A week after the invasion of Ares Academy.
Although the Helios Guild was a prestigious guild with powerful influence in South Korea, and although it possessed tremendous power, it could not completely control the media coverage surrounding the invasion.
[Breaking News—! Ares Academy Attacked by the Villain Crime Syndicate.]
[Numerous Casualties in the Incident—! How Will Headmaster Choi Hyun-seok Take Responsibility?!]
[Thanks to Helios's Swift Response, the Abduction of the Academy Students Was Prevented!]
“Good evening! This is Lee Min-a of SBC News. I am currently standing in front of Ares Academy. As you can see, the damage is devastating, from the building's outer walls onward. According to the police investigation, all students who had been attending classes were confirmed to be safe after Helios Guild acted immediately following the villain assault. However, there were also numerous casualties, including Academy teachers and staff members. The bereaved families are calling for Headmaster Choi Hyun-seok to be held accountable, so the controversy does not appear likely to die down anytime soon.”
[Good evening. I am Headmaster Choi Hyun-seok. I deeply regret this incident, and I offer my most sincere apologies to everyone connected to Ares Academy...]
- A sincere apology? Wow... Has Choi Hyun-seok lost his mind? There must be bereaved families among the staff members who died. Is he seriously mocking them by calling this situation boring? What is wrong with him—!
- Choi Hyun-seok! Are you saying this press conference is dull and uninteresting right now? That really shows the caliber of Ares Academy~!
- You idiots—! A “sincere apology” does not mean boring or uninteresting! It means an apology that is deep and heartfelt!
“Ahem... Helios is doing what it can to contain the situation, but all kinds of controversies continue to emerge.”
As I slowly read through the articles about Ares Academy on my smartphone, it seemed that the media had officially reported that Helios had driven off the villains through its swift response. As for responsibility for the controversy, they appeared to be steering the blame toward Headmaster Choi Hyun-seok.
“Headmaster Choi Hyun-seok will have a hard time of it too. Would this be called reaping what one sowed?”
There was no doubt that Headmaster Choi would have to bear responsibilities he could scarcely handle because of this incident.
‘He might even have to step down as headmaster.’
“Sir.”
“...”
“Sir—!”
“...”
“Sir—!!!”
“Huh? What is it?”
“We finished watching the educational video.”
“Did you? Then watch Lesson Three on the slime monster next to it.”
“Ah, sir! How long do we have to keep watching videos?”
“Right! Besides, we're the only ones having classes. Isn't that too unfair?”
“That's right—! That's right—!”
On the day the villains attacked.
Only the Zero Class children under my care had finished their morning lessons and gone home early at their teacher's discretion, so they had not been caught up in the incident. The Academy had ordered that classes continue for the Zero Class students at least, so I had no choice but to show them instructional videos and wait for the end of the workday.
“Unfair?”
“Yes—! Did we leave early because we wanted to? And I heard the other classes' students were not hurt either, so why are only we being made to attend class?”
“Right. And we've been doing nothing but watching these boring videos! Isn't there any practical training? I'm bored to death!”
“Bored to death? Is that so? Then I'll change our teaching method to something entertaining that will not bore you.”
“Pardon?”
SWISH—!
‘!!!’
“One at a time, you will come forward and enjoy a practical sparring session with your teacher. As a special favor, we will continue this new lesson until it is time for you to go home.”
“...”
I summoned my gun and began loosening up, cheerfully swinging its buttstock through the air as though practicing bayonet techniques. Memories of the past, when they had been beaten senseless by me, resurfaced in the children's minds. They could not say a word and merely watched my mood.
“What will it be? Shall we start right away in Korean alphabetical order?”
“W-Well...”
“You do not want that, right? Then shut up and quietly watch the instructional videos until it is time to go home. Understood?”
“...Yes, sir.”
Rather than getting beaten by me, they seemed willing to endure more boring videos. I could not help but smile as I watched them for a moment.
‘Of course they are bored. Every other student is resting while they had to come to school and watch dull educational videos. I understand completely. Still, this material will become their flesh and blood, so they should bear with it and watch.’
Compared to the other classes, the Zero Class children often skipped lessons, ran away, or dropped out, so they were lacking in theoretical knowledge in many ways. That was why I was forcing them to watch the videos.
‘They may fight villains against Hunters, but when they enter dungeons, they will also have to fight monsters. They cannot prepare for every possibility, but knowing at least the basics of theory will help them apply it once they graduate.’
The children were clearly bored. They yawned, pinched their own thighs, and lightly slapped their cheeks to stay awake, perhaps too afraid of being beaten by me to doze off. I was briefly feeling proud of them when...
[Ah—! Ah—! Microphone test. Ares Academy has an announcement. Teacher Baek Seon-woo. Teacher Baek Seon-woo, please report to the headmaster's office immediately. We repeat. Teacher Baek Seon-woo, please report to the headmaster's office.]
“The headmaster's office wants me?”
Puzzled by the unexpected summons, I looked at the children and spoke.
“I'm going to the headmaster's office, so behave yourselves and keep watching the video. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And there will be a pop quiz, so do not slack off just because I am gone.”
“Ah... A pop quiz...”
“I'll be back.”
Leaving the children grumbling about the quiz behind me, I headed for the headmaster's office.
***
Three days earlier.
The Helios Guild Master's office.
“Urgh... P-Please spare me, Guild Master.”
“...”
As though dragging in an animal abandoned by the roadside, the Seventh Elder hauled a bloodied man across the floor with one hand and brought him into the office where Guild Master Han Tae-seong was working. Then, as though it were bothersome, he tossed the man before him.
“Has the investigation been completed, Seventh Elder?”
“It has. There was a rat among not only Ares Academy but also our Helios ranks.”
“A rat...”
“P-Please spare me—! I had no choice...”
“To think there was an issue like this with one of the newly appointed Elders...”
“What did I tell you? I said we should stop with me as the last Elder. You insisted on creating an Eighth Elder position, and now this has happened.”
“You are certain the investigation is complete?”
“Of course. We secured all the evidence of Ji Geon-hyung's betrayal, as well as evidence that the newly appointed Elder had been in contact with Root.”
“Helios and the Academy alike nearly suffered a serious blow.”
“P-Please spare me, Guild Master. If you just let me live, I will never betray Helios again... Urk—! Cough! Ghhk—!”
“Because of you, the members of Helios were nearly put in danger. Repent for that sin with your death.”
“Ghk—! Cough—! G-Guild Master... Please... Cough! Ghk—! Kheeeek—!”
The traitor was already covered in blood and incapable of putting up any resistance. The Seventh Elder swiftly strangled him to death, while Han Tae-seong simply watched in silence.
“I knew something about you felt off from the beginning. They say a man's face tells you everything, and they were right! If you had listened to me, this never would have happened! What a waste of effort. I was tightening my grip for nothing!”
“Have all the traitors been dealt with and accounted for?”
“Yes.”
“What would be the best way to deal with Headmaster Choi Hyun-seok?”
“He has had a long association with Helios, so we will at least give him severance pay and arrange for him to step down of his own accord.”
“I will leave it to you.”
“By the way, there is someone rather interesting at Ares Academy.”
“Someone interesting?”
Saying that there was someone interesting, the Seventh Elder pulled out a stack of documents and placed it on Han Tae-seong's desk.
“What is this?”
“Information on Teacher Baek Seon-woo.”
“Baek Seon-woo? Do you mean the man who stalked my daughter?”
“Strictly speaking, he was framed for stalking her. He brought forward evidence and cleared his name, did he not?”
“Yes. He is also the one who knows our secret. Still, he does not seem likely to do anything that would threaten Helios, so why are you suddenly handing me information on that teacher?”
At Han Tae-seong's questioning of the sudden action, the Seventh Elder wore a confident smile and answered.
“I looked into him.”
“You did something unnecessary.”
“He is the one who saved your daughter, Guild Master, so at least read the report.”
“At least read it? Hmm...”
At the Seventh Elder's urging, Han Tae-seong slowly turned the pages of the report on Baek Seon-woo. A faintly surprised expression appeared on his face.
“Elder Seo Do-gyeom of the Abel Guild tried to take him away?”
“That is correct.”
“He also repelled attacks by people who appear to hold Elder-level positions in the criminal organization Root? Are you certain?”
“We have confirmed the testimony of the Abel Guild members who witnessed it firsthand at the scene, along with the headmaster's statement.”
“Hmm...”
After reading Baek Seon-woo's report, Han Tae-seong pondered something for a moment. Then, as though he had reached a decision, he looked at the Seventh Elder and spoke.
“Tell them to prepare. I will personally visit Ares Academy in three days.”
***
“!!! W-Who are you?”
“Are you Baek Seon-woo?”
‘What is this? Why is Han Tae-seong, the Helios Guild Master, here? And where is the headmaster? Come to think of it, the voice in that announcement earlier was not Choi Hyun-seok's.’
I had definitely been summoned to the headmaster's office, but when I arrived, Choi Hyun-seok was nowhere to be seen. Han Tae-seong was here instead.
“Yes. I am Baek Seon-woo.”
“Hmm...”
With his hair slicked back, a gold necklace around his neck, and a black suit that made him look like a gangster, Han Tae-seong stared at me for a long while. Then he moved to the headmaster's seat, sat down naturally, and leaned back in the chair as though he were completely at ease.
“You do not have as rugged a face as I expected. A man, you see, should have a face that looks as though he has lived a hard life rather than a pretty one. That is what gives a man the air of a true gentleman. Do you not agree? Haha—!”
‘Uh... We agreed to call people with faces like that scary old men.’
“I suppose my joke was not funny, judging by your lack of reaction. I tried making a joke to lighten the stiff atmosphere.”
“It was not that it was unfunny. I was simply considering how I ought to respond when the Guild Master of such a major guild says something like that.”
“Is that so? Well, never mind that. I heard the details directly from my daughter after receiving the Seventh Elder's report. She was nearly subjected to something terrible after being kidnapped, but you saved her?”
“Rather than saving her, I think it happened because I was getting revenge on Ji Geon-hyung.”
“You say it was not a rescue but revenge? You are more modest than I expected. You do not need to downplay your own contribution like that.”
‘No, I really did happen to hear Ji Geon-hyung and got angry, then killed him. I ended up rescuing the children as well while I was at it...’
Han Tae-seong seemed delighted that I had saved his daughter and listened to my account with great favor.
“I heard from my daughter and the Seventh Elder that you were the man who was falsely accused in the past. At the time, Helios put pressure on the headmaster and had you suspended without properly hearing your side of the story.”
“As for that...”
“I am truly sorry.”
‘!!!’
“It may be far too late, and it may not ease your feelings, but I would like to bow to you and sincerely apologize, Baek Seon-woo.”
Han Tae-seong rose from Headmaster Choi Hyun-seok's chair and bowed ninety degrees to apologize, as though he truly meant it.
‘I wish Baek Seon-woo, rather than I, could have seen this.’
“I also sincerely thank you for freeing my daughter from the hands of those criminals when she was on the verge of suffering something terrible.”
Thus, Han Tae-seong, the man called the Guild Master of one of South Korea's three great guilds, stood before me with his head lowered, offering his sincere apology and gratitude.
***
After receiving his thanks and sincere apology, Han Tae-seong and I sat down and began discussing various matters.
“I heard many things about you from the Seventh Elder.”
“About me?”
“Yes. I heard that you also know the matters our side keeps hidden.”
“To be clear about that, I handed it over without keeping a copy. And I had no choice if I wanted to clear my own name.”
“Ah, do not misunderstand—! I merely grew interested in you after hearing the Seventh Elder speak about you. I have never seen him talk about one person for so long unless that person was an enemy.”
“The Seventh Elder did?”
“Indeed. Given his personality, this is the first time he has shown such interest in someone who was not an enemy. I believe he thinks well of you.”
‘The Seventh Elder? The man who attacked me without warning and hid himself to eavesdrop on Seo Do-gyeom and me?’
Han Tae-seong's words left me tilting my head in confusion. Then he suddenly cleared his throat loudly while looking into the empty air before turning back to me.
“Ahem—! Ahem—! By the way, I heard that among the teachers here at the Academy, you are the only one currently coming to work.”
“That is correct.”
“Then are you teaching the children?”
“Yes. I am teaching the students assigned to me in accordance with the Academy's instructions.”
“You have had a great deal of trouble.”
“Well, it is not particularly troublesome.”
“Is that so? In any case, Headmaster Choi Hyun-seok will find it difficult to remain active at the Academy after this villain attack.”
“Difficult to remain active... Does that mean the headmaster will be replaced?”
When I asked that question, Han Tae-seong, who had been making pointless jokes, nodded with a serious expression as Headmaster Choi's name came up.
“Yes. As you said, Ares Academy will have a new headmaster. A very capable and somewhat younger person.”
“I see.”
“Which brings me to the point. There is one favor I would like to ask of you...”
“A favor? What is it?”
Puzzled by his sudden request for a favor, I asked him what it was. Han Tae-seong curled the corners of his lips upward and spoke.
“Would you consider becoming the headmaster of Ares Academy?”