Chapter 76
—
Students began gathering in the Introduction to Monster Studies lecture hall one by one.
Si-hyun, who had arrived early, greeted the students warmly as they entered.
Once the lecture began and attendance was checked,
Si-hyun confirmed that there were no absentees today either and nodded with satisfaction.
“Today’s lecture topic is Orcs, and we’ll also cover Trolls alongside them.”
With her calm voice, she turned on the audiovisual materials on the screen.
The students placed the printed handouts on their desks.
Some students had already made notes on their sheets.
It was evidence that they had even prepared in advance.
“As you all know, there are many types of monsters. Some even change their attributes depending on their environment.”
A prime example of this is today’s topic: Orcs and Trolls.
Si-hyun proceeded with the lecture in the style she had grown accustomed to.
She carefully observed the students’ reactions and encouraged their active participation.
The fifth period flew by, and after the break, the sixth period began.
“As with the previous lectures, we’ll watch a video today as well.”
Click.
A black, paused screen appeared on the projector.
The students wore relaxed expressions and thought to themselves.
‘Surely, it’ll be ordinary this time, right?’
‘No way it’s going to subvert expectations again.’
‘At most, it’ll probably be the professor slicing through some monsters.’
Click.
Si-hyun pressed the play button, and the video started.
The students began watching the video casually.
The black screen disappeared, revealing a background and a person.
[Hello, Academy students!]
[…This is Hunter Kim Ji-a, joining as today’s guest.]
[Si-hyun, there’s no need to be so stiff in the video. Ah, should we edit this part out?]
[…Hmm, not really? Anyway, today we’ll show you how Orcs change based on their environment in this dungeon.]
It was a bombshell from the very beginning!
‘Huh? Did she just say Hunter Kim Ji-a?’
‘Why is Hunter Kim Ji-a here?!’
‘Wow, Professor Jung Si-hyun and Hunter Kim Ji-a together—it’s like watching two goddesses.’
The students stared at the screen with wide eyes.
No one else but Hunter Kim Ji-a appeared.
She was a specialist in dungeons avoided by others and the nation’s most renowned spearman hunter.
Now that the previously mentioned S-rank spearman hunter had passed away,
Many in Korea were eagerly hoping for her to reach S-rank soon.
The fact that such a famous figure appeared as a guest in a liberal arts lecture video was shocking.
The students watched the video, blinking in a daze.
[Kaahk!]
[Kwaeeek—!]
The Orcs in the video screamed like slaughtered pigs as they fell.
The footage captured these scenes dramatically from dynamic angles.
The angle of Ji-a’s spear as she swung it, the parts of the Orcs she struck,
The most efficient way to handle multiple opponents alone,
And her precise targeting of monsters’ weaknesses.
It was a priceless video, one that couldn’t be bought even with money, and it captivated the students.
‘How was this even filmed?’
‘Wow, this is more fun than TriTube.’
‘Hunter Kim Ji-a is seriously amazing….’
The students were so immersed in the video that they even forgot to breathe.
Starting with cave Orcs, the video seamlessly transitioned to scenes of swamp Orcs, volcanic Orcs, and more,
Covering a wide variety of Orcs and how to deal with them.
Finally, it included a Troll.
The video ended with Si-hyun cleanly decapitating the Troll with her sword.
The students stared blankly at the screen, as if still caught in the video’s lingering impact.
The only person in the lecture hall who wasn’t watching the video was Si-hyun,
Who had instead been observing the students, and she nodded with satisfaction.
She had spent an incredible amount of time crafting the video to be both dynamic and informative.
Honestly, filming it had been several times harder than hunting the monsters themselves.
But seeing the students so engrossed made all the effort worthwhile, and Si-hyun smiled softly.
“So, as we saw with the monsters in the video, their attributes vary greatly depending on their environment—”
Si-hyun resumed the lecture.
The students focused their full attention on the professor’s teachings.
***
“That’s all for today. Next week’s midterm exams will cover up to today’s content, so keep that in mind.”
With the lecture concluded and the class neatly wrapped up, Si-hyun quietly left the lecture hall.
Soon after, the students began chattering excitedly.
“Wow, today’s lecture was insane.”
“Honestly, it feels more useful than the major courses.”
“Did you see how she sliced through that Troll? It was so clean.”
“Oh, speaking of Trolls, I never expected Hunter Kim Ji-a to appear as a guest.”
Their excited voices overlapped as they spoke.
Then, a student sitting alone suddenly shouted.
“Wow, this is crazy!”
All eyes turned toward the student.
“…Oh, um.”
The student, who hadn’t expected to draw attention, scratched their head awkwardly.
They raised their phone and spoke.
“…Check Professor Jung Si-hyun’s academic information, everyone.”
Curious, the students began looking it up one after another.
Soon, their eyes widened as they stared at their screens.
“What? Her connections list isn’t empty anymore?”
“She added a B-rank crafting-type hunter she worked with on a model project and Hunter Kim Ji-a!”
Connections are one of the biggest indicators of a hunter’s capabilities and influence.
And two high-ranking hunters had just been added to her list.
But that wasn’t the only surprise.
“Professor got promoted to C-rank?”
“Wow… That’s incredible.”
This resolved the only shortcoming of Professor Jung Si-hyun in Introduction to Monster Studies.
While most professors were C-rank hunters, she had previously been a D-rank part-time lecturer.
That issue was now completely resolved.
The timing couldn’t have been better.
The students, already inspired by the lecture,
Were now even more fired up by the news of her rank advancement!
Advancing ranks!
It was every student’s dream!
‘I want to hit D-rank as soon as possible!’
‘I really want to level up my rank!’
The lecture hall emptied in no time, leaving behind only the silence and a lingering sense of inspiration.
***
[Title: Look at the ones who ignored Introduction to Monster Studies]
[ㅇㅇ]
Professor Jung Si-hyun has been promoted to C-rank, LOL.
-Really?
└ Yeah, seriously. Check for yourself if you doubt it.
-What the heck, how is this true? I thought she was just someone who went crazy over tests.
└ Have you been living under a rock? LOL.
-So those posts about her being insanely skilled weren’t lies?
└ Exactly, LOL.
-I thought people were just simping for her looks, but if she’s C-rank, I can respect that, LOL.
[Title: We need to invite Professor Jung Si-hyun as a major professor]
[ㅇㅇ]
Let me be the first to recommend her.
-This guy just said, “ ”
-Sigh… Just this once.
-This is the first time I’ve seen no swear words under this kind of post, LOL.
└ Exactly, LOL.
└ LOL.
└ How can you insult someone who’s C-rank, LOL.
[Title: Are you guys serious?]
[ㅇㅇ]
I don’t take Introduction to Monster Studies, but I do remember you guys getting hit with Goblin models.
Doesn’t this mean if that professor becomes the major professor, she’ll beat up students herself?
-What the heck;
-Wait, that’s kind of scary.
-Don’t suddenly change the genre, LOL.
-That’s a reward.
└ What the heck, LOL.
└ LOL.
-Honestly, I’m all for it, LOL.
[Title: Speaking of the video…]
[ㅇㅇ]
The video from Introduction to Monster Studies with Hunter Kim Ji-a—wasn’t that a B-rank dungeon?
Did anyone who attended the lecture notice?
-Oh… now that you mention it, yeah.
└ Right? Volcano Orcs only appear in high-level dungeons, don’t they?
-??? You’re saying she filmed a video with Hunter Kim Ji-a?
└ Yeah, she was a guest in today’s lecture video.
└ What the heck, I’m suddenly so jealous of you guys.
└ LOL.
└ If it’s Hunter Kim Ji-a, that’s respectable, LOL.
└ Sigh; will she teach next semester too? I’ll definitely register then.
└ As if, LOL. The class only has 15 seats, LOL.
***
Time passed again, and a week went by.
It was midterm exam week at the academy.
“Good job.”
Si-hyun spoke in a quiet voice to a student who submitted their test.
The student, who looked up with a tired expression, shyly nodded upon seeing her face.
‘They’re all working so hard.’
At the academy, grades in liberal arts classes weren’t as important as those in major courses.
As long as the calculated GPA met the standard, it was enough.
Still, seeing them solve the problems diligently made her proud.
It also gave her a sense of fulfilment as a teacher.
“Areum, good job.”
“Hehe…”
One by one, the students left the lecture hall.
The exam concluded before the full hour had passed.
Si-hyun looked around the empty lecture hall.
Usually, she was the first to leave after class, so seeing it empty felt strange.
It felt like the hall should be full of students.
When she first started teaching, she had thoughts like, “What if no one shows up?” or “If too many students come, it’ll be overwhelming.”
Now, she felt a sense of unfamiliarity in the empty lecture hall.
Was this also a sign that she had grown?
She chuckled softly and picked up the stack of papers.
Tap, tap.
She neatly arranged the test papers and placed them in her bag.
‘Time to visit the elder.’
How long had it been since their last meeting?
When she mentioned her visit after a long time, the elder seemed genuinely happy.
Having practiced solving advanced Janggi puzzles recently, she was determined to win this time without losing any pieces!
“Hmph…”
Si-hyun left the academy building and walked briskly.
Using public transportation, she arrived smoothly in front of the elder’s residence.
The elder, who had been waiting, immediately opened the gate for her.
“Hello.”
“You look radiant, young lady. Did something good happen?”
“…I suppose it shows how happy I am to see you.”
“Hahaha.”
It was just lip service, but the elder seemed pleased and let out a hearty laugh.
Smiling along, Si-hyun crossed the garden and sat on a chair.
“Oh, is this yuzu tea?”
“Yes. The refreshing taste of yuzu suits spring well.”
The elder smiled as he sipped his yuzu tea and ate a rice cake made with yuzu.
Si-hyun picked one up and took a bite.
“Wow, it’s delicious!”
“Do you like it? Take some with you when you leave.”
“Yes! My sister will love this too!”
“Haha, I’ll pack plenty, then.”
The elder stroked his beard and chuckled.
Si-hyun observed him briefly before admiring the garden scenery.
The neatly maintained garden reflected the owner’s personality, exuding a tranquil atmosphere.
For the home of an S-rank hunter and the master of a major guild, it felt surprisingly modest.
While looking around the garden, Si-hyun spoke without thinking.
“It feels… peaceful.”
“Hmm?”
“Well, elder, you’re an incredible hunter, right? I thought people like you all lived in fancy houses.”
“Hahaha.”
Hearing this, the elder smiled warmly and replied.
“This is how I’ve shaped my life to my liking. A house like this brings me peace.”
“Don’t the guild or government try to bother or restrict you?”
“Hmm…”
The elder didn’t answer immediately.
His deep eyes studied Si-hyun for a moment.
Then, stroking his beard again, he spoke.
“I’ve worked hard to live my way. To avoid being swayed by anyone.”
“Hmm…”
“That’s what it is.”
It was a brief statement that encapsulated much.
Yet it stirred a faint feeling in her chest.
“Well, shall we play Janggi now?”
“Yes! I’ll win today.”
“Hahaha.”
Si-hyun spent the evening playing Janggi with the elder until it was time to head home.
Loss. Victory.
She lost the first round but won the second.
—
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