Mage Killer [2]

"P–Professor Vanitas—Anh!"

The hooded figure flinched as he pulled her close.

"Quiet."

Karina blinked, caught off guard, her gaze lingering on his fingers around her wrist.

"....Professor, what are you—"

"Lower your voice," Vanitas interrupted, glancing around the restaurant.

His grip on her wrist loosened slightly, his expression, however, remained tense.

Karina narrowed her eyes, leaning in closer to his face.

"So it is you…."

Vanitas sighed, glancing at Karina, who was wearing an apron.

Rubbing his temple, he said, "Sit." 

He gestured for the seat across from him.

"Huh? I can't. I'm still—"

"Sit," he repeated.

"...."

Karina hesitated momentarily. 

Gathering her thoughts, she swallowed deeply and slid into the seat across from him.

Vanitas leaned forward slightly, his hood still obscuring most of his face.

"Mind explaining this?" he asked, pointing at her apron.

"I'm…. working?" 

Vanitas raised an eyebrow. "I can see that. Why?"

"I need the money."

"And what was the cheque for?"

"That was for my Father's hospital bills."

"Exactly," Vanitas said. "So, again, why are you here?"

Karina hesitated once more. Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her apron. 

"I…. didn't want to stop working. You've already done so much for me, Professor. I didn't want to depend on you more than I have to."

Vanitas sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Karina."

She glanced up nervously, waiting for the inevitable scolding.

"I gave you that money so you wouldn't have to do this. Overworking yourself isn't helping anyone. Least of all, your Father."

Karina's eyes dropped to the table. "I just feel bad. I don't want to take advantage of your kindness."

Vanitas shook his head. "This isn't about kindness. You can't help anyone if you're too exhausted to function."

"I…. I understand."

"Good," Vanitas said, crossing his arms as he leaned back. "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to clock out. Then, you'll sit down and eat with me. Understood?"

"Wha—" Karina blinked, startled. "Eat? With you?"

"Is there a problem?"

Karina stammered, "I–I can't… Y–You're my Boss, the Professor, and—Uhm…."

Vanitas leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand. "And? Go on?"

Her cheeks flushed. "It's just… It's improper, isn't it? I mean, sitting and eating with my Senior Professor?"

Vanitas let out a small sigh, shaking his head. "It's food. Not a political summit. Sit. Eat. Recover. That's all."

"But—"

"This isn't a request. It's an order."

"I…. Okay."

"Good," Vanitas said with a nod, watching as Karina made her way back to the kitchen.

He leaned back slightly, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. "That kid…."

Concern lingered in his eyes.

She reminded him too much of his past self.

Working every job he could find, juggling shifts just to scrape together enough for his living expenses.

He remembered how it caught up to him.

The sickness that left him bedridden.

The missed chance at the Seoul University entrance exams.

A year wasted as he waited for the next opening.

His jaw tightened at the memory.

It was a bitter chapter in his life, one he preferred not to revisit.

But seeing Karina push herself the same way stirred something he thought he had buried.

As Vanitas waited, his ears picked up snippets of conversation from the crowd around the restaurant.

"….Did you hear? Another one last night."

"Yeah, they're saying it's the Mage Killer."

"The Crusade or Mages still haven't caught him?"

"Not even close."

Vanitas's brows raised, the familiar name catching his attention.

The Mage Killer.

It wasn't a random urban legend. He remembered it vividly from the game.

A high–difficulty event act.

The kind that made seasoned players grit their teeth.

The rewards were substantial, but encountering the Mage Killer was notoriously rare.

Except, it wasn't random.

Vanitas leaned back, his mind already piecing together the details.

In one of his no-lifer playthroughs, he had encountered the Mage Killer.

Not once, but multiple times.

Through trial and error, he had uncovered the truth. It wasn't about chance.

There was a pattern.

The Mage Killer wasn't just some chaotic figure targeting mages indiscriminately.

No, he had motives.

Vanitas smirked faintly as the memories of his frustration, and eventual triumph, surfaced in his head.

It had taken countless attempts with each one ending in failure.

But once he understood the pattern, everything fell into place.

***

Karina, now dressed in her casual attire, sat stiffly, her hands awkwardly resting on her lap.

The tension in her shoulders refused to ease, and the subtle sheen of sweat on her back only added to her discomfort.

Her gaze darted to the dishes laid out, then to Vanitas, who was calmly tending to the sizzling pork belly on the grill.

Sizzle~

The rich, savory aroma wafted through the air, making her stomach tighten in hunger.

But what really caught her attention were his hands.

"...."

He flipped the meat effortlessly as the golden edges sizzled against the grill.

Then, with precise movements, he cut the pieces into uniform bites and arranged them neatly on the plate.

'Wow.'

Karina couldn't help but be surprised.

She had always assumed that nobles were inexperienced when it came to menial tasks.

Yet here he was, perfectly grilling pork belly as if it were second nature.

It didn't match the image she had of him—stern, aloof, and distant.

Especially now, seeing him in a casual hoodie, Professor Vanitas looked completely different.

At the university, he was always impeccably dressed.

Here, however, his appearance was relaxed.

His jet–black hair fell loosely, framing his face in soft bangs that gave him an unexpectedly approachable look.

Karina's eyes lingered on his face longer than she realized.

"...."

There was a mole just under his eye.

A detail she hadn't noticed before.

It was subtle, but it added a certain charm that felt at odds with the cold, and stern image she had of him.

"...."

She blinked, snapping herself out of the thought.

What was she thinking?

Karina shifted in her seat, trying to focus on the food instead.

The sizzling meat was plated now.

It was perfectly grilled, with caramelized edges that practically glistened under the lights.

Vanitas placed a piece on her plate without a word, his expression calm as ever.

Her stomach growled softly, breaking the silence.

"Ah…."

Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she quickly reached for the lettuce wrap to hide her embarrassment.

Vanitas, however, didn't so much as glance at her.

Calmly, he maneuvered through the plates, picking up a piece of tteokbokki with his chopsticks and popping it into his mouth.

The quiet remained, save for the sizzle of the grill and the conversations from other tables.

Karina bit into her wrap, her thoughts spiraling as she chewed.

She couldn't tell if she was more embarrassed by her growling stomach or the fact that he didn't react at all.

For some reason, his indifference made it worse.

"Is it good?"

She blinked, swallowing quickly. "Huh?"

"The food," he said, motioning toward her plate with his chopsticks. "Is it good?"

"Oh! Y–Yes, it's delicious."

Vanitas nodded slightly before turning his attention back to the grill.

Another silence settled over them.

Karina took another bite. The flavors seemed to ease her nerves to some extent.

Still, her eyes kept drifting toward him.

It was strange seeing him like this.

In her mind, Vanitas Astrea was always the stern Professor, the intimidating noble whose every word carried weight.

Yet here he was, casually grilling meat and eating tteokbokki as though he were just another person on the street.

She hesitated before speaking. "Professor, can I ask you something?"

He didn't look up, his focus on the chopsticks picking up a piece of tteokbokki. "What is it?"

"Do you come to places like this often?"

Vanitas paused for a moment, then shrugged. "When I feel like it."

"That's…. surprising."

His chopsticks paused midair, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "Why?"

"Well, I just thought nobles like you would prefer fancier restaurants. You know, places with chandeliers and orchestras."

"And miss out on this? Hardly."

"...."

She stared at him in confusion.

"For me, this food feels like home," Vanitas said.

"Home?" Karina tilted her head.

He nodded, picking up another piece of grilled pork. "It reminds me of simpler times. Before…. everything."

"...."

Karina didn't know what to say. 

She had never imagined someone like Vanitas, feeling nostalgic about something as humble as a meal.

It felt almost…. humanizing.

She hesitated before asking, "What was your home like, Professor?"

Vanitas paused, the chopsticks in his hand hovering over the grill.

For a moment, he didn't answer, his gaze fixed on the sizzling meat, seemingly lost in thought.

"It was quiet. Lonely, perhaps?'

Karina blinked, furrowing her brow slightly. "Lonely?"

"Enough questions and eat."

Karina hesitated for a moment. Unlike earlier, the tension wasn't there anymore.

Eventually, she nodded. "Un."

It was strange.

After working under the Professor for the past three weeks, it was clear to Karina the rumors weren't accurate at all.

He was stern, yes.

But scary? Not at all.

He was thorough, demanding even, especially in his expectations.

But he wasn't cruel.

If anything, he had moments of surprising kindness.

So then, what had happened with the assistant Professors before her?

And how had he earned such a fearsome reputation in the first place?

The stories she'd heard before taking the position had been nothing short of terrifying.

Assistants leaving in tears, some quitting after only a few months.

And yet, she hadn't experienced anything like that.

Sure, he wasn't the most approachable person, but he wasn't the monster people made him out to be.

"Oho~"

A teasing voice broke her thoughts. 

Turning to the side, her manager discreetly passed by as he alternated his gaze between the two.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Karina," he whispered.

Karina's cheeks flushed instantly. "Wha–I…. It's not like that!"

The manager chuckled as his grin widened. "Introduce us sometime," he said before disappearing into the kitchen.

Karina buried her face in her hands. "Unbelievable."

Vanitas, unfazed, continued flipping the meat on the grill. "You're very defensive for someone who claims there's nothing to defend."

Her head shot up, her cheeks still warm. "Professor, that's not helping!"

"I'm simply pointing out the obvious."

Karina let out a sigh, shaking her head as she reached for her chopsticks. "Can we just eat?"

"By all means."

She busied herself with assembling a lettuce wrap, trying to ignore the heat lingering on her face. 

The Professor's calm demeanor only made her embarrassment worse.

As the meal went on, the awkwardness began to dissipate gradually.

"More?" Vanitas asked, breaking the silence as he pushed another piece of pork onto her plate.

She looked up, startled. "Oh, no, I'm fine. Really."

"You're too thin."

Karina blinked, caught off guard by the blunt observation. "I'm not—"

"Suit yourself."

"....You're really persistent, you know that?"

"It's called being thorough."

Karina couldn't help but smile slightly at his response, shaking her head as she took another bite.

By the time they finished, the restaurant had begun to quiet down as the late-night crowd thinned.

Eventually, Vanitas pushed his chair back and stood. "It's late. Let's go."

"Go? Together?" Karina blinked.

"Yes," he said, pulling his hood over his head. "It's not safe for you to walk alone at this hour."

"It's fine. Really, Professor. I can't thank you enough."

Vanitas stood for a moment before nodding. 

Without a word, he reached into his wallet, pulled out some Rend, and placed it neatly on the table.

As he adjusted his hood and made his way to the door, Karina called after him.

"....Goodnight, Professor. Thank you for the meal. I'll see you tomorrow."

Vanitas glanced over his shoulder. "Rest well, Karina."

With that, he stepped outside the restaurant.

Crack—!

The sharp sound of shattering glass echoed through the restaurant.

Karina turned around. One of her co-workers stood frozen, staring wide-eyed at the closing door.

"D–Did you just say, Professor…?".

"....Yes?" 

"You're having dinner with your Professor? Like, 'that' Professor?"

"It's not what you think!"