A Veteran Teaches Very Well

part 12

Then, as I moved the red pen in my hand as if it were scattering, my hand whimsically edited the paper. By the time my mind cleared, everything was finished.

“That’s a bit early, though.”

Anyway, it was finally time to leave work.

After checking my wristwatch once, I gathered my belongings.

In the meantime, I had completed enough foundational work through daily meditation. If I were to liken it to building a house, I had finished clearing the land and compacting the soil.

Now it was time to start stacking the building little by little.

This place was the Florian Academy, the best educational facility in the country. There were reliable means prepared for everything, far better than burying my head in the ground.

Normally, I would have stepped out in a stylish suit, but I couldn’t go to my destination dressed like that.

I threw on a slightly faded robe and pulled out a staff that was as tall as I was.

* * *

─Professor Cha Eun-woo, certified.

The Magic Tower.

It was an era where everyone could access magic equally, but that was limited to theory.

In a time when people could learn to exercise just by watching XTube, what was the reason to seek out a gym or sports hall? Obviously, it was because equipment was needed to work out.

Magic was no different.

Training was necessary to master magic, and there was no place more suitable than the Magic Tower. The name “Magic Tower” might evoke the image of a closed-off research facility, but in reality, it was just a school gym.

Among them, Florian’s Magic Tower was famous for its excellent facilities.

Sometimes, even graduated heroes would come back, unable to forget it.

“Whew! Whew!”

“Ugh!”

I could see wizards diligently training in magic here and there.

There were students and professors, a diverse mix.

“Cha-cha-cha!”

A muscular man lifted a heavy-looking dumbbell above his shoulders.

…What the hell, why are there dumbbells in the Magic Tower?

—

What’s with those overwhelming muscles?

“Hyuk, can you hold this for me?”

“Okay.”

Now that I look closely, something feels off.

The magic tower I had imagined was a place filled with people gasping for breath after casting a spell, but all I see here are muscle-bound figures.

Among them, the men gathered in that corner stood out the most.

While the others had solid, muscular physiques, those over there could hardly be called anything but chubby muscle-bound.

“Urah! Looks like today’s going to be a good day.”

“Oh! Professor Jeong, new record! 4,000 in the four major stats, what a monster you are!”

“Why are you embarrassing me? 5,000 is nothing for a professor, right?”

They were gym-goers, no, professors of the magic tower.

They were flaunting their robust muscles, or rather, their magic.

The “four major stats” they were talking about refer to the four elemental magics considered the pinnacle of magic: water, wind, earth, and fire. Each type of elemental magic measures power differently.

Achieving 4,000 in the four major stats meant that one’s primary stats were nearly in the high 80s. In other words, a complete monster.

I tried to subtly avoid making eye contact with those monsters, but I was caught by the nape of my neck.

“I don’t recognize that face; who’s that guy?”

“Oh, that’s him. The one who became the youngest professor this time, Professor Cha.”

“Is that so? Hey, buddy. Want to work out together?”

Shit, they’re looking this way.

Are these people really wizards?

Those bulging muscles felt overwhelmingly intimidating. It seemed like they would burst if I even brushed against them.

Building camaraderie with the professors wasn’t a bad idea, but I had no confidence in mingling among those monsters.

“I’m sorry. It’s my first time here, and I feel like I’ll just be a nuisance.”

In a flash!

As soon as I finished speaking, the muscle-bound figures came rushing at me with gleaming eyes.

Shit, I’m screwed.

I definitely felt like I had stepped on a landmine.

“Did you hear that?”

“Of course, he said it’s his first time, right?”

“Ho ho… First time at the magic tower? This kid’s not going to make it.”

—

In the fleeting moment of trying to escape, a hand gripped my shoulder.

No matter how hard I struggled to break free, the muscular grip was too strong. The humiliating part was that this hunk of muscle showed no sign of exerting any effort.

“…Isn’t the typical image of a wizard supposed to be frail?”

“What are you talking about? To be a good wizard, you need to have a healthy body. In that sense, our Professor Cha is too frail. It doesn’t look good. Don’t worry. We’ll help you out.”

“No, wait…”

“Haha, just stay still. We’ll take care of everything.”

“Hey, wait… stop!”

I tried to resist, but once caught, there was no way to escape.

After that, I learned various things from these muscle-bound figures.

…It wasn’t exactly a pleasant memory, but it was still quite helpful.

Chapter 8. Group Project

On a weekend morning, the time when people are the laziest.

While others were sleeping in the quiet dawn, Anseri was jogging at the academy.

“Phew…”

Though it was called jogging, it was more akin to a full sprint. Upon reaching her destination, Anseri’s feet came to a halt.

This was a morning exercise she had been doing since she matured.

Today, too, her day began with a drink of water against the backdrop of the sunrise.

“Two hours left until the meeting time…”

That should be enough time to relax.

Anseri returned to her dormitory.

The dormitory, which she had extensively remodeled, was an alien space that one could hardly believe was a typical dormitory.

Expensive furniture and extravagant decorations.

In particular, the bed was a custom-made luxury item designed for Anseri, who struggled to fall into a deep sleep. And there was even a teddy bear as tall as her sitting at the edge of the bed.

In many ways, it was a place that reflected Anseri’s personality.

Anseri quickly changed out of her training clothes and entered the bathroom.

With her tidy nature, she disliked wearing clothes soaked in sweat.

Naturally, the bathroom was also remodeled, equipped with various features like a spa and massage in the bathtub. Other rooms in the dormitory didn’t even have bathtubs.

After a leisurely wash, she checked the time and realized the meeting time was approaching. She quickly finished her outfit and got ready before heading out.

Arriving early for appointments was a basic quality of modern individuals.

─User authentication completed.

Florian Academy’s training ground.

Since we formed a team, we made a space to get in sync with each other.

The early gathering was met with reluctance from the members, but with time not on our side, there was no choice. In just two weeks, the first practical exam would be upon us.

“Why did you schedule this so tightly? What is this?”

I thought I was the first to arrive, but someone had beaten me to it.

With her familiar brown bob, it was Seo Da-yoon.

“Seri, good morning!”

“Yeah. You came early, huh?”

“I wanted to come first and at least warm up.”

An Se-ri nodded in satisfaction.

What a great attitude.

If only the others were this cooperative, it would be wonderful. I could only hope for that.

While An Se-ri and Seo Da-yoon were chatting about this and that, the third member arrived.

“Nice to meet you. I see the sisters are here first.”

The craziest guy who introduced himself as an Israeli.

Still, arriving ten minutes before the scheduled time was commendable.

“Abraham… right? Good morning.”

“That’s correct.”

An Se-ri found it fascinating to see Seo Da-yoon calmly conversing with such a lunatic.

After doing a bit of digging, I discovered his real name was Lee Bong-nam. To be honest, it was more of a casual inquiry than an investigation; I had just asked Cha Eun-woo.

He seemed to prefer the name Abraham much more.

As the appointed time drew near, the next person arrived.

“Hey~! Hi, hi.”

He was a man with a dangerously unsettling aura, no matter when you saw him.

Geum Tae-yang… no, Gam Mi-seong waved with a sly smile. That grin looked so treacherous that An Se-ri almost felt a chill run down her spine.

However, Seo Da-yoon greeted him with an unfazed expression.

“Yeah, hi.”

“May the Lord’s blessings be upon you, brother.”

“Uh? Uh-oh.”

The appointed time was slowly approaching.

One person is late.

Nam Hye-joo, she had a lot of complaints from the moment the appointment was set.

Ahn Se-ri felt irritation rising within her.

Then, about ten minutes later, the sound of the training room door opening echoed.

It was only after the scheduled time had passed that Nam Hye-joo made her entrance.

“Hi.”

Yet, she greeted them with a completely unrepentant face.

To create a disciplined organization, both carrots and sticks were essential.

However, a leader should wield the stick through the second-in-command while providing the carrot themselves. A strict leader would find it hard to earn the respect of their members.

The problem was that there was no one here to play that role.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Ah, sorry for being late.”

Only when Ahn Se-ri rolled her eyes did Nam Hye-joo casually offer her apology.

It was unsatisfactory. Wasn’t there anyone who could fiercely stand up for her?

Seo Da-yoon and Abraham seemed indifferent, and Gam Mi-seong appeared hesitant to speak up since the others had arrived before her.

Forget it. What could she expect from these kids?

“Now that everyone’s here, let’s…”

“Wait a minute.”

Nam Hye-joo interrupted Ahn Se-ri.

What right did she have to speak up after arriving late?

“I’ve been unhappy about this since we gathered. Honestly, where do you find a group preparing for a project starting from the second week of lectures?”

“So, you don’t want to do it?”

“If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t have come in the first place. But I did, right? So, group leader, just give me one chance.”

Nam Hye-joo flashed a chilling smile.

Madness seeped through her expression.

What was this girl planning?

“Um, what do you want?”

“Let’s fight.”

It was a sudden proposal, but it was a situation ripe for turning into an opportunity.

Alright, let’s do it.

—

Now is the time to clearly establish the hierarchy; putting on a leash will make things easier moving forward.

An Se-ri smiled softly before responding.

“If that’s what you want.”

“Oh, how generous of you.”

Nam Hye-joo looked surprised, as if she hadn’t expected such an easy acceptance.

In the sudden situation, Gam Mi-seong fidgeted anxiously.

Why are they fighting when they gathered to train? It didn’t make sense.

I tried talking to Seo Da-yoon next to me.

“Shouldn’t we stop them?”

“If it’s Se-ri, she’ll handle it well on her own.”

What’s up with her? She’s strange too.

In that unconditional trust, Gam Mi-seong thought.

I’m the only sane one in this party.

“Hey, team leader. Are you going to be okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“You dressed up so nicely, but you’re going to get hit like a dog by me.”

Nam Hye-joo grinned, revealing her white teeth.

Instead of answering, An Se-ri responded with a playful smile.

But it didn’t look like a smile at all.

“You said your weapon is a sword, right? Where….”

Then An Se-ri picked up a training sword.

Nam Hye-joo frowned at the sight.

“You’re not using a sword; it’s a bow, isn’t it?”

“How did you know that?”

“Ranking 4th in the entrance exam, it would be a spy not to know the lady of a massive guild. But let me tell you, just because you did well on that silly exam doesn’t mean the world is easy. I’ll teach you. The real deal isn’t some well-structured test.”

“I’m looking forward to it. Show me.”

Bang!

Before the words even finished, Nam Hye-joo swung her sword.

The swift and heavy strike resembled a wild animal swinging its forelimbs.

Her rough swordsmanship seemed to reflect Nam Hye-joo’s personality perfectly.

“Urrrgh!”

Despite the relentless barrage of attacks, An Se-ri remained steadfast in her defense.

Nam Hye-joo smirked.

This woman is seriously mistaken.

Does she think that just by defending, she won’t tire and fall? Unfortunately for Nam Hye-joo, she was confident in her endurance in a ground battle.

“Are you a turtle with your face tucked into your shell? Go ahead and block like that for the rest of your life! You turtle-like woman!”

Boom!

With each heavy strike, An Se-ri was visibly retreating step by step.

With every inch she gave, Nam Hye-joo’s excitement grew, and her sword swung faster.

Abraham and Seo Da-yoon watched with keen interest, while Gam Mi-seong fidgeted anxiously.

“Red sister, you’re incredibly fast.”

“Right? It’s reassuring to know she’s our ally.”

“Um… isn’t An Se-ri going to get seriously hurt like this? We need to intervene…”

“Why would Se-ri get hurt?”

“Why? Can’t you see An Se-ri is being pushed back!”

“If it’s Se-ri, she’ll handle it just fine.”

Gam Mi-seong clutched her neck in distress.

There were two zealots here.

Meanwhile, Nam Hye-joo and An Se-ri were engaged in a fierce battle disguised as a sparring match.

To be precise, Nam Hye-joo was unleashing a one-sided assault.

“Captain! If your goal is to drain my strength, you’ve made a grave mistake. The more I fight, the stronger I become!”

“I’ve seen enough; we can end this now.”

“What nonsense… huh?”

Boom!

What was that? What just happened…?

I was definitely winning. No, I was overwhelming her.

But suddenly, I came to my senses, and the wooden sword I had been holding was far away, while Nam Hye-joo stared blankly at the sky.

“What… what is that…!”

“See? Se-ri will never lose.”

As Gam Mi-seong gaped in shock, Seo Da-yoon puffed up with pride.

Nam Hye-joo muttered with a blank expression.

“What is… this?”

“It’s a bit disappointing for all the fuss, but it’s not unusable. I look forward to working with you from now on.”

A single strike.

The outcome was determined by just one sword.

She didn’t even know what had happened. It was a swordsmanship she had never seen before.

“This….”

Nam Hye-joo felt humiliation for the first time in her life, alongside a massive wall looming before her.

Is a mere archer this strong, without even wielding a sword?

She had always been called the best among her peers.

She had won many times against older adults. No matter how skilled Florian was, she thought she could defeat anyone in a one-on-one match.

Yet the world was far broader than Nam Hye-joo had imagined.

“Don’t be too disheartened. It’s me you’re up against.”

Ahn Se-ri tried to provoke her playfully, but Nam Hye-joo remained still, like a person in a daze.

Was it too much?

She seemed to have a strong pride, and Ahn Se-ri had aimed to break it, but perhaps she had gone too far.

It was only after a while that Nam Hye-joo regained her senses.

“You….”

Nam Hye-joo looked at Ahn Se-ri like a broken doll.

Her eyes were unfocused, and her voice trembled slightly.

Has she completely lost her mental composure?

“I understand your frustration, but this is reality. It’s time to accept the results and focus on our group project….”

“Impressive.”

“…Huh?”

Something felt off.

On closer inspection, a slight flush had risen to Nam Hye-joo’s face.

Her expression was animated, and her body trembled.

She thought she had lost her mind, but now it seemed she looked excited.

“Uh, um, Hye-joo?”

“I liked it. From now on, you’re mine.”

—

This is insane.

An Se-ri looked at Nam Hye-joo with a face full of disgust, but she continued speaking without a care.

“My body is tingling. I’m so excited I could go crazy. You have to take responsibility for making me this way.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“I feel like if I mix my body with yours all day, I’ll touch something. Then I can step over the wall and reach the next level.”

Nam Hye-joo’s words elicited a more intense reaction from the group than from An Se-ri.

“Uh, should we be supporting this? It feels wrong somehow…”

“Of course not! Wh-what kind of confession is that…?”

“This is heresy! The Lord has spoken, and this is an abominable act!”

Seo Da-yoon looked bewildered, Gam Mi-seong blushed as if it were her own affair, and Abraham was furious.

An Se-ri tried to respond calmly.

“…I don’t have any hobbies with girls.”

“How could you misunderstand so badly to say such nonsense? I don’t want that! That’s not what I’m suggesting!”

Instead, Nam Hye-joo flushed and got angry.