NOVPUBThe next day, Seojun walked through the academy hallways, still yawning and rubbing his eyes. Students greeted him as he passed by.
"Good morning, Professor Jihoon!"
"Good morning Prof!"
"Did you watch the live yesterday Girl? That was crazy!"
"Yeah, I still can't believe someone fought Kang Daewon head-on like that!"
Seojun just nodded politely, The students were still buzzing with excitement over the fight, and he could hear their murmurs.
"Did you see that scythe move? It was insane!"
"Who is that guy, Han Seo? They still can't find who is he?"
"he's super powerful… Do you think if Tae-hyun and Han seo fight? who'll win?"
Seojun sighed quietly, scratching the back of his head. "I guess they won't stop talking about it for a while," he muttered to himself.
As he rounded the corner, someone suddenly bumped into his back. He turned his head, blinking in surprise. The girl who had collided with him stumbled back, massaging her head. Her eyes widened the moment she looked up at him, and she quickly bowed, flustered. "Oh my! Professor Jihoon! I'm so sorry for bumping into you! I wasn't looking!" she apologized, her cheeks flushed.
Seojun blinked for a moment before recognizing her. "It's okay. How are you, Hannah?" he asked calmly.
Hannah smiled brightly. "I'm fine now, Professor! I'm not sick anymore. I'm really sorry for not being able to attend your class."
Seojun stayed quiet for a moment, just staring at her. His gaze was sharp but not unkind, as if he was inspecting her carefully. Hannah blinked in confusion, then nervously touched her face and looked down at her body. "Uh... is there something wrong, Professor?" she asked, her voice a bit shaky.
Seojun shook his head. "Nothing. You just seem to be very energetic today," he replied with a faint smile.
Hannah chuckled, visibly relaxing. "Anyway, Professor, I'm going to class now. Good day to you!" she said with a cheerful wave before turning to run off.
Just then, Nayoung came running down the hall, waving her hand. "Hannah! Finally! I thought you dropped out already!" she shouted, catching up to her.
Hannah laughed, scratching her head. "I'm fine! Just a little sick before, that's all," she replied.
Seojun glanced back at Nayoung and Hannah. "I'll be going first," he said calmly.
Nayoung waved. "We'll follow, Professor!"
As Seojun walked ahead, he could hear Nayoung's excited voice behind him. "Did you know? Professor Jihoon is our homeroom professor!" she told Hannah, who gasped in surprise.
Seojun just smiled faintly and continued toward his building. He climbed the stairs, his footsteps steady, and pushed open the door to his classroom.
The moment he stepped inside, Minseok immediately stood up from his seat. "Good morning, Professor!" he greeted loudly, his eyes shining with respect.
Seojun nodded back. "Good morning, Minseok."
Minseok then quickly looked around before stepping closer to Seojun. He leaned in and whispered, eyes full of excitement. "Yesterday was amazing, Master! I can't believe you fought Kang Daewon head-on! I watched the whole thing live!"
"Hmmm"
Minseok nodded eagerly. "Everyone's talking about it! I knew you were strong, but that was... that was just insane!" patting Minseok's shoulder
he replied,
"Focus on your studies," before heading to his desk.
Minseok sat back down with a sigh. "Seems like Nathan and Elshienne won't be able to attend your classes today, Master," he said casually.
Seojun raised an eyebrow and sighed. "Figured as much," he replied, leaning back in his chair.
Minseok glanced around before leaning in again. "And... Nathan looked really desperate. Maybe what happened yesterday inspired him. I saw him talking to Professor Sera before I came here," he added quietly.
Seojun's eyes narrowed slightly. Nathan, what are you up to?
Suddenly, there was a loud bang as Minseok slammed his hands on the table, standing up abruptly.
Seojun blinked, unfazed by the sudden noise. "What?" he asked calmly.
Minseok marched up to Seojun's desk, grabbing his hand tightly. His eyes were wide with determination. "Master, I'm begging you! Help me, please!" he pleaded, his voice almost cracking.
Seojun sighed and gestured to the seat. "Sit down first. I'm already helping all of you—that's why I'm a professor right now," he replied firmly.
Minseok sat back down, slumping in his chair with a defeated look. "No matter how hard I try... nothing is happening," he mumbled, his hands clenched into fists. His gaze dropped to the floor, frustration clear on his face.
Seojun watched him quietly for a moment, "You're not the type to give up easily, Minseok," he said calmly. "Tell me, what's holding you back?"
Minseok looked puzzled, his eyes blinking rapidly. "I—I don't understand, Master," he stuttered, clearly confused.
Seojun stood up from his chair, stretching his shoulders a bit. "Summon your familiar," he said calmly, his voice steady and commanding.
Minseok hesitated for a moment but quickly got to his feet. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he began chanting softly. A faint glow surrounded him, and moments later, a beautiful bird appeared, its feathers shimmering with a light blue hue. It flapped its wings gently, landing gracefully on Minseok's shoulder.
Seojun watched the bird with sharp eyes before nodding. "Tell me about your familiar," he asked simply.
Minseok glanced at his familiar, still looking a bit confused but answered anyway. "This is Skywing... she's a Gale Falcon. She's fast and can manipulate wind currents to boost her speed. Her vision is really sharp too. She can spot things from miles away," he explained, gently stroking the bird's feathers.
Seojun nodded slowly, observing both Minseok and the familiar. "And how's her growth? Any changes lately?" he asked, his eyes fixed on the falcon.
Minseok hesitated, his eyes dropping slightly. "No... she's been the same since I summoned her. No matter how much I train or bond with her, her strength doesn't change," he admitted, a hint of frustration slipping into his voice.
Seojun remained silent for a moment, then he crossed his arms. "I see... let's fix that," he said firmly.
Minseok's eyes widened in surprise. "Y-You can fix it?" he asked, hope flickering in his expression.
