embarrassed that she wanted to hide under the covers and avoid all human contact for a while.

But she persevered, putting aside her personal feelings and focusing on Baek Woo-jin’s request. She steeled herself and took hesitant steps toward the promised location.

As she walked through the workshop, which had been untouched by human presence for a long time, she was able to gather her thoughts.

As she approached the meeting spot, she spotted Baek Woo-jin holding something in his hand.

“Professor.”

She quickened her steps, feeling guilty for making him wait, and as she drew closer, she could see what he was holding.

A small brown basket.

It was the same basket Baek Woo-jin had used for picnics when Baek Hana was younger and threw tantrums.

“Set it down for a moment.”
“……Yes.”

Just hearing his voice made her heart flutter, and she couldn’t help but remember the touch of his hand on her cheek.

Claire.
“Claire.”

Hearing her name again……

“……!!”

She froze for a moment, then realized a beat late that he had called her name. She flinched, feeling his gaze on her, and saw his hand reaching out to her.

His hand was pointing at the paper bag she was holding, and then it gestured toward the floor.

Only then did Claire realize that she had answered him but hadn’t actually put the bag down.

“Hand.”
“……Here.”

Claire extended her hand to Baek Woo-jin, and he gently took it.

Ssswish.

Claire felt a familiar, slightly unusual magic flowing into her body through their joined hands.

It was one of the measures Baek Woo-jin took when they needed to avoid attracting attention.

She didn’t know the principle behind it, but while his magic was in her body, her existence seemed to be erased, as if she had become invisible to the world.

Even her aura, sound, and scent were concealed, creating a somewhat frightening effect.

“Follow me.”
“……Yes.”

Claire released the bag and stood next to Baek Woo-jin, holding his hand as they walked.

[Identity confirmed.]

The door opened, and they stepped back into the dusty workshop.

The warmth of his hand on hers was calming, but her heart, which had just settled, began to flutter again. She moistened her dry lips and spoke.

“……Professor.”
“Speak.”
“I’d like to ask what you plan to do with the fairy.”
“Nothing.”
“……Then what are these for?”
“They’re tools to get closer to it.”
“……”

Claire looked at the bag in her hand and the basket in Baek Woo-jin’s hand.

It was true that fairies were attracted to sparkling things, but she knew from experience that those alone wouldn’t be enough to win the fairy’s trust.

So, she was curious.
How did he plan to bridge the gap between them with these items?

Squeak.

The unpleasant sound of the opening door filled the air as they entered the storage room.

Baek Woo-jin placed the basket on the floor below the attic door, then took out a large jar of jam from the basket and opened it, setting it on the floor.

He reached back into the basket and retrieved a small container of ‘Black Queen Slime Essence’ that he had purchased at an auction long ago.

Click.

As he opened the lid, a sweet aroma filled the air, overwhelming their senses.

He had bought it for Baek Hana, who had a sweet tooth, but it seemed he had another use for it in mind. Baek Woo-jin poured the black jelly into the jar.

“Are these things yours?”
“No, they’re not.”

At Baek Woo-jin’s question, Claire quickly shook her head and handed him the bag.

He took the bag from her and carefully removed a few pieces of jewelry, placing them in the jar so that they didn’t touch the slime essence.

“……I hope it’ll be enough.”

He picked up the jar and set it down, then took the lid and the bag containing the remaining jewelry and stood up.

Baek Woo-jin handed the bag back to Claire and instructed her to go to a corner of the room.

“……Yes.”

Claire obediently went to stand in the corner, and Baek Woo-jin stretched his arm toward the attic, pulling the door open.

With his arms crossed behind his back, he stood a short distance away from the jar.

How long had they waited?

-Peek-a-boo.

A tiny fairy poked its head out of the attic, its eyes blinking sleepily as if it had just woken up.

-Peep-peep-peep.

It hesitated, its eyes fluttering, before finally flying down, its tiny wings fluttering.

Claire was completely captivated by its adorable movements, and she couldn’t take her eyes off the fairy.

The fairy grabbed the mouth of the jar with its tiny hands and tried to lift it.

-Peep-peep!!

It flapped its wings, trying to lift the jar, but the jar stubbornly refused to budge, only tilting and rolling on the floor.

-Peep-peep……

After struggling for a while, the tired fairy slumped and climbed into the jar, sitting on the slime essence.

-Peep-peep!

It opened its small mouth and began to munch on the black jelly with both hands.

Click.

-Peep-peep?
“……?”

Both the fairy and Claire tilted their heads in confusion, then widened their eyes as they realized the lid was now blocking the opening of the jar.

-Peep-peep?! Peep-peep!! Peep, peep-peep!! Peep-peep!!

The fairy frantically waved its hands, trying to open the lid, but to no avail. The jar only tilted and rolled on the floor, making a ruckus.

Claire, who had been watching the commotion, cautiously asked Baek Woo-jin, who had quietly approached her.

“You said you wanted to…… get closer to it?”

In response to her question, Baek Woo-jin nodded calmly.

“If I save it when it’s tired, it won’t be as wary of us.”
“……”

It made sense.
It made sense, but.

-Peep-peep!! Peep-peep…!! Peep…! Peep-peep……

“Hmm……”

This time, Claire couldn’t bring herself to nod.