Villain Professor of Heroes – Chapter 12

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Flustered by the unexpected situation, Yoo Hee-won gave an awkward smile and rubbed her hand where the spark had flown.

“Student Yoo Hee-won, are you attempting to use physical force against a professor as an academy student?”

“Of course not. I was just so frustrated that my hand moved before I could think, but I didn’t intend to…”

“Sparks fly when Auras collide.”

I cut Yoo Hee-won off.

“A hand imbued with Aura can exert an unimaginable amount of force. If I hadn’t formed a barrier, it would have resulted in a rather interesting situation.”

“An interesting situation, you say?”

“You can experience it yourself if you try something similar again.”

The corners of Yoo Hee-won’s lips twitched slightly.

“But, Professor Kyo, you’ve been avoiding me without any reason…”

“I explained clearly. I don’t have time today, so I suggested tomorrow or the day after.”

Seemingly unable to refute my point, Yoo Hee-won simply stared at me without saying anything.

However, she showed no intention of moving from the lab door.

I considered pushing her aside forcefully, but I decided against it, as it would create a rather comical scene.

I was an academy professor, after all.

I let out a light sigh and spoke.

“Alright, student Yoo Hee-won. Let’s have that meeting, since it’s come to this.”

I made two cups of coffee and sat facing Yoo Hee-won.

“So, student Yoo Hee-won, what do you want to discuss? I’m always open to talking about defense studies.”

“Do you remember the conversation we had at the entrance ceremony?”

I remembered. It was a subtle attempt to persuade me to choose her as my student.

“Have you thought about it?”

“Is that why you wanted this meeting?”

“Well, what would you do if I said it was to get the answer I want?”

“I know the answer you want, student Yoo Hee-won. But you won’t hear it today. Because it’s not the student assignment period yet.”

“I know that. But it’s coming soon. So I don’t think it would hurt to hear the answer in advance.”

“I can’t speak carelessly before the selection period, student Yoo Hee-won. So go back and wait. Student assignments are decided through mutual agreement, not by the professor’s arbitrary decision.”

“Then do you have anyone in mind?”

“Not yet.”

“Then may I offer some assistance in your decision-making?”

“No, thank you. I already know everything about you, student Yoo Hee-won.”

I had no intention of taking Yoo Hee-won as my student.

It was because of Han Min-ha.

Having observed Han Min-ha’s personality, I felt they would never get along.

Han Min-ha wouldn’t be able to handle Yoo Hee-won, and Yoo Hee-won wouldn’t tolerate Han Min-ha.

However, I had to make Han Min-ha an S-Rank, and if I had to choose between the two, I had to choose Han Min-ha.

And if I chose Han Min-ha, Yoo Hee-won couldn’t be my student.

That was the reason.

As I repeatedly refused, the smile disappeared from Yoo Hee-won’s face.

Her serious expression, with a hint of a cold-blooded viper, was unsettling.

A chilling smile formed on her lips as she silently stared at me.

“Thank you for meeting with me today, Professor Kyo.”

Without taking a single sip of her coffee, Yoo Hee-won stood up.

“I’ll visit you again if there’s another opportunity.”

“Certainly, if there’s an opportunity.”

“There will be. Definitely.”

Yoo Hee-won’s gaze, as she looked down at me, felt momentarily warm.

Of course, it was just my imagination.

After Yoo Hee-won left the lab, I finished the rest of my coffee alone.

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Finally, the student assignment period arrived.

It hadn’t even been a month since the entrance ceremony, but it felt like several months had passed.

The department head gathered all the professors and gave a long speech.

He spoke about the long and storied history and tradition of the student advisor system, how the advisor’s competence could lead to a miracle, turning an F-Rank into an S-Rank, and how we should all recognize the gravity of this responsibility.

The professors listened to the department head with one ear while scanning the list of new students in front of them with their eyes.

Naturally, everyone was interested in Yoo Hee-won.

Everyone in the faculty hoped to become her advisor.

However, student assignments weren’t solely the professor’s decision.

The students also had the right to choose their advisor, and the final assignments were made after considerable negotiation.

Currently, Professor Yoo Hyun-joo, who taught Comprehensive Offense, had the highest chance of becoming Yoo Hee-won’s advisor.

Comprehensive Offense was a fundamental subject and therefore extremely popular.

Professor Yoo Hyun-joo wasn’t a former hero, but a current A-Rank hero.

However, some professors held a different opinion.

The fact that Yoo Hee-won had approached me first at the entrance ceremony had already spread throughout the academy.

They seemed to think that Yoo Hee-won might defy everyone’s expectations and choose me, a professor of an unpopular subject.

“Anyway, please keep all this in mind, make your choices carefully, and submit your forms. That is all. Prepare for the chant!”

After shouting the “Ful Ful Ful” chant and leaving the faculty room, Professor Jin Se-young approached me.

“Professor Kyo, are you taking on a student this year?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“Think carefully. Having a student isn’t so bad. It doesn’t have to be one-on-one. If it’s too much of a burden, you can choose several students with lower grades and nurture them. It can be quite rewarding…”

Professor Jin Se-young suddenly stopped talking and halted her steps.

I looked up and saw the dean walking towards us, accompanied by several department heads.

“Hello, Dean.”

I greeted him and stepped aside, but the dean stopped in front of me.

“Professor Hyun Kyo, could I have a word with you?”

“Are you referring to me?”

“Is there another Professor Kyo with the surname Kyo here?”

The dean smiled warmly and looked around.

The department heads standing behind him chuckled ingratiatingly.

“I can’t think of anything I’ve done wrong recently.”

The dean laughed heartily at my words.

He enjoyed this kind of humor, so I played along.

“Anyone listening would think I only call in professors to scold them.”

“Oh, Dean!”

Just then, our department head burst out of the faculty room like a dog with its tail on fire.

“Dean! What brings you here! Please come inside. I’ll get you some warm coffee…”

“No, no. I came to see Professor Kyo.”

“Professor Kyo…?”

The department head looked at me in confusion.

His eyes seemed to be asking, “What strange thing did you do this time?” I shook my head slightly.

“Why does the dean want to speak with Professor Kyo…?”

“Do I have to report every single professor meeting to you?”

The dean said it with a smile, but the department head jumped and shook his head and hands simultaneously.

“No! No! Not at all! Professor Kyo! What are you doing! Quickly escort the dean inside!”

“No, that’s not necessary. Go to my office and wait. I’ll be there shortly after I make a quick stop.”

With that, the dean led the department heads down the hallway and disappeared.

The department head, who had been bowing at a 90-degree angle until the dean was out of sight, rushed over to me.

“Professor Kyo…! What is it? Why does the dean want to speak with you privately?”

“I’m not sure. Could you please let go of my shoulders? It hurts.”

The department head, who had been frantically shaking my shoulders, released me and stepped back.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but… don’t make any mistakes. And after the meeting…”

“I’ll report back to you. And if you have any suggestions for the dean, please let me know. I’ll include them in the meeting.”

“W-would you…?”

The department head, his face beaming, began to tell me various things.

“I understand. I’ll convey your message appropriately.”

“Thank you, Professor Kyo. You’re the best!”

After the department head patted my shoulders and left, Professor Jin Se-young grumbled.

“What a pathetic man… Anyway, Professor Kyo.”

“Yes.”

“Why does the dean really want to see you?”

“I wonder. I’m curious myself.”

Although I said that, it wasn’t difficult to guess what the conversation would be about.

The dean had met with the chairman of the Administration’s advisory committee at the entrance ceremony.

The chairman was Yoo Hee-won’s father.

“Please take Yoo Hee-won as your student.”

That would likely be the main point of today’s meeting.

After waiting for a while in front of the dean’s office, I saw the dean approaching.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Did you wait long?”

“I just arrived.”

“Come in, come in. Bring us some tea!”

Shouting to his assistant, the dean put his arm around my shoulders and opened the door to his office.

“Sit down, sit down.”

The dean smiled genially and sat down on the sofa first.

“How are you feeling these days?”

“I’m fine. My cough has subsided recently.”

“That’s good to hear. It always pained me to see a fine man like Professor Kyo suffering from a lung disease.”

“Thank you.”

The dean smiled and slapped his knee.

“So, what about the new students?”

“It hasn’t even been a month, so I haven’t fully grasped their abilities yet, but as always, it seems like we have a good crop of talented individuals.”

“Of course. Graford doesn’t just accept anyone.”

The dean slapped his knee again and asked,

“Are the kids doing well with their barriers?”

“The advanced class has already started freely using basic physical barriers, and the lower-level class will start today.”

“Hmm. I see. There seems to be quite a gap, but that’s always been the case, so it can’t be helped. So…”

When the tea arrived, the dean took a sip and offered it to me.

“Drink up, drink up. It’s bellflower root tea. Good for the lungs.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

I took a small sip and put the cup back down.

Then, I waited for the dean to speak first, saying nothing.

The small talk was over before the tea arrived, and now it was time for the main topic.

Sure enough, the dean took a few sips of tea, smacked his lips, and spoke.

“You know the chairman of the Administration’s advisory committee came to the entrance ceremony, right?”

“Yes, I saw him at the main gate.”

“Right, right. That man suddenly asked for a meeting with me.”

“Is that so?”

“It was about Yoo Hee-won. You know what I mean, right?”

“Student Yoo Hee-won is the chairman’s only daughter.”

“Right. It would be strange if you didn’t know, especially since she placed first in the basic evaluation.”

“Yes.”

“Well, there wasn’t anything special. He pretended it was official business, but in the end, he just wanted me to look after his daughter.”

“I suppose so.”

The dean slapped his knee and rubbed it as he spoke.

“What do you think of Yoo Hee-won?”

“If she were to become a hero right now, she could at least achieve a C-Rank or higher.”

“Oh, really? Is she that good?”

“Yes. I’m not sure about other subjects, but in my class, she was able to form a basic barrier on the first day.”

“Haha. That’s impressive. She must be highly sought after.”

Finally, we were getting to the main point.

“Yoo Hee-won, I mean. Wouldn’t it be quite enjoyable to mentor a student like that?”

“It would be, but I’m sure the other professors feel the same way.”

“Indeed, with the student assignment period approaching, everyone must be on edge.”

I just smiled.

“Since professor evaluations are also based on the rank their students achieve upon graduation, everyone wants to secure the best students.”

“That’s true. But that doesn’t really concern me…”

“Why not? You’re a faculty member, so it naturally applies to you.”

“As you know, defense studies is an unpopular subject. Who would choose me just to learn how to block bullets with a barrier? Besides, I’m not the type to dedicate myself to mentoring a single student.”

The dean rubbed his knee with a meaningful expression.

“Is that so? Perhaps. What do they call it? That… ultimate skill you achieve after mastering defense techniques…”

“The Mental Barrier.”

“Right, right. It might not be worth it if all that time invested only leads to mental fortitude.”

“Yes.”

“But wouldn’t this year be different? A student like Yoo Hee-won is rare.”

“Even if I wanted to, the student also has the right to choose. It’s not that simple.”

A glint flashed in the dean’s eyes.

After a moment of silence, the dean rubbed his knee and then slapped it.

“I received a call from the chairman yesterday.”

“Yes.”

“It was about Yoo Hee-won… something about a student advisor. Parents are all the same.”

Despite saying that, the dean was probably intimidated by the chairman.

Their positions dictated that, even if they didn’t want to, they had to act that way.

The chairman’s influence within the Administration was immense, and the academy, which relied on the Administration for its “business,” had to kowtow to him.

“He asked me to assign you as Yoo Hee-won’s advisor.”

As I expected.

No, there was nothing to be smug about.

Anyone who wasn’t a fool could have easily predicted this.

“Is that so?”

“Do you intend to take Yoo Hee-won as your student?”

“I’ll have to think about it. It requires mutual agreement between the professor and the student.”

“Alright. Think it over.”

After that, the dean engaged in some more small talk, and I smiled and responded appropriately.

Soon, the meeting with the dean ended.

As I closed the door to the dean’s office behind me, I decided to completely forget the conversation.

I wasn’t confident I could handle both Han Min-ha and Yoo Hee-won, who were polar opposites.

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