Chapter 93

Chapter 93: The Paper (3)

Originally, this presentation was scheduled to be held at a different academy, but a last-minute decision by the Academic Council changed the venue.

The originally planned location was far too small to accommodate today's distinguished guests.

For that reason, the venue was moved to Ruhaim Academy, the largest in Seoul.

The professors and researchers arriving from each academy weren't the issue—it was the other visitors flooding in.

"Professor Jeon, about today's presentation......"

"Who do you think will win Best Paper......"

Murmurs filled the air.

An unprecedented number of journalists had gathered for this presentation.

Their reason for being here was obvious—they'd come sniffing the scent of money, hunting for scoops.

"Ugh, those fucking bastards."

A blue-haired woman cursed upon seeing the journalists.

The bespectacled man beside her tried to restrain her.

"Jeongyeon, you'll end up in the papers again for another 'offensive remarks' scandal."

"Ha, let them write it. Doesn't it piss you off, Seok? These media vultures are defiling a sacred ground of research."

The woman's name was Choi Jeongyeon. The man beside her was Jeongseok.

Both were professors at Ruhaim Academy.

"Don't be so harsh. There's a positive side too. The Academic Council can spread good papers far and wide, and the journalists make money. What a lovely symbiotic relationship."

"Bullshit. Something wrong with your head? It's not symbiosis, it's parasitism. You think those bastards came here looking for good papers? They're just here to snap photos of a celebrity because there's money in it."

Choi Jeongyeon was displeased with the current state of the academy.

She considered it a form of insult—journalists tramping into a sacred academy with muddy feet, snapping photos everywhere and ambushing passing professors for interviews.

The celebrity act was more than enough during Hero fieldwork.

She'd chosen Ruhaim over Florian specifically because she'd rather work in quiet—and now she had to see those insufferable journalists again.

"Ah, looks like he's arriving."

"He, who? Oh."

Right on cue, the journalists who'd been roaming the academy stopped in their tracks and flocked toward the main entrance.

The sight of them scrambling like starving ghosts was almost comical.

"Professor! Professor Cha!"

"Just one word, please!"

Professor Cha Eunwoo of Florian Academy.

The hottest potato in the entire world. In other words, a professor worth money.

The journalists shoved microphones and cameras at him, squawking for even a single quote.

The academy guards were holding them back bodily, but it looked like they'd break through any moment.

Choi Jeongyeon stared at the entrance with a look of disdain.

"What is this spectacle? If you're a professor, act like a professor. What is he, a celebrity?"

"Haha... maybe it just means he's that remarkable?"

"Remarkable, my foot. I'll admit the SS-rank Gate raid command was impressive. But that's a Hero's achievement, not a professor's. What has he actually accomplished as a professor? Fine. I'll acknowledge his one big paper. But that was some tactical whatever. If it's not magic, I don't acknowledge it."

Choi Jeongyeon apparently had a lot she wanted to say, rattling on at full speed.

Jeongseok smirked and struck a nerve.

"Do you perhaps feel... inferior to him?"

"Wh-what? Who would feel inferior to that—"

"Objectively, he did write a remarkable paper."

"B-but it's just one paper! And how many of his fanbase actually understood it? Grab a random person on the street and ask them why his paper is great—all they'd say is 'because the news said so.'"

"Ah, right."

"See? I'm right! That man is nothing but a bubble manufactured by America and Unicorn. It's practically brainwashing the public. Following along and praising something when you don't even understand what makes it great—if that's not brainwashing, what is?"

Jeongseok understood why Choi Jeongyeon was venting.

She was one of Ruhaim's top talents, but she was unpopular because her work was deemed too difficult and dry.

"I get it, so let's go inside. Let's just look at the papers."

"R-right."

Inside the Main Auditorium.

Far more cameras than visible from outside were packed wall-to-wall.

Choi Jeongyeon clicked her tongue at the journalists filling the hall.

"Ha, nothing but journalists as far as the eye can see. In all my years, I never thought I'd see this many reporters at this boring paper presentation."

"The venue had to be changed to accommodate them. If anything, this much is to be expected."

Starting with the Emcee's introduction, the outstanding papers were presented one by one.

From papers received across all of Seoul's academies over the past week, the ten best had been selected.

─Professor Cha Eunwoo of Florian Academy: 'Understanding Monster Taming and Efficient Methods.'

The first name called was the frontrunner for Best Paper—Cha Eunwoo.

Every journalist nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Of course it's Professor Cha."

"Shut up. What's the big deal about an outstanding paper? I got one too."

Since outstanding papers were announced the day before, Choi Jeongyeon already knew hers had been selected.

Sure enough, the Emcee soon called Choi Jeongyeon's name, and her shoulders swelled with smug satisfaction.

"How about your paper, Seok?"

"I didn't make it this time."

"Dummy, you should've worked harder. For a professor, the semester paper is everything. No matter how great you are, if your semester output is weak, your research funding gets slashed."

"Well, I won outstanding paper last quarter, so I'll just work harder next quarter."

"That's the spirit."

Florian's dominance this quarter was frightening.

In the magic category, Florian took eight of ten outstanding papers in the professor track, and seven in the researcher track.

Considering they'd stopped at five each last quarter, it was a staggering surge.

"This is driving me insane. Look at them hogging everything. What are we supposed to do about that?"

"Florian's always been in a league of its own."

"But up until last quarter, the gap between Florian and other academies was narrowing."

Under these circumstances, there was only one way to close the gap.

"I'm taking Best Paper."

"What? With Professor Cha right there?"

"Hmph. What makes you think I can't beat him? Watch me crush this."

At the presentation, outstanding papers were presented one by one, after which a vote by all assembled professors determined the Best Paper.

A true duel where connections and popularity meant nothing—only skill mattered.

Choi Jeongyeon was confident in this paper.

She was, after all, a powerhouse who'd claimed Best Paper three times.

In contrast, that professor had achieved great success with his tactical paper but had zero papers in the magic category.

Now that he'd stepped onto Choi Jeongyeon's home turf, she had no intention of graciously handing over the Best Paper award.

At last, the Emcee called her name.

─Professor Choi Jeongyeon, you're up.

Choi Jeongyeon rose confidently and walked to the podium.

The journalists muttered about her.

"That's Choi Jeongyeon."

"The professor who used to be a C-rank Hero?"

"Isn't she the most skilled professor at Ruhaim?"

"Big deal—she's just a professor. She struts around like she was an S-rank or A-rank in her active days. As if being good at professor stuff matters."

The journalists probably thought they were whispering, but they couldn't escape an Awakened's superior hearing.

What convenient double standards.

One professor they fawned over for writing a good paper, and now they said being good at professor work didn't matter.

Choi Jeongyeon barely contained the boiling in her stomach.

No matter what they babbled, all she had to do was take revenge through skill.

Every journalist here had gathered hoping to capture the historic moment of Cha Eunwoo's paper being named Best Paper.

Let's shatter that expectation.

She was curious what kind of reaction they'd show if Choi Jeongyeon took Best Paper instead.

"I am Choi Jeongyeon of Ruhaim Academy."

From the podium, Choi Jeongyeon presented her paper fluently.

Presentations had long since become second nature, but today she felt a slight tremor—probably because she had something to look forward to.

Still, the experienced Choi Jeongyeon completed her presentation successfully.

"As expected of Professor Choi Jeongyeon."

"She made a complex theory easy to understand."

The reception matched her confidence in the paper.

Even the notoriously picky veteran professors mostly applauded.

The clueless journalists couldn't have understood half of what she'd said, but at least they could read the room—their hands were moving busily.

'Praise me more. Remember exactly who I am.'

Choi Jeongyeon stealthily observed Cha Eunwoo.

She was secretly eager to see how he'd react.

"I hear she's Professor Choi Jeongyeon, the Top Professor of Ruhaim's Magical Research Department."

"Is that so? No wonder—it was a solid paper."

Cha Eunwoo was chatting with the young woman beside him.

A blander reaction than she'd hoped for, but at least it was a positive review. That was enough for now.

'Normally when you see a competitor, you try to tear them down somehow. Between rivals competing for Best Paper, that's practically a rave review.'

Choi Jeongyeon convinced herself and nodded happily.

When she returned to her seat, Jeongseok greeted her with applause.

"Bravo! Seriously though—how do you come up with papers like that?"

Choi Jeongyeon fought to suppress the rising corners of her mouth, affecting a cool demeanor.

"Hmph. A Top Professor should be able to do at least this much. If you want to take my seat someday, work harder."

"Come on, how could I ever push you out? Isn't this going to be Best Paper too?"

Jeongseok expertly scratched right where it itched, saying exactly what Choi Jeongyeon wanted to hear.

She didn't show it, but Choi Jeongyeon was very satisfied.

She contentedly watched the remaining presentations.

As expected, no one could match her research.

─For the final paper in the magic category, Professor Cha Eunwoo of Florian Academy will present.

"There it is!"

"Finally, the main event."

CLICK!

CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK!

The camera shutters roared incomparably louder than before.

The barrage of flashes was so intense that even the professors squinted.

"For crying out loud! What's going on?"

"It's Cha's turn."

"Oh, that Cha? Then I suppose that's to be expected."

Choi Jeongyeon clicked her tongue.

Let's see how impressive this paper of yours really is.

"What I'll be introducing today is a theory and methodology for Monster Taming."

"Monster... what?"

"He's going to do what? What even is that?"

The moment Cha Eunwoo spoke, the audience buzzed.

Even professors and journalists armed with every kind of knowledge and experience couldn't comprehend his words.

Undeterred, Cha Eunwoo silently began his presentation.

"Are you all aware that monsters bear no hostility toward humans?"

Most journalists wore expressions that said 'what kind of nonsense is this,' but the professors and researchers grasped the intent.

Monsters bore no hostility.

That was why they never initiated attacks inside dungeons.

It was the very first line taught in any practical course.

"According to Dr. Andrew, monsters lose their sanity upon crossing through the Gate and begin destructive activity. This is because the Gate possesses a power that interferes with a monster's mind as it passes through."

Up to this point, it was common knowledge.

Like stones being stones and rivers being rivers, everyone simply accepted the fact as is.

"Then what would happen if we could make monsters immune to the Gate's influence?"

"Huh?"

"What... huh?"

"The answer is: 'they can be tamed.'"

"......!"

In that moment, every single person shared the same thought.

What kind of bullshit is that?

That's absurd. There's no way that's possible.

This wasn't dogs or cats, not even tigers or sharks—taming monsters the way you'd tame animals?

Something no one had ever even imagined, and Cha Eunwoo was stating it with perfect composure.

But not a single person stepped forward to call it impossible.

Their minds screamed 'no,' yet when they tried to refute Cha Eunwoo's argument, nothing came.

Was this theory really that far-fetched?

When there wasn't a single logical flaw?

"Uh, um......"

Professors, researchers, journalists alike—all fell silent.

In the quiet auditorium, only Cha Eunwoo's voice rang out.

'So this... is the difference in caliber?'

In this moment, Choi Jeongyeon felt no jealousy or inferiority.

All that filled her heart was pure awe.

A genuine genius who'd created a paper she couldn't produce in a hundred years.

"Thank you."

By the time the presentation neared its end, everyone had only one thought.

This wasn't Best Paper level.

It would obviously end up in textbooks, and Monster Taming might well become an entire academic field in its own right.

No—it definitely would.