Personal Meeting (1)
Personal Meeting (1)
Time passed, and Friday morning arrived.
-Pee-yawwn~
The small Fairy stuck its head out of my coat pocket and let out a long yawn. I quietly pushed its head back inside and pulled out my smartphone to check the time.
Am 09 : 46
Fourteen minutes until the lecture started.
Normally I would have left the house one minute before, but I pocketed the phone and waited for Claire, who had yet to come out.
"I-I'm... sorry..."
Four minutes later, at ten to the hour, she finally appeared.
Her face was flushed red.
Her back was slightly bent, her shoulders hunched inward.
And most of all.
Squee-e-eze──!!
The chest of her shirt looked dangerously close to popping its buttons at any moment.
Claire could barely look at me and was just managing to hold the fabric together. I approached her, slipped an arm around her bent back, and pulled her upright.
"M-Mr. Woo-jin...?!"
Plink-plunk──!!
My hand straightened her posture, and a few of the endangered buttons shot off, pelting my chest before clattering to the floor.
"I'll... change into different clothes..."
"No need."
Her body temperature was spiking. I released Claire from my arms and pressed a light kiss to her forehead.
"I thought your growth spurt had ended, but it seems you are still growing."
"......!!"
Her face went past red and approached a bright shade of pink.
I had seen white steam rising from her head once before. I watched it for a moment, then took a step back.
"Your other suits are likely the same, so stay home and rest."
"......Y-yes."
She clearly had no idea how to react. Her head stayed bowed, her fingers fidgeting nonstop. I took the tiny disaster out of my pocket and handed it over to her.
"I won't be terribly late, but go ahead and have lunch."
"...If you will not be very late, I shall wait."
I nodded at her praiseworthy request and turned away.
"I'll finish as early as I can and come back."
**
Last year's lectures focused on the evolution-individual Guardians and the growth of Rifts. This year, I had planned the curriculum around the upcoming 14th Stage Rift and the Unique Individuals that guard it.
"Let's end the lecture here."
Normally I would have left the lecture hall right away, but I still had business to attend to. I picked up my briefcase of assignments and leaned briefly against the chair I had prepared for Claire.
"Judging by your wandering eyes, it seems you have all finished taking notes."
-Eek...!!
-Keep your eyes on your notes, you bastards!!
-How am I supposed to take notes if I keep my eyes on them...?
-Shut up and take notes.
The students who had been giving me puzzled sidelong glances quickly turned their attention back to the blackboard.
"Professor."
I had been watching Baek Ha-na, who was focused on her note-taking. At the voice, I turned my head.
Yoon I-seul was using her innate Shadow ability to write while sitting upright and looking directly at me.
"I believe I said I would not be taking questions."
"Yes. It is not about the lecture. It concerns the reward you agreed to grant me in England... I wished to discuss that, if you could spare some time."
The bet.
I did recall bringing that up.
"If it is not too difficult, tell me here and now. Otherwise, bring it up again during your personal interview."
"Personal... interview, was it?"
At Yoon I-seul's question, I spoke to the students whose concentration had been broken once more.
"Starting today, I will hold personal interviews in the order of the newly enrolled students."
In the corner of the lecture hall.
The young servants of the Goddess of Benevolence were clustered together amiably.
"Lee Seol."
I called the name of the most senior among them.
"You are first. Follow me when we are done."
"Yes, Professor."
I accepted her brief but respectful bow and turned back to Yoon I-seul.
"So, your answer."
A flicker of hesitation showed in her eyes for a split second, but after a sidelong glance at Baek Ha-na—who was still taking notes with her ears perked up—her gaze settled with resolve, and she spoke.
"The position of Head Professor of the Guidance Department is currently vacant. I would like you, Professor Baek, to take it."
"I refuse."
The request required no deliberation at all, so I gave my answer immediately.
"Pardon...?"
My response had not been what she expected. Yoon I-seul stared at me with slightly rippling dark eyes.
"It is not Elixirs or Artifacts I ask for... It is simply a request for you to become the Responsible Professor... Was it a difficult request?"
"Yoon I-seul."
"......Yes."
Fwwsshh.
"......!!"
The shadow tendrils she had been using abruptly vanished, and Yoon I-seul's face flushed with fluster.
"You do realize that to purchase an hour of my time, you would need Elixirs and Artifacts of a certain value."
"......."
Her small lips opened and closed repeatedly.
"...My apologies. I was short-sighted."
After a brief moment of thought, Yoon I-seul rose from her seat and bowed in apology. It was an earnest gesture, not caring the slightest about the other students' stares.
La la la~♪
At the same time, a calm classical piece signaling the end of the lecture flowed through the speakers.
"Think of something else until your next interview."
"......Yes. Thank you."
Yoon I-seul sat back down and resumed her note-taking with her shadows.
"Jane Moore."
"Y-yes, sir?!"
The world-ranked prospect sitting next to her sprang up from her seat.
"If it is not uncomfortable for you, I intend to conduct your interview together with Yoon I-seul's."
"Yes!! That's fine!!"
"Good."
I stood and picked up my briefcase.
"Lee Seol."
"Yes, Professor."
"Your notes."
"I finished them all."
Perhaps it was the perceptiveness expected of a cleric, but Lee Seol had already gathered her things and quickly come to my side.
"Baek... Maria. I leave the cleanup to you."
"Yes, Professor. Leave it to me."
Leaving behind Baek Ha-na, who sat frozen in place with a deeply shocked expression, I exited the annex with Lee Seol.
She could have asked at least once where we were going, but the girl simply walked one step behind me in silence.
"Is this by Verotha's will?"
"Yes. The great one said your lectures would be beneficial and offered much support."
"I see."
That was the end of our conversation.
Entering the Street of Light, I headed straight for the Temple of Benevolence.
A statue stood before the temple: a woman wearing a literally benevolent smile and cradling a small cradle. I stopped in front of the firmly closed doors, opened them, and stepped inside.
"It is not yet time for visitors..."
A priest who had been moving a cloth-covered basket approached, but upon seeing my face, he froze in place.
"I'd like to borrow a prayer room."
"......Ah."
A few beats later, the priest came to his senses, stepped aside, and bowed his head.
"The child with you will guide you."
"I will show you."
Following Lee Seol's guidance, I passed through the central chapel and climbed the stairs behind it to the second floor.
"It's identical to the Temple of the God of Amusement."
"I have heard that only the scale differs. The interior was arranged as similarly as possible so that worshippers would not be confused."
"I see."
I gave a short reply, opened the door to the nearest prayer room, and walked inside. Opposite me stood a small statue identical to the one at the entrance, only reduced in size. I sat down facing it.
Just as I was about to remove my glasses for a moment.
【I would prefer it if you refrained. Unlike Vuar, I must expend a significant amount of divinity to cast that off.】
Glimmering particles of light gathered before the statue, coalescing into the form of a woman with mature beauty, bearing the exact likeness of the statue.
"You know quite a lot."
The moment Void reveals itself, it draws the attention and wariness of the gods who had until now been quietly content with their lives. That was why I had only ever revealed it before Vuar, and even then for only the briefest moment.
【Please do not misunderstand. A few days ago, Vuar came to me directly and, regarding you... in human terms, talked behind your back. I learned of 'Void' then.】
"...I see."
It seemed I would have to stop by the Temple of the God of Amusement on my way back. That bastard.
【More than that, this is unexpected. I never imagined you would come looking for me directly.】
Though this was not her true body, she behaved as if she had manifested on earth, tucking a lock of her slightly disheveled light brown hair behind an ear.
【I will say this in advance: I cannot offer you direct aid the way Vuar does.】
"And I will say in advance: I have no need for the help of benevolence, either."
【Is that so. You are already in love, after all.】
"......Verotha."
I stared into the two eyes that radiated a soft golden light and continued.
"On the day the Clergy General Assembly begins, lock the doors of every temple. If that is too difficult, then screen every worshipper who visits that day. No exceptions."
【I cannot lock the doors, so I shall instruct them to screen all worshippers thoroughly.】
Like Lee Seol, who had followed me here, this being did not ask for a reason. She simply chose one of the options I had presented and gave her answer.
"That is all I had to discuss."
I had promised Claire I would be back, so I rose from my seat to leave.
【I give my thanks for your choice to look upon me with an unprejudiced gaze.】
Verotha bowed her head slightly, neither too deeply nor too shallowly.
【So that you will not regret the choice you have made, I, Verotha, promise that from now on I shall answer only with sincerity.】
"......Good."
Because of the distrust toward gods carved deep into my soul, and because of the hatred Void—slumbering within me—held toward gods, even Verotha's actions now could not stir much goodwill in me. Yet perhaps sensing the sincerity in her words and conduct, Void, who usually bared its fangs even toward Vuar, curled up quietly inside me this time, subdued enough that I did not even have to suppress it.
"I'll be going now."
【Regarding this Clergy General Assembly.】
I had turned away, but Verotha's voice continued behind me, halting my steps once more.
【The children will coordinate the schedule, but the location will be here at Arena Academy.】
"Vuar, then."
【Should I call it fortunate? It was indeed Vuar who pushed for Korea, but the selection of the venue also reflects my opinion and that of other beings. I trust you know the reason even without me spelling it out.】
The reason the others had chosen this place.
It must be to see me directly.
And the root cause of all this was, of course, that damn bastard.
It was his unauthorized broadcast of my duel with Ben Stiller that had produced this result.
"...If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."
【I am not making a request, but I do wish to make a fair demand.】
"Speak."
A fair demand, was it?
I quickly searched my memory but could not recall owing her anything.
【Please do not skip the interview with the child waiting outside.】
"......The interview."
That was a request I had not expected at all.
【Yes. The interview. Lee Seol may seem mature, but the child has a very tender heart.】
Seeing the genuine concern for the child on the woman's face, I nodded.
"I will reschedule it."
For now, there was somewhere else I had to visit first.