SRS 46

“Hello, Professor.”

Despite his frustration, Yohan lowered his body in a polite bow. The angel professor handed Yohan the book he had been holding.

“‘How Divine Power Settles in a Believer’s Heart and Expands its Influence.’”

“Oh.”

Yohan reacted without meaning to because the subject interested him, then he hurriedly closed his mouth. But the sound had already entered the angel professor’s ears. The professor nodded as if he knew Yohan would like it, then turned around.

“Keep working hard. You may come to my office.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

It did not sound like encouragement to Yohan’s ears. He lowered his head in an awkward way and waited for the angel professor to leave. But for some reason, the professor still did not move from his spot.

Yohan lifted his head again because those feet would not leave his sight.

“Um…”

Are you not leaving?

He tried to phrase it politely since asking that would sound rude, and the angel professor looked at Yohan and the other students of Room 304 one by one, then asked:

“You lambs probably don’t have any money.”

“Ah.”

So he was bothered because students without money were inside the shop?

Even if he acted like that, he was still a holy being, so it made sense he worried students might do something bad. Yohan subtly put Mikael forward.

“Mikael lent it to us.”

“…I see. There was at least one child who would have some.”

“…?”

Child?

Yohan could have ignored it if it was another professor who said it. But this was the angel professor, so it was unexpected.

He always called students his little lambs.

“….”

Mikael only smiled as he looked at the angel professor with unblinking eyes. The professor watched him briefly, turned around, then added to Yohan:

“If you ever need money, come to Eden’s Vineyard. I’ll give you something you can do.”

After saying that, the angel professor left the bookstore. Yohan finally relaxed and exhaled a long breath.

“Wow, what was that? I only heard rumors, this is the first time I saw him in person. He really is an angel.”

“His wings are fascinating.”

The two physical type students, who had no reason to take divine power classes, shivered at the aura that lingered in the atmosphere after the angel professor left. At that moment, Mikael reached into Yohan’s arms. The book that the professor gave flowed into Mikael’s hand.

“Hm…”

“What?”

“Do you want me to recommend a different one?”

“You don’t like it?”

“A little.”

Mikael’s expression was ambiguous. Yohan could not tell if the book was bad or if it was bad because the angel professor recommended it. So he kept the title in mind. He planned to check its contents later at the library.

For now, since Mikael was with him… he could just follow his suggestion.

Even Yohan felt a bit suspicious of a book recommended by the angel professor who kept calling him material fit to become a professor.

“Recommend something from Divine Studies.”

It still was difficult to dealt Mikael, but considering his usual taste in books, taking his advice just this once won’t hurt. Mikael stepped away briefly and came back with three books. It looked like he had checked them beforehand.

Yohan inspected them one by one, then selected two of those plus one he chose himself, and went to the counter. The price came to four silver coins.

“So I’m the one who ended up buying something first.”

They had wandered everywhere, but the first person to spend money was Yohan. Feeling embarrassed as they left the bookstore, Suhyeok asked if he wanted to buy anything else.

“…Hmm. Maybe we should eat something first.”

They had been too busy looking around to eat. When Yohan checked his watch and saw it was 2 PM, he looked around and suggested they find food.

“Where should we go?”

“Let’s avoid Eden’s Vineyard for now.”

“Agreed.”

“…Even if someone paid me, I don’t think I could go there.”

All four of them immediately ruled out the restaurant the angel professor had mentioned.

“Come to think of it, the students in the next room were talking about a restaurant earlier. Want to go there? I heard them going on about how good it was.”

“Let’s do that.”

They had no other options, so Yohan and his friends followed Suhyeok to the restaurant. The moment they arrived, they regretted their choice.

Ding.

“Welcome!”

The bell rang, and when the four students stepped inside, the owner greeted them. Since the interior was small, the customers inside glanced at the newcomers.

The problem was who those customers were.

“….”

Yohan slowly blinked because he could not believe what he saw.

“Oh, first-years.”

“So they’re new students.”

“I heard they fixed a protective barrier without any help….”

“They fixed a barrier? Which student did it? I’d take him as a personal disciple in my workshop…!”

“Keep your voice down. Don’t act carelessly in front of your food.”

Professor Homern, whose large build and fierce face made the table look tiny, and the Phantom Sword Master, who refused to part with his sword even while eating, occupied the inner seats of the restaurant with three figures Yohan did not recognize.

“…Sorry to bother you.”

Suhyeok immediately frowned, and he hurried to say they had walked into the wrong shop.

“Im Suhyeok, are you going somewhere?”

A professor Yohan had never seen before called Suhyeok.

“Professor….”

From the title, Yohan guessed who he was. The Hunter Studies professor.

“Im Suhyeok? So that child is the one you praised so much? He really does have a good build. He looks like he can run well!”

Bahaha. Homern laughed. Yohan suddenly remembered the Taming class and took a step back.

“……”

He wanted to run away. He really wanted to run away. But four new students could not hope to escape from not one professor but five.

In the end, the four moved very slowly, and took their seats.

“We’ll sit farther away so it’s easier for you professors to enjoy your meal….”

“Sit beside us. Isn’t this also fate?”

“…Yes.”

Their mediocre excuse wrapped in politeness did not work.

Not only were they eating in the same restaurant as the professors, they ended up seated right next to them, practically together. Their faces darkened, but the five professors laughed boisterously among themselves and recommended dishes.

No, it wasn’t even recommending.

“Owner, bring these children the dishes we picked out!”

They were forced. Before they knew it, the professors had placed the order. The students kept their mouths closed and watched each other nervously, then finally froze in shock when the food arrived.

It wasn’t that the food looked bad or strange. The problem was the size.

On a plate that covered the entire table, dozens of pieces of meat were stacked into a tower that rose above Yohan’s head.

Yohan frowned, just looking at it made his stomach churn, and he felt himself losing appetite as he closed his eyes. The owner explained it as an assorted meat platter, saying they wouldn’t get tired of it because it had many types of meat. Yohan didn’t find that convincing.

But with the professors watching, they couldn’t refuse what had been ordered.

Yohan slowly picked up his utensils and grabbed a single piece of meat. Even holding it made his wrist ache. While he cut it into smaller pieces and put them in his mouth, the professors continued chatting among themselves. They didn’t care if the students were eating well or not.

Yohan wasn’t exactly disappointed. Professors at Fantasiademia were always like that. They acted first and cared far too little about how students reacted.

While Yohan and his friends were silent under the heavy pressure of the food, the professors finally looked toward them again.

For the students of Room 304 who were desperately waiting for them to leave, it was the worst possible outcome.

Sensing the gaze, they turned their heads, and the professors cleared their throats loudly. It sounded like they had choked on their meat. While the students wondered why they were acting like that, one professor spoke for the group.

“You children probably need coins to buy things, right?”

“We’re fine.”

Yohan answered faster than light. Then he was startled and looked at his friends. He had refused without even thinking. Worried that the others might disagree, he glanced at them, and Suhyeok and Kylus gave him a thumbs up. Mikael quietly clapped under the table.

The professors looked confused.

“And why not?”

“They told us it’s already a miracle that new students managed to reach the commercial district. So we’ll be grateful for that, and we’ll try not to become conceited.”

Yohan gave an excuse fitting a former high priest. The professors stroked their chins. They looked like they might give up. The students of Room 304 cheered inwardly and were about to beg them to please leave.

Then Professor Homern grinned in a dangerous way.

“No. You children will need coins.”

His confident tone made cold sweat run down Yohan’s back. He looked at Suhyeok, then flinched at the sudden chill that overwhelmed him.

That can’t be…

Everyone’s eyes went to the plate of meat. Kylus’s fist trembled on his thigh. Mikael sighed and clutched his head. Their despairing reactions made Homern laugh again as he shouted:

“That meat platter costs three gold. How is it, students?”

These vile professors…!

They had thought the professors were treating them, so they kept eating, yet now they were told to pay. Yohan closed his eyes because of the wave of irritation. He felt like he was having an indigestion.

If he had known this, Eden’s Vineyard would’ve been better. The angel professor might be suspicious, but he didn’t scam students.