“Did you just call the Zero Class students delinquent blockhead trash?”
“The class you belong to can change at any time, depending on the circumstances. And the people who can judge such things are teachers, not students like you.”
“You should be grateful that I did not beat the living shit out of you right now.”
“Hmm... No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make any sense?”
“Right? You thought it was strange too, didn’t you?”
“Exactly. How could that Baek Seon-woo guy possibly take our side?! Does this situation make any sense?”
After the joint class attended by students from every class had ended and the Zero Class students returned to their classroom, they wore expressions as though they still could not believe what had just happened.
“What the hell is going on? Baek Seon-woo protected us? Is this some kind of hidden-camera prank?”
“None of the teachers who have been in charge of us so far has ever been like this.”
Both the students from other classes and the teachers had always looked down on and disregarded them. For the first time, Baek Seon-woo had acted on their behalf, leaving the students bewildered and still confused.
“What the hell is this bastard?”
“Seriously. He seems like a bad bastard, but at the same time, he also seems to have our backs.”
“And when you think about it, as long as we attend properly and participate in class, he doesn’t hassle us at all, does he?”
“R-right! It’s not like he interferes with us that much, either.”
Faced with a side of a teacher they had never experienced before, the Zero Class students were confused as they became lost in thought.
‘Fuck... What the hell is Baek Seon-woo?’
***
“That arrogant bastard—!”
CRASH—!
After hearing that there had been a minor argument between the A-Class students under his charge and Baek Seon-woo, Ji Geon-hyeong looked deeply displeased in his private lounge.
“That insignificant, ordinary-grade Awakened bastard dared say something like that to an A-Class student from a class made up entirely of elites? Does he not realize that it is no different from challenging me?”
Ji Geon-hyeong had never liked Baek Seon-woo, and he was furious.
“That arrogant bastard! Just because he got lucky and cleared his name...”
Ji Geon-hyeong clicked his tongue as he looked at photographs of Han Ji-hye, a strikingly beautiful A-Class student and the daughter of the Helios Guildmaster, posted around his private space. Then he spoke.
“I should have finished Baek Seon-woo off back then. How dare he touch what is mine...”
In truth, Ji Geon-hyeong was the one who had framed Baek Seon-woo while acting as an insider for the criminal organization root.
Ji Geon-hyeong had always viewed Baek Seon-woo as a thorn in his side. Despite possessing the lowest Awakened Grade, Baek Seon-woo had somehow found employment as a teacher at the prestigious elite school, Ares Academy. In particular, when Ji Geon-hyeong happened to see Baek Seon-woo speaking with Han Ji-hye, whom he had been coveting for some time, he was seized by a burst of anger. Accepting the criminal organization’s request, he had tried to frame Baek Seon-woo by making him its target.
“How dare an insignificant bastard speak so insolently to what is mine? Baek Seon-woo, I will never forgive you. One day, I will definitely get rid of you—!”
Riiing—! Riiing—!
“Hm? Who is calling?”
Just as he was venting his fury at Baek Seon-woo, an unexpected call came in.
“!!! Th-this number is?”
Startled, Ji Geon-hyeong steadied his breathing for a moment before cautiously answering the phone.
“This is Ji Geon-hyeong.”
[The time has finally come.]
“What? The time has come? !!! D-don’t tell me... You intend to put that plan into action?”
[That is correct. Soon, individuals who will assist you will arrive at Ares Academy.]
“W-when will it take place?”
[In ten days.]
“In ten days... Understood. I will prepare to cause turmoil from within as well.”
[Then, I will see you in ten days.]
“W-wait a moment—!”
[Is there a problem?]
“What you promised before is certain, correct?”
[You mean Han Ji-hye? Of course. Our purpose is to deal a severe blow to Helios through this disturbance and ensure that they can never touch us again. Once we achieve that, you may have her as you please.]
“And the other women as well...”
[Of course. If you tell us which ones you wish to add to your collection, we will send them to you as soon as the plan succeeds.]
“Th-thank you! I will continue to devote myself faithfully to root.”
[We will look forward to it.]
Click—!
“In ten days...”
After the call, unlike before, he felt at ease. Humming to himself, he began running his eyes over the roster of female students enrolled at Ares Academy one by one.
“I should consider what additional gifts I would like to receive from the root bastards.”
***
Ten days later.
It was time for the faculty meeting at Ares Academy, chaired by the headmaster.
“We will proceed with the upcoming schedule as planned. This concludes the faculty meeting.”
“Understood, Headmaster.”
“Does anyone have any additional proposals?”
“...”
Everyone remained silent, apparently hoping that the somewhat tedious faculty meeting would end quickly.
“Headmaster. There is one matter I would like to bring up.”
‘Ah... Teacher Ji. This is going to make the meeting run longer...’
All the teachers looked disappointed, but Ji Geon-hyeong paid them no mind. He raised his hand high and began speaking to the headmaster.
“Teacher Ji Geon-hyeong. What is it that you wish to tell me?”
“I heard that several days ago, there was an argument between a teacher and our A-Class students.”
“An argument?”
“Yes. When our class students pointed out the troublemakers who were disrupting their class preparations, a teacher who happened to be nearby took the troublemakers’ side instead. I heard that he even told the student in question that he should be grateful he had not been beaten senseless by him.”
“!!! Good heavens, a teacher said something so harsh?”
“No, which teacher said that? This is a matter that needs to be addressed!”
As the surrounding teachers, startled by the harsh remark, tried to identify the person who had said it, Ji Geon-hyeong pointed at me. With a broad smile on his face, he spoke.
“Teacher Baek Seon-woo over there said those things to our A-Class students. Teacher Baek! What do you have to say about this matter?”
“Is that true, Teacher Baek Seon-woo—?”
“Rather than guiding those troublemakers, you were saying such foul things that they cannot even be repeated? Tsk, tsk—!”
“I felt sorry because I misunderstood you over the last incident, so I had been trying to think well of you. But you are a far worse person than I expected! Instead of encouraging elite students who study hard, you have been influenced by children like that... You should be ashamed of yourself—!”
The teachers suddenly pointed their fingers at me and criticized me. The situation was so absurd that I let out a deep sigh, naturally took out a cigarette, put it in my mouth, and lit it.
“!!! Wh-what are you doing? How dare you smoke during this sacred faculty meeting—!”
“He has completely gone off the rails! Like teacher, like students—!”
‘Are you happy, you fucking bastard?’
After looking at Ji Geon-hyeong, who wore the smile of someone who had just landed a satisfying blow, I drew deeply on my cigarette and let out a long stream of smoke. Then I spoke to him.
“Teacher Ji Geon-hyeong.”
“What is it, Teacher Baek?”
“At the time your students said those things, was it class time?”
“What?”
“I asked whether it was class time.”
“It was not.”
“Then, was there a rule that prohibited talking when it was not class time?”
“Still, there is such a thing as preparation! Naturally, students should prepare for their lessons according to the class schedule...”
“So your students are so thorough in their preparations that they called the students in our class delinquent trash bastards when it was not even class time? They even told the students who had come to attend class to fuck off. What do you think about that?”
“!!! Teacher Ji! What is this I am hearing now? Did the A-Class students truly say such things?”
“No matter how much they are regarded as elite students, it is excessive for A-Class students to say such things when it was not class time.”
“That is right. Even if they are troublemakers, how can they say such things to students who were showing a willingness to participate in class? There is a problem with their character.”
Ji Geon-hyeong had stirred things up to frame me and turn the others against me, but the situation quickly reversed instead. He looked deeply flustered. Looking at him, I put on a thoroughly contrite expression and moved to put a final end to the matter.
“I apologize. It seems that I got carried away in the heat of the moment. The teachers here have all thought of them as troublemakers, but they had begun attending classes to change. Hearing such jeers directed at them before my eyes, I simply could not bear it and believe I spoke rather harshly to the A-Class student.”
“Hmm... If the students under your charge were humiliated right in front of you, you could react that way.”
“Still, your words were rather harsh, Teacher Baek. Be more careful in the future.”
“All right. We have confirmed that both sides were at fault in this situation, so let us conclude this matter here and adjourn the faculty meeting.”
‘!!! W-what? They are just letting it go like this?’
I had slipped out of the trap Ji Geon-hyeong had set to frame me far too easily. He clenched his fists and trembled. I flashed him a broad smile and was about to leave the meeting room when—
KABOOOM—!
[Air Raid Alert—! Air Raid Alert—! Red Code Issued—! Red Code Issued—! All Personnel Mobilize—!]
“!!! W-what is that sound?”
“An air raid alert... And a Red Code?”
“What in the world is going on?”
Together with the sharp wail of sirens, a warning resounded throughout the Academy. The teachers milled about in confusion at the sudden situation, and Headmaster Choi Hyeon-seok berated them before speaking.
“What are you all doing—?! Hurry to your respective classes and confirm the students’ safety first! The remaining faculty and staff will guide them to the shelters. Follow the manual!”
“!!! Yes, Headmaster.”
‘Well, well. I thought he was an indecisive bastard who only watched the room, but he can make a decision like that.’
While I was briefly impressed by the headmaster’s unexpected side—
“What are you doing, Teacher Baek? Hurry to where the Zero Class students are.”
“My students have all gone home already.”
“!!! Wh-what?! What do you mean?”
“Today was a self-study day, so there was nothing in particular to teach. At the discretion of the teacher in charge, I held classes only in the morning and sent all of them home.”
“Th-this is insane—!”
When I said that I had sent all the Zero Class students home after morning classes, the surrounding teachers reacted as though I had gone mad. The headmaster let out a deep sigh and began issuing a different order.
“Then, Teacher Baek, go around the classes and help the students get safely to the shelters.”
“Understood.”
“Move—! Quickly—!”
Leaving the headmaster, who urged everyone on in a hurry, behind me, I took one last long drag from my cigarette and exhaled a long plume of smoke. Then I summoned a gun in my right hand, rested it against my shoulder, and began walking at an unhurried pace.
“Hmm... Shall I start making the rounds?”