The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 192

“It’s a famous place, I hope it suits your taste, Professor.”

“…Thank you.”

It was a top-tier fine dining restaurant overlooking the lake.

As splendid as the view was, the atmosphere and taste of the food were unparalleled.

This tourist spot, ‘Lake Forest,’ was a must-visit, but I had previously given up on it due to its exorbitant prices. However, there was a sudden reason for coming here.

“Thank you for guiding Theren so well over the last semester.”

“…That’s too kind.”

“Not at all. Theren always talks about you, Professor. Today’s meal is a token of gratitude from a parent.”

Duchess Louis, the Sword King, was sitting across from me.

…I was being treated to a meal.

‘I feel like I might choke.’

The meal itself was excellent.

As mentioned, it was the best fine dining experience, and my dining partner, Duchess Louis, was a stunning beauty.

Dressed not in her usual uniform but in a dress, Louis was breathtakingly beautiful, making it difficult to guess her age. It’s no wonder she topped the gossip daily’s survey among married noblemen as the ‘Number 1 woman I’d like to have an affair with.’

Curiously, the ‘man I’d like to have an affair with’ survey among married noblewomen had Duke Huam and Duke Alfonso vying for the top two spots back and forth.

I could understand the votes for Duke Huam, but voting for Duke Alfonso made me wonder what they were thinking.

‘Come to think of it, wasn’t my name also in the latest issue of the gossip daily under the “Rising Stars” section?’

The Rising Star of the (Desirable Man) List, Van the Legend Professor! The ladies of the nobility can’t help but notice him! Look forward to next month’s voting results!

I remember being shocked by such an article and quickly closing the magazine.

It was about time for the main dish to be served.

“I’m sorry for showing such an embarrassing side of myself today.”

I looked at Duchess Louis for a moment.

Though she pretended otherwise, she was immersed in her thoughts.

“Well, I actually envied you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Being able to argue so loudly with family, doesn’t that also signify a level of trust between each other?”

“!!”

Yes.

Such fights were possible precisely because of the unconscious trust that such incidents wouldn’t cause a permanent rift.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Duchess Louis made a bitter face.

“Thank you. But I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing. Splitting a mountain with a single stroke of the sword is easy, but parenting is much harder.”

I remained silent.

Being a good parent doesn’t necessarily ensure the proper growth of one’s children.

Especially in Theren’s case, which was literally ‘fall from case,’ regardless of what Duchess Louis did, it was likely to go astray.

“I apologize. I shouldn’t have brought up such a pointless topic. Let’s eat. Have you considered the offer I made before?”

“About becoming a knight? I must decline.”

“If you trained in swordsmanship with you being a Heavenly Restrained Vessel, you could certainly become the strongest knight. Our family of renowned swordsmen would provide full support…”

“Not that. Do you know Kansir? He should be Your Grace’s nephew, but he takes his fellow professors too lightly. As the head of the family, please give him a stern rebuke.”

Seemingly avoiding further discussion on Theren, I also refrained from mentioning it further and finished the meal with various other conversations.

 

*    *    *

 

Night fell.

“…….”

I lay in bed at the hotel arranged by the Republic’s government, then suddenly sprang up.

“…I think I’ll go for a walk.”

There was time to spare for resolving the erosion.

It wasn’t as if this condition had just arisen over a year or two.

I planned to prepare leisurely, intending to laze in bed on the first day, but my mind changed.

True to its reputation as a famous resort, the streets were filled with lights even at night.

There were many attractions that caught my eye, but I ignored them and moved on.

‘Will he be there?’

The person I intended to meet now was Theren.

He was in a state of running away (?) after fighting with Duchess Louis.

I didn’t know where he had gone, but I kept walking.

Somehow, I had a hunch about where to find him.

And then.

Moon Lake.

A spot known for its wide lake and the bright moon hanging overhead.

Theren was staring blankly at the moon.

“…….”

I remained silent for a moment.

I felt a sense of déjà vu.

I had seen a scene exactly like this in the game.

At that time, Theren was also looking up at the moon here.

Endlessly.

Drenched in blood. Crying.

“Professor Van?”

Theren recognized me and slightly furrowed his brow.

That was only for a moment, then he composed himself.

“I’m sorry you had to see me like this. I’ll return soon and make up with my mother. You don’t have to worry.”

It was the likable, model student and sociable smile that everyone at the Ruby Academy loved.

But, for some reason?

I suddenly thought,

‘Ah, I dislike Theren.’

From the beginning, I didn’t particularly like Theren.

I thought it was because I disliked the trouble he would cause when he began his ‘wandering,’ but that wasn’t it.

‘It’s jealousy.’

Of course, it wasn’t like I equally liked all 16 protagonists.

There were those I liked more, those I liked less, and those I disliked.

Those I disliked, for example, Theren or Bern-Beril, had something in common.

They caused trouble despite having a privileged background.

‘I’m disqualified as a professor.’

But it couldn’t be helped.

I’m human, after all.

How can one not envy that?

Too blessed, not even knowing if it’s a blessing.

Shaking my head, I hid those feelings and kindly said,

“That’s a good decision. They must be worried about you, so you should return.”

But why?

Theren’s expression turned sour.

“As expected, you’re no different from the other adults.”

“What?”

“Why was I born into this family? It would have been better if I hadn’t met parents like them.”

“!!”

Suddenly, something surged up in my chest.

Such an immature statement.

But I controlled my emotions like an adult.

Above all, I knew.

How much Theren would regret this behavior in the future.

How bitterly he would cry by this moonlit lake.

“If you dislike them, you don’t have to reconcile.”

“Are you angry?”

“No, I’m sincerely saying this. It doesn’t matter, right? No matter how long you’re upset, it won’t damage your relationship with your mother.”

“…….”

Theren’s eyebrows twitched.

But he didn’t say anything more.

“You know well. Then, please go ahead, Professor.”

“No, I can’t just leave you be. Even if reconciling with your mother is your personal matter, I’m your professor. I can’t just ignore a student who has run away.”

“Ha! I don’t need that kind of concern!”

Grrr.

Just then, Theren’s stomach made a loud noise.

“Have you eaten today?”

“…….”

“Follow me. It’s an order from your professor.”

Whether it was because of my firm tone or just his hunger, Theren silently followed me.

I made sure he was well-fed.

Watching him eat silently, I finally spoke.

“Done eating?”

“…Yes.”

“Here, this is the bill for what you’ve eaten. With the tip, it’s 75 Penas. This is a tourist spot, so it’s incredibly expensive.”

“!!”

Theren looked panicked.

It might be a negligible amount for a noble, but it was a significant sum for an ordinary student.

Of course, Theren probably had an unlimited credit card given by his mother, but what right did he have to use it, given his runaway status?

“If you don’t have the money, I’ll pay for you. But in return, you’ll have to do me a favor.”

“Ha. So you planned this from the start.”

“Don’t take the world so lightly. There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.”

Theren glared at me fiercely, but what could he do?

“…What do you want me to do?”

“Keep me company.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Having come all the way to a resort, it’s boring to play alone. I’ve never really played before, so I don’t even know how to enjoy myself. You, being the social butterfly, will have to teach me.”

Theren looked incredulous, but it wasn’t just a simple request.

‘I need it.’

As mentioned earlier, I needed someone’s help to solve the erosion.

Given the personality of the person I needed to persuade, social skills were required.

And then.

‘They say to give an extra rice cake to the one you dislike.’

Even if Theren was someone I disliked, I didn’t want to see him returning to Moon Lake, crying his eyes out. 

Especially when that time comes, his sword would be stained with his mother’s blood.

 

 

* * *

It’s not that I expected some dramatic change in Theren right away.

‘Theren’s issue will be a long-term battle.’

For now, the goal was to become a bit friendlier with each other.

Even that would be enough.

‘But how do extroverts have fun? Attending parties wildly, dancing their hearts out?’

Ruby Academy’s top extrovert, Theren, was.

“Look straight into the magic light lens. I told you, you can’t take it like that.”

“…More pictures?”

“We’ve only taken 500 so far.”

Pictures, pictures, and more pictures!

‘Why is uploading selfies to the Philosopher’s Stone server so important that we’re only taking pictures here?!’

“Don’t you go to parties? It seems like there are a lot of them here at the resort.”

“I don’t like parties. They’re too noisy. And I can’t drink well.”

“…….”

This guy, despite being an extrovert, was a model student extrovert!

“Tonight, we’ll attend a masquerade ball, so get ready.”

“A masquerade ball? Wow! Professor, I didn’t know you had such tastes. I never even imagined attending such an inappropriate event as a masquerade ball. Well, you were chosen as a ‘Desirable Man’ by the gossip daily, weren’t you?”

Masquerade balls were places of deviation, thanks to their nature of anonymous participation, allowing attendees to hide their identities.

‘Why does that person even like this place?’

I sighed inwardly.

‘The goal.’

That is, the person I needed help from this time wasn’t necessarily someone of ill-repute but enjoyed masquerade balls.

‘Perhaps it’s because they can’t show their faces to others. But it’s troublesome.’

Nonetheless, night fell, and we attended the masquerade ball.

The moment I stepped in.

“!!”

“Who is that man?”

All eyes in the hall turned towards me.

A distinguished presence.

Even though I was wearing a mask, the charisma emanating from the Black Flame Dragon drew everyone’s attention.

‘To those who see me often, it might seem pretentious, but to those meeting me for the first time, it must feel impressive.’

Basking in the admiration for the first time in a while, the Black Flame Dragon couldn’t resist making a statement.

“A toast to the sparkle in everyone’s eyes.”

“…….”

Everyone turned away with a cold look, seemingly finding it difficult to continue facing my overly splendid demeanor.

“Wow, it’s really lively here. Professor, stand there. I’ll take a proof shot in the pose number 28 I taught you.”

While Theren, quickly adapting to the atmosphere, was excitedly taking photos for verification,

The ballroom became quiet again.

Just like when I made my entrance.

No, it was an even deeper silence.

Turning my gaze, I saw a girl entering, dressed in a gown.

While most wore half-masks that allowed one to guess the contours of their face, she wore a rabbit mask that completely covered her face.

Her dress was modest, with no exposure at all.

Yet, people couldn’t take their eyes off the girl.

It was because of the ‘aura’ she exuded.

Merely by existing, she seemed to radiate a glowing light.

‘Indeed, impressive.’

Yes.

I knew who that girl was.

Muse Juliet.

The sub-main protagonist of the support department and the greatest musical star of this era.

She was the ‘target’ I needed to persuade.

I had to convince her.