Ch.185Isn’t Summer Break Meant for Rest? – 1

The new instructor at the Academy, none other than Rina!

As she shows her resolute determination to push the students hard, her life as an instructor begins―

‘Actually, it didn’t.’

Although Hakjun Ma approved the instructor position, she didn’t actually receive it.

Did Rina cause another incident in the meantime? No, that’s not it.

The reason she hasn’t officially become an instructor yet, despite getting approval, is extremely simple.

[Academy Summer Vacation]

That vacation season found in every educational institution from elementary school to university has arrived.

Normally, this vacation season should bring many events.

The Great Cataclysm should also intensify tremendously around summer vacation.

But now things have become so twisted that it exploded massively, rendering everything meaningless.

“Everyone worked hard this semester!”

“Take care! Keep in touch!”

“Let me know if you come to Busan?! I’ll definitely buy you drinks!”

Scenes of classmates and seniors exchanging smiles and greetings.

Is this what people typically imagine as vacation in Academy stories?

“It’s vacation time.”

“Yes, it is.”

But why are the two female students beside me, Hana Kang and Dasom Yoo, so indifferent?

“Vacation doesn’t really change much for me. If anything, it feels like I have more to do.”

“Hana unnie will be helping with clan work, and I need to learn more about group operations, so I’ll actually be busier. Plus, there’s support work I need to do as an A-rank…”

Their responses sadly indicated that neither could rest.

Hmm, I suppose that makes sense. Hana Kang is the daughter of the Magic Tower Clan Master and a proper executive.

Dasom Yoo is the granddaughter of a massive corporation, so she must have responsibilities there.

‘Plus, Soohyun said she’s entering special training during vacation. Rina said she’s practicing how to easily teach others what she’s been doing. And…’

As for me, even though the Academy is on vacation, I’ve been assigned to special vacation evaluations.

Honestly, when I first heard this, I wanted to argue that it made no sense.

What’s the point of vacation? It exists so everyone can rest after working hard during the semester.

It’s meant for recharging after all that effort, so you can work hard again next semester!

But then Hakjun Ma came to me and said:

“I’m thinking of setting up a special evaluation period during vacation. It’s for Bronze students who want to stay at the Academy and take the Silver rank evaluation. It’s not many people. It should be over quickly.”

Sure, looking at the numbers, it really isn’t many people and should finish quickly.

But there’s no guarantee these students will succeed in advancing to Silver in just one day!

What if they insist on continuing until vacation ends? What does that mean?

‘It means I don’t get a vacation at all. Damn it.’

I was already struggling with the workload that multiplied several times since becoming S-rank.

For a moment I considered refusing, but my head was already nodding in agreement.

Those students must be desperate to sacrifice their vacation.

Working while others rest and play isn’t easy.

If they’ve made that choice, it’s only proper for me as the Gatekeeper to accommodate them.

…Still, going to work during vacation is mentally draining.

“Ah! Vacation time. How disappointing. So disappointing!”

Meanwhile, unlike Hana Kang or Dasom Yoo who have family obligations,

Unlike Soohyun who has special training arranged by her family,

Or even Rina who needs to prepare for other duties,

Our protagonist Hyunwoo Lee was repeatedly smacking his lips in apparent disappointment.

“What exactly are you disappointed about, junior?”

Hana Kang asked, seemingly unable to understand.

Hyunwoo responded with an expression suggesting she was asking something obvious.

“Of course I’m disappointed! During the semester, there were so many friends working hard together, and I felt that burning passion! Plus, with the Arbiter and all the people struggling in front of him, I was fired up with competitive spirit! And now I can’t experience that for almost two months?!”

Hana’s reaction was, as everyone would expect, something like ‘What nonsense is this?’

Dasom Yoo beside her was also shaking her head.

But… Dasom seemed to be whispering something quietly?

I could only hear “How did” and “…end up like this.”

“If you’re that disappointed, just stay at the Academy. If you apply to stay in the dormitory, they’ll probably let you stay during vacation.”

“At the Academy? Is there some reason, Arbiter?”

Since I won’t have a vacation anyway and need to evaluate the Bronze students,

Having one more Hyunwoo around wouldn’t be a big problem.

I might get a little more tired… but if Hyunwoo gets stronger, that wouldn’t be bad.

So I explained the reason to Hyunwoo in detail.

At first, his reaction was lukewarm.

But when I finished speaking, his eyes were sparkling.

“Ohhh. Ohhhh! Ohhhhhhhh!”

“…”

Shit. Seeing him like that makes me wonder if I shouldn’t have said anything.

The first week of vacation, with most students gone.

Except for fewer visitors than usual,

My time today was hardly different from normal.

Woong―

Ah, right, Soohyun is no longer at the Academy either.

[I heard the news. They say you’re going to work at the Academy during vacation.]

So you heard that miserable news too. Soohyun, don’t you think I’m pitiful?

[That’s good. I was worried Rina might go to the Arbiter’s house every day since it’s vacation.]

…You weren’t just worried about that, were you? Right?

[Then I’ll come to the Academy every day after my special training ends. I want to spar with you and show you how much I’ve grown.]

Yes. With that kind of reason, you’re absolutely welcome.

I’m very curious to see how strong The Crimson Witch trait will become.

“Arbiter! I’m ready! Let’s get started!”

“Yes, yes. Student Hyunwoo. Please come in.”

I said it recently. Make it feel more like a real battle.

Not just the atmosphere, but everything about it.

‘Why do you think I made such a proposal to you, Hyunwoo?’

Someone who gets up smiling no matter how hard I knock him down, showing that protagonist-only quality.

An opponent who gives me what I want while also letting me relieve some stress.

Only Hyunwoo is that kind of person.

I feel a little, just a little bit sorry, but he says he likes it, so…

Look at that. He gets slammed into the wall by my attack and still gets up smiling.

“Wahaha! Ugh! That hurts! Well, it should hurt if we’re having a real fight, right?!”

Looking at him like this, he kind of reminds me of Rina’s younger brother.

Hmm, come to think of it, how amazing must the parents who raised Hyunwoo be?

*

“How many times do I have to tell you? The juniors’ level can’t be higher than what you know?!”

“That’s impossible! Their level is that low?! They’d all die if they left the Academy!”

“Watch your language!”

“Ah. Sorry. They’d all perish! Is that better?”

Jiyoon Han sighed deeply at Rina’s correction.

Starting as a temporary instructor at Korea’s Superpower Academy,

And potentially becoming an instructor at the World Alliance Academy,

The Rina standing before her was absolutely disqualified as an “instructor.”

‘Her standards are way too high! What am I going to do with her!’

A proper instructor must appropriately balance their demands with the students’ capabilities.

Not pushing too hard, nor being too lax.

Finding that perfect middle ground is how to achieve maximum efficiency in training.

‘Just like Seojin. Though he’s an arbiter, he’s as effective as an instructor.’

Seojin Baek accurately assesses students’ levels.

He knows what they can achieve through effort and what’s beyond their reach.

But Rina has no such standards.

She only thinks: I did this as a student, so all of you can do it too!

“Hey, be honest with me. Did you want to become an instructor because you genuinely wanted to, or are you just trying to annoy me and the headmaster? Tell the truth and I might let it slide.”

“What are you talking about? I really want to be an instructor!”

“No, you fool! If you really want that, then consider the students’ levels and guide them properly!”

Unless someone is an exceptional genius, they absolutely cannot follow Rina’s methods.

Starting by enveloping their body with magic power and then swinging a sword or throwing punches?

If magic power manipulation were that easy, everyone would be doing it!

Thankfully, she was promised the instructor position right before vacation.

If this had happened during the semester, all the students would have fled.

There’s a world of difference between watching a tiger from outside its cage and being inside with it.

“Unbelievable. How did Seojin oppa manage to handle students like these?”

However, the tiger inside our cage seemed completely oblivious to this reality.

Kagagak!―

A gleam appears in Minseong Kang’s eyes.

Admiration, exclamation, surprise, and all manner of positive emotions.

All these combined to shine in his pupils.

‘My goodness. Has our granddaughter really grown this much?’

Just a few months ago, she was a fragile girl who couldn’t do anything.

Even when taught swordsmanship, she could only learn the forms without developing any aura.

Naturally, fighting against an opponent was unimaginable.

But no longer. Now she carries an aura that makes even Minseong Kang flinch.

With that sharpness, she charges at the enemy before her without hesitation.

Her intense will to win is clearly felt.

Chaechang!― Chang!―

It’s not just her demeanor that has changed. Her skills have leaped forward.

Her swordsmanship and magic power control—this is not the Soohyun Kim of the past!

“Hup!”

Exchanging sword strikes with Soohyun, Minseong felt his heart racing wildly for the first time.

Until now, she had been merely his cute and pretty granddaughter.

But from this moment, she was recognized as a skilled fighter capable of receiving his sword.

He no longer worried about her getting hurt, but rather about his own potential defeat.

‘Seojin Baek, the Arbiter. No, my granddaughter’s boyfriend. He has truly done something remarkable.’

With a continuously satisfied smile, Minseong swung his sword again.

What he thought impossible in his generation—

The vague hope that an S-rank would emerge among his children—

Now seemed likely to be realized in the near future.