A Veteran Teaches Very Well

part 20

“Hey, this is not a place for freshmen.”

“I, I didn’t know…”

Seo Da-yoon’s mind went blank.

She had never heard such a thing before.

But it was the professor who had brought her here, wasn’t it?

Yet, the seniors had no reason to lie. Perhaps the professor had made a mistake…

“Consider yourself lucky we met. If it were someone else, you would have been in big trouble. Since it’s your first time and you didn’t know, I’ll let it slide this time, but don’t ever come back. Got it?”

“Um, um…”

She couldn’t just leave like this.

The professor was waiting inside.

What would the professor think if she didn’t return? They would probably see her as a coward who ran away because the training was too hard.

She didn’t want that.

Summoning her courage, Seo Da-yoon spoke up.

“I, I can’t leave here.”

“What?”

The expressions of the third-years twisted into menacing scowls.

If it had been anyone else, a freshman stepping into the Central Magic Tower would have been met with immediate hostility.

Just being let off with a warning was already a special privilege, and yet she dared to refuse?

This was a challenge to the authority of the upperclassmen.

The red-haired one scolded her angrily.

“Hey, freshman. Listen carefully. Right now, you’re challenging the authority of your seniors. Do you understand? You don’t want to live the academy life, do you?”

“…”

“You freshmen are not allowed in the Central Magic Tower. So get out right now.”

Seo Da-yoon thought.

Authority of the seniors? What could be the reason for such a statement?

The way they brought it up made it sound like there was no issue according to the school rules.

“So, that means there’s no rule against me coming here, right?”

“Ugh?”

The red-haired one growled fiercely, but deep down, they were flustered.

Citing the school rules was the right thing to do.

That’s why I had no proper rebuttal.

As the red-haired one faltered, the yellow-haired one stepped in.

“Hey, freshman. It’s only been a few days since you enrolled, and you’re already throwing around the school rules? It’s ridiculous. The rule is that juniors listen to seniors, and seniors teach juniors well—what part of that is a rule?”

As the yellow-haired one asserted their authority to intimidate, Seo Da-yoon was terrified.

But disappointing the professor in front of her was even scarier than the senior looming over her.

What would Serira do in this situation?

Seo Da-yoon spoke the words that came to her mind.

“Teaching juniors well is what makes a senior, right? How is it teaching when a senior throws their weight around and chases juniors away?”

“What, what? I can’t believe this….”

The yellow-haired one’s face flushed at Seo Da-yoon’s words.

The green-haired one, who had been quietly listening from the back, stepped forward.

“This girl is something else. She treats seniors like they’re her friends. Do you think we look like friends?”

Bang—!

The green-haired one kicked the wall next to Seo Da-yoon.

She barely mustered the courage, but in the face of the violence before her, her mind went blank.

“No… that’s….”

“Do you think the senior is easy to deal with, huh?”

“Eek!”

As they raised their hand as if to strike, Seo Da-yoon covered her face with her arms.

She didn’t want to feel pain.

She was scared of getting hurt.

The third-years laughed at Seo Da-yoon.

“Hey, hey. She’s going to cry. Take it easy.”

“No way. A girl like this needs to be taught a lesson. How dare she glare at a senior?”

Ah, how pathetic.

Why do they keep acting like this?

Try being like Serira? That was a ridiculous thought.

I’m not Se-ri, so how can I act like Se-ri?

The seniors kept chattering in front of me.

Every time they mocked and sneered, my heart felt like it was being torn apart.

I hate it.

I hated those people, but I hated myself even more.

How could someone like me change? I just did what I was told, apologized when I was scolded, took the hits as they came, just, just…

It made me so miserable that I felt like I was about to burst into tears.

“What’s all this commotion?”

At that moment, a familiar voice came from behind me.

It was a voice laced with enough anger for anyone to recognize.

But for some reason, to Seo Da-yoon, that voice sounded gentle.

Is this what it would be like if a prince from a fairy tale spoke to me?

“Oh, no, we were…”

The third years exchanged glances.

The person in front of them was a professor.

It wouldn’t be strange for a professor to think that several upperclassmen were bullying a lowerclassman.

The third years thought they needed to clear up this misunderstanding quickly.

As a representative, the red-haired Cha Eun-woo spoke up.

“We were educating the lowerclassman.”

“What kind of education?”

“That kid disrespected the seniors. So we were trying to establish the hierarchy…”

“Enough.”

There’s a saying that when faced with an overwhelming force, your whole body goes numb and tingly.

Veteran heroes might have experienced it often, but for students, it was not a common experience. The third years felt the same way.

It was the first time encountering such an overwhelming presence.

As they faced it, their hands and feet trembled.

“That’s not the kind of kid he is.”

There was a heavy trust in the voice that made one doubt whether it was directed at the freshman.

There was no logic.

It was completely incomprehensible.

However, there was no courage to dare to say otherwise.

“Explain exactly what happened.”

“Um, well…”

The third years exchanged glances, hesitating and ultimately falling silent.

In their stead, Cha Eun-woo spoke.

“The first years stepping into the central tower probably didn’t sit well with you. Am I right?”

“…Yes.”

It hit the mark.

The third years felt exposed in front of Cha Eun-woo. They felt that any lie they might tell would be seen through completely.

Cha Eun-woo smirked coldly and said,

“There won’t be a next time. You can go.”

“Yes, yes!”

Without waiting for anyone to lead, they all fled.

Cha Eun-woo muttered to himself.

This isn’t even serious enough to be referred to the disciplinary committee.

As his gaze turned, Seo Da-yoon lowered her head deeply.

“I’m sorry…”

How foolish. She had only caused trouble for the professor by acting up for no reason.

She should have just left when the seniors chased her out.

It would have been better to be thought of as someone lacking perseverance.

Indeed, what suited her was to bow her head and apologize.

Seo Da-yoon would never become like Ahn Se-ri, even after a hundred years.

What am I even apologizing for?

For causing trouble with the seniors?

For running into them while going to get a drink?

Or for asking the professor to be stronger?

Or perhaps… for being someone like me getting involved with the professor at all?

Ah— I hate this.

“Do you think saying sorry will change anything?”

Cha Eun-woo neither scolded nor forgave her.

He spoke just like that, casually.

“Don’t be someone who apologizes next time.”

“Excuse me? Yes…”

It’s not that I shouldn’t do things that warrant an apology, but to not be someone who apologizes? What does that even mean?

Seo Da-yoon merely nodded.

Cha Eun-woo sighed and then spoke.

“You said you wanted to be strong.”

“Yes.”

“What do you think it means to be strong? If you become the top student at the academy, or if you become an S-rank hero, or if you become the leader of the best guild in Korea, does that make you strong?”

“W-well…”

Seo Da-yoon fumbled for an answer.

She had never thought about it that way.

She just wanted to be someone who could help her teammates.

Still, she managed to squeeze out a response.

“Maybe not…?”

“That’s an illusion. Even if you become the number one hero in Korea, if you’re afraid of those punks, you’ll remain weak forever. What’s important isn’t strength. To truly be strong, your heart must be strong.”

“Heart…?”

“Yes, heart. Remember this. If you want to be strong, you must never lose in your heart, no matter who you meet in the future. If you do, that’s when you truly lose.”

Seo Da-yoon felt as if she had been struck with a hammer.

The professor was right.

If it were Ahn Se-ri, would she have cowered and apologized in front of a stronger upperclassman?

No.

That girl would never bend.

I see.

Ahn Se-ri’s strength didn’t come from being born into a good family, having good grades, speaking eloquently, being kind, or being pretty.

Ahn Se-ri was strong because her heart was strong.

Conversely, Seo Da-yoon was weak because she easily bowed to everyone and gave up too easily.

That’s why she was weak.

Even if Seo Da-yoon had been born the child of a powerful guild leader, even if she had topped the entrance exam, even if she were smart, even if she were beautiful, she would still be weak.

Her heart must be strong.

The words lodged deep in Seo Da-yoon’s mind.

“Yes.”

Cha Eun-woo smiled softly.

Her eyes had finally become bearable to look at.

Nothing would change immediately.

A resolution lasts three days. No matter how grand the determination, people tend to revert back to their old selves after just three days.

Still, it’s better than doing nothing at all.

If she turns back into a coward every three days, then she can just renew her resolve each time.

Step by step.

Little by little, as she walks out, one day Seo Da-yoon will become a hero stronger than anyone else.

* * *

After solving a small incident, I finished teaching Seo Da-yoon the beginner’s routine.

Veterans always emphasized the importance of having a partner during magical training.

I didn’t like the clingy professors, but I benefited quite a bit from it.

So, I continued to oversee Seo Da-yoon’s training.

As a result, I found myself empathizing with those people.

Teaching a newbie turned out to be more enjoyable than I expected.

“Your posture is a mess. Raise your back a bit more.”

“Pro, Professor… I can’t… I can’t do it…”

“Why not? Like this. Like this.”

“Hiiik!”

As I held her back and pushed, Seo Da-yoon let out a loud cry.

How little had she moved her body for it to be this stiff?

A girl’s body shouldn’t be this inflexible.

“Come on, a bit more. More.”

As I applied more pressure, a cracking sound echoed from her back.

Crack!

Seo Da-yoon couldn’t hold it in and screamed.

“Ahhh! Professor, I think my bone is broken! I’m going to die!”

“Stay still. It’s just that your body is changing for the better…”

Thud thud thud!

Crack! Snap!

Crash!

…Is that the sound of bones?

As I continued, I wasn’t even sure if it was happening to me.

Is this a good thing?

Ah, I don’t know.

Let’s just try it and think later. It’s a fantasy game, after all; surely it’ll work out somehow?

To apply more pressure, I lifted my hands and stepped on her back, putting my weight down.

Only Seo Da-yoon’s cries echoed pitifully.

After finishing the last set, I finally let her go.

Then, a weak voice escaped from Seo Da-yoon’s lips.

“Ugh, it hurts so much…”

Seeing that she still had the energy for some wordplay, I figured I could push her a bit more.

Should I teach her another training method while I’m at it?

“Rest is over. Now, get up.”

“I-I’m really going to die! Wait, Professor…”

“Today, I’m going to teach you something fun. It’s called Pankos.”

Upon seeing the Pankos, Seo Da-yoon’s mouth fell open in awe.

It was a long platform with a support structure attached.

On the support, there was a long bar, and plates were stacked on either side of the floor.

“Isn’t that just a bench press?”

“Oh no. It’s called Pankos.”

“If I could just rest a little…”

I dragged Seo Da-yoon and laid her on the Pankos.

Then I instructed her to lift the bar—no, not dumbbells, but the bar—with both hands.

“I’ll show you the basic position. Here, the width of your arms should be…”

“Professor Cha, can we talk for a moment?”

Just as I was getting excited, an unexpected guest appeared.

Looking back, I saw the third-year students I had encountered on the first day, along with a man I had never met before.

The man, sporting a stylish mustache, had a rather unpleasant demeanor.

“Who are you?”

The mustache addressed me with an air of condescension that felt all too natural.

He was probably a professor, just like me.

From the atmosphere, it was clear he hadn’t come to apologize for the rudeness of his students; it seemed the traffic light crew had summoned him for revenge.

“We’re meeting for the first time, I believe? I’m Jeon Tae-jin, a professor in the Department of Magical Studies.”

An unexpected name surfaced.

Department of Magical Studies, Jeon Tae-jin.

I had no idea he was connected to those third-year students; it was a truly unfortunate entanglement.

This man was my teaching assistant, Lee Ye-eun’s former advisor.

* * *

In the society of heroes, meritocracy reigns supreme.

No matter how celebrated a great hero may have been in the past, if they cannot demonstrate their abilities in the present, that’s the end of their story.

Scholars, too, may have written remarkable papers in the past, but if they fail to produce significant results in recent years, their standing diminishes, and their authority vanishes like a mirage.

Jeon Tae-jin.

He’s trash, yet he commands great respect from many students and professors.

The reason is that Jeon Tae-jin is a capable piece of trash.

In Florian, there exists a title known as the “Top Professor.”

It’s not an official position, but professors and students in each department refer to the one they consider the best in that field by this name. For instance, there’s the Sword Master, Jo Seong-woong.

Only skill matters.

With that alone, Jeon Tae-jin could maintain his neck intact, no matter the misdeeds he committed behind the scenes.

Seeing that he brought the third-year students along, it seemed his visit was a continuation of the first day.

Did those third-years manage to sway the top professor?

That couldn’t be true.

Those kids were merely pawns.

Jeon Tae-jin had come to see me for personal reasons.

The only connection between us was Lee Ye-eun.

And that was certainly not going to be a good thing for her.

I needed to come out strong from the very beginning.

—

“I am well aware of your reputation, Professor.”

Did Jeon Tae-jin think I would praise him? He shrugged his shoulders with an arrogant expression.

What nonsense.

Do you think I’m crazy enough to compliment you?

“Aren’t you the one who threatened other professors not to accept your student as a research assistant after failing to harass a student who could be your daughter?”

“Wh-what nonsense are you spouting…!”

Jeon Tae-jin shouted in a fit of rage.

The third-year students looked at him with eyes wide open in disbelief.

His face turned crimson, but he tried hard to appear nonchalant.

“Ahem, it seems Professor Cha has misunderstood something from strange rumors. I am not that kind of person.”

After taking a deep breath, Jeon Tae-jin began his self-defense.

“I may have made various demands of my students. But do you think it was for my own greed? No. There are so many kids who want to learn from me that I had to be selective. I’m just giving opportunities to those who are the most eager among them.”

Jeon Tae-jin boldly spewed nonsense.

It was absurd.

If he truly believed that, he should not have retaliated against Lee Ye-eun.

As I scoffed, Jeon Tae-jin glared at me as if he wanted to kill me.