I couldn’t find her no matter where I looked.
It didn’t seem like she used invisibility magic or something to tease me, since there was no magical presence around…
Besides, she’s not the type to play pranks on people like that.
And it’s not like someone broke through the Academy’s security and kidnapped her… so the only conclusion left is…
“…I don’t know.”
She must’ve had some urgent business that made her leave without saying anything.
If even Aisha would disappear without a word, it must be something serious.
After reaching this conclusion, I cleared my mind of the increasingly complicated thoughts.
Even professors shouldn’t pry into their TAs’ personal lives…
Especially since I knew from years of Academy life how difficult it was to breach its defenses.
Right now, instead of worrying about where Aisha went…
“Hwanyang! I’m here!”
“Hek! Hek!”
My adorable little furball needed petting first!
“Of course I missed you too.”
*pet pet*
“Hek! Hek!”
Even though we’d only been apart for a few hours, he clung to me like crazy, begging for affection.
I had prepared a clone just in case…
But his eyes clearly said “You thought a simple clone would satisfy me? It’s not enough! Pet me more!”
Of course, when he wants it, I have no reason to refuse.
*pet pet pet*
“Hek! Hek! Auuuu!”
Thinking I should make multiple clones next time, I petted him faster.
“You ate all your food nicely, didn’t you? Good boy, Hwanyang!”
Even if it’s normal for carnivores to eat all their meat, praising him is part of being a good owner.
“Hek! Hek!”
*boing*
Hwanyang happily cried out, showing his affection.
They don’t say “Praise can make even whales dance” for nothing.
“Alright Hwanyang, are you hungry? Let’s have lunch?”
“Hek! Hek!”
“After we finish eating, I’ll pet you some more. We’ll spend all day together.”
“Auuuu!”
Did he sense my thoughts? He barked happily in agreement.
* * *
-knock knock-
While having lunch and rolling around with Hwanyang on the floor as exercise…
Someone knocked on the door.
“At this hour, who could it be… Could it be Rianis?”
It might be her coming for today’s question’s answer.
Despite her cold appearance, she showed great passion for teaching.
“Well, can’t be helped.”
A student seeking knowledge is at the door.
Does it matter that it’s the professor’s personal time?
As a teacher, how could I turn away a disciple’s hand?
“Our Hwanyang? Can you go inside for a moment?”
If Hwanyang got excited and tackled a stranger, that would be trouble…
So after quickly sending him inside, I opened the door.
“Please come in, Miss Rianis. Did you come for today’s question…”
However.
The person waiting for me wasn’t Rianis.
“Miss Aisha?”
“Professor… I brought the pet food you requested…”
There she was, standing at the door holding a big bag of feed.
“Feed? Ah, now I remember…”
I recalled asking for pet food yesterday.
Though only a day has passed…
She truly was the best TA. That she handled even annoying requests I could ignore so diligently showed it.
“Um, where should I put this…?”
“I’m sorry, I was lost in thought… Give it to me.”
After taking the feed bag and putting it in the corner of my study, I invited her in.
“Would you like some tea?”
“Thank you…”
“Not at all, I’m the one who should be thankful.”
Glancing at the plain feed bags in the corner.
Though they looked cheap at first glance, good things don’t need fancy advertising.
Having done extensive research before getting a pet, I knew these came from an exclusive shop that required connections to enter unless you wanted regular stuff.
If only I hadn’t wanted a wolf as a pet, I would’ve visited that place myself.
That she brought three bags of limited edition feed from such a place…
Shows how much effort she put in.
‘So she disappeared quietly around lunch for this.’
“No, this was nothing…”
My TA was humble too.
Showing her bright smile without revealing any signs of effort.
It bothered me that all I could offer such a person was a good cup of tea.
People should return favors…
No, return them even better.
Just as I was thinking of asking if she wanted anything…
“Um, Professor…”
She hesitated, asking permission to speak.
Was she going to ask for something herself?
Or did she have something else to say?
Either way, I had no reason to refuse, so I nodded silently.
“That wound… what is it?”
“Wound? What… ah.”
I touched my neck where her gaze was directed.
After rolling around with Hwanyang for hours, my clothes were disheveled.
From this close, the bite marks must be clearly visible.
“That… could it be—”
Her eyes were wavering slightly.
I saw various emotions, but the biggest one was “worry”.
Of course she’d worry about a wound from someone who’s never shown injury before.
‘It’s not really a wound though.’
I didn’t want to cause unnecessary worry over trivial matters, so decided to tell the truth.
Lying about it could cause bigger worries.
And it wasn’t something worth hiding anyway.
“You’re right, Miss Aisha. This is proof that I’m loved.”
“Proof that you’re… loved?”
She covered her mouth, looking skeptical.
‘”Professor is loved…?” Is that what her expression says?
…Come on, that’s kind of hurtful.
‘Fine then, I’ll show you proof.’
To show how much love I give and receive,
And to let Hwanyang get used to Aisha’s scent, I started to stand up.
“Good timing. I was just about to introduce him to you.”
Aisha likes cute things quite a bit, so she’d definitely fall for Hwanyang’s charm.
‘Then she’ll visit my office more often to see Hwanyang. And I’ll take Hwanyang as hostage for paperwork…!’
Perfect plan.
One stroke of paperwork per pat should work.
“Sorry… about this…”
Just before executing the perfect plan, a thunderous voice rang out.
“Huh? Miss Aisha, what do you mean by—”
“I’ll go now…”
Before I could ask what she meant, she roughly stood up.
“Why are you leaving, Miss Aisha? Stay a little longer.”
“It’s fine. I, have something urgent… Goodbye…”
With those words, she left the office in an instant.
What’s going on?
She acted the same at lunch… why does she seem to be avoiding me?
Could it be…
“Do people hate me?”
Why?!
* * *
A few hours earlier.
“Alright, I can do this… Don’t be nervous…”
Aisha was doing deep breaths to calm her nerves in front of the professor’s office.
The piles of sacks in front of her eyes.
The pet food the professor asked for yesterday.
“With this ‘I can’t cut corners on what I give the professor’ mindset,” she spent all her free time in the afternoon to procure the highest grade feed.
Even feed that most nobles would struggle to get, yet her expression remained gloomy.
After all, compared to what she had received, this was nothing.
‘Think positively… At least this is a way to repay little by little…’
Taking a light knock on the door to shake off negative thoughts, she adjusted her breathing and knocked.
-knock knock-
After a light knock, the door opened and he appeared.
She reviewed the script she had practiced countless times in her head to avoid mistakes.
“Just hand over this, and say I’d like to treat him to dinner…”
Saying “Yesterday I ate his food, today I’d like to cook for him” would make him unable to refuse.
“And…”
Of course, it wasn’t just about dinner.
Together with her gratitude for the great favor ten years ago that allowed her to be who she is today…
She planned to confess her feelings towards him that she had nurtured for ten years.
“If by some miracle, he accepts…”
Aisha knew her place well. Perhaps too well.
Her life before salvation was one that didn’t forgive those who didn’t know their place.
But.
There’s always an exception everywhere.
Isn’t the story of a prince falling in love with a beggar girl found throughout history?
“Excuse me, Professor…”
Thinking there was a chance she could be that beggar girl if luck was on her side…
“Those wounds… what are they?”
She was greeted by clear bite marks on the prince’s neck.
