Chapter 30: Face to Face (2)

This is a threat, not a request.

If I don’t comply, they’ll probably force me back to the countryside.

Kim Seogun takes a shallow, nervous breath.

Kim Han-shin shoots him a disdainful look.

“Even though we sent him to the countryside, as a father, it’s only natural I’d want to provide a better educational environment.”

He’s indirectly saying the child’s wishes weren’t considered. For someone who claims to care so much about his son, he sure treats him as lacking.

Kim Dong-hyuk, who had been listening quietly, cuts in.

“Our family has been apart from Seogun for a long time, so we want to be together from now on.”

[The words of love they spoke were blatant lies.]

“We want him to grow up in a good environment.”

[Even as I screamed in agony, they began draining all my mana.]

“…Because you’re family?”

At my question, Kim Dong-hyuk flashes a smile full of pretense.

“Of course.”

[Livestock raised to be consumed—that’s what I was to them.]

I say nothing.

The book’s descriptions start overlapping with the people in front of me.

Even if I left Kim Seogun here and walked away, they wouldn’t leave him alone.

They’re just waiting for his mana to grow, ready to sacrifice him the year he turns 15.

Is there a single adult here who truly sees Kim Seogun as just a child?

To survive, Kim Seogun played the fool and fled to the countryside.

There was a day when Kim Seogun, hiding his emotions behind a mask, genuinely smiled.

It was when he was playing with the other kids.

I tightly grip Kim Seogun’s trembling, frightened hand.

“Why are you making decisions for Seogun without consulting him?”

“…Teacher, that’s a father’s privilege.”

A father’s privilege?

There’s no such thing as the privilege to force a child just because you’re their parent.

Suppressing a child by force is a father’s privilege?

I barely hold back a hollow laugh from the absurdity.

“Father… I don’t want to transfer…”

“Kim Seogun, stay quiet.”

At the low, cold voice, Kim Seogun swallows his words.

Pale, he clamps his mouth shut and stares at the floor.

Kim Seogun, usually so assertive, is scared.

“You said I’m not qualified to teach Seogun, right?”

I pull Kim Seogun to his feet and glare at Kim Han-shin.

I’m done listening to this nonsense.

“…What are you doing?”

“I’ll prove my qualifications to you in a few days.”

Kim Han-shin looks stunned.

It’s only natural—a mere teacher making what amounts to a declaration of war against a corporate tycoon.

But I have no intention of backing down.

“If I’m not qualified to teach and Seogun wants to transfer, I’ll let him go immediately. But as long as he doesn’t want to, I won’t send him.”

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Kim Dong-hyuk, Seogun’s brother, grabs my shoulder tightly, his brow furrowed.

The book described Kim Dong-hyuk as awakening as an exceptional hunter in the future.

Based on Kim Seogun’s mana.

But right now, he’s just an ordinary person.

At my piercing glare, Kim Dong-hyuk flinches and steps back.

“You’ll prove your worth… Why should I wait for that?”

“…Father!”

Kim Seogun, clenching his fist, interjects.

“Just give us three days. If Teacher doesn’t meet your expectations, I’ll transfer to a school in Seoul immediately.”

At Kim Seogun’s words, Kim Han-shin’s eyebrow twitches.

This time, he silently watches us, listening to the conversation.

“If you leave now, you’ll regret it.”

“Dong-hyuk, let them go.”

“Father!”

“It’s just three days. If that small investment changes Seogun’s mind, it’s a bargain.”

Kim Han-shin’s gaze remains cold, calculating every benefit.

This is a transaction driven by meticulous calculation.

Who comes out on top is a gamble from here on.

But there’s something strange.

I feel an odd mana emanating from the chairman.

A repulsive remnant of mana, growing more nauseating the more I sense it.

The chairman is supposed to be unawakened, so he shouldn’t have mana.

I notice a black lotus-shaped mark near his wrist.

At a glance, it could pass for a tattoo.

“We’ll be going, then.”

Holding Kim Seogun’s hand, I walk out of the office.

…Ugh, I went and did it.

I don’t regret what I did, but I couldn’t stand by while they said such things in front of the kid.

“Teacher, are you really okay?”

Kim Seogun, who’d kept his mouth shut, looks at me with worried eyes.

He’s a good kid at heart.

If his circumstances were different, he’d be no different from other children.

“Even now, I could transfer…”

[“I don’t want to hurt the kids anymore.”]

I flick Kim Seogun’s forehead.

He clutches his stinging forehead, staring at me blankly.

“Kids don’t need to worry. This is something adults handle.”

I’m not without a plan.

Though I don’t want to, I do have one last resort I’ve kept in reserve.

Looks like going back to the countryside tomorrow is canceled.

Change of plans.

I’ll send the kids back first, but Kim Seogun and I will stay in Seoul a few more days.

“Teacher, you’re kinda cool today.”

“Your teacher’s always cool.”

“…That’s a bit…”

★★★

‘I was asked to look after the kids for a while…’

Seol Ah-hyun arrived at the Hongyeom Guild’s training room with the kids.

She thought it’d be nice for them to play with the children raised by the guild.

At first, she was excited, thinking it was a good idea.

“Who are those kids?”

Far from playing, they were busy growling at each other.

The Hongyeom Guild only had a handful of kids.

So she thought they’d get along.

“Why did Teacher abandon us to teach those kids?”

Seong Kang-rim glares at the others, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

His jealousy seems to have turned into resentment.

Well, Seong Kang-rim was the kid who followed Teacher the most.

He was so upset when Teacher left that he even ran away from home, saying he’d leave too.

Of course, he got caught halfway.

“Country bumpkins.”

“What’d you say? You look like a half-baked potato.”

Not to be outdone, Shin Ahyeon fires back.

“A potato?! You short little dwarf!”

“Got anything else to say?!”

Looks like getting along is out of the question.

The only silver lining is that it’s just childish bickering.

‘The kids Teacher raises sure have unique personalities.’

No, Teacher never raised normal kids to begin with.

Back when it was her turn, she remembers causing trouble every day…

Seol Ah-hyun awkwardly brushes her bangs up.

Since Teacher left, raising the kids became her responsibility.

Through that, she learned how hard it is to care for them one by one.

She gained even more respect for Teacher, who raised such great students.

She resolved to give him a massage like old times when they meet again.

“Kids, stop fighting.”

Even her attempts to intervene didn’t calm the heated atmosphere.

‘They’re not listening anymore.’

It felt like talking to thin air.

She wiggled her index finger, and small snowflakes began fluttering in the air.

The kids, captivated by the wondrous sight, stopped bickering and stared at the snowflakes.

However, only Han Yuseong stood with his head turned away. 

“He hasn’t looked this way since earlier,” he thought. 

Having just entered puberty, he seemed a bit prickly. 

“Vice Guild Leader! I have something to discuss about the previous matter. Is now a good time?” 

A subordinate called out to Seol Ahyun from the entrance. 

It seemed like work had come up at the worst possible moment. 

“I’ll be right there! Kids, stay here and behave yourselves.” 

As Seol Ahyun stepped away, Seong Kangrim started moving again. 

“When the teacher comes back, he’ll definitely stay with us!” 

“What are you talking about? He’d rather be with us than sweaty kids like you!” 

The childish bickering started up again. 

Han Yuseong covered his ears with his hands and glanced around. 

“The Hongyeom Guild is still as grand as ever,” he thought. 

Even the children’s training room was better than most guilds’ buildings. 

He had visited the Hongyeom Guild several times before his regression—sometimes to meet Seol Ahyun, other times to meet the Hongyeom Guild Leader. 

The Hongyeom Guild Leader was considered one of humanity’s strongest hunters. 

Han Yuseong had tried multiple times to recruit him as a comrade, but each time, the guild leader refused, saying the time wasn’t right. 

He couldn’t help but wonder: if he had succeeded in making the Hongyeom Guild Leader his ally, could he have changed the scenario of the world’s destruction? 

With that man’s power, preventing the apocalypse might have been possible. 

Of course, no one but a god could know for sure. 

“Hey, Han Yuseong! Help us out here!” 

“Why should I?” 

“You never help, not even once!” 

He had no intention of getting involved in their childish fight for the teacher’s attention. 

All he wanted now was to return to the countryside. 

He had already accomplished his purpose for coming to Seoul. 

He had secured a reason to obtain the Sword of Asura, which Han Kangwook would create in the future. There was no more business left for him here. 

“Hope you step in dog poop on your way!” 

“And I hope bird poop lands on your head!” 

The childish argument was reaching its peak. 

Han Yuseong covered his ears, finding the noise unbearable. 

“Think you’re all that just because you’re good-looking!?” 

Seong Kangrim, losing ground in the argument, blurted out something random in frustration. 

The heated atmosphere froze in an instant. 

Even the kids who had been on Seong Kangrim’s side stared at him with dumbfounded expressions. 

For the first time since his regression, Han Yuseong felt goosebumps. 

“Who says stuff like that?” he thought. 

Shin Ayoon, catching the implication of his words, flashed a sly smile. 

It was the expression of someone who had seized the upper hand. 

Seong Kangrim, his face red as a beet, huffed and continued. 

“Anyway, when the teacher comes, he’ll decide! Whether he stays with us or with you!” 

Just then, familiar footsteps echoed from outside—those of a child and an adult man. 

Everyone immediately knew who was coming. 

★★★

‘To think he’d bring the kids to the Hongyeom Guild…’ 

Well, it didn’t matter much since he had things to discuss with Yoon Kanghyeon anyway. 

As he headed toward the training room where the kids were playing, he noticed a commotion. 

Was there some kind of party going on inside? 

The sound of chattering voices spilled out. 

“Teacher!” 

At that moment, Seong Kangrim and Shin Ahyeon rushed toward him simultaneously, throwing themselves at him. 

Startled, Kim Seogun stumbled back. 

“Ugh!” 

What was this… this familiar sensation? 

The sturdy biceps he thought he’d never feel again began to squeeze him tightly. 

“Teacher! Why did you abandon us?! You’ll come back to us, right?!” 

“What are you talking about? The teacher’s going to stay with us!” 

“Wait, can you guys back off a bit… I can’t breathe…” 

He had fought minotaurs and overcome all sorts of hardships, but was he going to die here? 

As his life flashed before his eyes, Seol Ahyun, who had returned just in time, hurriedly pulled the kids off. 

“I didn’t expect this to happen while I was away. Sorry, teacher!” 

“Haha… I’m fine.” 

[You have escaped a life-threatening situation.] 

[Experience points gained.] 

“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve seen that notification,” he thought, giving a wry smile. 

“Now that the teacher’s here, are you heading back?” 

Seol Ahyun looked reluctant to let him go. 

But since he had already told her where he was living, she didn’t try to hold him back. 

“No, I’m planning to stay here for a bit.” 

He still had to deal with the Kim Seogun issue. 

The kids’ reactions were starkly divided. 

Shin Ahyeon looked at him with teary, glistening eyes. 

“Uh… did I say something weird?” 

“Teacher, do you like it here again?” 

“What…?” 

“You promised to take responsibility for us until the end, but now you’re abandoning us!” 

“Hey, hey! How did you jump to that conclusion?!” 

“That’s not what I meant. I’m not abandoning you.” 

“But you said you’re staying here…” 

How could they even reach that conclusion? 

“I’m staying because I have some business to take care of. Once it’s done, I’ll go back to where you guys are.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah.” 

He couldn’t understand why the kids were acting like this all of a sudden. 

Unlike the others, Shin Ahyeon was only nine years old, the youngest of the group. 

With no adults to rely on, it was only natural for her to cling to him. 

He picked up Shin Ahyeon to comfort her. 

At that moment, Seong Kangrim’s mood visibly sank. 

Then, Shin Ahyeon, who had been facing away, stuck out her tongue playfully. 

“You little—!” 

The bickering started up again as they growled at each other. 

He managed to separate the kids and stop their argument. 

For the next hour, he had to keep soothing them.