The Perfect Instructor
I was in the middle of handling some organizational business, so I was already geared up to head out. The only issue was that Alesia was right there beside me, assisting with the paperwork.
“So, the young master’s mentees caused some trouble, and you need to go deal with it right now, is that it?”
A ballpoint pen snapped in Alesia’s hand with a sharp crack.
“……Ah, Alesia?”
I was taken aback by how much angrier she seemed than me when her expression suddenly turned ice-cold, and she rose from her seat.
“I’ll prepare to leave immediately. Please wait just a moment.”
Leave? Did she mean she was coming with me?
“Uh…… why are you……?”
“Pardon?”
She tilted her head as if she had no idea what I was talking about.
“Of course. To discipline those damn kids who dragged you out at this hour──.”
“No! It’s fine! I’m really okay, so you rest, Alesia!”
If she came along, things could escalate way beyond words. If something happened to the kids because of her temper, it’d be a total disaster. I had to stop her somehow.
“But I can’t just let them get away with bothering you at this hour.”
“It’s no big deal. I’ll handle it myself.”
She stroked her lips thoughtfully at my words.
“But as a maid of the Calione family, I can’t ignore those who disrespect the young master……”
“I’d prefer if even you took a break. And this…… it won’t take long. Doesn’t seem too complicated anyway.”
Conveniently, it was in Bucheon. Looked like things wouldn’t get messier from here.
* * *
Gyeonggi Southern Awakener Dedicated Police Station. No trouble finding the place since it was where Sea-a had been hauled in before.
The problem? It was absolute chaos right now.
‘No, officer. I wasn’t really trying to use my powers, okay?’
‘Ma! You live in Namcheon-dong, you bastard!’
‘This is Bucheon—why the hell are you bringing up Namcheon-dong!’
‘Did you even cuff that punk properly? What’s with the flames on his hands!’
The violent crimes unit was a total madhouse. I scanned the room and spotted some familiar heads, heading straight for them.
“You kids, barely out of diapers, robbing an unmanned store? And using your powers no less?”
“No one got hurt, so can’t we just let it slide? We won’t do it again, promise?”
“You three have a combined criminal record in the triple digits, and you expect me to buy that? Hah.”
A familiar voice from my memories. The first kid to spot me, Han Jiyeon, lit up with a bright smile and waved.
“Ah! Oppa!”
Caught at the police station, and not a shred of remorse on her face. The others just looked bored or sleepy. Not one showed any sign of regret.
“Are you their guardian? What kind of education───huh?”
Naturally, the detective facing their attitude got even madder.
“Y-You…… what are you doing here?”
He recognized my face and flinched, his eyes trembling with shock. I remembered him too.
“I’m Han Yujin, mentoring these kids as part of Seoul Hero Academy’s ‘Redemption’ project. Could you explain what happened in detail?”
I greeted him politely and asked for the rundown. He snapped out of it and started explaining.
“Redemption, huh? Already that time of year. The incident itself is minor. The three of them raided an unmanned store together. A patrolling officer chased them down, and they ended up here.”
“No injuries or casualties?”
“None, fortunately.”
That was a relief. If anyone else had gotten hurt besides me, it’d be hard to see these kids as proper students.
“In that case, I’ll take custody today. Thanks for your hard work.”
I was technically their temporary guardian, so it was time for a handover. He got cooperative the moment he heard about the Redemption period—basically acknowledging it as our responsibility. Though with their records, he added a warning.
“Alright. Sign here, then…… good luck with the rest.”
“Thank you. Everyone, follow me.”
I gave the detective a quick nod and led the kids outside. They stayed dead silent until we passed the front gate. Only then did Han Jiyeon exhale dramatically, like she’d been holding her breath.
“Ahh─ finally free. Oppa, thank you so, so much. What’s with the outfit, though? Suit? Where’ve you been? You look even cooler than this morning!”
Whether the silence felt awkward or she truly thought it was nothing, she chattered lightly.
“Right? Totally different vibe from daytime. Working at some fancy restaurant or something?”
Kim Hyunsoo chuckled along. But I fixed them with a cold, low voice.
“Was ‘don’t cause trouble’ that hard to understand? I didn’t expect you to screw up before a full day passed.”
The mood shifted instantly, and they flinched. Awakeners themselves, they sensed it instinctively—my reaction wasn’t normal.
“So, why’d you do it?”
I hadn’t expected them to listen anyway. Their attitudes earlier confirmed they weren’t the type to heed words.
“……We needed money.”
Ki Minho answered reluctantly.
“Today’s the deadline. If we don’t pay the activity fee, they beat us half to death.”
“Activity fee?”
“We’re in a circle. They provide room and board…… but we can’t starve.”
“Hah.”
Whining to me now?
“What about welfare programs? They’re supposed to help in tough spots like that.”
“Doesn’t apply to us. Legally, our parents are still around……”
I got the picture. Classic loophole exploitation. Common enough, but not excusable.
“So, what do you want to do about it?”
“Get money somehow and get out first. They might actually kill us.”
“They nearly killed a kid from the next neighborhood over recently.”
“……Got it.”
Perfect. There was just the right spot for this. Two birds, one stone.
“Follow me.”
I took them to the car I’d arrived in.
“Get in.”
They hesitated at the luxury sedan, but climbed in after I opened the back door.
I got in the passenger seat after they were settled.
“Where to, sir?”
Han Seojun asked from the driver’s seat.
“The warehouse you mentioned earlier. Head there.”
“Understood.”
The backseat grew heavy with tension as the bizarre situation unfolded.
“Uh, oppa? Warehouse……?”
“Warehouse? Think of it as juvie. Easier that way.”
They’d pay for their mistakes, no matter the circumstances. I’d learned they desperately needed discipline, not just talk. There’s an old saying for a reason: spare the rod, spoil the child.
The car sped to one of the Calione warehouses in Incheon—a lightly renovated space fit for living.
“……We’re not going somewhere weird, right?”
“Warehouse? In movies, that’s where they dump bodies……”
“You psycho! Don’t say creepy shit!”
The kids panicked as the crowds thinned. We pulled up to the warehouse, got out, and I opened the back door.
“Out.”
“Huh? C-Can’t we just stay in here? It’s warm and nice.”
Kim Hyunsoo spouted nonsense, scared to exit.
“Won’t say it three times. Out.”
They scrambled out on the second warning.
“Her? She here?”
“Yes. Got word she arrived a few minutes ago.”
“Good.”
Han Seojun and I pulled open the massive warehouse doors. Light spilled out, revealing the interior—like an American loft house. Shoes-on living, but livable enough. And there, casually seated alone in what looked like a dining area, was a figure.
“Ah. You’re here!”
Snow-white hair, stiff new suit, crimson eyes.
“I’ve been waiting, young master.”
The toughest available right now for group living, location-independent work. Trustworthy. And above all, capable of protecting the kids from outside threats.
It was Latte.
“Wait long?”
“No. I just got here too! The kids you mentioned…… those ones?”
She eyed the line behind me and grinned.
“Ho. Definitely look like the disobedient type. Should be fun to train.”
“……O-Oppa. Who’s she?”
Han Jiyeon, who’d been quietly bowing her head, timidly raised her hand.
“Good question. She’s a special assistant instructor I brought in just for you.”
“……Assistant instructor?”
The kids reacted differently—probably because Latte looked unassuming and deferential to me.
But…… how long would that last?
“This is Latte. Fresh out of long-term in Niflheim, perfect for straightening you out. She tangled with the Villain Union recently too. If you wanna say goodbye to the world, go ahead and try her.”
Small and cute, sure…… but she could swat these punks with one hand.
Handling them would be a breeze.
“Villain Union?”
“N-Niflheim? Isn’t that hell?”
“Liar……”
They didn’t buy it easily, as expected.
“Well, the young master’s spoken……”
Latte smiled sweetly.
Chik─ chik─chik─ chik─chik─chik─chik─ chik─chik─chik─chik─chik─chik─
“Shall we begin the education?”
A horde of rats swarmed in, surrounding her with vicious glares at the kids.
“Eeeeek! Rats!! Rats!!! RATS!!!”
“W-What the hell is this?”
The kids recoiled in horror. But the rats had one striking feature: all wore identical red octagonal hats, standing on hind legs with arms crossed.
“Say hello. These are your instructors, here to guide your daily lives.”
Latte introduced them with a beaming smile, unfazed.
“The rat instructors will even accompany you to school, so get along, okay?”
Her innocent white smile terrified them—some collapsed, others forced hollow laughs.
They’d figure it out soon enough. How lucky they were to have Latte, that this was education and protection.
“Alright, then. Shall we go check out that circle or whatever now?”