The Graduate Student Wants to Assassinate the Professor - Chapter 119

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 119

“I only need enough power to pull research funding.”
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Khalid as he spoke so casually about something so trivial, laughing with such ease.
‘Why am I thinking like this? Have I stopped wanting to kill Khalid?’
I was deeply shaken by my own thoughts. Unlike just moments ago, I no longer felt the urge to kill Khalid.
But that was one thing. A mission was a mission.
As a member of the Special Mission Unit, I had to suppress my own feelings before duty. In my life, the mission came before my thoughts and emotions. That was what the Special Mission Unit was, and that was how I had been trained.
And yet….
‘What do I want to do with Khalid?’
Khalid was a Demon Race who had received an oracle that he would tear apart vast lands in the future. If left unchecked, disaster was certain, so why couldn’t I bring myself to kill him?
“Leoryna, what are you thinking so hard about?”
At Khalid’s call, I realized I had furrowed my brow deeply.
“It’s nothing, Professor. I think I’m just a bit tired.”
Khalid nodded at my words as if accepting the explanation.
“You didn’t skimp on sleep because of the exams, did you? The alcohol should be hitting you soon. Want to head inside and rest?”
I didn’t refuse Khalid’s suggestion.
“That sounds good. You’re right, Professor—I do seem to be lacking sleep.”
I slapped my own cheek again. Alarmed by this, Khalid grabbed both my wrists.
“Hey, hey! What are you doing?”
“Trying to clear my head. I need to get home, don’t I?”
“No, you don’t need to do that! I’ll make sure to take you home, so please stop doing strange things!”
When Khalid used the phrase “strange things,” something felt odd to me.
Wasn’t Khalid the one who did the strangest things? For him to think my behavior was strange enough to comment on was remarkable.
‘I’m just not in my right mind. There are far more reasons to kill Khalid than reasons not to, yet I don’t want to kill him! It must be because my resolve is weak, causing these strange thoughts to arise!’
Meanwhile, Khalid held both my wrists in one hand and began walking. His hand was so large that my wrists fit entirely within his grip.
“Professor, I feel like I’m being arrested by the Police. Could you let go? I promise I won’t do anything strange.”
“Really? You’re not drunk?”
Because it was night and dark, Khalid leaned his face closer to examine my complexion.
He was simply trying to check if my face had flushed from the alcohol, but startled by his suddenly approaching face, I reflexively kicked him in the stomach.
“Ugh!”
Khalid clutched his stomach and bent over, while I, belatedly realizing what I had done, jumped up and down with my wrists still held.
“Oh! I’m so sorry, Professor! But you suddenly thrust your face at me—I was startled!”
“No, I had no other intention—I was just trying to check your face! How does someone so frail pack such a painful kick?”
Khalid gagged slightly and covered his mouth with his free hand.
Soon, as Khalid’s complexion returned to normal, I grumbled.
“Anyway, I’m really fine. Truly! There’s nothing to worry about. So please let go of my wrists.”
Khalid gave me a skeptical look before carefully releasing my wrists. Now free, I quickened my pace and walked alongside Khalid.
“I should have called Zigzagel too.”
At Khalid’s words, Leoryna tilted her head in confusion.
“Were you bored without Professor Zigzagel?”
“No. Birthday wishes are better when received from as many people as possible, right? So instead of spending the whole day with someone like me, if you’d invited others too… wouldn’t it have been more fun?”
Leoryna recalled how Khalid had advertised her birthday wherever he went, and she let out a soft laugh. All this time, he had been considerate in his own way, ensuring she could enjoy her birthday.
“It’s fine. I enjoyed spending time with you, Professor.”
Leoryna delivered the conventional response mechanically. At that, Khalid’s expression brightened immediately.
“Really? That’s a relief. I was worried that on your birthday, you had no plans with friends. That’s why I thought you were asking me to dinner…”
“I already received birthday gifts from my friends beforehand. And the reason I asked you to dinner wasn’t really because it’s my birthday… I just thought you looked troubled about something, and I wanted to give you a chance to clear your head.”
Until moments ago, Leoryna hadn’t understood why she’d suggested dinner to Khalid. The words had simply tumbled out reflexively, and she’d been frustrated not knowing her own reasons.
But now she was beginning to understand. She’d made excuses to Khalid, but the truth was—she’d grown to hate deceiving him.
She disliked killing him, but deceiving him like this felt even worse. It would be less frustrating to reveal her true identity here and face him directly, to claim his life in an honest confrontation.
Yet the moment that thought crossed her mind, something else began to feel unbearable.
‘If he learns I’m an assassin sent to kill him, he’ll feel betrayed. He’ll be angry with me. I don’t want Khalid to hate me like that.’
Leoryna gazed at Khalid with wavering eyes.
“Was my expression really that bad?”
At his gaze looking down at her with slightly furrowed brows, Leoryna felt her face growing inexplicably hot.
“Um… a… a little…?”
Leoryna fumbled her response while averting her gaze.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to worry you. It really wasn’t anything serious.”
“Still, you wished me a happy birthday, and I was happy!”
Leoryna spoke the reflexive pleasantry, but her mind was too scattered to think deeply about what she was saying.
‘Why am I embarrassed to look at Khalid’s face? Suddenly I feel like my limbs are shrinking.’
Khalid’s gaze felt like delicate feathers brushing across her skin, and wherever his eyes passed left her tingling. So Leoryna deliberately met his gaze head-on and spoke with forced cheerfulness.
“Thank you so much, Professor! It was a wonderful evening.”
At her words, Khalid smiled broadly.
“Oh, there’s a taxi. Let’s take it.”
Khalid waved at a taxi on the street and stopped it. He had Leoryna get in first, but instead of sending the taxi off, he sat down beside her.
“Professor, your place is in the opposite direction from my home.”
“I should take you home. What are you talking about?”
“Come on, I’m just your assistant. You don’t need to worry about me—I can get home just fine.”
Leoryna held up both thumbs, but Khalid ignored the gesture and had the taxi depart as planned.
‘He’s too close! Too close!’
Leoryna felt as though she might wilt from the heat radiating from Khalid’s body beside her, so she pressed herself as far as possible against the opposite window. Khalid looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“Isn’t that uncomfortable?”
“Haha! It’s nice and cool over here!”
“I see.”
As they exchanged this pointless conversation, the taxi arrived in front of Leoryna’s home.
Leoryna quickly exited the taxi, finally able to part with Khalid, and bowed respectfully to him.
“Thank you so much for today, Professor! Please be careful on your way home!”
“You get home safely too. Oh, tomorrow is the first day of Summer Vacation, so make sure to rest.”
“Yes, yes!”
Khalid smiled at Leoryna’s spirited enthusiasm before starting the taxi.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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