I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy - Chapter 40

On a night with a crescent moon shining brightly, Claire walks down the street of light, bathed in the soft moonlight.

-Beep! Beep!

-See you tomorrow.

Baek Woo-jin bids farewell, dodging the fairy flying around to get his glasses. But today’s parting is a little different.

The small sphere in her hand glows with a pitiful light as if it might fade away at any moment. It prompts Claire to take action.

Leaving behind Baek Woo-jin, who is playing along with the energetic fairy until it tires out, and Claire, who steps outside for the first time, intending to return to him first.

-Creak.

She pulls open the tightly closed temple door. In the dark space, a small light shines brightly.

As Claire enters, closing the door behind her, the small light slowly approaches her, and the blurry silhouette takes on a distinct form.

“Are you alright?”

Lee Yesol, wearing pajamas, asks Claire with a worried expression. Claire nods and walks past her.

“I’ll repay the accessory later.”
“I understand.”

Yesol doesn’t refuse.

She knows that her superior is such a person, and that it’s the only way for her superior, Claire, to be comfortable.

“I’ll be using the prayer room, so leave the cleanup to me and go get some rest.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”

Yesol bows slightly to Claire as she ascends the stairs.

“May you find the answers you seek……”

**

Click.

Claire, dressed in pristine vestments, enters the private prayer room and carefully places the softly glowing small sphere on a chair.

Before a genderless, beautiful child statue, Claire kneels and joins her hands in prayer.

“Honored One.”

Claire calls upon the deity she serves with earnestness, a first for her to take the initiative without being summoned.

It’s not a public matter, nor is it related to the faithful or other children. Claire seeks the deity for answers to her personal dilemma.

No matter how beloved the deity is, they won’t respond to anyone’s call unless it piques their interest.

But there are always exceptions.

Behind Claire, kneeling, a faint light begins to take shape and soon forms a child.

Child. Bwiar gently raises the corners of her mouth, observing Claire’s back as she prays devoutly.

It’s not the mischievous smile she showed Baek Woo-jin, but a gentle smile filled with affection.

However, soon enough, she sports a mischievous expression, wrapping her arms around Claire’s neck from behind.

【What’s the matter~? Did you have a lovers’ quarrel?】

“No.”

Claire responds nonchalantly, lowering her joined hands to below her knees.

【If it’s not a lovers’ quarrel, why did you call me? You know I don’t like boring things. Right? Right?】

“……”

Claire lifts her eyelids, which had been closed, as Bwiar rubs her cheeks vigorously against her shoulder.

“You used to play pranks on me and Professor Baek. I’ll consider this payment for that.”

【Hmm~】

Bwiar pretends to ponder for a moment, then grins and nods.

【Okay. But in return, the next time your Professor wants to use the prayer room, you must either come with him or let someone go with him instead.】

“……As long as someone goes in, that’s enough?”

【Yes. That’s all.】

“Very well. I shall do as you say.”

Satisfied, Bwiar releases Claire’s neck and walks around to sit on her lap, resting her backside against Claire’s thighs.

【Well, I’ve been keeping an eye on things, so I think I know what you want to ask, but let’s hear it anyway.】

Bwiar wipes the smile off her face and looks up at Claire with a serious expression.

Claire opens her mouth to address the deity she reveres, seeking answers.

“I met a fairy.”

【A small, adorable child.】

“Yes. That small, adorable child gave me a gift.”

【The glowing sphere in your hand.】

Claire nods, reaching out to hold the glowing sphere.

“What is this made of?”

【Time. Or you could say lifespan.】

Claire, though she didn’t wish for it, had a vague understanding of the sphere’s nature, and now she clenches her empty hand into a tight fist and asks,

“Professor said there’s no way to reverse this. Is there truly no way to undo what has been done?”

【Claire.】

“……Yes.”

Bwair, seeing the most beloved child she cherishes looking at her with unprecedented earnestness, speaks.

【Time that has passed never returns. If it were possible, no one in this world would ever regret anything.】

“But… I still have this in my hand.”

The sphere containing time still glows in her palm. If she returns it to its owner……

【Even if you give it back, nothing will change. Its nature has already altered the moment it was separated.】

“……”

Bwiar gazes intently at Claire’s wavering blue eyes and continues.

【Fairies love to play and get lonely easily. So, when new children hatch from their eggs, they give away a bit of their time so they can grow up quickly and play together.】

“So……”

【If you give it back, your time together will be even shorter.】

Claire closes her eyes. Bwiar stretches out her small hands towards Claire’s face.

“Ugh……”

Startled by Bwiar suddenly grasping her cheeks, Claire opens her eyes and sees Bwiar looking at her with tender affection.

【Claire.】

“……Yes.”

【My beloved child.】

“……”

Claire’s eyes waver at Bwiar’s gentle caress on her cheeks.

【One day, I too will part ways with you, my dear.】

“……Yes.”

【I’ve told you before, gods are not omnipotent. If I were truly omnipotent, I wouldn’t have had to part with the children I’ve cherished and let go.】

Bwiar’s hands, which had been on Claire’s cheeks, slowly move downward.

【I don’t like goodbyes. Because I’m always the one left behind.】

“Ah……”

Bwiar smiles softly at the widening of Claire’s eyes.

【But it’s okay. Goodbyes are sad, but we can create happier and more joyful memories.】

Claire couldn’t open her mouth or nod her head.

She thought she understood to some extent because she served the deity she revered and loved so closely and for so long. But that was a misconception. She hadn’t understood anything.

They were giving more than she and the others had realized.

Claire’s lips quiver as she struggles to find the right words, and Bwiar chuckles, getting up from her lap. She ruffles Claire’s hair affectionately.

【The old Claire wouldn’t have had this dilemma. Before you met that dull existence, you were a bit broken.】

As a child, Claire had experienced a traumatic event that left her emotionally numb, and she was then taken in by Bwiar. Living in the temple, she gradually learned to smile and express anger again.

But even as she regained her emotions, she was still broken in some ways.

Whether it was another human or a monster, if she deemed it necessary, she would take their life without hesitation, as if unaware of the weight of life.

But now, things were different.

She had met a tiny fairy today, a stranger with no connection to her, and yet she had called upon Bwiar, seeking answers for the fairy’s sake.

Bwiar hugs Claire’s head tightly and speaks.

【I’m a little annoyed that it was that dull existence, not me, who changed you. But thanks to him, I got to leave a memory with you, so I won’t be jealous.】

Bwiar slowly releases Claire and faces her, her face slightly flushed, looking adorable.

【So, don’t be sad. Even without this, there’s never enough time to create joyful and happy memories.】

“……Yes.”

【Yes, let’s do that.】

Bwiar dispels the heavy atmosphere with a bright smile and helps Claire to her feet.

【Now, let’s go make some memories!!】

“……Yes?”

Claire, feeling touched but also a little embarrassed, tilts her head in confusion.

【You received such a precious gift, and you just left. So, go play with the fairy now! Take some sweets with you on the way.】

“Ah……”

Claire, who had been about to frown, thinking it might be related to Baek Woo-jin, slowly nods.

“Alright.”

Claire takes a big step back, and Bwiar bounces up.

Smooch.

Bwiar leaves a small kiss on Claire’s cheek, then scampers back, giggling.

【I’ve given you a temporary blessing. Hurry before it wears off!】

“……Yes.”

Claire, who had been about to rub the spot where Bwiar kissed her with the back of her hand, sighs and quietly leaves the prayer room.

Alone, Bwiar looks at the prayer room door that Claire had just walked through, wearing a slightly bitter smile.

【Love and fate. Whichever you choose, it will be sad and difficult……】

After a long while, Bwiar disappears from the prayer room.

**

Claire changes into the least noticeable clothes she can find, carries a box of cereal, and leaves the temple. She frowns as she steps out.

“……”

A pillar of light rises in the direction of Baek Woo-jin’s mansion, and she suspects it’s due to the blessing bestowed by the deity she reveres.

After a moment’s hesitation, Claire decides to head towards Baek Woo-jin’s mansion instead of the alchemy workshop, guided by the bright pillar of light.

She moves stealthily and swiftly, soon arriving at the familiar mansion.

“Haa.”

Claire shakes her head at the overwhelmingly large mass of light, unsure of its nature.

In the end, she has no choice but to investigate, so she steps into the maze. Before long, she reaches the mansion, now so familiar to her.

Claire doesn’t go to the entrance but heads towards the garden where the pillar of light rises, adjacent to Baek Woo-jin’s study.

• • Beep! Beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep!!

“……?”

She hears the distinct sound, unmistakably belonging to the fairy.

As she rounds the corner, she confirms that the location of the pillar of light is the garden adjacent to Baek Woo-jin’s study.

-Beep-beep-beep!!

“Damn, you’re expensive to feed, and you never get tired.”

Along with the fairy’s chirping, she hears Baek Woo-jin’s voice.

Claire, as if drawn by something, walks towards the study window, which is wide open.

-Beep! Beep!

In the study, she spots Baek Woo-jin sitting in a chair, playing with the fairy that’s eagerly flying towards him.

“Professor……”
“Damn it. Not even Baek Hana was this bad.”
“……?”

Claire calls out to him again, seeing that he’s ignoring her and gesturing to the fairy.

“Professor……?”
“Why do you keep reaching for something you can’t hold?”

But once again, Baek Woo-jin doesn’t respond to Claire’s call, focusing only on the fairy.

-Beep-beep!!

“……Damn it. You’re too small to hit.”

The fairy finally succeeds in grabbing onto Baek Woo-jin’s glasses, struggling to lift them with its tiny wings.

“Phew……”

Claire, standing by the open window, watches this and smiles softly.

“If you like it that much, take it. But this time, I won’t help you, so come out and show yourself properly.”

-Beep-beep-beep!!

Baek Woo-jin gets up from his chair and approaches the open window, following the fairy’s fluttering wings.

‘Ah……’

Claire swallows as she finds herself face-to-face with Baek Woo-jin, their noses almost touching. She widens her eyes in surprise.

-Beep?!

The fairy can’t hold onto the glasses’ weight and falls to the ground. Baek Woo-jin looks down at the crying fairy in the yard and scoffs.

-Beep-beep-beep!!

-Beep-beep!!

-Beep-beep-beep!!

“……Ha.”

Baek Woo-jin sighs, finally bending down to pick up the glasses and hand them back to the fairy.

At that very moment.

The brightly shining pillar of light vanishes.

And.

“……”
“……”

Baek Woo-jin finds himself face-to-face with a completely frozen Claire, their noses almost touching.