The Basement Store of the Close-Combat Building at the Academy
“Professor Jeong Si-Hyun said!”
Areum exclaimed excitedly, practically bouncing on her feet.
“Victory belongs to those who persevere and work hard!”
“That’s just a famous quote, you know,” Eunbyul quipped.
“Whatever, that’s the point!”
Even with Eunbyul’s teasing, Areum paid her no mind.
“I did it! That’s what matters!”
“Well, in any case, it’s seriously impressive.”
“Hehe!”
Jae-Woo handed back the Hunter license he had been admiring to Areum.
She looked at it with a wide, glowing smile.
D-Rank Support-Type Hunter, Go Areum.
The newly issued license explained Areum’s triumphant demeanor perfectly.
Both Eunbyul and Jae-Woo stared at her with a mix of admiration and envy.
When she’d said she had something to show off, they hadn’t expected this.
‘Who would’ve thought she actually got promoted...’
Eunbyul lightly fiddled with the wallet holding her own Hunter license.
Had there ever been a case in the academy’s history of someone awakening in late winter and reaching D-rank by the end of May?
Actually, had this even happened globally?
Eunbyul wracked her brain, going through every bit of information she could recall.
‘...This might actually be the fastest promotion in the world.’
It was that extraordinary.
For Eunbyul, who was vying to be the top of the academy, it was both shocking and frustrating.
On top of that, Areum was a rare and highly valuable support-type Hunter.
The news would undoubtedly cause a stir if it spread.
Not that Areum seemed to care.
‘Or maybe she doesn’t realize the impact.’
Like teacher, like student.
Professor Jeong Si-Hyun often exuded a calm indifference, so maybe Areum was the same way.
Eunbyul sat in silence, listening to the conversation between Areum and Jae-Woo.
“Hahaha. Jae-Woo, do you think I could beat Professor’s goblin model now?”
“Ha! Maybe you could.”
Areum playfully raised her fists like a boxer and threw a few mock jabs into the air.
Her movements were clumsy, but her confident expression betrayed just how elated she felt.
Jae-Woo chuckled at her antics and nodded.
“You mentioned going to dungeons with Professor Jeong Si-Hyun a few days ago, right? Did something happen then?”
“Yep! We cleared five dungeons back-to-back, and I learned so much from him!”
“...Five?”
“You’re kidding.”
Eunbyul and Jae-Woo’s faces immediately twisted in disbelief.
They both recalled the time they had cleared three dungeons consecutively.
But five?
That was on a whole other level.
‘That’s just... pure Spartan training...’
‘Still... it’s kind of enviable.’
Both Eunbyul and Jae-Woo shared similar thoughts.
That kind of experience wasn’t something they could easily replicate.
“During the runs, the Professor was so cool! With just a flick of his hand, goblins dropped like flies...”
While the other two sat in stunned silence, Areum continued singing her professor’s praises.
They listened quietly while finishing their meals.
Once everyone was done eating and cleaning up their table, Eunbyul spoke up.
“Areum, do you have plans today? What are you doing after Monster Studies?”
“Oh, I can’t today! I’m helping Professor Jeong Si-Hyun with his research.”
“Ah, I see. Jae-Woo, looks like it’s just us, then.”
“Yeah, let’s go. We need to focus on ranking up ourselves.”
Areum’s promotion had significantly stirred the competitive spirit in the other two.
It was the kind of friendly rivalry that drove them to grow and improve together.
***
Si-Hyun was waiting in her office, prepared for an unexpected visit.
Though her expression remained calm as always, her fingers lightly tapped the desk in a slow rhythm.
‘This should be enough, right?’
She had cleaned the office thoroughly.
The books she’d been studying were neatly arranged on the shelves.
The models she’d been crafting steadily over time were lined up in an orderly display.
And she had an ace up her sleeve.
‘The tea set and snacks gifted by the elder!’
She’d visited the elder’s house yesterday, and it just so happened that today’s visit was scheduled.
‘It pays to live a good life.’
You never know what might happen, but being prepared like this felt rewarding.
A satisfied smile graced Si-Hyun’s lips.
Knock knock—
The sound of a knock made her fingers pause.
“Yes, please come in!”
At her invitation, the door slowly opened, and a middle-aged man stepped inside.
It was one of the senior professors at the academy, Professor Noh.
“...What is all this?”
About to greet her, he stopped mid-sentence as his gaze landed on the room.
It was filled with a bizarre collection of figures, ranging from grotesque monster models to adorably stylized ones.
It was, in a word, surreal.
“Oh, these are all models. Aren’t they cute?”
“...Ahem. Yes, I see.”
Professor Noh hadn’t anticipated such an unusual opening move.
He coughed lightly, trying to regain his composure.
“This is our first time meeting, Instructor Jeong Si-Hyun.”
“Welcome, Professor Noh. Please, have a seat.”
Professor Noh deliberately emphasized Instructor to establish dominance, but Si-Hyun remained unbothered.
Wearing a polite smile, she gestured for him to take a seat.
‘Hmm, not the reaction I expected.’
As he sat down, Professor Noh scrutinized Si-Hyun with sharp eyes.
In person, she was even more striking than in the photos he’d seen before.
However, appearances could be deceiving.
He had come to verify the rumors himself—to see if this young instructor truly lived up to her reputation.
“These are some snacks I received from an elder. They’re quite delicious. Please try some.”
“Hmm, alright.”
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Professor Noh slowly picked up a piece of the snack and took a bite.
His sharp eyes twitched subtly.
‘...It’s good.’
It was unexpected. Truly unexpected.
The snack met his notoriously picky palate perfectly.
For a brief moment, he almost asked where the snacks came from but stopped himself.
This wasn’t the time for that.
“Here’s some tea as well.”
Si-Hyun poured him a cup of tea, which he sipped.
...The tea, however, was lacking.
“...I’ve been hearing a lot of praise about your Introduction to Monster Studies course lately.”
“You flatter me. It’s only possible thanks to the materials you kindly allowed me to reference. They’ve been a great help, so thank you.”
Si-Hyun’s humble response left Professor Noh with a slightly sour expression.
He hadn’t expected such polite gratitude.
“Hmm, that may be so. However—”
Professor Noh began his real probe.
He started throwing out a series of questions and comments designed to test Si-Hyun’s capabilities.
***
The sound of the door closing echoed faintly in the hallway.
Professor Noh, stepping out of Si-Hyun’s office, found himself frowning involuntarily.
‘...This didn’t go as planned.’
He had come here to confirm the rumors and, if necessary, put this part-time instructor in her place.
That had been the intention, without a doubt.
‘...What just happened?’
At some point, the conversation had shifted into a deep academic exchange.
He found himself engaging in logical discussions and exchanging insights that were far more profound than he had expected.
This wasn’t a simple conversation between a professor and an instructor.
There was something about her—something unique.
As a result, this visit turned into an unexpectedly enriching intellectual exchange.
Noh found himself completely engrossed in their dialogue.
Pondering the experience, he walked down the hallway, his brows furrowed in thought.
‘So, Professor Jeong’s reputation was purely factual?’
...Still, it wouldn’t hurt to verify it one more time.
In his mind, he began reviewing his schedule, realizing that he was no longer referring to Si-Hyun as an instructor but as a professor.
***
Back in Si-Hyun’s Office
After Professor Noh left, Si-Hyun remained alone in her office, sipping tea thoughtfully.
‘...I still have a long way to go.’
Professor Noh was skilled at maintaining a neutral expression, but he wasn’t entirely unreadable.
While eating the snacks gifted by the elder, his face remained stoic.
But when he tasted the tea, his gaze faltered slightly, as though suppressing the urge to comment.
‘Maybe I should have learned tea-making from the elder instead of chess.’
Si-Hyun seriously contemplated her tea-brewing skills.
Still, she found the conversation with Professor Noh highly satisfying.
It was the first time she had engaged in such a serious academic dialogue with someone.
Professor Noh’s observations were sharp, forcing her to think deeply before responding.
It had been, in a word, productive.
Knowing something and being able to articulate it with depth and share it meaningfully were entirely different matters.
Si-Hyun found herself hoping Professor Noh would visit again.
‘No, maybe I should reach out to him first. Perhaps invite him to observe a lecture or collaborate on a project?’
The foundation of her Introduction to Monster Studies course, including the monster classification system, heavily referenced Professor Noh’s work.
To adapt the otherworldly knowledge she had to Earth’s context, she had studied his materials extensively.
His expertise in Earth’s monster studies was the real deal.
“Ah, it’s almost time for class.”
Glancing at the clock, Si-Hyun rose from her seat, gathering her things with practiced ease.
She left her office, greeting students who recognized her as she passed by.
“Hello, Professor!”
“Good afternoon!”
“Hello.”
She responded with a light smile, making her way to the Introduction to Monster Studies classroom.
Clack—
“P-Professor! Hello!”
“Good afternoon, Professor!”
“Good afternoon.”
In the classroom, Eunbyul, Areum, and Jae-Woo had already arrived.
When Si-Hyun stepped to the podium, Areum, sitting in the front row, beamed brightly and asked,
“P-Professor! No models today?”
“Oh, about that.”
At Areum’s question, Si-Hyun suddenly remembered—she’d left them in her office.
She had worked hard on models rivaling the goblin ones but had forgotten to bring them.
Suppressing her disappointment, she replied,
“I left them in the office today. Want to check them out after class?”
“Ah, sure...”
Areum responded hesitantly, averting her gaze.
She hadn’t thought ahead to what might happen after class.
Whether Si-Hyun noticed this or not, she smiled faintly and said,
“I’ve prepared something even better today.”
“Something better?”
“Yep, VR equipment. What do you think? Excited?”
At her words, not only Areum but also Eunbyul and Jae-Woo widened their eyes in surprise.