Chapter 15- Academic Advisory Assignment (7)
An advisory professor guides students to achieve good grades and graduate safely.
So rather than the relationship between professors and graduate students in the real world, the term mentor would be more appropriate.
Unlike graduate students who work like slaves, guided students actively utilize professors for help.
It’s also beneficial for professors’ careers when their guided students succeed and become active as heroes later.
In that sense, Yu Hee-won might be the best guided student, while Han Min-ha…
Han Min-ha’s grades, which I viewed using my authority as an advisory professor, were truly dismal.
It seems like bringing in a regular high school student with good physical conditions might be better than this.
However… this probably isn’t Han Min-ha’s limit.
Usually, people with low self-esteem can’t see their level clearly and fail to demonstrate their abilities.
If my feeling is correct, Han Min-ha’s Aura is extremely powerful.
If I can just help her use it properly, Han Min-ha can definitely go higher.
“Professor Gyo!”
As I was leaving the research building for a lecture, Professor Jin Se-young caught up with me from behind.
“Are you going to lecture?”
“Yes. How about you, Professor Jin?”
“Me too. Let’s go together.”
Professor Jin was dressed like a swimmer before a competition.
A form-fitting full-body training suit that minimizes friction during flight and prevents injury.
Professor Jin, wearing loose training clothes over it, was radiating a healthy charm.
She was a completely different type of person from me, who was suffering like gray mold with tuberculosis.
By the way, I really haven’t been coughing lately, so I feel like I might live.
Is it really because of Han Min-ha?
“Professor Jin. About Han Min-ha.”
“Min-ha? What about her?”
“How is she?”
“Min-ha… she’s just barely gotten off the ground. Other students can already do low-altitude flight, so she’s quite behind.”
“I see. Have you checked Min-ha’s Aura?”
“Aura. Right.”
Professor Jin nodded as if she understood the intent of my question.
“You must have noticed too, Professor. That kid Min-ha. Her Aura is remarkably pure.”
Here, ‘Pure’ means having high purity.
Let’s see.
At this time, there aren’t many courses that require direct aura operation.
Basic Defense under my charge, Flight and Guidance under Jin Se-young, and Comprehensive Attack under Yu Hyun-ju.
That’s how it is so far.
Among those, Comprehensive Attack would currently focus mainly on physical combat like regular fighting.
This essentially means that only Se-young and I have closely examined Min-ha’s Aura.
“Han Min-ha is a hero’s child with admission points. That’s why.”
“I know that. But isn’t it strange? Children of heroes usually handle Aura much more easily, but she’s kind of… how should I put it…”
“Seems foolish.”
“Ahaha…”
At my expression, Professor Jin could neither agree nor disagree and just laughed.
It’s true, but she seems reluctant to call her students foolish.
What a kind and pure personality.
“Anyway, it’s good. With someone like Professor Gyo guiding that child, she’ll probably advance to the upper class quickly.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“But Professor Gyo, why did you suddenly take on a student advisor role? And someone like Min-ha at that?”
“Well, you could call it unnecessary meddling. I just thought that if I could guide a struggling student that everyone else has given up on and help them graduate safely, I might find fulfillment in my profession as a professor.”
At my lie, Professor Jin Se-young clasped her hands and her eyes sparkled.
“As expected… Professor Gyo…”
* * * * *
The faculty department has currently matched all students and professors appropriately, and if students have no major objections to the results, the selection process is concluded.
Since it’s the result of quite a long period of coordination, it doesn’t usually change much from here.
The biggest concern when taking Han Min-ha as an Advisory Student was Yu Hee-won’s reaction.
Things like ‘How dare you with someone like Han Min-ha?’ or ‘I’m Professor Gyo’s only Advisory Student.’
But it’s not that I haven’t prepared any countermeasures for that.
“Hello, Professor.”
The students just entered the classroom and naturally sat on their individual mats.
For about the first ten minutes of class, we always do meditation like this to calm our minds.
The upper classes were already at a level of deploying basic barriers, so there was no longer any need for teaching assistants to come in with steel pipes.
Standing at the podium receiving students’ greetings, soon Yu Hee-won entered the lecture hall leading a group.
When I saw them before, there were about three people, but now Yu Hee-won’s followers have grown to nearly ten.
Roughly half of the class is already loyal to Yu Hee-won.
While there are several other upper classes, Yu Hee-won’s class is the highest among them.
Half of the class follows Yu Hee-won around like hunting dogs.
If I were to guess, if those children graduate without issues, they might form a new hero force centered around Yu Hee-won.
Originally heroes never cooperate with each other, but that’s uncertain.
Wait…
How was it in the original work?
Did Yu Hee-won keep those children as subordinates, or did she act alone…
I tried to recall but couldn’t remember well.
Perhaps I naturally forgot after being possessed for quite some time.
It wasn’t the only novel I read, and it wasn’t a masterpiece enough to be etched in my mind.
Since I know the general plot, I suppose it doesn’t matter if I don’t remember the details.
* * * * *
Right after the lecture ended, Yu Hee-won came to find me.
“The academic advisor assignments seem a bit strange.”
“I’d like to know in what way it seems strange.”
“Han Min-ha. What’s with that?”
“Student Han Min-ha’s grades were too poor, so other professors didn’t want Han Min-ha. That’s why I, who teaches an unpopular subject, took them. Students must have an academic advisor. I don’t see any major problems.”
With my mental barrier up, no one can detect my lie.
As expected, Yu Hee-won noticed nothing and continued protesting.
“I’m not talking about procedural issues, Professor. How did I, who ranked first in the basic evaluation, end up being grouped with someone who couldn’t even pass the basic evaluation and just fainted?”
“Are you saying your grades will drop if you’re with student Han Min-ha? I didn’t know you were that limited.”
“What?”
“Someone of your caliber should rather help Han Min-ha’s grades improve. Or is it that you don’t want to associate with someone from a lower class?”
When I directly pointed out the character issue, Yu Hee-won didn’t respond to that and looked at me with a slightly indignant expression before saying something else.
“Didn’t you originally say you wouldn’t take me, Professor?”
“I changed my mind. People’s hearts are constantly moving, after all.”
“Is that so? Perhaps there weren’t any external factors that influenced your change of mind?”
I smiled while meeting Yu Hee-won’s gaze. “I can’t deny that. There were such things, and internal factors too. Though I suppose there’s no need to emphasize that internal factors had a greater influence.”
“What might that internal factor be, Professor Gyo Su-hyeon?”
While maintaining a solid mental barrier, I delivered my prepared lines. “It’s this: When student Yu Hee-won, whom other professors lined up to advise, declined them and chose me, it wouldn’t be right for me to refuse – neither to Yu Hee-won nor to the other professors.”
“I had no idea you were such a warm-hearted person who cared about such things.”
Despite Yu Hee-won’s sarcasm, I maintained my smile and continued speaking. “And student Yu Hee-won had already considered me through the school website before enrollment, and even approached me first during the entrance ceremony.”
“Hmm.”
Yu Hee-won waited for my next words with her arms crossed.
“I’m very grateful for that. Of course, I won’t deny that the first impression wasn’t very good. It’s true that Yu Hee-won’s attitude towards others is somewhat inappropriate.”
“That’s…”
Yu Hee-won tried to argue, but I ignored it and continued speaking.
“But perhaps I thought that could be an awkward expression of pride in her talents and abilities.”
“What…?”
I continued speaking while giving Yu Hee-won an eye smile.
“So… maybe if I guide an outstanding student like Yu Hee-won, I could feel pride and fulfillment in choosing this profession.”
Caught off guard by the sudden change in attitude, Yu Hee-won stared at me blankly, unable to find words.
Right now, I’m setting the stage so that Yu Hee-won can implicitly accept Han Min-ha, since things have turned out this way.
Making her think that I chose her of my own will and that choosing Han Min-ha was just a procedural necessity.
Making her think that having a student with poor grades next to her will make her stand out more.
For that, there’s nothing better than ‘lifting up’.
“That’s why I chose Yu Hee-won as my student. Do you understand now?”
“Ah, yes… if that’s the case, I can understand…”
It’s not really up to her whether she understands or not, but that doesn’t matter.
What’s important is making sure Yu Hee-won doesn’t cause trouble about becoming a student under the same advisor as Han Min-ha.
“Thank you for wanting me as your advisor, Hee-won.”
When I smiled brightly, Yu Hee-won hurriedly avoided my gaze.
“Let’s do well together.”
The feeling when church people doing door-to-door evangelism ring the doorbell expecting rejection, but suddenly the door opens wide and they’re invited in for tea and conversation.
That must be how Yu Hee-won feels right now.
For a while, Yu Hee-won just quietly stared at me with a slightly dazed expression.
Then soon, she opened her mouth with her characteristic shrewd smile.
“Professor. Aren’t you taking me too lightly?”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Well. Think carefully about what I mean. Anyway…” Yu Hee-won spoke with somewhat softened eyes. “Thank you for choosing me as your student. I’ll believe what you said about that Han Min-ha person.”
I don’t expect Yu Hee-won to take my words at face value.
But nevertheless, getting her to overlook it to some extent.
That was my goal, and I succeeded.
From now on, or at least for the time being, Yu Hee-won won’t cause any more strange trouble regarding Han Min-ha.
In some ways, it might seem like I’m showing anxiety about possibly offending Yu Hee-won.
However, I don’t care how others might see it.
As long as I can guide Han Min-ha to graduation without any problems.
“Good. I’ll notify you about the advisor orientation schedule soon, so let’s talk more then.”
The orientation isn’t much of anything.
It’s just a meeting where we introduce ourselves and discuss how I’ll help and what’s needed.
For popular course professors like Yu Hyun-ju of Comprehensive Attack or Jin Se-young of Flight and Guidance who have multiple students, the term ‘orientation’ is appropriate.
But since I only have Yu Hee-won and Han Min-ha, two students, it would be more accurate to call it tea time rather than orientation.
I’ll just call them to my lab and brew some coffee. Simple enough.
