….Until she heard those words.
‘Ah!..
Ugh!…
Hic !..
But still.’
‘I forgot to mention, but I’m going to recommend Chloe as an assistant professor as soon as you get your doctorate.
Then?
You could be a full professor at the Sacred Academy before you’re even 30.
Well, if you still don’t want to, I suppose I can’t help it…’
‘…
Hic !…
Sniff !…..
I…
I’ll try a little longer…..’
‘Yes.
Good choice.
Just trust me.
I’ll make sure you get your doctorate within three years.
Now, to your professorship!
Cheers!’
Three years after that, one day.
‘Eh?…
Professor?…
Why?…
You’re joking, right?’
[Goodbye, everyone~ I am casting off all the bonds and constraints of this world and leaving to find my happiness~]
The professor who had encouraged her to go to graduate school left a letter like that and vanished from the Academy to marry a man 16 years younger.
‘Haha…
My life is ruined.’
Chloe had been fooled again, but she couldn’t just quit graduate school either.
If she ran away now, Chloe—who had been called a prodigy for entering the Sacred Academy at 18 and graduating at 21—would become a moron who only managed to get one master’s degree in eight years.
Her pride simply wouldn’t allow that.
‘I’ll get it….
No matter what…
I’ll get that doctorate by any means necessary..’
In the end, Chloe’s choice was to cling to another professor and somehow squeeze out a doctoral degree.
“…One double-shot vanilla latte with whipped cream and extra java chips, and one iced americano, please.”
“Yes, that will be 11,000 Eris.”
“….?”
Iced Americano: 3,500 Eris.
When did the coffee prices go up again…
With the 10,000 Eris the professor gave her, she couldn’t even buy the cheapest coffee after getting his.
“Sigh…
Here.”
With a trembling hand, she handed over an extra 1,000 Eris and let out a sigh.
“Ah, seriously!
How long are you going to stay sitting!
Get up already!!”
“…It’s already up.”
“What?
What kind of bullshit is that!!
You’re sitting down!!”
“No.
Sorry, but I can’t get up right now.
Let me sit for just one more minute…”
“Ah, seriously!!
If you keep this up, we’re shopping for another 30 minutes!”
While waiting for the coffee, Chloe’s mood grew even darker as she watched a pair of Academy students—whether they were siblings or a couple, she couldn’t tell—chatting happily.
“Must be nice…”
If I went back to my Academy days, could I enjoy myself like that?
Suddenly, the sight of her own shabby reflection in the glass window made her heart ache.
‘Ah, seriously…
I can’t take it anymore.
I was going to hold out until my graduation thesis passed….
but I have to do it tonight.’
Chloe’s eyes sparkled as she clenched her fists.
*
“Hehehe.”
A pure white suit that clung to her body, emphasizing her voluptuous figure, and a stylishly fluttering cape.
A specialized magic tool that freely shifted between the forms of a whip and a staff.
And the fox mask that could be called her trademark.
The granddaughter of the legendary Phantom Thief Nine Tail, and the current Phantom Thief, Nine Tail III.
Chloe Robelia smiled as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
“Yes!
This is it!
This is my true self!
The graduate student look is just a disguise to deceive people’s eyes, right?
Don’t let it get to you!”
She hadn’t been able to do any phantom thief activities lately because she was so busy writing her graduation thesis, but her essence was still that of a phantom thief.
….Probably.
“Phew, well then…
shall I play around for a bit?”
After taking a proof shot so that her spoils were slightly visible behind her, Chloe posted the photo along with some text.
[On my grandmother’s honor, I am the Phantom Thief III.
Taking questions.
Deleting in 15 minutes][0]
*
“Of all times…”
I had finally finished shopping with Evelyn and returned home exhausted.
I was about to open the Gallery for a quick session when…
[On my grandmother’s honor, I am the Phantom Thief III.
Taking questions.
Deleting in 15 minutes][55]
A Trending Post that looked way too interesting caught my eye.
“…How am I supposed to ignore this?”
It even said it would be deleted in 15 minutes.
No man could possibly resist this.
I clicked on the post, telling myself I’d just look at this one thing before my session.
[Author: Anon (39.919)]
[On my grandmother’s honor, I am the Phantom Thief III.
Taking questions.
Deleting in 15 minutes][58]
(Image of someone in a white suit with a fox mask, legs crossed.JPG)
I’ll answer if you’re curious about anything.
Baby Nepmi■: Goo-goo?
Baby Nepmi-chan is curious if Anon-chan is a real phantom thief!
Goo-goo!!
ㄴAnon (74.812): As if lol.
Why would a phantom thief be lurking in the Gallery?
Clearly just a psycho who thinks they’re a phantom thief ㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴFlameSandwich■: No, no.
Looking at the notes on this IP, it’s the real deal.
I thought they quit the Gallery since they haven’t been around lately, but they’re back.