Chapter 14: S-Rank Temptation

The near-fatal accident was officially classified as a simple mishap where one of Professor Im Sol’s research items was mistakenly mixed in with student training equipment.

From my perspective, it was a life-threatening ordeal, but to others, it seemed minor.

Apparently, even minor magical mishaps can cause someone to cough up blood.

With my agreement, the academy chose to settle the matter quietly, partly to maintain good relations with Professor Im Sol.

I received a personal apology from her, and since I suffered no lasting damage, I let it go.

There was no reason to make enemies out of the academy or its professors.

After the incident was brushed aside, Professor Im Sol kidnapped me.

"Make yourself at home."

She beamed at me.

What was this situation?

The so-called genius mage of the century was sitting in front of me, staring at me like a prized exhibit.

"Ah, I completely forgot! I’ll go make some tea."

Clap, clap.

With two claps of her hands, a teapot and cups flew over from across the room, setting themselves on the table.

She personally picked up the teapot and poured me a cup.

"Here, drink up. Make yourself comfortable."

"Uh, thank you."

I took a sip.

Slurp.

Wait, this is instant coffee.

I glanced up at her. Im Sol, utterly unconcerned with trivialities, continued to stare at me like a sunflower facing the sun.

"Ahem, Professor? So... why did you call me here?"

Her eyes widened as if just remembering something, and she straightened her posture.

"First, let me apologize properly. It was my mistake that caused you harm. I’m truly sorry."

She bowed deeply.

"Oh, no, it’s fine. Really."

"No, I should have given you a formal apology, but the academy wanted to keep things quiet... I’ll make it up to you personally."

"Seriously, don’t worry about it."

When people insist on apologizing, they often want to compensate more.

If she were a truly bad person, she would have just ignored the whole situation.

"Thank you."

"So, is that why you called me here?"

It seemed excessive just for an apology.

She had already given me a token apology after the treatment.

Calling me here again just to repeat it didn’t quite add up.

"I did want to apologize, but there’s something else. I have a proposal for you."

"A proposal?"

This wasn’t in the original story. I kept my face neutral, carefully considering my response.

"It might seem sudden to you, but I want you to help with my research."

"Research? If I can be of help, I’d be happy to, but... is there something I can actually do?"

"Before we get into that, let me ask you something. Earlier, when you manually corrected your mana circuits—where did you learn that?"

Mana control? Why was she suddenly asking about that?

I reconsidered what I knew about Im Sol.

She was a globally recognized magical genius. Not just an exceptional mage, but one acknowledged as an S-class authority in magic.

For someone of her caliber to take interest in my mana control meant she had seen something unusual in it...

The only thing I could think of was [Mana Sensitivity]. Seeing me restore my circuits must have caught her attention.

"Excuse me?"

Ah, I had been lost in thought.

"Sorry, I was just thinking. I never formally learned mana control."

"So it’s entirely your original technique?"

"Uh... I guess?"

Unless someone else had my special ability, I was likely the only one with this method.

"Can I trust that answer?"

"Yes, you can."

She didn’t seem entirely convinced, so I reassured her.

"Hah... Ssshh."

Suddenly, Im Sol began fidgeting like a restless cat, inhaling deeply, before gripping my hands tightly.

"You... Yaze, you’re a genius. Compared to you, even S-class hunters are just sea stars!"

"Sea stars?"

"Yes! Those useless sea stars!"

"... I think that’s a bit much."

Why was she chanting about sea stars so fervently? Did she have some kind of grudge against them?

"This isn’t flattery. With talent like yours, you should be competing on a global level, not just in Korea."

"My talent is that impressive? I thought it was just decent."

Honestly, my mana control was just the result of my skill.

"Hah, if other so-called geniuses heard you say that, they’d want to kill you. For the record, I also tried using that bracelet you unraveled. Even I struggled with it."

"Huh? Really?"

I knew it was dangerous, but if even an S-rank mage had trouble using it, then her reaction made sense.

Was my talent—[Mana Sensitivity]—really that incredible?

"Yes! That’s why I want you to help me with my research. Your abilities could significantly advance the field of magic!"

"Hmm..."

I didn’t particularly care about advancing magic, but working with her might be beneficial.

Even though she wasn’t a heroine, Professor Im Sol’s abilities were exceptional. Having her on my side would be useful for my academy life.

Besides, getting close to a professor wouldn’t hurt.

But there was a problem.

Honestly, I wasn’t confident I could help with her research.

The only reason she was interested in my mana control was because of my unique skill. I had no actual knowledge or expertise to contribute.

The only thing that set me apart from regular people was my understanding of mana, but that was purely instinctual and difficult to explain.

After some thought, I decided to just be honest. I hadn’t even started properly interacting with the heroines yet—I couldn’t afford to waste time on uncertain matters.

"Can I really help? To be honest, my mana control is heavily influenced by my skill, so I don’t think I have the insight needed to assist in your research."

"I figured as much. Actually, you yourself are part of my research."

"What?"

"Believe it or not, I have plenty of funds saved up. I can offer you any reward you want."

Hmm, having extra money wouldn’t be bad...

Seeing my dwindling enthusiasm, Im Sol waved her hands urgently.

"No, you don’t get it! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for humanity! We could revolutionize the field of magic!"

She was so worked up that she grabbed her hair and messed it up, looking like a crazed magic fanatic.

As she frantically shook her head, her hood fell back, fully revealing her feline-like face.

In the game, she had given off a cool and mature vibe. How had she turned into such an eccentric mess?

Did her personality change when magic was involved?

"Uh... Professor, please calm down and explain."

"Alright. Deep breath... Hah..."

She placed a hand on her chest and took deep breaths. The movement drew attention to her figure, which was undeniably attractive.

Damn it. Why did her earlier comment about giving me anything I wanted keep echoing in my head? Stay focused.

"...Are you interested in my chest?"

"W-what?!"

How did she know? I had only stolen a few glances when her robe shifted!

Im Sol pursed her lips, then stood up with a determined look in her eyes.

Swish—

Her robe slipped off, cascading to the floor.

Beneath it, she wore a casual pink oversized t-shirt that barely hung over her chest and a pair of black leggings hugging her thighs.

It was a purely comfortable outfit, but her curvaceous figure made it look anything but modest.

She casually moved to sit right beside me.

A sweet, feminine scent, different from fabric softener, overwhelmed my senses.

"As an apology... if this is what you want, I can accept it."

Why is she doing this? Professor, you’re scaring me...

She leaned in, tilting her head to look up at me from below.

Looking down at a beautiful woman like this felt strangely awkward—but also exhilarating.

Her slender fingers traced up from my waist, slowly moving higher.

Tap. Tap.

Even those light touches felt strangely sensitive, sending shivers through me.

As her face moved closer and her fingers continued their ascent, I started to lose focus.

"Yaze, will you join my research?"

"...I’d be honored to contribute to the advancement of global magic."

"Good choice. Hehe."

Yes, living with a broad, world-changing perspective was definitely the right way to go.

***