Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: A Proper Apology
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He was even bigger in person than he'd appeared on screen last time.
Not just his height and build, but his sheer presence.
Just Yu Myeong-hwa walking in made the counseling room feel packed.
She'd been a bit grating while reading [Sejong Wall] at times, but she had plenty of redeeming qualities too.
I found myself staring up at her blankly for a moment, forgetting the situation, until Kwak Ji-hyun—the student following behind her—snapped me back to reality.
'She's smirking?'
Kwak Ji-hyun, the A-rank buffer still sporting her split lip and bruises since she hadn't been healed yet, stood behind Yu Myeong-hwa with a snickering grin.
"Long time no see, Justice Guild Master."
"Is that so."
Kang Han gave a vague reply.
He definitely couldn't remember the last time they'd met.
That's how he always talked whenever he was in a bind.
As I watched Kang Han maintain his expressionless face, I felt a stinging gaze on my cheek.
It was Yu Myeong-hwa.
"Nayeo-ju Healer."
"Yes."
"Please pick up my calls."
"Oh, had you called?"
As if I'd only blocked one or two numbers.
"It seemed like you'd blocked me."
"......For now, shall we talk about what happened today?"
I changed the subject when things got awkward.
Yu Myeong-hwa chuckled at my words and took a seat across the table.
"I rushed over here without grasping the full situation. Do I have your permission to hear the details first?"
"Ah, yes! I'm Lee Yu-chan's homeroom teacher. To explain briefly..."
The homeroom teacher pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and began recounting the whole story.
The homeroom teacher wiped the sweat trickling down his forehead once more.
Gulp.
It was all because of the high-rank hunters gathered in this counseling room.
Yu Myeong-hwa went without saying, and Justice Guild Master Kang Han was S-rank too.
On top of that, the healer named Nayeo-ju sitting next to Lee Yu-chan and the student Kwak Ji-hyun were both A-rank.
For a D-rank awakener like him, even in middle age, this was his first time sharing a room with so many high-rank hunters at once.
"......And that's what happened."
After finishing his somewhat lengthy explanation, he felt like he wanted to die right there.
Now Yu Myeong-hwa would get angry.
Could he withstand that pressure?
He might even faint.
The homeroom teacher gripped the handkerchief in his hand tightly.
"I see."
But unexpectedly, Yu Myeong-hwa responded calmly.
She seemed lost in thought for a moment before standing up.
Drag.
The sound of the chair scraping echoed through the counseling room.
"As the master of Camellia Guild, responsible for Hunter Kwak Ji-hyun, I apologize."
He was supposed to mediate from the middle and wrap this up as quietly as possible, but he was left dumbfounded, speechless.
Kwak Ji-hyun, who had been sitting with a relaxed expression all along, was the same.
She'd thought she'd thoroughly humiliated the Justice Guild folks and would leave the room laughing even louder.
"Hunter Kwak Ji-hyun."
"Y-yes?"
"Stand up and apologize properly to Hunter Lee Yu-chan."
"Uh......"
As Kwak Ji-hyun hesitated, Yu Myeong-hwa's gaze turned frightening.
Finally snapping to her senses, Kwak Ji-hyun jumped up and bowed her head.
Yu Myeong-hwa didn't stop there, adding polite words.
"Even as a non-combatant, A-rank Hunter Kwak Ji-hyun should never have gotten into a conflict with C-rank Hunter Lee Yu-chan, for any reason. Especially not on school grounds. We are truly sorry."
"Ah, well. As expected of the Camellia Guild Master, such magnanimity. Then for this incident, we can wrap it up with mutual apologies and reconciliation..."
"So it's ultimately because of the rank difference?"
Kang Han asked.
"Because Yu-chan is C-rank, you're framing it as the A-rank Kwak Ji-hyun student being at fault."
Yu Myeong-hwa lifted her bowed head.
Her serious expression had already returned to its usual laid-back smile.
"Isn't it?"
"Hmm."
"Ugh."
Finally, an irritated sigh escaped from both Nayeo-ju and Kang Han at the same time.
And it was Nayeo-ju who pounced.
"Even adults shouldn't stoop to that logic, right?"
Yu Myeong-hwa had that side to her.
So goal-oriented it sometimes made me wonder if there was something wrong with her head.
Everything outside her goals blurred out like a camera losing focus.
"Hoo."
Still, I took a breath to avoid using harsh language in front of minors before speaking.
"If even adults use logic like that, what will the kids grow up to be?"
But reality hit me as I realized I already knew the answer.
What would they become?
High-rankers would think rank was everything and arrogantly look down on lowers.
And low-rankers would think rank was everything too, limiting themselves.
Even though the system didn't work that way.
At that moment, the now-familiar yet still embarrassing ding~ rang out, and a small speech bubble appeared over Yu Myeong-hwa's head.
Whatever.
I turned to Kwak Ji-hyun, who was still standing awkwardly, watching the adults' reactions.
"Who threw the first punch?"
"Uh, that was..."
"Tell it straight."
Yu Myeong-hwa added pressure from the side.
"I...... did."
It was completely different from what the homeroom teacher had said.
Of course.
I'd seen it from the teacher's attitude, trying to downplay the violence and smooth things over.
I followed up.
"Has our Yu-chan ever bullied you or done anything mean to you before?"
"N-not to that extent..."
"Then why did you hit Yu-chan in the cafeteria today, Kwak Ji-hyun?"
"It wasn't hitting!"
Kwak Ji-hyun burst out indignantly.
"I threw the tray at Lee Yu-eul! He—he, no, Yu-chan was just next to her and got hit!"
Oh ho, so that injury wasn't from a hand slap but from a weapon—no, a lunch tray?
The homeroom teacher was the one flustered as Kwak Ji-hyun's words poured out.
"You didn't tell me that when I asked!"
"......You didn't ask. You just told me to go to my guild..."
Nothing more to ask the homeroom teacher.
I kept looking only at Kwak Ji-hyun and continued.
"Why did you pick a fight first with the twins, who never bullied you?"
"That was..."
"Want me to guess? C-rank Yu-chan, who can't even use skills properly, has better training scores than you, and you couldn't stand it. Right?"
"......"
Kwak Ji-hyun stared at me with a face full of lingering injustice.
Yeah, no adult had ever taught her otherwise.
In an environment like this awakener school, maybe thinking like her was normal.
I switched to a softer tone.
"Mind if I talk casually for a bit?"
"Y-yeah......"
"Friend, from the moment you awakened, you're not just a high schooler—you're a hunter too. You should compare yourself to hunters active in Camellia Guild or other major guilds."
Step outside the narrow fence of awakener school, and Kwak Ji-hyun wasn't a high schooler first.
The A-rank hunter title came before that.
"Now you need to look beyond school, farther ahead."
In short, it was time to grow up.
"Ah......"
No real reply, but I could tell Kwak Ji-hyun had realized something.
Her eyes had changed.
After that, I said nothing more.
I gave her time to think.
Moments later, a quiet voice flowed toward Lee Yu-chan.
"Sorry......"
"For what?"
Lee Yu-chan, still not over his anger, asked in a chilly tone.
"For those words about your parents, throwing the tray, picking the fight. And that last thing I said."
"And?"
Kang Han unfolded his arms and asked firmly.
"I won't do it again. I've been short-sighted. Really sorry."
"......Got it."
Lee Yu-chan nodded.
He'd accepted the apology, but reconciliation was another matter.
That was for him to decide.
In this situation finally on the right track, a sudden curiosity struck.
"But what was that last thing you said? What did she say to make you charge at her?"
"......You don't need to know."
Lee Yu-chan clamped his mouth shut and turned his head away sharply.
"Fine, you've got your privacy too."
In the end, Lee Yu-chan's ears turned red.
"Anyway, Teacher."
I smiled at the homeroom teacher.
"Isn't this the real apology and closure?"
We let Lee Yu-chan leave early.
After confirming Camellia Guild was taking Kwak Ji-hyun, I grabbed Lee Yu-chan's face with both hands.
"What happened to this pretty face."
"Ah, don't do this!"
Lee Yu-chan recoiled and wriggled to escape my hands, but it wasn't very vigorous resistance.
"Hold still."
Body Healing
[Part of Strengthen Body and Mind]
My stamina dropped as the bruise on Lee Yu-chan's forehead vanished completely.
'If this face got scarred, what then.'
I thought, looking at his fresh, pure face now that his glasses were off.
He was still young, so this was it for now.
Later, it'd be a national treasure face like Kang Han's.
Then, I sensed footsteps approaching from behind, followed by a voice.
"Nayeo-ju Healer, could we have a quick word?"
Yu Myeong-hwa, holding out a business card in one hand with a charming smile on her face.