I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor at the Academy Chapter 32

Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy

Chapter 32

My eyes opened to the alarm, but I didn’t want to get up, perhaps addicted to the comfort of the blanket.

If there were no commitments, I would have stayed in bed. Putting aside my reluctance, I got up.

After the vacation, staying at the portal where my master resided had been slightly uncomfortable, but after showering and drying off with a fluffy towel, I hummed without thinking.

After parting ways post-dinner yesterday, I returned to the hotel I’d visited before. Until paying, I thought it was expensive, but a hotel is a hotel.

After breakfast, I should extend my stay until the semester starts. I’ll visit my master on weekends, but since I’ll keep hunting, I need a place in Seoul. The school dorm is an option, but it’s too remote and inconvenient.

Come to think of it, I didn’t pack many clothes. I should buy some on the way back after hunting.

I also need to buy a car. Thinking about all the expenses, I changed clothes and went down to the restaurant.

Since it was a weekday, few people were around, allowing a quiet breakfast. The school dorm meals are decent, but the hotel’s are still better.

After extending my stay at the lobby, I left the hotel and hailed a taxi. Traffic was a bit heavy in the morning, but thankfully, I arrived on time.

After a short wait, Teacher Kim and Lee Seol arrived, and we boarded the car.

“Good morning, both of you. Did you eat?”

“Yes. I ate with Seon-hwa. Did you eat, Shin-hyeok?”

“Yes. If you’d eaten together, you must’ve met early.”

“Ah, Lee Seol stayed at my place last night.”

“I see. But what’s that?”

Several long metal rods were visible in the back, one with a blade—like a collapsible spear.

“Ah, that’s mine. I’ll try using a spear starting today.”

Lee Seol, who was driving, answered. Huh? In the original work, Hong Lee Seol never used a spear. Her specialty is martial arts, and she teaches that at school.

Why suddenly a spear?

“A spear instructor position opened at our school. Lee Seol applied for it.”

She’s referring to the vacancy left by Teacher Jung, who resigned after losing to me.

But why switch from martial arts to spears? The original story has changed. Did I make a mistake? I never encouraged spears.

“Why the sudden decision…?”

“Right? It’s not her specialty. I’ve been urging her to join the school since last year, but she refused. Then yesterday, she suddenly told my dad she wanted to go.”

“Well… My guild contract ended, and seeing you two, school life didn’t seem bad. Plus, getting paid while resting during vacations.”

True, vacations are a perk, but guilds pay better. During a school interview, I heard teachers earn around 10 million won monthly with allowances, far less than A-rank hunters.

Yesterday alone, I earned 3,400 from hunting ogres (minus taxes). An A-rank hunter would easily make over 100 million a month. Honestly, if not for building ties with the protagonist, I’d quit teaching and hunt full-time.

“Won’t it be tough without expertise?”

“Spear users have advantages, but school-level spear skills aren’t too hard. I’ll manage.”

“The certification exam isn’t easy. Aren’t you underestimating it?”

“A-rank hunters get bonus points. It’s temporary for this semester. If it suits me, I’ll switch back to martial arts next year.”

Relieved Lee Seol’s future might not be derailed.

***

“I transferred the money. Everyone check.”

“It’s here.”

“Confirmed.”

Undead monsters appeared at the morning’s assigned portal. Already dead, they’re tricky—ordinary wounds don’t kill them.

Their corpses aren’t valuable, and wraiths require magic or aura to damage, making them time-wasting “beggar monsters.”

It took longer than expected, but Teacher Kim’s light-enchantment magic sped things up.

“The next portal is in Siheung, so it’ll take time. We’ll arrive around lunch. What’s the plan?”

“I packed lunch.”

“Me too.”

Huh?

“If you’d told me, I’d have prepared too… Please stop at a convenience store.”

They packed lunches without telling me? So exclusionary. Yesterday, I felt left out too.

“Huh? We prepared for you too, Teacher Kang. Do you want something else?”

They made food for me? Unthinkable. Even past girlfriends never packed lunches.

“No, I thought you only packed for yourselves…”

“Teacher Kang, we’re a team. We wouldn’t exclude you.”

“Do we seem that cold? How harsh.”

“N-No.”

Touched. A day I’d live to see.

“Eating in the car isn’t ideal. There’s a park we passed earlier. We have a mat. How about there?”

“Anywhere’s fine.”

At the park, after a restroom break, I saw colorful lunchboxes on a blue mat—like a picnic.

“Should I buy drinks?”

“We brought some. Sit.”

Impressed, they even prepared drinks.

“Thank you.”

Opening the four-tier lunchbox: gimbap, rice balls, inari sushi, and fruit. The rice balls and sushi portions were smaller.

“Seon-hwa made the rice balls and sushi. I made the gimbap.”

“Dad kept eating them this morning, so there’s not much left.”

“This is plenty. It all looks delicious.”

I bit into a rice ball coated in seaweed flakes.

KEHK!

“Here’s water. We won’t steal it. Eat slowly.”

“Th-Thanks.”

Not my haste—it was unbearably salty. Inside, a brown filling—chocolate?

“How is it? Dad said it’s good. Hope it suits you.”

Good? Vice Principal Kim’s taste buds are broken.

“Haha, unique.”

Swallowing with difficulty, I tried the inari sushi. Wrong move—it reeked of vinegar. Sour enough to sting.

“Okay? Dad loves my inari sushi.”

How? Maybe Vice Principal became S-rank enduring such food.

“Haha… The Vice Principal is fortunate.”

“Don’t mention it. He eats everything I make. Today, I barely saved these from him.”

Realization: Vice Principal hides her cooking flaws to spare her feelings. That old man… sacrificing himself.

Thankfully, Lee Seol’s gimbap was normal.

“Why only gimbap?”

Tempted to ask if this was sabotage, but I held back.

“The others are limited. You and Teacher Kim should eat too.”

“I don’t like rice balls or sushi.”

Then who’s eating these?

“Lee Seol’s picky. I ate breakfast. You can finish them, Teacher Kang.”

Teacher Kim smiled like a devil.

“If I eat more, I’ll have issues hunting.”

As Teacher Kim left for the restroom, Lee Seol bagged the rice balls and sushi, tossing them.

“Just tell Seon-hwa we ate them.”

Guilty but relieved.

“Are you okay? Seon-hwa’s taste is… Unique. Dad always praised her, so she thinks she’s good.”

“How could I be okay? You should’ve stopped her.”

“She’d already prepared everything. I hastily made gimbap.”

“It was delicious.”

Honestly average, but compared to the disasters, it was heaven. Lee Seol blushed at the praise.

“Shin-hyeok, why is next Monday off?”

Due to the new teacher theory exam, which I hadn’t explained amid yesterday’s portal dispute.

“The theory exam is Monday. There’s a practical exam in two weeks too. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Do teachers still take exams?”

“Apparently.”

“Did you study?”

“No. Teacher Kim said it’s just confirming known theories.”

The real worry is the practical—teaming up with others to clear a portal. Who’d team with me? Alone might be better…

Discussing school life until Teacher Kim returned.

“Oh? Finished already?”

“Teacher Kang ate well.”

Lee Seol lied smoothly about the trashed food.

“I kept eating thoughtlessly… Sorry, Seon-hwa.”

“It’s okay. Plenty of gimbap and fruit left.”

“Glad it suited him. Have more gimbap.”

“Should I pack lunch tomorrow?”

A bolt from the blue.

“No need. It’s a hassle.”

“Eating out isn’t healthy. It’s quick to make.”

“Really, no.”

“If you keep packing, my master might get jealous.”

“Dad’s not a child. Fine.”

Saved.

“I’ll pack occasionally.”

I need to replace Teacher Kim in this lunch party.