A Professor's Intervention
Upon hearing those words, I immediately raised a strong Mental Barrier and began thinking rapidly. Checking my watch, it was still morning—too early for lunch. I didn't know exactly when that "morning" withdrawal had happened, but it couldn't have been more than three hours ago. And right now, Han Min-ha was very likely still at the academy. After all, withdrawing isn't as simple as packing your bags and walking out. Unless there are special circumstances, it requires formal review, and that review couldn't possibly have been completed already. Assistant Bae Ye-bin had said "she withdrew," but the accurate phrasing was probably "she submitted a withdrawal application."
"Where is Han Min-ha right now?"
[She's waiting in the dormitory. There's a regular review this afternoon, and the decision will be made then.]
"I'll head there. Wait for me."
[What?! Professor, you're coming here in person—]
I hung up, rose from the bench, and headed not for the dormitory but for the administrative office.
"Hello, Professor!"
When I opened the door to the administrative office, the staff seated at their computers greeted me brightly.
"Good afternoon. Is the manager in?"
"She's inside. She's a bit busy right now..."
I crossed the office and knocked on the inner door.
"Administrative Manager. This is Kyo Suhyeon."
"Huh...? Ah, yes!"
Footsteps approached, and the door swung open. Chae Ga-yun, her face marked by deep dark circles and exhaustion, smiled when she saw me.
"You visit quite often these days. What brings you here?"
"A withdrawal application was submitted, correct?"
"Yes? We have one. Assistant Bae Ye-bin brought it in this morning."
"Let me see it."
Stepping into the manager's office, I accepted the withdrawal form she handed me. It was handwritten, and the reason for withdrawal was short and concise.
'I see no more hope, so I'm quitting.'
"But why? Did something happen with this student?" Chae Ga-yun asked, peering at the form beside me.
"Something did happen. Has this been forwarded to the faculty office yet?"
"No. I was a little busy this morning, so... I'm sorry. I haven't... Aaaah! What are you doing?!"
When I fed the paper into the shredder, Chae Ga-yun let out a scream.
"You need the original for the review! If you shred it... I haven't even made a copy..."
"It's fine. This student has decided not to withdraw."
"What? What do you mean?"
"She showed interest in Basic Defense, so I was planning to take her on as a mentee. When she suddenly said she was quitting, I convinced her otherwise. In any case, the withdrawal never happened."
"Uh... Yes... If that's what you say, Professor..."
Chae Ga-yun nodded blankly as she watched the withdrawal form disappear into the shredder.
"Thank you, as always."
When I gently patted her shoulder, Chae Ga-yun's face lit up and she smiled with her eyes. I had to offer these little services from time to time if I wanted her continued cooperation.
"Since you're here, would you like some tea..."
"I'm sorry. I have urgent business. I'll treat you at my office later."
"Really? At your office...? I'd love that..."
After giving the beaming Chae Ga-yun a smile, I left the administrative office.
"Professor!"
Assistant Bae Ye-bin, who had been pacing in front of the dormitory, spotted me and bowed so deeply her forehead nearly touched the ground.
"You've worked hard, Assistant Bae. I've come to see Han Min-ha."
The short, petite assistant looked up at me and cautiously spoke.
"Professor, did you come all the way to the dormitory because Min-ha is withdrawing? Did she do something terribly wrong?"
"No. I was planning to select her as my mentee, but she suddenly said she was quitting, so I came to persuade her."
"M-Mentee...? You want to take Min-ha as your mentee, Professor...?"
Assistant Bae Ye-bin stammered in disbelief.
"Yes. It would be troublesome if my first mentee withdrew, so I came to talk her out of it. Is she inside?"
"Ah... Yes... she is. But Professor..."
As I moved to enter the dormitory, Assistant Bae called me back.
"I received her withdrawal application this morning and spoke with Min-ha... It might be difficult to convince her."
"What do you mean?"
"Min-ha... Even if she stays, she'll probably try to withdraw again. As you know, her grades are abysmal, she's too timid to make a single friend, and on top of that..."
Assistant Bae glanced at me before continuing.
"She fainted during the basic evaluation. Because of that, the other students have been subtly ostracizing her. I think it was too much for her to bear."
"Understood. I'll keep that in mind during our conversation. Ah, Assistant Bae."
"Yes?"
"You've looked into all your assigned students' backgrounds, correct? Do you know anything about Han Min-ha's parents?"
Assistant Bae frowned as if searching her memory.
"Min-ha received extra points as a hero descendant. But the family section was blank. I know her parents went missing during a mission, but I don't know anything beyond that."
So Assistant Bae didn't know more than I did. For now, it was time to see Han Min-ha.
Since it was morning class time, the dormitory was empty. Standing before Han Min-ha's door, I waited a moment before knocking.
"Han Min-ha. This is Professor Kyo Suhyeon. May I speak with you for a moment?"
There was no sound. Just as I was about to knock again, the door slowly opened.
"P-Professor...?"
Han Min-ha, her gloomy black hair hanging down, looked up at me with a thoroughly cowed expression.
"I've come to talk."
"Professor... I already withdrew..."
"You submitted an application. You haven't actually withdrawn yet. Let's have a meeting. As you're still an academy student, it's not right to refuse a professor's request for a meeting without good reason."
At my words, Han Min-ha reluctantly opened the door and stepped back. A large suitcase stood neatly beside her bed. She'd already packed everything.
"May I sit?"
"Yes... Please sit..."
After turning the chair around and sitting, Han Min-ha perched on the very edge of the bed, head bowed.
"I saw your withdrawal application. You said you see no hope."
"Yes..."
"You fainted during the basic evaluation, your grades are at the bottom, and you have no friends. Is that right?"
"Yes..."
I deliberately let out a sigh.
"Have you forgotten what I said during our last meeting?"
"No..."
"Tell me what I said."
"You said you would help me..."
After staring at Han Min-ha for a moment, I spoke.
"If you still see no hope even after I said I'd help, does that mean you don't trust me at all?"
"Ah...! That's not it...!"
Han Min-ha flushed in panic.
"Han Min-ha. I made myself clear. I said I would help you."
"Yes... But I... No matter how much I think about it, I don't think I belong at the academy..."
"Does anyone truly belong at the academy?"
Han Min-ha slowly nodded, her voice shrinking to a whisper, utterly dejected.
"People like Hee-won... They seem born to become heroes..."
Yoo Hee-won, huh...
"I wonder. You're also the child of a hero, aren't you? Heroic talent is inherited. You're one of those people too, Han Min-ha."
"No... I have no talent. I'm falling behind everyone in every subject... At this rate, I won't even graduate, let alone become a hero."
"Do you know that your aura is exceptionally pure and strong?"
Han Min-ha slowly shook her head as if hearing this for the first time.
"From what I've sensed, your aura is far superior to the other students'. You simply haven't learned how to wield it yet."
"Thank you for saying that, but... Even if I have strong aura... It's obvious I'll never figure out how to use it in my lifetime..."
Her self-esteem had hit rock bottom and was now digging into the basement. No wonder Assistant Bae couldn't persuade her. When someone disparages themselves this thoroughly, they interpret everything negatively.
"Professor... I'm sorry you came all this way... My decision to withdraw hasn't changed."
"Did you think I came here to stop you from withdrawing?"
Han Min-ha looked up with a questioning expression.
"I came to conduct the mentor selection interview."
"Mentor selection...?"
"I intend to select you as my mentee, and an interview is required for that."
"What...? You're selecting me as your mentee...?"
"Yes."
"Uh... Why...? Why...?"
Completely unable to process the situation, Han Min-ha's eyes darted around like a broken doll as she stammered.
"Because I've decided to mentor you. Does a professor need any other reason to choose a student?"
"But... Professor... My grades are poor, and my family background isn't anything special..."
"Grades can be improved, and I don't think your family situation will have much impact here. Isn't that right?"
Han Min-ha fell silent, pressing her lips together.
"From what I've confirmed, you don't have a preferred mentor in mind. Would it be all right if I became your mentor?"
"I haven't thought deeply about it yet... And I'm withdrawing..."
"The withdrawal has been nullified. I just stopped by the administrative office and shredded the application."
"Wh-What?!"
Han Min-ha half-rose from the bed in shock. I calmly continued while watching her.
"No one knows you submitted a withdrawal application except me, the administrative manager, and Assistant Bae. You can say you missed this morning's classes due to a mentor-related meeting."
"But... Professor... I really have no confidence..."
Han Min-ha sat back down, hanging her head.
"Whether I'll even be able to graduate... Whether I'll become a hero and still end up with an F-rank, stuck in limbo... Honestly, I don't know..."
"An F-rank, you say..."
I stared silently at the top of Han Min-ha's head. Yes. If things continued as they were, she would receive an F-rank. But even that was something you could only receive if you endured and survived. If you couldn't even manage that, you could never reach S-rank. And if you don't reach S-rank, I'll be in trouble too.
"Becoming an S-rank hero is truly difficult."
Han Min-ha looked at me.
"There are two ways to become S-rank."
I held up two fingers.
"First: Meet the Management Bureau's extremely dangerous and stringent conditions, and fill a vacancy when one of the allotted S-rank slots opens due to death."
I folded one finger.
"Second: Survive until you become S-rank."
Lowering my hand after folding the remaining finger, I gave a faint smile.
"It sounds obvious, but most heroes don't understand this obvious truth. That's why Basic Defense became an unpopular subject."
Rising from the chair, I knelt on one knee before Han Min-ha.
"Han Min-ha."
As the distance between us suddenly closed, Han Min-ha leaned back against the bed, her upper body pulling away as far as possible.
"I'll help you."
Leaning forward toward her, I spoke in a low voice.
"I'll help you survive to the end. So survive."
Han Min-ha stared at me, her face flushed with bewilderment. I smiled at her.
You have to survive... so that I can survive too, Han Min-ha.