Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 41
The road is wide open because it’s dawn, but my heart feels incredibly heavy.
It hasn’t even been a day since the article was published, but rumors have already spread as much as they could, and I’ve become a despicable teacher who messed with an underage student.
I called dozens of times while heading to Seoul and after arriving there, but those Deathpatch or whatever they’re called wouldn’t answer.
Of course, I didn’t just sit around sucking my thumb.
All day yesterday, I explained to people around me that it wasn’t true while preparing evidence to prove my innocence.
Originally, I planned to take the evidence I prepared and visit broadcasting stations or newspapers as soon as the sun rose today to prove my innocence and sue the place that published the first article, but now I’m heading to the training institute in Daejeon.
All because of the damn new teacher practical evaluation.
Since I’ve become ‘National Trash,’ I looked into whether I could postpone the practical evaluation or take it separately later, but it’s institutionally impossible.
They say postponement is impossible without special reasons like immediate family death, natural disaster, serious illness, or injuries requiring more than 3 weeks of treatment, and if I don’t take today’s evaluation, I won’t be able to teach from the next semester.
So I’m heading to Daejeon with a heavy heart, like eating mustard while crying.
The training institute doesn’t separately control phones or the internet, so everyone will know my story….
From the beginning, people looked down on me for not being from a hunter school, and now that they’ve heard I even messed with an underage student, I can already see them looking at me like a bug without giving me a chance to explain.
Fortunately, before departing, Teacher Kim contacted me saying she has an acquaintance who’s a reporter at a major media outlet and will arrange a meeting if I call after the practical evaluation is over.
Since the practical evaluation involves hunters assigned randomly attacking portals appropriate for their rank, I plan to finish it as quickly as possible and return to Seoul.
I have appointments for both explaining my side and meeting a lawyer.
I don’t expect cooperation, but I’m planning to do my best to finish as quickly as possible, so I hope no one picks unnecessary fights.
The way I feel right now, I might beat someone within an inch of their life if they provoke me.
Calming my mind while driving, I arrived at the training institute before I knew it.
They said the group drawing and announcements would be at 9 o’clock in the auditorium of the training institute, but it’s not even 8:30 yet.
Thinking there’s no point in going in early just to see unpleasant sights, I decided to enter a little later and took out my phone.
The first thing I checked was my email.
Yesterday, since I couldn’t get through to them, I had no choice but to send an email refuting the article’s contents point by point, demanding a correction, but they still haven’t read it.
Even if they publish a correction now, I won’t let it slide anyway.
I clicked on the article still displayed on the main page, and the comments have increased again.
Most… No, 99% are insulting me and demanding my immediate dismissal.
The remaining 1% is advertisements or political talk.
They bring up the fact that I’m an orphan and not from a hunter school, filling the comments with unspeakable insults.
The primary responsibility lies with the journalist and media outlet that published this ridiculous false article, and the public is cursing based on the incorrect article they sawâbull, I’m going to sue them all.
In yesterday’s consultation with the lawyer, I was told that whether the article is wrong or legitimate, malicious comments that cross the line can be sued.
I was about to put my phone away, thinking that continuing to read would only upset me more, when I received a call from an unknown number.
I thought about ignoring it but pressed the call button.
I had included my number in the email, so it might be a journalist.
“Hello.”
âIs this Kang Shin-hyeok?
“Yes, that’s me.”
âI’m Kim Young-gwang, a human rights investigator at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s Student Rights Education Center. I’m calling about the controversial incident.
“Ah…”
Among the articles that poured in after the incident broke, there was also a police statement saying that although Eunseo is a minor, she’s 16 years old, so they couldn’t prosecute if there was mutual consent, and since no report had been filed, they couldn’t intervene.
âMr. Kang Shin-hyeok, you need to come here by 9 a.m. tomorrow for an investigation regarding this matter.
It seems the education office has stepped in since they can discipline me even if they can’t prosecute legally, which is actually good.
“Can it be today instead of tomorrow?”
âDon’t you have the new teacher practical evaluation today? That’s why we scheduled it for tomorrow…
“I want to be investigated first. Can’t you make some arrangements for the practical evaluation?”
It’s a bit of a waste having already come down to Daejeon, but it would be much better than taking the evaluation while bearing false accusations.
I’ve already prepared all the evidence anyway.
âThat would be difficult… Just take the evaluation and come tomorrow.
I was flatly refused.
I felt like cursing but barely held back and continued.
“I’m really feeling wronged here, so could I come after finishing today’s practical evaluation?”
âHmm, I’ve heard that the new teacher practical evaluation takes quite a long time. Since we all leave work at 6, you’d need to arrive by 3 at the latest. Would that be possible?
3 o’clock is plenty of time.
I said okay and hung up.
Checking the time, it was almost 9, so I drove my car into the training institute.
“How can I help you?”
“I’m here for today’s practical evaluation.”
“Could I see your ID, please?”
When I handed over my ID, the security guard’s expression turned sour, just like earlier.
He returned my ID with a look like he was staring at trashâseems he’s seen the article too.
I felt terrible but held it in and headed to the parking lot.
After parking my car and walking toward the auditorium, I could feel stares burning into the back of my head.
“Isn’t that Kang Shin-hyeok?”
“It is. What nerve does he have to show up here?”
“Right? How could anyone touch their student?”
“Did you see the article too? The female student is only a first-year in high school. The world’s gone crazy.”
“I don’t want to be in the same group as that trash.”
“Just look at his faceâlooks like a pimp who seduced her. I heard he didn’t even graduate from a hunter school.”
“Then he must be an orphan?”
“They say the fish shop is disgraced by the small octopus, but I wonder if decent teachers like us are getting blamed because of trash like him.”
I don’t know if they’re doing it on purpose, but I can hear everything.
Every one of them is someone I’ve never met, but my face is already infamous.
I appeared on YouTube before, and cyber vultures spread my photos from the school website.
HAAH, I expected this to some extent, but actually experiencing it makes my fists clench.
I want to say it’s not me, and to stop spouting nonsense about things they don’t know.
But I can’t go after each one of them, and they probably wouldn’t believe me anyway, so I kept repeating the word “patience” in my mind as I arrived at the auditorium.
The situation was similar in the auditorium.
No one comes near me.
I spotted some female teachers I had spoken to last time, but they don’t even glance my way, completely ignoring me.
I didn’t expect anything to begin with.
The group assignments have started, but the piercing stares continue to pour down on meâI hope my name gets called soon.
Whether it’s a B-rank portal or an A-rank portal, once it’s decided, I’ll quickly destroy it and go clear my name.
“Last member of Group E. Kang Shin-hyeok!”
So I’m in Group E.
I immediately noted the location of the portal that Group E needs to attack on my phone.
“HAAH, why did I have to be in the same group as that trash?”
“Talk about bad luck.”
“This really sucks.”
Some people are frowning and expressing their dissatisfaction at being in the same group as me… Like I’m happy about it?
I didn’t even want to exchange words with them, but wanting to finish as quickly as possible, I approached the man designated as the leader of Group E.
“Let’s talk for a moment.”
Looking at me like I was a bug, he rudely just nodded his head, and I told him I would move individually.
I brought my car anyway, and no one would want to go around with me.
There might be evaluation items like teamwork, but I don’t have the luxury to worry about such things right now.
The man said okay, so I immediately left the auditorium and returned to the parking lot.
Checking the navigation, it showed 15 minutes.
Quite close.
Thinking this was at least fortunate, I followed the navigation and arrived near the portal.
After parking the car and bringing my sword, I climbed the mountain a bit and saw the portal along with soldiers standing guard.
Since I hurried so much, it seems the other group members haven’t arrived yet, but every minute and second is precious, so I immediately approached the soldiers.
“Are you from the training institute? Could I see your ID… Ah.”
The sergeant who was asking for ID freezes immediately, just like the security guard earlier.
Other nearby soldiers also murmur and stare.
“Isn’t that Kang Shin-hyeok?”
“I think so.”
“Didn’t the platoon leader say yesterday that teachers from the training institute would be coming to this portal?”
“Yeah. Is this guy still trying to be a teacher after doing such a thing?”
“Really… What are the police doing, not arresting trash like him?”
“I saw an article this morning saying the police couldn’t do anything because the female student is 16 years old and no report was filed.”
“The girl’s parents didn’t file a report? Really shameless. And this guy calls himself a teacher…”
It seems all the soldiers recognize me, as they use phones these days.
“Here it is.”
He barely looks at my ID before returning it with a rotten face.
“I was wondering if I could go in first, would that be okay?”
“Do as you please.”
Both his expression and curt tone are quite irritating, but I held back.
âDo as you pleaseâ means I can go in.
I thought they might tell me to wait until all the other group members arrive, but thinking this was fortunate, I immediately jumped into the portal.
***
“Brother Hosik, I’m in Group E too.”
“Really? That’s great.”
“Earlier that trash was going to you, what did he say?”
“He says he was too embarrassed, so he’ll act individually. He’ll go to the portal on his own too. I wasn’t planning to give him a ride anyway.”
“Individual action? Isn’t that a bit dangerous?”
“Who cares if trash like that lives or dies? We didn’t tell him to get lost, he said he would act individually on his own.”
“That’s true. So our group is essentially 9 people… That’s going to be tough.”
“As long as he catches a few to avoid failing completely. And Youngsik, I’m A-rank, you know. Nothing to worry about. Don’t you trust me?”
The portal we need to attack for the practical evaluation is B-rank for 10 people.
It might take a bit longer, but clearing won’t be a problem even with one piece of trash missing.
“Of course I trust you. Having you in the same group is so reassuring. Looking forward to working with you.”
“Sure. Oh, Youngsik, your car is a 12-seater Carnival, right?”
“Yes. Let’s all go together in my car later.”
“That would be better. Then let’s get ready. Could all Group E members gather here, please?”
After gathering the group members, we took time to briefly introduce ourselves.
Since the trash wasn’t visible, some group members asked questions, but I explained just like I did to Youngsik.
Some members seemed worried, like Youngsik, saying we were essentially 9 people, so I reassured them it would be fine and we agreed to meet at the main gate at 10 o’clock after preparations.
I wanted to leave earlier, but everyone said the portal location was close, and since we just needed to finish within the day, there was no need to rush, so we set it for 10 o’clock.
I returned to my room, completed preparations, and spent time web surfing until it was already 10 o’clock.
I hurried to the main gate, but… What’s going on?
Youngsik’s car isn’t here, and I don’t see the other group members either.
They wouldn’t have left first, so I took out my phone to call, and just then I saw a black Carnival coming from the direction of the parking lot.
Youngsik said he had dozed off, and as other group members arrived one by one, they apologized for being late, so I thought about saying something but held back.
I wasn’t exactly on time either, and there’s no need to spoil the mood.
By the time we reached the portal, it was well past 10:30.
Although our assigned portal is only 15 minutes away from the training institute, everyone was late, and Youngsik took a wrong turn in the middle, so we lost quite a bit of time.
It’s unlikely we’ll finish before lunch, so we’ll probably have to handle it moderately, come out around 1 o’clock for lunch, and then continue.
But the trash is nowhere to be seen.
He said he would act individually and I agreed, but if he doesn’t show up at all, he’ll be disqualified.
I don’t care what happens to such a person, but it might backfire on me, so I approached a soldier on guard and asked, and he said someone came around 9:20 and went in.
The soldiers asked me if Kang Shin-hyeok was really the despicable teacher, and it seems he entered the portal first, probably because he felt uncomfortable with the soldiers’ stares.
9:20? He waited for more than an hour?
If it were someone else, I would feel sorry, but feeling sorry for such trash is a luxury.
“Let’s all go in. Mr. Kang Shin-hyeok came earlier and went in.”
“Brother, why are you using honorifics for trash like him?”
“Such trash should all die.”
Everyone entered the portal while trashing Kang Shin-hyeok.
Mountain terrain is very good.
It’s relatively easy and the rewards are juicy.
“Brother Hosik, are you sure Kang Shin-hyeok went in first? I don’t see him.”
“Didn’t he say he would act individually? Isn’t he already hunting?”
“Come on… Minseo, that bastard’s hunter rank is B according to the article, and this is a 10-person B-rank portal. How could he wander around alone?”
“If the soldiers weren’t lying, it seems he went alone?”
This is strange.
From the beginning, he said he would act individually, but I thought he would follow behind us or move around dealing with one or two monsters we missed…
“Is he crazy enough to want to die?”
I think the same.
“Honestly, trash like that deserves to die.”
“If a group member dies, won’t all our evaluation scores be cut?”
“He was the one who said he wanted to act individually first and came alone, so it shouldn’t affect us…”
I suddenly stopped speaking in shock.
The sky that was blue when we entered has started turning yellow.
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