Ch 134
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 134
"Vice Principal, why are you doing this? What if someone sees... Please get up quickly."
"Then you'll accept my apology?"
Things had been a bit awkward since the duel, but there was no lingering resentment.
Rather, after hearing Teacher Kim's true feelings, I had been thinking I felt a bit sorry....
"What apology? I have no hard feelings toward you, Vice Principal."
My master had ascended to heaven and I was in an emotionally unstable state, and I had also heard the Vice Principal's intentions from Teacher Kim.
Fortunately, the Vice Principal stood up right away.
"Then why did you say such things to our Seon-hwa... Didn't you have some feelings for her too?"
"Pardon?"
"You did regeneration magic research together, went on portal raids together during vacations. I often saw you eating meals together at school."
Well, I ate with other teachers too....
"Um... This matter is between Teacher Kim and me."
"Seon-hwa is my daughter and my only blood relative in this world. Seon-hwa's problems are no different from my problems."
Now I see the Vice Principal is completely a doting father.
"I do have favorable feelings toward Teacher Kim, but that's only as a colleague. I've never thought of her romantically."
The regeneration magic was something I developed entirely myself, but I said it was joint research because I needed an excuse.
I accompanied her on portals because there was no one else to go with her....
Come to think of it, I feel sorry for only using her for my own convenience.
"What's wrong with our Seon-hwa? Not because she's my daughter, but isn't she good-looking and has a good personality? My wife passed away first and I raised her alone, but she never went astray."
"I know Teacher Kim is a good person. But as I said before, I've never thought of Teacher Kim romantically."
"Does it have to be love at first sight? Can't you get closer gradually?"
"..."
"Did our Seon-hwa pester you to date her?"
"That's not it, but..."
"If that's not the case, then saying such things when she can't even like someone as she pleases..."
"There's another woman."
I'm not actually dating anyone, but the Vice Principal was too emotional and didn't seem like he would back down, so I had no choice.
I had already told Teacher Kim that I was seeing another woman anyway.
An awkward silence fell.
Still, seeing that he didn't press further, this must have been the right answer.
The intercom rang.
When I answered, it was a call from the secretary's office saying it was time for the board meeting and to come to the conference room.
"...I see. I was being rude."
The Vice Principal left this one remark and left the room weakly.
My mouth tastes bitter.
I also left the director's office and attended the board meeting.
Originally the board chairman is Cha Su-hyeok, but he's currently on a business trip to America, so the Association President took his place.
Many things were discussed, but I couldn't concentrate at all.
It didn't register in my ears either.
"Then we'll conclude today's third quarter board meeting here."
I returned to the director's office for now.
On the way, Director Seo suggested having tea time with her daughter if I had no special plans, but I wasn't in the mood for that at all, so I declined.
I roughly packed my things and was about to return to the hotel when I heard a knock.
"Come in."
I thought it might be the Vice Principal again, but fortunately it wasn't the Vice Principal, though this person's face wasn't particularly welcome either.
Come to think of it, this person is also Director Kim.
"Director Kim?"
"Director Kang, could we have a cup of tea for a moment?"
It's Kim Dae-chan, Se-jin's father and the villain who gave Se-jin the most trouble.
There's a saying that people can't be reformed, but Kim Dae-chan has been rehabilitated.
He said he would retire from the Ares Guild Master position next year and pass it on to Se-jin.
He even did interviews with the media, saying that even after retirement, he would help as a regular guild member when guild affairs became difficult or when tackling difficult portals, and that he would return more than half of his wealth to society.
If it had just been this, I would have thought it was just for show because of bad public opinion, but he apologized to Se-jin and received forgiveness.
He also conveyed his apologies to me through Se-jin last time. Of course, that doesn't make the past disappear.
Well, even if I can't treat him warmly, there's no reason to be hostile.
In the current situation, meeting Kim Dae-chan is much better than meeting the Vice Principal.
"Ah, yes. Just a moment."
I picked up the intercom to order tea from the secretary's office, but Kim Dae-chan stopped me, saying he had already spoken to them before coming.
Soon a secretary's office employee came in with two cups of green tea... What would they have done if I had refused?
Even though he's been rehabilitated, people can't completely change, so it seems some of his old high-handed style remains.
"Do you have something to say?"
"I heard it was conveyed through Se-jin last time, but I wanted to apologize to you directly."
Unexpected.
Even though it's quite a belated apology, I never thought he would say this directly himself....
"It's fine."
"I want to say thank you as well as apologize. If you hadn't stopped me, I would have made Se-jin suffer more with my greed."
"I heard you've reconciled now..."
"It's thanks to you for making me realize it was my greed. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to spend time with Se-jin like now. I think it might be too late, but I'm grateful."
His expression is serious yet relieved - it's amazing how a person can change so drastically all of a sudden.
"It's fortunate that you realized your mistakes, even if belatedly. And it's not too late yet."
I told Kim Dae-chan, who had a puzzled expression, about the question I had asked Se-jin before the last duel.
"Se-jin said that no matter how much you made her suffer, a father is still a father. Since you've reconciled, please treat her well from now on."
"Of course I should. So... What do you think of our Se-jin?"
"Pardon?"
Has this man still not given up all his greed?
"It's not like last time when I tried to force you together for the guild."
"Then..."
"Both of you denied it in the media, but after reconciling and talking with Se-jin this time, it seems our daughter has feelings for you..."
How does he know?
Even though they've reconciled, given Se-jin's personality, she wouldn't have told her father, who previously tried to force them together, about such feelings....
"Se-jin likes me?"
"When I asked my wife what Se-jin likes, she said Se-jin only talks about you these days. When she talks about you, she smiles brighter than anyone."
"Ah..."
"Seeing your flustered expression, it seems you didn't know. The reason I suddenly brought this up is because I have one favor to ask. Oh, of course I have no intention of interfering between you two. I don't have the right to do that in the first place."
"A favor?"
"If the day comes when Se-jin expresses her feelings to you, I hope you won't think about anything other than her feelings."
"Um, I don't quite understand what you mean. Could you be a bit more specific..."
"You probably don't have good feelings toward me, right?"
"Honestly, that's true, but now..."
"No need for unnecessary words. I understand given what I've done. Even if you and Se-jin work out well, I don't expect to be treated as a father-in-law. I just don't want our Se-jin to suffer disadvantages because of me."
He adds that he wants to play the father's role, even if belatedly, and bows his head deeply.
It's bewildering.
"Director Kim? Why are you doing this?"
I didn't think about Kim Dae-chan at all when I gave Se-jin my answer last time.
It seems he wants to play the father's role now, even if it is late.
I said I understood and sent Kim Dae-chan away, then returned to the hotel myself and came back to Donghae.
When I took out the yacht, Luciel jumped out as if she had been waiting.
"They're not even the parties involved, so why do they come bother you? Really, humans are incomprehensible."
"Tsk tsk, are you being sarcastic right after coming out?"
"Earlier that human Kim Man-dong, and just now that human Kim Dae-chan too - why do they all meddle when it's not even their business?"
"That's what a father's heart is."
"Hmph, how would you know that? Are you a father? What, did you hide some kid I don't know about?"
This girl has no limits to what she'll say.
"You don't have to be a father to know that."
"Stop lecturing. I'm going fishing, so get out the fishing rod."
She brought up the topic first, but it seemed like it would just hurt my mouth to discuss it further, so I took out a fishing rod with spatial magic.
Kim Dae-chan is one thing, but what worries me more is still Teacher Kim.
I never thought she would want to quit school....
I want to tell her there's no need to do that, but I can't contact her.
I'm the root cause in the first place, so what shamelessness would it be to reach out now....
I just hope Teacher Kim's time to sort out her feelings won't be long.
Actually, worrying like this is something I shouldn't do considering Luciel and Se-jin.
It's the result of my choice.
***
Three weeks have already passed since vacation started.
School starts next Monday, but normal attendance begins next Wednesday.
Time crawled during the semester, but I don't know why time passes so quickly during breaks.
Maybe it's because I've been staying outside almost all the time recently without going to Luciel's world much.
Since buying the yacht and coming out to sea almost every day, I'm starting to get tired of the sea, so it might be good to spend the remaining vacation in Luciel's world.
When I got up from bed and came outside, Luciel and Se-jin were holding guitars and sitting close together.
"What are you two doing?"
"She asked me to teach her guitar, so I'm teaching her, but she's even worse than you."
"It's my first time, so of course."
"I was good from the beginning. Don't hold your fingers like that."
"Ah, really... I'll just learn from Teacher."
"Shin-hyeok plays worse than me."
"Being good doesn't necessarily mean you're good at teaching."
The saying that familiarity breeds affection must be true.
Luciel is always with me because of the necklace, and Se-jin comes here every day after work on weekdays and practically lives here on weekends.
So it seems they've become quite close - should I consider this fortunate?
Well, it's better than fighting or having a cold atmosphere, but they're rivals for each other....
"Teacher, you'll teach me, right?"
"Stop right there. Don't think I don't know your sneaky intention to get skin contact with Shin-hyeok under the pretense of learning guitar."
"That's... That's not it. Teacher?"
"Sorry. Learn from Luciel."
I've practiced often enough to be able to play songs I enjoyed listening to in my previous life, so my skills have improved somewhat, but compared to Luciel, I'm still like a firefly before the full moon.
Aside from skill level, if I taught her, that Luciel wouldn't stay still.
Since I said I wouldn't date either of them, I have to maintain strict neutrality.
Actually, I thought if I said that, both would be disappointed and keep some distance.
But surprisingly not.
Luciel can't be separated because of the necklace, which is understandable, but even Se-jin became more proactive.
I made that choice to avoid a harem, but if I meet both of them like this, doesn't the choice become meaningless....
Leaving the two bickering behind, I came to the bow and was about to take out a fishing rod when I felt a vibration in my chest.
When I took it out, it was Do-hyun's mother.
"Yes, mother."
―Teacher Kang, have you been well?
"Ah, yes. I'm always doing well. How have you been lately, mother? Is Do-hyun doing well too? I should have contacted you more often, I'm sorry."
I provided free housing and found her a job, but considering Do-hyun's value, I should have consistently looked after them, but I've had so many things going on lately that I couldn't pay attention at all.
―No, it's fine. I'm doing well, but it seems Do-hyun has some problems....
"Do-hyun? What's wrong?"
―It's a bit difficult to explain over the phone. Could we meet briefly?