Tap-tap-tap—
Click. Click.

The sound of a keyboard and mouse filled the quiet living room.
I stared at my laptop screen, browsing through pictures of single-family homes in Seoul.

“Money really does make the world go round…”

Whether it was the location or the size of the property, the better it was, the higher the price.
It was as simple as that.

I picked up a pastry and took a bite, savoring the crunch.
Then I sipped some tea I’d bought from the supermarket. A faint bitterness lingered on my tongue.

It was nothing like the tea the elderly man had brewed for me.

Should I start learning about tea, too?
If I wanted to fully enjoy a hobby, I needed to study it properly.
The phrase “lifelong learning” wasn’t wrong after all.
Still, since it was something I wanted to do, even studying for a hobby felt enjoyable.

“Hm-hm…”

When I reached at least C-rank, or preferably a stable B-rank,
that would be the time to consult a realtor for an estimate.
A B-rank Hunter should have no trouble freely accessing any dungeon they wanted.

It would also help me settle into my role as an Academy professor.
I’d heard there was a B-rank professor specializing in swordsmanship at the Academy, and they were considered to be among the top tier of faculty.
That seemed like a good benchmark.

…But speaking of which, I wasn’t sure if Si-Yoon would want to live with me or move out on his own.
As long as dungeons and gates existed, my income would remain stable, so I planned to support him as much as possible.
Whenever I brought it up, though, he’d always brush it off.
I’d have to sit him down for a serious conversation one of these days.

Bzzz— Bzzz—

The phone I’d placed on the table vibrated.
When I picked it up to check the screen, I saw that it was a call from Da-Young.

“Hello?”

-“Hi, Si-Hyun! It’s almost done!”

Even though she didn’t specify, I immediately understood what she meant.
The only thing I’d commissioned recently was the VR device.

Feeling a bit excited, I replied,
“Oh, already? That’s faster than expected. Does that mean it’ll be finished before midterms at the Academy?”

-“Yup, exactly! I pulled out all the stops since it was for you, my dear Si-Hyun!”

“Fufu… Thank you.”

-“You know, you could thank me like, ‘Thanks, big sis,’ and be cuter about it!”

“That’s a no.”

-“Gosh, you’re so picky.”

I could hear her chuckle softly on the other end.
There were also faint snippets of conversation in the background, suggesting she wasn’t alone.

-“Anyway, I’ll let you know once it’s done! Should I ship it to you, or would you prefer meeting up for testing?”

“Hmm… How about I come by the Wings Guild building? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

-“Oh, that works! I’d love to see your pretty face again!”

"Pretty face," huh…
Her exaggerated tone made my face warm slightly.

I scratched my cheek in embarrassment, but her voice came through again, this time with an apologetic tone.

-“Ah, sorry about that! Everyone here’s just curious, you know? I mean, a VR device powered by mana stones? That’s a fresh idea!”

“…Oh, right, we were going to test it together when it’s finished.”

-“Exactly! No wonder they’re all worked up!”

Da-Young burst out laughing. Her lively laugh was so infectious that I found myself smiling along without realizing it.

-“Alright, once it’s ready, we’ll test it out together!”

“Yes, I’m counting on you.”

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, we ended the call.
Things were progressing smoothly, and that lightened my mood considerably.

Still smiling to myself, I began reviewing my plans for the next steps.

Once the VR device was tested, I’d need to start preparing learning materials right away.
If I made them once, I’d be able to reuse them multiple times, which would make things much easier.
I figured I could start using them after the midterm exams.

For major subjects, midterms were theory-focused, while the curriculum shifted to practical work afterward.
Unlike those, general education courses were theory-based for the entire semester, which honestly sounded dull.
That’s why I’d prepared the VR device in the first place!

The plan was to adapt a reconnaissance spell commonly used in the otherworld for shared vision and inscribe it into mana stones.
The idea seemed solid, but I’d worried that execution might be too complicated.

But then…

“Who do you think I am? I’m a B-rank crafting Hunter!”

Da-Young had pulled it off magnificently. Truly, having good connections was the best!

…Oh, speaking of which, I forgot to ask her something.
I’d need to check with her next time about adding her name to the Academy’s academic information system.
While I was at it, should I ask Ji-Ah, too?

I grabbed my phone, opened the chatroom, and sent Ji-Ah a message.
Her reply came back almost instantly.

-“Huh? I assumed you’d already added me?”
-“...I… hadn’t?”
-“Wait, Si-Hyun, your connections list isn’t empty, is it?”

She caught on so quickly. How was she always this sharp?

-“Make sure to fill it up! Add Section Chief Jang Han-Soo’s name, the Academy President’s name, anyone! Just stuff it with names!”
-“I… don’t think I can do that.”
-“No excuses! Fill it up as much as you can, and don’t you dare leave my name out!”
-“O-okay, got it!”

And just like that, I got scolded.

Even so, adding names like the Section Chief or the President felt a bit much… but Ji-Ah was definitely going on the list.
I’d add Da-Young’s name when I met with her next time, too.

At the end of the day, her advice came from a place of care.
The gentle warmth that filled my chest made me smile instinctively.

***

10 a.m., the day of the Introduction to Monster Studies lecture.

Areum and Eun-Byeol sat in a café, working on a group project for one of their major courses.
Including the two other women in their group, a total of four students were struggling with their materials.

The plan was to work on the assignment until lunchtime, have a meal together, and then part ways.
Although Areum and Eun-Byeol shared the same general education courses, the other two women were taking different subjects.

“Ugh… Magic is so confusing no matter how much I look at it.”
“It’s not like this is something we learned in school. It’s completely foreign…”

The two women collapsed onto the table, groaning dramatically.
Eun-Byeol leaned back in her chair with a wry smile, not voicing it but feeling the same frustration.
She let out a long sigh and commented,

“Thank goodness we have the status window. This stuff is way too difficult…”
“Right? Right?”
“I just want to quit…”

The other women quickly chimed in, agreeing wholeheartedly with Eun-Byeol.
Even though they complained about wanting to quit, it was just venting. They soon returned to their project.
After all, becoming a C-rank Hunter in the magic field practically guaranteed a stable life. There was no reason not to try.

Areum, who had been quietly focused, adjusted her glasses and spoke up.

“…Still, doesn’t it feel rewarding when you see the results of your efforts?”
“‘See the results of your efforts?’”
“Did you get a new skill or something?”

The other women’s eyes widened, and they leaned in, their voices loud with curiosity.
Startled by their overreaction, Areum blinked in surprise and glanced out the window as she mumbled,

“N-no… I didn’t get a skill or anything. It’s just… I feel like I’m improving?”
“Oh, I thought it was something big.”
“The professors always emphasize that, but does working hard really add new skills?”

The women groaned lightly in response, their skepticism evident.
Areum answered with an awkward laugh. At that moment, Eun-Byeol smiled and interjected.

“No, it’s true. If you put in enough effort, you can really gain new skills.”
“Wait, really?”
“For real?!”

All eyes turned to Eun-Byeol.

“You know my brother, right? Yeo Dohyung. His status window only ever gave him attack magic skills, but after working hard to learn defensive magic, it got added as a skill too.”
“Whoa… So it actually works like that?”
“Hearing it from you, Eun-Byeol, makes it sound way more believable.”

The other two women lightly praised Eun-Byeol, making her grin with satisfaction.
Feeling motivated, she said brightly,

“Alright, let’s get back to work on the project!”
“Yeah!”
“Let’s do this!”

With renewed energy, the group dove back into their assignment.

But that burst of enthusiasm didn’t last long.
Faced with yet another challenging part of the project, all four women frowned in frustration.

Despite the struggle, they remained focused, determined to solve the problems.
Time seemed to crawl, yet before they knew it, the hours flew by.

11 a.m.

12 p.m.

…It was almost time for lunch, and they risked being late for their fifth class period if they didn’t leave soon.
The unsolved difficulties of their project weighed heavily on them, leaving all of them fatigued.

While stretching her stiff neck, one of the women suddenly exclaimed,

“Hey, isn’t that the Introduction to Monster Studies professor?”
“Professor Jeong Si-Hyun?”
“Yeah, yeah! That’s definitely her!”

Everyone’s gaze shifted to the window.
Walking at a relaxed pace outside was a woman dressed impeccably in a sharp suit, radiating an elegant charm.

She sipped from the straw of her takeout coffee, her lips momentarily catching one student’s attention.

“Professor Si-Hyun is so pretty. Honestly, she could be a celebrity instead of a professor.”
“Right? There are so many Hunters in the entertainment industry these days. Even just being a PR ambassador for the Bureau would make her rich.”
“Totally. And she’s so gorgeous it doesn’t even make me jealous.”

The women exchanged lighthearted banter, while Eun-Byeol and Areum watched the professor quietly.

Then, as if by chance, Professor Si-Hyun, who had been casually admiring her surroundings, met their gazes.

All four students froze for a moment, then quickly bowed their heads in greeting.

Si-Hyun gave them a small wave as she scanned the group.
She didn’t recognize two of them, but the other two were students in her class that day.
Feeling a faint sense of familiarity, she smiled softly, her golden eyes crinkling.

Several men passing by momentarily stopped in their tracks, captivated by her beauty.

And at that moment…

Areum suddenly picked up her notebook with purpose.
She held it wide open toward the window, making sure Si-Hyun could see it.

Tilting her head in curiosity, Si-Hyun looked at her with a slight frown.
Areum, her eyes shining brightly, stared back at her professor with hopeful anticipation.

The other two group members exchanged confused glances at Areum’s behavior.

It seemed like she was asking Professor Si-Hyun for help with their project.
But the topic they were struggling with was a major assignment for magic Hunters.

And this professor wasn’t exactly the type to help with something like that.