Chapter 88: Ch 88: Are you and Professor Erin Close?

Alan’s face tightened at Erin’s teasing, and Noah noticed the slightly tense lips that Alan tried to hide.

His smile was not genuine when he turned to look at Erin, but he still kept a polite expression.

"Ah, I did not consider that at all. Honestly, Noah and I are such good friends that such things don’t bother us at all. I am sure you understand what I am saying, right? You must also have friends you are close with."

’Oh no! Is Alan trying to pick a fight with our professor? Not that I think he would lose, but still...He should pick his battles a little more carefully.’

Noah looked between Alan’s tense smile and the one Erin gave him back, which looked sincere. The tension in the air was also increasing by the second.

Finally, Erin moved and placed his hand on Alan’s shoulder before sighing in a way that said he was dealing with a kid and that he should not get angry.

"I am sure you are good friends. However, being out in the field does not care about friendship. It cares about compatibility and your performance. And in that regard, you should consider your best option."

Professor Erin slowly pulled Noah away from Daniel and Alan’s side and toward his own. It did not go unnoticed, but there was little Alan could say without blowing his cover.

Daniel, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes in displeasure before voicing it.

"I still think it would be for the best if I entered the dungeon with Noah. We won’t always have espers around to protect us, so we need to know how to protect each other as well. We should have an esper-esper pair as well as a guide-guide pair for this training just to handle such emergencies."

Erin’s face was a curtain of patience, and he smiled when he turned to face Daniel next.

"I am sure that is the case. However, this is an esper-guide training session, and you are late. If you don’t want to take this session, then I can mark you absent-"

"Tsk, forget about it. Ugh, I really don’t want to do this with you, but we should get this over with. Alan, let’s go."

Daniel grabbed Alan’s wrist tightly enough to leave bruises normally. But it was not going to leave a mark behind on that tough esper’s skin.

Noah looked at that grip with a fond expression on his face, but his heart was making his chest burn with familiar but unnamed emotions.

So he decided to look away from that touch, only to see Alan’s eyes glaring at him. The esper was looking a little scary in that moment, and Noah tried to speak up, only to be unable to.

"Hey, stop it! The sooner we are finished, the sooner we can come back."

Daniel reminded him, and Alan finally moved. Noah finally breathed a sigh of relief as that esper-guide pair left before he looked back at Professor Erin.

The professor in question had a slight grip around Noah’s middle, but it was hardly present enough to be felt.

He quickly let Noah go once he noticed he had Noah’s attention, and he let out a brief laugh to ease the moment.

"Do you want to run this drill with me? Don’t worry too much! I won’t hold you back, and getting some experience might be good for you-"

cough

"Erm, Professor, Noah is my partner, and maybe I should be the one to take him into the dungeon? I am sure it will be much more comfortable for him as well."

Ethan finally spoke up and looked at Professor Erin’s hand that almost circled Noah’s waist. His face looked uncomfortable, but not to the point where he would start complaining.

And he had a right to since his partner had been taken away by a professor.

Erin looked at his hand and then at Ethan before he let out an awkward laugh and took a step back.

"Ah, so you both are partners? I apologise for trying to help unprovoked. It’s just that...you were not with him, and I needed other students to start moving and completing their assignments. You should get going for your assignment as well. But don’t do too much. You are still hurt."

Erin pointed toward Noah’s neck that was still wrapped up.

Noah was not hurt enough to feel constant pain, so the bandages were more of a reminder for him. But he still felt a little embarrassed at being singled out like this.

It felt weird to have a professor’s attention on him like this. He was not sure why, but it felt a little embarrassing.

So, to hide his embarrassment, Noah grabbed Ethan’s hand and decided to drag him toward the portal as well.

"I think it will be for the best if we head out as well now. We will see you later, Professor."

Noah declared before he started the drill as well. The last thing he saw was his professor’s beautiful smile before he disappeared beyond the artificial gate that had been prepared for them.

Ethan followed him quietly, not saying a word for some time. But his own curiosity must have gotten to him because he finally spoke.

"Noah, do you know who that professor is? It seemed like he was close with you."

"Honestly, I have no idea who he is. With a face like this, I doubt I would ever forget him. But I am also certain I have never seen him before-"

A flash of blue passed through his mind, and Noah had a feeling it was trying to tell him something. But it passed just as quickly as it flashed across his mind, leaving him a little confused.

He noticed Ethan taking a deep breath before letting out a sigh.

"I see. So you have no personal connection. Then, I can only tell you to be a little careful. There is something odd about that professor. It’s almost like he’s not human in nature."