Eun-Byeol glanced back and forth between Areum’s determined posture and Professor Jeong Si-Hyun, who tilted her head in curiosity.
Her own curiosity quickly bubbled to the surface.
She recalled how the professor had helped her with an assignment once before.
Somehow, that incident had ended up being publicly revealed.

“Might as well take this chance to apologize.”

Having made her decision, Eun-Byeol quietly stood up.
Feeling the gaze of her group members on her back, she stepped outside.

“Hello, Professor!”
“…Hello, Eun-Byeol. Were you all studying together?”
“Yes, that’s right!”

Eun-Byeol clapped her hands together, the sound echoing lightly, and then bowed deeply.

“Thank you so much for helping me with my assignment at the library last time!”
“Oh, it was nothing. Really.”
“...Um, about the material you explained for us during the lecture—it ended up being shared publicly because of the major professor’s request…”

Her voice trailed off as she glanced at Si-Hyun, gauging her reaction.
Fortunately, the professor simply sipped her coffee with a faint smile, as if it wasn’t a big deal.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Eun-Byeol pressed forward.

“Phew… If it’s not too much trouble, could you help us with our group project as well? We’re completely stuck!”

Hearing her earnest request, Si-Hyun checked the time on her phone.
She’d come out leisurely to visit a bookstore, so she had time to spare.

“…Alright, let’s take a quick look.”
“Thank you so much!”

Si-Hyun followed Eun-Byeol back into the café.
On the table lay the students’ hard-earned work, scattered papers, and notes.

“I used to be just like this.”

She remembered times when she’d reserved lecture halls or gathered with others in the library.
This was probably around the same time she had started growing closer to Ji-Ah.
A nostalgic smile spread across her face as she reflected on those days.

Inside the café, Si-Hyun greeted the group with a light nod.

The two other group members still wore expressions of uncertainty.
In contrast, Areum’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at Si-Hyun.

“If it’s Professor Jeong Si-Hyun, she’ll definitely free us from this misery!”

She was the ultimate supporter—someone who seemed to know the answer to any question.
If it was Professor Jeong, surely this hellish project would finally come to an end!

Trying to steady her trembling hands, Areum eagerly handed over their project materials.

“Th-this is it!”
“Let’s see…”

Si-Hyun’s eyes moved quickly as she scanned the pages.

Rustle—

She flipped through the papers with ease.

The students watched her, their seconds stretching into what felt like hours.
The group members were torn between hope and doubt as they observed her calm demeanor.

Unlike them, Areum didn’t have a single doubt.
She clasped her hands over her chest and stared at the professor with reverent anticipation.

Thump. Thump.

She could feel her heart pounding with excitement, her chest swelling with hope.
All she could do was wait, eager for the solution to their problem.

As the minutes dragged on in what felt like slow motion, Si-Hyun finally spoke.

“Which part did you have trouble understanding?”

“This section was just too confusing for us!”

Eun-Byeol quickly stepped in, explaining the parts they had found challenging.
She pointed out where they had been stuck and what had caused them the most difficulty.

After listening to their explanation, Si-Hyun nodded slightly, as if something clicked.

“The question includes too much unnecessary information.”

Si-Hyun gestured for a mechanical pencil, which Areum quickly handed over.

“Forget about these sections and try rethinking the problem.”

With the pencil, she struck through a few extraneous sentences.
She then identified a few clumsy areas, marking them with underlines and arrows, and added brief annotations.

“This way, it’s much easier to understand, right?”

She laid the revised paper flat on the table. The students leaned in, staring intently at the updated version.
They processed the clarified question step by step in their minds.

A moment later…

“Whoa! It’s that simple?”
“Wow! Professor, it’s like you cleared up everything in an instant!”
“As expected of you, Professor!”

The students jumped out of their seats in excitement, cheering loudly.
The problem that had plagued them for hours now seemed completely solvable.

Si-Hyun hadn’t given them the answer outright.
She had simply cleaned up the wording of the question and added a few annotations.
But that clarity was enough to resolve their confusion.

By providing just the right amount of help, she allowed the students to deduce the answer on their own.
Even the group members who had looked utterly exhausted earlier now had bright smiles on their faces.

Si-Hyun glanced between the newly energized students and Areum, who had maintained her awestruck expression from the start.
Finally, she looked at Eun-Byeol, who appeared lost in thought, before checking the time.

“It’s about time I headed to the bookstore.”

With a gentle smile, she waved at the students.

“I’ll be going now. Good luck with your project.”
“Thank you so much!”
“You’re the best, Professor!”

Hearing their enthusiastic farewells, Si-Hyun walked toward the counter.
She exchanged a few words with the staff, paid her bill, and left the café.

A few moments later, a server brought a plate of thick toast topped with whipped cream to the students’ table.

It was honey bread.

The students stared in confusion at the unexpected treat, then turned to the server for an explanation.
The server smiled warmly and said,

“Your professor bought this for you as a little encouragement. She’s really amazing. Enjoy!”

With that, the server walked away.
The group members stared blankly at the honey bread before muttering in awe.

“Wow… Professor Jeong Si-Hyun is incredible.”
“Seriously, how can someone be so perfect? Looks, skills, personality—she’s cheating at life!”

Hearing her admired professor being praised, Areum’s shoulders straightened proudly.
It made her feel as if she were sharing in that praise herself.

“As expected of my professor!”

She couldn’t stop herself from grinning widely.

At that moment, Eun-Byeol muttered softly to herself, almost inaudibly,

“Looks like I’ll need to study more…”

One of the group members, nibbling on a piece of toast, overheard and asked,

“What are you talking about?”
“Huh? Oh, I meant this.”

Eun-Byeol pointed at one of the annotations Si-Hyun had made.

“If this part is correct, couldn’t we apply it to what we learned last week?”
“Wait, let me see.”

The other woman leaned in, carefully rereading the annotation.

And soon…

“…Oh no. What do we do now?”
“Right? The project seems solvable now, but this just added a whole new problem.”

Eun-Byeol sighed in exasperation.
It wasn’t technically part of the project, but solving it could lead to some valuable insights.

As she nodded in agreement, another group member murmured almost absentmindedly,

“…Shouldn’t Professor Jeong be teaching magic courses instead of general education?”

The others, similarly dazed, unconsciously nodded in agreement.

***

Si-Hyun wandered through the bookstore, her spirits high.
She found herself thinking about the students she had run into earlier.

“Did I come across as a proper professor?”

The students’ enthusiastic cheers replayed in her mind, their pure excitement a refreshing sight.
Especially Areum’s sparkling eyes.

“Fufu…”

The image of her bright-eyed student resurfaced, and Si-Hyun chuckled softly to herself.
Her personal goal of being a mentor who inspired awe in students like Areum seemed to be on track.

“I need to keep improving, too.”

Knowing something and teaching it effectively were entirely different challenges.
She was always aware of this, but it was hard to know if she was doing it right.
It wasn’t as though someone gave her constant feedback, nor did students immediately offer their thoughts.

“Maybe that’s why there’s something like mentoring.”

Observing other professors and getting advice could be helpful.
The Academy often held special lectures; perhaps it would be a good idea to attend one sometime.

Si-Hyun mulled over these thoughts as she roamed the aisles.

“Aha, found it.”

Her steps halted in front of a shelf where the book she wanted was displayed.

“I was going to settle for an e-book if they didn’t have it.”

She had come to the large bookstore on a whim, and luckily, it was here.
There was something about the charm of a physical book that made her smile with satisfaction.

The book was about advanced Janggi puzzles.
Si-Hyun ran her fingers lightly over the cover.

The memory of playing Janggi with the elderly Guild Master recently had been more enjoyable than expected.
She thought it might be fun to learn more and enjoy the game in her spare time.

Even the idea of solving puzzles seemed unexpectedly entertaining, and winning against the Guild Master next time would make it all the more gratifying.

With the book purchased, Si-Hyun left the bookstore.
All that remained was to grab a light lunch and then head to the Academy for her lecture.

She entered the Academy branch building with a spring in her step.
She had already decided on what to eat for lunch.

“The cafeteria today!”

The building where her general education lecture was held had a small cafeteria in the basement.
It wasn’t a sleek, modern space like a convenience store but had the cozy atmosphere of a neighborhood market.

What she was after was the tuna gimbap sold there. That was today’s mission.

Crossing the pathway next to the sports field, Si-Hyun watched the students going about their day.
Nearby, she noticed students from the close-combat major who had just finished their lecture.

Exchanging greetings with some of them, she made her way downstairs to the cafeteria.
She lined up behind the students, and since the queue wasn’t too long, she quickly got her hands on a roll of tuna gimbap.

“Where should I eat this…?”

She had decided on the menu but hadn’t given much thought to where to eat.
There wasn’t enough time to linger, but it also wasn’t time to head straight to the lecture hall.

“Should I just eat quickly in the professor’s lounge and head back?”

Si-Hyun tapped her cheek lightly, lost in thought.

That was when her gaze fell on a familiar face.

A male student was sitting alone, eating ramen.
It was Kwon Jae-Woo, the student who had helped her by being a test subject for her personalized course materials before the start of the semester.

“I’m so envious of his ability…”

His awakened ability, regeneration, was a rare and coveted trait.
Every time she saw him, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.

Standing there for a moment, she mused absently.

If only researchers could uncover the conditions for awakening abilities.
She wanted to try wielding supernatural powers herself, casually using a status window to navigate life.

Of course, there was no guarantee the ability she’d gain would be useful, but still...

“Maybe I’ll join him for a chat while I eat.”

With a relaxed stride, Si-Hyun approached Jae-Woo.

“Would it be alright if I sat here?”
“Of course, pleas— Oh, Professor?!”

Jae-Woo, who had been blowing on his noodles, turned his head without much thought, only to be startled enough to drop his chopsticks.

Fortunately, the chopsticks landed neatly on the ramen lid, avoiding any mess.
Glancing nervously at them to ensure they were still clean, Jae-Woo quickly turned his attention back to his professor.

“So that’s why the voice sounded so elegant…”

Meeting Professor Jeong Si-Hyun in the cafeteria was the last thing he had expected.

And yet…

“She remembered my name and face!”

On the first day of class, he had hoped she’d recognize him from their earlier meeting, but her composed demeanor had made him suppress his anticipation.
In general education courses, it was rare for professors to engage deeply with their students, so he hadn’t held onto much hope.

But now, here she was, surprising him completely.

Trying to keep his lips from curling into an uncontrollable grin, Jae-Woo asked,

“You’re having gimbap?”
“Yes, I heard the tuna gimbap here is quite popular.”
“Ha-ha! It is! Some people absolutely love it.”

Known for being stuffed with an excessive amount of tuna, the gimbap was polarizing, but Jae-Woo was firmly in the “love it” camp.
Today, however, he had opted for ramen instead, to avoid overindulging.

Feeling unexpectedly elated, Jae-Woo picked up his chopsticks again and took another bite of his ramen.
The spicy broth lingered as he gulped down some water.

And then, out of nowhere—

Professor Jeong’s serene expression suddenly furrowed.

“Huh…?”

The abrupt shift caught Jae-Woo off guard, leaving him staring blankly.

In a lowered voice, Si-Hyun asked,

“…Do you like it?”
“Huh? L-like what?”

Jae-Woo stammered, thoroughly flustered.

Like what? What was she even referring to?
That word, spoken with that expression, didn’t seem to fit at all.

A flood of questions raced through his mind in an instant, derailing his thoughts.

Without waiting for a reply, Si-Hyun stood up slowly. She decided to eat in the lecture hall instead.
With a polite farewell, she said,

“I’ll see you in class later, Jae-Woo.”
“Ah, yes! Enjoy your meal, Professor.”

With that, Si-Hyun left the cafeteria.

Jae-Woo stared after her retreating figure, his mind still swirling with unanswered questions.

“What on earth was that about…?”

Unable to come up with an answer, he shook his head and returned to his ramen.

The bold, spicy flavor filled his mouth as his gaze fell absentmindedly on the lid of his ramen cup.
For a moment, he focused on the bright smile of Hunter Yeo Dohyung, featured in the ad on the lid, before folding it shut.