I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy - Chapter 45

-Beep-beep.

The short and concise alarm sound woke Claire, who had been lying in bed like the dead.

She got up, put on the smartwatch she had left on her bedside table, and headed straight to the bathroom.

Claire finished getting ready faster and more concisely than ever before, and then she opened the wardrobe.

Her hand reached for the black suit hanging on the first hanger.

-Isn’t a suit too formal for an external Academy assignment?

Lee Yesol’s words from last night flashed through her mind as she passed over the suit and moved her hand to the next item.

A white shirt, a beige cardigan, black jeans, and finally, a coat draped over her shoulders.

“Are you feeling well?”

“I’m fine. If I’m late, I’ll contact you, so leave any documents that need approval in the bedroom.”

“Yes, I will do so.”

Lee Yesol presented a glasses case, saying, “These are glasses with an anti-recognition magic inscription. You might need them, so please take them.”

“……I’m fine without them.”

Ever since he told her that she looked better without glasses, Claire hadn’t taken them out of her bedroom drawer.

When Claire hesitated, Lee Yesol smiled mysteriously and said, “The design is similar to the glasses the Professor wears. I think you two would look great wearing matching glasses.”

“……”

Claire glanced at the case in Lee Yesol’s hand and quietly took it, tucking it into her pocket.

Lee Yesol smiled smugly and then said, “Here, take this too.”

“Aren’t the existing smartphones still working fine?”

It was a simple black smartphone with no frills. Lee Yesol handed it to Claire and explained, “Recently, gates have been found that completely disable electronic devices. This model can be used in those gates as well. By the way, this information was included in one of the reports I was supposed to submit yesterday.”

“I see.”

Claire acknowledged and transferred the chip from her old smartphone to the new one.

The screen turned on, and she checked to make sure the information on the chip had been properly transferred before handing her old phone to Lee Yesol. Lee Yesol bowed slightly as she took the old phone.

“Then, be on your way.”

Claire left the temple with Lee Yesol’s farewell ringing in her ears.

As she walked through the now-quiet Street of Light, pink flower petals, just beginning to bud, fluttered down around her.

“Hoo.”

Claire had arrived at the maze and took a moment to catch her breath. Yesterday’s embarrassing incident and the day before’s events were already in the past.

She didn’t want to appear flustered in front of him again.

That would be… too humiliating.

Although yesterday, a small part of her—

Slap!

A crisp sound, and red marks appeared on both of Claire’s cheeks. She quickly used her holy power to calm the redness.

“Hmm, hmm.”

Claire took one last breath, straightened her posture, and opened the mansion’s front door, stepping inside. She changed into the furry slippers and hung her coat on the rack, just as she had always done.

These actions were so natural and familiar that she didn’t even have to think about them.

However, unlike usual, the hallway was dark.

Claire quietly passed by the kitchen and headed straight for the study.

-Ah…

A faint sound escaped from the slightly open door. As she took a few more steps, the sound became clearer.

-Peep.

-Peep.

The small, cute, and pure fairy sitting on the corner of the desk was making those sounds.

Claire approached the door and peeked through the gate with one eye.

Baek Woo-jin sat in the chair in front of the desk, and on the corner of the desk sat the tiny fairy.

The tiny fairy placed a ring the size of her fist in front of the desk clock.

Baek Woo-jin used his index finger to push the ring to the side.

-Peep.

The fairy put the ring back in front of the clock.

Swish.

Baek Woo-jin pushed it aside again.

-Peep.

Swish.

-Peep!

Swish.

The two stared at each other, neither willing to yield, as they repeated their actions.

“Pffft…”

Claire couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer.

**

“Are you feeling well?”

“Yes, thanks to your concern.”

-Peep! Peep!!

“I…”

“Breakfast is…”

“Not yet…”

“Just resting for a bit.”

“That…”

-Peep-peep!!

I got up from my seat, and Claire, with the fairy sitting on her shoulder, tugging at her hair and chattering away, looked at me with pleading eyes, asking for help.

I felt a little sorry for her, but I wanted her to take care of the little rascal for a while.

I quietly left the study and made something light to eat. Then, I took a honey jar from the pantry and poured some into a wide dish. After wreaking havoc for half a day, the little rascal would surely calm down after a hearty meal, and it would keep her quiet until dinner.

“Claire.”

-Yes.

Not long after, Claire entered the kitchen, the fairy still perched on her shoulder.

“I’m always grateful.”

“If a single meal is all it takes to have your help, I’ll gladly prepare it any time.”

“……Thank you.”

-Peep?

The little rascal on Claire’s shoulder tilted her head, showing interest in Claire’s breakfast. I placed the plate I had prepared next to her.

-Peep, peep?

The little rascal’s head turned toward the honey on the plate, and she fluttered her tiny nose a few times before landing in front of it. With her tiny hands, smaller than a clover leaf, she scooped up some honey and licked it.

-Mmm!

She seemed to like it, for she began dipping her hands into the honey and licking them greedily.

Claire watched with a soft smile.

Then after she was done watching the little rascal, turned her gaze to me and asked, “Is she going to live with us now?”

“……It seems so.”

It was a situation I hadn’t intended at all.

I had left the door open, expecting her to leave when she woke up, but who would have thought she’d move her entire nest through that door? What’s more, we hadn’t even bonded as friends yet.

“I’m glad.”

Claire smiled gently and looked at the little rascal, who was cooing and gobbling up honey.

“I was worried that she might be harmed, but it seems I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

“……”

My gaze naturally shifted to the little rascal.

Even if verbal communication wasn’t possible, physical communication was understood by even the least intelligent beasts. So, I had intended to spank her little butt with flower petals, but there was one thing I had overlooked.

-Phew, phew.

Fairies, as a species, had an incredibly strong affinity for nature. And this little rascal was an especially unique being among fairies.

The flower petals, nourished by my magic, had no effect on her. Instead, they expelled the magic they had absorbed, choosing to wither and shrivel up rather than harm the fairy.

As I cleaned up after the little rascal, who had made a mess in the kitchen, as well as the study, which was strewn with trinkets, I couldn’t help but think that I had underestimated her.

After she woke up, we had an embarrassing spat, which was stopped by Claire.

Claire, with the little rascal perched on her shoulder, chattering away, probably told her about what had happened at dawn. What a clever little rascal.

-Phew, phew.

The little rascal, who had just finished the entire plate of honey, rubbed her round belly and yawned adorably.

“No.”

-Peep?

The little rascal blinked and looked up at Claire.

Claire took a handkerchief, dampened it with water from a cup, and gently wiped the fairy’s hands and mouth.

-Phew, phew.

“Behave.”

-Peep.

As Claire slightly narrowed her eyes, the little rascal, who had been fidgeting, suddenly became still.

“All right.”

-Peep-peep.

The little rascal yawned widely, her tiny mouth stretching as wide as it could go, and then she slowly floated up. Naturally, she flew toward the study. I had cleaned up the study, but with her strong curiosity, who knew what kind of mess she’d make when we returned?

She was supposed to still be hibernating, so I intended to let her wreak havoc until the weather fully warmed up.

I intended to let her, but for some reason, my eyes kept drifting toward Claire.

With a little time and effort, she would probably stop smearing coffee powder all over herself and flying around.

“……Professor?”

“Get ready to leave.”

As I spoke to Claire, who had been standing by the door, I cleared the dishes and utensils from the table.

Claire waited in the foyer as I went to the study.

-Peep-peep.

The little rascal, who had made my bed her new nest, was sound asleep.

I opened the window slightly, turned on the lights in the hallway, and returned to the foyer.

I put on the coat that was always hanging in the same spot and stepped out the front door, with Claire following close behind.

Claire walked a step behind me, maintaining a comfortable distance.

This part hadn’t changed at all from the past.

We walked in silence, without much conversation, and soon arrived at the parking lot assigned to the temple. Claire got into the driver’s seat and fastened her seatbelt before taking out a small case from her pocket.

Click. The case opened, and Claire took out a pair of round-framed glasses and put them on.

“I thought it might be a distraction during work.”

Although we were entering a gate, and there was no need for recognition obstruction I nodded quietly anyway as she took out her smartphone and marked the location of the gate before placing it in the holder.

“Let’s go.”

“……”

When no response came, I turned to look at her, only to find her staring intently at the smartphone in the holder.

“Claire.”

“Ah, yes… Let’s, let’s go…”

Claire turned her head, and the scenery began to move.

Naturally, my gaze fell on her cheek.

There, a fiery blush had blossomed.