I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor at the Academy 46

Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy

Chapter 46

“What are you going to do during the Chuseok festival?”

“Chuseok? Ah, it’s almost Chuseok.”

I was about to send Choi Seo-ra back after finishing our conversation, but she invited me to eat together since it had been a while since we met, so we went to a restaurant in the busy area near the school.

Living so busy without thinking, I didn’t realize how time was passing.

During Chuseok, does everyone go home?

The medicine for the kids needs to be taken at least five times a week…

Even if I pack it for them and tell them to take it when they go home, I’m sure there will be some kids who won’t take it.

Should I tell them to record videos proving they’ve taken it?

“Senior?”

“Ah, well… I don’t have any special plans. I’ll probably rest in the dormitory or go hiking.”

Since Kang Shin-hyeok is an orphan, he doesn’t have family or relatives.

Originally, I was on bad terms with my family too, so I always spent holidays alone.

The only special thing I did was having drinks with friends at the end of the holiday?

I do have a master, but spending Chuseok making songpyeon and frying jeon with him is a bit…

When I saw him last time, he enjoyed rice cakes, so I should buy a pack of songpyeon.

“If you stay in the dormitory, what will you do about meals? The cafeteria is closed during Chuseok.”

“I’ll order delivery or go out to eat.”

“Instead of that, why don’t you come volunteer at the orphanage with me?”

“You’re going to the orphanage during the holiday too?”

This kid is amazing, volunteering during vacations and even holidays.

“It’s quite fun to make songpyeon and fry jeon with the kids.”

I don’t understand what part of that is fun.

It just sounds like hard work to me…

“I’m not really interested. Aren’t you going to visit your relatives?”

“Ah, we’re not that close. We haven’t been in contact for a long time… Is that strange?”

Unlike me who is completely without family, Choi Seo-ra’s parents passed away so I thoughtlessly assumed she would have relatives, but her expression doesn’t look good.

Did I say something wrong?

“It’s not strange. If it were strange, you’d need to go to the dentist.”

“…Senior?”

“Yes?”

“What was that? You sound just like an old man. If you weren’t my senior…”

“Sorry.”

It was my best attempt at a joke to change the mood… Though it wasn’t a great response, at least her expression returned to normal.

“These days some people only gather with immediate family or go on overseas trips, so there’s nothing strange about it.”

“So come volunteer with me.”

“Why does the conversation keep going back to that? Give me a break. I haven’t been able to rest properly because I’ve been so busy lately.”

“Okay. Oh, are you going to the retreat?”

“Retreat?”

“In October, after the midterms, we have a retreat. Ah, maybe you won’t go since you’re not a homeroom teacher?”

“I suppose not.”

I haven’t heard anything about it.

If I hadn’t found the portal where my master is, I would have gone, but I’ve already found it.

I’m already going to Gangwon-do every week, so I don’t really need to go.

“Then you’ll get to rest. I’m jealous.”

Not going means resting?

“I’ll probably still have to go to work.”

“But the students won’t be there.”

“That’s true. Where are you going?”

“Jeju Island. By the way, you said you went to Jeju Island in the summer, right?”

“That’s right. Should I recommend some good restaurants?”

“No need. I have to follow a set schedule anyway, so I wouldn’t be able to go even if you told me.”

“You’re lucky.”

“Lucky? Not really. For retreats, there are separate instructors, but for school trips, teachers have to lead everything, so there’s so much to worry about.”

As I remember, whether it was retreats or school trips, teachers usually just drank and had fun among themselves.

Is it different at Hunter School?

***

SWOOSH.

It was so fast it couldn’t be seen, but I moved my body to the side following my senses.

“You dodged this?”

Even my master looks quite surprised, it was really a close call.

I think I’m starting to understand what he meant about needing to sense and dodge attacks rather than seeing them.

“How was that? I haven’t been slacking off.”

“Just because you dodged once. I’ll acknowledge you if you can dodge this too.”

What is this?

The wooden stick my master is holding splits into dozens of branches.

I heightened my senses once more, but the attacks are coming from all directions, so there’s no way to dodge.

SNAP!

“OW! Isn’t this cheating? There’s nowhere to dodge!”

“What do you mean nowhere to dodge? There was only one real attack, the rest were all feints. And if you can’t dodge, you should counter it.”

“What if I get internal injuries again from countering?”

In the past, I ignorantly countered and coughed up blood due to the huge difference in internal energy.

I suffered for almost a week, so when I asked him to go easy on me, he just snorted and said it wouldn’t be proper training.

“Should a martial artist fear internal injuries?”

This guy…

“If I get injured and can’t work, you won’t get your ramen either.”

“You brat, being petty again.”

“Petty? No ramen for next week.”

“You wicked boy. How can you use food like that?”

“Fine, then let’s have one more match instead.”

“Even if we do more, you still won’t be able to dodge. Just continue your sensory training.”

He shakes his head in annoyance and walks away.

Should I buy and eat some more wild ginseng?

My master said I already have overflowing internal energy so I don’t need to eat more, but it would still help to some degree.

When I went to the cave after cleaning up, he was boiling ramen again.

“How can you eat again so soon after lunch?”

“Didn’t I just have a round with you? Add more water if you want to eat too.”

“I’m good. By the way, Master, I was thinking of buying one or two more wild ginseng roots next week…”

“Didn’t I tell you last time it’s unnecessary? What you lack isn’t internal energy but spiritual enlightenment.”

“I remember, but wouldn’t eating more help a little?”

“Why are you so impatient? Did you arrange another match with that guy?”

“It’s not that, but I feel like my progress has been too slow lately…”

It’s partly because I’ve been too busy with various things to focus on training, but there hasn’t been any significant development since reaching the peak.

Of course, my skills are still quite good.

I’m confident against anyone except S-rank hunters like the vice principal.

But since I’ve decided not to adhere to the original story, I don’t know what will happen in the future.

Stagnant water is bound to rot, and there will be no progress the moment I become complacent.

I need strength to avoid being swayed.

“Too slow? For someone who started martial arts less than a year ago, reaching the peak is incredibly fast.”

What’s with this guy suddenly praising me when he usually dismisses me?

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I do have some talent, don’t I?”

“What nonsense. It’s all because I taught you well.”

“…”

“What? Got a problem with that?”

Really, I should control his ramen supply.

***

“Don’t just play around during the holiday. You know there’s a midterm evaluation right after the break, right?”

“Yes.”

“Teacher, have a good holiday too.”

“Alright. Make sure you all take your medicine. As I said earlier, those who don’t record videos of taking their medicine will have points deducted from their attitude score.”

They all look dejected.

Shouldn’t they be used to it by now?

While I was cleaning up, Eunsu and Eunseo approached me.

“Teacher.”

“What?”

“Where are you going for Chuseok?”

“Nowhere. I’m not going anywhere.”

I originally thought about spending it with my master, but it’s a holiday so traffic will be heavy, and since I’ll go on the weekend anyway, I decided to just stay in the dormitory.

“Then would you like to come to our house on the last day of the holiday?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Our mother said she wants to invite you because she’s grateful for your help.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s a holiday. You should spend it with your relatives and family.”

“Both our paternal and maternal relatives are in Seoul, so we just visit briefly on Chuseok day and come right back. Are you not available the day after Chuseok?”

“I don’t have anything specific planned, but…”

It’s a bit burdensome.

“You don’t need to feel burdened. We just want to treat you to a meal. Our house is close to the school too.”

“How about lunch? Dinner is fine too if that doesn’t work.”

“If both are difficult, our mother said she’d pack some holiday food for you…”

“You don’t have to go that far… Alright, I’ll come over the day after Chuseok. Let me know the address and time.”

“I’ll tell mom to prepare lots of delicious food.”

“What kind of food do you like?”

“I’m not picky about food. See you then.”

After sending the kids away, I returned to the teachers’ office and found most of the seats empty.

Since the Chuseok holiday starts tomorrow, it seems everyone left early.

The remaining teachers are also preparing to leave.

As I sat down, I felt a vibration in my pocket and took out my phone to see a message from Choi Seo-ra.

[Senior, are you off work?]

[No, I’m in the teachers’ office. Did you already leave?]

[I’m on my way to the dormitory. It seems crowded now, but people should thin out in about an hour, so let’s meet at the main gate then.]

I sent a reply saying okay and put my phone away.

When we met last time, instead of volunteering together, we agreed that I would go shopping with her and drive her to the orphanage.

She said she needs to go early tomorrow morning, which is a bit annoying, but it’s better than volunteering together.

In exchange, she said she’d buy dinner tonight, so I plan to get something expensive.

After finishing paperwork and clocking out, I returned to the dormitory, which was eerily empty with the store closed and everyone gone.

I still have some time, so I thought I’d rest a bit before going out and pressed the elevator button.

DING.

“Oh? Teacher Min?”

“Are you just leaving work now?”

“I had some paperwork to finish. You’re not going home today, it seems.”

Her outfit is too casual for someone going home.

“My home is quite far away. And the holiday is only three days anyway.”

“You’re not going at all?”

“No. I’d just get nagged if I went. I’m planning to stay in the dormitory. What about you, Teacher Kang?”

“I’m planning to stay in the dormitory too.”

“For the entire holiday?”

“I have nowhere to go…”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, so it’s good to have time to rest.”

“Um… Teacher Kang, how about having lunch together tomorrow?”

“Lunch?”

“Since the dormitory cafeteria will be closed…”

Teacher Min’s face is slightly flushed.

Wait, is this a date request?

“I’d be happy to.”

“Then I’ll contact you tomorrow.”

I’ve heard there’s a truckload of teachers who’ve tried to approach Teacher Min or ask her out for a meal and got rejected.

Of course, I might be jumping to conclusions, but it seems like springtime is coming to my life.

Teacher Min said she’d contact me at lunchtime tomorrow, so I acknowledged and returned to the dormitory.

I quickly washed up, changed clothes, and went down to the parking lot.

Originally, I planned to pick her up at a corner outside the main gate like last time, but there was no one around, so I called her and she arrived shortly after.

“What’s this? You said to meet inside the school grounds.”

“There’s no one around. Which mart should we go to?”

“Anywhere is fine, let’s go to the closest one. Or should we eat dinner first?”

“I don’t mind either way… What are you going to buy me?”

“What do you want to eat?”

“Korean beef.”

“H-Korean beef? You’re trying to squeeze me dry…”

“Hey now, I’m comfortably driving you to the mart today and acting as your chauffeur early tomorrow morning. Is Korean beef too much to ask?”

“Fine, I’ll buy it. But in exchange, will you volunteer with me tomorrow? Deal?”

“As much as I’d like to, I have a lunch appointment tomorrow, so that would be difficult.”

“Don’t lie. You said you weren’t going anywhere for the holiday.”

“Ah, it just came up today. A teacher I know who isn’t going anywhere for the holiday asked me to have lunch together tomorrow.”

“I didn’t know you knew other teachers.”

“Hey, that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?”

“What kind of teacher? Probably not a hunter… Oh, is it that person you went hunting with during vacation?”

“No. It’s a technology teacher I’ve been friendly with, and she’s extremely beautiful.”

“Beautiful… A female teacher?”

Her expression doesn’t look good.

“Why?”

“I’m just surprised that you’re close with a female teacher.”

“Hey, are you underestimating me too much?”

“Maybe she’s approaching you because of the rumors that you’re rich now…”

“Tsk. We were already friendly before. And I get along well with all the female teachers.”

The teacher Kim I hung out with during vacation and teacher Hong were both women.

Wait… Could this kid be…?

“Are you jealous now?”

“Why would I be jealous? I’m not.”

It definitely seems like jealousy.

Strong denial is actually confirmation, after all.