Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Academy Without Choi Juwon [Regret]
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Jang Hyena's news, delivered through NA TUBE, spread across the entire country. Naturally, the video's comment section was in an uproar.
💬 Comments
— Netizen_A
What? Did Baek Juseok, the president, really use the academy intranet however he pleased?
— Netizen_B
↳ Reply
But how could that even happen? Why would the president of a prestigious academy stoop to something like that?
— Netizen_C
↳ Reply
Then what about the Valdena vice guild leader's testimony? He basically risked his life to speak up.
— Netizen_D
↳ Reply
It's ambiguous. We'll probably have to wait a few months until the intranet is forcibly opened to know for sure.
— Netizen_E
↳ Reply
You idiots, isn't it basically confirmed without even checking? Why would he confess to a lie he'd get caught for anyway, even turning himself in?
— Netizen_F
That instructor Choi Juwon got the short end of the stick. They say he retired voluntarily because of a false accusation.
— Netizen_G
↳ Reply
Wow, isn't that the guy from that old article? The one who makes tens of billions in a year? Choi Juwon?
— Netizen_H
↳ Reply
Yeah, that's him. The famous S-Rank instructor at Helmont Academy.
— Netizen_I
Hmm... For now, I'm staying neutral.
Public opinion was split between skepticism that a person called a guild's vice leader would lie even after turning himself in, and doubt over why Baek Juseok, the president of a prestigious academy, would bother using and tampering with the intranet containing students' personal information. Of course, at this point, more people were treating the tampering as a established fact.
There was also a unanimous consensus in public opinion.
[Everything will be revealed once the intranet is opened.]
Ordinary people who knew little about the incident simply munched on popcorn, savoring the drama as it unfolded.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The morning after Jang Hyena's video went up, Helmont Academy was in chaos.
"What the hell is going on? It's not Instructor Choi Juwon, but the president who secretly dug through the intranet?"
"No way... does that mean Instructor Choi Juwon is completely innocent?...."
"We don't know yet. The intranet master key is destroyed, so we can't check. They say it'll take at least a few months."
At that moment, Lee Haru spoke up amid the students.
"No way it's really a false accusation, right?... I... I sent some really harsh texts to the instructor..."
The buzzing atmosphere instantly fell silent.
Hearing Lee Haru's words, Kim Siyeon bit her nails anxiously and spoke.
"I... I also sent some really harsh messages to the instructor... I really had no idea...."
The students began confessing one by one.
"I told the instructor to go die...."
"I said he was disgusting. I really thought he had peeked...."
Among them, one female student looked particularly anxious. Yoon Seulgi spoke in a trembling voice.
"I... I told the instructor I was disappointed... but I did think there was a chance it was a false accusation... Still... I sent curse-filled texts...."
Lee Haru nodded sadly, as if she understood why.
"Right after Instructor Choi Juwon left the academy, the president and the other instructors yelled at us. They said a cowardly instructor who peeks at the intranet deserves thorough punishment to set a precedent. That way, no one would pull stupid stunts like that again."
The moment Choi Juwon walked out the academy's main gate, Baek Juseok—the president who had never liked him to begin with—along with fellow instructors who envied Choi Juwon for drawing far more students and making far more money than them, and those bribed by Baek Juseok, colluded to tell the students en masse.
[An unethical instructor who steals students' personal information deserves proper punishment. However, since this concerns Helmont Academy's reputation, we won't request an official investigation from the Magic Investigation Agency. So we hope the students will step up voluntarily to deliver that punishment.]
One instructor added,
"Surely, you all—worthy students of a prestigious academy—won't let misplaced loyalty cloud your judgment of the facts, falling for claims that former instructor Choi Juwon is innocent? Remember, all your communications are recorded in the intranet. We have no need for foolish students who won't act for justice."
Hearing that, the students—swept up in the mood—started sending the only punishment they could: anonymous texts filled with resentment and condemnation, even if they harbored doubts.
The first reason they sent the texts was crowd psychology.
Once one person starts, others follow. Numerous social experiments and major national incidents showed this effect.
A similar theory is the broken windows theory.
What happens if you leave trash on a clean street corner in a busy district? Before half a day passes, that single piece of trash turns the corner into a dump.
People think, as trash piles up,
'What's one more piece of trash? Everyone else is doing it.'
Some even delude themselves.
'This must be a place where it's okay to litter.'
Swept by the atmosphere, the students struggled to judge properly. Even the doubtful ones often mindlessly followed their peers' frenzied reactions.
The second reason was the intranet, where everything is recorded.
Yoon Seulgi muttered through tears.
"I... I didn't want to curse... I wanted to believe... But I was scared of repercussions later...."
All texts from students are logged in the Helmont Academy intranet. That means they could check if you'd condemned Choi Juwon or not. Of course, misuse would bring severe punishment, so it rarely happened—but the mere possibility was enough to instill fear.
- We have no need for foolish students who won't act for justice.
That instructor's words planted deep fear in the students.
Back then, Yoon Seulgi had thought,
'If I don't act at all, I might get expelled...'
Whether to believe Choi Juwon was secondary. Helmont Academy had endless waitlists; once out, getting back in was nearly impossible.
Not just Yoon Seulgi—most parents here were in prestigious guilds.
Naturally, the expectations were immense. Getting expelled midway meant who knew what their parents would do. The hopes pinned on sending them to Helmont Academy were enormous.
This world had laws, NPS, and the Magic Investigation Agency, but ultimately valued power and money above all.
A world of the strong devouring the weak. Just look at Baal Guild Leader Choi Seung-hyun's outrageous behavior.
- Who the hell do you think you are to reject my offer, you fucking bastard? You wanna die?
Baal Guild Leader Choi Seung-hyun had spewed abuse at a total stranger Choi Juwon and tried to crush his arm with mana. He showed no fear of the law.
The reason? He had overwhelming 'power' and 'influence'.
National agencies, NPS, Magic Investigation Agency? If they all attacked together, even Choi Seung-hyun would suffer massive damage. But the converse was true too. Attacking Baal—a group of hundreds of A-Ranks and B-Ranks—would cost the nation dearly. Thus, an unwritten rule emerged: no interference unless absolutely necessary.
In other words, with power and influence, most problems could be solved. That's why parents sent their non-awakened-as-hunters children to Helmont Academy, paying exorbitant fees for dungeon entry tickets and benefits to accelerate growth.
When sending curse texts to Choi Juwon, Yoon Seulgi had trembled, thinking,
'If I foolishly send a message saying I believe him, or do nothing, and it gets found out later, leading to expulsion...'
Helmont Academy was prestigious with vast connections. Expulsion for misconduct would blacklist them from other academies.
Losing academy benefits meant stunted growth. In this eat-or-be-eaten world, it was a death sentence.
Yoon Seulgi sobbed loudly.
"Sob... I... I only thought about my own safety and cursed the instructor over something unconfirmed..."
Kim Siyeon gazed at the crying Yoon Seulgi and murmured,
"I truly doubted him from the bottom of my heart. I hate myself so much... I really liked the instructor, so the betrayal hit me extra hard in that moment. Why couldn't I believe his desperate cries of innocence?"
Kim Siyeon recalled Choi Juwon wailing in the academy.
- Kids, I really didn't do it. What would I do with your personal info? I'm not interested in others' photos, chats, or call logs. You know me—I'm not that kind of person. Please believe me. I'm begging you. It's unfair. So unfair.
The academy fell deathly silent.
-Click
-Click
-Click
A single girl approached. Blonde hair, slender frame. As Baek Hyunseo climbed the stairs, she flinched at the crowd.
-Clack clack clack
Kim Siyeon stormed toward Baek Hyunseo with an angry expression. In a cold voice, she said,
"Baek Hyunseo. You saw the video yesterday, right? There's testimony that your dad framed the instructor. Did you know nothing?"
The huddled students behind glared at Baek Hyunseo with eyes full of resentment and disgust.
-Tremble
Trembling all over in fear, Baek Hyunseo replied,
"I... I..."
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