The Last-Seat Hero Has Returned

31. Professors in Both Hands (3)

A private dining hall mainly used by professors and their assistants.

The dining hall, which should have been filled with peaceful conversations and compliments, was instead filled with a tense atmosphere that felt like a battlefield.

‘What is this, why did it suddenly turn out like this?’

I looked at the two professors, who were in a standoff, with a confused expression.

“Mr. Dale will be my assistant.”

“Nonsense. Dale has been my cadet since his first year. Naturally, he should come under me.”

The two professors, showing no intention of backing down, were having a nerve-wracking battle over me.

‘No, I don’t want to be an assistant, you old men.’

How did I, a cadet who was barely hanging on, end up in a situation where two professors were fervently vying for me?

‘It’s not like anything particularly special happened.’

Let’s think this through step by step.

First, Professor Jade.

‘All I did was secure some research funding, solve a few problems that even the expert professors found difficult, procure necessary materials for research, and clean up the lab that was practically a junkyard….’

Wait a minute.

Now that I think about it, I did quite a lot.

‘Well, fine! Professor Jade might have his reasons!’

Professor Jade was practically expelled from the school two years ago after an incident that earned him the nickname ‘student killer.’

For the past two years, he was barred from teaching cadets or conducting personal research, so it’s only natural that he would feel an immense sense of loss.

In such a situation, it’s almost inevitable that he would take an interest in someone like ‘Dale Han,’ who appeared like a comet.

‘But Professor Lucas is different.’

Professor Lucas had taken on all sorts of hardships to guide me, who had fallen behind, over the past two years.

He wouldn’t even want to see me as an undergraduate student, let alone an assistant, yet he suddenly wants me to come under him.

‘The only recent incident involving Professor Lucas was… ah.’

Suddenly.

I remembered the time I handed Professor Lucas a bottle of wine and subtly gave him information about Professor Bianca.

“Damn it.”

Who would have thought that my attempt to repay a favor from a past life would result in this?

“Mr. Dale. What do you think?”

“…You. You’re not seriously thinking of going under that crazy professor, are you?”

Professor Jade and Professor Lucas stood on either side of me.

The scene looked like a cheap love comedy from the Republic, with two heroines and an indecisive protagonist caught in between.

‘Why are the heroines professors in my case?’

I rubbed my throbbing forehead and bit my lip hard.

Both professors were indispensable talents for the future war against the demons.

“Professor Jade can research and create various magical items related to stigmas, not just stigma amplifiers. Professor Lucas is not only personally strong but also an excellent leader.”

A situation where neither side could be chosen.

I intervened between the two professors, who seemed ready to fight at any moment.

“Why don’t we go inside and continue our discussion over a meal?”

“A meal? Ha, I have no intention of eating with that guy.”

“I agree.”

“Then do you plan to keep standing here, blocking the way for passersby?”

“That…”

“Ugh.”

The two professors swallowed their pride and looked around.

It seemed they hadn’t lost their social decorum entirely, as they quietly entered the restaurant, still wary of each other.

“……”

“……”

After ordering today’s special, an awkward silence settled over the table.

“Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t know what happened between you two, but to me, you are both respected professors.”

“Hmph. Respect? Who are you to talk about respect when you spend your time loafing around in the professors’ offices?”

“That’s…”

“Whatever. I don’t care if you respect me or not.”

However.

Professor Lucas glared fiercely at Professor Jade.

“I’d prefer not to get involved with that person.”

“That’s my line. You don’t match with such a barbaric and ignorant person.”

“What did you say?”

“Did I say anything wrong?”

“You b*stard…!”

The atmosphere grew tense, as if it could explode at any moment.

“Enough.”

I spoke in a low, calm voice.

“What are you two, grown men, doing acting so disgracefully?”

It was too rude a remark for a cadet to make to a professor, but given the current state of the two professors, it was inevitable.

“Ugh…”

“Ahem. Sorry about that.”

The two professors, realizing the shamefulness of their actions, remained silent without pointing out my tone.

As the awkward atmosphere settled over the table again,

“Hmm? It’s the first time I’ve seen you two together.”

A young man with dark brown hair and a gentle impression approached us.

A man with a youthful appearance that could easily be mistaken for a cadet.

It was Professor Morpheus, whom I had seen during the last ‘Mental Training’ class.

“Oh? The cadet I saw in that class is here too.”

Professor Morpheus looked at me with interest, his eyes shining.

I stood up and bowed my head lightly.

“I had a brief meeting with the two professors, so we were having a meal together.”

“Ah, I see. If it’s not too much trouble, may I join you?”

Before I could answer, Professor Morpheus naturally sat down between Professor Jade and Professor Lucas.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

“With me?”

“Yes. I’m curious how you managed to break my illusion spell in one go.”

Professor Morpheus, with a gentle smile, scrutinized me with sharp eyes.

I shrugged and opened my mouth.

“Well, it’s because you adjusted your strength appropriately when casting the spell, isn’t it?”

“Hmm. Even so, it’s not a spell that can be easily broken. Especially for someone like Cadet Dale, who has very little magical power.”

Morpheus narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he looked at me.

As I was inwardly sweating, thinking that the secret of the ‘Primordial Flame’ might be revealed,

“Didn’t you hear that Dale is in a meeting with us right now?”

“Whatever the situation, it’s not pleasant to see you interrogating Cadet Dale as if he’s committed a crime.”

Professors Lucas and Jade simultaneously glared at Professor Morpheus.

Professor Morpheus, with an awkward smile, turned his gaze away from me.

“Haha. Calm down, both of you. I didn’t mean to scold Cadet Dale.”

Professor Morpheus continued, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

“By the way, I’m curious about the content of the interview.”

“It’s not something you need to know.”

“Oh, come on, just tell me. I helped you with the mental training class before, didn’t I?”

“Hmm.”

Professor Lucas swallowed his silence and fell into a brief contemplation.

Even though they were both professors, Professor Morpheus had much less experience than him, so he could have snapped back, telling him not to brag about helping with a class.

“Tsk.”

Thinking that wasn’t the case, he lightly clicked his tongue and opened his mouth.

“We were discussing who would become the assistant between me and Professor Jade.”

“Oh. This is a more interesting position than I thought.”

Professor Morpheus looked at me, caught between the two professors, and smirked.

“Which side are you more interested in, Candidate Dale?”

“I’m not interested in either.”

“Hmm. That’s what he says.”

“That’s because we just brought up the assistant topic. There’s still two years until graduation, so you can think about it slowly.”

No.

Even if I think about it slowly, I have no intention of doing it, you old man.

“Hahaha! Since both of you, who are known to be picky, are eyeing this candidate… I’m getting interested too. Oh, of course, I was interested from the beginning.”

Professor Morpheus smiled brightly and looked back at me.

‘No, stop it, you people.’

Not only Professor Lucas and Professor Jade, but now even Professor Morpheus.

Why are assistant offers pouring in from all sides, something I never experienced in my previous life?

“Professor Morpheus.”

“Didn’t you hear what we just said?”

“Haha. It’s a joke, a joke. How could I dare covet a candidate already marked by the two professors?”

Should I say it’s a small blessing in disguise?

Professor Morpheus quickly raised the white flag under the territoriality of the two professors who had already preemptively claimed me.

‘Indeed.’

If it were Professors Lucas and Jade, they would be in their tenth year as professors this year.

Even though they were both professors, Professor Morpheus, who hadn’t even reached his third year, couldn’t possibly compete with them.

“Anyway, these days I’m so busy preparing for the Sealing Festival that I don’t have time to pay attention to anything else.”

“Oh, come to think of it, you were in charge of running this year’s Sealing Festival.”

“Yes. From issuing permits for the merchants’ stalls to scheduling the events… Oh, it’s killing me.”

Professor Morpheus shook his head and sighed.

“This is the perfect opportunity to show your skills as a young professor. Didn’t you volunteer to take charge of the Sealing Festival preparations this time?”

“I didn’t know it would be this insanely busy.”

Professor Morpheus sighed and smiled faintly.

“Still, since you’re working hard on the preparations, I hope it becomes a festival that both the professors and the candidates can enjoy.”

“Hmph. It’s the same every year, what’s there to enjoy?”

“Haha. That’s true, but this time we’ve prepared several surprise events, so it will be much more fun than usual.”

Professor Morpheus patted his chest with a confident expression.

“It will be the best festival that no one will forget, so please look forward to it.”

At the bold declaration of the young professor, Professors Lucas and Jade smiled faintly.

“Haha… Youth is good.”

“Well, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Then, I’ll take my leave so as not to disturb the meeting any further.”

Professor Morpheus bowed his head and stood up.

“Now, Dale, let’s continue our conversation from earlier… Huh?”

“What? Where did that guy go?”

After Professor Morpheus left, only the two professors were left at the table.