NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18
Chapter 18
The Lion felt an urge to laugh at Jaehyuk’s question. However, a statue made of stone could not express any emotion.
“You won’t answer?”
Jaehyuk pressed, still staring directly into the Lion’s eyes.
『The will of the “Lion’s Castle” responds to your call.』
The Lion responded energetically. But, unfortunately…
“Was it my imagination? Phew… I thought it was a ghost.”
-…
As Jaehyuk was not a player, he couldn’t hear the system’s message.
‘Maybe it’s because I’ve been through so much today. My nerves are on edge more than necessary.’
He never imagined a day would come when he’d talk to a stone statue, thinking it necessary after learning emergency treatment to save an Orc.
Had there been any witnesses, he’d surely be labeled insane.
Whooosh—
A chilling wind brushed past Jaehyuk’s skin, offering a moment of relief.
It was past midnight.
Standing atop the desolate ruin, looking up at the massive statue felt incredibly eerie.
‘Of all days, the moon is hidden today.’
Thick, dark clouds obscured both moons.
It was still fascinating that seasons and weather existed inside a gate.
It made sense, after all, another world was still a world inhabited by people, having many similarities to Earth.
‘Since it looks like rain, let’s move near the dormitory and continue training.’
『The will of the “Lion’s Castle” suggests that you should stop.』
『The will of the “Lion’s Castle” is angered, wondering if you are ignoring it.』
『The will of the “Lion’s Castle” threatens to curse you.』
The Lion made continuous threats, but it was all in vain.
After all, Jaehyuk only had one sword.
Without hesitation, Jaehyuk left the scene.
He initiated the conversation first and then ignored it to the end?
The Lion couldn’t contain its fury.
『Irregular Quest: Lion’s Curse has been triggered!』
『During the curse, you cannot leave the “Lion’s Castle”.』
『While the curse persists, during battles with monsters residing in the ‘Lion’s Castle’, all stats are halved, and skill usage is prohibited.』
『During the curse, when defeating monsters residing in the ‘Lion’s Castle’, no rewards are earned.』
『This terrible curse lasts for two weeks.』
『Survive for the two weeks, and you will receive a surprising reward.』
『The will of the “Lion’s Castle” advises that if you return now and beg for forgiveness, it will forgive you.』
“Feels like a dog barking somewhere…”
-…
***
“Check one more time.”
The progress of Class A was remarkably fast.
Other awakened classes began terrain adaptation training in the second week after enrollment, while Class A started from the first day.
And now.
While students in Classes B and C were still struggling in the swamp, class A had completed their adaptation to the marshlands and begun hunting monsters.
As expected from a class of talented individuals.
“Yes!”
The students answered energetically.
Facing combat after a long time, they were slightly excited.
How boring have the unnecessary theory classes and dull terrain adaptation training been?
Players are meant to hunt monsters and level up to prove their worth.
“Hahaha, I bet Jaehyuk is rolling in the swamp like a dog today.”
Yujin, who was fastening the leather strap on her hammer handle more securely, spoke excitedly.
Chae Dahui frowned.
“Calling him a dog! He’s not exactly cute, is he?”
“… What’s with her? Our Dahui isn’t nervous just because of some monster…?”
Taken aback by the absurd reaction, Yujin squinted her eyes.
“Do you perhaps like that rogue; are you thinking of joining his team?”
“It’s not because I’m interested in Kang Jaehyuk or anything…!”
“Hah. She’s crazy. Are you really planning to join his team?”
The dense black forest with lurking swamps here and there.
Having arrived at their destination and checking their gear, class A students all turned to look at Chae Dahui.
The content of her conversation with Yujin was curious and shocking in many ways.
‘Kang Jaehyuk…? Yaksha’s son?’
‘You mean Dahui is going to join his team?’
The male students were particularly shocked.
Dahui’s striking beauty, with her prominent forehead and high nose resembling a medieval European statue’s perfect shape, was remarkable.
Her small, milky-white face with lovely features gathered neatly, making her appearance surpass that of actors or idols.
Many students had already fallen for Dahui upon admission, and their dream was to form a team with her, thrive together for three years, and then marry after graduation.
Yet, the son from the fallen Kang family beat them to it!
‘How dare he, knowing no limits…!’
‘There are already rumors about him that irritate me. I should soon pay him a visit for some education.’
The students’ hostility began to boil.
Especially Lauren’s was particularly intense.
‘Kang Jaehyuk…’
He was a National Treasure candidate of Austria.
There was no comparison with a student. Once he started leveling up while actively working, he could bring glory to his family, naturally.
Despite this, his sole reason for transferring to the Lion’s Castle as an exchange student was to reunite with Dojin.
To him, Baek Dojin was more precious than family.
He intended to persuade and take him to Austria, where he could take care of Dojin for the rest of his life.
Yet, a few problems arose.
Firstly, there was noise during the admission process. Because of this, he had to transfer as a first-year instead of a second-year, creating a physical distance between him and Dojin.
On top of that, he was significantly obstructed by Kang Jaehyuk.
Two days ago.
The monumental moment of bumping into Dojin as soon as he arrived at the school and having a conversation with him was foiled by Kang Jaehyuk.
‘If he interferes again, I’ll cripple him next time.’
“Aah, you’re beautiful as always today…”
“Look at them shining even in the dark. Incredible nobility.”
While the male student grounded his teeth, thinking about Jaehyuk, the female students gazed at a silver-haired boy in awe.
Silla Kyung.
The heir to the Silla Duke family, the most prestigious line in South Korea.
The boy, whose ancestor had Western roots as one of those who added ‘la’ to their surname, had mixed Western and Eastern appearance, making him even more beautiful than most women.
Although Silla Kyung’s expression was usually absent and his blue eyes cold as ice, making his impression severe, these traits only added to his beauty rather than detracting from it.
“…”
Silla Kyung had his eyes closed, indifferent to the surrounding noise.
The bloodline skill of the Silla household was as powerful as the one from the Baos family.
He was a candidate for Korea’s National Treasure.
From the moment he awakened his bloodline skill, he was destined to become a National Treasure.
Silla Kyung had entered the Lion’s Castle for only one reason.
To explore and clear the “Quest” of the Lion’s Castle that no one had uncovered for 200 years.
However, the problem was that there had been no progress since he had entered.
Silla Kyung searched every corner of the gate every night like he was combing through it but had yet to find any clues.
The sheer size of the Lion’s Castle was the primary issue.
Considering the scale was equivalent to an entire province…
“Everyone seems extremely motivated. Excellent!”
The instructor of Class A, known for his lack of awareness, interpreted the students’ commotion in his way.
“The inspection is complete, right? Alright, then go ahead and unleash yourselves! Wipe out everything, monsters or whatever!”
“Yes!”
The students scattered quickly across the woodland.
The Class A students, who would carry Korea’s future, regained their cool as the training began, leaping over swamps and slaughtering monsters as if it were nothing.
***
The reflection of Kim Jinmyung in the mirror upon returning from his morning class painted a bleak picture. His eyes were sunken. He looked worn thin after just a week since Jaehyuk’s transfer.
‘That damn “But, sir,” such nonsense.’
He still heard it like a haunting echo.
“But, sir, why, sir, who wouldn’t know that, I don’t know.”
Jaehyuk’s mischievous voice clung to his ears as if lids over his hearing.
Reprimanding Jaehyuk’s attitude was tricky.
The intent in his questions was always clear.
Jaehyuk paid keen attention to his lessons.
His inquiries revealed his earnest desire to learn.
He rejected unnecessary knowledge coldly, leading the class toward valuable information, and diligently dug into anything he failed to understand until it made sense.
If the lesson seemed to drift, he steered it back as if taking control of the reins.
In short, he was a model student.
The issue lay in how his impudent face was irritatingly bold and lack manners.
“You look tired. Did I hear correctly? The youngest son of the Kang family made quite a mess on his first day?”
Ji Yesul, the advisor of Class E, handed him an energy drink, strumming the tone with curiosity.
She was one of the rare teachers who didn’t shun Kim Jinmyung, despite him being from a guild background.
“That kid has a risky temperament; it’s challenging to manage. Haha, thank you for the drink.”
“He’s cunning. Seems like he knows you’re not going to add more demerits against him, taking advantage of the situation. This isn’t your regular school, and it’s not mandatory to discipline delinquent students. Perhaps you should raise Kang Jaehyuk’s expulsion at the faculty meeting. If the other teachers shower him with demerits, his expulsion won’t be as complicated, right?”
“Um… Teacher Ji. Expelling a student isn’t so simple. Even if it’s decided in the faculty meeting, it still requires the principal and the director’s approval.”
“Wouldn’t the director sign off if the principal and teachers collectively urged it?”
‘What is this?’
Kim Jinmyung felt an odd sense of discomfort. The way Ji Yesul spoke implied confidence that the principal would side with her.
From the start, Kim Jinmyung was the only teacher dealing with Jaehyuk’s lessons.
The other teachers hadn’t even interacted with Jaehyuk yet, so what was all this talk about expulsion?
‘… Son of Yaksha.’
It seemed that the teachers from the association got directives from some higher-ups.
Understanding the situation, Kim Jinmyung smiled bitterly.
“It’s illogical to discuss expulsion now. What did Kang Jaehyuk do so wrong? He might have a temper, but he’s diligent about his studies.”
“Do studies matter? The most important virtue for a formidable player isn’t knowledge or power; it’s character.”
Ji Yesul wore a face of disdain.
“I hear Kang Jaehyuk already has 20 demerits? How can someone rack up such a score in just a week… Seems like Kang blood doesn’t drift far.”
‘That 20 points… was accumulated in one day, not a week.’
“What if you keep being troubled by that foul-mouthed kid? Is it worth enduring all that stress?”
“I will endure it. It’s partly my fault, after all.”
“Pardon?”
“Thank you for your concern, but he is my student, and I’ll manage him.”
Kim Jinmyung still disliked Jaehyuk.
However, he couldn’t bring himself to simply loathe him.
He considered it karmic retribution. He felt guilty.
Mentioning Jaehyuk’s lack of home training had been a grievous misstep.
Recalling the words he’d spat out in a bout of anger, he felt a cold dread considering the kind of wound he might have inflicted on the young boy’s heart.
‘Really, I’ve gone too far.’
It was the truth that the fallen Kang family’s duke had spelled a grim future for the country.
That the contemporary Kang lineage had produced criminals was also fact.
But what did any of that have to do with Kang Jaehyuk?
The incidents happened when Jaehyuk was merely an eight-year-old child.
He’d been a devoted son who cared for their father in place of his absent siblings and had trained diligently despite being alone to awaken with favorable stats.
Yet, knowing Jaehyuk’s family situation, I had uttered such atrocious words…
It was inexcusable. Neither as an educator nor a human being should I have said that.
“So you are… As expected from Mr. Kim. There’s a reason active players visit you with bouquets on Teacher’s Day.”
“Haha…”
Those bloody bouquets.
If they insist on marking Teacher’s Day to assert their past student status, they might as well give me something valuable.
Such mercenary thoughts, as well as the worry for evaluations when Jaehyuk transferred, were only because I, too, am flawed.
Feeling a pang of bitterness, Kim Jinmyung stepped out for a smoke.
After checking a text about the medical bills for the month and sighing, he naturally glanced toward the playground.
“I’m small, am I? I’M SMALL?? Aaaaaah!!”
“I-I didn’t mean you, you crazy jerk!”
“…”
That loud, tiny guy; that’s second-year Baek Dojin.
That kid is something else. Instead of resting during breaks, he roams around beating up classmates. He’s been consistent since his first year.
Would Jaehyuk remain consistent until he becomes a second-year too…?
‘Come to think of it, Kang Jaehyuk had a conflict with that guy?’
It felt like a relief that Kang Jaehyuk and Baek Dojin didn’t get along and drifted apart.
Feeling a lot lighter, Kim Jinmyung chuckled softly.
Elsewhere.
“A worthless guy indulging in his teacher gig.”
“Typical mental gymnastics of guild folks. What now? Without the homeroom teacher’s report, the director won’t even blink an eye.”
“Let’s proceed with our original plan to utilize the joint training. Given Kang Jaehyuk’s personality, said to rival that of Kang Daesung in notoriety, he’ll surely cause a ruckus if mildly provoked.”
As Kim Jinmyung left the teacher’s room, the gathered teachers secretly murmured with icy expressions.