Chapter 18: The Returnee’s Class (1)
“What is that? Why are the children gathered over there?”
“Yeah. Isn't that the Class A classroom?”
Buzz buzz―.
Students were gathered in front of the Year 2 Class A classroom.
The pace of the Year 2 homeroom teachers who were trying to enter their assigned classrooms for class quickened.
“What are you guys doing? When did the class bell ring.”
“Everyone go into the classroom, why are you gathered there!”
At the voices of teachers Jin Tae-jin and Choi Seong-tae, the students gathered in front of Class A were surprised and looked at the teachers cautiously.
However, even though the teachers arrived, the gathered students did not readily return to the classroom.
“You brats, aren't you going in quickly?!”
“Teacher, that is…….”
“In Class A, in Class A!”
The teachers, who felt puzzlement at the children's reaction, met eyes with each other, then pushed through the gathered students and went to the front.
Jin Tae-jin, Yu Ji-na, Choi Seong-tae.
The three teachers stood side by side and looked inside through the window of the Class A classroom.
“Wh…… What?!”
“Isn't that person Lee Si-wang?”
“Lee Si-wang? Ignis Guild, Vice Guild Master?”
“Korea's A-Rank Ranking 1st place?”
The expressions of the teachers who discovered Lee Si-wang inside the Class A classroom were dyed with astonishment.
“No, why is that busy person here?”
“Don't tell me he is an acquaintance of that Teacher Yoo jin?”
Teachers who were surprised and forgot that they had to send the children in.
Among them, the most surprised one was Jin Tae-jin.
“What on earth is that guy's true identity…….”
From the first meeting, everything was displeasing.
However, a guy like that.
By what means.
Did he bring the Vice Guild Master of Korea's Top 3 Guild to class.
Grind.
Jin Tae-jin's expression distorted moment by moment.
At that time.
As if he felt the gaze, Yoo jin's gaze from inside the classroom headed toward Jin Tae-jin.
“Hehe.”
A big laugh was built on Yoo jin's face.
Vice Guild Master of Ignis Guild, Korea's Top 3 Guild.
Korea's A-Rank Hunter Ranking 1st place.
To put it simply, a strong person who enters within five fingers among all Awakened in Korea.
That was Lee Si-wang.
And…….
Where is this place, who am I.
That was the thought filling Lee Si-wang's head right now.
30 students visible before his eyes.
All those eyes were directed only at him.
A drop of sweat slid down Lee Si-wang's forehead.
“…….”
He doesn't know how long it has been.
When he first entered an S-Rank dungeon following Cho Sang-geun?
If not that, when he encountered the Returnee of China, the Supreme King?
During the Yeoncheon Dungeon Break which remained as the biggest trauma to Korea's Hunters?
Haa―.
While exhaling a deep sigh through his nose that he couldn't bring out of his mouth, Lee Si-wang held onto his fading mind.
‘A special lecture! There is no way I can teach a class.’
Lee Si-wang was someone who rejected all requests even when the Association side made a request or when special lecture requests came from prestigious academies nationwide.
Because he thought he didn't fit with education.
Basically, he possessed the skill to wear a mask well and converse without hesitation even with people he saw for the first time.
However, Lee Si-wang was the epitome of the style who couldn't perform when the stage was set for him.
“Ha…….”
The sigh he endured and endured flowed out mixed with his exhale.
What good is A-Rank Ranking 1st place.
What good is being a strong person within five fingers in Korea.
If they say do it, I have to do it.
Before entering the classroom.
The phone call with the Guild Master came to mind.
― Should I do it?
At that one word from Cho Sang-geun.
He had no choice but to stand in this spot.
What can be done.
The superior says do it.
And…….
They say rejection is rejected.
That person.
Lee Si-wang's gaze headed toward Yoo jin standing next to him.
“What are you doing? Let the kids know quickly.”
“Yes? Let them know, what…….”
Yoo jin raised his hand and tapped the blackboard.
― Special Lecture by a Famous Incumbent Hunter!
“What do you mean what? It's written here. Special lecture by an incumbent Hunter. A famous one at that!”
“No, I am not a teacher either.”
“Who told you to be a teacher? Just one day. No, aren't I asking you to do a special lecture for just one hour.”
“No, I mean Return…… Hmph hmph, Teacher Yoo jin, wouldn't there be a reason why I haven't gone out for special lectures even when requests came in until now?”
Lee Si-wang looking at Yoo jin with a troubled expression.
Yoo jin captured such Lee Si-wang in his eyes.
“That is your circumstance. And take off the sunglasses indoors. I told you it doesn't suit you.”
“…….”
It didn't work even a bit.
Without even giving a glance to Lee Si-wang whose expression sank, Yoo jin turned his head to the children.
“This Mister must not know because it's his first time doing something like this. Let's just change to Q&A. If you guys have anything curious, ask everything quickly. This Mister says he will answer.”
“No, wh…….”
As soon as those words ended, the Class A children raised their hands high.
“Ugh…….”
“Look. There are so many kids who want to listen to the senior's words.”
A playful smile was built on Yoo jin's face.
Lee Si-wang, who had no place to run anymore, moved his gaze to the students.
“There, the student wearing an earring.”
The one who received the first choice was a twin.
Among them, it was the older brother Im Jong-il.
“Yes!”
Im Jong-il, who answered loud enough for the classroom to ring, couldn't hide his joy and stood up from his seat.
“How can one go to Ignis Guild?”
As soon as Im Jong-il's words ended, the children's laughter bloomed.
At the question that was playful but not a joke.
A somewhat comfortable smile hung on Lee Si-wang's lips as well.
“By bus? Or by subway?”
At the voice that countered softly, the atmosphere of the classroom became much lighter.
“It's a joke. The door of Ignis Guild is open to anyone. Especially if they are students educated in a prestigious high school like Taewoon, we are welcoming them with open arms.”
It is not lip service.
Because it was true to some extent.
Taewoon High School is 1st in the province.
It is an educational facility that enters within three fingers even nationwide.
Although low-grade students cannot be guaranteed, high-grade students educated here were good talents whom Ignis Guild also wanted to scout.
Especially.
“I heard Taewoon High experiences a lot of practical training in the Sparring Room. This is a tremendous plus factor from our perspective too.”
Lee Si-wang continued speaking while meeting the eyes of the students one by one.
“I don't know if this is a story premature for students, but since everyone here will enter Gates and dungeons anyway upon graduation, I will tell you. For a Hunter, critical moments of death come several times even in a day. It is a job standing on the firing line every day. Actual combat where mistakes are not allowed. That is why I and many guilds consider practical experience important. In that sense, I can say that you all, who have experienced actual combat even a little while being students, are ahead of others. So…….”
Lee Si-wang said while looking at the questioner, Im Jong-il.
“Please apply to our guild later by all means.”
“Yes!!”
Starting with Im Jong-il's applause, the sound of children's applause filled the entire classroom.
As soon as Im Jong-il's turn ended, the children raised their hands high.
The Q&A continued in an even more comfortable atmosphere.
How strong an A-Rank dungeon is.
What is the difference between Hunters in the field and students.
About Yeoncheon which became a restricted area.
If natural type Unique Skills are the strongest as taught in school.
If a Hunter active only with martial arts also has a future.
How much is the starting salary.
If healing type Healers are still aristocrats like natural types.
Etc.
A Ranker seen only on television.
Because it was a meeting with a top-class Hunter that cannot be easily done even in a prestigious high school.
They poured out everything they were curious about from the students' perspective.
Because the one before their eyes was Lee Si-wang, who is stronger and has more experience than the Guild Master of any decent guild.
The faces of Class A students were more lively than ever.
As it went on.
Ding dong deng dong―.
Unlike Lee Si-wang's worry, the time of one hour passed quickly.
Clap clap!
“This makes me jealous? Even I haven't gotten this close with our class kids yet. You acted weak but you do well.”
At Yoo jin's voice, Lee Si-wang bowed his head slightly.
“Now, it's regrettable but let's end the class here. Those who need to go to the bathroom…….”
At that time when Yoo jin was about to finish the class.
Chuck!
Someone raised a hand and stood up.
“I have a question.”
It was Kang Tae-wook who had been sitting quietly in his seat until now.
He hadn't raised his hand until now, didn't laugh like the children. Didn't show enthusiasm either.
Before Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang could react, Kang Tae-wook started the question.
“If two students Awakened as A-Rank attack Hunter Lee Si-wang with Unique Skills, can the Hunter destroy that attack easily?”
It seemed it was because of the incident in the Sparring Room.
“Magic, skills. Even without using magic power. With just one finger…… is that possible for Hunter Lee Si-wang?”
Kang Tae-wook's serious expression.
Although it was already break time, the students were sitting quietly in their seats without making any sound.
Lee Si-wang meeting eyes with Yoo jin as if troubled.
Yoo jin shrugged his shoulders, then chin-pointed as if to answer instead.
Then Lee Si-wang opened his mouth while looking at Kang Tae-wook.
“Of course…… it's impossible.”
After the special lecture that wasn't a special lecture ended.
Lee Si-wang was sitting on the central bench of the shopping center.
“Ha……. You suffered, Si-wang…….”
Lee Si-wang praising himself while letting out a sigh.
“Hey, thank you. You were popular.”
To such Lee Si-wang, Yoo jin handed a frozen ice pop and sat next to him.
“Being a teacher is also not easy.”
“Having taught only one hour, what do you mean?”
“Even one hour felt like ten hours to me.”
“You did well though, what. By the way, what is Yeoncheon?”
“Yes? Ah, Yeoncheon Incident……. You must not know. Since it's been about 5 years.”
Lee Si-wang, who took a bite of the frozen ice pop, continued his words again.
“Yeoncheon has become a restricted area now.”
“So, why?”
“Because of a Dungeon Break.”
“Didn't Hunters mobilize?”
“They did. Probably all the successful guilds in Korea went.”
“Even so?”
“…….”
Lee Si-wang sparing his words somehow.
Yoo jin, who noticed instinctively, spoke with the frozen ice pop in his mouth while looking at Lee Si-wang.
“If it's a restricted area even now, that means it's still there?”
“That's right.”
“Even leaving aside you or Ignis Guild Master, I heard the President or whatever is strong. Yet they can't kill it?”
“Probably?”
Silence flowed for a moment.
Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang only put ice cream into their mouths.
“Alright.”
Lee Si-wang got up from the bench.
“Anyway, today's class cannot be passed over with just one frozen ice pop.”
“Don't worry. Because I will write it down properly in the ledger.”
“It's a sound the Guild Master would like.”
“I'm going to write it down under your name, not the Guild Master?”
Although it was joke-picking, a big smile was built on Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang's lips.
At that time.
Boom!!
At the tremendous explosion sound, Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang's expressions hardened in an instant.
That time when Lee Si-wang and Yoo jin were talking on the bench.
“What on earth is this…….”
Class D homeroom teacher and the one in charge of Magic subject, Teacher Choi Seong-tae.
“A gnome should come out, so why…….”
His face, while proceeding with the Year 2 Class A class, had turned pale.
Above the gnome's summoning circle.
An A-Rank monster was summoned.