(EP-138.2) Professor #1
138 – Fairy Professor #1
Was she going to pretend not to know anything and divert my attention?
If I had known that she would just do this, I would have reported her as a thief when the people gathered around and had her punished. Actually, it might not be too late to do it now.
But I decided to give Stella a chance.
“While it’s a crime to trespass into someone else’s residence, I don’t think you intentionally planned to do so, Professor.”
“…….”
Stella remained silent, she had nothing to say. She seemed to be avoiding eye contact, perhaps contemplating on how to extricate herself from this situation. So, I added.
“For someone who came to steal, your outfit sure looks uncomfortable. You don’t even have a bag to store things.”
Stella Belhawk was wearing high-heels with a career woman’s office look. It was the exact opposite of a thief’s getup, which was something more convenient and practical to wear.
Hence why, I didn’t believe she intentionally came to rob me of my possessions-.
That was my thought, at least.
“It would be best for the both of us if you tell the truth.”
“Sampling.”
“What?”
“I was trying to collect samples.”
“What do you mean by ‘collect sample’?”
“It’s your fault! How could a student leave their dormitory empty this late. Staying out this late in the night, how much longer are you making people wait?”
“Huh?”
Stella, who had been sitting there like a mute, suddenly began to speak in a firm and steady tone. Her confident and dignified attitude almost made me feel like I was the one getting interrogated.
“I heard that you’re quite the night owl, Mr. Theo Gospel. It looks like you stay out much more than anyone else, no? Where do you keep wandering off to?”
She was trying to target my weakness and shake me off.
I knew that this was a technique in debates.
Blurring the focus of the discussion and attacking the messenger instead of the message was effective in getting out of a disadvantaged position.
So the best way to respond in such situations was to stay on topic and not let it derail.
“Is that really important right now? I am asking why you, a professor, broke into my room and went through my belongings.”
“…….”
Her amber eyes squinted as she frowned. She was giving off, “Look at this guy” look.
I didn’t survive in Angmar with just lip service.
The important thing here was to not look weak, otherwise they’d climb all over you.
“If you don’t cooperate or speak honestly, I will report this to the board.”
“… Geueu….”
Professor Stella groaned at my threat. It was so quiet that I wouldn’t have heard it if it weren’t for my fairy ears. I was sure she got agitated by it.
It was a well known fact that Professor Stella’s position in Arc was as fickle as a lantern in the wind.
Her lectures were sloppy at best. She was not really writing papers or conducting research. And she was notoriously known as an evil professor who exploited the assistants working under her. That was Stella Belhawk.
If this incident were to be directly reported to the board, it would surely jeopardize her position, and even the “Bellhawk” name attached to her.
Finally, Stella bitterly chuckled.
“As expected, you’re a student who listens to my lectures, you’ve really learned from me. Your words are logical and rational. Excellent.”
How good was she in self-comfort?
Well, it didn’t matter.
“Are you ready to tell the truth?”
“What truth do I have to say? I already told you. I was collecting samples. I waited for you all day. I just briefly invited myself in because you didn’t show up.”
“…….”
I looked around. For something to only be a ‘brief’ moment, my room was irreparably messed up. It would take at least half a day to sort it all out.
Noticing my expression hardening, Stella quickly said.
“Well, that’s because you startled me by suddenly treating me like a thief. I was in a panic, so I started throwing in the heat of the moment. It’s self-defense, alright? It’s an Elf’s instinct, I can’t help it.”
Stella then explained about elven sensitivity. Elves would easily get panic when someone surprised them or something like that.
“Okay. So what were you collecting?”
“Oh, just, you know, things like hair?”
“Why do you need my hair?”
“That’s for the research I’m writing. Would you like to see it?”
Seureuk.
Stella then handed me something. It was like a small scroll. Unfolding it, I saw words written inside.
「Ecological Differences Between Nymphs And Elves: How To Increase Fairy Population.」
It was a very interesting paper.
“The title and content are just temporary placeholders for now.”
As I attempted to read it, Stella swiftly snatched the scroll from my hand. Although I hadn’t read much, I could roughly grasp the nuance of what Stella was up to.
“I asked the Nymphs for help, but they are closed-minded and exclusive, so they wouldn’t cooperate. I tried kidnapping a few of them, but they caused a fuss and went into a frenzy-”
“Wait, you kidnapped Nymphs!?”
I recalled the story I had heard from Marmar.
There were a few cases where Imps and Nymphs went missing. Because of that, I was scared and made my journey back with haste. Now I realized that Stella was the culprit.
Stella said in her defense.
“To be precise, I borrowed them for a little bit. I intended to return them after I’m done with them. And I actually did send them back!”
… Was that something you could say after kidnapping people? Treating them as objects that you could return.
“That is a crime. Why the hell did you do that?”
I said so, but then I suddenly felt a chilling sensation creep up my spine. It reminded me that Stella Belhawk was originally a villain character nicknamed the ‘Head Hunter’.
In the original story, she wasn’t originally a professor, but a human hunter who roamed the forest. In other words, there was a high probability that she’d turn into a very dangerous character.
Concerned that I might have been too rude, I became cautious with my words and actions.
I didn’t want to provoke Stella, who might awaken as the Head Hunter and hunt me down, turning me into a stuffed display trophy. I didn’t want such a fate.
Seureureuk.
At this moment, Stella stood up from her seat and walked towards me. Then she grabbed my arm tightly.
“I don’t have time to dwell on things like that…! The general meeting will be held soon…!”
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