Three, Not Two
Three, Not Two
Baek Ha-na got up first, and one by one, the kids finished their meals and left their seats. The man sitting across from me scratched his cheek as he watched them go.
"Not 'we.' You made them uncomfortable."
"...I did?"
He had been about to take a bite of the beautifully plated salmon poke bowl, but my words made his eyes go wide. He stared at me.
"What."
"Well, I apologize for saying this, but... wouldn't they find you more difficult to approach than me, Professor?"
"...Like master, like disciple."
"Professor Baek."
His face hardened the moment I compared him to his master.
"Shut your mouth if you don't want your face shoved into that plate."
"...I was taught to cherish food."
He was a man anyone would call a handsome middle-aged gentleman if he'd just keep his mouth shut, and here he was grumbling over a single remark.
"What made them uncomfortable wasn't your presence or mine. It was that barrier you threw up."
"...?"
Mid-chew of salmon and avocado, he blinked and looked at the faint blue film enveloping our surroundings.
"It's a standard isolation barrier?"
"That's the problem. From the outside, it's basically a public announcement that we're having a serious, private conversation."
"...Ah."
His mouth opened slightly as the point finally clicked.
"They cleared out on their own."
I gave a single nod.
In truth, the real reason they left was because they were mindful of Baek Ha-na, who departed first. But I had no intention of sharing that detail with him.
"And you're drawing attention from everyone else, too."
"Mm... I've made several mistakes because of my exhaustion."
He glanced around and sighed at the furtive looks directed our way.
"...My apologies."
"Forget it. I'm the one who agreed to meet here."
Shhh.
I reached out and interfered with the isolation spell Jaden had formed, altering its structure.
"...Every time I see you, Professor, it's simply awe-inspiring."
He watched the blue film turn transparent and murmured quietly.
"Ordinary people wouldn't even dare to attempt spell interference, yet you're outright hijacking the spell itself."
"I didn't come here to listen to your commentary."
"Ahem, ahem. Right."
He set his fork down on the plate and produced a black envelope from inside his coat.
"This is the auction house invitation you requested."
A black envelope sealed with white wax.
"It's the VIP guest type."
"...How did you know?"
I didn't bother answering his question.
'It's my first time seeing the real thing, but it's impossible not to recognize it.'
Stamped into the white wax seal was the image of a crowned raven.
An invitation to an auction hosted by "Raven," distributed exclusively to members of the British Royal Family.
Originally, this was an item obtainable through Arthur and Jossi.
"It's my first time seeing the real thing too... but then again, since you already knew about the Raven, there's nothing strange about that."
"You just weren't paying enough attention."
"Ahem. The supplier was the Second Prince."
"So you secured it on the condition of smoothing things over after the airport incident."
"Heh. That's close, but regrettably wro— would you please spare my life?"
He spotted the knife floating in the air and quickly threw both hands up in surrender.
Thud.
"Phew..."
Only after the knife settled back onto the table did he exhale and continue.
"While I was negotiating the incident with Prince Arthur, I brought up the auction. He took Prince Jossi's invitation and gave it to me."
"The source doesn't matter. I just hope there aren't any annoying consequences."
"Haha, as long as Prince Jossi's eyes don't roll back into his head, nothing troublesome will reach you, Professor."
"I'll take your word for it."
I tucked the invitation into my coat.
'According to those memories, no incidents occur during this particular event.'
The Ceremony was the one and only break period, designed to let everyone strengthen their forces in preparation for events to come.
Of course, there was a condition: you had to earn the favor of one of the two princes to get the invitation required for auction house entry.
But even if you failed, it was the single segment of the story with no penalties.
However, an unintended variable had been created.
Or rather, a variable not of my own making, but one created by that goddamn bastard playing around up in the sky.
'There's a higher probability of an incident breaking out inside the Academy than over here.'
But even that was a very slim chance.
The vermin who had infiltrated the Academy as staff and students weren't there to cause trouble. They were there to gather information. They had no reason to risk blowing their hard-won cover by starting a commotion.
'Well, even if an incident does break out, I've brought all the important people, so it's not my problem.'
I was slightly worried about Lee Ye-sol and Yoon Do-sik, whom I couldn't bring along due to circumstances. But Lee Ye-sol's own abilities were formidable, and she had Holy Knights with her, so she'd be fine. Yoon Do-sik was accompanied by the Clock Tower's mages, so the likelihood of him getting caught up in anything was also very slim.
'Unless they target Na Yeon-ju and me.'
I didn't know about the other Underworld factions, but the Black Heaven bastards who'd suffered directly at my hands were the type who'd stage an attack even knowing Claire was by my side.
And personally, that was the outcome I hoped for most.
'If they do show up, I hope it's a bishop-rank who comes in person.'
Chewing on their hearts was extremely unpleasant, but if it brought me closer to the Black Heaven's main base, it was a price I could endure.
"Are you heading up?"
When I stood, he looked up and asked.
"Do you have something else to say?"
"You must attend the opening ceremony tomorrow as our representative...?"
"Troublesome."
"...After you worked us that hard, couldn't you at least accept this much?"
"Fair point."
I looked directly down at him.
"I did see an old, decrepit man roll around on the floor after getting smacked by a staff."
"Pffft—!! Cough, hack?!"
I clicked my tongue at him as he hacked, spitting out what he'd just put in his mouth, and dispelled the isolation barrier.
"I intend to take full responsibility for the role I've been given. So you make sure you behave yourself."
"Keh, keugh...!!"
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Jaden was pounding his own chest, as if something was caught in his throat.
Shaking my head at the sight, I headed for my cabin.
·
·
·
"You've returned."
Claire approached, wearing a nightgown trimmed with pure white down.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, she came to my side and began to help me with my clothes.
She took my coat and hung it on a hanger, then started unbuttoning my jacket one button at a time.
I watched her radiant hair and asked,
"The children?"
Fl—
Her smooth movements paused for a brief moment, then resumed.
"...They said they'd be sleeping over in Miss Ha-na's room."
Her nape and earlobes were slowly flushing a soft crimson.
I understood now why she had reacted the way she did a moment ago.
"Forgive me..."
She moved behind me and slipped the jacket off my shoulders.
From the front pocket of the jacket in Claire's hands, I carefully withdrew the pure white eyeglass cloth that had been hanging there.
"Miss Ha-na must have been pleased."
"At first, she was."
"...?"
I pulled the puzzled Claire into my arms and headed for the sofa.
She had to be curious about what happened next, but she didn't ask. Instead, she rested her head against my chest and waited quietly until I spoke first.
So I told her what had happened in the dining hall.
"So that's what happened."
She blinked her long lashes slowly, looking up at me with her blue eyes.
"I think it would be best to tell her you aren't bothered by it."
"I'm not so sure."
Wouldn't she focus even more on the fact that I overheard the conversation?
Without giving Claire a proper answer, I picked up the case on the table.
I folded the eyeglass cloth neatly and stored it inside, which was lined with fine silk.
"She said she wants to become an adult on her own terms. If I fuss over things like this, it would just be dismissing that."
"...I don't think this particular matter has much to do with being an adult."
I lowered my head and looked directly into Claire's eyes as she gazed up at me.
"...Nn."
Our eyes hadn't even truly met, but she blushed and dropped her head slightly. I reached out and gently lifted her chin so she had to look at me again.
"Uh, Woo-jin...?"
"Th-that's... the Ceremony starts soon, and considering her condition..."
Just like I'd mentioned moments ago, Claire was uncharacteristically tripping over her words, rattling off a list of reasons to defend herself.
-Ha-na, how about this one?
-Compared to that, I think my choice aligns better with Miss Ha-na's requirements.
-But do you really need to buy only one?
'Bringing her along was the right call.'
I left behind the image of Baek Ha-na, who was now staring intently at a handkerchief with a brand logo instead of the eyeglass cloth, and opened my eyes.
"S-so, my interest in Miss Ha-na is..."
Claire's eyes widened, then trembled slightly before she slowly closed them.
We were just beginning to feel each other's breath, slowly starting to move our hands—
-Peeewww~
"...?!"
Her closed eyes flew open, and she was out of my arms in an instant.
"Th-the, the little one seems to have woken u-up..."
I watched her flee toward the bedroom and thought,
'I really should have brought Lee Ye-sol along.'