Ch.245Chapter 10. I’m Not a Dine-and-Dasher (5)

When it comes to education, no country is as zealous as Korea.

Korea adopts various educational methods from places like Finland and the United States, even though other countries sometimes criticize the “harmful effects of Korean education.”

“Even ability users get no special treatment for the college entrance exam! If you want to enter Seoul National University’s Busan Campus, you must pass the entrance exam like everyone else!”

At least in terms of “enthusiasm,” no other country can match Korea’s passion for education.

This applies to ability users as well. Korea has established and operates educational institutions that attract global attention and students from around the world.

And now, Korea has become the best country for educating ability users.

This is partly because Korea has had many ability users and thus accumulated more data, but also because it has the most extensive infrastructure related to ability users.

“Teacher! He hit me with his superpower!”

“Ahem. Remember, teacher’s ability is mind reading.”

“……”

“Should I take away one of your praise stickers for lying?”

“I won’t do it again…”

“It’s okay. I used to tell lies when I was young too. Can I ask why our little hero told a lie?”

“Well…”

Above all, it’s because ability users themselves have started teaching other ability users from the children’s perspective.

Adults between 20 and 25 years old.

“What about recruiting newly adult ability users as specialized counselors for kindergartens or elementary schools? They might identify children who are hiding their abilities.”

“I could send them to the ability user kindergarten in Busan. My nephew works there as a teacher, so if you could assign them to him…”

These fresh members of society entered the workforce rather than going to university.

While others spent their early twenties in college, these individuals had already completed equivalent education at Sejong Island.

“Accelerated education is fine! Most ability users are intelligent!”

“What? Complete in one year what others learn in four years of college? Stop thinking it’s impossible! They can do it because they’re motivated!”

Society eagerly awaited their integration, and they themselves wanted to contribute as members of society.

The most representative example is this man, Jung Sang-in.

True to his name (which means “normal person” in Korean), he grew up according to society’s norms and dedicated his life to public service.

“A name like ‘Normal Person’… I can understand his parents’ feelings.”

There was once a man named Jung Gong-in.

He was a villain known as Red Scarf, who once tried to blow up Seoul.

“Our child will never become a villain or demon! Never!!”

Unlike him, Sang-in’s parents clearly wanted him to be seen as an ordinary person, not someone different from other children.

They probably gave him that name hoping he would grow up to be a normal man no different from others, except for being born with special abilities.

He lived up to his name and became the pride of the Korean Marine Corps.

So much so that he was appointed as a re-socialization instructor for children raised in limited environments.

He is the marine Jung Sang-in, chosen by the world to turn brainwashed children discovered during the Thai unrest back into functioning members of society.

“Oppa, does that mean all of Laplace’s children will become marines?”

“They’ll develop the mindset of marines, but they don’t necessarily have to join the Marine Corps. Still… it would be easier for them to adapt than in regular educational institutions.”

After enjoying a drive in Pattaya, we watched the press conference of Jung Sang-in’s “Red Team” about the re-socialization process on the hotel TV at the beach.

“Thai and Korean cultures are very different. Is it appropriate to apply Korean marine education? Isn’t the Marine Corps still military?”

“In Korea, we have marine camps specifically designed for this purpose. They focus on training that fosters unity, cooperation, and group consciousness from marine training, without the military aspects. Just because we’ve adopted programs from the military doesn’t mean we’re raising soldiers.”

Dressed in a black suit rather than a military uniform, Jung Sang-in confidently expressed his convictions in Korean before journalists from around the world.

“Experts have suggested that military-style education might actually be more effective for them.”

“Which experts are these?”

“Korean educational institution staff, professors from Sejong Academy…”

“Oppa, do those people really have enough expertise to convince the world…?”

“They’re still professors. There may not be papers or theories directly applicable to this situation, but it’s enough to persuade people.”

After understanding the Thai unrest, Korea gathered education experts.

Just as when creating Sejong Academy, experts from various fields came together to discuss how to educate ability users.

“They concluded that marine-style education would be most appropriate for their re-socialization.”

“We will do our best. This may not be the perfect solution. But as ability users ourselves, we can empathize most closely with their confused feelings. Ability users sometimes share the same emotions regardless of national borders.”

“Oppa, do you trust that marine?”

“To trust someone, you need to see their actions, and so far, Jung Sang-in has shown himself to be a soldier loyal to his country.”

Information about Jung Sang-in is readily available on the Hero Wiki.

“The only trouble he’s gotten into was fighting 1:17 to protect a high school student from bullies when he visited his hometown. Jung Sang-in is an extremely normal hero. The kind The Syndicate finds most troublesome.”

Someone who never compromises with evil.

Unlike Baek Seol-hee, who can persuade through honey traps.

Unlike Ymir, who can establish cooperative relationships by filling in what she lacks.

Unlike Yoon Yi-seon, who sympathizes with The Syndicate’s ideology and can be recruited by showing her The Syndicate’s actions.

Even unlike Nguyen, who might accept The Syndicate’s consulting and help to eliminate darkness in his own country. For The Syndicate, he’s extremely uncomfortable to deal with.

When I previously intervened in the confrontation between Yoon Yi-seon and Hayabusa.

While The Syndicate’s collaborators and associates merely faced off against me for show, people like Armored Taejo, Thunder Empress, and Battle God genuinely tried to arrest me or showed cautious movements.

“That’s fortunate. Whether marine education happens or not, we can still do our work.”

“Right. Oh, they say it’s arrived?”

Yoon Hye-ra quickly put on her coat.

“Let’s leave the troublesome children to the world of light, and focus on the world of darkness, shall we?”

“…We should.”

Wearing a half-coat over her black dress, she reached out her hand to me, and I put on my coat and took her hand.

“I never imagined Hye-ra would suggest working overtime because she’s afraid of night work.”

“…I’d rather work overtime than deal with you alone every day.”

Yoon Hye-ra touched the red mark on her nape and puffed her cheeks.

“Besides, isn’t it better to serve the country when you’re a bit tired from overtime, rather than doing it every day? Don’t you think?”

“…I suppose.”

It’s always more fulfilling when both are slightly emptied rather than completely full.

“Well then, shall we go?”

After leaving the children to the Marine Academy.

We’re off to solve a problem more serious than the children’s, but one that no one is paying attention to right now.

“To the island of succubi.”

Far from Phuket, yet accessible to those seeking pleasure, a place where more people can visit.

South of Bangkok, Thailand’s capital.

An island that can be reached quickly by boat from Pattaya.

Outwardly portrayed as a beautiful island, but in reality, a place more serious than God’s Haven.

Creeak.

A small boat arrived outside the hotel.

The woman who docked the boat at the shore didn’t even remove the key before disappearing, and Hye-ra and I walked straight to the boat and sat down.

“Should I drive?”

“No. I’ll do it.”

When else would I get to drive a boat?

Though it’s bitter to experience Korean nationalism and the world’s darkness every day since coming to this world, it’s always new and mysterious to experience things I couldn’t do before my possession.

Perhaps what we’re about to experience might exist in reality, but it’s something ordinary people rarely encounter.

“…People are so shocked that they’re missing something.”

To the island of luxury and pleasure, now in chaos after the disappearance of its ruler.

“That there’s another place even more serious than God’s Haven.”

Former name, “Coral Island.”

“The children are just what’s visible, but where do you think they came from?”

* * *

“Huff…”

Red Brassard, Jung Sang-in, patted his pounding chest and straightened his posture.

Though the place resembled an interrogation room, it was a safety measure for the “high-ranking officials” outside the glass window, including the Thai Deputy Prime Minister.

In case Laplace’s abandoned children posed a threat, or in case they became “demons.”

A minimum precaution in case they became so corrupted that even Jung Sang-in would have difficulty subduing them.

And simultaneously, a measure to show the world.

“Recording standby. We’re ready, Captain Jung Sang-in.”

“Send in the first student.”

“Yes, sir.”

The door opened.

Soon, an anxious child cautiously sat in the chair.

“Do you know who I am?”

The intimidating atmosphere created from the start.

He didn’t mean to frighten the child, but according to investigations, this atmosphere was similar to what the instructors under Laplace showed in God’s Haven.

“Yes, I know.”

He couldn’t appear submissive.

Children instinctively follow the strong, and in a changed environment with a man as strong as Laplace before them, they would naturally be intimidated.

“You’re an A+ class from Korea…”

“That’s right. I am Captain Jung Sang-in, representative and instructor of the Marine Academy that will teach you.”

The ironic situation where an educator is simultaneously a soldier.

This was necessary because some of those high-ranking officials viewed the children as “defeated soldiers.”

“First question. The demon Laplace is dead. Executed by the Goblin. Do you have anything to say about that?”

“…I’ll cooperate as much as possible.”

Perhaps because he was the oldest child, the boy slowly introduced a topic.

“But I have one request.”

“A request?”

“Yes.”

The child barely managed to express the emotion drawn from deep within.

“…We want to find our mothers.”