Ji-han spoke to Si-hyun with a face full of tension.
“Um, I wanted to apologize for what happened last time! I can help with the, um, observations? Research? Anyway, I’ll assist!”
“…Hmm.”
“Oh, here! This is a gift!”
Ji-han handed over the item he was holding to Si-hyun.
Upon receiving it, Si-hyun forced a smile.
It was a luxuriously packaged vanilla syrup.
“Syru—?”
“I thought you liked coffee…”
Si-hyun stared at Ji-han quietly.
His expression was all rigid as he awaited her response.
Is this the same guy who was rude to Han-gyeol back then?
Da-young must have reformed him.
Or was it the syrup that was the charm? Whatever, anyway.
“I’ll enjoy it.”
“Yep, totally!”
In Si-hyun’s internal graph, Ji-han had gone from a negative score to zero.
Although Ji-han wouldn’t know it, that was a huge leap.
As Si-hyun and Ji-han finished their conversation, Han-gyeol approached and said,
“Si-hyun, that hairpin suits you well.”
“…Really?”
A faint smile bloomed on Si-hyun’s face upon receiving the compliment.
She tilted her head slightly, running her fingers across the hair accessory.
“It’s a gift from my little sister.”
“Ah, your sister has good taste!”
“Hehe…”
Another compliment popped in!
Si-hyun’s lips twitched then broke into a full grin.
At that moment, the two men in front of her covered their mouths and turned away.
The ordinary expressionless Si-hyun suddenly smiling was truly powerful.
“Ahem! So, you said today’s task is gathering materials for the academy students?”
“Yes, I want to tailor it to their level.”
“Well, I’m an academy grad, you know? I’ll make sure to guide you well.”
“Oooh…!”
Han-gyeol declared confidently, thumping his chest with his fist.
Si-hyun clapped in response.
Ji-han, who had been spacing out, unexpectedly shouted,
“I-I’ll showcase the talent of a skilled C-rank!”
“…Okay.”
The reaction was a bit lacking compared to before.
‘Huh, this isn’t how I expected it…?’
Ji-han, who had called out proudly, immediately shrank back.
*
After wandering around a dungeon,
I diligently went about my life for several days.
I reviewed the materials the principal had given me.
I even dug out the educational theory book I bought to become a great teacher.
I got myself a bag and a work laptop too.
I materialized the knowledge in my head into materials and printouts.
Besides the syllabus I would present to students, I also drafted lesson plans.
I was busy, sure, but since it was something I wanted to do, it was not tiring at all.
A few days passed like this.
‘Maybe I should practice giving a lecture beforehand?’
Because I couldn’t guarantee I’d pull it off smoothly.
I should film myself while simulating the class to see how I do.
Once I made a decision, swift action was key!
I switched my smartphone to recording mode and magically floated it in the air.
“Ah, ah. Aah.”
I lightly cleared my throat.
Recalling the contents of the lesson plan I prepared, I began the imaginary class.
……
Thanks to my newly enhanced brain, I remembered a pile of things,
But surprisingly, speaking smoothly was tougher than expected.
Moreover…
“Does my voice normally sound like this…?”
The recorded voice felt incredibly strange.
I think I’ve read somewhere that your own voice sounds different than when recorded.
But it felt so awkward.
What could I do though? I had to get it done.
I watched the filmed video for self-feedback and resumed practice.
Just then, Si-yoon’s head popped through the door of the next room.
“Ah, sorry. Was it noisy?”
“No, no! I was just heading to the bathroom. But what are you doing?”
“I’m in the middle of a practice lecture.”
“Aha!”
Si-yoon stepped into the bathroom.
Feeling a little shy, I sat on the sofa for a bit, waiting for my little sister to return to her room.
However, she didn’t go back right away.
Si-yoon paused at the door, gazing at me and said,
“If you’re gonna practice, shouldn’t you dress the part and do it for real?”
“……Really?”
“Practicing as close to the real thing as possible is probably gonna help you get used to it, right?”
“Hmmm, that’s convincing.”
Once I accepted her suggestion, Si-yoon chuckled and went back to her room.
It was indeed a reasonable point.
I approached the closet and opened it.
I could see the new clothes I had bought.
“……Hmm.”
I briefly glanced at a skirt but quickly shifted my gaze.
That one needed a little more time.
The clothes I wore in this world flowed down to my ankles, with no exposure at all.
The clothes weren’t figure-hugging either.
I slowly donned a formal top and pants.
Next, I stood in front of the tall full-length mirror in the corner of the room to check how I looked.
“…Heh.”
Unlike the baggy pants I sometimes wore,
The form-fitting pants highlighted my lower body’s shape perfectly,
And the top brought out a refined vibe.
Wow, it actually looks pretty good…?
The sleekness typical of a formal outfit radiated the kind of aura Ji-a usually showed.
I felt like I was looking like someone else entirely, yet it was pretty nonetheless. Hmmm, hmmm.
…No, not that I’m a narcissist or anything.
To be honest, I hardly looked in mirrors except when going to the bathroom.
But it isn’t bad at all…….
I turned my body this way and that in front of the mirror, checking how stylish I looked.
With no one around, I could admire myself in peace.
A woman blushingly faced me.
…Hmm, I think that’s enough admiring for now.
Okay, let’s get back to practice.
I lightly patted my cheeks to warm them up, then stepped away from the mirror.
I resumed filming myself giving the practice lecture, getting into it once more.
Then I reviewed the video.
“……Oh.”
Through practice, I had gotten at least a tiny bit smoother, but
Something about matching the outfit made it seem more believable.
I felt a surge of excitement!
I reviewed the areas I lacked and proceeded to practice and film again.
I truly seemed to have improved from the start.
I wondered how I compared to real teachers or professors.
An idea suddenly came to me, and I executed it right away.
Using a tube search, I looked up a few videos.
“Heehee…”
Real teachers really are on another level.
The formal skirt looked definitely beautiful.
So, does that mean I could look that good too?
Naturally, my gaze turned back to the closet.
…It’s just trying it on once, after all.
I slowly approached the closet, holding an H-line skirt.
It was knee-length, hugging my body to highlight my leg lines.
Swallow.
I swallowed hard and changed into the skirt.
I could feel the fabric wrapping around my legs.
Moving back in front of the mirror, I gazed at my reflection—
“Woah! Unnie, it looks super good on you! Like a total fairy, a fairy!”
“…Eek?!”
“Pfft, what kind of scream was that? Ahahaha!”
Yikes, that startled me!
Suddenly, Si-yoon popped out of nowhere.
She squinted her eyes, giggling as she looked at me.
Phew, I nearly dropped my heart.
“Unnie? You really don’t have to hide like that. It looks great on you!”
“……Shut it.”
Before I knew it, I bolted to the sofa and instinctively hugged the blanket tightly.
I promptly threw it over my head.
*
Si-yoon barely contained her snickers as she stared ahead.
When she finished her broadcasting and stepped into the living room, this was unexpected.
Her usually reluctant sister was now standing in a skirt admiring herself in front of the mirror!
Honestly, even she found it captivating and beautiful enough to grab her own attention.
To let such a look go to waste without any effort seemed like a shame.
It was only too clear that her precious beauty had been squandered until now.
“Unnie, let me enjoy a bit too. Come on, stand up and pull down the blanket.”
“……No way.”
Si-yoon casually approached the sofa, giggling.
Her sister, all guarded and wrapped in her blanket, only peeked her eyes out.
What an utterly cute creature!
Isn’t she just too adorable?
With a lighthearted thought, Si-yoon gripped the blanket tightly.
Then she pulled with all her might.
However, the blanket budged not an inch.
“I went through the trouble of dressing up nicely! Show it off a little!”
“I don’t wanna!”
Though Si-yoon pulled with all her strength, she found herself unable to win the battle.
Despite her looks, her sister had hidden strength.
Realizing she couldn’t win with brute force, Si-yoon switched strategies.
She dashed back to her room and quickly grabbed another blanket.
“…What are you doing?”
Si-hyun questioned the peculiar behavior.
“If I hold out here, eventually unnie will come out from the blanket!”
Meaning she planned to lay on the living room floor.
With Si-yoon declaring her resolute struggle, Si-hyun’s eyes twitched a bit.
Just how much did she want to see? Why…?
In this state, she couldn’t even change into comfortable clothes.
Ultimately, it took a little while longer, but
Si-yoon emerged victorious.
“You look so good!”
“……Yeah.”
“You’re like a goddess, a goddess!”
“……Thanks.”
The skirt emphasizing her shape was sealed back in the closet for the day.
*
As a few days passed, spring was in full bloom.
The shining sunlight and delightful spring vibes felt so nice.
Cars began to park in front of the academy auditorium one by one.
Because it was the day of the entrance ceremony.
New hunters, just awakened not long ago, walked into the auditorium.
As all the new students gathered and the ceremony time approached, professors began to assemble at the back of the stage, one by one.
They took their seats on pre-prepared chairs.
Si-hyun also sat in a corner chair.
The perfectly tailored formal attire indicated she belonged among the faculty.
Si-hyun lowered her head and looked at her own feet.
The shiny, pretty black loafers caught her eye.
[Since you’re a professor, you should wear shoes that match!]
It was a gift from Ji-a, wishing her luck in her teaching career.
As she gazed at the sparkling loafers catching the light,
A strong feeling of new beginnings, a starting point for dreams, surged within her.
Don’t get them dirty. Let’s do a great job.
After repeating multiple times in her mind, Si-hyun lifted her head.
“……Hmm?”
Since the number of awakened wasn’t that high, there weren’t hundreds of students;
However, a significant portion of the gazes in the auditorium were directed at Si-hyun.
“……”
As Si-hyun felt the overwhelming pressure,
– We will now start the entrance ceremony.
The announcer’s mic filled the auditorium.
Only then did the glances disperse.
Si-hyun, with a tense expression, stared at the announcer.
Her life as a professor at the academy,
Even if she was merely a temporary instructor, it was finally beginning.
The time had come to showcase everything she had prepared.
Si-hyun once again bolstered her self-confidence.
