Chapter 95

Alright.

This was the only thought in my mind.

Even though I fortified my Mental Barrier as strongly as I could, no countermeasures came to mind.

Was my Mental Barrier broken due to the overwhelming situation I faced?

Or was it more accurate to say that even with Mental Arts, I could find no solution to this predicament?

No matter what, one thing was certain: I was standing at the edge of a precipice.

An Academy professor who had saved a revealing photo of a student on their cell phone.

It’s the perfect sensational material to stir up public discourse.

That photo undoubtedly was secretly taken by Professor Han.

But would such an explanation hold water now?

Well, of course not.

How many days had passed since the day the photo was taken?

An excuse that I’m seeing it for the first time today wouldn’t work either.

Because there are new photos taken after Professor Han’s.

Forgetting to delete it is a laughable excuse; even an F-rank Villain would scoff at it.

Come on, Mental Barrier.

Quickly, summon your cold rationality and devise some kind of countermeasure!

“Hmm…”

Yu Hye-won, who had been silent while looking at the phone, finally spoke.

“Hye-won student, please listen to me. That photo…”

“How dare you secretly save this kind of photo on my professor’s phone?”

Hye-won interrupted my words while grinding her teeth.

“Such audacity, acting like everything’s fine because of some favoritism?”

“Uh, Hye-won student. The situation now is…”

“Huh? The size is really vulgar. What is this? Why is the belly fat like that?”

Hye-won frowned with evident irritation and slowly scrutinized the picture.

“In any case, those who act innocent and pretend they know nothing turn out to be extremely lewd.”

First of all, it was a relief.

Judging from the words Hye-won had spat out, I wasn’t being misjudged in some odd way right now.

But that was a dangerously complacent thought.

Hye-won soon gave me a devilish smile and looked down at me sitting on the sofa.

“Professor. Why do you still have this photo?”

“I forgot to delete it. I was so busy preparing for evaluations. I just remembered when things settled down during today’s emergency standby and was about to delete it.”

“Huh? Was that the case? It’s been five hours since the emergency standby began. You don’t mean to say you realized you should’ve deleted it earlier only because I saw it?”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“What did you do while looking at this photo for five hours?”

“No, I did nothing. I was reading.”

I pointed at the book half-opened on the sofa but when Hye-won glanced at it, her smile grew wider.

“Hmm. You even left a way out. Our professor is thorough, isn’t he?”

“Hye-won student. It’s true. Please hand over the phone. I’ll delete it right before your eyes.”

“No, no.”

As I reached out, Hye-won shook her head and held the phone above her head.

“This is evidence.”

“Evidence of what?”

“Evidence that the professor has been doing inappropriate things with a minor student’s lewd photo.”

“I’ve already told you: nothing happened. Wasn’t threatening me with this fun the last time too?”

“Threatening? But you enjoyed it back then too. You didn’t just pat me, you deliberately teased and twisted my sensitive points.”

“Not at all. You’re talking about grape raisins on bread in a dream… Anyway, give it here. Unless you want to get me dismissed from my professorship.”

“No.”

Hye-won raised her arm higher and pressed my shoulder as I attempted to rise.

“A minor’s lewd photo in your possession deserves punishment.”

“Hye-won student, do you really want me gone from the Academy?”

Still smiling, Hye-won spoke casually.

“I’m going to punish you now. You can’t refuse anyway.”

You’re so high on this situation.

“Alright… Let’s hear what this punishment is.”

“Kiss me.”

At this thunderous statement, I was lost for words and stared blankly at Hye-won.

I had no clue what kind of mad talk this was.

Mental Barrier, are you not working?

As I remained silent, Hye-won spoke again.

“You didn’t understand? I’m giving you the chance to kiss me.”

“Is that… the punishment?”

“Ah, so to an old bachelor, it’s not a punishment but a reward, right?”

“Why are you making such a sudden proposal?”

“That’s simple. I’m always number one, right? I can’t lose to this stupid kid?”

I couldn’t understand Hye-won’s thought process.

But one thing was very clear.

I had absolutely fallen into a deep trap.

As Hye-won said, I couldn’t refuse.

If I refused or forcibly took the phone, Hye-won would definitely scream, create a fuss, and call in the center’s agents.

A late-night emergency standby room where it’s just a professor and their disciple.

And the professor’s phone has an explicit photo of their guidance student saved.

And because I infiltrated without setting off the perimeter, I can’t prove Hye-won came of her own accord.

If Hye-won testifies that I coerced her into compromising situations for grades, I’d be a goner.

As if reading my thoughts, Hye-won approached me with a devilish smile.

“Just stay still. It’s good for both of us.”

Hye-won climbed onto my knees and encircled my neck with her arms.

“You’re going to kiss, right?”

I had to admit that I had fallen into a trap from which there was no escape.

Of course, I too had my own cards to play.

If I strongly resisted, Hye-won would follow through on her threat to bring in the center’s agents and falsely accuse me, but she wouldn’t want it to come to that situation where I’d almost certainly be dismissed from my professorship.

But the reason I wasn’t rejecting her semi-forced proposal outright… well, I’m not entirely sure.

There was a sense of guilt for having treated Hye-won harshly, believing I was possessed; it also had something to do with the bond that had developed ever since establishing the Golden Viper and Grey Mold.

But, above all… Hye-won is attractive.

Although I can’t say her personality is admirable, her looks and occasional glimpses of a kind nature make it hard for me to refuse her outright.

There’s no evidence that Hye-won was here, and if we both keep quiet, no one will ever know.

So to a certain extent…

No, wait. What am I thinking?!

While I was pondering how to strengthen my Mental Barrier, Hye-won pulled my neck toward her and pressed her lips onto mine.

Ah.

Her lips were hot and moist.

Her breath tickled my face irregularly and the arms around my neck trembled slightly.

Honestly, I couldn’t have imagined such a situation would occur.

Kissing Hye-won, of all people, in the emergency standby room?

What kind of cosmic joke is this?

Shouldn’t I refuse now before it’s too late?

But I couldn’t.

Even while thinking to push her away, I remained with my lips on hers.

I truly… what do I feel about Hye-won?

We stayed like that silently for a while.

The sound of the situational room officer answering the phone outside the door faintly reached our ears, signaling the eerie stillness that fell over the emergency standby room.

That’s odd.

Why wasn’t she doing anything after initially pressing so aggressively to kiss like she’d bite?

After quite some time had passed, and because Hye-won hadn’t made any move, I quietly opened my eyes.

She had her eyes tightly shut, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

What is she doing? Surely…

Gently pushing her away, I asked.

“Hye-won student. Is this your first kiss?”

“You, asking such a thing— isn’t that extremely rude!?”

Hye-won responded with stammered anger in a low tone.

That cocky confidence of hers has vanished.

Hye-won, sweating and blushing, was unbearably cute.

Despite her previous over-confidence.

So sweet and charming was her flustered, red-faced Hye-won that I impulsively pulled her waist closer.

Even though she pressed against me, she looked flustered and tried to pull away.

“I never gave permission for this!”

“But it was you who seduced me first, Hye-won student.”

“S, seduce? Hah! Who’s the one that secretly molested while asleep first time—?!”

“That was you too. You must take responsibility for your actions. It’s all Hye-won student’s fault.”

“Just… wait a minute…”

“If you scream, everyone outside will hear.”

Startled, Hye-won pressed her hands over her mouth.

Seeing her huge, frightened eyes staring at the door reminded me of her earlier threat to scream if I refused her—now she was trembling at the thought of being overheard.

She’s so… adorable.

“Wasn’t this what you wanted?”

“Huh… it is… but…”

“Aren’t you scared now that it’s really happening?”

“It’s not… scared…”

“Then come here. I’ll take care of it.”

After a brief hesitation, with a trembling glance at me, Hye-won bashfully nodded.

“Okay…”

Just as our lips were about to meet again…

Suddenly, the wall-mounted siren began to blare loudly.

Startled, Hye-won shot off me and I jumped off the couch, rushing to the door.

“Ah, professor! Over there!”

Turning around, I saw Hye-won fidgeting with her hands, unsure of what to do.

“J, j… be careful…! Don’t get hurt!”

“I will. Thanks.”

Kicking open the door, I ran to the central control room, where one of the officers immediately informed me to head to the entrance of the administrative building right away.

Suspicious movements had been detected on the CCTV, and while the current guards were on their way, they needed backup just in case.

By the time I reached the entrance of the Administrative Building, the main hall security forces were already surrounding unknown figures, guns drawn.

What kind of fool would openly attempt to infiltrate the Administrative Building, with CCTV everywhere?

Pushing aside the security personnel, I walked forward, at which point I wanted to tear my hair out.

“Heh heh, professor…”

Han Min-ha was sitting there laughing foolishly, wearing a large cardboard box over her head.

And beside her, in another cardboard box, Song Do-yoon sat with an expressionless face.

Surely they didn’t climb here wearing such shoddy disguises just to see me?

“Professor. You were caught by the CCTV sneaking and crawling in the box. What will you do?”

Oh dear…

It turns out the fools are my own students…

The three of us sure aren’t having a good day…