A Veteran Teaches Very Well

part 14

Since it was the same training ground and the same training session, the mistakes made by beginners were somewhat similar.

So, did he just piece it together? A hollow laugh escaped me.

At this rate, it was a mess.

Each party had different strategies they could use, and by just slapping things together like this, it didn’t fit at all.

This was wrong.

The effort he put into the assignment was meaningless.

Thud—

I set the report down in a corner of the desk and picked up another one.

This time, it was Baek Seolhwa’s report.

This report wasn’t particularly well done either.

While Oh Jae-hak’s was at least intact on the surface, Baek Seol-hwa’s was a complete mess both inside and out.

There were numerous inaccuracies, and even the few correct points often veered off course easily.

As I clicked my tongue in disapproval, Baek Seol-hwa’s expression trembled slightly.

“I have a few questions. First, Jae-hak.”

“Yes!”

“In the A group report, you mentioned using the archer. Why did you think that here?”

“Um… I thought that since wizards can only use the spells they prepared with Memorize, it would be necessary to conserve them.”

“You didn’t think of that; you saw me write it in your report, didn’t you? Am I wrong?”

“Well….”

Oh Jae-hak, caught off guard, stammered.

What a pitiful guy. I provided the model answer to the one who was bowing his head in shame.

“The party of Song Seok-hwan has a significant disparity in specs between the archer and the wizard. If you focus on the archer, it will take a lot of time. Besides, Song Seok-hwan uses magic far more frequently than others, so it makes sense to center the strategy around him in most situations.”

“Yes….”

Even though I saw Oh Jae-hak breaking down, Baek Seol-hwa’s expression remained unchanged except for a slight tension.

That was confidence.

She seemed to have faith in herself.

What on earth was she looking at?

Upon closer inspection, her eyes were bloodshot as if she had stayed up all night.

It seemed she had put quite a bit of effort into writing the report. So, she was under the illusion that she had prepared it decently.

While I appreciated the effort, the world is about results.

I’m sorry, but there was nothing to praise in this report either.

“Seol-hwa, here in group B, you mentioned using a tank to draw aggro and the archer finishing it off. Do you really think that’s possible?”

“Yes.”

“This is a lost cause. How can a damage tank, not a professional tank, perform such a role? Absolutely not.”

Baek Seol-hwa, who had confidently answered, clamped her mouth shut at my firm response.

She wanted to argue, but it seemed she lacked confidence since the professor said it wouldn’t work.

In conclusion, neither of them was particularly satisfactory.

In fact, since this assignment wasn’t given with the expectation of good results, there was no problem.

“Do it again. Remember that you can collaborate with your group members. Now, off you go.”

“…Yes.”

Oh Jae-hak and Baek Seol-hwa greeted each other and stepped outside.

Then, Ahn Se-ri and Seo Da-yoon, who had been outside, came in.

“We’re here, Professor!”

“Hello….”

Why are they back again?

Instead of greeting them, I shot them a glare, but they didn’t seem to care and plopped down on the sofa.

Well, actually, this works out.

I needed to call them in a little while anyway, and they came in on their own.

Ahn Se-ri opened the plastic bag she was holding and dumped its contents onto the table.

Out came a bunch of snacks.

“Why did you bring that into my room?”

“Want one?”

I silently accepted what Ahn Se-ri offered.

It was a packaging I had never seen before, but inside was a small bread with something green underneath.

As I popped one into my mouth and chewed, a subtle flavor spread.

This was mint chocolate.

“It’s good.”

“Right?”

Ahn Se-ri grinned widely.

At that, Seo Da-yoon looked at us with a disgusted expression.

“How can anyone eat something like that?”

“Something like what? Why mint?”

“It’s disgusting! You might as well eat toothpaste.”

“It’s delicious.”

As Seo Da-yoon grimaced, Ahn Se-ri burst into laughter.

“She just doesn’t know good taste yet.”

“Who doesn’t know taste? It’s you and the professor who have the weird taste buds.”

“Forget that, what are those two doing here? They don’t seem like a pair that would hang out together.”

“I called them.”

—

Anseri looked surprised at my answer.

It wasn’t something I needed to hide, so I laid the truth bare.

“There was a special training because the balance was off.”

“What’s that? It’s student discrimination! I want to do it too.”

“Se-ri, you already know those things. By the way, because of the special training, I have a favor to ask of you two.”

“A favor?”

“I’d like you to help those kids. There will be appropriate compensation. As for what it entails…”

Upon hearing the details, the two of them wore expressions that questioned why they should do such a thing.

It was entirely born from my own greed.

Perhaps it was a natural reaction.

“It’s not a difficult task, but… I’m not inclined to do it.”

“Me neither.”

So they really didn’t want to.

What can I do? Should I look for another way?

Just as I was trying to change my mind, the two of them whispered in voices I couldn’t hear, and then Anseri spoke.

“But… if it’s a request from the professor, I’ll do it.”

“Thank you for saying that, even though it wasn’t something you wanted to do.”

“In return, please grant us a favor later, professor.”

“Sure.”

“Really?”

Anseri wore a smile that seemed somehow anxious.

Could it be that they would do something strange?

After extracting promises several times, the two of them began to chatter while munching on snacks.

Crunch, crunch.

Are they now using my office as a study room, or a lounge?

“Don’t drop any crumbs.”

“Yes.”

I reopened the magic book I had been reading earlier.

Recently, Lee Ye-eun’s papers had become more complex and difficult.

So much so that it was hard to keep up. Lately, aside from the time spent eating, attending lectures, and exercising… no, training in magic, I was dedicating all my time to studying magic.

—

Perhaps it looked intriguing, as Seo Da-yoon glanced at my spellbook.

“Wow, it’s definitely different when you see it, Professor.”

Seo Da-yoon, majoring in magic. She must have just started with the basics.

But isn’t she one of the most talented among the playable characters?

With a hint of hope, I pulled out Lee Ye-eun’s unfinished thesis.

“If you’re interested, take a look at this too.”

“Excuse me? Y-yes….”

Her reaction seemed burdensome, but she didn’t refuse.

Seo Da-yoon began to read the first page with intense focus. Unknowingly, my gaze shifted to her.

I could hear the sound of paper rustling.

Two pages, three pages…

The speed of turning pages gradually increased. She closed the thesis without even looking at the last page.

Seo Da-yoon chuckled softly and said with a refreshing expression,

“I don’t understand any of it!”

“Right, good job.”

It’s a point of pride. You know.

Disappointment washed over me, but I didn’t let it show.

After all, it was wrong to expect much from someone who hadn’t learned anything yet.

Even if Seo Da-yoon is a genius, that’s only in practice; in theory, she couldn’t compare to Lee Ye-eun.

An Se-ri, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up.

“By the way, Professor, I’ve been curious about something—why do you speak like that?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Come on. You look like a senior, but you use a speech style that even grandfathers wouldn’t use. Are you an alien from a drama?”

“Stop with the nonsense, and if you’re done eating, clear up and leave.”

“Got it.”

She hit the nail on the head, but I responded calmly.

I had often heard that my emotions were easily read on my face, but this possessed body maintained a perfect poker face.

As An Se-ri said, it was an uncomfortable way of speaking that I wasn’t used to.

But without something like this, I felt I might forget that I was their professor.

Outwardly in my twenties, inwardly still a student on leave.

The relationship between me and those guys didn’t suit a teacher-student dynamic. It was better suited to friendship.

But my role was that of a professor.

I had to draw a line with my actions, ensuring we didn’t become too close.

“We’ll head to the next class now.”

“Goodbye…”

Even after the two left, I continued reading the magic book.

Every time I tried to take a break, distracting messages kept popping up, preventing me from doing so.

─The effect of the mentor is activated. You gain a small amount of experience. (Target: Lee Ye-eun)

If a student is working this hard, the professor shouldn’t fall behind.

Before I knew it, I had accumulated quite a bit of experience, far better than when I first created my character.

Back then, my all-stats were 10. Now, I must be around 20.

“It’s about time to solidify my class.”

I never intended to remain just a theoretical professor forever.

Of course, I didn’t plan to become the main character myself, but I had to at least guide the students until they grew.

To progress the scenario ahead, I needed to become stronger. It was crucial to determine in what direction I would grow.

Right now, I was confident only in magic.

However, it felt disappointing to end it there.

All potential stats at 99.

That meant I could do anything.

“Then it must be the magic swordsman.”

At first, it was an unexpected class, but now the conditions had changed.

Baek Seol-hwa.

When she started attending my class, the situation shifted.

─The effect of the mentor is activated. You gain a small amount of experience. (Target: Baek Seol-hwa)

I picked up the sword from a corner of the professor’s office.

At first glance, it looked like a finely crafted sword, but that was just its appearance. In reality, it was merely a decorative piece, with no edge.

But it shouldn’t be a problem to wield.

Swish—

As I drew the sword, a heavy metallic sound echoed.

It was a decorative piece that couldn’t cut a person, yet it was still a real sword. The presence of the weapon, more than its physical weight, made it feel particularly heavy.

Magic felt like a being from another world, yet it undeniably existed in the world I lived in.

Gulp.

I swallowed the saliva that had pooled in my mouth with a loud sound.

I was afraid.

Someone had said that the advancement of weaponry had diminished the guilt associated with murder.

If it were magic, I could do it. But could I kill someone with a sword?

I wasn’t sure.

“Phew, here I go.”

Swish!

As I struck the air with the sword, I heard the sound of it slicing through the atmosphere.

It was my first time, yet it felt familiar, as if I had done it before.

This is not mine.

It was an experience gained from Baeksulhwa.

Whoosh—

With a natural motion, I twisted my body, finding the sword path as my body commanded.

Perhaps it was the swordsmanship that had become second nature to her.

But I couldn’t fully take it on.

The framework was Baeksulhwa’s swordsmanship, but I had to add the flesh myself.

After stepping forward with my right foot, I raised the sword here.

And then, I spun.

Swoosh!

It felt good.

The sword path was natural. It was as smooth as if I were dancing a sword dance.

A little smoother, a little faster.

When I first created the mana heart, I recalled the concept of circles from fantasy novels.

It was the same this time.

That was all I could rely on.

They said that a knight draws out the mana within to create an aura that envelops the sword.

It was said that one could naturally realize this condition upon reaching the level of swordsmanship.

If I absorbed Baeksulhwa’s, wouldn’t I be able to do it?

Countless sword techniques naturally surfaced in my mind.

I tried to implement them one by one.

Whoosh—!

Vertical, horizontal, diagonal strikes in succession.

It was simple, yet executing it with perfect form was no easy feat.

However, the experience gained from Baeksulhwa allowed me to grasp the posture that others had honed through hundreds of swings in just a single attempt.

Whoosh—!

Next came the ten basic movements.

I unfolded each motion with precision.

“Ugh…!”

Had I passed the halfway mark? I could feel my muscles and joints screaming.

It was a bad sign.

Even if I understood the technique, my body was not yet complete, preventing me from pushing through.

“Damn it!”

I forced myself to attempt a few more movements, but they continued to creak and groan.

If I pushed any harder, I felt my body might be permanently damaged.

Was I still lacking in my ability to handle aura?

“Damn it!”

Crack!

I gripped the handle tightly and pushed my body to its limits.

I even strained the muscles that refused to move.

With nothing but the determination to create aura today.

Whoosh!

Then, the movements that had been creaking found their rhythm.

Sword techniques unfolded through sheer physical strain.

Sixth, seventh.

As I pushed my body to the point of immobility, I could feel my muscles moving vividly.

Which meant it hurt like hell.

“Graaah!”

The final tenth movement began.

Just once.

If I push hard here.

“Ugh!”

I failed to control the sword.

Instead of extending where I wanted, it was repelled back with strong force.

Damn it, it’s frustrating.

Is this something I can’t achieve without training my body?

The sword path, which had been extending so recklessly—

Clang!

“What the hell.”

I heard something shatter.

Upon closer inspection, the tip of the sword had struck a glass vase. Judging by the flowers scattered around, it seemed to be a flower vase.

What is that?

It was an alien object that clearly didn’t match the room’s design. I’ve never grown flowers in the first place.

“Ah…”

Then it’s obvious.

If there’s someone other than me who would grow flowers here…

Clatter!

“Professor, I’m here… now?”

Lee Yeo-eun, who had just entered through the door.

Her voice, which had been lively until she opened the door, suddenly plummeted, eventually dropping low enough to dig into the ground.

“Professor… why is the vase I placed like this?”

As soon as I heard her voice, I was certain I was in trouble.

It was a cold tone that anyone could tell was angry.

…From now on, I should avoid unnecessary trouble.

In the end, it was only when it was time to leave work that I could ease Lee Yeo-eun’s mood.

* * *

Late at night, in the dark dormitory, one room stood out brightly.

A monotonous dormitory room furnished only with the basic necessities. Aside from a single sword, personal belongings were limited to essentials.

The owner of this room was Baek Seolhwa.

“Haah… I don’t know.”

I had been engrossed in the assignment given by Cha Eun-woo for a long time, but there was no progress.