Ch 39
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 39
"The kids don't like you, so why don't you stop being pathetic and leave?"
"Huh? Teacher!"
"Are this nerd and the kid part of your group?"
"Hey, nerd. What did you just say, pathetic?"
"Are you trying to show off because there are girls around?"
"You might end up getting beaten and crying."
HAHA.... I can't help but laugh in disbelief.
Judging by their builds, they all seemed to be toned through fitness or exercise, but they were still just ordinary people....
It wouldn't matter even if they were hunters.
I really don't understand what gives them such confidence.
"Kid? Do you know me?"
"Oh, the kid is fierce. What, are you... Trying to pick a fight?"
Jinsu is trembling so much that he looks like he's about to throw a punch.
"Lee Jin-su, control yourself."
Honestly, these thugs could probably be handled by the kids without my intervention, but if a fight breaks out between hunters and ordinary people, and the police get involved, the hunters will definitely be at a disadvantage.
Even a D-rank hunter would be too much for an ordinary person... No, even an athlete.
Usually, unless someone is mentally disturbed, ordinary people rarely pick fights with hunters.
Jinsu isn't a hunter yet, but prospective hunters aren't much different.
The school rules also clearly state that violence against ordinary people is absolutely prohibited, so if Jinsu were to beat these guys up, things would get complicated.
"At least the nerd seems to understand the situation."
"Get on your knees and beg. Then we'll let you go nicely."
"These guys must be out of their minds."
"Hey kid, do you really want to die?"
"Lee Jin-su, shut your mouth."
"But, teacher...."
I pushed Jinsu back as he looked at me with a frustrated expression and stepped forward.
"You're the ones who should be begging. You're the ones who hit on girls who said no and even offered alcohol to minors."
"You bastard!"
"Trying to act tough in front of the girls."
When the biggest one reached out to grab my collar, I caught his hand and twisted it in the opposite direction.
CRACK!.
"AAAARGH! My arm!"
"Ja, Jae-yoon! ...You're dead!"
They seem to have some sense of loyalty, as the other two rushed at me simultaneously when their friend was hurt, but they're so slow that I could yawn.
I kicked the ankles of both attackers, forcing them to their knees.
"Your knees seemed a bit stiff, so I helped you out. Now, why don't you try begging?"
"This is ridiculous... Don't tell me you're a hunter?"
"A hunter beating up ordinary people!"
"Ca, call the police!"
Well, well, they were so aggressive just a moment ago, and now they're calling for the police. How shameful.
"That's exactly what I was going to do, you jerks. Jinsu, call 112."
"What? Teacher, wouldn't that be troublesome for you?"
"The teacher will be fine."
Hunter School Rule 10, Section 3.
All hunter school faculty must prioritize the safety of students above all else.
In situations where students' safety is threatened, faculty must do their utmost to protect the students.
It's just a school rule, not a law, but if force is used to protect children, legal immunity is guaranteed by law.
This was on the last theory exam, and while it might be a problem if I had committed murder, I only subdued them lightly.
When I confidently told them to call the police, they seemed to be looking for an opportunity to escape, so I released my internal energy and blocked their pressure points.
"Where do you think you're going? The police have been called, so wait."
"Mmmpff!"
Shortly after, the police arrived, and I explained the situation and handed over the guys.
When I released their pressure points, they spouted nonsense, claiming they were just asking the girls to hang out and I used violence against them, but it was useless.
The police have eyes too.
They trusted me, a person with a clear identity, more than these sketchy thugs.
Moreover, there was a minor on our side, and one of the responding officers recognized me from the task force yesterday and was very friendly.
I thought I would have to go to the police station to write a statement to punish those guys, but they were accommodating, saying they would identify and investigate them, and I could come in later.
"Teacher, you were so cool."
"Our teacher is the best."
"Those guys... You all did well to endure. Let's go have fun now."
"Sir, we should put our phones and wallets in the coin lockers first, right?"
"Ah, yes. Let's go."
Jinsu and I put our phones and wallets in a coin locker.
It's tiny but costs 5,000 won to use.
If I had known, I would've brought my car and left them inside.
"Teacher, are you going in like that?"
"Hm? I changed my pants. You said it's fine even without a swimsuit."
"But you didn't buy a top. It'll be damp when you leave later."
Thinking that Jinsu had a point, I took off my top to put it away, but Jinsu looked surprised.
"What's wrong?"
"Teacher, your body...."
What's wrong with my body... Wait, could this kid have that kind of preference?
Even telling me to take off my top and all.
No, that can't be right. In the original novel, he was part of the popular couple with Minhee, so that's not possible....
"Why are you looking at me like that? It's disgusting."
"You have so many scars.... Are they all from fighting monsters?"
Phew, I thought it was something else.
I've always had many scars.
Come to think of it, I was a bit surprised myself when I first showered.
"What, do they look ugly? Should I just put my clothes back on?"
If it's enough to surprise Jinsu, it might not look good to the other kids either.
It's possible to remove scars with magic, but since they're not visible when I'm clothed and they don't hurt, I left them alone because it was a hassle.
Maybe I should have removed them?
"No, they look cool. They're proof that you've lived an intense life, teacher."
"Kid, flattery won't get you anywhere."
"It's not flattery, it's true. It must have been painful."
"Not really. Stop with the idle talk and let's go."
Seeing his reaction, I thought it would be fine not to cover up, so I just put my clothes in the locker and returned to the parasol.
Everyone seemed a bit surprised at first when they saw the scars, but soon they were all complimenting me like Jinsu, asking if they were from fighting monsters and saying how cool they were.
Not just the kids, but people around us were glancing too, mostly women.
Beyond the scars, my body is in good shape due to the nature of my profession.
It's a bit embarrassing, but I don't feel bad about it.
After playing with the kids for a while, we got hungry and came out to have lunch.
"You all go to the snack bar first. I'll get my wallet."
While taking my wallet out of the coin locker, I checked my phone. No contact from the civil service side... Oh? There were messages from Teacher Kim and Ms. Lee Seol asking to have dinner together.
Seven o'clock seemed fine, so I replied that I would be there and closed the coin locker.
"Excuse me."
"Yes? Ah, I'm sorry."
"Huh? I haven't said anything yet...."
I turned around to find a pretty woman standing there.
"Weren't you trying to get your belongings?"
I apologized and moved aside, thinking she was trying to get to her locker.
"No, that's not it. I've been watching you for a while, and you're really my type. Could I get your number?"
Is this flirting?
HAHA....
I never thought this day would come.
I was smiling and about to give her my number when an unwanted intruder intervened.
"Why aren't you coming? Everyone is waiting for you."
"Huh? I told you to go ahead and wait, why did you come back?"
Looking at the woman in front of me, Eunseo suddenly grabbed my arm.
"What are you doing? Just go, I'll be right there...."
"Everyone? Are you married? I'm sorry."
No, what do you mean married?
I tried to explain that I wasn't, but she left without listening.
"Do you know her? I just came to get my phone too. Let's go quickly."
She speaks with an innocent expression as if she doesn't know anything, but anyone could see she did it on purpose....
Is this her way of getting revenge for earlier?
It's not like I made her misunderstand, she assumed things on her own....
What a mischievous girl.
"Teacher, let's go quickly."
"I'll go, just let go of my arm. It's heavy."
You dare interfere with your heaven-like teacher's dating prospects?
Eunseo, I'm not adding an egg to your ramen.
***
As soon as I returned from Jeju Island, I dropped my luggage at the hotel and headed to Gangwon Province.
Since I spent two weeks in Jeju instead of the promised ten days, my master must be waiting anxiously.
Upon arriving in Gangwon Province, I bought ramen, snacks, and other necessities before climbing the familiar mountain.
As soon as I entered the portal, I could see my master standing at the entrance.
"Master! It's been a while. Have you been waiting long?"
"You should have come four days ago. Why are you only arriving now?"
"I'm sorry for being late. I had a lot of work...."
In truth, we only hunted until Thursday since most of the Hwarang Guild hunters had returned.
But Teacher Kim and Ms. Lee Seol convinced me to stay and play in Jeju Island, saying we all worked hard.
Besides, I had to stay until Friday anyway for the Brave Citizen Award.
The Brave Citizen Award went to Eunseo, not me.
The Jeju City authorities wanted to give it to both of us, but I adamantly refused, saying it was enough for Eunseo to receive it.
Eunseo hadn't told her parents, so I had to be careful not to shock them when explaining, but fortunately, it went well.
When Eunseo received the award, articles appeared not only in local newspapers but also on portal sites, and the school contacted us.
Since I was the one who actually caught the monster, my name was mentioned in the articles, but the focus was on Eunseo as she was the one who received the award.
"Kid, your skin has gotten much darker. You must have been working hard under the scorching sun."
"Ah, well... That's right."
In truth, it was more from playing in the sea than working hard....
Well, there's no need to tell the truth.
"You brought a lot of things again. Don't tell me you're going to come today and then not return for weeks?"
"No, I'll be here today and tomorrow, and I have something to do on Monday, but I'll be back in a few days. And school starts soon, so after that, I'll visit once a week."
There's a practical exam on Monday, two days from now, and school starts the following week.
The practical exam will only take one day, but I decided not to hunt anymore.
Thanks to the Hwarang Guild's diligent hunting, I've already exceeded the amount I planned to collect this vacation.
Money is good, but with less than ten days left of vacation, I plan to rest and focus on training, which I've been neglecting.
"Oh, this time you properly brought sesame ramen. Are you going to eat too?"
"I'm tired, so I'm not planning to."
I'm feeling exhausted after flying since morning and driving to Gangwon Province without proper rest.
"You really won't eat, right? Don't ask for a bite later when it's all cooked. I won't give you any."
Normally, ramen made by someone else is the best, so I was thinking of just stealing a bite... But after being caught a few times, it seems he's anticipating it.
I thought about asking him to cook one more, but eating and then sleeping might make me feel bloated.
"I really won't eat, so help yourself, Master."
I went to the cave and lay down to sleep.
Looking at the internal energy formulas written on the wall, anxiety rose in my heart.
There's only a year and a half left before the original story begins.
Of course, the protagonist won't find this cave until the first year's second semester training camp, which is still about two years away, but it wouldn't be strange if my master suddenly passed away one day.
Since my master doesn't appear in the original work.
If I knew when, I could at least prepare my heart....
Feeling anxious, I went outside to find my master humming a tune while boiling water for ramen.
"You rascal, I thought you said you wouldn't eat? I've already put the water on."
"I'm not eating."
It seems fine for now, but tomorrow I should go down to the village at the foot of the mountain and buy some Chinese food.
A Chinese restaurant in a mountain village probably won't have authentic Chinese liquor, but if they have something like baijiu, I'll buy a few bottles.
There's a saying that you should treat people well while they're around, not regret it after they're gone.
***
In the morning, I woke up, trained a little, and when my master asked what I wanted for lunch, I told him to wait and left the portal.
When I arrived at the Chinese restaurant at the foot of the mountain, I found that despite being a rural Chinese restaurant, they had quite a variety of dishes.
Cold sliced beef and vegetables, sweet and sour pork, spicy chicken, fried sliced meat and vegetables, meatballs, and more. I ordered all these dishes that I rarely eat myself, along with ten bottles of baijiu, and then returned.
Throughout the meal, he complained about the food being too oily and the flavors being too weak, but he emptied all the dishes and the liquor.
With a flushed, intoxicated face, he asked me to bring the braised pork belly I had bought last time when I visited next, and I agreed before leaving the portal.
When I went to take the theory exam last time, driving from Gangwon Province was too tiring, so I'm thinking of going to Seoul today, parking my car, and taking the KTX down in advance.
No, but for a practical exam, wouldn't it be more convenient to bring my car?
Seoul to Daejeon isn't that far, so I could stay at a hotel and leave tomorrow.
I took out my phone to call Choi Seo-ra and ask her, but having just left the portal, there was no signal for calls or internet.
I put my phone back in my pocket and quickly descended the mountain, and when the signal was restored, I felt a vibration in my pocket and stopped.
I took out my phone and was shocked to see the screen.
There were 30 missed calls, over 50 text messages, and more than 300 messenger notifications.