ch 253
Became a Swordsmanship Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 253
These three came too?
Well, they are Jinsu's student council juniors, so they could come.
"It's been a long time, everyone. I heard you were busy. I saw you on TV last time."
"Oh? You saw that?"
Do-hyun and Chan-seong have completely moved expressions.
Lee Ji-sung has a slightly wary expression, but well... this is just like him.
"Why did you go there... Huh?"
This time, a group of girls approaches from behind.
Seong Ji-an, Nam Ji-hyeon, Yu Hye-ji.
"Everyone, hello."
"Ji-an, it's been a long time."
"Hello."
She immediately sticks right next to Chan-seong, and it seems like the two are still meeting well until now.
"Yu... I'm Yu Hye-ji. It's an honor to meet you."
Yu Hye-ji, this child is meeting with Do-hyun.
Originally Lee Ji-sung's fiancée and one of Lee Ji-sung's harem members in the original work, but she broke off the engagement and became a couple with Do-hyun.
Yu Hye-ji's father, Yu Jeong-mu, was said to have strongly opposed it at first.
But when Do-hyun became active as the vice guild master of Hwasin Guild, no less than Lee Ji-sung, I heard from Se-jin that he goes around bragging to fellow hunters that he's his son-in-law.
"Yes, Hye-ji. Nice to meet you. I've seen this one on TV, but I think this is the first time seeing her in person... was your name Ji-hyeon?"
Actually, that's not true, but it's the first time as Kang Shin-hyeok.
"Yes. I'm Nam Ji-hyeon. I've been a fan for a long time."
Unlike her usual self, she greets with her eyes cast down, pretending to be modest, but did her personality die a bit?
"I heard a lot of stories from your father and brother. They said you're a very proud younger sister. Nice to meet you."
Hunter Nam Il-seong is an S-rank hunter I'm acquainted with, and Nam Ji-hyeon's brother Nam Jin-cheol was also an academy trainee.
"They both praise me too much, so I'm embarrassed...."
After acting shy and coy, she sticks right next to Lee Ji-sung.
Nam Ji-hyeon is Lee Ji-sung's girlfriend.
I already knew this, but seeing it in person is really unexpected.
Surely during school days, Nam Ji-hyeon really hated Lee Ji-sung.
She's an existing heroine, but the trigger that made the two like each other - the recommendation from another class - I had already done first when I was Min Chan-seong.
In the first place, with the distribution of internal energy manuals, most hunters now are hybrids anyway.
Nam Ji-hyeon's brother problem also didn't occur since he came as an academy trainee.
Even his only girlfriend... well, I assume there were other incidents while attending school.
After briefly exchanging greetings and having lunch, congratulating Jinsu and Minhee who were making rounds greeting people, I was about to leave when I got a text from Lee Ji-sung.
He said he wanted to meet separately at the hotel coffee shop, so I told Se-jin and Eunseo to go ahead first and came to the coffee shop.
I ordered an Americano and waited about 3 minutes, then he arrived.
"Since we're both busy, let's get straight to the point. What did you want to see me about?"
"Right. The Demon King's descent, is it really going to happen?"
What?
I never expected Lee Ji-sung, of all people, to ask such a question.
"What do you mean by asking that question? If you've seen the original work, you should know."
"It was like that in the novel, but reality has changed."
"There are many things that haven't changed."
"Then exactly when will it happen? The 10 years you mentioned at first is too broad."
I want to know that too.
If I knew, I would have made an accurate prophecy.
"I can't specify exactly, but it will definitely happen."
"Sigh.... Then should I postpone it...."
He even sighs, so I was slightly worried thinking there was some problem, but hearing his following words is absurd.
"I'm going to get married too."
It's a wedding invitation.
"Marriage? Already?"
"Why, can't I get married?"
"Did you think of it after seeing Jinsu's wedding? Aren't you too young for that? You're only 21 now, and I heard your guild work is quite busy, so marriage is a bit unexpected."
Lee Ji-sung is 2 years younger than Eunseo, so he's only 21 now.
Even though he has a previous life, he's not that old either.
"Ahem, well... if we like each other and are capable, isn't that what you do?"
Seeing him slightly flustered, could this guy also?
"Did you also commit a speed violation?"
"...."
"I knew it."
"Yes. That's right. That's why I'm asking. I was wondering if an incident might break out before the wedding...."
"I see. When are you planning to have the ceremony?"
"We haven't decided specifically yet, but we're not thinking of going past this year. Ji-hyeon suggested we do it that way."
With Lee Ji-sung's personality, I thought he would be the one in control, but somehow it feels like he's the one being controlled.
"Alright. Congratulations anyway."
Lee Ji-sung becoming a father... time really flies.
"Thank you. This year should be okay, right?"
"Well, shouldn't it be okay?"
Even if the Demon King descends, I've prepared for it.
"I wish it would happen early and get it over with."
I think the same.
But originally, things in the world tend to not go as planned rather than going as planned....
"Then we're done talking? Contact me when you set the wedding date."
"Are you very busy?"
"Not really... well, do you have more to say?"
"If the Demon King descends, are you planning to step forward and handle it yourself?"
"I'll have to. Why?"
"Can't you yield it to us?"
Huh? What kind of nonsense is this?
"Don't be greedy. The Demon King isn't such an easy existence. I'll include Hwasin Guild when organizing the raid party, but going solo is impossible."
"Not solo, but our entire Hwasin Guild will cooperate together. We're strong too. Plus, Do-hyun and I learned the same martial arts as you, didn't we? We're also sufficiently...."
Hmm, in the original work, Lee Ji-sung catches the Demon King alone.
If Do-hyun joins in too, it would be much easier, but the future has already been twisted.
I don't know how strong the Demon King will become, but is it because he's young? Such bravado....
"Still, no. You're not alone anymore and you're going to be a father, so don't be too obsessed with honor. And as a guild master, you should prioritize the safety of your guild members first."
"...You're nagging just like a teacher. If you're really worried, you can watch and intervene when we're in danger, can't you?"
"Why should I?"
"It seems like you're more greedy for honor than me."
Look at him getting cocky just because he's grown a little... It's annoying... no, just frustrating.
If I could, I'd like to call the Primordial Heavenly Honored One and show these guys the future I saw too.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm not interested in things like honor. Once the Demon King descent incident is resolved, I'll hardly do any external activities."
"Then what do you want?"
"There's only one thing I want. Minimum damage."
Distributing internal energy manuals and operating the academy, everything I've prepared so far has been to save as many lives as possible.
"As I said before, from the moment you and I came to this place, it's no longer a novel. It's reality."
"...I know that. Then please promise that Do-hyun and I will be allowed to participate in the Demon King raid together. With our skills, we should be helpful rather than a hindrance."
He's overflowing with confidence.
Certainly, Lee Ji-sung and Do-hyun have improved their skills a lot.
I fed Do-hyun the demon fruit in his second year, just like in the original work.
Lee Ji-sung didn't learn magic from Luciel, but I taught him magic directly instead of Luciel.
He's grown to the point where he can compete with Se-jin, but he's no match for me.
We sparred frequently when I was teaching him, but I think I went too easy on him then.
I never lost even once, but I held back a lot because I was worried he might lose motivation if he only experienced overwhelming defeats.
Looking at it now, it seems like it was unnecessary consideration.
I thought about raising my energy to let him know the difference in level, but there's no need to crush his spirit unnecessarily.
Certainly, those two wouldn't be at the level of dragging me down.
***
"Isn't this enough now?"
"It's sufficient. I still have energy left."
Along with his words, he raised his mental focus again.
THUD!
The ground around Master sinks, but there's no impact on Master at all.
At the same time, I felt Master's mental focus penetrating my Absolute Domain and stepped back one step.
BANG!
The ground explodes even louder than before.
"Ho, you avoided that?"
In sparring between Master and me, we don't use swords anymore.
We only spar with each other's mental focus and Absolute Domain, but this consumes mental strength more than I thought.
Moreover, while I struggle desperately to barely interfere with Master's Absolute Domain, Master easily invades my Absolute Domain as if entering his own home.
The ground explodes in a chain reaction, and before I know it, I feel a mental blade around my neck.
"This should be the end... Huh?"
"Master, that's my afterimage."
I moved behind Master and couldn't see his facial expression, but he probably has a stiff expression.
"Body-changing technique... no, you even mixed in clone magic."
It's the result of steady effort over the past 3 years, though there hasn't been much major progress.
If Master invades my Absolute Domain like entering his own home, I can respond by immediately reconstructing it.
Finally, this day has come, I thought, and thrust a mental blade at Master's neck, but Master disappeared.
"...What you're seeing is also my afterimage."
"Ack!"
I suddenly feel pain in my forehead, and Master is already standing in front of me, smiling.
"That's unfair, copying me."
"The loser talks too much. Let's stop now, the kids are here too."
Along with his words, he disappears, and I feel Se-jin and Luciel's energy from the camping car direction.
When did they come? No, to notice that the kids came while sparring with me... I really can't match Master.
"Did you add another loss today?"
Luciel teases as soon as she arrives.
"Yeah. I lost today too... did you buy clothes?"
Luciel, who usually wraps herself in white cloth like a mummy, is wearing a fluttery pink dress today.
"Oh, this? Se-jin bought it for me. She told me to try it on, so I tried it. How is it?"
After the wedding ended earlier, she said she was going shopping with Eunseo, so she bought it then?
"It suits you very well. You look about 20,000 times prettier than usual?"
"Shin-hyeok, you say such embarrassing things so casually.... I was asking because the size is a bit big."
"It looks like it fits perfectly?"
"When sister wore it, it felt a bit big? I bought it in my size, but there are indeed some parts that don't fit sister well."
Somehow Se-jin's gaze is directed toward Luciel's upper body.
"What... what are you saying. It fits perfectly."
"I don't think so."
When Se-jin sticks out her chest and speaks, Luciel trembles.
"What's wrong. It just looks good on you."
"Shin-hyeok says so."
"Really? I bought the same clothes too, but I guess I can't wear them."
"Se-jin, you really.... Come here!"
When Luciel charges, Se-jin runs away.
It looks good.
In the past, Se-jin seemed to be slightly intimidated by Luciel.
But now, seeing her even play such pranks, she seems really comfortable now.
After sparring for almost five hours, I'm getting hungry.
I should boil some ramen, I thought, and started boiling water when Luciel brings Se-jin floating in the air.
She got caught in the end, which is a natural result.
No matter how fast Se-jin is, she moves on two legs while Luciel has wings.
After giving Se-jin a few knocks on the head, she releases her and disappears, saying she's going back to research.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
"Is Eunseo at home?"
"No. Eunseo said she was going to play with friends today and sleep at her family home."
Right, it's not just anyone but Jinsu and Minhee's wedding, so all her friends gathered after a long time.
The water just started boiling and I was about to put in the soup and noodles when Se-jin clings to me.
"Let's go right after eating this?"
"Huh?"
"Luciel also said she's going back to research, so that means it's just the two of us at home today, right?"
She whispers in my ear with a flushed face, and my hunger disappears.
"Ahem, should we go right away?"
"You're so... what about the ramen?"
"We can just give this to Master."
I roughly boiled the ramen and had Master handle it, then came out of the portal with Se-jin.
I was about to use teleportation magic while holding Se-jin's hand, but I feel vibration from inside my clothes.
I take it out and it's Jinsu.
Why is he calling at this hour?
I heard he was going to Guam for his honeymoon... is he calling to thank me again?
I really don't need it, so I should tell him to take good care of Minhee instead, I thought as I pressed the call button.
"Jinsu, you're a newlywed, you shouldn't be calling at this hour. Don't tell me you fought?"
—That... that's not it. Teacher, I'm in Guam, but monsters keep pouring out onto the streets!