Go to the Cafe
I have a very bad relationship with most of the professors. Whether they live or die is none of my concern. In fact, I'd probably cheer with both hands raised. I'd be so happy the Academy finally got cleaned up that I'd celebrate with sex (chicken and beer).
Even after 90 chapters, sex still means chicken and beer... How tragic.
"Fuck off, you prick."
That said, while I have a terrible relationship with almost every professor, it's not like I hate all of them. There were a few I got along with, so I felt a tiny bit sorry. After all, the Kim Shinwoo Law basically cut off their life support.
Which is why, right now, I was sitting in the Academy's cafe waiting for Professor Kim Jiseon.
It didn't take long before she walked in and spotted me. As usual, she wore tight clothes that emphasized her curves.
"Shinu, did I keep you waiting too long?"
"Not at all. You came right on time."
Once Professor Kim Jiseon arrived, we ordered drinks.
"Professor, my account's frozen right now, so could you maybe cover mine too..."
"......You asked me to come here even though your account is frozen?"
"I couldn't think of anywhere else..."
"And why did you order the most expensive thing on the menu?"
This time even you look pretty pathetic, my dear.
"...Fuck."
Professor Kim Jiseon gave me a slightly pitying look. Still, she kindly paid for my drink too. We took our beverages, sat down, and started talking.
"So, Shinu. What did you want to tell me?"
"I just wanted to apologize. It seems like I've caused you a lot of trouble because of me."
I said it with a slightly gloomy expression, but Professor Kim Jiseon simply waved her hand like it was no big deal.
"Ah, you mean the Kim Shinwoo Law? It doesn't affect me at all."
"Huh?"
"I don't use research students. If I really need help, I hire contract workers."
A professor can actually do that?!
"No way..."
I expressed my disbelief at this unbelievable situation.
"Really?"
"Yes. My research isn't at the level where I'd need research students anyway."
Aah. This was what a real professor looked like. Everything I'd seen until now wasn't professors—they were trash.
My dear, wouldn't that make you an innocent victim in your own plan?
"Ah, that's true. I can't create innocent victims."
But contrary to my worries, the words that came out of Professor Kim Jiseon's mouth were shocking.
"Still, I'm leaving after next year, so it's all good!"
"You're only staying as a professor until next year?"
"Yes, to be exact, only until the first semester of next year."
"That's great news. Congratulations."
"It is. This wretched place will finally be over. Thank you."
It really was something to celebrate. At least she wouldn't be left without a job.
"Actually, I wanted to thank you again while we're at it."
"Oh right. Did you get all the money from Uncle Kang Hyuk?"
"Yes, thanks to you."
Of everything I'd seen today, this was the happiest expression Professor Kim Jiseon had shown. She must have gone through a lot of mental hardship until now.
Then, as if something suddenly occurred to her, she opened her mouth.
"Ah, that's right. Do you remember when I said I'd make a restaurant reservation for you last time?"
"The one you told Hye-ji about?"
"Yes. Getting the reservation itself was pretty tough. You'll probably only be able to visit around next year."
"Isn't that too much of a burden?"
"It's fine. The interest I received doesn't even come close to covering it."
Professor Kim Jiseon waved her hands as if it were nothing, like that amount of money was trivial to her.
"......Just how much did you lend him?"
"......Don't ask."
Our conversation ended in an awkward silence.
One morning, a package was left in front of the door.
Wondering who it was from, I checked the sender. It was a delivery from the Korea Hunter Association.
When I opened it, there was a necklace-shaped certificate decorated with bronze-colored trim.
That's right. It was the Bronze Rank certificate I'd earned from my recent promotion. It had finally arrived.
"I'm a Bronze-trash now too!"
Getting all excited over being a mere Bronze-trash? Pathetic.
"This is why high-tier people suck. They don't understand this kind of desperation."
While other ranks might sneer at Bronze-trash, it's still a natural reaction. At least it's treated better than Iron Rank. Among hunters, Iron Rank is considered subhuman, while Bronze Rank is barely scraping the bottom of humanity. Since Iron and Bronze ranks are everywhere in the hunter ecosystem anyway, it's not exactly something to brag about.
But where was the classroom I was in right now? It was the Silver-trash classroom.
Silver-trash and Bronze-trash. They were adjacent ranks, so they looked down on each other, but it was a wall that wasn't easy to cross. Why else would Silver-trash desperately curse out Bronze-trash? Obviously because they were jealous.
The ones who cursed Bronze-trash like crazy would, the moment they reached Bronze themselves, start trashing Silver-trash like dogs.
At that moment, I suddenly thought of my mom, who had absolutely destroyed me in a 1v1 mid lane.
"Mom... I couldn't reach the Bronze you wanted, but I became Bronze!"
There's a bigger idiot here who can't even play League as well as his own mother.
"Actually, that's a good thing."
If Mom was better at League than me, it would create the ultimate advantage. I'd become immune to the pad lip "Even your mom who plays jungle would do better than this."
Because it would be true.
Have you ever tried ranking with your mother?
"We did, but every time we played she'd say 'Your mom's a fucking bitch, the difference between mother and son' so we stopped."
I put the certificate in my pocket and headed to the classroom.
As soon as I entered the classroom, I deliberately made a loud noise and pretended to trip forward.
"Aaaaaah!"
Feeling everyone's eyes on me, I casually dropped the Bronze Rank certificate from my pocket onto the floor.
Hye-ji, who had noticed my act, immediately made a fuss and shouted loudly.
"Shinu, are you okay? Huh? What's that?"
"Oh, this? It's nothing special. Just my Bronze Rank certificate."
As expected from Hye-ji. There was no cleaner gang response than this.
"You already got Bronze Rank? That's amazing!"
"I just took the test for fun~ Getting only Bronze is a bit embarrassing though."
"You reached Bronze in less than a year? That's seriously impressive!"
"Honestly, isn't Bronze something you should get within a year? Am I the only one who thinks that?"
The sound of other students grinding their teeth began to echo.
At that moment, Hye-ji also made a big fuss and dropped her own certificate onto the classroom floor. Now it was my turn to help.
"Huh? Hye-ji, you got promoted too! Congratulations!"
"I didn't even need this, but they insisted on giving it to me. Sigh."
At Hye-ji's level, she really doesn't need it, does she?
"...Now that you mention it, yeah."
Hye-ji put on an indifferent expression and let out a short sigh. However, contrary to her words, she quickly brushed the dust off the certificate and carefully put it in her pocket.
"As expected of Hye-ji! Congratulations on your Bronze promotion!"
"Getting congratulated over a mere Bronze-trash decoration feels a bit excessive."
"Oh, really? Still, you got promoted to Bronze in a Silver classroom, so we should celebrate."
"Hmm... I guess so?"
"Some people can't promote even after several years, but you did it in just one year! That's insane!"
"You should be able to promote within a year. Sigh, it's honestly a bit embarrassing to wear it around my neck."
By now, most of the students were grinding their teeth audibly. Some couldn't hold back their resentment and started muttering curses under their breath.
The students' curses were getting increasingly vicious, but I didn't feel any damage at all. In fact, I was happy. Why do we do this kind of showing off? Sure, there's the purpose of flaunting what we've accomplished, but mostly it's to see that kind of anger and inferiority complex.
That's why Bronze-trash always get cursed out like crazy yet still post things like: "Oops, I accidentally clicked on the single pull and got an SSR. Sigh, I don't even need this. Is it even worth using?"
Watching me and Hye-ji, Jeong Ayeon cleared her throat a few times before suddenly standing up. Then, in an extremely awkward manner, she deliberately dropped her Silver Rank certificate for everyone to see.
"Ohhh! Ahem. This lady has accidentally dropped her certificate. Duke, would you pick it up for me?"
"......"
Figuring I should at least give her the minimum response, I spoke like I was reading from a textbook.
"Wow. Really. Amazing."
"Is that so? This lady doesn't really need it, so I don't understand why I must carry it."
"Really?"
My dear?
I picked up Jeong Ayeon's certificate, quickly walked over to the window, and opened it. Jeong Ayeon, who finally realized what I was doing, rushed over desperately to stop me.
But it was already too late. Right before she arrived, I swung my hand holding her certificate wide out the window.
"No!!!!!"
Jeong Ayeon let out a scream and collapsed on the spot. As soon as she got up, she roughly grabbed me by the collar.
"Why on earth did you throw it?!"
"You said you didn't need it."
"That doesn't mean you had to throw it!!"
"You said you didn't understand why you had to carry it, so I thought maybe if it disappeared, you'd understand the reason."
"Fuuuuuuuuck!!!!"
You did the exact same Bronze-trash act, so why are you punishing Jeong Ayeon?
"Ah, when I do it it's bragging. When others do it, it's Bronze-trash behavior."
Jeong Ayeon clutched her head, then ran out of the classroom even though class was about to start. After she left, Hye-ji looked at me with a worried expression.
"Shinu, no matter what, throwing it was a bit too much."
"Huh? I didn't throw it though?"
I showed Hye-ji Jeong Ayeon's certificate as I answered. All I had done was swing the hand that was holding the certificate. Jeong Ayeon had simply misunderstood and run outside.
A little later, Jeong Ayeon returned with a gloomy face. In that short time, she had gone down from the fifth floor and come back up again. Looking at the depressed Jeong Ayeon, I waved her ID card in front of her.
"Jeong Ayeon. I didn't actually throw it. Were you scared?"
Instead of answering, Jeong Ayeon delivered a powerful and clean kick right to my jaw. It was the first time she actually looked like a martial artist.