I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

In a nameless mountain in Tokyo.

At the not-so-deep entrance, a massive crack, the size of a three-story building, emanates a distinctive blue light and exudes a strong presence.

Standing before it, a man and woman are facing the crack, from which an overwhelming concentration of magic is radiating, strong enough to make any average person dizzy and collapse.

“Miko, perhaps you should go inside and wait,” suggested Satoshi, the guard.

“It’s alright,” replied Yuzuki Mio, dressed in a miko outfit made from silk threads harvested from a steel spider. She shook her head at Satoshi’s suggestion and kept her gaze fixed on the crack where Baek Woo-jin had entered.

“Satoshi.”

“Yes, Miko.”

Even with clothes and artifacts resistant to magical energy, she swallowed a sharp, almost piercing pain, as if needles were pricking her skin, and asked, “How should I accept this situation?”

“Perhaps you should undergo a change of heart,” Satoshi suggested.

“Do you mean to include yourself in that suggestion?” she inquired.

“…As humans, it’s impossible to always be perfect. Though it’s an area where mistakes must never happen, I honestly think it might be best to view this as a natural disaster…” Satoshi continued solemnly.

Hearing his grandiose words, Yuzuki Mio let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. Despite being on the outskirts, this was still Tokyo, the capital. And yet, here stood a crack of the highest risk level, according to the association’s regulations.

Moreover, according to the investigator dispatched with them, the surrounding magical concentration had been at a dangerous level for at least five months.

“Once the situation is under control, summon all the guild masters in the capital under the authority of the Musashi Guild,” she ordered.

“Understood.”

Satoshi made a subtle signal with his hand, and a distant tree shook lightly. One of the guards, hidden in the shadows, quickly descended down the mountain.

“Then… would you like to sit down?” he suggested.

“Are you telling me to sit comfortably while leaving my country’s secrets to someone from another nation?” she responded.

“I was thoughtless,” he admitted, embarrassed.

As Satoshi, who was supposed to prioritize the miko’s safety, watched Yuzuki Mio, he knew that it was not the right time to press the issue. Still, his words hung heavily as he understood his duty.

Instead, he quickly made a hand signal to his subordinates hidden nearby.

[ If things go awry, I will throw myself into the fray. In the meantime, you must evacuate the miko. ]

A professor, who had come instead of the originally assigned executioner, had arrived.

His name was Baek Woo-jin.

Age unknown.

Nationality likely Korean.

Ability unknown.

Every nation sought competent awakened individuals, and Japan was no different. Though recruitment was difficult, they decided to try inviting him as a special lecturer for one semester. So, his background was investigated.

They mobilized everything they could, but all they could find were the publicly available details of Baek Woo-jin’s name, “Baek Woo-jin,” a Korean name.

Considering his relation to the official executioner, it was likely that Bwiar’s side had concealed information, which Satoshi believed was necessary.

‘Even the executioner’s past was fully exposed from birth to her history.’

But the past of her lover, Baek Woo-jin, was entirely erased?

There had to be a reason behind this, unless it involved an undeniable crime that had to remain hidden.

‘…Perhaps related to worshippers of the evil gods or something similar.’

The questions piled up in Satoshi’s mind.

However, his thoughts didn’t last long.

Whooosh──!!

A loud noise suddenly emerged from the crack that had previously only emitted a dense magical aura.

“Step back!” Satoshi quickly stood in front of Yuzuki Mio.

Fizzling──!!

From the crack’s menacing blue light, a dangerous current extended outward.

‘…He’s insane.’

Satoshi, feeling a sensation of numbness that seemed beyond mere cold, slowly drew his sword from its scabbard.

As the blade appeared, a man emerged from the enormous crack.

Disheveled hair, a black coat draped over his shoulders, and comically oversized glasses that covered half his face.

Baek Woo-jin had returned, looking no different from two hours ago.

Under normal circumstances, he should have immediately sheathed his sword and stepped back. However, perhaps due to the doubts he had earlier, Satoshi remained in position, sword still raised, facing the shrinking crack before Baek Woo-jin.

‘There’s no smell of blood, nor any trace of battle…’

He recognized Baek Woo-jin’s strength.

But logically, this didn’t make sense.

Perhaps the worshippers who had been hiding inside were surprisingly weak. That could be it.

But were those hiding in a tier 13 crack really such weaklings?

Just as Satoshi was about to continue his train of thought, a strange sensation tickled his back.

“Gggegegegegeck…?!”

Thin paper seemed to stick to his back, and in an instant, an intense electric current spread throughout his body. Satoshi collapsed, still holding his sword.

“What are you doing, being so rude?” came Yuzuki Mio’s cold voice from above.

Without retrieving the curse talisman she had placed on his back, she stepped over Satoshi’s fallen body and moved toward Baek Woo-jin’s side.

“Thank you for taking on the task that should have been ours,” she said.

She briefly glanced at the crack, which had already shrunk by half, and bowed to Baek Woo-jin again.

“The preparations are—”

“As you said, everything has been prepared for you to return whenever you wish,” Baek Woo-jin interrupted.

Whoooosh!!

“…What?” Yuzuki Mio cautiously looked up at the small vibration she felt from ahead. She saw Baek Woo-jin looking intently at his smartphone screen.

“I’ll show you the way now,” he said.

“No.”

Baek Woo-jin put his smartphone back into his coat pocket.

“If there’s a dessert shop still open, let’s stop by.”

“…Pardon?”

In the midst of this crisis, could there really be a shop still open?

There’s no way.

If a shop were operating right now, that would be a problem in itself.

“Oh, yes, yes… I understand,” Yuzuki Mio replied, trying to hide her surprise. She turned away quickly and glanced toward the distant forest.

Swish──!!

The guards swiftly vanished below.

“I’ll guide you to a car first.”

If there was none, she would make one.

That’s what Yuzuki Mio could do as a representative of her country to entertain foreign guests.

“Unni.”

• “Please come in.”
•
At Claire’s permission, Baek Hana carefully opened the bedroom door and entered.

“You’re… changed your clothes.”
“Yes, it’s inconvenient to wear this outfit to prepare dinner.”

Claire, smiling gently in her usual comfortable attire, made Baek Hana scratch her cheek and open her mouth.

“Woo-jin. He’s done with the work.”
“I see.”
“He said he’ll come before five.”

Claire turned her head to check the time.
It was now a little past one, just after noon.

“It seems like he has other matters to attend to.”
“Uh… heh, yeah. I guess…?”

With her pretty eyes rolling to the side, Baek Hana avoided Claire’s gaze. Claire’s long eyelashes fluttered slowly.

It was obvious to anyone that Baek Hana was hiding something, but Claire just smiled faintly and didn’t say anything more.

“Did you come to tell me that?”
“Mm? Oh, yes. It seems like you’re waiting for Ujin to come back soon too.”
“Hmm… That’s not true.”

Then, Claire mimicked Baek Hana’s earlier actions.
“Hehe, really? Is it okay to say that to Ujin~?”
“…I’ll confiscate the chocolates.”
“Ah…”

An awkward silence.
They both stared at each other with eyes that looked alike.

“Hehe…”
“Hehe…”

They both chuckled softly.

Unlike the chaos outside caused by the cultists, the mansion remained incredibly peaceful.

“…An uninvited guest has arrived.”
“Mm?”

At Claire’s sudden change in demeanor, Baek Hana blinked and spread her senses wide. Then, she felt a familiar magical wavelength approaching.

“Yesol unni.”
It was indeed Lee Yesol who had come to the mansion.

The two left the bedroom and walked down the hallway to meet Yesol, who was standing at the entrance.

They met Yesol, who stood at the entrance in her usual attire.

“What is it?”
Claire, having decided to follow Baek Ujin’s instructions and not get involved in the attack, had already communicated her stance to the other temples.
Thus, there must have been a reason for Yesol, who was usually very busy, to visit.

“Hana, could I ask for a moment of your time?”
“Ah, uh…”

At Yesol’s request, Baek Hana nodded and was about to turn her body.
“It’s fine.”

But Claire grabbed Baek Hana’s hand and spoke.
“We’ll talk.”

“But, I’m fine with it…”
“No.”

With a serious face, Claire spoke firmly to the reluctant Baek Hana.
“The owner of this mansion is Professor, but since the professor isn’t here right now, you are the owner. Therefore, you do not need to leave.”
“…Yes.”

Baek Hana nodded obediently, and Claire patted her head before turning her gaze back to Yesol.

“Mother and daughter… though they look more like good sisters than a mother and daughter. Hehe.”

Yesol, smiling at the two who shared the same blue eyes and cold gaze, then stiffened her expression and continued.
“I received a request for salvation from the new Velossa. Our great one has decided to fully entrust the matter to the Executor.”
“Diana?”
“Yes.”
“…Impossible.”

Claire didn’t hesitate long in her decision.
For her, the first priority was the will of the god she served, and the second was the will of Baek Ujin.

Before leaving for Japan, Baek Ujin had said,
“Do not get involved in the matters of the Priesthood Union under any circumstances.”

Thus, Claire decided to reject the request from the god of mercy.

“Is Diana… in danger?”
Until now, Baek Hana had become emotionally attached to Diana, and her name came out of her mouth.

“Unni?”
“Uh…”

Unable to lie, Claire avoided Baek Hana’s gaze as she looked up, hugging her arm.

“What’s the reason? Why can’t we help…?”
“Yes…”

Claire nodded with difficulty, and Baek Hana, with a slightly darkened expression, nodded in return and walked away from Claire’s side.

“…I’ll go to my room.”

She quietly turned and left for her room, where her friends were waiting.

“…”

“…”

Left in the entrance, Yesol quietly observed Claire, who began to exude a chilling aura as soon as Baek Hana left.

“…Professor does not want Hana to be sad.”
“Yes. The professor holds Hana in the highest regard.”

“…Right.”

Claire nodded as if making up her mind.

“…If something happens to Diana, Hana, who is so tenderhearted, will be deeply saddened.”

Then she checked the time on her smartwatch.

1:21 PM
There were three hours left.

Claire put on a beige coat, identical to someone else’s, from the coat rack near the entrance and said,
“Prepare the helicopter.”
“…It has already been prepared on that side.”
Yesol confirmed once again.

She checked who the true power in the mansion was.