Ch 205
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 205
When I came out due to the noisy sounds, Master was running away and Luciel was chasing after him.
"Stop right there! Master! That's mine!"
"Shin-hyeok bought it for everyone to share, where's the distinction between yours and mine?"
"That's not true! He bought it for me to eat!"
Looking at the situation, it seems this commotion started because Master ate Luciel's chocolate bar.
It looks somewhat pathetic that they're making such a fuss over just one chocolate bar, but I'm truly grateful that I can continue to see scenes like this.
Two weeks ago, Luciel had said she would break down the wall and seclude herself in her own world, but through persistent persuasion, she returned to the portal.
However, she said she wouldn't cling to me and follow me around like before.
The water that's already been spilled can't be gathered back up, but it's right not to spill more.
Zhang Sambong also said it would be better not to deepen their connection here any further.
That doesn't mean she'll stay in the portal forever, and we do go on dates occasionally.
Just the day before yesterday, the three of us - Se-jin, her, and I - went fishing to our heart's content at the East Sea.
"Shin-hyeok, catch Master!"
At Luciel's cry, I blocked Master's path.
"Master, just apologize quickly and let's end this."
"This rascal! A master who is like the heavens ate just one chocolate bar, and instead of scolding this junior sister who's blazing with anger and charging at me."
Master's words certainly have a point too.
"Luciel, just let it go. I don't know what chocolate ring it is, but I'll give you one."
"It's the limited edition chocolate bar you bought me from Japan last time! There was only one left. And that old man..."
...If it's a limited edition, I can't get it now.
Having no choice, I approached the escaping Master and subtly tripped him.
THUD!
He fell just like that, and Luciel pounced on top of him.
In the past, it would have been impossible, but now that he's learned Absolute Domain.
"Caught you, old man. Shin-hyeok, well done!"
"This ungrateful wretch! They say there's no point in teaching disciples."
"That's why you shouldn't steal and eat a kid's stuff. You don't even usually like chocolate bars that much."
"No, the packaging looked delicious..."
While watching the two bickering, I thought I'd prepare breakfast and was about to boil water when I felt a presence at the portal entrance.
Did Se-jin come?
When I went toward the entrance, I saw Se-jin holding bags full in both hands.
"You're here?"
"Oh, Teacher! There are more things outside. Please help me a bit."
"Really? Alright."
When I went outside the portal, there were bags everywhere.
I put everything into subspace and returned to the portal.
"What did you buy so much of?"
"There are chocolate bars that sister Luciel requested, and there are quite a lot of things that Great Master requested too."
"Don't tell me."
Se-jin has learned teleportation magic but hasn't mastered subspace magic yet.
It would have been more convenient if she had gone shopping with me.
"I can get here quickly using magic anyway. And you didn't answer your phone."
She narrows her eyes prettily.
"Ah... I've been in the portal the whole time. Is today your day off?"
"Yes. It's a rare vacation."
"Oh? It's Se-jin!"
"You came early."
Both Master and Luciel rush over with bright expressions.
"Huh? Why are there only this many chocolate bars?"
"I don't see the potato dumplings and cold noodles I requested?"
"Teacher must have taken care of those."
"I'll go to the camping car and take them out for you."
I took out the things Se-jin bought, organized them, and we all ate together.
"Ahh, refreshing. Cold noodles with dongchimi broth are the best after all. Should I try naengmyeon this time?"
"When it comes to chocolate bars, it's definitely Twix."
Both Master and Luciel are too busy eating to pay attention to anything else.
"Luciel, don't eat too many chocolate bars at once. Master, please eat more slowly too."
"This is what Se-jin bought, so don't interfere."
"Right. You didn't even buy it, so why interfere."
"Se-jin's money is my money though?"
It's not the unreasonable logic of 'your money is my money and my money is my money,' but because when I died, Se-jin inherited all my assets.
"Stop nagging and eat, Teacher."
She picks up a dumpling and places it in my bowl - truly, there's only our Se-jin.
After finishing the meal and cleaning up, Se-jin approaches me.
"I told you I'd clean up?"
"It's faster if we do it together. And I have something to tell you."
"What's wrong?"
"Well... last time you asked me to look into that student Do-hyun's house situation."
"Huh? I did?"
"It's been a while since you told me... You said they seemed to have been scammed and asked me to look into it."
Ah, I remember.
Before, while trying to talk with Eunseo, I overheard Do-hyun and Ji-sung talking and had asked Se-jin to look into it.
"It was so long ago that I forgot."
"Then it doesn't matter?"
"Yeah. I should have told you earlier. It's fine now."
I was a bit worried back then, but now it doesn't particularly matter.
The crisis was resolved with Ji-sung's help.
Rather, because the crisis arose, Ji-sung was able to help, and that became an opportunity for the two to become close, so it was a blessing in disguise.
"Wasn't Do-hyun a student you cared about a lot?"
"I do care about him, but it's well resolved now. Is there some problem?"
"By well resolved, you mean Hwasin Group helped, right?"
"Oh, so you didn't do a half-hearted investigation? Right. That kid Ji-sung is Hwasin Group's grandson, and I heard that kid helped."
"Really? That's strange."
"Huh? What is?"
"The criminal who scammed Do-hyun's mother was caught recently."
"Really? Hwasin Group must have pulled some strings."
As expected of a conglomerate?
"They said she'd already squandered all the money, and since that person had no assets, she wouldn't compensate, so she went to prison."
"That's how scammers always are."
"What's strange is that 200 million won was deposited into the criminal's child's account."
"Huh? Then isn't that 200 million the money from the scam?"
"The criminal damage amount is less than 200 million."
"Really? But some of it could still be money from the scam. And how did you find out about such things? Bank transaction records and such..."
"It happened that the prosecutor in charge of that case had some connection with our guild. So I could hear the details. But that prosecutor also initially thought part of that money was criminal proceeds."
"But? It wasn't?"
"They couldn't verify it. The depositor was someone named Kim Hyeon-seong, but when they tried to trace back and investigate the source through that person, pressure came from above saying it was unrelated to this case and to stop and close it."
"Pressure came? From whom?"
"When they carefully looked into it, it was pressure from Hwasin Group, and they said they were confused because Hwasin Group, which had no relation at all, suddenly appeared."
Certainly, Ji-sung helped to become close with Do-hyun, but was there a need to put in such pressure?
Did he think they'd be less grateful if the money was recovered?
But if criminal proceeds had also been recovered, they would have been even more grateful...
Something doesn't add up.
"I also went to meet the loan sharks who came looking for Do-hyun's mother, and they all said they just did what Kim Hyeon-seong told them to do."
"Kim Hyeon-seong? That's the person who was the source of the 200 million you mentioned earlier, right? Did you look into that person?"
"Yes. When I looked into it, she was unemployed, but that person's older brother works in Hwasin Group's secretariat."
The loan sharks did what Hwasin Group told them to do?
What on earth is... No, wait a minute. Could it be that bastard Ji-sung orchestrated everything from the beginning?
It seems like that's probably the case.
Come to think of it, even before, Ji-sung had said he was sorry and would help once, but Do-hyun, who was living somewhat well thanks to my help, refused.
Since he wouldn't accept his help, he deliberately made things difficult and then helped.
"According to what you said, Teacher, that kid Ji-sung was trying to help Kim Do-hyun. Doesn't something seem strange?"
Ordinary normal people wouldn't go to such trouble to orchestrate things like this, but if it's Ji-sung, who is selfish and will do anything for his purposes, it's definitely a plausible story.
No, it's not just plausible - that bastard definitely orchestrated everything 100%.
This is really... it's exactly like giving someone a disease and then giving them medicine.
"It's definitely like that. Thanks for the information for now. I'll handle it from here."
"Understood. Should we go fishing with sister Luciel later after we finish washing dishes?"
"Sure."
Hmm, how do I handle this?
Making Do-hyun's family suffer is a bit much, but the kid probably didn't do it with bad intentions.
He probably did it to become close with the protagonist Do-hyun.
It's not like Do-hyun's house is in trouble right now either...
It doesn't sit well with me, but it seems right to just let it pass.
Actually, if I hadn't helped Do-hyun, Do-hyun would have initially accepted Ji-sung's help and become close with him.
In a way, it's not like I have no fault in this... I should pretend not to know, but somehow my mouth tastes bitter.
***
"Did everyone rest well during vacation?"
"Yes!"
"Teacher, I missed you!"
Ugh, it's already the start of the new semester.
Whether as a teacher or as a student, vacation always seems to pass in an instant.
I didn't really do much... actually, that's not true.
I met Zhang Sambong and learned Absolute Domain, and in the process rescued Eunseo who was in crisis. I persuaded Luciel who was stubbornly building walls.
I went on dates with Eunseo and Se-jin, and with Luciel at least twice each.
This much seems like I spent it quite productively.
Well, it's still the same that I'm sad vacation is over though.
After morning assembly ended and I was preparing for class, the kids approached me.
"Chan-seong, I heard there was an accident at the student council MT?"
"Right. They said monsters suddenly appeared."
"Ah, that's what they say, but I didn't go so I don't know well."
"Huh? You didn't go to the student council MT? Then you should have come to the class unity competition. It was really fun."
"We even had barbecue and it was really good. I just didn't know we'd volunteer at an orphanage on the second day."
"I liked it. All the kids listened well and were nice."
It seems they took the kids to volunteer at an orphanage.
Anyway, who else but Choi Seo-ra would do that.
I finished preparing for class and moved to the magic practice room.
Here too, everyone gathered in small groups and chatted about what happened during vacation.
I was also casually mingling, when there was one guy who wasn't mingling and was only looking at books.
It was Lee Ji-sung.
"Hey, Ji-sung. Did you have a good vacation?"
"I'm going to study, so... Ah, you studied well, right? Hey, can you explain this theory to me?"
He had been studying hard even normally to catch up on academics he'd fallen behind on while living as a delinquent, but it wasn't to this extent.
I gave him a simple explanation and tried to chat a bit more, but he made an obviously annoyed expression so I backed off.
He was staring into the book as if he'd fall into it, and now that I look, it seems he not only studied but also exercised hard during vacation.
If before vacation he was slightly fat... completely chubby, now he's just at a good-looking level.
His formerly round face also looks much better now that he's lost some weight.
Well, he still can't beat Do-hyun in looks though.
I was talking with other kids when class time came and Teacher Kim entered.
Teacher Kim had also lost a tremendous amount of weight.
She was already on the thin side originally, but now she looks precariously thin.
She has dark circles around her eyes too, and I heard she was doing some research during vacation, but it seems she didn't eat properly.
"Then that's it for today. Oh, you all know there's a festival in the second semester, right?"
"Yes."
"We're having supplementary classes for students who will participate in the martial arts tournament during the festival, so students who want to apply should stay today to fill out application forms before leaving."
It seems like she's particularly looking at me while saying this... well, it's probably my imagination?
I did receive a recommendation last time, but I still have no intention of participating.
It's a bit much for a tiger to join in where rabbits are playing.
Lee Ji-sung should win this martial arts tournament.
I've already seen the future that changed because of me, but it should proceed as close to the original flow as possible so there will be fewer changes.
I quickly left the classroom in case I got caught.
Watching from outside, Cha Min-woo and Lee Ji-sung remained.
It's the same as the original, but there's a part I'm worried about.