Chapter 17: Yoo jin
Ignis Guild located in Goyang City.
The Guild Master's office located on the top floor.
As the door swung open, a man entered inside the Guild Master's office.
“Ah! Do you really have to make me come all the way here?!”
The man with messy hair moved straight to the front of Cho Sang-geun.
“Oh, you came?”
Ignis Guild Master Cho Sang-geun, who was sitting in his seat, spoke without even giving the man a glance, his gaze fixed on the desk.
“What do you mean you came! You are so carefree all by yourself, aren't you?! Someone is filling his meals with cup noodles for days because there is no time to eat!”
Despite the man's words, Cho Sang-geun did not react largely and only put sushi into his mouth.
At that nonchalant appearance, Kim Gyu-il, the Team Leader of the Special Gate Management Center, grabbed his messy hair strongly.
“No, Brother! Does food go down your throat in this situation?! I have to submit a report by today!”
“I am also eating a proper meal for the first time in a few days.”
“Are you doing this because you want to see me die? Why aren't you replying? If I don't submit the report to the higher-ups by today, I have to be called in by the Association President. Will you take responsibility if I get fired? There are still 20 years left on my house loan!”
“Exactly, who told you to overreach and buy a house?”
“That is…….”
Kim Gyu-il's voice, which had been shouting spiritedly, subsided.
“First, sit.”
“Sit what sit, my neck is about to fly off right now! Since Brother is a Guild Master, it doesn't matter to you, is that it? Ah, this is why Mom said to be careful of Seoul guys…….”
At that time, Secretary Kim, who approached from the back, put down a high-end sushi lunch box in front of Kim Gyu-il.
Then, Kim Gyu-il, whose expression changed in an instant, sat down in the seat.
“Thank you, Secretary Kim.”
“No problem.”
Secretary Kim bowed her head once and retreated to the back.
“What did you say about Seoul guys?”
Cho Sang-geun, who stopped his chopsticks, met eyes with Kim Gyu-il for the first time only now.
“What do you mean what. Mom told me to get along well with Seoul guys. Thank you for the food!”
Kim Gyu-il, who targeted the tuna belly first, trembled in emotion.
At that appearance, a scoff leaked out from Cho Sang-geun's lips.
Cho Sang-geun's chopsticks, which were shaking his head, moved again.
Only after putting the third sushi into his mouth did Kim Gyu-il's voice flow out again.
“But really, what are you going to do?”
“What?”
“What do you mean what, the Returnee.”
“…….”
“Even leaving aside the Returnee, we can't hide the fact that an Unidentified Multi-Dimension Portal opened.”
“If we say it was a Dungeon Break…… seeing your expression, it seems you already did.”
“Because there was a Drake corpse nearby, I intend to drive it that way for now. However…….”
“You mean it's a subject of investigation anyway.”
“One way or another, as time passes, they will see the data from that time. Then, because of the Gate intensity, the report will go up to the President anyway. And an investigation will start. So, you have to decide.”
Kim Gyu-il's eyes, which had been half-relaxed, became sharp.
“Whether to report properly. Or whether to cross a river of no return by hiding it for now.”
“…….”
Cho Sang-geun's chopsticks, which were moving busily, stopped their movement.
After Cho Sang-geun slowly put down the chopsticks on top of the lunch box.
He let out a deep exhale and fell into deep thought.
A worry for which he couldn't make a decision for the few days since Yoo jin appeared.
Although he cannot avoid criticism at the point of bringing a Returnee to his guild and not reporting it, this much was still within the range he could cover with his power and authority.
Because he is a Returnee.
If he says he requested a scout first during the initial action process, he might get cursed at, but he won't be buried in the industry.
However
From now on, it is different.
From here on, it is not the Returnee, but Ignis Guild and Research Team Leader Kim Gyu-il engaging in a cover-up.
Because ‘the report was late’ and ‘did not report’ are different concepts.
“You have to decide well. The current decision hangs not only our necks but the necks of many people.”
Kim Gyu-il's gaze headed to the photo frame at the end of the desk.
“You have to choose well. Brother knows the President's power better than anyone. That cruelty too…….”
Kim Gyu-il's expression, capturing the smiling women inside the photo frame, darkened.
Cho Sang-geun's gaze overlapped with the end of Kim Gyu-il's gaze.
Silence flowed for a moment.
Cho Sang-geun's mouth, which had been firmly shut while keeping his gaze on the frame, opened.
“Therefore, more…… we need the Returnee.”
That word was enough.
“It's over. Ah! I was crazy! I should have just reported to the top right away.”
Kim Gyu-il, who was making a dark expression, captured Cho Sang-geun's expression, let out a deep exhale, and shook his head.
“Since it's until the quarterly settlement. Is it about three months at longest……. The period my neck stays attached.”
A faint smile spread on the corners of Cho Sang-geun's mouth while capturing Kim Gyu-il's face.
Also on the corners of the mouth of Secretary Kim who was waiting at the back.
“Since it became like this, seduce the Returnee somehow within three months. Because I will try to hide it by using whatever means until the quarterly settlement.”
“Sorry.”
“At times like this, you're supposed to say thank you. The head of a group doesn't even know that? Ha……. How did I end up getting entangled with Brother.”
“Exactly. If only we weren't entangled.”
Cho Sang-geun's gaze stayed on the frame again.
Towards the woman smiling brightly.
“Really, you are still a gentleman who can't take a joke. Ah, why did my older sister like a person like this.”
“…….”
Kim Gyu-il, who emptied the last sushi, stood up from his seat.
“Anyway, please take care of my neck. Because I bet my future and even my loans all on Brother.”
Kim Gyu-il, who smiled while looking at Cho Sang-geun, turned his body.
Kim Gyu-il, who finished his business, approached the door to return to the Association.
Thud.
Thud.
Tak.
“By the way…… where is that Returnee?”
At Kim Gyu-il's question, Cho Sang-geun's expression darkened.
“Sch…….”
“Sch? What?”
“At school…….”
Kim Gyu-il blinked his eyes without understanding.
“Why?”
After all classes ended.
Class 2-A classroom.
Children with soulless expressions were sitting in their seats for the closing assembly.
Some were tapping their thighs.
Some were massaging their legs.
Although they were Awakened and not ordinary people, the children's fatigue reached its peak due to using muscles they didn't use.
Closing assembly time.
Yoo jin, who was standing at the teacher's podium, said to the children.
“Muscle pain might come tomorrow, so stretch well. And don't go anywhere today and rest well in the dormitory.”
At Yoo jin's voice, the children did not give any answer.
“Well, since everything you wanted to say about Jin-ho was said in the Sparring Room, let's consider it passed…….”
Yoo jin's gaze, which was capturing the children, stopped at one place.
“Well, although I said it was because of education. Are you guys oka…….”
“Yes, yes!!”
“We are okay!!”
At Yoo jin's voice, the twins stood up from their seats and shouted.
An appearance full of discipline.
“Well, okay. If you are okay, that's it. Sit down.”
“Yes!”
“Yes sir!!”
The twins with large band-aids on their foreheads.
Im Jong-il and Im Jong-sin sat in their seats and looked at Yoo jin with sparkling eyes.
‘Those two guys seem definitely educated.’
Yoo jin, who captured the twins in his eyes, smiled.
Clap clap―.
“Anyway, let's get along well for one year.”
The students sitting in the classroom focused on Yoo jin.
“I hope you think carefully about what I wanted to convey today. And that I didn't give punishment blindly. From now on, I will avoid corporal punishment as much as possible. Because I think you can understand well with just once.”
The children's faces entered his slowly moving view.
There were students who understood at once.
There were students who did not understand.
There were students who were still awkward with eye contact.
There were students who avoided his gaze in a different sense.
As soon as Kang Tae-wook met eyes with Yoo jin, he quickly turned his head.
‘Brat. His pride is strong.’
Yoo jin lifted the corners of his mouth and continued speaking again.
“Well, you might not like my education. You might think it is coercive. But I have no thought of changing. Because I think this is…… the method for my students to smile the most.”
The children's expressions changed moment by moment.
“I will promise one thing for sure. I will let you receive the best education you couldn't receive anywhere. Whether as a Hunter…….”
Yoo jin smiled while looking at the children.
“Or as a human.”
The rooftop of the classroom building where all classes ended and students went back.
Yoo jin and Jin-ho were at that place where the wide Academy City could be seen at a glance.
“Relax your expression, brat. It was a necessary thing once. For the children, and for you too.”
The sun was setting.
“I don't know about other children, but Kang Tae-wook won't just end it like that.”
“It's okay. Did you forget who I am?”
He knows.
How could he forget.
He jumped off a cliff too.
He truly educated a prospect whom no one could touch with a forehead flick.
Unlike other teachers who always pretended not to know, he is the only person who shouted in the classroom.
“No matter what scheme that guy brings, or if he barges into the school holding his successful dad's hand, it doesn't matter. Because what I will do won't change even then.”
“…….”
“Look forward to it. Because I will make school fun.”
Really, if it is this person.
Jin-ho thought that if it is this person, it might be possible.
“Ah right, and you. You can become stronger than you think.”
“Yes? What does that…….”
“It is as I said. Maybe stronger than Kang Tae-wook?”
“That can't be. There is no case where the Rank changes…….”
Because it was so.
Until now.
An Awakened's Rank does not change once decided.
Therefore A-Rank was treated well.
And S-Rank was called a god.
“Even if the guys here can't do it, I can do it.”
Although Jin-ho couldn't understand.
Yoo jin laughed while looking at the sunset.
‘Eun-ho, watch well from there.’
The next day.
The teachers' office where Year 2 homeroom teachers are gathered.
Teachers excluding Yoo jin were gathered there.
“Ha, who does he think he is!”
“Exactly. Is he the only teacher?”
Year 2 homeroom teachers were talking about Yoo jin.
Among them, the silver-haired male teacher.
The greatest anger was contained in Jin Tae-jin's face.
“A guy whom we don't even know where he rolled in from. He is treating us like weird people!”
He still cannot forget that expression, that voice.
‘Because you guys are like this, the students became like this!’
Pretending to be noble alone.
Pretending to be elegant alone.
He cannot forget Yoo jin's face looking down on him.
“What does that jerk take the Hunter Association for.”
“Exactly. Corporal punishment! What era is this these days.”
“What do we do if Tae-wook's father comes?”
The expressions of Jin Tae-jin and other teachers darkened.
Excluding just one person.
“Still, somehow, he seemed like a real teacher. Although he is a bit like a lunatic.”
The Class E homeroom teacher smiling brightly.
She was feeling interest in Yoo jin's appearance unlike other teachers.
Well, even so, most disliked Yoo jin.
Jin Tae-jin's brow did not think of unfolding.
“I don't like him.”
“Me neither.”
“Ha, what is there that he can do. When he isn't even anything special.”
Ding dong deng dong―.
Yoo jin's backbiting ended only after the bell announcing class rang.
Year 2 Class A classroom, where 1st period started.
“I told you. Still, I promise you the best education. So I brought him.”
Yoo jin's voice rang.
― Special Lecture by a Famous Incumbent Hunter!
Letters written on the blackboard.
And Lee Si-wang wearing sunglasses stood in front of it.
“Why am I…….”
There was no right to refuse.