Ch 192
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 192
Min Chan-seong was found collapsed at school and had been lying in the hospital in a vegetative state for two years.
Initially, Hunter School supported the hospital expenses including life support costs, but when time passed and the support was about to be cut off, it was Kang Shin-hyeok who provided the support.
Whether it was his own mistake or whether he was harmed by others was unclear, so feeling sorry for him, he left this necklace saying he hoped such a thing would never happen to him again.
Quite plausible, isn't it?
It's a bit embarrassing to say with my own mouth, but Kang Shin-hyeok is a genius who not only excels in swordsmanship but also created regeneration magic and even won the Nobel Magic Prize.
Everyone looks surprised at my additional explanation.
"Kang Shin-hyeok Hunter..."
"Such circumstances..."
"What are you all being convinced by? Do you have proof that what this kid is saying is true? You don't. He was in a vegetative state, so how could Kang Shin-hyeok Hunter have given it to him...?"
The thug's uncle is trying to paint me as a liar no matter what, but it's useless.
"When I first woke up in the hospital, I was wearing an unfamiliar necklace and wondered what it was, but Kim Se-jin Hunter from Ares Guild told me that it was made by Kang Shin-hyeok Hunter."
I can just use Se-jin's name.
"Ares? What kind of unheard of..."
"Excuse me, Director Nomura, Ares is one of Korea's top 10 guilds."
Just then, a staff member returned with a crystal orb and transferred the video in front of everyone.
"Then I can go now, right? Your son... no, nephew, you said. Please educate your nephew properly."
"Th-this bastard! There's still no proof that the video isn't fabricated...!"
"That would come out if we commission an authentication. Ah, of course I can't only trust Japan's authentication, so when I return to Korea, I'll contact the school or police to separately request video authentication and formally protest today's incident to the International Hunter Association. I'll also report it to domestic media as well as foreign press."
When I mentioned media reporting, the staff members' faces began to turn rapidly worse.
That's understandable - at a special camp arranged to promote friendship among promising prospective hunters in the Asian region, a Japanese student used anti-Korean slurs against a Korean student and tried to commit violence first, so when self-defense was exercised, they threatened about going to the police station and pushed it as a one-sided fault?
Journalists would jump at this story.
"Um... Chan-seong student, if you do that, things will get bigger..."
"Do I need to care about such things? You were the ones who first threatened me by mentioning the police station. By the way, the entire investigation process from earlier was also recorded."
They bow their heads deeply, seems like they finally got the sense that they're screwed.
"Then I'll be going now."
"W-wait a moment."
"Is there still more to investigate? I told you if you want to do things by the law, then do it by the law."
"Don't be like that. You seem very upset, but as I said earlier, we weren't trying to make a big deal out of this."
"Are you trying to say it was a fair investigation? People around the world who see the video will judge that."
"I'm... I'm sorry. Um, Director Nomura, it seems like your nephew did something wrong... Perhaps you should apologize and end this amicably..."
"Hey, what are you talking about! We haven't even done the authentication yet, so how can you believe only what this brat says...!"
TSK TSK, he still hasn't come to his senses.
"It's quite difficult to manipulate videos filmed with Video Recording Magic. It's almost impossible at a student level, so realistically your nephew did wrong..."
"Are you saying our Satsu is lying right now? Didn't the child who came as a witness also testify that this bastard struck first?"
His faith in his nephew is quite thorough as he argues back heatedly, but what's he going to do if it turns out not to be fabricated?
The girl who gave false testimony also has her face hardening just as much as the thug's.
That's what you get for conspiring with such a guy to frame me.
It's self-inflicted.
"I wasn't planning to just let it slide with an apology, but well, it seems like the other side has no intention of apologizing at all. I'll be going now."
I heard a lot of grumbling from behind, but I ignored it and left the auditorium.
When I returned to the hotel room, the students sharing the room asked worriedly what happened, so I gave them a reasonable explanation. I told them not to worry and apologized for making them suffer because of me.
"Are you really okay?"
"You assaulted a Japanese student?"
"It wasn't assault, it was self-defense. Um, I'm going to step out and make a phone call."
Since there are still two days left before returning to Korea, I want to contact Se-jin.
Tomorrow they might immediately claim it was fabricated, and anyway, things like media reporting would be much faster if Se-jin helps.
I took the elevator down, left the hotel, and called Se-jin from an empty lot.
—Teacher? I was just thinking about contacting you. How's the camp? Are you having fun?
"Not particularly."
—I know you went with Eunseo... You're deliberately acting like you're not having fun, right?
"Well, I'm busy participating in programs and we have separate rooms anyway."
—Still, it's better than me. I have so much work today that I haven't even left the office yet... Wait, did you want to share a room?
"It's, it's not like that... No, this isn't what's important right now. There was a bit of a problem today."
—What kind of problem?
I explained today's events to Se-jin.
—That camp thing, wasn't it supposed to be about promoting friendship and building camaraderie? How could they only target you like that... This is really awful!
I can feel considerable anger in Se-jin's voice through the phone.
"If I didn't have the necklace Luciel gave me, I would have been helpless. They did copy the video and said they'd authenticate it, but I just can't trust those Japanese guys."
—I wouldn't trust them either. How can I help? Should I contact journalists right away?
"Media reporting is one thing, but first get me some people who can authenticate Video Recording Magic. It would be good if you could send them tomorrow, but that might be difficult?"
—No, it's not. There should be at least one person in the guild, and even if there isn't, I can find one right away by mobilizing guild connections. If there really isn't anyone, I can talk to father or the vice principal and ask Vice Principal Ma Bong-pal or Director Seo I-gyeong for help. I'll make it so they can go to Japan right away tomorrow.
Our Se-jin is really reliable.
"Thank you."
—It's only natural. Even if it wasn't you but another student, I couldn't just sit still when our Korean student received such unfair treatment.
"Is that so?"
—I'll go with them tomorrow too.
"Huh? You don't need to go that far..."
—You said I told you the necklace was made by you, didn't you?
"That's true, but... they didn't seem to particularly question that part. You said you have a lot of work, will it be okay?"
—It's not someone else's business, it's yours, teacher. Are you perhaps planning to just accept an apology and let it slide?
"If that were the case, I wouldn't have asked you to inform the media."
—That's why I have to go. The student you disciplined is named Satsu and his uncle is Nomura, right? I'll also look into information about them, so see you tomorrow.
"What time will you come?"
—It takes about two hours to get to Japan and I need to find people too, so it'll be difficult in the morning. After afternoon, at the latest before evening... I'll text you again when I'm departing.
***
"Chan-seong, aren't you going to eat?"
"Ah, I already ate first."
"Already?"
"I don't sleep much in the morning, so I ate early."
"How diligent. Got it. Then we'll have to go by ourselves. Hyeon-sik, let's go."
After confirming that the students sharing the room had left, I immediately called Se-jin again.
It's not that I want to rush her, but when I came back from eating earlier, Se-jin had texted saying she arrived at the airport.
She said at the earliest afternoon, at the latest evening.
—Oh? Teacher. Have you eaten?
"I have. But yesterday you said at the earliest afternoon, and you're already on the plane?"
—After I hung up with you yesterday, I immediately talked to the vice principal. It happened that Director Seo I-gyeong was in Japan for camp lectures, so we decided to get help from Director Seo for the authentication.
"Really?"
Come to think of it, today there was supposed to be a lecture by a Korean S-rank hunter, so that must have been Director Seo.
—Yes. I also looked into the other side, and that Nomura guy who grabbed your collar is apparently the financial director of the Japan Hunter Association. He has two younger brothers - one is a member of the House of Representatives from Japan's ruling Natural Party, and the other is an S-rank hunter.
A member of the House of Representatives is like a congressman?
"S-rank hunter and congressman? That's impressive."
—Not just any member, but the deputy speaker. With an S-rank hunter in the family and the family itself being quite influential in Japan, that's probably why he acted so arrogantly yesterday.
Certainly, with an S-rank hunter and even a congressman in the family, he'd have reason to be arrogant.
"So is it difficult to deal with them? Should I just accept an apology and end it quietly?"
—What are you talking about? I've already contacted journalists, so articles will probably come out from this afternoon.
"Really? You work really fast."
—I put in some effort since it's your matter, teacher. Don't worry. You didn't do anything wrong and we have the moral high ground. Even if they exert some influence, that's only within Japan. Looking at the world, they're nothing.
"Still, isn't it a bit burdensome?"
—Teacher, our Ares is absolutely not inferior either. I'm going to completely destroy... no, smash them.
For Se-jin to use such aggressive expressions. I felt yesterday too, but she seems quite angry.
"R-right. I'll trust only Se-jin."
—Of course. I've already contacted Director Seo and I'll arrive by lunchtime at the latest, so let's eat lunch together.
"Got it. Come safely."
After hanging up, I left the room and chatted with Eunseo before participating in the program.
The lecture proceeded much the same as yesterday.
I heard Director Seo was here, but it must be an afternoon class because in the morning, S-rank hunters from Indonesia and Vietnam came out to give lectures.
And perhaps because rumors had spread in the meantime, the atmosphere among students was not ordinary.
Especially the Japanese students who were openly glaring at me during break times and even during lectures - clearly that thug had spread false rumors.
Well, it doesn't matter.
The misunderstanding will be cleared up soon.
Finally, the boring lecture ended and it was lunchtime.
"Um, teacher, since this morning the Japanese students seem to keep glaring at you. Did something happen?"
"Ah, that's a bit of a long story..."
I also explained yesterday's incident to Eunseo.
"Such a thing... That's really too much."
"It's okay. It'll be resolved cleanly soon. Se-jin is coming too."
"Se-jin senior is coming?"
"Yeah. She should have arrived by now."
I was about to contact her when the International Hunter Association staff member I saw yesterday approached us.
"Chan-seong student, please come with me for a moment."
Have they already arrived and are discussing it?
"I'll be back."
"Ah... yes."
I followed the staff member to the auditorium I went to yesterday and was a bit surprised.
I expected Se-jin and Director Seo to be there, but there was one more person I hadn't thought of at all.
"Ah, you're here? I heard the explanation from Se-jin, but when something like this happens, you should contact the school first."
Vice Principal Kim Man-dong of 1st Hunter School - he had come.
Se-jin said she talked to the vice principal, but since there was no contact to me, I thought he had left it entirely to Se-jin, but I never expected him to come directly like this.
"Ah... I'm sorry."
"No. You didn't do anything wrong."
There are quite a few people on the Japanese side that I didn't see yesterday too.
The person in a suit with a gold badge seems to be the congressman, and the thin man emanating quite a powerful aura seems to be the S-rank hunter.
"Chan-seong, first, the copy video you transferred yesterday has been concluded by both Japanese experts and Director Seo to have no fabrication. But the Japanese side keeps claiming the original was fabricated, so can we check the original?"
"Yes. Here."
I handed over the necklace at Se-jin's words.
Director Seo received it and the time for replaying the video and authenticating it like yesterday continued.
The result is obvious.
The Japanese side expert's expression gradually hardened while our side's Director Seo smiled coldly.
"This also has no fabrication. By the way, you said this necklace was made by Kang Shin-hyeok Hunter? Really amazing."
"Hmph. Our appraiser hasn't answered yet. Masamato, how is it?"
"Um, that's... What that person said is correct. It's incredibly high-level magic, but looking at the video, it's certain there's no fabrication."
"That can't be. Look once more."
"I'm... I'm certain."
"TSK TSK, not even trusting the expert they brought themselves. Now that the facts are revealed, they should bow their heads and apologize."
"Then the witness who said our Korean Chan-seong student struck first yesterday also lied, right?"
Wow, the vice principal says one thing and Director Seo supports it - this is really refreshing.
"Even if the video is true, the fact that violence was committed is still true, isn't it?"
Since they're losing, Japan's S-rank hunter steps forward to speak, which is ridiculous.
"Are your eyes just decorations? Everyone here saw who tried to strike first, so naturally it's self-defense."
When Se-jin immediately counters, the Japanese S-rank hunter's face instantly contorts.
"What this and that? This insolent bitch... Want to die?"
He immediately emanates killing intent, but the vice principal and Director Seo don't stay still either.
"Please, stop..."
"Why are you all doing this? At this rate the building will collapse."
"Didn't that insolent young bitch insult me?"
"You're the one who made unreasonable demands first, so that's okay?"
It seemed like it might calm down with the staff's mediation, but the atmosphere became serious again with the Japanese hunter's re-provocation.
"What a pathetic excuse for an S-rank hunter."
"What? This bitch has lost her mind!"
"The one who's lost his mind would be you."
As Se-jin countered, she pulled out some very familiar documents.