Chapter 208
Chapter 208
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 208
>Chapter Title: Hero (1)
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A few days ago.
Far from Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, by thousands of li.
In one of the countless peaks of the Heavenly Myriad Mountains located in the west of Shaanxi.
Yeom Ga-hwi and Chu Il-hwan were conversing in the [Academy Leader's Hall] of that place, where a signboard reading [Demonic Path Academy] hung.
"How is the new arrival doing?"
"He's adapting adequately, Academy Leader."
The newcomer they were referring to was not a new cadet who had recently entered the Demonic Path Academy.
"In about a month or so, he should be able to take over my teaching duties without any major issues."
It was a new instructor.
Even after Il-mok graduated from the Demonic Path Academy, the changes there continued.
No, the transformations were only growing larger.
It was due to the educational reforms that Il-mok had drafted the outline for, begun on a grand scale under the Heavenly Demon's orders, and now proceeding under the command of Wi Jin-hak, the eldest young master and leader of the Demonic Education Pavilion.
Starting three years from now, cadets would enter the academy at eighteen instead of sixteen, and the number of cadets per grade would increase accordingly.
Naturally, to match the growing number of cadets, they needed to add more instructors and assistants.
Instead of increasing both cadets and instructors simultaneously, the Demonic Path Academy was first expanding the instructors and assistants for a trial run.
"The expansion work on Black Dragon Hall and Black Tiger Hall is also proceeding smoothly so far, Academy Leader. Completion is set for two years from now, but we should be able to expand to some extent within a year."
Yeom Ga-hwi nodded at Chu Il-hwan's report.
Rather than suddenly increasing the number of cadets all at once, the academy planned to gradually admit more entrants to adapt step by step.
This year, it was the usual twenty, but next year, thirty.
And accordingly, they would add one assistant and one instructor per grade for another trial run, then recruit up to forty cadets per grade two years later.
And three years from now, as originally planned, they would recruit children at eighteen instead of sixteen as cadets.
Forty new cadets. That was the quota currently set by the Demonic Education Pavilion.
After that, Chu Il-hwan continued with various reports.
About clubs, the characteristics of each cadet, their achievement levels in education, and so on.
"Certainly, compared to when the Eighth Young Master was at the academy, the cadets' average level is lower."
"That year was just exceptional. Compared to other years, there's not much difference, is there?"
"You're right."
After exchanging all the stories about the various changes that had come to the Demonic Path Academy.
Yeom Ga-hwi, having read all the letters Chu Il-hwan had submitted with his report, looked at him with a somewhat distrustful expression.
"Instructor Chu Il-hwan."
"Yes, Academy Leader."
"You're certain that no unnecessary preconceptions or personal opinions of yours have crept into this?"
"Th-the same thing as with the Eighth Young Master will absolutely never happen again."
Answering thus, Chu Il-hwan felt cold sweat trickling down his back.
Lately, Academy Leader Yeom Ga-hwi had been distrusting Chu Il-hwan.
It wasn't because of the past incident where he had been manipulated by the vice academy leader Yu-geuk and gone berserk.
"It had better not. Labeling innocent cadets as lechers without cause. That just won't do."
"Y-you speak truly, sir."
Recently, Academy Leader Yeom Ga-hwi had been summoned to the Heavenly Demon Hall, lost face terribly, and returned.
* * *
"Hahaha. Yeom, Academy Leader, have you heard the rumor?"
"I've been staying only at the Demonic Path Academy, so I haven't heard any particular rumors."
"It seems my youngest is starting to think about marriage. He openly declared he likes women past marriageable age."
At the sight of the great lord even calling the Eighth Young Master "my youngest," Yeom Ga-hwi replied in as nonchalant a tone as possible.
"Has something like that happened?"
But for some reason, the lord's reaction felt different from usual.
'Did he want a bit more flattery?'
Wondering if the lord wanted to hear praise for the Eighth Young Master, Yeom Ga-hwi was surprised when what came from the lord's mouth was entirely unrelated.
"Doesn't it strike you as strange, Yeom Academy Leader?"
"Nothing in particular comes to mind, Lord of Ten Thousand Demons."
"How peculiar. Didn't you report it, Yeom Academy Leader? That my youngest has 'only one flaw: his fondness for women.'"
"...Isn't that why the Eighth Young Master is already thinking of marriage?"
"Goodness, it seems you weren't listening properly, Yeom Academy Leader. I clearly said it: my youngest is looking for a woman 'past marriageable age.' Are there any women past marriageable age among the Demonic Path Academy cadets?"
Only then realizing what was wrong, Yeom Ga-hwi swallowed dryly without thinking, as the Heavenly Demon chuckled heartily and stroked his beard.
"Hahaha. Well, well. I had always admired your upright character and impartiality, Yeom Academy Leader, but it seems this old man was mistaken. To think you'd frame an innocent child as a lecher."
For some reason, though the atmosphere was jovial, Yeom Ga-hwi's cold sweat wouldn't stop.
* * *
Since that day, Yeom Ga-hwi distrusted Chu Il-hwan.
To be precise, he trusted and delegated everything else, but evaluations of the cadets—especially not their achievement levels, but their "personality or character"—he simply couldn't trust.
It was quite unjust for Chu Il-hwan in many ways.
Not just Chu Il-hwan, but the other instructors thought the same, and the academy leader had personally observed and acknowledged those evaluations.
But he could never voice such inner thoughts.
Because of the revered Demon Sword Yeom Ga-hwi Academy Leader.
No, that wasn't it.
'...Even if I transfer somewhere else, it'd be the same. Damn it.'
It was just the sorrow of a mid-level manager.
Finally, after finishing the nerve-wracking meeting with the sweating academy leader.
Chu Il-hwan headed somewhere for some peace of mind.
Not to the infirmary for mental counseling.
"Instructor Soo!"
The place he headed was Instructor So Hong's office.
"Hahaha. No need to call me so formally when we're alone."
Unlike their awkward interactions in the past, Chu Il-hwan was now treating her with his usual sly demeanor.
So Hong glanced around quickly and smiled brightly.
"Just being cautious, just in case. Gaga."
The old bachelor and old maid had, before they knew it, become lovers.
* * *
While the Demonic Path Academy was swept up in winds of change.
"Is the intermediate doctrine textbook complete?"
"Th-that is."
"Are you in your right mind? We have to finish it by tomorrow and report to the pavilion leader!"
The institution leading those winds of change, the Demonic Education Pavilion, was being torn apart by a typhoon of transformation.
Given the scale of the reforms, there was simply too much for them to handle.
The desks of those in the Demonic Education Pavilion were piled high with mountains of documents.
The education system they were currently preparing was divided into four main stages.
For children around ten years old, they provided two years of basic education through village branch academies.
Then, from age twelve to fifteen, they planned to establish facilities called [Beginner Demon Academies] in several major counties, gathering children from various counties for education.
Basic arithmetic beyond the Thousand Character Classic, more complex Chinese characters, somewhat advanced doctrine, and basic martial arts instead of demonic arts.
Based on their four years of performance at the Beginner Demon Academies, the children would be divided into two main paths.
Top performers would go to [Intermediate Academies] built in a few places in Shaanxi that could be called cities, while underperformers would return to civilian life.
At the Intermediate Academies, they would further divide into three paths: those with martial talent would begin learning demonic arts; those lacking martial talent but intelligent would receive training in administration or practical affairs suited to their inclinations, or medical arts.
However, the demonic arts taught at Intermediate Academies were basic ones without severe side effects.
And in the year they turned eighteen, those excelling in martial arts would undergo the Demonic Path Academy entrance exam.
Those who passed would enter the Demonic Path Academy to learn advanced demonic arts and receive training to become elite demonic experts of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Those who failed would return to their hometowns and start as regular warriors at their local branches; those who studied administration or medicine would head to the main headquarters and join various organizations to gain practical experience.
And now, the Demonic Education Pavilion was preparing the entire education system, not limited to the Demonic Path Academy.
Naturally, those being shredded in the Demonic Education Pavilion felt ambivalent toward the "Eighth Young Master."
Admiration for the genius of the Eighth Young Master, who had conceived this systematic education system in just a few days while bedridden in the infirmary due to injury.
And another.
"The work never ends no matter how much we do..."
"At least you went home yesterday. I've been sleeping here for three days straight."
"You. Did you even get sleep time? Seems like you have it pretty easy."
Resentment toward the Eighth Young Master who had pushed them into this hell.
The Eighth Young Master had presented a truly excellent education system.
The problem was that he had only provided the broad framework.
Whether Beginner Demon Academies or Intermediate Academies, creating the textbooks was the practitioners' job.
It wasn't just making textbooks. They had to train instructors to teach with those textbooks, and handle tasks related to establishing yet-to-be-built Intermediate Academies.
And countless other issues arose in the process.
Of course, the one who ordered the education reforms was ultimately the Heavenly Demon. Naturally, the resentment should go to him, but resenting the Heavenly Demon was unthinkable for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's followers.
The Heavenly Demon was an object of absolute faith, so their resentment could only turn to the convenient target, Il-mok.
But that resentment could never properly erupt.
"Who is it? Who dares utter such disloyal words?"
A terrifying silence descended on the Demonic Education Pavilion at the voice of Wi Jin-hwan, the pavilion leader and eldest young master, who had appeared before they knew it.
"Your heads must be full of pus. Have you forgotten how important the work you're doing is for our Great Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
But he wasn't quelling their resentment with fear alone.
After berating his subordinates while radiating killing intent and demonic energy, Wi Jin-hak soon calmed his aura and spoke with a solemn expression.
"The children raised through the textbooks and systems we create now will illuminate the future of our Divine Cult in ten years! Imagine that day!"
At Wi Jin-hak's shout, those shredded by work began drifting into hazy imaginings.
"Our nurtured children, in the future, driving out those vile Central Plains heretics and extending hands of salvation to the Central Plains masses!"
One and all, they were people who had received decades of doctrine education in the cult.
"Imagine the masses across the Central Plains praising our Great Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!"
Their faith in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was beyond doubt.
"Heavenly Demon's Advent!!"
"Ten Thousand Demons Triumphant!!"
"For the Great Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!!!"
Having swept away resentment with faith and zeal, they suddenly roared, eyes bloodshot, and dove back into their work.
Seeing the fanatics voluntarily leaping into the storm of tasks, Wi Jin-hak nodded with a pleased expression.
'At first, I thought brawling was easier and found it frustrating, but I'm getting used to this too.'
Before they knew it, Wi Jin-hak was becoming the fine leader of these excellent fanatics.
It was thanks to steadily observing how his master, the Heavenly Demon, and his youngest junior brother, Il-mok, handled the fanatics.