Episode 236. Magic with Professor Im Sol! (3)

“Don’t get too bummed out. I’ll put you in touch with a guild in France.”

“Sigh… It’s fine. I’ll handle it myself. It’s related to the French guilds anyway.”

Watching Im Sol drink her chocolate latte, sweetened with syrup, I shook my head.

Well, I didn’t do anything too harsh, and I felt good about it too.

No need to lose sleep over it.

“Still, thanks to my student, I feel a bit better.”

“Oh? Why were you feeling down?”

Seeing her slightly upturned lips, it was clear she was in a good mood.

I took the opportunity to ask what I’d been wanting to ask.

“… Haaa.”

Im Sol slightly furrowed her brow, as if recalling an unpleasant memory, but fortunately, thanks to her improved mood, she seemed willing to talk about it.

“It’s the same old story. There are quite a few creepy mages out there.”

Slurp slurp.

Watching Im Sol drink her chocolate latte like water, I chuckled slightly.

“Everyone’s just on a different level than you, Professor. Well…”

Praising Im Sol isn’t difficult.

Her magic is all it takes.

Actually, it’s not even a lie, right?

Even I, who possess the cheat-like ability called a ‘Special Privilege’, get the chills when I see exceptional mages like Im Sol or Rebecca.

Other mages looking at Im Sol probably feel similarly to me, and many will feel inferior because she’s a young woman.

There are many men who hold old-fashioned ideas that they shouldn’t be surpassed by women.

“… Anyway, I hate mages who lack skill and have no pride. Of course, exceptions like you aside.”

Judging by her expression, our Professor seems to have a lot pent up.

She was taking her frustration out, narrowing her brow and pointlessly poking the ice in her chocolate latte with her straw.

“Especially those show-offs who act tough just because they were born a few years earlier, and those who are weaker than me but use their field experience as an excuse….”

While drinking the coffee in front of me, I listened to complaints about professors I didn’t even know and mages active in the field.

How long did I silently nod my head like that?

My coffee ran out, and Im Sol’s chocolate latte was empty only after the gossip session came to an end.

“… Haaa.”

Slurp-

Im Sol, finally seeming somewhat relieved, stuck her straw into a new chocolate latte.

Then, after shaking the cup with only ice left and setting it aside, she looked at me and spoke.

“Tsk. I’m sorry for saying things I couldn’t really back up. What a terrible teacher I am.”

Still, she seemed slightly remorseful for taking her frustration out on her student.

To prevent Im Sol from feeling awkward, I instead spouted more nonsense.

“No way. They’re the ones who did wrong. There’s no way you did anything wrong. Those assholes.”

“Hey now. In front of your professor, what do you mean ‘assholes’? Honestly.”

Im Sol chuckled, took a sip of her new chocolate latte, rested her chin on her hand, and continued.

“So, why are you going to France? Aren’t you going to tell me?”

“Hmm….”

I thought she was just letting it slide. Guess not.

How should I handle this?

I quickly considered the consequences of telling Im Sol.

In fact, I wasn’t committing any crime.

All I needed to say was, “I’m going to investigate the Centaurs.”

If she asked why, I could just say it was for magic research.

‘But what if Im Sol wants to come along?’

A normal person wouldn’t respond like that, but for Im Sol, obsessed with magic research, it wasn’t impossible.

‘Then, should I sell out an acquaintance?’

An acquaintance who exists but doesn’t exist.

I could use Liliana as an excuse.

What if she investigated my acquaintance?

At that moment, while I was contemplating how to act, Im Sol’s hand appeared right before my eyes.

With a ‘snap-‘ sound, a light magic blew towards me from Im Sol’s flicked finger.

Like a gentle breeze, the magic brushed past, ruffling my hair, as if telling me not to overthink it.

I lifted my head and met Im Sol’s eyes; she was smiling benevolently.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“….”

“You’re still a student. Even if people praise you as a genius mage, you still have time to play, so play… No, wait. You’re already having plenty of fun. So, if you have any trouble, talk to me. Okay?”

Mhmm.

Making the same sound, Im Sol nodded.

“I was like that too. At some point, I realized I was different from others.”

“… You, Professor?”

In the unexpectedly serious atmosphere, I focused on Im Sol’s words.

“Yeah. To be precise, it was from the very first time I used magic.”

Before, in the lab, I had asked a question.

I remember clearly back then reporters were swarming me for quite a while. It was when I first showed them my dual attributes at the festival.

So I asked Professor Im Sol how to handle reporters’ questions.

‘When I first revealed I could use magic of all attributes, what was the reaction?’

“[From the first time I used magic, I just blasted it out, using magic of all attributes.

“I thought that was natural.”

The envy, jealousy, and expectations Im Sol must have faced because of that are unimaginable.

Literally unparalleled (unworldly).

She must have been a genius whose very existence in this world was questionable.

“So, what I ultimately want to say is… Haaa. Don’t worry about others. Don’t be discouraged. If you have any trouble, ask me. Okay?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

I looked at Im Sol and smiled.

Since it’s advice from a senior, I should take it to heart.

“And just in case I need to say this… never compare yourself to me.”

“What?”

Up until now, after saying only nice things, what is this all of a sudden?

Im Sol made sounds like “Um, uh-huh,” scratched her head, and continued.

“It’s hard for me to say this myself, but… I’m a genius. Any magic, if I see the magic circle, I can understand it and replicate it in a minute. My mana reserves are monstrously high, and my affinity for natural mana is also high. So… if by any chance you start comparing yourself to me and lower your self-esteem, don’t. There are already enough mages like that. If even my student gets jealous of me, it’ll be exhausting.”

With an incredibly serious expression, Im Sol was advising me, but at the end, she smiled slightly.

Im Sol’s words can be summarized in one sentence.

Don’t compare yourself to her.

Although she ended it a bit playfully at the end, Im Sol’s words contained immense confidence along with concern for me.

It was the confidence that ‘No matter how hard you try, you can never catch up to me’.

Last time, she definitely said I was stronger than her at 20 years old.

Yet, for her to say something like that… means she can develop even faster than my own development speed.

Of course, it can’t be called arrogance.

Whether looking at her achievements or her current skills, it cannot be denied that she’s far ahead of me.

‘But….’

Even if it was said out of concern for the moorhen trying to imitate the stork and falling.

Rude as it sounds, even if they’re words that truly care about me.

In front of a man, saying something like that is a provocation, isn’t it? Professor.

I let out a wry laugh and replied.

“Thank you for your concern, Professor. I’ll definitely keep it in mind.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s a relief. As expected, my student listens well.”

Im Sol gave a slight, wry smile.

It seems she knows how others might perceive what she just said.

Yet, the fact that she said it directly means she trusts me that much.

Im Sol seems to have started thinking of me as someone she needs to protect.

But that shouldn’t be the case.

‘A man protected by a woman?’

I can’t do that.

Although I claim to be a champion of gender equality, in relationships between men and women, I can’t help but be an anachronism.

This is a male instinct.

It’s an instinct etched into my genes – wanting to always be the strong man towards his female partner.

“But Professor.”

“Yes?”

To Professor Im Sol, who looked puzzled, I also said in the most serious tone possible:

“Don’t think I’ll always be behind you. I too will give my all.”

I acknowledge Im Sol’s talent.

Her effort too.

But there’s always someone better.

No matter how outstanding Im Sol is, I was confident I could catch up.

“Hmph.”

Im Sol scoffed as if finding it absurd, and burst into a wide smile.

“Because of what you just said, it’s become even harder to surpass you.”

“… Really?”

“Yeah. Still, try your best. Who knows? If you actually manage to surpass me, maybe I’ll grant you a wish.”

Im Sol wore a pleased smile.

It was a smile, like watching her cute student’s antics.

“Oh? You don’t regret saying that, right? About granting a wish?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

Affection was evident in Im Sol’s eyes as she looked at me.

Definitely, we had become closer than before we came to the expo.

★ Heroine Status Window

[Im Sol]

• [ Affection: 75 ]

• [ Lust: 45 ]

• [ Appetite: 20 ]

• [ Fatigue: 40 ]

Current Status: My student, how can she look so good?

As expected.

Affection has risen quite a bit.

Seeing Im Sol drinking her chocolate latte and looking satisfied alone, I felt proud too, somehow.

“Shall we head back to the expo now?”

“That’s a good suggestion.”

We left the cafe in good spirits.

*

Im Sol and I explored every corner of the expo grounds, sightseeing.

“This one would be difficult to control the magic circle. Ah, of course, it’s not great, but it’s usable.”

Actually, the goal was a date, but it felt like an outdoor private lesson.

‘Well, as long as she enjoyed it.’

Since Professor Im Sol seemed happy, in a way, it could be considered a date.

After walking around so much.

“I’m tired.”

“… Me too.”

Im Sol and I sat down by the central fountain and rested.

The time had already passed noon and was heading towards 1 PM.

My original plan was to skip only the morning class, but if I dragged it out any longer, I’d end up skipping the afternoon class too.

It’s about time I should get ready to leave.

I spoke to Im Sol, who was lowering the surrounding temperature with magic.

“It was good coming here, right?”

“… Yeah. It was good. Really.”

Im Sol’s cool smile.

Among the smiles I had ever seen, it was the purest.

“Thanks to you, I feel like all my stress is gone. Why is it that when I’m with my student, I feel so at ease?”

“It’s all thanks to you, Professor. The collaboration between a brilliant student and a brilliant professor. I had a great time too.”

I mean it.

Just walking around with a beauty is great, and there were quite a few interesting things at the expo too.

“S-so, about that…”

“Yes?”

Im Sol suddenly avoided my eyes and looked into the distance.

The usually confident Professor was nowhere to be seen.

Even a faint blush on her cheeks, she was truly different from usual.

“Since today is marked as a field trip anyway. It’s not forced, if you’re okay with it. Yeah. If you have nothing else planned… maybe this afternoon too…”

As I was drawn into Im Sol’s words, watching her slowly moving ruby-red lips.

BOOM! KABOOM! THUMP-!

From various parts of the expo hall, the sounds of something exploding began to be heard.

• Screeeam!

• St-stop!

“W-what the hell!”

Caught off guard, I stood up from the fountain and looked around.

From all over the expo hall, smoke and screams were erupting.

Countless people screamed and fled from the explosions, and chaos was spreading throughout the hall.

• It’s an attack! An attack!

• A demon is disguised among us! We need to be wary of each other!

“Shit…”

I should have paid more attention.

I hadn’t considered it to be related to the heroine.

The malevolent aura I felt earlier.

It was probably from a demon.

I quickly racked my brain.

Such a large-scale demon terrorist attack must be Pandemic.

It was probably one of the many terrorist attacks not featured in the original work.

Although it wasn’t related to the heroine, if I was here, it was my duty to stop it.

‘How to quickly stop this situation….’

My thoughts turned to Professor Im Sol, who was sitting next to me.

“Professor! There’s a terrorist attack…!”

But I couldn’t finish my sentence.

I saw Im Sol’s fist trembling violently.

“… Professor?”

“These bastards…”

Im Sol’s cold voice, which I had never heard before.

I felt an unknown chill emanating from her.

Whoosh-

From Im Sol’s body, mana began to surge.

The sheer amount was immense; admiring the blue mana radiating from her body like heat haze, I looked at our Professor.

Im Sol.

At the young age of her twenties, she holds the position of invited professor of magic at Victoria Academy-supposedly the world’s greatest talent, a genius mage.

However, in reality, I had never seen her ‘true power’.

I had only assisted her research from the side, and Im Sol too had stepped back from the field, focusing mainly on research.

During the previous Heavenly Festival terrorist attack, even when caught up in it, I couldn’t properly sense Im Sol’s mana.

She probably wasn’t going all out.

But this time was different.

The aura emanating from her body… was greater than Isaac’s and Rebecca’s.

Snap-

Having fully drawn up her mana, Im Sol snapped her fingers.

Simultaneously, the mana spreading from Im Sol’s fingertips instantly covered the expo hall,

Ziiing-

massive magic circles shining brilliantly floated in the air.