It had been a while since I last went to work.
I couldn't even remember how many days it had been.
So, I wore a cleaner shirt and suit than usual.
I also made sure to bring the extra gloves I had in the dorm.
I straightened my clothes while looking in the mirror.
I couldn't allow even a single wrinkle.
Today, I had to go to work looking as neat as possible.
"This should be fine."
I muttered to myself while looking in the mirror.
Today was the day I would be teaching a small group of students.
First impressions are important, so I made sure to look as presentable as possible.
Though, it wasn't much different from how I usually looked.
I quickly headed to the entrance and put on my shoes.
Since I had to go to the auditorium instead of the usual faculty office, I moved a bit faster.
The auditorium wasn't far from the dorm.
Despite it being early in the morning, there were already professors and teaching assistants present.
There were also a few students who had come early to make a good impression on the professors.
Everyone's so diligent.
Upon arriving at the auditorium, I moved to the back.
On the way, I ran into Nam Hwa-yeon.
To be precise, it was her and another professor she was talking to.
"You're already here? An hour early."
"Well, isn't it better to be early? All the teaching assistants under me are here too."
"True, it's better to be early than late."
"Good morning, Professor. Who's that next to you?"
"Ah, I haven't introduced you yet."
A man with long hair tied back like a woman's.
That alone was unusual, but his blue martial arts uniform and the gray sword at his waist stood out even more.
He looked familiar, like someone I'd heard about before.
He extended his hand for a handshake and said.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Namgung Seong-jin, a professor teaching martial arts to first-year students."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor. My name is…"
"I've heard of you. You're Baek Seung-woo, right?"
As I shook Namgung Seong-jin's hand, I thought to myself.
More than him, knowing my name, I was more concerned about who Namgung Seong-jin was.
I never thought I'd meet the professor who's been the talk of the rumors like this.
Namgung Seong-jin, as his name and attire suggest, is openly Chinese.
He's from the Namgung family, which oversees a part of the Murim guild representing China, and is one of the famous professors at the academy.
'He probably wasn't a major character, right?'
I don't remember hearing about him from Eve.
That means he's not one of the main professors in the novel.
But for a minor character, his specs are impressive.
He's the young master of the Namgung family and a master of the Emperor Sword Style, which is only passed down to the family's eldest son. Not only that, but he's also an active S-rank player, said to be the closest to a ranker.
If we're talking purely about combat ability, he's probably one of the top in the academy.
"I've seen the scars scattered on the road. I think we'll get along well."
"Ah, that's…"
"No need to explain! I don't pay attention to the rumors floating around. Ah, it seems like it's about time. I'll head back to my seat now."
Namgung Seong-jin cut me off, answered on his own, and spoke.
He laughed heartily and walked over to where his teaching assistants were. I was left staring at his back, unable to get a word in.
He's quite an unusual professor.
"Interesting guy, isn't he?"
"No, more like he's very self-centered."
"Isn't that the same thing? Ah, right. The students arrived earlier than expected, so we'll start in 10 minutes. Get ready."
"Already?"
We're starting already?
Surprised, I scanned the seats in the auditorium and saw that the front rows were already full.
Time had flown by.
While my gaze was on the seats, someone had already stepped onto the podium.
He grabbed the microphone and said,
"Good morning, first-year students. I am Professor D'Artagnan, the vice-principal, and I'll be hosting today's event."
With his words, silence fell over the auditorium.
It wasn't due to any special aura or ability.
It was just that everyone was so surprised that they shut their mouths.
A man with a sharp and cold demeanor, wearing a thin rapier at his waist.
He was the undisputed second-in-command of the Seven Stars Academy.
"D'Artagnan? Why is D'Artagnan here?!"
"Is this for real?"
The students, startled by his presence, began to murmur, and the quiet auditorium started to get noisy again.
Thud!
D'Artagnan stomped his foot.
"Quiet."
His words brought back the silence.
In that silence, D'Artagnan nodded as if satisfied and brought the microphone to his mouth.
"Each guiding teacher will be responsible for six students."
There are about 2,000 first-year students.
Even roughly estimating, more than 300 professors would be needed, but the academy doesn't even have 100 professors in total. That's why veteran teaching assistants are also being utilized.
Of course, that includes me.
"Why is that guy here? Wasn't he just a new hire a month ago?"
"Haven't you seen the news lately? There's a rumor that he cleared Efnell's Garden."
"He must be skilled. But what good is skill if his personality is trash?"
"Sigh, why did the professors and the board allow him to be a guiding teacher…"
The teaching assistants were talking about me.
Honestly, I don't even know why I'm here.
I didn't really want to do this.
It was just a task assigned by Nam Hwa-yeon, so I had no choice but to accept it.
While I was listening to the veteran teaching assistants' chatter, the professors started to step onto the stage one by one.
What? Did they already finish their speeches?
That was quick.
I went up to the stage with the other teaching assistants.
As soon as I did, 2,000 pairs of eyes simultaneously looked down at me.
Judging by their expressions, they didn't think too highly of me. Well, that's to be expected.
'If I were them, I wouldn't want to learn under a teacher notorious for having a bad personality either.'
I know that.
I understand, but for some reason, a sense of frustration swirled in my chest.
I was the one who stopped Yuren, so why are they looking at me like that?
It wasn't an action I took expecting a reward.
It was purely out of my own sense of morality.
But I didn't want to be met with such critical gazes.
Well, I guess there's no helping it.
"Now, students, please stand in front of the teacher you wish to learn from."
At Vice-Principal D'Artagnan's words, the students in their seats moved like a swarm. They lined up in front of the professors they wanted.
"…It's empty."
Of course, in front of me was a barren wasteland.
***
"It's incredibly crowded…"
The students tended to flock to specific teachers.
Well, if you're going to learn, it's best to learn from a proven professor.
Students who use magic rushed to Professor Nam Hwa-yeon, while those specializing in martial arts, especially swordsmanship, flocked to Professor Namgung Seong-jin. Other students who wanted to learn the specialties of individual professors also clung to their desired professors.
In that massive crowd, the teaching assistants were left floating.
No students came to us, and we just stared blankly at the students rushing to the professors next to us.
This isn't why I came here.
"I'm not sure if we'll even be able to fill the quota of six students."
"Don't worry, sir! I'm sure you'll fill not just six, but even more!"
"Yeah, thanks."
At least my situation was better.
I had at least one person.
Next to me, Lee Ji was busy waving his hands to attract the students' attention. I glanced at the busy guy.
Lee Ji, whom I met during the 'Efnell's Garden' and gave some light guidance to.
If it's him, I won't need to bother with a curriculum plan.
I already have a rough idea of his combat tendencies from the dungeon.
I can just choose between raising his realm or making him stronger, and then teach him accordingly.
"But this isn't going to end anytime soon."
The students were crowding around specific professors.
In Nam Hwa-yeon's case, over 800 students wanted to learn from her.
With each professor limited to teaching only six students, selecting just six from that crowd wasn't going to be easy.
"Sir, should we just chat?"
"Yeah, let's do that."
There's no helping it. We'll just have to chat and wait.
"What kind of students do you want to pick, sir?"
"Me? Hmm, maybe someone who won't be a bother."
"Someone like me?"
"You're the most bothersome."
As we exchanged banter like this.
Lee Ji asked the same question again.
He must be curious about what kind of students he'll be studying with.
"Are you planning to pick students who mainly use axes or blunt weapons like me?"
"Well, I'm not popular, so I'll probably just take whoever's left."
"But even among them, you must have a preferred type, right?"
"…Hmm."
I've never seriously thought about it.
But the most ideal way would be to pick based on positions.
Before I entered this novel, when I led a special unit, I used a specific formation.
Frontline: Dealer and Tanker.
Midline: Head and Ranger.
Backline: Caster and Supporter.
If we're considering systematic training, picking students based on this combination would be best.
But the problem is.
'Can one guiding teacher teach six different positions with different tendencies?'
Nam Hwa-yeon is undoubtedly the best teacher when it comes to magic.
But for the other fields, it's hard to say.
As someone who's specialized in one area, it's unlikely she has deep knowledge and expertise in martial arts and healing. The same goes for the other professors.
They each have their own specialized fields, but teaching other areas would be difficult. However, my situation is a bit different.
I have knowledge and experience in overall weapon techniques, as well as command and rear support.
The only field I'm worried about is magic, but I'm studying that myself, so I can teach while learning.
"One for each position? If they overlap, there's no helping it, but for training purposes, all six should be in different positions."
"Sir, can you really teach all of that?!"
"I'm not sure. I'll have to try and see."
Knowing something and teaching it are different.
Knowing is something I can do on my own.
But teaching requires mutual understanding and consideration.
In Lee Ji's case, he's slightly lacking in talent, but his comprehension is surprisingly good, so I was able to teach him quickly using shortcuts. I can't teach all students like Lee Ji, so I'll have to see how it goes.
But seriously, no one's coming.
While the other teaching assistants are filling their spots one by one.
In front of me, there's still only Lee Ji.
Well, if I were them, I wouldn't want to learn from someone notorious for having a bad personality either.
"Hey, Lee Ji."
"Yes?"
"What's your major?"
"I don't really have a specific major or specialty in mind."
"Then I'll make you a dealer or tanker."
"Dealer and tanker? What's that?"
"It's the terminology I used in my old attack team. I'll explain it to everyone once we fill the team."
Given Lee Ji's lack of magical power, it's hard to expect him to be in the backline.
He doesn't seem particularly bright or have excellent judgment for commanding either. So, by process of elimination, he'll have to choose between defense or attack in the front.
While I was lost in thought.
Two students stood in front of me.
Startled, Lee Ji shook my shoulder vigorously.
"S-Sir! L-Look over there!"
"…I'm busy thinking right now, so call me later."
"No, look over there! Students are here!"
"…What?"
Lee Ji pointed straight ahead.
Following his gaze, I saw familiar faces.
Why are they here?
In my memory, they're a duo who've recently been showing embarrassing behavior. I quietly called out their names.
"Seo Yerin. Noh Yura."
"Long time no see, teaching assistant!"
"…Long time no see."
One is bright and talkative, while the other is blunt and quiet.
I never thought I'd see them here.
Feeling pleased, I opened my mouth.
"What brings you two here?"
"We want to learn from you, of course!"
"…From me?"
There are plenty of skilled professors and teaching assistants here.
Why would they come to me?
"Sir, if you say that, what does that make me, who came running to you?"
"Hmm, a fool?"
"Wow, that's harsh."
Lee Ji shook his head as if shocked.
Well, more like pretending to be shocked.
There's no way he hadn't heard the rumors about me.
He must have come to me knowing that.
Lee Ji was the first to come to me, wanting to win my favor.
He expressed his desire to actively learn from me.
Knowing that, I teased him a bit. As expected, he reacted as I thought he would.
"…I want to learn from you, no, from the teaching assistant."
"If it's spearmanship, there are plenty of good teachers besides me."
"Umm…"
Seo Yerin shook her head.
She recalled that day.
Under the dark night sky. With her ankle sprained, she was helpless as a warrior. In contrast, the man in front of her moved freely.
Eventually, he even saved her friend who was next to her.
Though some students were sacrificed in the process.
That didn't diminish the man's actions.
In Seo Yerin's eyes, the man was sufficiently impressive. Though she didn't want to admit it personally, if she could learn from that.
"I… really want to learn."
"From me?"
"Yes…"
She bowed her head, asking for permission.
Seeing her like that, I asked again, and the answer was the same.
There's no reason to refuse when she's being so earnest.
I nodded and asked a necessary question before accepting them.
I can't accept them without knowing this.
"What are your majors?"
"I'm into bows and hunting!"
"…Spear and healing."
Oh, both fit into the remaining positions.
I accepted them and said to Lee Ji,
"You'll be the tanker."
"Huh? I prefer attacking over defending…"
"Should I teach you a few more axe techniques?"
"Defense is the best offense. Trust me!"
I didn't believe him at all, but I gave him a thumbs up.
It's easy to handle guys like Lee Ji this way.
With half the spots filled, I felt more at ease.
But after that, no more students came.
Everyone wanted to learn from the skilled and renowned professors.
Well, it's fitting for an extra like me to wait like this, I thought self-deprecatingly.
"Ah, hello! Is there a spot here?"
"Well, there are spots left. But what's your major or specialty…"
"Ah! Swords, then nice to meet you!"
"…."
They say geniuses are always a bit strange.
Since Seven Stars is a school for elites, there are many unique characters.
I didn't expect them to be this eccentric.
She greeted me and then quickly moved to where Lee Ji and the others were.
I didn't plan to stop her. I'll just accept her.
She spoke in awkward Korean, asking the kids to take care of her, making her seem like a foreigner.
Her face is completely Korean. Maybe she's from Japan or China.
Since Seven Stars gathers elites from all over the world, it's possible.
'I'll have to teach her Korean, though?'
Her Korean is awkward, but she seems to know a lot of words. The problem is her pronunciation and grammar.
Pronunciation aside, if her grammar is poor, communication could be difficult.
It's bothersome, but I'll have to teach her.
I never thought I'd become a language instructor.
If I knew I'd be stuck with such a bothersome task, I wouldn't have gone to Nam Hwa-yeon's dorm yesterday.
"Now, two spots left."
Two frontline, one midline, and one backline are set.
It wasn't planned, but I moved Seo Yerin to the supporter position.
Her spearmanship is impressive, but she mentioned she's also considering the supporter position.
In the novel, Seo Yerin was like a paladin, capable of both dealing damage and healing, making her nearly immortal. She's been learning spearmanship for a long time, so I can teach her a lot.
The girl who joined last had a sword at her waist, so I sent her to the frontline without hesitation.
If she's carrying a sword, she's probably not a mage.
She's likely a dealer.
Or not.
'Now, the remaining positions are caster and head.'
While every position is important, the most crucial positions when forming a party or attack team of six are the head and the caster.
The head, as the name suggests, is responsible for the team's leadership. They need cold judgment and various tactics.
In emergencies, they also take command and participate in combat, making it a complex position.
The caster uses curses or large-scale magic to wipe out enemies, supporting the team with magic.
They need quick judgment and a variety of magic to handle different situations, making it a headache-inducing position.
These are the most important positions left.
'Among the remaining students, I doubt there's anyone skilled enough to handle the head and caster positions.'
Most of the geniuses and talents have already been monopolized by the veteran professors.
The remaining students are the lower-tier elites.
What can I do?
Even if positions overlap, I'll have to endure it.
I scratched my head, thinking I'd just fill the spots with anyone to make up the six.
Right at that moment—
"Oh my, it seems you're still short on members."
An elegant tone.
It was a tone and voice reminiscent of a lady or noblewoman from somewhere.
I looked up to see who it was, and a blonde girl smiled softly.
It was a beautiful smile.
But there was something unsettling about it.
It felt like finding a thorn among flowers.
Sensing something strange, I observed her closely.
Then, I noticed the name tag.
My face turned pale with shock.
'Isabelle Sirius...'
A unique name, just like the protagonist, Kyle Iris.
It was impossible to think of it as a Korean name.
Of course, that's because she's an international student from England.
'Why on earth is she here, of all places...!'
I clenched my fists tightly as I looked at her smiling face.
This was the worst possible situation.
In some ways, this girl was someone I wanted to meet even less than the protagonist.
The various rumors surrounding me.
No one knows if all those rumors are true.
Maybe they're just baseless gossip.
But when it comes to her, it's not just gossip.
Among the rumors about me, one of the most widely spread is that I tormented my fiancée with verbal abuse until the engagement was called off.
"It's been a long time. Is this the first time we've seen each other since the breakup?"
The girl standing before me is the very fiancée from that infamous rumor.
***
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