I’ll Retire After Saving the World

Chapter 88: Under the Flowers (1)

TL: SHW

“I can’t go.”

“But, Teacher Woo.”

“I said I can’t go.”

“Look at this, Tae-woo here mustered up the courage to ask you! As a teacher, you should listen to him!”

“This and that are different matters.”

I spoke firmly.

“Aren’t you thinking about the other kids?”

“Oh-ho, but since you’ll be staying, Teacher Woo…”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

Hong Seok-young widened his eyes, then gave a sly smile.

“Teacher Kim!! Teacher Woo just said something mean to me, what should I do?”

Without taking her eyes off her phone, Kim Chae-min answered nonchalantly.

“Teacher Hong must’ve done something to deserve it.”

Hong Seok-young clutched his chest dramatically.

“Teacher Kim, I didn’t expect this from you… betraying me like this…!”

How long do I have to watch this ridiculous farce?

As I gave them a cold stare and Kim Chae-min didn’t respond, Hong Seok-young straightened his posture, taking his hand off his chest.

Seeing him clear his throat in that exaggerated manner, it was obvious he was about to spout more nonsense.

I spoke first before Hong Seok-young could open his mouth.

“I said no.”

“But!”

“At least today, on the first day, Teacher Hong should stay and show his face.”

“…Are you worried that that bastard Alex Hope might show up again? You, Teacher Kim, and the Hunters from Daseon are all here, so there won’t be any problems.”

“It’s not because of that guy. Do you think the kids are going to brush this off just because we call it a camp? They’ll only feel reassured if Teacher Hong stays, thinking it’s no big deal.”

“…Is that so?”

“Even if you explain things vaguely later, it’s not something you should say right now. Lee Seung-yeon didn’t come out this morning, and Kang Tae-woo didn’t show up either. If the kids have any sense, they’ll know something serious is going on. All the more reason for Teacher Hong to be here.”

Hong Seok-young’s momentum weakened.

I softened my sharp tone as well.

“Let’s conduct the class properly before we go.”

“You’ll be teaching the class anyway… Ah, fine, fine. It’s been a while, but I’ll handle the class too.”

In the end, Hong Seok-young surrendered.

Seriously, do I really have to argue like this even over something so trivial? I let out a sigh. Even though staying up for a day or two doesn’t tire me physically, the mental exhaustion is overwhelming.

I suddenly remembered the cocktail I had in Busan the last time. It was a vacation I went on half against my will, and at first, I didn’t feel like going, but once I actually took the break, it wasn’t so bad. In the end, though, I couldn’t really enjoy it, and my life ended along with that vacation.

Still, if I ever take a vacation again, I’ll definitely avoid Busan. That’s how people are; what if my Mana Watch starts buzzing again?

Ah, not that I need to worry about vacations anyway, since this job doesn’t even offer any. Damn these businesses with fewer than five employees.

“But, are you planning to go too?”

I frowned.

“I have to go.”

“What could you even do if you go? The orphanage will have both me and Tae-woo…”

“I said I’m going.”

After I’ve done all the work, you want to swoop in and take the credit?

Besides, no matter how I look at it, I can’t trust Hong Seok-young. Even though Kang Tae-woo seemed to stay quiet during our conversation, what if he suddenly changes his mind and bolts? Although I doubt Hong Seok-young would fail to catch him, it would be a mess if rumors spread about the most famous Hunter in Korea dragging off a kid.

Hong Seok-young shuddered.

“Oh my, look at those eyes. How can one live being so afraid of their subordinate?”

“Don’t worry, you’ll live a long, healthy life.”

I clicked my tongue.

“Anyway, isn’t the orphanage already well-guarded by Lee Mi-seon’s subordinates? Let’s go there in the afternoon, after the class.”

“Who’s the boss and who’s the subordinate here, I wonder.”

“If I were the boss, I wouldn’t let things stay like this.”

“…Teacher Kim, is Teacher Woo indirectly criticizing me for being inadequate?”

Kim Chae-min, still not looking up from her phone, replied indifferently.

“Isn’t he openly criticizing you? Just let it go since he isn’t wrong.”

“You can’t just let it go, Teacher Kim. If it’s true, shouldn’t he change his behavior?”

“Teacher Hong is a lost cause. Let’s focus on nurturing our future hope and cleaning up the relics of the past.”

“Hey, this so-called relic of the past can still hear you, you know? And I’m not old enough to be treated like some ancient relic!”

I checked the time and stood up. Even though I hadn’t slept, I should at least get something to eat. If I don’t head out now, I won’t have enough time to eat before class.

But I didn’t forget to throw one last comment at Hong Seok-young.

“Looks like even relics can talk these days.”

“Teacher Woo!”

* * *

“It’s certainly nice to be teaching in such a well-organized place.”

“Is that a hint to hurry up and build the new building?”

“Did it sound that way?”

I nodded.

“I heard you loud and clear.”

“…Teacher Woo, doesn’t it seem like your vibe has changed?”

“Huh? No.”

“It feels like it has, though.”

“That’s your imagination.”

Lee Mi-seon stared at my face intently, but when I returned her gaze, she quickly looked away.

I sat on the sofa, like I did at dawn, and stared out the window. The sky was a deep blue, peaceful.

“It’s nice to have grass, don’t you think?”

I recalled the class earlier. It’s not like I dumped the class onto Hong Seok-young, right? It was originally his responsibility anyway.

Hong Seok-young taught the class for the first time in a while. It wasn’t much different from when I usually teach. After all, we didn’t cover theory today, and all Hong Seok-young did was making the kids roll around.

“With the soft grass, even if the kids roll around a bit, it seems like they don’t get hurt as much.”

I went back to my roots.

It meant that I taught Runes to the Mages again after a long time.

‘Alright, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? Draw it. Let’s see if you still remember.’

‘Haven’t you drawn a single rune all this time? Why are your lines so messy?’

‘Ha. Do you only practice if I make you do it? Even if you don’t use Runes, you should at least draw them ten times before going to bed!’

‘Until you can instantly draw a new Rune the moment you see it! Only then can you call yourself a Mage!!’

Hmm.

‘Park Seo-hyun. How far have you taught your student?’

‘What? Still at that level? I’m pretty sure you were teaching that magic the last time I checked, weren’t you?’

‘How can you be trying to cut corners when you’re still learning the basics, Choi Jin-woo?’

‘Didn’t have time? Reports? Is that really your excuse? Are you going to say that inside a Dungeon, too? You have to train both Dungeon strategies and magic separately. If you’re going to approach it half-heartedly, then just quit!’

Hmm.

I might have gotten a bit carried away since it’s been a while since I taught a Rune class.

Still, all of this will become a crucial foundation for the Mages, so there’s no problem. I’m even thinking that I should be stricter. Kim Chae-min is too soft.

Had Kang Tae-woo shown up for the class, I would’ve left the Mages to Kim Chae-min. Even though she’s soft by nature, where else would they get to learn from an Archmage like Kim Chae-min? Even if it’s not elemental magic, the mana control techniques she’s teaching the kids now hold immense value.

…But judging by how the kids’ skills haven’t improved much, could it be that Kim Chae-min isn’t a great teacher after all?

I might need to assess Kim Chae-min’s teaching skills properly sometime. Even if she’s an Archmage, the ability to teach could be different. Besides, when Hong Seok-young hired Kim Chae-min, he didn’t exactly test her other skills aside from her Archmage title, did he?

…Well, considering that Kim Chae-min only focused on the Runes without looking at anything else, they’re pretty much the same in that regard.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

Lee Mi-seon approached me. I shrugged my shoulders.

“I was just thinking that at this rate, it’s only a matter of time before the grass we have gets worn out from all that rolling around.”

Hong Seok-young’s classes always begin with someone rolling on the ground and end with someone flying through the air.

It was like that even on the dirt ground, so how would it be at Lee Mi-seon’s villa, which has soft grass laid out? With Hong Seok-young kicking the kids’ butts left and right, the grass was already trampled and in a mess.

In truth, the grass wasn’t the real problem. Since neither the instructor nor the students cared about it during class, the trees and flower beds in the garden ended up getting thoroughly wrecked.

Lee Mi-seon, with a momentarily serious tone, talked about the fate of the grass and the disastrous lesson that was like a sudden blow to the garden’s plants, then burst into giggles.

“Anyway, the money to maintain this place comes from my dad’s pocket, so no need to worry.”

“…Forgive me, but do you dislike your father?”

“Could you not ask such sensitive questions so bluntly?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Does Hunter Lee have an unpleasant history with your respected father?”

“That’s not much better either.”

Lee Mi-seon couldn’t hold back her laughter and chuckled.

“It’s not particularly like that. The youngest daughter is supposed to live for the joy of spending her dad’s money, you know.”

“…Is that so?”

“That’s exactly it.”

Even twenty years later, I never heard any rumors of discord within that family. Unlike most wealthy families, they always seemed to get along harmoniously.

I’m not usually one to believe what I see on the surface, but… meddling in other people’s family matters never leads to anything good. I decided to drop the topic.

Instead, I shifted to the main subject.

“What about student Lee Seung-yeon?”

“Seung-yeon?”

“He didn’t even come to class, right?”

Lee Mi-seon’s expression became complicated.

“How often in life do you get attacked while just walking down the street? Did he take it hard?”

Although he was in better shape compared to Kang Tae-woo, Lee Seung-yeon was also pale, with his usual cheerfulness gone, his lips tightly sealed. For a child who was always so bright, the change was striking.

“No, it’s not… something to worry about that much.”

Lee Mi-seon seemed lost in thought for a moment but then shook her head.

“It doesn’t seem like he wasn’t affected at all, but… he looks like he has a lot on his mind, so I decided not to force him out and just left him alone. Even though he seems light-hearted, Seung-yeon has quite a deep side to him.”

“…Ah, I see. Is that so.”

“Not just because he’s my niece, but he’s genuinely more thoughtful than he appears.”

Blood is thicker than water, as they say.

“Yes, you’re right. Seung-yeon is indeed a thoughtful child.”

“…Yes, and it seems like he needs some time now and then to sort out his thoughts.”

“…….”

Teenagers, right? It’s understandable.

I gave a gentle smile.

“As long as he’s safe and unharmed, that’s what matters. Let him know he can come when he feels ready.”

Lee Mi-seon frowned slightly but didn’t say anything.

Just then, Hong Seok-young approached, twirling car keys in his hand.

“What about Tae-woo?”

“He’ll be out soon.”

Speak of the devil, Kang Tae-woo appeared with his face still looking pale.

Seeing him constantly wiping his hands on his pants… it doesn’t seem like he’s hiding any ulterior motives at this point, so is he just nervous about going to the orphanage?

I guess so. It’s understandable. After all, it’s the place where the kid he considered his sister was killed.

I gave Kang Tae-woo a light pat on the back, pretending not to notice his nervousness.

Kang Tae-woo glanced at me briefly and then gave a faint smile.

“Now that Tae-woo is here, let’s go. Hm? What about Teacher Kim?”

“She said that at least one person should stay behind, so she volunteered to stay.”

“Really? And what about you, Hunter Lee?”

“Of course, I’m going.”

With that, three Hunters and one student got into the car.

*****

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