Ch.36Episode 8. Parent Visit (1)

# [Academy Unaware of Villain Infiltration Until Student’s Assassination: Is This Acceptable?]

# [Incident Occurs Despite Strict Visitor Restrictions: What Is the Chancellor’s Position?]

# [As Hero Aspirants’ Parents Grow Increasingly Anxious, the Academy Has Yet to Provide an Explanation.]

“Wow… This is intense. Really intense.”

Being a death incident, it was inevitable that we’d become the center of all kinds of controversy.

While there had been previous cases of students dying in training or sparring accidents at the Academy, this was the first time a student had been killed by a villain.

The public’s reaction would likely be completely different.

“Could I have your attention for a moment, please.”

The Student Affairs Director called out to the instructors who were working.

Numerous instructors, including myself, gathered around him. Gangchan was among them.

“The Chancellor will be announcing the Academy’s official position today. The official statement will address the two villains we’ve captured, compensation and responsibility for the victims, upcoming curriculum changes, and a temporary opening of the Academy limited to family members.”

Opening the Academy to families?

This… is something that might cause the Special Class students to have a meltdown.

There had actually been something similar before called “Parent Observation Day,” but this was on a different scale.

A temporary opening meant they could come in whenever they wanted to see their children.

“What do you mean by curriculum changes?” one instructor asked.

“Until now, we’ve focused on teaching basic academic subjects at the beginning of each semester to correct students’ character. From now on, we’ll be structuring a curriculum that builds practical capabilities.”

He added that students would patrol like active heroes, learn how to respond when situations arise, and develop their abilities under instructor guidance.

This essentially meant that students’ growth would vary depending on their instructor’s capabilities.

I might use this opportunity to widen the gap between my class and others.

These students are already talented, so they’ll become stronger with just a little help.

Plus, I already know the direction of their growth, so the synergy would be optimal.

“More precise details will be announced after the Chancellor’s official statement.”

As the meeting was ending, I stood next to Gangchan, who was standing absentmindedly at the very back.

“Were there any villains among the A-Class students?”

“No, fortunately.”

He nodded his head heavily.

“That’s good. So what are you planning to do now?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking if you’re thinking of stepping down from your instructor position.”

I thought this would be the natural course of action since his student had died, but I was hoping he would stay.

He’s one of the more skilled instructors. And judging by how he speaks, he seems quite adaptable.

It wouldn’t be bad to have his assistance if problems arise at the Academy in the future.

“I think I’ll decide after hearing the Chancellor’s announcement.”

“I see. Personally, I’d prefer if you stayed. If there’s no explicit order for you to leave, I think continuing as an instructor wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

“Why? I couldn’t even protect one of my students.”

“Instructor Gangchan, I understand your sense of responsibility… but it’s impossible to know every move your students make. No matter how capable you are, only a god could control everything.”

If he still refuses after all this, then the conversation is over.

I wasn’t desperate enough to hold back someone who had made up their mind. For me, this was just a proposal because he would be useful.

“Thank you for your words. Come to think of it, I should have thanked you earlier.”

“Thank me?”

“Thank you for protecting the students.”

I had used both him and the students to catch the villains. I wasn’t in a position to receive thanks.

“Many A-Class students see Instructor Yujin in a new light. They were amazed by how overwhelmingly you subdued the villains.”

“Is that so? I’m glad they think well of me.”

“I’ve been wondering since you took charge of the Special Class… Are you actually an S-Class hero, Instructor Yujin?”

“…Of course not. I’m just a parachute appointee with no real achievements.”

He gave a weak smile while looking at me with suspicious eyes.

* * *

That morning.

Before lunchtime, an announcement came through the classroom speakers instructing us to watch the Chancellor’s official statement on the classroom television.

Following the instructions, I turned on the TV and switched to the channel provided.

The screen showed the official announcement podium and the journalists.

“Instructor… I want to go train…”

Yeonmuhui raised her hand after looking at the boring screen.

“It’ll probably be over in a few minutes. And we’re still in morning class, remember?”

“…Yeah.”

She reluctantly lowered her hand, accepting my point.

If what the Student Affairs Director said was true, Yeonmuhui needed to hear what was about to be announced.

She would inevitably meet the person she despises.

“This is because an A-Class student was killed by a villain, right?”

Bin Yooni asked nonchalantly while shaking a tube containing a black liquid.

“Yes, that’s right.”

I answered while watching her turn the tube with an indifferent expression. Bin Yooni’s eyes shifted from the tube to me. Our gazes met directly.

“Oh my, if you wanted to drink it, you should have just said so.”

“…What?”

While I was dumbfounded by her outrageous comment, she had already come to my desk and was offering me the tube.

“It’s a potion I made by mixing recovery and acceleration potions.”

“Why would you mix those?”

“Because you never know if you’ll get an accelerated recovery potion or a recovery acceleration potion.”

I couldn’t understand the difference in terminology, nor could I comprehend why anyone would try this.

Is this what genius looks like? Or is she just crazy?

“Even though they’re liquids, when you drink potions consecutively, they mix somewhere inside you, right? But strangely, there are no side effects except for heartburn. Isn’t that fascinating?”

“Not at all.”

“In other words, if you drink this potion I’ve mixed, you won’t have any side effects except for heartburn.”

It was truly unbelievable logic.

“But why did mixing white and red create black?”

“It looked a bit lacking, so I added a few more ingredients. Come on, drink it.”

“I’ve been wondering… am I your clinical trial subject or something?”

I gently pushed the tube away, but she dodged my hand and thrust it toward my face. A nauseating smell rose from the tube.

“Come on, don’t be shy. I saw you looking like you wanted to try it just now.”

“I didn’t.”

“I’ll specially let you drink it. Here.”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“You’re just not being honest!”

“You should learn the concept of conversation first. Go back to your seat.”

I lightly chopped her head with the side of my hand. Only after being hit did she become dejected and return to her seat.

Just as our brief squabble ended, the Chancellor appeared on the television.

A man with neatly styled blue hair using pomade and wearing a tidy blue suit walked up, adjusting his horn-rimmed glasses. Despite facing numerous journalists at the podium, this sharp-featured man showed not the slightest hint of fear.

His confident stride made it hard to believe he was there to offer an explanation.

[I am Yoon Kyungbin, the current Chancellor of the Academy.]

It was a short, deep-voiced introduction.

[First, I would like to apologize for the incident where a student was assassinated by a villain at an institution meant to train heroes to protect South Korea from villains.]

The Chancellor stepped out from behind the podium table and bowed.

I always find these situations ironic.

In reality, the ones at fault are the villains, not the instructors or the Chancellor, yet paradoxically, people demand apologies from heroes.

While failing to protect students is certainly a disqualifying failure for a hero, how can anyone predict and prepare for every possible attack method?

If that were possible, I’d like to see someone else try it.

Yoon Kyungbin returned to stand in front of the podium table and took a deep breath.

[I feel a heavy responsibility for this situation as Chancellor. We never imagined that villains would infiltrate Aegis Academy and assassinate a student. Once again, I offer my sincere apologies to the parents of the victims.]

He bowed his head and recited his prepared speech.

[Many of you seem to be spreading various controversies due to lack of information about the current situation. Let me state clearly.]

Yoon Kyungbin turned his head slightly to avoid sighing into the microphone.

[This student assassination was committed by ‘Akcheon,’ which has recently become a cancerous presence in South Korea. Through interrogation of the captured villains, we’ve learned that it was carried out by a villain skilled in disguise techniques and another affiliated with Jeokwol.]

Actually, I was the one who provided that information.

But by announcing that the villains confessed rather than citing me as the source, Akcheon will be left anxious, not knowing how much information has been passed to the Association.

[Unfortunately, we were unable to capture the disguise artist. Currently, heroes are investigating—]

[Doesn’t that mean there’s a possibility of the incident recurring?]

A journalist couldn’t contain their question.

[We are thoroughly investigating internally right now. If you could please wait a little longer, we will certainly capture them. And I would appreciate if you could save your questions for later.]

[Yes.]

[I apologize for the digression. We are working to weed out reactionary elements within the Academy, and please rest assured that we will take full responsibility and provide compensation for the victims. And…]

Is he going to mention what the Student Affairs Director told us this morning?

[In light of this incident, the Academy plans to completely overhaul its curriculum. In particular, from next semester, we plan to calculate grades based primarily on ‘achievements.’]

Achievement-based…

Does he intend to have students patrol outside the Academy and catch villains?

This was something that was supposed to come out only when Jeong Iyeon reached the first semester of her second year…

According to the original curriculum, Yeonmuhui and Yu Ari should have occasionally gone out, but they were excluded from field deployment due to their poor character evaluations.

[Also, while we have strictly limited external access until now, we understand parents’ concerns and plan to temporarily allow parents to enter the Academy. This will also be announced in detail later.]

Allowing parents to enter.

I glanced around at the students. Everyone except Jeong Iyeon and Gu Yeonhwa had frowns on their faces.

[You may think the Academy has already lost your trust, but I can confidently say that the Academy is still safer than anywhere else in South Korea. However, I have no excuse for failing to prevent this accident and for the loss of life despite our best efforts to respond.]

He stepped out from behind the table again and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

[As the Chancellor of the Academy, I apologize on behalf of everyone. I am truly sorry.]

As his statement ended, journalists raised their hands eagerly, hoping to be called on.

“Um… Instructor.”

“Yes?”

I took my eyes off the television and looked at Yeonmuhui.

“About parents being allowed to enter…”

Yeonmuhui’s raised hand was trembling.

“Does that mean… that person can come in?”

This was the first time I’d seen her so agitated since meeting her.

“Yes.”

“Kuk!”

At my answer, she swallowed hard and bit her lower lip. I suppressed a sigh as I watched her trembling fists.

“Damn it…!”

Well, this is just great. It hasn’t been long since the villain incident…

Things are about to get troublesome again.