Chapter 21: We Had Sex But We're Still Childhood Friends (2)[R-18]
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 21: We Had Sex But We're Still Childhood Friends (2)[R-18]
“Aaaaaaaagh!!! Pro... Professor!!! Just this once!!!... Please check it just once!!! Please?!! Save meeeee!!!!!”
A scruffy tracksuit, thick glasses, greasy braided hair, and a mountain of papers.
Chloe Robelia, the quintessential image of a graduate student, desperately chased after the professor.
“I told you, the semester has started, so I’m busy. I’ve become a homeroom professor now. What were you doing during the break that you’re bringing me a thesis during the semester?”
Grind— Crunch—
Hearing the professor’s words, Chloe gnashed her teeth inwardly.
If it weren't a crime, she really wanted to kill him.
‘What was I doing during the break?!!!!!’
Hadn't she been helping with the professor’s private research all day long!
‘And for no pay, at that!!!!!’
Unpaid? Fine, whatever.
A graduate student helping a professor with private research for no pay was a common occurrence, even if it wasn't exactly right.
Still...
She thought that after all that hard work, he would at least put her name on a line in the paper.
She didn't even expect to be a co-first author; she would have been happy with second author.
But that damn bastard of a professor had just wiped his mouth clean without a word.
She was resentful and felt it was unfair, but what could she do?
In this place, Chloe was the absolute underdog.
“My esteemed Professor!!! Please!!!! If I fail the thesis review again this time, I’m literally going to die!!!!! Please!!! Plea-e-e-ease!!! Save me just this once!!!! Yes? Professor... Should I really die?? Huh?? Should I open the window and jump right now???”
“Sigh... Seriously... I told you to prepare in advance. Tsk. Leave it there. I’ll take a look when I have time.”
“Ah!!!! Yes!!! Thank you!!! Thank you so much!!! You’re the only one for me, Professor!! I respect you!!! May you live a long and healthy life!!!”
“...Stop making a scene. Forget that and just make sure the lecture materials for next week are ready.”
“Yes!!! I will prepare them perfectly!!! I shall take my leave now!!!!”
Bowing at a 90-degree angle, Chloe backed out of the room and closed the door.
—Click.
And the moment the door shut, her face contorted as she threw up double middle fingers.
“Ugh... I should really just...”
Click, swish—!
At the sound of the door opening, Chloe instantly hid her hands and beamed a bright smile as if nothing had happened.
“Is something the matter!!!! My esteemed Professor!!!!”
“Ah, Chloe. Sorry, but I’m out of coffee. If you have time, could you go buy some?”
“Ye-yes!!! Of course!!! A double-shot vanilla latte with whipped cream and extra java chips, just like always, right?!!”
“You know me well. Here, buy yourself one with the change.”
“Yes!!! Thank you!!!”
Chloe tightly gripped the 10,000 Eris the professor placed in her hand.
“Seriously... that piece of shit... He won't even drink the stuff from the Academy cafe.”
She was already busy enough to die, and now she had to go all the way to the shopping district just to run a coffee errand.
“Sigh...”
With her hands in her pockets, Chloe let out a deep sigh as she trudged toward the shopping district.
Just why had her life become so twisted?
No, she knew why.
It was her fault for being the only one to get an A+ in Magic Tool Engineering during the second semester of her senior year.
‘Student Chloe. You scored a 39 on the midterm and a 40 on the final, which is nearly a perfect score.’
‘Ah! Thank you for the high evaluation!’
‘So, I’m grateful that you listened so intently to my lectures, and I’d like to have a meal and chat... Do you happen to have time this Thursday or Friday?’
‘Yes! Professor! Of course! Would Thursday work!’
‘Great. Then come to my lab at 12 o'clock on Thursday.’
She should have made any excuse to refuse.
Back then, Chloe was so naive she thought they were just going to eat. She had been fooled by his sweet talk—saying she had a talent for being a professor and that she could definitely finish a doctoral program in five years—and stamped the graduate school admission papers.
The result?
Now, eight years later.
Chloe was still stuck in graduate school.
“I should have... escaped back then....”
Chloe clutched her face as memories of missed escape opportunities flooded back.
Three years after entering graduate school, Chloe, who had finally earned her master’s degree, thought:
‘Graduate school is insanity.’
Even though it was a year later than the two years the professor had promised for a master’s, she had the degree now, so it was time to return to being a free woman.
‘Chloe, there are "Master-of-Alls" in this world, but there's no such thing as a "Master-of-Masters," you know? Even though you struggled a li~ttle bit during the master’s program, the doctoral program will be over much faster. If you just endure a little bit more here, you’ll be called "Doctor"... Isn't it a waste of everything you’ve built up so far? Are you really going to end it like this?’
....Until she heard those words.
‘Ah!.. Ugh!... Hic!.. But still.’
‘I forgot to mention, but I’m going to recommend Chloe as an assistant professor as soon as you get your doctorate. Then? You could be a full professor at the Sacred Academy before you’re even 30. Well, if you still don't want to, I suppose I can't help it...’
‘...Hic!... Sniff!..... I... I’ll try a little longer.....’
‘Yes. Good choice. Just trust me. I’ll make sure you get your doctorate within three years. Now, to your professorship! Cheers!’
Three years after that, one day.
‘Eh?... Professor?... Why?... You’re joking, right?’
[Goodbye, everyone~ I am casting off all the bonds and constraints of this world and leaving to find my happiness~]
The professor who had encouraged her to go to graduate school left a letter like that and vanished from the Academy to marry a man 16 years younger.
‘Haha... My life is ruined.’
Chloe had been fooled again, but she couldn't just quit graduate school either.
If she ran away now, Chloe—who had been called a prodigy for entering the Sacred Academy at 18 and graduating at 21—would become a moron who only managed to get one master’s degree in eight years.
Her pride simply wouldn't allow that.
‘I’ll get it.... No matter what... I’ll get that doctorate by any means necessary..’
In the end, Chloe’s choice was to cling to another professor and somehow squeeze out a doctoral degree.
“...One double-shot vanilla latte with whipped cream and extra java chips, and one iced americano, please.”
“Yes, that will be 11,000 Eris.”
“....?”
Double-shot vanilla latte with whipped cream and java chips: 7,500 Eris.
Iced Americano: 3,500 Eris.
When did the coffee prices go up again...
With the 10,000 Eris the professor gave her, she couldn't even buy the cheapest coffee after getting his.
“Sigh... Here.”
With a trembling hand, she handed over an extra 1,000 Eris and let out a sigh.
“Ah, seriously! How long are you going to stay sitting! Get up already!!”
“...It’s already up.”
“What? What kind of bullshit is that!! You’re sitting down!!”
“No. Sorry, but I can't get up right now. Let me sit for just one more minute...”
“Ah, seriously!! If you keep this up, we’re shopping for another 30 minutes!”
While waiting for the coffee, Chloe’s mood grew even darker as she watched a pair of Academy students—whether they were siblings or a couple, she couldn't tell—chatting happily.
“Must be nice...”
If I went back to my Academy days, could I enjoy myself like that?
Suddenly, the sight of her own shabby reflection in the glass window made her heart ache.
‘Ah, seriously... I can't take it anymore. I was going to hold out until my graduation thesis passed.... but I have to do it tonight.’
Chloe’s eyes sparkled as she clenched her fists.
*
“Hehehe.”
A pure white suit that clung to her body, emphasizing her voluptuous figure, and a stylishly fluttering cape.
A specialized magic tool that freely shifted between the forms of a whip and a staff.
And the fox mask that could be called her trademark.
The granddaughter of the legendary Phantom Thief Nine Tail, and the current Phantom Thief, Nine Tail III.
Chloe Robelia smiled as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
“Yes! This is it! Nine Tail! This is my true self! The graduate student look is just a disguise to deceive people’s eyes, right? Don't let it get to you!”
She hadn't been able to do any phantom thief activities lately because she was so busy writing her graduation thesis, but her essence was still that of a phantom thief.
....Probably.
“Phew, well then... shall I play around for a bit?”
After taking a proof shot so that her spoils were slightly visible behind her, Chloe posted the photo along with some text.
[On my grandmother's honor, I am the Phantom Thief III. Taking questions. Deleting in 15 minutes][0]
*
“Of all times...”
I had finally finished shopping with Evelyn and returned home exhausted. I was about to open the Gallery for a quick session when...
[On my grandmother's honor, I am the Phantom Thief III. Taking questions. Deleting in 15 minutes][55]
A Trending Post that looked way too interesting caught my eye.
“...How am I supposed to ignore this?”
It even said it would be deleted in 15 minutes. No man could possibly resist this.
I clicked on the post, telling myself I’d just look at this one thing before my session.
[Author: Anon (39.919)]
[On my grandmother's honor, I am the Phantom Thief III. Taking questions. Deleting in 15 minutes][58]
(Image of someone in a white suit with a fox mask, legs crossed.JPG)
I’ll answer if you’re curious about anything.
Baby Nepmi■: Goo-goo? Baby Nepmi-chan is curious if Anon-chan is a real phantom thief! Goo-goo!!
ㄴAnon (74.812): As if lol. Why would a phantom thief be lurking in the Gallery? Clearly just a psycho who thinks they're a phantom thief ㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴFlameSandwich■: No, no. Looking at the notes on this IP, it’s the real deal. I thought they quit the Gallery since they haven't been around lately, but they're back.
ㄴNeverGetAnA■: I know them too, it’s the real one. Look at what’s caught in the background of the proof shot. Those are all things stolen by the phantom thief.
ㄴAnon (39.919): Ah, that got caught in the shot lol. I didn't mean to show it... but yeah, I’m the real deal.
UseNiceWordsOnly■: What’s your race? Since you’re pretty good, are you an Elf after all?
ㄴAnon (39.919): ㅋㅋㅋㅋ An Elf? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It’s a secret, but I’m definitely not an Elf.
ㄴUseNiceWordsOnly■: ? Why are you laughing? Are Elves funny?
Anon (74.812): Even if you’re "real," you’re just a thief acting all high and mighty lol. Get a job you can be proud of in front of others ㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴAnon (39.919): Yeah~ sorry, but being a phantom thief is just a side job. I have a separate main job ^^
ㄴAnon (74.812): "Side job" my ass ㅋㅋㅋ Sure you do ㅋㅋㅋ Since you can't even prove it ㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴAnon (39.919): ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Would a phantom thief prove their job if asked? And even if I were unemployed, I could live for the rest of my life just by selling one of those ^^ Do you even have a job?
ㄴAnon (74.812): Yeah~ not everyone in the world makes money by stealing like you~ Sorry, but my annual revenue is over 15 billion Eris.
ㄴAnon (39.919): ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 15 billion Eris ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Sigh, it’s pathetic how you’re lying just to try and win ^^
ㄴGalactic Dirt Spoon■: Um... but is 15 billion Eris in annual revenue—not even net profit—really that impressive?? (I really don't know)
ㄴChildhoodFriendRapist■: Manager, if you’re watching, please block this guy. This flexing is fucking annoying.
Virginity Inspector■: Hmm... 0.6 Virgin.
ㄴAnon (100.401): But Inspector-hyung, you’re either a virgin or you’re not. What’s a "0.6 virgin"?
ㄴILoveTenantFarmers■: Don't you know the Mind-Technique-Body virginity theory? One of the three must be non-virgin.
ㄴVirginity Inspector■: No, no. It’s so hard to find virgins these days that if just "Mind" and "Body" are virgins, I let it slide, ignoring "Technique."
ㄴILoveTenantFarmers■: That’s generous... then why 0.6?
ㄴVirginity Inspector■: She’s a virgin, but she’s a bit spoiled, so she’s 0.6. She’ll be past her expiration date soon.
ㄴAnon (39.919): Sorry... but I am a virgin and I’m young. And these kinds of comments are a bit uncomfortable ^^
Galactic Dirt Spoon■: So what are you planning to steal next?
ㄴAnon (39.919): I can't tell you that... I’ll just let you know that I’m going to steal something incredibly amazing.
ㄴAnon (74.812): ㅋㅋㅋ I could say that too. I’m telling you, this person is a fake.
ㄴGalactic Dirt Spoon■: Okay... but you only rob the rich. Are you not going to steal from Red Rose?
ㄴAnon (39.919): Red Rose is a bit;; It’s not that I can't, but their guards are literally crazy for money and charge in without regard for their own lives. If I tried to steal from them, someone would get seriously hurt.
ㄴGalactic Dirt Spoon■: Hmm, so even a phantom thief is no match for Red Rose?
ㄴAnon (39.919): It’s not that I’m no match, I could do it if I wanted to... I’m just worried people will get hurt ^^ I’m a phantom thief, not a robber.
Anon (74.812): ㅋㅋㅋ So the conclusion is that the phantom thief is a total has-been? Honestly, you haven't stolen anything lately anyway, right?
ㄴAnon (39.919): I’ve been taking a break because my main job has been busy lately ^^
ㄴAnon (74.812): So what exactly is that main job? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴAnon (39.919): Sigh, you’re impossible to talk to and you just keep picking fights as an anon, so I’m blocking you ^^
ㄴAnon (74.812): [Breaking News] Self-proclaimed phantom thief has nothing to say, so they "block" ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴNeverGetAnA■: Phantom Thief-nim, that IP is famous for trolling, so just block them and don't pay any mind.
ㄴAnon (39.919): Yes, thanks ^^ I already blocked them.
To think the phantom thief, who was described so coolly in the newspapers, had this kind of personality...
I always feel this, but people’s personas in the Gallery and in reality are just too different.
“...If they had come as a fixed nick, I could have at least found out their name.”
It’s not like I had any intention of reporting them just because I knew their name, but it felt like it would be quite fun to be the only one who knew the identity of the phantom thief that everyone from the Imperial family to all sorts of nobles was dying to uncover.
“Well, they’re an anon, so nothing I can do.”
Leaving behind a bit of regret, I was about to start my happy time alone with Yuris-nim when...
“Wait... I can find out, can't I?”
—You can ‘limitly’ check the True Name of an anonymous user who has posted in the Gallery!
The Manager authority I had forgotten about popped into my head.