I Became a Troublemaker at the Academy

Ring. Ring

“Welcome… Oh, it’s you? It looks like you’re done early today.”

A woman with a neat and pure appearance, who seemed to be the owner of the café, spoke as she looked at the man who had just entered the shop.

“Yeah, today’s the guild tour day, so I handed the responsibility over to the guild guide. I guess it’s a bit awkward for the guild to show its inner workings to an academy instructor who’s officially affiliated with the association.”

“Ah, I see. Hehe, I can tell you’ve been working hard. Care for a drink?”

“A hot Americano, please. Decaf.”

Cha Joohyuk responded to his wife, Seo Yujin, in a tone noticeably softer than usual.

“Alright. Just one moment.”

Seo Yujin gave Cha Joohyuk a loving look before heading over to the coffee machine to prepare his drink.

“How’s your work as an instructor going these days? Is it manageable?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I’m getting used to it now, and the other instructors are treating me well as well.”

“Hmm… Among those other instructors, there aren’t any pretty female ones, are there?”

Seo Yujin, with a playful glint of suspicion in her eyes, glanced over at Cha Joohyuk  as she made the coffee.

“There is. Nurse Instructor Lim Eunha. She’s pretty and highly skilled.”

Cha Joohyuk, oblivious to the playful tone, answered honestly without a second thought.

Seo Yujin shook her head and let out a small sigh, clearly exasperated by her husband’s lack of tact.

“Sigh. How did I end up falling for this clueless man…?”

“… Did I do something wrong again?”

As Seo Yujin sighed in frustration, Cha Joohyuk scratched his cheek with a troubled expression on his face, realizing that his blunt nature had likely caused another slip-up.

“Pfft.”

Seo Yujin watched her flustered husband with eyes full of love and smiled softly as she placed the freshly brewed coffee on the table.

“I’m just teasing you. I know that you only have eyes for me. Here’s your coffee. Besides, it’s good to see you adjusting well now. I’ve been feeling guilty, making you quit your previous job…”

“We agreed not to talk about that. The reason I quit wasn’t just for you, Yujin. You know that job wasn’t great to begin with. It was dangerous, too. I’m happy with what I’m doing now, and I’m content living like this with you.”

“… Thank you for saying that. And I’m sorry for making you worry. I guess I’ve just felt uneasy about it for a while…”

“There’s no need to apologize. I’d do anything for you, Yujin, so don’t feel uneasy or guilty. And thank you for being honest with me. I may have a sharp sense in battle, but when it comes to emotions, I’m a bit dull.”

“Honey…”

Seo Yujin gazed affectionately at Cha Joohyuk, clearly moved by his heartfelt words.

Cha Joohyuk, a former secret special agent under the Association, had once worked primarily against notorious villains, often making him a target of their vengeance.

Because of this, he was left with no other choice but to quit his dangerous job to ensure the safety of his beloved wife, Seo Yujin, who was an ordinary person.

Seo Yujin had always felt guilty, thinking that Cha Joohyuk quit his special agent role because of her.

However, Cha Joohyuk was more than satisfied with his current peaceful life with her and was truly happy.

As she watched him leisurely enjoy his coffee, Seo Yujin suddenly remembered something and walked over to the kitchen, returning with a paper bag.

“Oh, right! I baked those cookies you asked for the other day. But why the sudden request for cookies? You don’t even like sweet things that much. Don’t tell me… are you planning to give them to that pretty instructor, Lim Eunha?”

Seo Yujin handed him the paper bag filled with cookies, playfully teasing him.

“No, they’re not for Instructor Lim Eunha. I’m planning to give them to a cadet as a thank-you. Thanks to that cadet, I realized something during the last class.”

“Huh… If they made you realize something, that cadet must be quite skilled.”

“Actually, it’s the opposite. The cadet is in the middle-lower range of the class. There’s something a bit odd about them, though…”

Cha Juhyuk trailed off and took another sip of his coffee.

Seo Yujin, intrigued by his vague response, leaned in closer, her curiosity piqued.

“What do you mean? You can’t just leave me hanging like that! Tell me, come on!”

She grabbed hold of his shoulder and gently shook him, urging him to continue.

Seeing her cute behavior, a faint smile appeared on Cha Joohyuk’s usually stoic face.

“I’m not sure how to explain it, but… They don’t seem to have any natural talent for martial arts. Yet, their quick judgment and combat sense are better than any other cadet. And somehow, their physical abilities seem to have drastically improved this week, as if they drank a ton of elixirs.”

“I think you’re more amazing for being able to notice all that just by observing them. Hasn’t it only been a week since the semester started?”

“Well, that’s thanks to my unique ability… But by the way, why is that mask still hanging up? What if someone recognizes it?”

Cha Joohyuk, enjoying the aroma of his coffee, pointed to a black mask hanging on the wall in the corner of the café.

“Oh, come on, who would recognize it? It just feels like a protective charm from the days when you were doing dangerous work… Hehe, oppa, let me keep it on display, okay?”

Seo Yujin’s sudden burst of cuteness left Cha Joohyuk unable to protest further, and he simply smiled.

The black mask, resembling a crow, was the one Cha Joohyuk had worn throughout his academy days and during his career as a secret special agent.

Whether the mask would remain a guardian charm or become a seed of misfortune, only time would tell.

***

“It looks like most of you have formed your teams. Team leaders, please come up and grab the bands that distinguish between defenders and attackers. You can tie them wherever they’re visible — blue for the defender, red for the attackers. Oh, and the numbers on the bands represent your team. Now, let’s head inside the Dungeon Simulation Center. Sunah, are you ready?”

“Yes, Guild Master.”

At Baek Arin’s call, Kim Sunah responded promptly and began manipulating a tablet she was holding.

Kugugung!

A large iron door opposite the entrance slowly slid open, revealing the interior.

Inside the dungeon simulation center, surrounded by walls and a dome-shaped ceiling, was an expansive space with a smooth stone floor.

All the cadets, except Han Suyeon and Ko Jooyeon, stood in awe, mouths agape at the massive scale of the space.

Seeing their reactions, Baek Arin added a bit more explanation.

“This is the interior of the White Flower Guild’s proud Dungeon Simulation Center. It spans a massive radius of 2 kilometers. Cadets, please enter and find a spot to wait. In exactly 10 minutes, the environment will start to change, and the ‘Tag’ event will officially begin.”

With Baek Arin’s final instructions, the cadets began entering the simulation center one by one.

“Let’s head in as well.”

Nod, nod.

After entering the Dungeon Simulation Center and searching for an appropriate location, Kim Baram asked the two others for their thoughts on the strategy.

“So, let’s decide on the defender and attackers. Since there’s only one defender, it’s better to figure that out first. Who do you think should be the defender?”

As soon as he finished asking, both of them turned their heads and stared directly at Kim Baram, saying nothing.

Feeling a bit uneasy at their silence, he pointed at himself.

“Me…?”

Nod, nod.

Both of them nodded at the same time, without even the slightest bit of hesitation on their parts.

‘They really were in sync, these girls.’ 

Well, he figured he should be the defender anyway.

‘These two will handle things perfectly on their own. As long as I do my part, getting first place isn’t impossible. I just hope the strategy works as planned.’

Kim Baram handed them each a red band and tied the blue band around his right wrist.

The number “3” was written on the bands they wore.

‘So, we’re team 3.’

After dividing their roles and finding a suitable spot to wait, Baek Arin’s sweet voice echoed throughout the Dungeon Simulation Center.

[Is everyone ready? Then I’ll activate the Dungeon Simulation Center. Your goal is to overcome the environment and be the last one standing to win.]

With Baek Arin’s words, a giant blue magic circle appeared on the floor, walls, and ceiling of the Dungeon Simulation Center.

Woom.

The magic circle glowed blue and vibrated softly, and within moments, the center was transformed into a snowstorm.

The terrain itself gradually shifted into a snowy landscape filled with forests and hills.

Whoosh.

Despite being hit directly by the wind and freezing snow, Kim Baram didn’t feel cold at all.

‘It looks like the environment is the same as in the original story — a snowy field. It must be around minus 60 degrees Celsius. I’m not cold at all, thanks to the skill.’

Kim Baram marveled at the power of the skill for a moment, then glanced over at Han Suyeon and Ko Jooyeon beside him.

Thankfully, Han Suyeon, with her fire attribute magic, didn’t seem to be affected by the cold, either.

‘But Ko Jooyeon, on the other hand…’

Though her expression remained unchanged, the tips of her nose and ears were turning red due to the cold.

Watching her carefully, Kim Baram checked his own condition carefully before walking over to her.

“Ko Jooyeon.”

At his call, Ko Jooyeon turned to look at him.

With her red nose and cute face, she reminded him of a white snow rabbit.

“…?”

When Kim Baram said nothing after calling her name, merely staring at her, she tilted her head and asked, “…Why?”

“Oh, uh… You seem cold. Here, wear this.”

Realizing he had been staring, Kim Baram snapped out of it and took off his uniform jacket, draping it over her shoulders.

Ko Jooyeon stared at my jacket for a moment before straightening it and buttoning it up.

‘She’s small, so it fits well.’

“Thanks.”

Woosh.

With a brief word of thanks, she turned her attention back to the front.

Just as he was about to look away from her, Kim Baram noticed that the tips of her ears had turned even redder than before.

‘I guess she’s really sensitive to the cold.’

Ding.

[Player ‘Kim Baram’s’ unique ability has been activated.]

[You have gained favor with the character ‘Ko Jooyeon.’ You gain 100 VP. Ko Jooyeon’s opinion of Kim Baram is now ‘Friendly.’]

***

“Aren’t you… really cold?”

“Huh? Oh, no. I’m naturally resistant to the cold, haha…”

Han Suyeon was eyeing Kim Baram suspiciously, noticing that he was only wearing his shirt in the freezing cold weather.

“There he is!”

“Kim Baram is the defender! Let’s go catch him!”

“You lucky bastard! You’re dead if we catch you!”

Just as he was trying to avoid Han Suyeon’s suspicious gaze, Kim Baram heard several voices shouting from the top of a nearby hill, filled with what sounded like rage.

‘What’s with the envy at the end?’

Though he didn’t understand the last part, he turned my head toward the source of the shouting.

A short distance away, four out of six cadets were running through the snow — heading directly toward him.

“What the… Are they working together?”

“It looks like it,” Han Suyeon replied, observing the two teams. She then turned to Kim Baram and Ko Jooyeon.

“Jooyeon, you and I will each take one of their defenders. Kim Baram, you just focus on running. I’m counting on you.”

With that, Han Suyeon sprinted off toward one of the defenders at high speed.

But Ko Jooyeon remained standing still, even after hearing Han Suyeon’s instructions.

“… Why aren’t you going?”

“Who’s the defender?”

Ko Jooyeon’s sudden question made Kim Baram tilt his head in confusion before he turned his gaze toward the other defenders.

‘Is the snowstorm making it hard for her to see the other teams’ bands?’

“See the guy on the far right, in the back, wearing glasses and kind of short? That’s the defender.”

After Kim Baram’s detailed explanation, Ko Jooyeon seemed to understand right away, nodding her head.

She was about to set off but then paused, turning back toward him before speaking.

“I’ll be back.”

Crackle.

Before her words even fully left her lips, yellow lightning magic gathered at her feet, and in an instant, she shot off toward the enemy defender, moving even faster than Han Suyeon.

Meanwhile, Kim Baram watched as Ko Jooyeon sped away at an incredible pace, and then shifted his gaze to the four cadets charging directly toward him with murderous intent in their eyes.

He couldn’t help but think.

‘Maybe it would’ve been better if Ko Jooyeon had been the defender.’