Ch 206
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 206
What I'm worried about is Eunseo.
Eunseo, who was last year's martial arts tournament champion, is a third-year this year. She'll naturally participate in the tournament again this time.
Then she'll meet Lee Ji-sung either in the finals or preliminaries.
Can Lee Ji-sung really beat Eunseo?
Eunseo didn't learn my martial arts like Se-jin did, but she learned the mental cultivation method of the prestigious Taoist sect Wudang.
Looking at her talent and considering she's not as overwhelmingly gifted as last year's Se-jin, Eunseo still never falls behind when it comes to effort.
Lee Ji-sung will obtain martial arts at the training camp in October.
But he'll really become strong after eating ginseng like rice during winter break.
Of course, in the original work, he won the martial arts tournament by only learning internal energy cultivation methods, but there was no Eunseo who had learned martial arts back then.
Should I tell Eunseo not to participate in the tournament?
I don't think I can say such a thing without any reason.
I'm troubled about how to explain it.
Still, should I at least try to feel her out?
Maybe she's not planning to participate this time.
I took out my phone from my pocket and sent a message.
[Want to eat lunch together?]
[Really? You told me not to make it obvious at school.]
I was worried she might not see the message, but it was needless worry.
The reply came so fast, as if she had been waiting.
[I was thinking of eating on the rooftop instead of the cafeteria. Don't buy anything, just come.]
[Did you already stop by the school store? Got it. I'll come right away.]
It's not the school store but food from subspace, but well, no need to explain that.
I came up to the rooftop... ah, there's been a door lock installed since last time.
What was the password?
I think Eunseo told me, but I can't remember well, so I used Blink magic to get over.
I positioned myself in the center so no one would see me and used subspace magic.
I took out a table and two chairs first.
Let's see. What food is there?
The first thing that catches my eye is countless ramen, but I can't serve ramen after calling her here.
There's one whole chicken.
'Chicken should be fried, grilled isn't chicken,' my master said he wouldn't eat it, so I put it back.
It definitely doesn't have the crispy taste of oven-baked food, but this has a galbi flavor that makes it perfect as a side dish with rice.
Chicken and two instant rice packs... oh, there's Dongpo pork and spring rolls.
I think I forgot to take them out before when I was going to give them to my master because there was too much other food.
It seems like a bit much for two people, but if there's leftover, I can just put it back in subspace.
After setting up cold cola and ice cups, I hear movement from the door.
Naturally thinking it's Eunseo, I approached and opened the door... huh?
"What? Min Chan-seong?"
It's not Eunseo but Eunsu.
Eunseo is next to her too, but... why did that girl bring Eunsu along?
"You said you'd tell my sister about it last time."
Ah, that's right. Since it's vacation, I was planning to talk separately after school started, but I forgot.
That Eunseo girl, even though I said I would talk about it, I didn't expect her to bring her without saying anything. I'm a bit flustered.
"Why are you here... what's that?"
She's shocked seeing the lunch I prepared.
Well, I was planning to reveal it anyway, so does it matter?
"What do you mean what, I prepared it to eat together."
"Together? Did you just speak informally to me? Hey, Min Chan-seong. No matter how much you and my sister..."
"Sister..."
"What?"
"Eunsu, it's me."
I was going to change my appearance, but then I'd have to explain separately to Eunseo too, so I just released the voice modulation.
"Suddenly saying it's you?"
She doesn't seem to recognize me. Is voice alone not enough?
Eunseo recognized me immediately even when everything changed, so I thought Eunsu would catch on quickly too.
"Sister, Chan-seong is actually our teacher."
"Teacher? What? Wait, could it be... Teacher Kang Shin-hyeok?"
"Right. Even if my appearance changed, you listened to my voice for two years, this is a bit disappointing."
"This is... this doesn't make sense. Teacher..."
"I had a hard time believing it at first too."
I explained just like I told Eunseo.
At first she seemed to find it hard to believe, but I talked about things from the past two years, the trip together in first-year summer, home visits, and other things that only Kang Shin-hyeok would know, finally gaining her trust.
I thought she might cry and hug me like Eunseo did before, but fortunately that didn't happen.
"The food will get cold. Let's eat and talk now."
Since there's one more person, I used subspace magic to take out another chair.
"Huh? Teacher, what's that?"
Ah, I've never shown subspace in front of the kids.
I used it habitually without thinking.
Well, it's not like I was trying to hide it.
"Yeah. Well, it's nothing special, just magic that stores things."
"Wow, that must be really convenient."
"Right. The food here was also stored using this magic."
We talked a lot while eating.
Most of it was Eunsu scolding me about why I didn't tell her sooner.
It was a situation that's hard to explain logically, and I was confused too. Originally, if Eunseo hadn't recognized me, I wasn't planning to say anything, so I gave appropriate answers.
"Wait... Seong Eunseo, then was it teacher who told you to call during MT?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"I was shocked when I answered the phone too. I didn't know it was Eunsu instead of Eunseo."
"Then the monster was also handled by teacher, not Eunseo?"
"Right. Even if I look like this now, a teacher is still a teacher. If our students are in danger, I'll run anywhere."
"Um, teacher... I'm sorry for misunderstanding before and telling you not to bother Eunseo."
"Ah, thinking about it, there was such a time?"
"No, I... I really thought some weird kid had bad intentions and was trying to seduce Eunseo..."
"Geez sister, what do you think I am?"
Eunsu can't properly lift her head.
"It's okay. You didn't know back then. Eunsu cared about Eunseo, so that's understandable."
"R-right."
"But Eunsu was really scary."
"...I'm sorry."
"If you're really sorry, please treat me well from now on, student council president."
"Don't worry. Now that I know, I'll treat you properly."
"No, that's not what I meant. If your attitude suddenly changes, the kids will think it's strange. Act normally like you've been doing."
"But..."
"I said this before, but I don't plan to reveal that I'm me until I get my original body back. It'll just cause confusion."
"But the other kids were really sad too... They'd be so happy to know teacher is safe."
"But if something suddenly goes wrong, they'll be even more disappointed."
"Huh?"
"T-teacher, why are you saying such things..."
That Eunseo girl looks like she's about to cry.
I said that on purpose because Eunsu seemed to be suggesting I should tell the other kids too.
"It's not certain, so wait a bit longer. When the time comes, I'll reveal it myself."
"Yes."
"...Don't say things like that."
"Got it. By the way, are you both participating in this martial arts tournament?"
"I'm automatically registered since I was last year's champion."
"Really? What about Eunsu?"
"Of course I'm participating. Minhee and Jinsu are coming out too, and quite a few third-years said they're participating."
"Even so, I'll win again."
"Eunseo, aren't you being too arrogant? I won't go easy on you like last year this time."
"I'll still win."
Hmm, she's participating after all.
I expected it, but this is a big problem.
Last time during MT, Eunseo said if Lee Ji-sung hadn't interfered, she could have lasted at least an hour.
Lasting against four B-grade monsters without proper weapons?
I'd say she's at least upper B-rank Hunter or early A-rank level.
No matter how much Lee Ji-sung gets internal energy cultivation methods, can he beat such an Eunseo...
"Don't tell me teacher is also thinking of participating in the martial arts tournament?"
"Huh? Me? I'm not thinking about it."
"WHEW, that's a relief."
"You too Eunseo, would teacher really participate? If he did, he'd definitely win. It'd be completely like one wolf among a flock of sheep."
"Shouldn't it be a tiger rather than a wolf?"
These kids are really something.
Well, it's not wrong.
No... it is wrong.
Even tiger isn't enough, it should be dragon to be an accurate comparison.
Even Se-jin, who won much more overwhelmingly than Eunseo, wasn't an S-rank Hunter when she won, but the current me could handle a truckload of S-rank Hunters without problem.
After finishing the meal and parting with the kids, I was returning to the classroom when I met Do-hyun.
"Chan-seong, did you apply for martial arts tournament supplementary classes?"
"No. I'm not planning to participate. Did you apply?"
I asked the question but already know the answer.
Originally in the source material, Do-hyun and Ji-sung face each other in the finals where he loses.
But this time, whoever meets Eunseo first will be eliminated.
"Of course I did. Hye-ji applied too. Why aren't you participating?"
"Just not really interested."
"Not interested? Someone of your level could definitely aim for the main tournament."
It's not the main tournament, just participating would mean winning, you fool.
"I'm good. I saw earlier that Ji-sung seems to be applying too. From the magic class, Ji-sung and Cha Min-woo will probably participate?"
"Cha Min-woo is participating too, as expected."
Seeing him only talk about Cha Min-woo when I mentioned both suggests he thinks Ji-sung is no match at all.
"That guy is the ace of the magic class."
"True. I'll have to work hard during supplementary classes."
"Yeah, fighting."
I gave him encouragement and returned to the classroom.
I sat down and was preparing for afternoon classes when somehow the back of my head felt prickly.
I turned around and saw Nam Ji-hyeon glaring at me.
Though I somewhat improved my image through the incident in Japan last time, that girl and a few other female students still ignore me.
She's close with Seong Ji-an, and the other girls follow Nam Ji-hyeon's lead since she plays a central role in the class and dislikes me.
I roughly understand, but how long will this continue...
That girl probably applied for supplementary classes too. I hope she meets Eunseo and gets thoroughly beaten.
"Chan-seong, did you eat lunch? I was going to go together earlier but couldn't find you, so we went without you."
"Ah, my stomach felt a bit off."
"Today's lunch was black bean noodles with sweet and sour pork."
"If I had eaten that, my stomach would have felt worse."
"True, it's all flour-based food... Are you okay now?"
"Yeah. Skipping meals made it feel better."
I chatted with classmates and then the teacher came in and afternoon classes started.
Language, math, English. The tedious triple combo passed and finally homeroom time arrived.
Normally it's 8 periods every day, but today it's 7 periods since it's the opening ceremony.
I think opening ceremonies used to be morning classes only as the unwritten rule, but this damn Hunter school has no such consideration.
There's not much difference between 8 and 7 periods, but everyone seems happy to have one less class.
Well, same for me.
While chatting with the kids and packing up, the front door of the classroom opened and Choi Seo-ra entered.
"Everyone sit down. Did you listen well to classes?"
"Yes."
"We listened diligently."
"Good. You know the second semester is shorter than the first, so exams will come quickly, right?"
"Ugh... teacher, talking about exams already..."
"That's too much."
"Too much my foot. I'm saying this for your own good. Let's do well in the second semester and get overall first place."
"If we get first place in the second semester, will we have another unity event?"
"This time a ski resort?"
"Oh, ski resort sounds good."
"You guys... it's the first day of school and you're already thinking about playing?"
"We need rewards to make an effort."
"Fine, if our class does well in the second semester and gets overall first place, I'll take you to a ski resort."
Everyone's cheering and making noise, but is that Choi Seo-ra girl going to be okay?
I've been to a ski resort with the kids before, so I know ski resorts cost quite a bit of money.
They do give prize money for first place, but it won't be enough...
She always says she has no money, did she win the lottery or something?
"Alright alright, you all want to finish quickly, right? I'll just check the martial arts tournament supplementary class participants and we'll wrap up."
"Yes."
"Our class has quite a few participants. Seong Ji-an, Nam Ji-hyeon, Lee Ji-sung, Min Chan-seong."
Huh? Why is my name coming up?