One can’t succeed all the time.
Everyone is bound to experience failure at some point, so what matters is how you pick yourself up and keep going.
Two days after the hiring scandal, instead of clinging to the past, I focused my efforts on planning the next step to get myself fired.
‘Looking back now, it was always my tendency to go too far that backfired.’
Being fired for extreme racism.
Forcing students on sudden hiking trips and shirking my duties.
Even supporting the wrong candidate, Hwang Seon, to get demoted on purpose.
My desperation to be fired had driven me to take extreme actions, but maybe that was a mistake.
So, this time, rather than coming up with an outrageous scheme, I decided to follow a more predictable course of events.
‘The classic academy episode. Isn’t there always that one irresponsible idea that’s just perfect for stirring trouble and getting fired?’
“I would like to propose a large-scale mock survival training for all grades.”
During the faculty meeting, I made my bold declaration while everyone’s gaze turned toward me.
My sudden, out-of-the-blue announcement from someone who’d been silent up until now naturally filled the conference room with looks of bewilderment from the professors.
Their expressions clearly questioned my intentions for bringing up something entirely unrelated to the meeting’s agenda.
Before long, one professor cautiously broke the silence.
“What exactly do you mean by survival training…?”
“It’s exactly as it sounds. Throw the students into the wild and test their survival skills. We’ll release a few beasts to add some tension too.”
A suffocating silence followed immediately.
Everyone turned to glance at each other, doubting their ears, wondering if they had heard me correctly.
But, ignoring the atmosphere, I continued my explanation, making sure to sound as thoughtless and irresponsible as possible.
“They should experience roughing it in the wilderness, feeling hunger with no food, sleeping under the open sky – they need to taste the bitter side of life if they’re going to become stronger.”
The infamous Korean saying, “Youth should seek hardship,” was quoted shamelessly.
As I brazenly proceeded, the return was a series of stares as if I were some lunatic.
“Hah, wanting to train the students so they’re prepared for crises – that’s so like you.”
Only one person, the elder professor who bizarrely cared for me, voiced his agreement.
But even he obviously didn’t approve of my proposal, looking pitifully uncomfortable, sweating as if he didn’t know what to do.
‘Of course, Jungle Law was the answer.’
A survival training session in the wilderness.
The protagonist would already know the schedule, stock up on camping gear and food, and benefit greatly from it.
It’s a cliché in academy settings, yet, upon close examination, it’s rife with problems.
“What if someone gets injured? Even with our best efforts, it would be difficult to ensure the safety of every student.”
“If we release the students masse into the vast wilderness, there’s no telling what kind of accidents might happen. Not only is there a risk of injury, but the potential for lasting mental trauma as well.”
“There will undoubtedly be complaints. Most of our students come from noble families, and not a single one would welcome being told to live like a beggar.”
“On top of that, the students would clearly despise it.”
“They’d have to live in filth for days, unable to wash, sleep comfortably, or use a bathroom – it would be strange if there wasn’t any backlash.”
“Besides, I don’t understand the purpose of the training. Why go outside when we have perfectly good facilities?”
“If it’s about teaching wilderness survival, we could invite an expert to give a special lecture. Karin would surely come running to share her know-how from her mercenary days.”
“Our students at the Imperial Academy are all highly capable; they could probably manage without experiencing it firsthand if they’re taught.”
But, even so, precisely because this plan was riddled with problems, I remained firm in my decision.
‘A golden opportunity to be criticized as irresponsible by the academy faculty and condemned by the students for making them go through such a grueling ordeal.’
‘How could I possibly let this slip by?’
‘I was prepared for the complaints.’
“The truly dedicated professors who cared about the students – I had anticipated their opposition and came prepared with a solution.”
“I looked over at the Dragon.”
With eyes full of conviction, I sent a message to trust that I’d manage somehow.
Sure enough, the Dragon smiled.
“A request from our professor? Of course, we’ll accommodate. I’ll take care of the preliminary safety measures, so let’s aim for a week from now….”
“I’m sorry, but a week from now won’t do.”
But I quickly cut her off.
“If the Dragon prepared too meticulously, the survival training would just turn into a wilderness experience.”
“No matter what, we must carry out the training today.”
“With the Dragon here, there was no need to worry about any fatalities, so the more rushed the schedule, the better.”
“The less prepared the training was, the sloppier it would be, and naturally, I’d get more flak for pushing it through.”
“Of course, there was a chance that such a hasty demand wouldn’t fly, but here, I played my trump card.”
“With a gleam of desperation in my eyes, I appealed to the Dragon, showing just how serious I was. Sion hesitated, unnerved by my uncharacteristic behavior, then finally…”
“Since it’s your suggestion, I’m sure it has some profound meaning behind it. Though it’s a bit rushed, let’s push forward with the survival training right now!”
He declared this with a bright smile.
His eyes sparkled with anticipation, as if eager to see what kind of chaos I would create this time.
In fact, aside from Sion and Professor Scott, everyone opposed my proposal, but that didn’t matter.
When the Dragon decides to do something, it gets done.
The Imperial Academy professors had their hands full, always catering to the whims of that curious dragon.
‘Well, this time, it worked out in my favor.’
Things were falling perfectly into place just as I’d planned.
I don’t think I’ve ever had things align this smoothly before.
Maybe, just maybe, this was my chance.
Grinning broadly, I began preparing for the training.
***
Rain drizzled down relentlessly.
‘I usually prefer clear days, but today was an exception.’
‘Even the weather is on my side.’
The hastily prepared survival training was underway.
The ground quickly transformed into a muddy mess due to the sudden rain.
With each step, my shoes sank into the muck, filling with filth.
My socks were soaked, adding damp discomfort, and my stress level soared to its peak.
Naturally, complaints erupted from all sides.
“If there was going to be training like this, we should have been informed in advance!”
“We can’t even see properly in this downpour, and we’re supposed to build shelters and hunt to survive here?”
Even this was satisfying enough for me.
The situation continued to work in my favor.
I had only led the students to the uninhabited island; the actual survival training hadn’t even officially started, yet issues were already popping up everywhere.
From a student sobbing after being bitten by a snake to others nearly getting lost, incidents kept piling up.
Thankfully, quick actions resolved both cases, but with each problem, the expressions on the other professors’ faces grew more severe.
These were professors who genuinely cared for the students.
Seeing their precious students suffer due to the inexplicable antics of one madman was something they couldn’t just stand by and watch.
Eventually, one professor decided to speak up, yelling at me.
“Professor Riyan! What on earth do you think you’re doing?”
Finally, the golden opportunity had arrived – the perfect moment to bring down my outrageously high favorability rating.
I turned around, suppressing a smile, and put on a shamelessly clueless expression, as if I had no idea why he was calling me.
Seeing my face, devoid of any guilt, the enraged professor’s expression contorted further.
“I figured, given your past achievements, you might have some sort of plan. But by now, you should know when to admit you’re wrong!”
“Wrong? What are you talking about?”
A sudden uproar ensued.
Everyone’s attention naturally turned toward us, but I maintained my brazen demeanor, unfazed by the scrutiny.
“The students, who are supposed to be refining themselves at the academy, are instead wallowing in the mud, looking like beggars! Do you still deny your fault?”
The young female professor was practically spitting as she reprimanded me.
The tension grew thick among everyone gathered here.
Now was the time to deliver my prepared response.
“I only acted in the best interest of the students.”
I muttered calmly, without any hesitation.
I continued with a string of careless comments about how “noble brats need to experience hardship to gain some perspective” and “I thought they’d learn a thing or two from this tough experience.”
Hearing such reckless statements, the students’ faces immediately soured, and I could practically feel the anticipation of being mobbed and fired.
Surely, that was the future that awaited me… but before I could continue, a panicked voice came from somewhere nearby.
The head of the academy’s security team, pale-faced, was running towards us.
In the most urgent tone I’d ever heard from him, he shouted, “The academy has been bombed in an enemy raid!!!”
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