I’ll Retire After Saving the World - Chapter 114: Favorite Disciple (1)

TL: SHW

“Alright, you all saw the two teachers sparring, right?”

Hong Seok-young gathered the children and spoke.

“How was it?”

“Even if you ask how it was….”

“We couldn’t see anything towards the end.”

“Did anyone see?”

The children looked at each other and then shook their heads.

“No.”

“Nope.”

“You’ve still got a long way to go. Looks like you’ll have to work even harder, huh?”

“Even more than this?”

“You all are the first batch of students at the prestigious Hunter Academy Pilot High School. Your teacher has a reputation to uphold. Don’t you agree?”

“That’s your reputation, teacher!”

A few kids protested, but it was obvious they were just saying it for the sake of it.

Hong Seok-young, finding them amusing, chuckled before motioning to Han Tae-kyung and me with his hand. Han Tae-kyung quickly approached Hong Seok-young, but I just shrugged and pointed to Mini-me, who was clinging tightly to my leg.

Now free from the other kids, Mini-me kicked my calf, but that was all. In the end, when surrounded by unfamiliar faces, you naturally stick to the ones you know.

Seeing Mini-me, Hong Seok-young nodded knowingly and then shifted his gaze.

“Teacher Han will be staying here as well. He won’t be in charge of any classes, but he’s more than capable of guiding you. If you have any questions while practicing, ask Teacher Han. Got it?”

“Yes!”

“Good energy. Alright, then today’s lesson is….”

Hong Seok-young slowly turned towards me.

“Teacher Woo.”

For the first time since Han Tae-kyung spoke, I met Hong Seok-young’s eyes directly.

There was no great shock. They weren’t filled with their usual mischief, nor did they carry his usual sly smile. They weren’t warm like a father’s, nor even doubtful like when we first met.

There was nothing in Hong Seok-young’s eyes.

He wasn’t looking at Woo Hwijae, the son of his father.

He wasn’t looking at Woo Hwijae, the internal whistleblower of Ark.

He was just looking at me like I was a random tree on the roadside, without any emotion.

I would have preferred an openly hostile gaze. Rather than a look that made it seem as if I had no value at all to my father.

“Teacher Woo?”

I blinked.

Hong Seok-young called out to me with a concerned expression. The empty look I had just seen was gone without a trace.

…Did I see it wrong? Am I really that exhausted these days?

I looked down at the weight hanging at my waist. Yeah, no wonder I’m tired.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.

To be honest, I have no idea how to get out of this one. I managed to pass Hong Seok-young’s test regarding Kim and even the supposed existence of a nonexistent younger brother, but this time, I really don’t know.

But my father always said,

‘No matter what happens, keep a cool head.’

Of course, he wasn’t saying it to me.

But so what? He wasn’t wrong. As long as I stay focused, I can get through this again. It’ll work out somehow. If they planned to deal with me right away, they wouldn’t be putting me in charge of a class like this.

“It is my turn to teach, but…”

“Is it?”

“Yes.”

“Then Han teacher, watch carefully how Teacher Woo teaches.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And…”

Hong Seok-young’s gaze shifted, from me to something lower.

“How about our little one stay with the teacher? You can’t disturb your brother while he’s working.”

“…….”

Mini-me flinched in surprise and hid behind me.

But Mini-me isn’t the type to hold back what he wants to say.

“I’m going to watch my brother from here.”

“Woo I-rok. How should you speak to adults?”

“…I’m going to watch.”

“You’re curious about what your brother does at work? Alright, then let’s sit over there under the parasol and watch. Where’s Hunter Ji? Bring something for the kid to snack on.”

Hong Seok-young grinned as he led Mini-me away. Of course, Mini-me didn’t follow obediently, so I had to carry him and place him on a chair.

Soon, Kim Chae-min joined them under the parasol. Lee Mi-seon joined in as well.

Hong Seok-young didn’t say anything.

Th𝘪𝙨 𝘤h𝒶pƚ𝘦r 𝘪𝐬 pɵʂ𝖙℮ⅾ b𝑦 𝘒𝗂𝐭𝑒𝙣Օѵ𝘦𝐥

“Sunbae, then I’ll be in your care!”

“…In my care for what?”

“For your guidance and encouragement?”

“What kind of guidance and encouragement?”

“In dramas, all new employees say this to their seniors.”

Han Tae-kyung smiled brightly, completely unaware of the weight of his own words. My reflection appeared in his sunglasses. My eyes were too tense. I wiped my face with my palm.

I couldn’t let myself be shaken by Hong Seok-young, who wasn’t even my father. Just act like it’s nothing. It really might be nothing, after all.

“Alright then, for today….”

“Teacher, can I have a consultation?”

Han Eun-young raised her hand high. From her hardened expression, I could already guess what she wanted to talk about.

“If it’s about dropping out, the answer is no.”

“…….”

“Since we have a new teacher today, why don’t you all show off your skills a bit?”

“You always say our skills are too embarrassing to show anyone.”

“That’s exactly why we should at least show them here.”

“…….”

I glanced at the parasol. Even Mini-me, who had been wary of adults, seemed to have grown familiar with them after seeing their faces here for a while. He was chattering about something.

If I heightened my senses, I could hear him. But I didn’t want to. I turned my back to the parasol, pretending not to notice.

I wished the class wouldn’t end. Because once it did, Hong Seok-young would ask me. He’d ask what was going on.

And then I would have to…

I would have to.

But even after the lesson ended, even as the sun set, Hong Seok-young didn’t ask me anything.

A day passed, then two. Han Eun-young kept coming every morning with her withdrawal papers in hand.

Still, Hong Seok-young never asked me anything.

Instead, Yoo Ji-eun did.

“Teacher, will you take me as your disciple?”

***

Yoo Ji-eun was a person who lived like a storm of fire.

I don’t mean she looked rough or had a harsh personality, though, to be fair, her personality was quite abrasive. But that wasn’t what I was referring to.

She was like a wildfire raging through a storm.

Where she passed, nothing remained. Only ashes and the scent of burning. She burned everything away, without hesitation.

But at the center of that storm was a quiet woman with somber eyes. Someone who didn’t care at all about the world she was setting ablaze, someone who swallowed everything down without even knowing what she was angry about.

‘Hello. I’m Yoo Ji-eun.’

The black uniform of the Pilot High School looked almost like mourning attire.

I had been deceived by her staggering, thin frame and pale complexion. The moment she picked up a wooden sword, she transformed.

‘Aaaaaaah!!!’

With a feral scream, she charged at my father. She seemed more like a beast than a human.

Her attacks weren’t so much sword swings as they were wild clubbing strikes. My father easily blocked them with a long staff in place of a spear.

‘You’re doing it again! What did I tell you, Ji-eun?’

There were no complicated movements. Everything was slow and simple enough for even a child like me to follow. Yet, those simple movements made Yoo Ji-eun lose her grip on her sword.

‘…….’

‘I told you, as long as your fighting style works, it doesn’t matter what it looks like.’

‘…Yes.’

‘Scream if you want. Did you see Seo-hyun? She does it well.’

My father continued, his face full of disapproval. Strange names came up one by one. It was much later that I would meet the people behind them.

‘And what about Hyun-wook? Sometimes he even runs on all fours. But that doesn’t cause any problems, does it?’

Hunters really were strange creatures. I remember vaguely thinking that.

‘But you must never lose your composure. No matter what happens, your mind must stay cool.’

My father tapped his shoulder with the staff before pointing at Yoo Ji-eun.

‘Otherwise, you’ll die a pointless death.’

‘…….’

Yoo Ji-eun’s eyes widened. I remember calmly wondering if it hurt her to open her eyes that wide.

‘Everything else can burn. You can lose it. You can forget it. But keep your mind cold and remember everything.’

‘…Yes.’

‘Then, let’s try again.’

The moment my father finished speaking, Yoo Ji-eun let out another scream and charged at him.

She was the only one, aside from me, who had ever accompanied my father on his mountain training. Oh Hyun-wook had come once or twice, but after he founded his guild, he never returned.

‘Teacher. I’m here.’

Yoo Ji-eun, having received my father’s teachings, became a Hunter who put all of his lessons into practice.

She would let out a scream before attacking, though it could hardly be called a proper battle cry. She didn’t mind crawling on the ground. If necessary, she was even prepared to tear a monster apart with her teeth. And yet, she always remained composed, always assessed her surroundings with a cold mind, and always approached dungeons rationally.

My father was proud of her. Even Yoo Ji-eun, who would glare at reporters like she was ready to bite their heads off whenever they came for interviews, turned into a docile lamb in front of him.

‘Is that the sword?’

‘Yes. Don’t grab it. The Team 1 Leader got burned when he touched it.’

‘Han Tae-kyung, that guy?’

‘He actually liked that no one could steal it.’

‘Han Tae-kyung, that guy….’

Yoo Ji-eun scoffed and pulled the sword out of her bag. The moment she unsheathed it, sparks crackled and scattered.

‘Whoa. Be careful. A fall forest catches fire easily.’

‘But this is your private land, teacher.’

‘And does that mean it’s okay to start a fire?’

‘Well… no, but….’

‘Ji-eun, no matter how important dungeon raiding is, you shouldn’t meet with Han Tae-kyung too often. It’ll ruin your personality.’

‘…….’

Pointless chatter. This wasn’t the important part. What came next.

‘The blade has gotten sharper. Very nice.’

And then.

‘Huh? I told them not to call at this time… What? Have those bastards gone crazy, really!!! Wait. I’ll be right there.’

Here.

Despite wearing the hat of Director of the Ability Management Agency, father was an active Hunter. The strongest Hunter had to continue raiding dungeons even after rising to that position.

Father looked at me apologetically.

‘Hwijae.’

‘Go quickly.’

‘…My Hwijae. When did you become so mature?’

‘I’ve always been mature.’

I shrugged.

‘Isn’t it urgent? Hurry up and go. I’ll come down later with Ji-eun noona.’

‘It’s just that I feel bad. I’ll finish quickly and come back. Let’s go eat something delicious together, alright?’

Seeing that he wasn’t dragging out the conversation, it must have been a really urgent matter. I watched as he hurriedly descended the mountain, then turned to Yoo Ji-eun.

We had known each other for a long time, and she was my father’s disciple, so I offered a congratulatory remark.

‘Heard you got promoted?’

‘That’s what you call a promotion?’

‘Uncle called it a promotion. So it is one. Congrats.’

‘You don’t look like you’re congratulating me, though.’

‘My face is always like this.’

The gloomy high school girl I first met was hard to find now. Yoo Ji-eun could now burst into laughter without hesitation. She could even mess up my hair playfully, just like my father.

But that gloomy high school girl hadn’t completely disappeared. She appeared when Yoo Ji-eun stared at empty space without a word. When she heard about civilian casualties from a dungeon break. When a Hunter from a raid party died.

The pale-faced girl would take Yoo Ji-eun’s place.

Just like now.

Even so, Yoo Ji-eun deliberately spoke in a bright voice. Or rather, not bright, but…

‘Woo Hwijae. You said you weren’t going to be a Hunter.’

‘Yeah.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I don’t want to.’

Yoo Ji-eun had gotten angry when I said I wouldn’t enter Hunter Academy. I should have expected this too. I should have followed father down the mountain earlier.

‘But you’ll get your license, right?’

‘Yeah.’

‘But you won’t be a Hunter?’

‘Yeah.’

‘I told you. Because I don’t want to.’

Yoo Ji-eun exhaled roughly at my words. Ah. This is about to explode.

‘After everything teacher did for you, you shouldn’t be like this!!’

“I’ll work really hard! Please accept me as your disciple!”

Why did the memory of big Yoo Ji-eun getting angry at little Yoo Ji-eun’s words come to mind?

***

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