I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

Na Yeon-ju ‘s dormitory room.

“Hmm, I have to participate, right…?”

“What, you’re not going to say no or something, right? Huh?”

“Hmm…”

Na Yeon-ju ‘s anxiety grew as her senior and older sister, Edyn, pressured her. She had initially thought there was some plan when they met on the walking trail, but it seemed there was none.

Na Yeon-ju really wanted to see her most reliable and beautiful friend, Hana.

“What, you’re threatening your friend like some thug?”

“Huh? Can’t you solve this with a nice conversation?”

Swick!

Edyn, who was squinting one eyebrow and looking cheeky, quickly relaxed her face as Maria’s hand came up from below.

‘If it wasn’t for Nayoung, Edyn would be the weakest of the group…’

Nayoung quietly observed the situation, trying to figure out whose side to take to increase her chances of survival.

“Nayoung, this is a good opportunity for you.”

“Hmm, I’m interested in gate mechanics, but…”

Talented alchemists often hire awakened individuals from guilds or the government to enter the gate to collect materials. There are special methods for collecting rare materials, and in order to preserve the materials as intact as possible, they often collect them themselves.

For this reason, not all alchemists are well-versed in gate mechanics, but world-renowned alchemists are all well-versed in knowledge related to gate ecology.

“But Professor Baek is known for giving a lot of assignments…”

Nayoung was one of the students who wanted to take the gate mechanics lecture. However, the sheer amount of assignments, which could be felt as malicious, made her hesitate.

“I don’t have enough time to research… If I have more assignments, I really won’t be able to handle it… Plus, there’s the practical too…”

“That’s exactly why.”

“Huh?”

Nayoung, who was blinking her eyes, tilted her head.

“Professor Baek can create artificial gates, right?”

“Hmm, the artificial gate he created is famous among our grade, right?”

“And you’ve experienced it too, Nayoung.”

“Hmm, I did experience it…”

“As far as I know, the evaluation item for you was to collect materials, right?”

“Hmm, yes… How did you know?”

Maria, who had noticed something, smiled and patted Nayoung’s shoulder.

“The materials you collected during the evaluation, did you use them for your experiments?”

“Hmm, yes… How did you know?”

“Professor Baek is a much greater person than you think.”

Maria, who knew the true identity of the artificial gate through Yeju, placed her hand on Nayoung’s shoulder and spoke.

“Every time we do the practical, we get the opportunity to collect rare materials.”

“Rare materials…”

“Yes, rare materials. The Academy’s support isn’t enough for you, is it?”

“That’s…”

Nayoung’s pupils quivered at the corners of her eyes.

To completely capture Nayoung’s almost-convinced heart, Maria threw in the final bait.

“It’s an opportunity to collect rare materials for free, right? And once you start taking the lecture, Hana and Seo-hee will be with you.”

“I’ll do it!”

A few months ago, an anonymous professor recommended Nayoung for a scholarship, solving her tuition fee problem. However, her family’s financial situation was not very good, so Nayoung couldn’t help but take the bait thrown by Maria.

What’s the harm in losing some sleep and making more effective recovery potions to make up for the physical toll?

“Hey, her eyes are rolling back, aren’t they?”

“No, she’s just become more enthusiastic.”

Na Yeon-ju, who was quietly listening to the conversation between Edyn and Maria, glanced at Nayoung, who was sitting across from her.

‘…Nayoung isn’t normal either, is she?’

And she realized one fact.

All five of them were far from ordinary people.

“Good. Then let’s start planning.”

“Hmm, are we the only ones participating?”

“What, do you want to bring someone else?”

“No, I don’t…”

If it wasn’t for Hana, Na Yeon-ju would have wanted to recommend a few friends she had made since coming to the Academy. But Na Yeon-ju wasn’t shameless enough to bring her friends to such a difficult place.

“Don’t be so nervous, Na Yeon-ju.”

“Yes, Na Yeon-ju. We just have to construct a base camp in the right place and defend it for three days. It’s not like we have to raid the gate.”

Na Yeon-ju wanted to ask if that wasn’t more difficult, but she awkwardly smiled and nodded.

Ever since the incident at the mansion, Na Yeon-ju had become more cautious.

“Then let’s look into the equipment and materials we need for the snowfield.”

“I already made a list.”

Maria took out her tablet from her bag and placed it on the table.

[Cold Resistance Ring (5th Grade) x1 = 600,000]

[Ultra-fine Insulation Enchantment (5th Grade) Common x1 = 900,000]

[Snowfield Camouflage (120m) x1 = 6,000,000]

[One-Touch Insulated Tent (12 People) x1 = 1,300,000]

[Monster Detection Sensor (120m) x1 = 3,000,000]

In addition to the silent and odorless stove that uses magic as fuel, there are also high-calorie convenience foods that can be consumed without any special cooking, etc.

“Didn’t you see the notice with me?”
“So?”
“When did you pick this out?”
“While I was going to pick up Nayoung?”
“You crazy bitch.”

Edyn shook her head at her best friend’s light-hearted response.

“Hey, isn’t this too expensive? I don’t have any money left, just my body.”
“Where did this month’s allowance go?”
“Uh, uh, that…”

Noticing Maria’s subtly curved lips, Edyn swallowed dryly and discreetly averted her gaze.

“Edyn?”
“I saw a nice earring-type artifact…”
“So you didn’t lose it gambling.”
“I’m not gambling anymore!!”

Edyn, who had lost all her emergency savings in England, vowed to herself that she would never gamble again, especially on betting predictions. Of course, none of the people present believed her vow.

“Hmm, this is a problem. I don’t have much money either.”
“N-Neither do I…”

Even though no one asked or looked at her, Nayoung quickly revealed that she had no money, as if she felt guilty.

“Hey, we have a conscience, too. We wouldn’t ask you for money just because we’re broke, would we?”
“M-Me?”

Nayoung’s neck turned slightly red as she felt a bit embarrassed.

“So, does our little sister have some money?”
“Eh? Me?”

Na Yeon-ju stuttered noticeably, startled by the sudden attention directed at her.

“I heard that you don’t snack much and your only interest is driving.”
“Uh, th-that’s, th-that’s right…”

She swallowed as Edyn slowly shuffled closer to her, sitting beside her.

“And I heard that sometimes, after a helicopter or long-distance flight, you get extra money for your hard work.”

Gulp.

Where did she hear all this?

Na Yeon-ju instinctively felt there was no escape.

“I have some savings…”
“Oh? How much?”

Edyn naturally put her arm around Na Yeon-ju’s shoulder and asked in a friendly tone. Na Yeon-ju raised her left hand and spread out three fingers.

“About three thousand…”
“What? Three thousand? Not three hundred, but three thousand?”
“Yes…”
“Wow, that’s crazy.”

Edyn was genuinely impressed by the amount, which was much more than she had expected.

“How can you save so much when we’re both apprentices? What’s your secret?”
“I just saved what I was given…”

Unlike Edyn, Maria was already aware of Na Yeon-ju’s circumstances and didn’t find it strange.

Although they were both apprentices and Na Yeon-ju was a year junior, her ability to skillfully operate all types of vehicles was objectively impressive and desirable to anyone.

Her talent for operating anything that moved, whether military or medical, was exceptional, making her a valuable asset.

Even if it wasn’t for her other skills, Na Yeon-ju’s ability to pilot a helicopter alone made her worth far more than the other apprentices.

“So, you have three thousand, and I have three hundred. That makes our budget three thousand four hundred.”
“W-Wait, do we have to use all of it?”
“We need to be well-prepared for Professor Baek’s test, don’t we?”
“Ugh, uhhh…”

Maria’s response, that they needed to use all their savings, made even Na Yeon-ju hesitate. But Maria was no ordinary woman.

“Na Yeon-ju, weren’t you saving up to buy a car you liked?”
“How did you know?”

Na Yeon-ju’s eyes widened in surprise, and Maria smiled gently at her cute little sister.

“As far as I know, you need at least that much to buy the car you want, right?”
“Y-Yes…”
“With that three thousand, I can help you get the car you want within a month. I can even swear to it if you want.”
“R-Really?”
“Of course. Would I, your loving older sister, take all your money and run?”
“You might…”

Na Yeon-ju’s companion, Edyn, suddenly grabbed her shin and rolled on the floor.

“So, are you in?”

Ignoring Edyn rolling on the floor, Maria extended her hand to Na Yeon-ju.

“I-I’m in!”

Na Yeon-ju grasped Maria’s hand.