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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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After taking a few pictures, Yoo Hee-won was busy uploading them somewhere.
Probably to her social media…
It wasn’t a particularly problematic picture, but I still wasn’t thrilled about my face being posted online.
People had already recognized me from the video of the entrance ceremony circulating on the internet.
I hated that kind of unnecessary attention.
Perhaps that was why I hadn’t reached a higher rank as an active hero.
Heroes were like celebrities, living off public attention.
Just as the steamed egg arrived and I was about to eat it, Yoo Hee-won grabbed a spoon first.
I sighed, watching her scoop a large spoonful of steamed egg and blow on it.
Hadn’t she been taught table manners in her high-class family that had never even tried spicy stir-fried pork before?
Or maybe she was just rude.
“Anyway…”
I started speaking again, resuming the conversation that had been interrupted by Yoo Hee-won.
“Despite a few hiccups along the way, we’re in the same boat now, so let’s get along until graduation. And after graduation, too, of course.”
“Understood, Professor.”
Han Min-ha, chewing on the spicy pork, politely nodded, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Yeah.”
Yoo Hee-won mumbled a reply, busy typing on her phone with both hands.
“Good. If you have any difficulties with academy life, feel free to talk to me. I’ll do my best to help within my capabilities.”
“Thank you, Professor.” “Okay.”
Oh dear…
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I managed to dissuade Yoo Hee-won from going to karaoke and got everyone back in the car.
Han Min-ha, who had been fidgeting at the mention of karaoke, seemed relieved that we were returning to the academy.
She clearly disliked that kind of atmosphere.
We were similar in that regard.
“We didn’t even go to a cafe… How boring.”
Yoo Hee-won grumbled from the back seat on the way back to the academy.
I checked the time; it was a little before nine, when the main gate closed.
Since we had started dinner late, there wasn’t enough time to go to a cafe.
Actually, I also wanted something like an iced Americano to cleanse my palate.
“Professor… if you don’t mind… there’s a drive-thru on the way… Would you like to stop there?”
Han Min-ha, sitting in the passenger seat, cautiously suggested.
“Is there?”
“I’ll show you.”
Yoo Hee-won kicked the back of the front seat.
“You know the way around here?”
“Uh… I looked it up before we left…”
“Oh, impressive. Why don’t you try applying that effort to your studies?”
“Hee-won, you should praise her for being thoughtful.”
“Yes, Professor. Good job, Min-ha.”
Her tone was incredibly condescending.
Following Han Min-ha’s directions, we arrived at the cafe.
We each ordered a cup of coffee and drank it on our way back to the academy.
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There was nothing between Graford City and the academy.
The area around the academy was designated as a no-man’s-land because it was a military protection zone.
The four-lane road leading to the academy was surrounded by darkness.
Further in the distance, the silhouette of a rugged mountain range was faintly visible under the dark blue sky.
And the flickering lights of the city below the mountains.
Graford Academy.
Under the waves of streetlights passing by at regular intervals, Han Min-ha was silently gazing at the academy’s nightscape in the distance.
She looked quite melancholic.
I wondered what she was thinking.
Looking in the rearview mirror, I saw Yoo Hee-won engrossed in her phone.
“What?”
Yoo Hee-won looked up, sensing my gaze.
“Nothing.”
Soon, we arrived at the academy’s main gate.
After confirming our identities with the guard, we headed towards the dormitories.
I parked the car in front of the dormitory and was about to get out when I heard footsteps approaching.
Teaching Assistant Bae Ye-bin, Han Min-ha’s teaching assistant, walked briskly towards us and bowed deeply.
“Thank you for your hard work, Professor.”
“I’m sorry for keeping you out so late.”
“It’s fine. I’m grateful that you’re taking such good care of Min-ha.”
I looked at my students getting out of the car and said,
“Everyone, get some rest. I’ll see you later.”
“When’s our next meeting?”
“I’ll let you know in the group chat.”
Teaching Assistant Bae and Han Min-ha bowed as I got back in the car.
Yoo Hee-won, who had been standing with her arms crossed, turned around and walked into the dormitory as soon as I started reversing.
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The start of “Golden Viper and the Gray Molds” was relatively smooth.
There weren’t any unexpected conflicts, and Yoo Hee-won didn’t seem to pay much attention to Han Min-ha.
However, she didn’t hesitate to express her extreme disgust towards Han Min-ha’s timid demeanor.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Yoo Hee-won suddenly snapped at Han Min-ha as we were grading assignments for the Administration Bureau regulations in the lab.
“What… what do you mean…?”
“Why do you always slouch and look so glum? Are you possessed or something? Why are you so gloomy?”
“Oh… was I?”
Han Min-ha scratched her head, and Yoo Hee-won sighed deeply, seemingly exasperated.
“Ugh, honestly… Why do you look so stupid? Did all the blood that should have gone to your brain go to your chest instead?”
“Hee-won, it’s not right to insult your classmate like that. And here, I finished grading, so let’s go over it together.”
I handed back their graded assignments.
Yoo Hee-won, as expected, had a perfect score.
Surprisingly. Han Min-ha’s assignment wasn’t bad either.
There were some mistakes, but she could still expect a decent score.
It seemed she performed reasonably well in theoretical subjects that didn’t involve physical activity.
The reason I, a Basic Defense Studies professor, was grading assignments for the “International Agreements and Current Administration Laws” course was because there was a quiz on that subject this week.
Normally, advisors weren’t supposed to provide guidance on assessments for other subjects, but that was just a rule.
A student’s success also reflected positively on the advisor’s career and evaluation.
Other professors did the same, if not more.
Some professors probably provided tutoring that bordered on illegal.
Of course, I wasn’t interested in any of that.
I only hoped that Han Min-ha wouldn’t remain at the bottom of the class and would move up to a higher level.
“Then let’s go over the answers. I’ll pace it according to Min-ha’s level. Sorry, Hee-won.”
“It’s fine. Can I use my phone?”
“Hmm… sure.”
Since Yoo Hee-won would be at the top of the class regardless, I decided to let her be.
She immediately took out her phone and started typing furiously with both thumbs.
With her wealthy background, pretty face, and good grades, she probably had a ton of things to do on social media and messaging apps.
I moved my chair closer to Han Min-ha and slowly explained the questions she had gotten wrong.
Han Min-ha diligently copied down my explanations in her notebook.
It was after class hours, so she was wearing casual clothes, a faded gray training suit.
As I tutored her up close, I noticed a smell like an old dresser emanating from her clothes.
It had been the same when I visited her dormitory when she wanted to withdraw… Didn’t she use fabric softener?
It wasn’t unpleasant; it was just unusual that she didn’t have the typical scent of cosmetics used by girls her age.
“What? How did you get this wrong?”
Yoo Hee-won, who had approached us at some point, scoffed at Han Min-ha’s assignment.
“Are you really that dumb? The professor told us he was going over this today. Shouldn’t you have prepared in advance?”
“Hee-won, don’t press down so hard on my shoulder. It hurts.”
Perhaps because she was a hero candidate, I could feel considerable strength in Yoo Hee-won’s hand on my shoulder.
Although I was a former hero, my body was currently frail.
It hurt quite a bit when Yoo Hee-won, with her natural talent, put her weight on me.
“Hee-won… that hurts…”
“Just study, will you? How are you going to graduate like this?”
Yoo Hee-won removed her hand from my and Han Min-ha’s shoulders and straightened up and sneered.
“And excuse me, but do you even wash your clothes?”
“Yes…? I washed this in the washing machine…?”
“Did you use fabric softener?”
“Ah…”
At Han Min-ha’s short exclamation, Yoo Hee-won shook her head.
“Honestly, you… Use fabric softener next time. Got it?”
“Okay…”
“Didn’t your mom teach you that at home?”
Oh dear.
I had been wondering when she would cross the line, and she had just done it.
Han Min-ha’s parents had gone missing while active as heroes, and their whereabouts were unknown.
The Administration hadn’t given Han Min-ha a definitive answer about her parents’ survival, but they had provided her with a survivor’s pension and arranged for her admission to the academy.
Although they were officially “missing,” the fact that she was receiving a survivor’s pension suggested they were most likely dead.
Yoo Hee-won had just made a critical blunder.
Of course, she hadn’t done it intentionally, but…
Han Min-ha’s face darkened rapidly, and Yoo Hee-won, sensing something was wrong, glanced at me.
Her eyes asked, “What’s wrong with her?”
As I was trying to figure out how to explain the situation, Han Min-ha spoke first.
“Sorry… my parents aren’t around…”
“Huh…?”
Yoo Hee-won’s eyes widened in shock.
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