Closing Time.
Sang-ho tapped the student records twice on the podium, then addressed the seated children.
“Okay, excellent job today, everyone. You are all free to go. Tae-hwa, please stay.”
“Huh? Why?”
Tae-hwa protruded her lower lip.
“Will you teach me how to make a kid?”
“I need to have a discussion with you. I did the same with Se-hee yesterday.”
“Ah, I see. That’s a relief.”
She fidgeted and anxiously moved her tail. Sang-ho clapped his hands.
“Very well, Se-hee and Na-bit, you may leave. Be cautious on your way home.”
“Yes, take care.”
Se-hee and Na-bit nodded in greeting, then left the classroom and closed the door.
Left alone with Tae-hwa, Sang-ho pulled an empty chair and took a seat in front of her.
“Okay…”
He opened the student records.
“How’s school life? Is there anything bothering you?”
“There is.”
“What is it?”
“They don’t have sanitary pads in the school store.”
“Please don’t bring up such things…”
He had never even been to the school store. Sang-ho let out a deep sigh.
“So, nothing too serious, right?”
“Mmm… No. You’re taking good care of me.”
She smiled.
‘Why the sudden praise?’
Internally, he sighed as he read her record.
From a broken home. Demon hybrid.
“You’re staying in the dorms now, right? Just your father at home?”
“I guess.”
“What does your father do?”
“I don’t know.”
“Huh?”
Sang-ho’s eyes widened slightly.
“Why?”
“I’m just not interested. I think he used to work for some company. But that was two years ago, and I haven’t seen him since. I don’t even know if he’s still working.”
“You haven’t seen your father in two years?”
“Yes.”
Tae-hwa’s expression turned noticeably stiff.
“I don’t like him much. Ah, now that I think about it, I’m not sure. He might be living with another woman.”
It was clear that she had a dislike for him.
Whether there was a story behind it or simply adolescent rebellion, Sang-ho decided to find out more over time.
“Have you ever seen your mother?”
“She ran away when I was young.”
She rested her chin on the desk.
“Which is understandable. Who would like a man who’s always hitting people?”
Sang-ho couldn’t bring himself to ask more about her family. He pointed to her horns.
“Aren’t those uncomfortable? Horns and a tail. You mentioned you couldn’t wear pants yesterday.”
“I can if I make holes. Just my underwear would show a little.”
Tae-hwa regained her smile and swung her tail.
“Actually, it’s pretty convenient. I can hang clothes and bags on my horns. Even carry coffee with my tail.”
“Bags?”
“Handbags.”
“Ah…”
Sang-ho nodded.
Despite the unstable family background, she seemed to be doing well in the dorms, content with her current situation. There wasn’t much to worry about.
“Your middle school grades were good, Tae-hwa. You received a scholarship, right?”
Like Se-hee, Tae-hwa also had her tuition fees waived based on her middle school grades. As a demon hybrid with a talent for magic and sorcery, her written work might have been messy, but her practical skills were exceptional.
She nodded.
“Yes. My father wouldn’t have paid for it anyway.”
“You do realize the scholarship only covers the first year, right?”
“Yes.”
“And to maintain it for the second year, you need to be in the top 10 of your class?”
“Yes. I learned that during orientation. The top student gets a substantial grant.”
“So, is becoming the top student your goal?”
Understanding the implication in his words, Tae-hwa chuckled.
“Is that Se-hee’s goal?”
“Most students aim for that, to some extent. Some are just more determined than others.”
Sang-ho closed the record and locked eyes with her.
“How determined are you?”
“I’m not overly determined, actually.”
“Huh?”
Her response caught him off guard. Tae-hwa shrugged and whistled.
“Women just need to find a good man. If they have to drop out of school due to lack of funds, they can always marry someone, right?”
“Do you have such a man?”
As he asked, Tae-hwa got up from her chair, a glint of mischief in her eyes.
Approaching Sang-ho, she placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned in close.
Close enough that their noses were almost touching.
“A girl who can’t go home due to domestic violence.”
Her softly spoken words carried a fruity scent, as sweet as strawberries.
“She’s an 18-year-old student you’ve taught for a year. She has nowhere to turn; only men have shown her any kindness. Can you ignore a girl like that? I bet you can’t.”
Her tail gently brushed against his cheek as it passed.
“I made up my mind the moment I met you, Teacher. This is about turning my life around.”
Sang-ho blinked in silence.
She was right. Once he formed a connection, he couldn’t easily let go.
But that didn’t mean Sang-ho had nothing to share.
“I’ve wanted to harm women many times in the past.”
“Eh…”
Her surprise was evident as she stepped back.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, really. You’d be surprised if you knew how poorly I treated women when I was younger.”
It was a story from his time in the underworld army. There was a female officer in one of the front-line units who refused to provide supplies. Sang-ho had used offensive language and even contemplated physical violence.
He would have likely struck her if his comrades hadn’t intervened.
“I’m not as good as you think, Tae-hwa.”
Rather than being deterred, Tae-hwa chuckled.
“I’m drawn to bad guys.”
“You’re unconventional…”
Sang-ho shook his head.
“So let’s make a pact. Let’s make a promise.”
“What kind of promise?”
He extended his pinky finger to her.
“If you graduate safely from our school, I’ll grant you one wish.”
Tae-hwa’s eyes gleamed.
“Anything?”
“Anything.”
“And if I don’t graduate?”
“If you don’t, then you’ll have to fulfill my wish.”
Sang-ho had planned that if, for any reason, Tae-hwa couldn’t graduate, he’d use his connections to make her a hunter and help her stand on her own two feet. However, there was a significant difference between a trained hunter and an untrained one, so he truly wanted her to graduate.
“What’s your wish, Teacher?”
“I can’t tell you just yet.”
He couldn’t reveal that he would assist her in becoming a hunter even if she didn’t graduate; it would sap her motivation.
But Tae-hwa seemed to misunderstand. She sent him a sly smile.
“So that’s it? You can’t tell me because I’m too young?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I like a challenge.”
“I don’t quite follow.”
Sang-ho misunderstood her comment as a desire for rigorous training.
Tae-hwa smiled again, perplexed but content.
“Heheh…”
***
“Hiyaaah!”
Bang, bang, bang!
Purple explosions erupted one after another.
The training field, restored by summoner instructors, was once again in disarray. Nonetheless, Sang-ho observed the battle between Tae-hwa and the bear doll with a satisfied expression.
Se-hee, who was wiping sweat after her match, and Na-bit, who was awaiting her turn, both looked surprised at Tae-hwa. Se-hee spoke with amazement in her voice.
“She’s really spirited today.”
“Indeed.”
Sang-ho grinned, feeling the results of his conversation with Tae-hwa the previous day. She soared high into the air, summoning red fireballs that rained down precisely on the bear doll.
“Do you think she could break into the top 10?”
“I’m not sure.”
Se-hee muttered softly, fiddling with the hilt of her sword.
“We’ll have to see in a real fight.”
“Maybe, it’s a possibility.”
He refocused on controlling the bear doll.
Unbeknownst to him, Se-hee watched Tae-hwa’s fight with an unwavering competitive spirit in her eyes.
***
Sang-ho opened the student record.
The last student, Na-bit, for the consultation.
She sat quietly, her hands neatly folded, her gaze fixed on him. Her eyes had a clear shade of gray.
He glanced at her ash-gray hair and then returned his attention to the record before him.
“Your hair color, it’s natural, right? Has it always been this color?”
“No, it wasn’t like this when I was young. It changed as I grew older.”
She twirled a strand of her hair with her index finger.
“It’s a condition sometimes observed in people who use spiritual power.”
“Is it detrimental to your health?”
“No, it isn’t. Oh, by the way!”
Na-bit appeared to remember something and lightly clapped her hands.
“Teacher, would you like me to heal your eyes and legs?”
Sang-ho chuckled.
“I’m fine.”
“It’s not a big deal. Just stay still.”
“I’d rather keep my eyes as they are. As for my legs…”
He rolled up his pants to his knees.
“Oh…”
Na-bit’s face paled at the sight of his legs.
They didn’t resemble those of a human. Charred and contorted like a tree struck by lightning, the skin bore scars, and beneath it, red energy flowed like molten lava.
“There’s something malevolent inside. Using spiritual power won’t fix it.”
Sang-ho lowered his pants again.
Na-bit looked concerned, as if she were experiencing the pain herself.
“Does it hurt?”
“It does, but it’s not a major concern.”
He changed the topic.
“Do you live with your parents, Na-bit? Your home seems quite distant. How do you commute to school?”
“Uncle drives me.”
“Uncle?”
“My father employed him, like a personal assistant.”
A concept foreign to Sang-ho. A child with a personal assistant.
“Your family must be well-off. What does your father do?”
“He works at Taegweol Group.”
Taegweol was a highly renowned conglomerate, excelling in various sectors like steel, electronics, and food.
What struck Sang-ho as peculiar was that she hadn’t specified a particular division but had referred to Taegweol as a ‘Group.’ He tilted his head in curiosity.
“What’s your father’s role at Taegwol Group?”
Na-bit hesitated momentarily and then chuckled.
“He’s the chairman.”
Only then did Sang-ho comprehend why such a young child had a personal assistant.
“So, you don’t have to worry about tuition.”
“True.”
“Why do you aspire to be a hunter? If you want to assist your father, pursuing higher education might be a better choice.”
She touched the emblem of the Faith Society on her chest.
“Because it’s my forte. Healing people is a noble pursuit too.”
“You’re not planning to enter the family business?”
“No, I have an older brother. He excels in academics…”
Sang-ho furrowed his brow as he observed her smiling face. There was still something he couldn’t quite grasp.
“Why did you choose my class, Na-bit?”
“I wanted to learn from the most rigorous teacher.”
“Strict? You wanted to be taught by a tough teacher?”
“Yes, to prove myself as a hunter.”
She spoke softly, fiddling with her hands.
“I don’t want to be constantly pampered or constrained. I want to achieve something through my own abilities.”
Sang-ho chuckled.
“So, you were prepared to face discipline in my class? Did your parents say anything?”
“They’re unaware. I secretly changed my class assignment to yours.”
Sang-ho was slightly taken aback. She was more resourceful than she appeared.
“But what’s your impression now that you’ve experienced it? Am I too strict?”
“No, quite the opposite… you seem kind.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Na-bit smiled at Sang-ho. However, he crossed his arms, maintaining a stern expression.
“Well, that’s good to hear. Nevertheless, I can be strict when necessary. I might appear very intimidating to you, so don’t let your guard down.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good.”
Sang-ho closed the record book and stood up.
“You’ve put in commendable effort. Have a safe journey home.”
Cliche Novel 