Ch 93
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 93
"Teacher, congratulations!"
I came into the classroom to do morning attendance, and the kids are making a fuss by setting off confetti poppers.
"What's all this, everyone? What's the sudden congratulations for? It's not my birthday, is it?"
"Do you really not know? Today is exactly the 30th day."
The 30th day? Ah...
"Congratulations on your S Rank Hunter promotion!"
"Congratulations!"
So it's already become official.
I've been so buried in work that I didn't even notice time passing.
Right after the press conference ended, articles criticizing Kim Dae-chan poured out fiercely.
Considering Kim Dae-chan's personality, I thought he would never acknowledge it and would wage a media war, but Kim Dae-chan didn't deny anything and admitted to everything.
I was really surprised when I saw an interview where he was even considering retirement along with disbanding Ares Guild.
I thought he might just be saying that while scheming something behind the scenes, but Kim Dae-chan really submitted a guild dissolution application to the association in less than a week.
Though it wasn't actually dissolved because guild members, the association, and other S Rank Hunters all tried to dissuade him, he really seemed to have come to his senses and resigned from his guild master position.
He can't even return later since he firmly declared when resigning that he would never return.
As they say, it takes two hands to clap - since Kim Dae-chan meekly admitted to all his wrongdoings, public interest quickly died down.
"Thanks, everyone."
"Teacher, when will your S Rank Hunter certificate come out?"
"Since today is the 30th, if I go to the association tomorrow, they'll probably give it to me?"
"Show it to us when you get it."
"Sure."
"Um, Teacher! Then does that mean you'll become a director of the Hunter Association now too?"
"I'm not sure about that either."
"Teacher, please give us your autograph. My mom and sister want me to send it by mail."
"Huh? Me too!"
"Teacher! Me too."
"What autograph? If you really want it, 50,000 won per signature."
"Fi... Fifty thousand won?"
"That's too much."
"It's 50,000 now, but I'll do it for free during closing time, so sit down for now. We need to do morning attendance."
Somehow the kids seem more excited than I am.
"You all heard that practical training starts next week, right? The group assignments will be announced today too, so don't forget to check. And right after the training ends, it's midterm exams, so study hard."
The practical training mainly involves conquering 10-person portals, and groups consist of 8 students and 2 active Hunters.
Although there are only two active Hunters, all accompanying Hunters are experienced and skilled, ranging from upper C Grade to B Grade Hunters.
The portals themselves are F Grade despite being called 10-person, so there's no real danger.
Monsters that come out of F Grade portals are Kobolds, low-level Goblins without shamans, or at most sickly Orcs.
Even ordinary people with good physiques who exercise a bit could easily kill them with just a club.
Sometimes they go to E Grade, but then they reduce the number of students and deploy more active Hunters, or match both accompanying Hunters to B Grade for balance patching. I heard that since this is the first practical training, they're all going to F Grade.
"Yes."
"Um... Teacher, I have a question."
"Sure, Class President. What's your question?"
"Are you coming to the practical training too, Teacher?"
"I am."
Student practical training is supported by guilds that have partnerships with the school.
But since all second-year students are going for practical training, there are no classes during this period, so general subject teachers get to rest, but all Hunter teachers are drafted.
Of course, they give a tiny bit more money called practical training allowance, but I'd rather not take it and just rest instead.
After finishing morning attendance, I arrived at the swordsmanship training hall.
Looking at the clock, it's 8:50.
I'll rest for about 10 minutes and then have class right away.
"Teacher Kang, congratulations on your promotion. This is a bribe asking you to look favorably on me."
Teacher Jung sitting next to me jokes around while handing me a canned coffee.
"It's not confirmed yet. Duel applications are still possible until today."
"No one has applied so far. Would anyone apply on the last day?"
"I hope not. I'll gladly accept the bribe."
The first meeting with S Rank Hunters wasn't great, and there are probably Hunters who are close to Kim Dae-chan, but since I completely demolished him in the duel and had justification, there were no duel applications.
Since the strongest Cha Su-hyeok and top-ranking Seong Jin-cheol have already declared they have no intention of dueling, even if a duel application comes in, there's no problem.
The rest, excluding those two and the Vice Principal, didn't seem much different from Kim Dae-chan.
I chatted with Teacher Jung and then left the office.
When I came to the second-year training hall, it seemed all the kids had arrived, but they were all looking at their phones.
"Oh? Teacher! I'm in the same group as you for practical training!"
Min-ha, our class president, talks with a bright smile, so it seems the practical training group assignments have already been released.
"Teacher, I'm in the same group too!"
"Me too."
Coincidentally, all three including Min-ha are students from our class.
"Really? Which group?"
"We're Group 6."
After asking the question, I immediately took out my phone to check.
As Min-ha said, I'm assigned to Group 6. The accompanying guild is named 'Sangmu'? It's a guild I've never heard of.
It doesn't seem to be a very famous guild... Well, having outside personnel is better than going with school teachers.
Since defeating Kim Dae-chan, the attitude of Hunter practical teachers has changed, but well, I can't say our relationship is very good.
Rather than openly showing dislike like before, it feels more like they're intimidated. Of course, there are teachers like this, and there are quite a few teachers who suddenly approach me or act friendly with thick-skinned faces.
But we can't suddenly become close after being distant for over a year.
Still, I get along quite well with teachers who were newly appointed this year, like Teacher Jung earlier.
"I'm going to start class, so everyone stop looking at your phones and put them away."
I had the kids run laps and searched for Sangmu Guild on the portal.
It wasn't a completely unknown guild.
It was established two years ago, so its history isn't very long, but it has over 50 members and no deaths in the past 6 months, so it has a good reputation.
There are no A Rank Hunters, but both the guild master and vice guild master are B Rank Hunters, and 70% of guild members are C Rank Hunters.
This seems pretty good... Huh? Wait.
Looking at the roster again, the Hunter accompanying this practical training is the vice guild master.
That's great.
Whether a B Rank Hunter or C Rank Hunter comes doesn't matter much, but having a higher-ranked Hunter will be a bit more convenient.
***
While closing time and giving autographs to the kids, it passed 6 o'clock.
I'd really like to quickly go to the staff room and leave work, but I have to work overtime today too.
After coming back from next week's practical training, the week right after is midterm exams.
Practical evaluations are replaced by the results students achieve during training, but theory requires a separate test, so I need to prepare exam questions.
And today is Thursday - I only need to come tomorrow, then starting Monday I go straight to practical training in the morning, so I need to finish preparing questions by tomorrow lunchtime.
Haah... I feel like I'd have some breathing room if I just didn't have to go to practical training...
I thought about calling the Vice Principal separately to ask to be excluded, but the Vice Principal who's dying to work me to death probably wouldn't easily let me off.
Even if he did exclude me, he might assign me something strange, so not saying anything is the best policy.
I should quickly stop by the staff room and then go to the cafeteria to eat.
When I arrived at the staff room, all the general teachers were preparing to leave work.
So envious.
"Teacher Kang, do you have plans today? If not, I know a place that makes amazing chicken galbi..."
"I have to work overtime..."
"Oh, right. Good luck."
Normally Teacher Park would have insisted several more times, but maybe because I answered so gloomily, he immediately accepted and left.
I really like chicken galbi too...
Thinking about chicken galbi made me hungry.
What was tonight's dinner menu again?
BUZZ! BUZZ!
I felt a vibration in my pocket and took it out to see it's the Hunter Association's number.
Even though today has less than 6 hours left, did someone really apply for a duel?
I don't know who it is, but I'm already in a bad mood, so this is perfect timing.
I'll completely demolish them, I thought as I immediately pressed the call button.
"This is Kang Shin-hyeok."
—This is Moon Hee-woong, Personnel Management Director of the Hunter Association. Do you have a moment to talk?
"I'm available since I answered... Yes, it's fine."
I almost snapped and said 'Of course I'm available since I answered, would I have answered if I wasn't available?'
I'm not usually like this...
Overtime ruins people.
—You know today is the last day of the STB system, right?
"I know. So who is it?"
—Pardon? Who, what do you mean by that...?
"Didn't you call because a duel application came in?"
—No. Did you not check the announcements on our Hunter Association website?
"I know the association contacts me when duel applications come in, but I've been too busy to check other things separately."
—I see. We announced that we would only accept duel applications until 6:30 on the last day.
"I see."
—No applications have been received so far. We sincerely congratulate you on your S Rank promotion.
"Ah, thank you."
Maybe because it was the expected result, I don't feel much emotion.
—We want to hold an S Rank promotion ceremony along with an honorary director inauguration ceremony as soon as possible...
"Wait. Do we have to do that event?"
Just hearing the name gives off a feeling that it'll be incredibly bothersome.
—Of course you have to. Other Hunters all did it when they were promoted to S Rank, so it wouldn't be fair if only Hunter Kang Shin-hyeok doesn't do it. There could be controversy that we're treating Hunter Kang Shin-hyeok poorly...
Hearing it, that's not wrong.
"I understand. Then when is the event?"
—We should adjust our schedule to Hunter Kang Shin-hyeok's. If you could choose one convenient day from next weekend's two days, that would work.
My precious weekend day is flying away like this again...
If I want to visit my Master too, Sunday would be better than Saturday... No, wait.
"Could we possibly do that event on a weekday?"
"A weekday? There's nothing preventing it, but would that be okay for you? Actually, we'd prefer weekdays too since we'd have to come to work on weekends, but we recommended weekends thinking weekdays might be difficult for you."
Nice.
"Next week happens to be practical training, so there are no classes. If you could send a cooperation document to the school, weekdays might work too."
I need an official document since the Vice Principal might object.
—I see. How about next Monday then? We'll send the document by tomorrow lunchtime.
I said okay and hung up.
People really need to use their heads well.
An event hosted by the Hunter Association probably won't be more comfortable than practical training, but if I have to do it anyway, it's better to skip one thing.
Most importantly, I can save one precious weekend day.
With a much lighter heart, I was about to go to the cafeteria when I felt a vibration in my pocket again.
Did the association forget to mention something?
I took out my phone again and saw it wasn't the association but Se-jin.
"Yeah, Se-jin. It's been a while."
The last time we talked was when Kim Dae-chan was up to no good, so it's been over a month since we talked.
In our last conversation, I asked if she still considered Kim Dae-chan her father, and she answered that a father is still a father.
Of course, when I revealed everything about Kim Dae-chan and said I would duel him, she didn't oppose and said she'd help if there was anything she could do, but I felt frustrated and sorry for her.
When various people asked why I helped Se-jin, I acted all cool saying it was a teacher's duty and Se-jin was my student, but the reason Se-jin particularly caught my attention was because I had a similar experience in my previous life.
There are quite a few people who say they live for their family no matter how hard things get.
A sanctuary for the heart.
Your eternal ally no matter what you do.
In reality, family members aren't punished even for hiding criminals, so it's a special relationship recognized by law, but sometimes family becomes the existence that makes you suffer the most.
My experience and Se-jin's situation aren't completely identical, but I didn't think like Se-jin and cut ties with my family.
I think I unconsciously hoped Se-jin would make the same choice as me.
I can't definitively say I was happier living that way, but I think I at least didn't become more unhappy.
Of course, the choice was Se-jin's to make, so I didn't say more, but I couldn't help being disappointed, and maybe she sensed it a bit because there's been no contact since then and we've grown somewhat distant.
—That's right. Have you been well?
"Me? Well... I don't always do well, I'm dying from being busy."
—Are you very busy?
"I have to work overtime today too. It's almost midterm exam season. Next week is practical training. What's up?"
—Actually, I wanted to see you briefly today, so I came near the school. I'll just come again next time.
"Near the school? Hmm, then should we have dinner together?"
—But you said you're busy. Would that be okay?
"I can't just send you back when you came all this way. Did you drive here?"
Seeing how she came to school without much contact, she must have something to say.
—Yes? Yes. I drove here.
"Then I'll come out to the main gate now."