I’ll Retire After Saving the World

Chapter 44: A Teacher’s Duty (1)

Instead, I often taught new Hunters from the Ability Management Agency. Given that these individuals were expected to diligently raid dungeons, I also taught them with considerable sincerity. It was easier to work later if they were well-guided from the beginning.

Most Hunters entering the Ability Management Agency were young people who had just graduated from the Academy. They had virtually no experience in dungeon raids and were often cocky, thinking they were the best in the world.

Yoo Ji-eun usually threw such newcomers into dungeons to force them to face reality. Well, anyone next to Yoo Ji-eun would become an insignificant Hunter… For the arrogant newcomers from the Academy, it must have been quite a shock.

Then, I would pick up the now-broken newcomers and enter a cozy education session. What I emphasized to the newcomers at that time was about their future.

They had awakened, entered the Academy, and joined the Ability Management Agency as Hunters. That’s all good.

But what next?

What will they do next?

If they, like Yoo Ji-eun or myself, felt a sense of mission, it would be fine. They would be satisfied with contributing to a safer world by diligently raiding dungeons.

But if not, why did they become Hunters?

For money? Power? The superiority of doing something others can’t?

I told them to seriously think about why they decided to become Hunters and why they wanted to continue being one.

Most of the newcomers at the Ability Management Agency were exemplary students. They did well when instructed. But there was always an odd one out. When such a person found out that I had a Hunter license, they would inevitably ask.

‘Why didn’t you become a Hunter? You have a license, and with your skills…’

‘Well, you see.’

My answer to that was always the same.

‘I don’t like fighting.’

I would answer with a gentle smile.

‘And I detest such brute labor.’

I was perfectly content with my current situation. I didn’t enter dungeons, I was safe, and I could pass on troublesome tasks to others. If a problem arose, I could just hand it over to the Director.

Isn’t that perfect?

Twenty years have passed since that intense experience of being rescued from the research lab.

It was enough time to set the direction of my life.

The words of that woman in the suit I saw that day.

The incident of inciting the children at the research lab to trouble the head.

But on the day I saw the newspaper with the research institute director’s face plastered on the front page at the orphanage, I realized.

Power and responsibility are different matters.

The greater the power to command others, the greater the responsibility that comes with it.

Look at the director of the research lab. Honestly, there were worse people in the lab than the director, but the ultimate responsibility fell on the director. Simply because the director held the highest position in the lab.

I wanted to have stronger people working under me like that woman in the suit. How nice would it be to have someone working in my place?

But I didn’t want to take responsibility for things that weren’t my fault like the director of the lab. Not that the director was blameless… you understand what I mean, right?

And, ideally.

It would be nice if someone else took responsibility for my mistakes too.

‘You should take good care of your younger siblings!’

‘You should be a role model for your younger siblings!’

Just like the older kids got scolded when the younger kids at the orphanage did something wrong.

The fact that I was adopted by the old man was clearly a sign of something. It was like a way to achieve my dreams had fallen from the sky.

‘Um, Hwijae. I saw the homework you did.’

Shortly after being adopted. The old man cautiously asked me.

‘About what you wrote for your future dream… what does that mean?’

‘You’re a Hunter, and you don’t even know that?’

‘No… I just wanted to hear it from you, Hwijae.’

As a bratty child, I sighed deeply and answered.

‘I like stable jobs.’

‘That’s understandable.’

‘I hate being told what to do by others. So, I need to get to a position where I tell others what to do, but jobs in private companies are unstable.’

‘Unstable… Where did you hear that?’

‘It’s all on the news.’

‘Oh, I see…’

‘That’s why I’m going to become a civil servant. That lady in the suit said to punish people like the lab director, you have to pass the government exam. That’s what a civil servant is, right?’

‘That’s not entirely wrong…’

‘I don’t want to be someone like the president. That seems like too much work. I just want to be in a middle management position where I can moderately boss people around and pass on responsibilities.’

‘……’

‘And if possible, it’d be nice to earn a lot of money…. I heard civil servant salaries are low, so that’s something I’ll have to accept. I’ve heard you have to give up one thing to get another.’

The old man slowly stroked his chin. How amusing I must have been. Looking back as an adult, it was really embarrassing.

I could have wrapped it up more nicely instead of speaking so bluntly…. Well, what can you expect from a twelve-year-old.

Still, the old man didn’t laugh at or scold my words. Instead, he lightly patted my head with the hand that had been stroking his chin.

‘Alright. If that’s what you want to do, you should. This old man will let you do whatever you want, Hwijae.’

It’s a fond memory.

Anyway, that’s why I didn’t become a Hunter. Because I intended to become a civil servant. The old man supported me.

‘Hey, Woo Hwijae.’

But there was someone who looked down on me for that.

‘What?’

‘Why didn’t you enter the Academy?’

Yoo Ji-eun.

The metal badge signifying her affiliation with the Ability Management Agency glinted on her collar.

I answered indifferently.

‘I’m not going to be a Hunter.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I don’t want to.’

‘What do you plan to do if not become a Hunter?’

‘Civil servant.’

‘Civil servant?’

‘I’m going to be a civil servant.’

‘What kind of bullshit is that? You should be a Hunter. Civil servant my ass. Teacher, isn’t he talking nonsense? Come on, spar with me.’

‘No! I have an exam next week!’

‘Hey. If you become a Hunter, you don’t have to take exams.’

‘But then I’d become stupid like you, noona!’

‘You little…!’

I blinked.

Yoo Ji-eun’s figure vanished. The dumbfounded faces of the newbies who had been looking up at me with round eyes in the classroom also blurred.

The old man who used to check my homework too.

Everything.

“……”

Well, whatever.

Right now, it’s more important to check if the little Yoo Ji-eun is being swayed by strange nonsense.

But then again, it wouldn’t be appropriate for an adult man to suddenly visit where the sisters live… I should have brought Kim Chae-min along. I regretted it belatedly.

Should I call her now? I saw Kim Chae-min taking the girls after school ended. Having a woman around is convenient since she can take care of the parts that Hong Seok-young and I might miss. Not that I’m saying I particularly care about the boys.

Hunters originally live alone. Why am I even managing…

The little Yoo Ji-eun is no exception. But at least, the kids at the pilot high school won’t be swayed by Ark’s nonsense.

Let’s call Kim Chae-min after all.

But then I realized the problem.

I hadn’t bought a phone yet. There’s no way to contact Kim Chae-min.

Previously, I couldn’t get one due to lack of identity, and even after Hong Seok-young set it up for me…

I just didn’t feel like it. Although it’s optimized for gathering information as I can check the internet anywhere.

That also means I can see information I don’t want to see.

Of course, I know I can’t put it off forever.

“…Ah.”

I forcibly cut off my rough, disjointed thoughts.

I came near the middle school where little Yoo Ji-eun goes, hoping to maybe see her around dismissal time, and fortunately, among the students leaving school, there was a familiar yet unfamiliar face.

Little Yoo Ji-eun stood at the crosswalk. She was so absorbed in the paper in her hand that she didn’t notice the signal and almost crossed during a red light but stopped just in time.

I frowned.

It would be quite troublesome if she got into an accident.

As I moved towards the crosswalk where little Yoo Ji-eun was standing, I finally noticed the paper she was looking at.

‘How to Purify the Dirty Energy in your Blood!’

‘Mana refers to pure energy free from impurities….’

Is she still caught up in that nonsense?

I couldn’t believe it and rubbed my forehead. I thought I had given her a firm talk when she came to the school last time.

I glanced at the traffic light.

Waiting anxiously for it to change, I noticed a middle-aged woman stealthily approaching Yoo Ji-eun.

I frowned. Amid the noisy traffic and the clamor of students leaving school, I heard the woman’s coquettish voice.

“Oh my…. Excuse me, student?”

Little Yoo Ji-eun looked up a beat late.

“Student, are you interested in that?”

“Huh?”

“No, you were reading it so intently…. I work here. If you’re interested, I can explain it to you. You need to learn these things from a professional to avoid getting hurt and do it properly.”

You, you, you!!

I urgently looked at the traffic light. It had just turned green.

As soon as the signal changed, I crossed the street, calling out to Yoo Ji-eun. I couldn’t call her auntie like I used to. Calling her noona was even more out of the question.

“…Yoo Ji-eun!!”

* * *

Yoo Ji-eun.

16 years old.

Her only family was her sister, two years older.

There might be one more person registered in the family registry. But she didn’t want to call that person dad.

Her only real family was her sister. After all, hadn’t it been just the two of them since they were small?

She remembered.

Though only two years apart, her sister always took care of her. When her own classes ended earlier and she waited in the playground, her sister would come running, out of breath. Holding her hand tightly on the way home, her sister would apologize for being late. Her sister had been just as young.

What did her sister say when she Awakened?

‘Ji-eun, now I can buy you everything you want to eat.’

Children without parents often mature early. Yoo Ji-eun was no exception.

She knew what her sister gave up to take care of her, what she was willing to give up. So, when she Awakened a few days ago, it felt like a bright light bulb lit up in her mind.

‘Yoo Ji-eun! You can’t just come to my school like that!’

‘But….’

‘Oh my gosh, really. And what’s with the disciple thing? Right, your mana? What’s that about? Where on earth did you hear such strange things…’

As soon as she got home, Yoo Hye-eun was bombarded with her sister’s nagging, but she still smiled brightly.

‘When I become a famous hunter, I’ll be able to buy you lots of delicious things!’

Though being such a Hunter would mean more than just good food, that’s what she said. After all, it was the first thing her sister had said when she Awakened.

Living as minor sisters without parents in South Korea was tough. Things got much better after Mr. Hong helped them, but that didn’t erase their past hardships.

She wanted to succeed more than anyone else. She wanted to ensure her sister wouldn’t suffer.

She remembered the flyer she received when she went out with her friends. Her sister’s school teacher said it was nonsense and not to even think about trying it…. She was grateful the teacher saved her sister, but that didn’t mean the teacher knew everything.

That’s why Yoo Ji-eun couldn’t let go of her attachment and kept looking at the flyer.

Even so, she hadn’t yet mustered the courage to call the unfamiliar number on the flyer.

“Student, are you interested in that?”

Not until a kind-looking woman spoke to her.

Yoo Ji-eun’s eyes widened.

“You need to learn these things properly from a professional to avoid getting hurt and to do well.”

A professional!

Once again, a light bulb went off in her head.

And then.

“Yoo Ji-eun!!”

Hearing an unfamiliar voice calling her name, Yoo Ji-eun turned her head.

A man with a deeply furrowed brow was crossing the street, striding towards her.