The atmosphere had completely sunk into a heavy gloom.
Today was supposed to be the eagerly anticipated school trip day, but somehow, a sorrowful mood that could have been mistaken for a funeral had overtaken the place.
The reason, however, was quite simple.
A certain new professor’s sabotage.
In other words, it was 100% my fault.
Only now do I realize, Chief.
‘Was all the crap you pulled on me in our past lives just a preparation for this moment?’
I regret wasting time on petty acts like embezzlement and stock manipulation.
I should have just acted like a typical old-timer and let that be enough to ruin my likability.
“God, this is frustrating. How long have we been walking? Why is everyone dragging their feet and being so lazy? Why aren’t you all moving quickly?”
The declaration felt like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky.
Still, since I had said we should go, the students obediently followed, and yet I ended up getting angry at them.
It was already a situation where I had earned more than enough dislike from them.
But I wasn’t satisfied with just that.
“You, what the hell are you doing?”
I lowered my voice, frowning deeply as I expressed my anger.
My voice was filled with irritation, tightly contained in every word.
The students, who were moving quickly under my instructions, became my targets.
I shouted at those earnest, innocent students.
“Where the hell is your consideration for your elders? You’re young and energetic, but what, are you just going to leave me, a frail old man, behind to suffer and die with my aching legs while you all run ahead?”
I criticized them blindly.
I turned my previous words upside down.
It was an attack that could leave anyone dumbfounded.
“Professor, you told us to hurry up…”
As expected, one of the students muttered this, but even that was part of the plan.
I put on a thick face of indifference and yelled at him.
“You’re talking back to a teacher? This academy’s hierarchy is completely falling apart. How ridiculous. You think you can match me, huh?”
I was in the wrong, but I stubbornly pushed my way through.
I used my age as a shield, my status as a weapon, firing off cheat codes as I buried my own mistakes and relentlessly blamed the others.
This wasn’t just some twenty-something brat.
This was someone who had survived the harsh reality of modern society in South Korea.
‘Wasn’t it a common understanding that people would be shocked by the spread of modern knowledge in another world?’
The kids who had only seen fake craziness like school terrorism.
‘Now, they were facing true madness in the form of me, and how could they not be frightened?’
Everyone was whispering amongst themselves, afraid of my bizarre change.
“You’re… a devil disguised as Professor Riyan!”
Things had escalated to the point where some of them tried to use a dispelling spell on me and even attempted to tear off a mask that wasn’t even there.
One of them was from Class A, and despite being a magic major, the kid had clearly trained his body too.
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt when he pulled at my face, but…
In fact, this was a boon for me.
Like in a martial arts novel, I let out a loud, battle-like yell.
“Are you all completely out of your minds?!”
At this point, the situation was perfectly set up.
It wouldn’t be strange if I exploded in anger.
Unleashing all the resentment I had built up over the years, I immediately launched my attack.
All the absurdities I’d faced as a working adult.
I turned them into a twisted form of “spiritual education” as I tormented these students.
In my past life, I had been quite fortunate compared to now.
The people who had wronged me or hurled severe insults at me had, for some reason, ended up with bad luck—either contracting kidney stones or getting fired due to bad luck.
I had little experience with such things, but the few experiences I did have were enough.
I reenacted them now, subjecting my students to surprise insults and physical punishment.
Their faces, now stained with despair, made it clear that the situation was as bad as it looked.
Of course, there were always outliers.
Some insane ones still refused to withdraw their support for me, but they weren’t much of a problem.
“Seeing that over 80% are negative, this isn’t looking hopeful.”
It was easier to just consider the crazy ones as exceptions.
They were the kind of people for whom common sense didn’t apply.
Those who still had their wits about them were despairing.
Just the fact that the majority viewed my rampage negatively was enough to satisfy me.
Faces that seemed as though they were trapped in a nightmare.
***
A gathering of a few lunatics and students with depressed expressions.
Feeling the grim atmosphere, I smiled brightly.
An outing with a crazy old-timer.
This would surely go down as the worst school trip in the history of the Empire.
Today, I would finally achieve the wish I had been dreaming of.
The life had drained from the children’s eyes.
Their faces now looked like dead fish eyes.
Looking around, Ciel felt a sense of duty.
She had to somehow lift the mood.
This land, where the past sage once lived, was the reason this park had been created—to honor that sage.
The prosperous life we had now was the result of past sacrifices.
So we came here to be thankful for that.
But all anyone had were complaints and dissatisfaction.
Professor Riyan must have been angry for such noble reasons, but this time, there was really nothing that could be done.
This was the largest festival in history.
If they missed it now, there would be no second chance.
She understood the good intentions, and they were admirable, but it was also a place that could be visited anytime, so it was hard not to feel dissatisfied.
Each person had their own justified reasons.
However, it would be a shame if they let this cause friction or bad feelings between them.
She definitely didn’t want that.
Since avoiding it wasn’t possible, the best thing was to enjoy it.
With that thought in mind, Ciel eagerly tried to highlight the good points of the park to her friends, trying to lift the atmosphere.
“First of all, the atmosphere is nice, and the scenery is great!”
Suddenly, a downpour hit.
It had to rain only around here, near the park.
The beautiful view was ruined by the dark clouds.
“And there are plenty of things to enjoy, like the experience halls!”
[The experience hall is temporarily closed for maintenance.]
Of course, today was the day the experience hall was undergoing maintenance.
The one thing that had been worth seeing was now closed, and there was nothing left to enjoy.
“It’s a famous tourist spot, too! There are a lot of food stalls nearby.”
[Closed for one week.]
[Temporarily closed for family trips.]
[Closed due to a visit to Prisma Island.]
It was supposed to be the so-called “paradise on earth,” and yet not a single shop was open.
There were no food stalls, no restaurants—everything was closed, leaving them to suffer through hunger.
“Well, it’s a meaningful place. If we focus on honoring the hero who passed away, it’s still a worthwhile…”
A student with an interest in history interrupted.
The sage wasn’t really someone who deserved to be honored.
His abilities were certainly impressive, but his character was garbage.
He was the kind of person who lived only for himself and couldn’t tolerate even the slightest personal loss.
He had less character and skill than Professor Riyan.
‘How could we possibly honor someone like him, let alone respect him?’
Even the fanatical sects, including the saint, agreed with this.
Everyone hated being here.
They thought it was a pointless waste of time.
They were only here because Professor Riyan wanted them to be.
Everyone’s opinions aligned perfectly.
Ciel paused for a moment before changing course.
Professor Riyan was acting strangely today.
But no matter what, he was still a professor who cared for his students more than anyone else.
If he explained things respectfully, surely he would understand how the students felt.
With this conclusion in mind, Ciel took the lead.
He tried to present himself in a formal manner and pleaded with Professor Riyan, but all he received was a cold, unfeeling response.
His eyes were filled with not just anger, but disgust.
The warm professor they knew had turned into someone completely unrecognizable.
“When I give an order, you follow it. Do you not even understand that basic fact?!”
When I give an order, you shut up and follow it.
The words went beyond treating them as subordinates—they made them feel like mere tools.
Professor Riyan slammed his fist down as he spoke.
Naturally, everyone’s face was filled with shock.
No one could understand this sudden change in their once-kind professor, but that wasn’t the strangest thing.
The truly bizarre sight was unfolding before their eyes.
The statue honoring the sage.
As Professor Riyan slammed his fist down, there was a clicking sound.
A hidden trigger was pressed.
With a huge rumble, the floor began to shift.
Before long, a hidden passage leading underground was revealed.
So, it seemed…
They had discovered a hidden ruin.