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After classes, during the extracurricular time.
The newspaper department drew up a coverage plan based on what was announced at the fourth student representative meeting.
The biggest agenda was definitely the coverage of the Eungwang High Festival.
“The schedule for the coverage will be solidified once the layout is released. If we don’t get the right route, it’ll be impossible for us to cover everything. There will be schedules for each of us.”
The head of the newspaper department seemed to want to wrap up all other coverages before the festival.
“So, I’m thinking of having the interview for the new ambassadors first. It hasn’t been officially decided yet but… I think the student ambassadors are almost finalized.”
All eyes fell on me.
The head of the department looked at the freshmen.
“I’d like to have an interview with the leading candidates in advance. Saeron-ah, Jiho-ah, I’ll leave it up to you.”
“Yep!”
“Hahahaha!”
Even if my name wasn’t mentioned, I knew that I was part of the list of candidates.
….Am I really going to do this?
Joo Soohyuk, Ahn Dain, and Dokgo Miro should definitely be interviewed, but me?
I didn’t like the sound of the old man laughing excitedly.
He’s been in a good mood since lunch.
The meeting continued while I was in agony.
The next agenda was the on-site coverage of Eungwang High’s entrance practical exam.
“There were safety issues last year so we’re not just gonna do final sketches but also plan to check the security of the school.”
Eyes were on me again.
Considering the Bear Clan’s attack that last year’s Group 13 experienced, it was inevitable.
The department planned to conduct patrol and interview on the same day.
I’ve already volunteered as a guide so I think it’ll be difficult for me to participate in the interview.
‘There were students injured in last year’s entrance exam, but the number of examinees didn’t decrease this year. Maybe because no one died. But still, it’s best to be careful.’
Even if the Bear Clan wouldn’t attack, we’re still going to be dealing with inexperienced middle school students who have less control over their abilities and energy waves.
Moon Saeron, who was looking at her device, displayed a hologram in the center of the conference room.
“Here’s the placement of the guides during the practical test!”
The volunteers were taken yesterday, but I can’t believe the plan was solidified in such a short time.
Perhaps because the student representative is my excellent and sincere student and senior, things were processed very quickly.
The information station layout had a rough patrol route, timetable, and list of volunteers.
It was added that the exact patrol route would be announced after the test sites were confirmed.
‘After the number of examinees is confirmed, the test site will be decided. And then the route will be finalized too… Oh?’
I found a name that stood out while browsing the list.
It was a name that lurked in the corner of my head all day.
Yong Jegun.
He’s a teacher here so it’s not strange to see his name, but he’s different from the others.
‘Aren’t we supposed to go in pairs? Yong Jegun has no partner. And he has no designated patrol route…’
I wasn’t the only one who found it strange as Mook Saeron raised the concern.
“Why is Yong-ssaem separate?”
“Yeah…”
“Come to think of it, it’s the first time I saw Professor Yong Jegun participating as a guide. Was he there last year?”
“Nope.”
“A senior who graduated failed to cover Yong-ssaem…”
Moon Saeron looked determined at the mention that a senior failed to cover the story.
She seems to be planning a reckless interview.
At that time, Hwang Jiho spoke.
“Do you know that Yong Jegun signed a special teacher contract?”
“Ah, I’ve heard of that. In terms of insight skills, Yong-ssaem’s abilities are all ranked down inside the school.”
“Yes, the teacher’s contract restricts Yong Jegun’s powers on campus. It’s quite a headache to deal with abilities, so that’s a natural choice for the principal.”
I noticed that Hwang Jiho matches well with Moon Saeron, but I didn’t expect him to tell her that.
All the people in the department listened to Hwang Jiho with shining eyes.
Apparently, Yong Jegun always refuses to speak in interviews.
Is it okay that Hwang Jiho is saying this here?
‘Now he’s got no intention hiding from the newspaper department too.’
Hwang Jiho’s not hiding his identity from our class or from the newspaper department.
Though maybe the members would continue to regard him as a close relative of the chairman.
Still, talking about things like this makes the risk of being discovered high.
Knowing how bright and quick they are, perhaps the members would find out.
“Yong Jegun has a limited amount of time to stay on campus. After a certain time, once the moon comes out, the force constraint on him becomes greater.”
“Ah… come to think of it, Yong-ssaem doesn’t work overtime a lot.”
“So that’s why he leaves school with the student representative.”
“That part is just because of Junyeol.”
Yong Jegun’s time on campus seems to be set on the contract.
The people in the department continued to talk about it.
“…Well, isn’t that too much of a constraint?”
“I guess it can’t be helped since he’s a strong royal lineage.”
“Unless a school is established by the Red Lion or the Dragon Clan, the only place Yong-ssaem can teach is Eungwang High.”
Yong Jegun has been a teacher for so long with those restrictions.
I knew about the existence of the contract, but the constraints were greater than I thought.
“So when class hours are long, Professor Yong Jegun doesn’t stay in Eungwang High unless there’s an emergency. This one’s an exception.”
“…He’ll come with the risk of deterioration of his abilities?”
“No, he got permission from the chairman. Because of what happened last year.”
Yong Jegun got Hwang Jiho’s permission.
Perhaps because I was busy thinking of Class 1’s plan of revenge on him, I didn’t notice that he did something like this without me knowing.
And despite the mischievous dragon’s antics, he’s an objectively good teacher.
“Yong Jegun will fly around the school and patrol alone. As soon as the test site is set, things will fall into place.”
“Alone? Well, I guess Yong-ssaem is more powerful than two students…”
“Yong Jegun will trail the students from the sky. He’ll be alone, but he’ll be working with the students.”
After that, Hwang Jiho was done talking about Yong Jegun.
…Though why isn’t anyone pointing out the fact that Hwang Jiho addressed Yong Jegun by his name and not calling him professor?
Everyone seems to have gotten used to Hwang Jiho’s craziness.
After the newspaper department’s activities, Hwang Jiho and I headed to the tiger mansion.
When we entered, I immediately encountered Yong Jegun.
He spoke with a look of anticipation.
“You guys are late. The newspaper department meeting must’ve stretched out. You finished later than the student association.”
Well, the newspaper department adjourned after solidifying plans based on the data released by the student association today.
In the meantime, Yong Jegun seemed to have safely escorted Yeom Junyeol home.
“We’ll go to the annex. Have you had dinner?”
“No. I guess even Eunho’s descendants don’t know what we’re about to do, seeing that you want us to stay in an annex.”
“Let’s start after dinner.”
Eunho’s descendants are preparing for the entrance exam so we can’t bother them.
There’s also the fact that the descendants can’t see what the replay function is, so Yong Jegun isn’t really wrong.
He kept trying to talk to Hwang Jiho, but he was completely ignored.
‘It’s my first time in this annex.’
With Hwang Jiho’s lead, we arrived at the entrance of a small two-story building in the style of art nouveau.
It wasn’t the Korean house we stay at with Hyangrok nor the modern building where Eunho stayed.
Seeing its location, it seems that Eunho’s annex is the farthest place among the annexes.
“We’ll have dinner first so this one won’t finish quickly. I don’t mind skipping a meal, but I can’t let Jo Euishin starve.”
Despite Hwang Jiho’s continued disregard, Yong Jegun seemed to be in an excellent mod.
The dinner was buckwheat lettuce wrap and steamed herb trout.
The taste and presentation were flawless.
“I prepared a dish that would help with sleep since you don’t seem to be sleeping well these days, Jo Euishin. Well, maybe Yong Jegun needs it too.”
“So today’s work is related to sleep. Thanks, I’ll eat well.”
All the dishes from the main dish to the dessert and tea were good for insomnia.
I couldn’t sleep well last night, and I guess the old man with great tact noticed it.
Baekho-gun, who was quiet all this time, looked at me when Hwang Jiho mentioned that I couldn’t sleep well.
“Sleep well on time.”
I can’t believe my main playable character cares about me like this!
Although he’s quiet, Baekho-gun always says the most touching thing.
I wanted to share this emotion with Olmu, but he’s in the maze garden hunting for— I mean, training with Sanryeong.
“I see an incense. It seems to be a sleeping incense. Is it?”
“Stop talking and sit down.”
In the annex’s living room.
Underneath the tapestry emblazoned with tiger representations was a curved armchair and a colorful fabric sofa.
Yong Jegun smiled and sat in the armchair as guided by Hwang Jiho.
Baekho-gun and Hwang Jiho sat on the sofa.
I thought he would come today so I mentioned someone who wasn’t here.
“Is Professor Kim Shinrok not coming?”
“I told him, but he’s not coming.”
Hwang Jiho looked at Yong Jegun.
Yong Jegun, without any sign of disappointment, spoke brightly.
“Ah, I actually had a little fight with Shinrok-ie. I was caught encouraging his advisory class.”
As expected.
He was doing it on purpose.
I felt it from the time I saw him talk to Ahn Dain, but he was consciously scratching at the Class One’s hearts.
I don’t think Kim Shinrok would come today.
By the way, is Jeokho away for a mission?
Maybe he didn’t attend because Kim Shinrok won’t be here.
“Tell me when you’re ready, Jo Euishin.”
Hwang Jiho, holding the incense in one hand, said.
I looked at the list in front of me.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Yong Jegun’s face.
I’ve replayed his level for three digits.
‘It’s my first time using this on a playable character.’
My hand moved very slowly.
I thought Yong Jegun would laugh.
When I selected his name from the list, a window appeared entering which replay I want to use.
‘…I’ll pick the first time I managed to get Yong Jegun near the school’s boundary.’
I heard a system notification when I finished typing.
<Selection complete.>
I nodded and Hwang Jiho lifted the golden incense burner and spilled the scent of sleep.
As the scent thickened, Yong Jegun’s eyes began to fall.
Hwi…!
Just like Kim Shinrok and Jeokho, a black fog swallowed Yong Jegun.
And so Yong Jegun headed to a nightmare.
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