I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

……Drip, drip, drip.
Raindrops sliding down the windowpane.
The drizzle that started silently in the early morning is still dropping small droplets as the morning passes.
Whoosh~~!!
A small vibration in my pocket.
On the screen of the slightly shaking smartphone, the name Kim Sung-won appears.
-Professor, this is Kim Sung-won.
A voice that is polite without being servile. He’s still exceptional at social skills.
“What’s the matter?”
-I’m calling about the last slot today. Some people are suggesting to postpone it until tomorrow.
“Is it because of the weather?”
-Yes. It looks like it will stop soon, but the professors with the astrology specialty said it will continue until this evening. Of course, even with this drizzle, there shouldn’t be any major issues if we proceed as planned.
“The rain will stop by evening.”
-…Yes?
“So, proceed as scheduled without any changes.”
-Ah, yes. I understand. I’ll make sure everything goes according to plan.
I put the phone back in my pocket and looked out the window.
The sky, filled with gray clouds that were too light to be called storm clouds, seemed to be shedding silent tears for someone, dropping the drizzle.
‘Today, you’re even more mischievous than Baek Hana.’
I turned my body and opened the bedroom door.
“Professor…”
Claire, who was sitting on the bed, called out to me and shifted her gaze to a small basket. I approached her and looked at what she was looking at.
-Pii… Piiii…
The little rascal, curled up in its nest as always, was asleep. But today, its breathing was thinner and faster than usual.
“The children will be here soon, so get ready.”
“Yes…”
Claire reached out to stroke the fairy’s head but then clenched her hand and quietly left the bedroom. I took her place and shook the sleeping fairy.
-Pwoo…?
The fairy rubbed its eyes and turned to look at me with a clearly sleepy expression.
“I’ll play with you, so wake up.”
-…Play?
“Yes.”
-…Pihihi, let’s play!!
The fairy, who looked like it would fall back asleep any moment, smiled and answered with a lively voice, then got up. I took out the last essence of the Slime Queen from my pocket and held it out to the fairy.
• Gimme!
“You cheeky thing. This is the last one.”
• Pwang!! Thank you~
The fairy bowed from a sitting position, then started nibbling on the black jelly. The jelly quickly disappeared into its stomach, and as usual, it let out a small burp before spreading its wings.
-Play!!
The fairy, already sitting on my shoulder, started patting my cheek, laughing with delight. I felt like putting it back in my pocket, but I had made a promise, so I let it sit on my shoulder and left the bedroom.
“Piak!”
-Pwang!!
Baek Hana, who had entered the mansion in the meantime, ran towards me. She naturally snuggled into my arms and tilted her head towards the fairy sitting on my shoulder.
“You~ usually don’t even go near Woo-jin.”
-Piii?!
Baek Hana blew on the fairy’s feet, and it jumped in surprise, then started laughing as if tickled. Seeing the fairy laugh, Baek Hana also laughed and asked me,
“Will you be with us all day today?”
“Hmm.”
“Tsk~”
-Pii~
The fairy, now fully awake, stuck out its tongue at Baek Hana, then turned to pat my cheek again. It was already hard enough dealing with one, but now with two of them, I couldn’t help but sigh.
“Hello!!!”
“When will you stop greeting like that?”
Maria shook her head and poked Edyn, who was standing at attention and greeting me.
“Hello.”
“Ah, hello…?!”
“Nayoung!”
Nayoung, who was greeting Nam Seo-hee, bit her tongue, and Baek Hana and the other children, who had been clinging to me, were startled and approached Nayoung. Fortunately, a skilled cleric was nearby, so Nayoung’s tongue was safe.
After the small commotion calmed down.
“Shall we go?”
Lee Yesol, with the camera around her neck, pushed Claire towards me and smiled.
.
.
.
-Wow, no one is really looking at us, right?
-Is there anything Professor can’t do?
-Are you kidding?

-Ah, I don’t think there is something you can’t do.
The children, wearing colorful umbrellas, chattered as they walked ahead.
I tried to ignore Lee Yesol, who was taking pictures while walking around, and shifted my gaze to the side.
-It’s cold~
“Yes, it is.”
Claire, under the umbrella I was holding, smiled faintly at the fairy sitting on my shoulder. The two of them smiled at each other, and I thought it was a pretty good sight.
-It’s cold!!
The fairy, who had been swatting at the raindrops falling under the umbrella, slowly moved onto my shoulder and patted my cheek with its wet hand.
“Yes.”
-Pihihi~!!
I asked the fairy, who was laughing non-stop.
“Where do you want to go?”
-Hmm~ I don’t know!!
The fairy pretended to think, wrinkling its forehead, then smiled and answered.
-Just, let’s go… let’s go!! Play…!!
It spoke with a slightly labored breath but a lively voice.
I nodded and turned my head.
“Baek Hana.”
“Yes?”
The white umbrella moved aside, and I could see Baek Hana blinking her eyes.
“We’re going to the old alchemy workshop.”
“Suddenly?”
Without answering, I held Claire’s hand and headed there. The children who had been walking ahead naturally followed me.
-Confirmed.
We entered the workshop through the slowly opening door.
“Is there something there?”
“Yes.”
A space prepared in advance for any variables during the three days of the festival. We climbed the stairs, walked down the hallway, and opened the door to the warehouse.
“Are we… going to train again?”
Baek Hana and the children swallowed nervously as soon as they saw the shimmering blue light. I didn’t answer and walked inside.
Swoosh~
At the end of the still unfamiliar floating sensation was a night sea with a wide Milky Way.
-Pii…
The fairy sitting on my shoulder stared blankly at the starry night sky.
“Wow…?!”
“Crazy…”
“I can’t help but be amazed…”
The children who followed behind also exclaimed in awe, making a racket.
“Oh my…”
Lee Yesol, who entered last, was also amazed and muttered in awe, busily operating the camera hanging around her neck.
-Tweet Tweet…
“Do you like it?”
-Yes. Hihi.
The fairy, who had been staring at the sky, smiled at me again and…
-Thank you~!
…hugged me instead of smacking my cheek.
“Did Woo-jin make this?!”
“Professor!! You’re amazing!!
“This is… truly amazing.”
When I exchanged glances with the fairy, the children who had been away from us came running, chattering.
“Kyaak?!”
“Ubeep!!”
Of course, before they could stick to me, I used magic to grab them and roll them gently on the sandy beach.
-ha ha ha ha!!
The fairy laughed at Baek Hana and Edyn, who were covered in sand.
“Why didn’t you roll Maria too? She came with us!”
“Yes, she did!”
Maria, spitting out the sand in her mouth, was also being teased by the two. Instead of answering, I gave instructions to the crystal hidden in the sand.
Swish.
A small hourglass and a tiny ball the size of a thumbnail landed on my hand.
I placed the hourglass, turned upside down, on Claire’s palm, who was pretending to be calm.
“We’ll speak when it’s all gone.”
“Yes.”
Just an ordinary one-hour hourglass.
But when the sand flowing down runs out, the festival outside will be nearing its end. A completely different flow of time from the outside. This space was not just created to make memories.
“Take this.”
-Pii?
A small ball that fit perfectly in the fairy’s tiny hands.
The fairy played with the soft ball, its eyes sparkling.
I turned and pointed to Maria, who had moved away.
“Throw it.”
-Throw it?
“Like this.”
I showed the fairy the motion by grabbing a handful of sand.
-Throw it!!
“Yes.”
The fairy seemed to understand, and it threw the ball in its hand towards Maria.
The ball left the fairy’s hand without much force.
I infused it with my magic.
Thwack!!
The ball, infused with my magic, hit Maria’s forehead.
“Ma, Maria?!”
“Hiiik…”
Baek Hana and Edyn shuddered at the sight of Maria, who couldn’t even utter a word and had fainted.
I retrieved the ball from the ground using magic and placed it back in the fairy’s hand.
“Throw it.”
-Pii!
Indeed, the purest ones are the scariest.
The fairy, perceiving this as a game, threw the ball at the next target without any hesitation, even after seeing Maria fall.
“Uwaah!!”
Baek Hana rolled on the sand to narrowly dodge the ball. I retrieved the ball again and placed it back in the fairy’s hand.
“Hey?!”
“Hey! I bought you so many tasty treats!”
The fairy laughed and shook the ball, and Baek Hana and Edyn quickly shouted. But such things don’t work on pure evil.
-Throw it~!
“Uwak?!”
Edyn jumped onto the sandy beach.
I put the ball back in the fairy’s hand and turned slightly. Then I showed them Nam Seo-hee and Nayoung, who had been hiding their presence, as quiet as mice.
“They’re here too.”
“Hiiik?!”
“Professor…?”
Nayoung and Nam Seo-hee were startled and took a few steps back.
-Ppat~!
Thwack!!
Along with a heavy sound, Nayoung’s body fell backward.
“You’re so relaxed.”
“Ah, devil!”
“Waaaah!!”
Baek Hana and Edyn quickly moved away from me, stepping on the sand. Nam Seo-hee ran in the opposite direction.
-Over there!!
The fairy pointed with the hand holding the ball, even before I could ask.
“Yes.”
I headed in the direction where Baek Hana and Edyn had fled.
···
[Grand Hall]
“Ssuuup…”
Kang Hanna, who had failed to earn the extra bonus, frowned and continued pacing behind the prepared stage.
‘Why aren’t you here yet…?!’
In a little while, the auction of fate, one of the closing events of the summer festival, was about to begin. However, the professor, who could be considered the main character of today’s event, had not yet appeared.
“Is there a problem?”
“Huk?! Chairman…!!”
At the sudden appearance of the big shot, Kang Hanna swallowed and quickly approached him.
“Don’t be too nervous. You have the script anyway, right? Haha.”
“Um… that, that is…”
Kang Hanna was in a dilemma.
Should she trust the chairman, who only appeared occasionally, or should she try to impress Baek Woo-jin, who was always present at the Academy?
Kang Hanna’s dilemma didn’t last long.
If the chairman hadn’t appeared, it would be one thing, but since he was standing right in front of her, she decided it was best not to hide the problem.
“Chairman…”
“Haha, speak.”
“Actually, Professor Baek Woo-jin hasn’t arrived yet.”
“Hmm?”
Chairman Ahn Hyundo widened his eyes. But only for a moment.
“Is that why you’ve been pacing anxiously since earlier?”
“Yes? Ah, yes…”
“Haha, then don’t worry too much.”
Chairman Ahn Hyundo lightly patted Kang Hanna’s shoulder and turned around.
“He’ll arrive in time, so don’t worry and start when it’s time!!
Kang Hanna watched the chairman as he waved casually and walked away. After he was out of sight, she sighed softly.
‘Yes… he said to proceed with the fireworks anyway, so he’ll probably show up… right?’
A short while later, Kang Hanna went up on stage, but Baek Woo-jin still hadn’t appeared.