Chapter 78
—
Kang Chul-min watched the woman who had stopped on the steps.
It didn’t seem like she was going to the restroom, as she exchanged polite greetings with the professor sitting next to her.
Anyone could see that her gestures were saying, “I’ll see you next time.”
At first, he thought about just letting her go.
But…
‘…No matter how I think about it, this is ungrateful.’
Who was he?
He was one of the few S-rank Hunters in Korea—there were fewer than ten of them.
And yet, he had taken time out of his busy schedule to deliver a special lecture at the academy.
And now, she dared to leave without listening to it until the end?
Kang Chul-min began devising a sinister plan in his mind.
‘I’ll have to give her a stern lesson.’
Feigning calmness, he spoke up.
“I think it’s time for a Q&A session! Let’s start with the young lady over there! It’s not every day you get to ask an S-rank Hunter directly. Haha!”
The gazes of countless people in the auditorium turned toward Si-hyun.
They looked back and forth between her and Kang Chul-min.
Among the key figures present, members of the Blue Forest Guild looked at Si-hyun with pity.
‘There he goes again, Hunter Kang Chul-min.’
‘Tsk, tsk. You shouldn’t do anything to upset him.’
His arrogant and overbearing nature was well-known within the guild.
The Blue Forest members, who had often been subjected to his temper, could instantly recognize the look on his face.
It was the expression of someone eager to scold someone else.
They bowed their heads, hoping the fallout wouldn’t reach them.
‘…What should I do?’
Si-hyun, standing still in her spot, hesitated for a moment.
It was obvious what Kang Chul-min was up to.
Whether or not she should play along with his intentions.
…Si-hyun’s hesitation didn’t last long. She descended the steps again.
Her mind raced, generating countless questions.
‘I was going to let it slide, but…’
On second thought, this was a good opportunity. She would let him fall into the trap of his own making.
She had no intention of showing mercy.
“Come on up!”
Kang Chul-min gestured for her to join him on the stage.
With confident strides, Si-hyun approached the stage.
She took a microphone handed to her by the emcee.
Kang Chul-min watched her with a relaxed posture, arms crossed.
When Si-hyun approached, he tilted his head slightly upward, looking down at her with an arrogant gaze.
Compared to his imposing physique, Si-hyun looked like a small animal standing before a predator.
“Well then, feel free to ask your question.”
He was ready to pounce at the slightest provocation.
The thought of seeing his opponent on the verge of tears made him excited.
Narrowing his eyes, Kang Chul-min stared at the woman in front of him.
“Hmmm…”
Si-hyun brought the microphone close to her lips.
The audience’s eyes were fixed on her.
From this moment on, their Q&A would be broadcast to everyone in the auditorium.
“…Hello, my name is Jung Si-hyun, and I teach ‘Introduction to Monster Studies’ as a liberal arts course.”
“Ah, so you’re a professor.”
As Si-hyun introduced herself to the audience, Kang Chul-min let out a slight chuckle.
A woman who didn’t even understand the value of this special lecture was a professor? It was laughable.
“You told me to feel free to ask, so I’ll start with this. What do you think is the essential guideline for high-grade undead-themed dungeons?”
“Hmmm…”
As Si-hyun posed her question, Kang Chul-min stroked his chin, thinking briefly.
Recalling a recent experience in a double dungeon with a secondary raid team, he responded.
“That’s a very basic question. You need to be mindful of monster resurrection and ensure that pain-immune monsters don’t break through to the rear positions during combat. Surely, a professor would already know this, right?”
“Of course. I’m just confirming. So, you’re saying that maintaining distance from allies is crucial rather than rushing into battle?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Kang Chul-min nodded confidently.
The audience, too, seemed to agree and naturally focused on his explanation.
Si-hyun looked up at Kang Chul-min’s composed face.
She had planned to steer the conversation toward the answer she wanted, but this response was perfect—a jackpot.
She seamlessly continued with another question.
“Assuming there’s a support-type Hunter in the party, what do you think is the most ideal way to fight?”
“That depends on the type of monster. Ideally, the Tanker minimizes damage on their own, allowing the Supporter to focus on aiding the damage dealers.”
“Oh, as expected of an S-rank Tanker! Very insightful!”
Si-hyun lightly tapped the wrist of the hand holding the microphone, as if applauding Kang Chul-min’s response.
Kang Chul-min, who had been poised to nitpick her, involuntarily curved his lips into a smile.
‘I like this attitude.’
The praise of a beautiful woman had the power to make even steel dance.
But at that moment, Si-hyun made an unexpected move.
“Then, why didn’t you do that in the double dungeon recently? Was there a special reason?”
“…Pardon?”
Kang Chul-min’s expression turned blank as he failed to grasp the meaning of her question.
“I heard about it from an acquaintance on the raid team. Apparently, you shouted, ‘Everyone! Follow me!’ and focused on breaking through the monsters.”
“Ahem! That was merely to maintain momentum.”
“So, you’re saying that momentum is more important than the Tanker’s virtue of composure?”
“…”
“And I also heard your booming voice demanding heals from the rear. Were you calm in that moment?”
Suddenly, a barrage of questions came flying!
Kang Chul-min felt his head spin as he struggled to maintain his composure and respond.
“…Combat situations require dynamic and adaptive actions.”
“Didn’t you say earlier that maintaining distance from allies is a basic principle? In an S-rank undead dungeon, was there a reason to disregard the basics? Or is this what you mean by adaptive decision-making?”
“Well… that… uh…”
Kang Chul-min found himself completely tongue-tied.
Without hesitation, Si-hyun continued her relentless attack.
“When I saw the photos taken after the Double Dungeon raid, the equipment was all dented and in shambles. It must have been a really intense fight, wasn’t it? You worked hard.”
“…”
Her words sounded like an insult, but on the surface, they seemed to express concern for his effort.
That tone only irritated Kang Chul-min even more.
Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to respond.
Because he finally realized that he had fallen into her trap.
As Kang Chul-min fell silent, Si-hyun moved the microphone away from her lips.
She whispered softly.
“You’re suddenly doing such a great job maintaining your virtue.”
A light mockery.
Only Kang Chul-min could hear her words.
He gritted his teeth, glaring at Si-hyun.
Of course, Si-hyun wasn’t the type to cower under pressure.
Calmly, she brought the microphone back to her lips and spoke.
“That’s all for my questions! I sincerely thank Hunter Kang Chul-min for answering so earnestly.”
Clap, clap, clap—!
The applause that filled the auditorium was louder than when Kang Chul-min first made his entrance.
Those who harboured quiet grievances against Kang Chul-min clapped vigorously, and even those who felt indifferent joined in, encouraged by the atmosphere.
Si-hyun glanced sideways at Kang Chul-min with a faint smile.
‘…Who told you to stop someone who was leaving quietly?’
Having achieved her one-sided victory, Si-hyun handed the microphone back to the emcee.
She exited the auditorium with light steps, thoroughly savouring her victory.
***
After Si-hyun left, a short break was announced in the academy’s lecture hall.
The participants of the special lecture displayed varied reactions.
“Wow, Professor Jung Si-hyun’s way with words is incredible.”
“I thought all that charisma people were talking about on the academy community was just hype, but it’s real.”
“And her looks! Did you see Hunter Kang Chul-min’s lips curl up for a second?”
“Oh, that part! That was hilarious.”
Students snickered and laughed.
Areum, who had been sitting nearby, overheard their conversation.
She grinned and picked up her smartphone.
– Professor! Professor! Your charisma just now was off the charts!
– Haha, thank you!
– Everyone’s saying they definitely want to take your class next semester!
– Really? Then I’d better keep working hard!
The cheerful texts added to Si-hyun’s sense of victory.
Meanwhile, among the professors sitting in the front row…
“Wow, Professor Si-hyun speaks exceptionally well.”
“It’s no wonder the principal has taken notice of her.”
The academy’s principal, who wasn’t particularly fond of the Blue Forest Guild, exchanged quiet remarks with Professor Park.
On the other hand, professors aligned with the Blue Forest Guild expressed dissatisfaction with Si-hyun’s conduct.
“Such disrespect toward an invited guest speaker.”
“Exactly. Her behaviour was completely inappropriate.”
As a result, the unexpected turn of events today left a lasting impression of Si-hyun on both students and faculty.
And through these key individuals, the rumours began to spread.
‘A stunning woman who doesn’t falter even in front of an S-rank Hunter.’
Slowly but steadily, Si-hyun’s name started gaining recognition.
***
After the special lecture ended…
Si-hyun diligently tackled her daily tasks despite her packed schedule.
From grading midterm exams for her “Introduction to Monster Studies” course and recording grades, to teaching her weekly classes with dedication.
In her spare time, she completed the mini-orc model she had been crafting and displayed it in a corner of her office.
She spent her days faithfully balancing her work and hobbies.
And so, Friday morning arrived in the blink of an eye.
As always, Si-hyun finished her dawn prayers and reviewed the last task on her schedule for the week.
“Today is the field visit to the Dawn Guild’s training.”
It was just a visit, so she didn’t expect anything significant.
Si-hyun thought she’d wrap it up neatly and enjoy a relaxing weekend.
—
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