A Veteran Teaches Very Well

part 11

After a moment of contemplation, Ahn Se-ri finally spoke.

“It’s persuasive. But… um, I give up. I don’t know. What about you?”

“Answering a question with a question? What a pain. Think for yourself.”

As Song Seok-hwan turned his head sharply, Ahn Se-ri clicked her tongue in response.

It was a brief exchange, but it sent a significant ripple through the classroom.

“Did you hear?”

“I kind of thought so.”

“You’re lying. This guy didn’t even take notes.”

“Wow, no way. You must be kidding, right?”

As everyone remained skeptical, the short break ended, and the lecture continued.

* * *

Eighth-floor faculty lounge in Oseong Hall.

I was clutching my pounding heart, trying to steady my breath. The students’ distrustful gazes were still vivid in my mind.

“Did I brag for no reason? Ugh, I should have just played it safe.”

The problem was that I didn’t have the confidence to teach using the current strategies that were widely accepted.

It was risky to awkwardly flaunt my knowledge in a class with An Se-ri and Song Seok-hwan participating. If I made a mistake, my qualifications as a professor would be called into question. For that reason, I brought in the strategies I had researched from the game.

The issue was that the materials for my class had never been validated.

In the end, theories exist to be applied in practice. The reason textbooks are considered textbooks is that they have been validated through countless real-world applications.

But what about my theory? Of course, it would work well if applied. After all, I had used it directly in the game. But there was no one to prove that fact.

“Still, now that I’ve drawn my sword, I should at least slice through something.”

After calming my mind with a cup of coffee, I stepped out of the lounge. Wait, coffee is a stimulant—why am I drinking this? I smacked my forehead in reflection of my foolishness.

Yet, perhaps because of my awakened body, coffee didn’t seem to have much effect. After all, my body could detoxify drugs, so it wouldn’t be affected by coffee.

Fortunately, the classroom I returned to wasn’t as ominous as I had imagined.

I had expected many to look down on my lecture. It was especially surprising that Song Seok-hwan, who had been a person of concern, was sitting quietly.

Anyway, good is good. I should just continue with the lecture.

“From now on, I will tell you what to do in practice.”

I snapped my fingers to make a sound. The screen displayed the pre-set visuals as expected.

Five dungeons chosen as the locations for practical assessments.

If you listen to my entire lecture and can successfully tackle all of them, you won’t face any difficulties in any dungeon you choose.

“First, do you know exactly what a dungeon is?”

As I posed the question, a slender boy raised his hand and stood up.

“It’s a passage where monsters appear!”

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the answer I was looking for.

I shook my head quietly, and he sat back down with a disappointed expression.

“Then do you know what a monster is?”

“Um… Aren’t they the bad guys? They’re hostile to humans.”

In response to the repeated question, an uncertain answer came back. Once again, it wasn’t the right one.

“Now, think about it. Monsters don’t eat humans like wild beasts, nor do they invade the Earth to claim it as their own. They have no intention of attacking humans, so why are they considered humanity’s enemies?”

Murmurs filled the room—

As soon as I finished speaking, the classroom erupted in noise. In an era where news of monsters killing people every day was rampant, my words didn’t carry much weight.

But this wasn’t just some game setting that only I knew; it was a truth known by those who were aware.

“Monsters have no hostility towards humans. That’s why they don’t attack until provoked.”

It’s said that it took humanity a long time to realize this foolish truth.

After learning that monsters don’t strike first, the difficulty of some dungeons significantly decreased.

“But monsters have attacked humanity!”

A boy with a sporty haircut shouted from the back. I was about to explain, but he was too impatient.

“Right. That’s an undeniable fact.”

He puffed up with pride as if to say, “See?” But treating monsters as absolute evil and leaving it at that wasn’t the solution.

“However, Dr. Andrew thought the monsters appearing on Earth and those in dungeons were vastly different, so he conducted an experiment. As a result, he discovered one key feature: when these creatures come to Earth, they lose their reason and engage in destructive behavior.”

“W-What does that mean? They could just stay inside the dungeons.”

“The reason is that the gates possess a unique power that attracts monsters. If you think about it, the monsters are also victims created by the gates.”

As I finished speaking, the students displayed mixed reactions.

Some nodded silently, while others looked astonished. It was a truth that any hero would know, but there was no reason for it to be conveyed to the general public.

There was no need to explain why the gates appeared…

Academia believed they occurred naturally, but that wasn’t the case. The gates were created by someone. Those were the enemies they would face in the future scenarios.

“So, the heroes tackling the dungeons is…”

“It’s a preemptive measure to weed out future threats. They attack before being attacked. Simple, right?”

He froze as if struck by shock.

Children who idolized heroes tended to see them as absolute good and monsters as absolute evil.

Unfortunately, reality was a bit different.

Both humanity and monsters were merely victims caught in a death game where the one who strikes first wins.

Looking around the classroom, I noticed some students with particularly heavy expressions.

But that wasn’t the kind of reaction I was hoping to elicit.

“I’ve gone on too long with the introduction. Now, let’s move on to the main topic.”

After slightly activating my charisma, I clapped my hands, and the dazed students snapped back to attention.

“Gentlemen, there are reasons beyond mere glory for heroes to clear dungeons. It is because dungeons are places where countless treasures lie buried.”

Mana stones and experience points.

Mana stones are substances infused with mana, which can be refined to create equipment or decomposed to harness energy. This is the primary source of income for heroes and guilds.

Experience points refer to the special mana contained within monsters and dungeons. They can be gained by defeating monsters or completely clearing dungeons, allowing heroes to grow as they accumulate experience.

“But here’s the thing. Dungeons have a special rule: the faster you clear them, the exponentially greater the rewards.”

This is why performance is graded based on clear times. Additionally, some top guilds assign dungeons in a rapid sequence to maximize rewards.

“So, let me teach you how to tackle dungeons quickly and safely.”

He handed out pre-prepared printouts to the students. It was organized like a manual, detailing how to respond to various situations.

Even though it was a concise summary, the thickness was considerable.

“Mastering all of this is ultimately what you need to achieve in this class. I assure you, if you follow my lessons closely, you will become excellent commanders in any dungeon you enter.”

The culmination of all the dungeon theories I had built over the past year.

Given the essence of the class, it would be unacceptable to fall short of that.

* * *

“Wow, is it really that easy to handle?”

“Isn’t that a lie?”

The whispers from the front row tickled Anseri’s ears.

It was no wonder, as the lecture content was simply too hard to accept as common sense. The professor claimed that with the latest strategies presented by the emergency guild last month, traps that normally took over a minute could be completed in just ten seconds.

As Anseri listened, he recalled the syllabus that Cha Eun-woo had shown last time. It had clearly stated that the first practical would be in the Less Green Monkey Forest.

Now it seemed that everything covered in this class was aimed at tackling the Less Green Monkey Forest.

What if we memorized everything learned here and then went to the Less Green Monkey Forest?

‘Could we really clear it in under 20 minutes?’

At that time, he had thought it was an absurd evaluation standard, but now he felt he understood why.

“In situations like this, the role of the tank is crucial. It’s exactly at this timing that the taunt will work. If you’re late, there will be those who slip away, making things troublesome.”

He could see those who looked like tanks nodding in agreement.

He was truly an intriguing person. While he might set the overall framework, the detailed explanations were something only an experienced individual could provide.

Yet, Cha Eun-woo seemed to know the minutiae of skill timings and common mistakes as if he had experienced every class himself. This added a layer of persuasiveness to the lecture.

“Especially in situations like this, healers must not remain idle. If the healing timing is even slightly delayed, the tank will get hurt. So, start casting your spells early. That’s all for today.”

As the lecture concluded, everyone took a breath.

Some students were skeptical of the content, but at least none were distracted during the class. The quality of the material was high, and above all, the delivery was exceptional.

His clear, articulate voice resonated in their minds. It was truly a natural talent for speaking. Anseri felt a twinge of envy.

“Wow, didn’t it feel like something just whizzed by? The content was difficult, but somehow it was easy to understand.”

Seo Da-yoon proudly showed off her colorfully decorated notebook to Ahn Se-ri. She resembled a puppy craving praise.

It was well-decorated, but the content was so chaotic that the actual organization of concepts didn’t stand out. Still, Ahn Se-ri wasn’t oblivious enough to point that out.

“Your notebook is pretty. You organized it well.”

“Hehe, right?”

Other students also shared their thoughts on various lectures. The common feedback was that everything was easy to understand.

However, it was inevitable to harbor doubts about the unfamiliar course content.

The atmosphere in the classroom naturally shifted towards dispersing.

“The group assignments are posted on the lecture page, so please check. If you have any objections, come see me. Starting from the next class, gather in your groups and take your seats.”

Until the professor dropped the bombshell and left.

“Oh, right. This class has a group project.”

“Ah~! I don’t want to.”

The students groaned as they checked their smartphones.

There were two groups of five and two groups of six, making a total of four groups. The most capable students became the group leaders.

Second in the entrance exam, Song Seok-hwan; third, Baek Seol-hwa; fourth, Ahn Se-ri; and twenty-sixth, Oh Jae-hak.

“Which group are you in?”

“Group D.”

“Group D? Me too.”

“We’re screwed.”

The students in Oh Jae-hak’s group visibly expressed their disappointment.

Oh Jae-hak wasn’t incompetent by any means, but there was an insurmountable gap between the top tier and those below. Especially among the top five, it was said that an individual could wield as much influence as a party.

“Ugh…”

The other three group leaders exchanged glances. Oh Jae-hak was not in their line of sight.

While Oh Jae-hak’s group had high-quality members compared to others, there was still an unbridgeable gap. A leader in a party is not just an individual.

“Shall we gather our group?”

“Group B, let’s meet up!”

The students quickly divided into their respective groups. Seo Da-yoon confirmed that she was in Ahn Se-ri’s group and let out a sigh of relief.

There were five members in their party. The group of six included Oh Jae-hak and Baek Seol-hwa. While there was no doubt about Oh Jae-hak’s capabilities, Baek Seol-hwa had a higher entrance exam score than Ahn Se-ri, but Ahn Se-ri was considered to have superior leadership skills.

Once all the group members gathered, Ahn Se-ri took the lead.

It is often said that first impressions have a significant impact on relationships between people. To lead the party, it was essential to build trust and gain confidence from the group members from this point onward.

“Everyone, please take care of me. I’m An Se-ri, the appointed leader. If you just follow my words, I’ll make sure you get the highest scores.”

An Se-ri smiled brightly as she introduced herself to her team members.

Instead of humbly downplaying herself, she asserted herself strongly. It was certainly an introduction that exuded confidence.

As An Se-ri winked at Seo Da-yoon beside her, the self-introductions began naturally in a clockwise direction.

“Um, hi… I’m Seo Da-yoon. My major is Combat Magic.”

As Seo Da-yoon finished her introduction, a round of applause erupted.

Next was the turn of the golden-skinned blonde man sitting next to her.

With his distinctive appearance, An Se-ri felt a sense of wariness in her heart. He looked dangerous, no matter how she saw it.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Gam Mi-seong. My major is Spear Techniques. If the leader says so, I could even walk into the fires of hell.”

Fortunately, his self-introduction seemed normal. The applause from the team members rang out again.

Next was the turn of the red-haired woman. Her slightly unbuttoned uniform revealed a hint of cleavage, giving off a provocative vibe. Her smile, revealing her teeth, hinted at a wild charm.

“I’m Nam Hye-joo, majoring in swords. You all better consider yourselves lucky. I’m damn strong. In a one-on-one, I could probably beat anyone.”

The last remark was directed at An Se-ri, locking eyes with her.

It was a statement that chilled the atmosphere of the group, but she seemed unfazed. In fact, Nam Hye-joo appeared to be enjoying the tension.

An Se-ri cursed inwardly. She knew that golden sun b*stard would ruin the team’s vibe, but this girl was the real problem, wasn’t she?

Still, rather than letting the atmosphere sour, she responded with a bright smile.

“Oh my, that’s reassuring. Alright, next.”

Nam Hye-joo clicked her tongue. She wasn’t the type to provoke further when An Se-ri had already given her a pass.

Finally, it was the turn of the long-haired man.

His long robe gave off an impression reminiscent of a priest or a wizard. An Se-ri guessed he was probably a priest.

The reason was that there was no one in the team to handle buffs.

“May the Lord’s blessings be upon you all. I am Abraham, the Lord’s lamb. Meeting you all must be a blessing bestowed by Him.”

Everyone was taken aback by his unique introduction. Only Nam Hye-joo chuckled and asked back.

“Hey! What a unique name, huh? Are you a foreigner?”

“Yes. I am Israeli.”

“No matter how I look at it, you look more Korean than anything? That golden sun over there looks more foreign than you. Were you born there?”

“No. I was born and raised in Korea.”

“What? So you can still change your nationality?”

“On paper, I am indeed Korean. However, I am a servant of the Lord, and naturally, I must be a citizen of Israel, where He was born, right?”

“Puhaha! Isn’t this guy totally crazy? You’re fun! I like you.”

An Se-ri muttered to herself.

“I’m bored. This crazy b*stard. The priest I thought would be the most normal turned out to be the craziest one.”

What kind of team is this? An Se-ri shot a glance at the door through which Cha Eun-woo had exited.

“Wow—! You guys are really unique.”

“Yeah. I guess so, haha…”

Seo Da-yoon marveled. What part of this is impressive?

Everyone seemed to take this in stride, and it felt like forced agreement.

Huh, just hold on.

If I want to become the guild master later, I need to show that I can handle things like this gracefully.

An Se-ri felt like she was burning inside, but she managed to keep her expression in check and smiled brightly.

“Alright, then, everyone, let’s have a great semester.”

Chapter 7. The Magic Tower

“Why did you arrange the teams like that?”

At the pleasant end of the workday, a furious student stormed into my office.

Looking at An Se-ri as if she couldn’t understand, she began to bounce around.

“Everything is so weird! I’m not even asking for someone competent, just at least a rational person!”

“I thought you’d like having Da-yoon with you, but was it that bad?”

As I threw a light joke, Seo Da-yoon next to me trembled noticeably.

He looked like a puppy afraid of being abandoned by its owner.

An Se-ri immediately denied it.

“That’s not what I mean! The rest are the problem!”

The combination of the wildly agitated An Se-ri and the visibly relieved Seo Da-yoon was quite amusing. But they weren’t here to put on a comedy show.

I didn’t know what An Se-ri was dissatisfied with, but changing team members was difficult.

“What exactly is the problem?”

“There’s literally no one sensible. One girl wanted to fight me the moment I saw her, one guy is a lunatic, and the last one looks dangerous just by his appearance.”

In simpler terms, the personalities of the party members were too strong.

It made sense, as An Se-ri’s party was a result of my favoritism. I had intentionally placed all the named characters who participated in my class into that party.

“Named” meant that they would contribute at least one portion to the scenario when included in a party. So, they were not to be easily overlooked. Keeping the ones I would take along in one place made it easier to manage in many ways.

However, the side effect was that their strong personalities seemed to be gnawing away at An Se-ri’s mental state.

“I can’t change them for that reason. It’s not like there’s an imbalance between the teams or that a team member caused a direct problem; you just want to switch because of personality clashes, right? If that’s the case, I can’t help but doubt Se-ri’s capabilities as a leader.”

“Ugh…”

My words were the truth. Anseri became as silent as a mouse.

I could empathize with Anseri’s words. I, too, had ruined playthroughs because of overly distinctive NPCs more than once. There were limits to mere leadership or command.

But what could be done?

I felt sorry for making her suffer for my own comfort, but there was no one else I could trust to handle things but Anseri.

Song Seok-hwan had such a personality that I couldn’t predict what he might do, and Baek Seol-hwa and Oh Jae-hak were lacking in ability. There was no need to even mention Oh Jae-hak, and Baek Seol-hwa was far too socially inept.

“I think I’ve explained enough, so you can go back now.”

Anseri tightly shut her mouth and wore a sulky expression. Then she went over to my sofa and sprawled out.

I was so taken aback that I asked Anseri.

“Are you staging a protest or something?”

“I don’t know. I’m not talking to the professor.”

It was a childish, if not petty, act of revenge. What was she doing, like a child?

I gestured to Seo Da-yoon, who had come with her, to take her out, and she began to chuckle softly.

“Hehe, the professor is interesting. You know, Se-ri is always so mature and sharp, but in front of the professor, she acts like a child.”

“What about when she’s with you, Da-yoon?”

“Yes. That’s why she feels like an older sister.”

That was unexpected.

I knew Anseri was shy around people she wasn’t comfortable with, but I hadn’t realized she would wear a mask even in front of Seo Da-yoon.

It wasn’t too strange, though. Considering how Anseri had been in the game, there was no way she would recognize Seo Da-yoon as a friend after just a few weeks together.

I should be grateful that we could get close now, while Anseri was at her most open.

It might not be long before I could see this side of her again.

As the early story was nearing its end, Anseri had almost been killed by her own brother, which completely changed her personality. This event could vary in timing depending on the player’s choices, but avoiding the event itself was impossible.

Anseri was a cynical and calculating character, but she occasionally showed her humanity. However, after that incident, she lost all her emotions and became a quintessential sociopath from the mid-game onward.

“You’re such a fool, professor.”

Seeing Anseri act like a child made me feel a bit more awake.

Perhaps this behavior was an act, but it didn’t seem like it.

The current Anseri was clever yet simultaneously innocent.

She was a girl who despised underhanded means and yearned for righteous victories.

“Are you going to keep doing that? Soon, Teaching Assistant Lee Ye-eun will be here.”

“…Hmph.”

—

Feeling embarrassed to show such a state in front of Lee Ye-eun, Ahn Se-ri quietly stood up.

It wasn’t long before Lee Ye-eun arrived.

“I’m here.”

“Okay.”

After giving a brief nod to the kids, Lee Ye-eun came over with a thick stack of printed materials.

Her eyes, which had grown even more hollow lately, were slightly frightening.

In this world, being a professor was a leisurely job, but a graduate student was a graduate student in any world.

“Here… organizing class materials and… my thesis…”

“Good job. I’ll look over the thesis and give you feedback by tomorrow, so go take a nap.”

“Yes…”

Ahn Se-ri and Seo Da-yoon looked at Lee Ye-eun, who was walking out like a zombie, with fearful eyes.

It was as if they were questioning whether that being was truly human like us. Of course not. A graduate student is not a person; a graduate student is a graduate student.

“Professor, did you perhaps find another teaching assistant?”

“That Lee Ye-eun you remember is indeed the same one.”

“Wait, that person is the sister from back then? Don’t lie.”

“They say research labs are like that.”

“Ugh, I absolutely won’t go!”

Their reaction was as if they were facing something truly horrifying.

If I had started in a research lab, would I have ended up like that? I’m glad I started as a professor.

“I think it’s about time the main professor took a look at Ye-eun’s thesis, so you all should head out now.”

“Yes!”

“Hmph.”

Ahn Se-ri scoffed without replying, maintaining her sulky stance.

Yet her body obediently followed Seo Da-yoon out of the professor’s office.

“Alright, then…”

After quickly skimming through Lee Ye-eun’s thesis, I activated my abilities.

The teachings of Sethhet──.

I felt my body gently lift. It was as if I was wrapped in a soft cloud, and soon an immense tsunami of incomprehensible information surged through my mind.

“Ugh!”

No matter when I used it, I could never quite adapt.

—

—

What I needed to focus on were the keywords of this paper.

To sift through the sea of information that passes in an instant and grasp what I wanted, I had to concentrate.

Done.

At last, I felt the information pounding into my head.