Professor Lena's Home
"I'm sorry, Professor, for barging into your house like this."
The first thing I did was lower my head slightly, aiming for a gentlemanly gesture.
They say if you want to make a good impression on a woman, you should act like a gentleman. The more nervous you are, the worse your chances.
…And judging by the subtle change in her expression, my plan was working.
Just to be clear—I wasn't trying to flirt or anything. I just wanted to ensure a smooth academy life.
Professor Lena gave me a small, reassuring smile and shook her head.
"Oh, no need to apologize. If anything, I should be the one saying sorry. I was the one who insisted you come here. You must feel awkward… after all, we're practically strangers."
Huh?
See what I mean? My rating in her eyes was definitely rising.
But there was one thing I needed to correct.
"Strangers? What are you talking about, Professor? We're not strangers."
She blinked, momentarily thrown off. "We're not?"
No way was I going to let her think otherwise. She was my secret friend, after all—even if she didn't know it.
"…Professor."
"…Yes?"
Her voice carried a hint of confusion, but she quickly masked it with her usual composed demeanor.
I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head. "Never mind."
She studied me for a second before deciding to let it go. "You must be hungry. Let's eat first. What would you like?"
I blinked. "Wait… you're cooking?"
"Of course. Cooking is my specialty."
I already knew that.
Her best dish was chicken fried rice.
"Then… is chicken fried rice okay?"
As soon as I said it, I realized my mistake.
Professor Lena's hand stilled for a fraction of a second. Her gaze sharpened ever so slightly before she composed herself.
"…You like chicken fried rice?"
Shit.
I forced a casual nod. "Uh, yeah. Why? Is that weird?"
She tilted her head, studying me again.
Then, just as quickly, she smiled.
"No, not at all."
Crisis averted.
But I knew exactly why she reacted that way.
Chicken fried rice had been her younger brother's favorite meal. He had been frail and sickly, but he used to light up whenever she made it for him. After his passing, she had perfected the dish—maybe as a way to keep his memory alive.
By asking for it so casually, I must've stirred up something painful.
I clenched my fists.
I need to be more careful.
"Excuse me, Cadet Rin Evans."
"Yes?"
"If you don't mind, can we drop the formalities?"
I blinked. "Uh… sure?"
"And if possible," she hesitated slightly, her voice softer, "could you just call me Lena?"
That caught me off guard.
Calling her "secret friend" in my head was one thing, but addressing her so casually felt… a bit much.
She must have sensed my hesitation because she let out a light chuckle and shook her head.
"Oh dear, what am I saying? I'm sorry. I must have lost my mind for a moment."
I opened my mouth to say something but stopped myself.
Now that I thought about it… her brother would have been old enough to enter the academy this year.
Maybe, for just a moment, she saw a little bit of him in me.
But still, that wasn't a good sign.
In World's Greatest Hero, there was a chapter titled [Unforgettable Tragedy], where Professor Lena revealed her past to Ryen, one of the novel's protagonists.
She spoke about her younger brother—how he had died during a villain terrorist attack while trying to save a boy around his age.
Her brother had been frail, just like me, but unlike me, he had a strong sense of justice.
And yet, here I was—surviving the same kind of situation he hadn't at the entrance ceremony of the Velcrest Academy, while acquiring [Purest Tear] and [The Oath of the Saint] artifacts. And worse, in her eyes, I had displayed the same reckless sense of justice, willingly throwing my life away to protect others.
By others I mean her at the dungeon.
But that can't be helped I have already promised myself that I would protect her which I did.
Anyways, There was no mistake.
She was thinking of me as her dead younger brother.
…But that was wrong.
And she knew it too.
I might joke around and call her my "secret friend," but we couldn't become family.
I wouldn't—couldn't—take her brother's place.
By now, she probably knew what I was thinking. She must have just been subconsciously reminded of him.
"…If calling me by my name feels too awkward, then how about something more natural?" She hesitated, then smiled. "Like 'big sis'?"
Professor, I think that would be even more difficult…
I couldn't sleep well that night, thanks to her bringing up the 'big sis' thing again after I came out of the shower.
Of course, I slept on the sofa.
…It was a bit of a waste.
***
The Morning After
The first thing I felt when I woke up was a dull ache in my back.
Sleeping on a sofa wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it wasn't great either. I stretched my arms with a groan, trying to shake off the stiffness.
The faint scent of food lingered in the air—warm, savory, and unmistakably homemade.
I turned my head and saw Professor Lena—no, Lena—setting the table.
"You're awake?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder with a small smile.
I nodded, rubbing my eyes. "Yeah… morning."
Her expression softened. "Good morning."
I sat up and ran a hand through my hair, glancing toward the table. A plate of steaming chicken fried rice sat in the center, along with a small bowl of soup and some side dishes.
"…You really made it?"
Lena chuckled. "You asked for it, didn't you?"
I hesitated.
After what happened last night, I thought she might avoid making it. But instead, she cooked it as if nothing had happened.
Was this her way of saying she was fine? Or was she just pretending?
She pulled out a chair and motioned for me to sit. "Come on, eat before it gets cold."
I walked over and sat down, eyeing the dish. The presentation was perfect—each grain of rice coated evenly in sauce, garnished lightly with green onions and a fried egg on top.
Lena sat across from me, resting her chin on her hand. "Try it."
I picked up the spoon, scooped a bite, and put it in my mouth.
…Damn.
It was really good.
The balance of flavors, the texture—everything was spot on. It was obvious how much care went into making it.
I swallowed and glanced up at her. "It's delicious."
She smiled. "I'm glad."
For a moment, we ate in silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but rather a quiet, peaceful one.
...And just like that after eating the breakfast, I withdraw myself from her house after giving my gratitude to her and headed towards the Velcrest Academy.
While leaving her house I could see that she wanted me say the word 'big sis' to her but like I said it was wrong.
"Anyway, let's head to Velcrest Academy."