EX rank supporting role’s replay in a prestigious school - Chapter 834

Eungwang High’s sophomore area, in the faculty room.

The center of the teachers’ conversations was, of course, the surprise events prepared by the students for Teachers’ Day.

The most discussed were Gong Cheonghwon and Jegal’s surprise videos, and the expected battle between Im Yeonhwa and her past students.

Their names were mentioned even if they weren’t in the faculty room.

“Professor Yeon is training all night today to warm up. She said the kids who graduated will be coming so she wants to do her best.”

“Damn, I dunno if Kihwan and the kids will be able to walk home after that.”

“She’ll win even if she doesn’t train. She’s not just strong, she’s sincere too.”

“It seems like the head of the academic affairs doesn’t write poems anymore?”

“I heard he won many awards in the past though… I guess he’s just focusing on his teaching career now.”

Professors who weren’t aware of Jegal’s situation just took it lightly and moved on.

What they were more interested in was Gong Cheonghwon.

The current director of the band department at Eungwang High is said to be conservative with praises, but he highly praised Gong Cheonghwon’s singing and guitar skills.

“He doesn’t do bands anymore?”

“He has an advisory class for the first time this year, and he’s handling the Taehokwon small group so I guess it’s hard to juggle everything at once. He goes on otherworld raids and does volunteer work on his days off.”

While the teachers felt disappointed for a moment, the door to the faculty room opened.

Kim Shinrok entered the room holding a few paper bags.

Seeing the mixture of joy, awkwardness, and embarrassment on his face, it seemed like he just met up with his students who graduated.

Teachers with more years of experience noticed this and looked at Kim Shinrok with satisfaction.

“Thank you for your hard work this year.”

“It’s nice that your graduated students still keep in touch.”

It was an open secret that many of Kim Shinrok’s students held meetings even after graduation.

The group had a code of conduct, which included making adjustments so that Kim Shinrok wouldn’t be inconvenienced or surprised by a sudden influx of people.

Five alumni visited Eungwang High today, and they were selected through a very competitive lottery process.

Kim Shinrok didn’t know about it and only heard that they came as representatives of alumni.

‘I didn’t want to take up my students’ time so I was just going to greet them and go my way, but that damned dragon showed up…’

Kim Shinrok didn’t have classes this afternoon so he took the opportunity to meet with his students.

His graduated students were happy to see him after a long time, but he knew that humans experience time differently so he didn’t want to take much of it.

The alumni who came were rather glad to spend their precious time meeting with Kim Shinrok, but the latter unfortunately didn’t understand that.

When the alumni were disappointed and tried to leave early since they didn’t want to disturb Kim Shinrok either, Yong Jegun showed up out of nowhere.

He chatted with them excitedly, interrupting the little time Kim Shinrok and the alumni had left.

— It’s nice seeing our graduated students after a long while. You guys already got up, so it looks like you’re leaving quite soon though. You guys must be busy. Professor Kim Shinrok, I understand you’ve finished your administrative work for today. If you have a lot of time, do you wanna help me make class materials?

Yong Jegun planted a faint desire in the students’ hearts to become dragon slayers.

As the alumni fantasized about ambushing the mischievous dragon, Kim Shinrok intervened.

He held back from saying harsh words and tried his best to act like a teacher.

— Please stop joking around, Professor Yong Jegun. I heard that your class is preparing an event. You should go now and help them.

— Yeah, there is, but I can go later. If you’re bored, wanna come hang out with our class later, Professor Kim Shinrok?

— I promised the kids in my class dinner after their activities. I have plans already.

— Well, it looks like you’re going to have to wait for that anyway.

The alumni’s anger became increasingly intense as they watched the conversation between the two professors.

Kim Shinrok at least noticed that his students were disappointed about the time wasted dealing with the dragon.

After much consideration, Kim Shinrok decided to spend more time with them.

— I’d like to treat you all to some tea… Do you have the time?

— Yes! Of course!

— We gifted you some tea snacks. Shall we try them together?

Yong Jegun didn’t have a share in the tea prepared by Kim Shinrok.

Noticing this, Yong Jegun smiled heartily and then quickly left for the Class 2-0 classroom.

With his departure, Kim Shinrok and his students peacefully drank tea.

“Did the graduated students really come today? Some of them are socialites, so I thought they’d just come on the weekend.”

“I know right? Teachers’ Day is on Saturday. Did they contact you in advance to coordinate your schedule?”

Kim Shinrok wanted to accommodate the students whenever possible.

However, he had a really important matter to attend to tomorrow.

Kim Shinrok hesitated and said,

“…I have an appointment tomorrow.”

He wanted to keep the promise to the student who loyally gave him wreaths every Teachers’ Day.

* * * 

It wasn’t easy kidnapping Professor Ham Geunhyung.

It’s not just any person, it was the Legendary Archer.

Whenever there’s a discussion on who’s the strongest teacher in Eungwang High, his name is always up there with Professor Im Yeonhwa.

In player-specialized high schools, the student council adviser is usually among the strongest, and that’s rightfully Professor Ham Geunhyung’s position.

‘But it’s not like he doesn’t have any weaknesses.’

Professor Ham Geunhyung’s main weapon is a bow and arrow.

Since it’s a long-range weapon, it’s weak in close combat.

It’s weaker than attacking with an arrow, but he’s still strong enough to knock out enemies with his bare hands.

Still, it’s worth a try if we got within at least three steps from him.

Professor Ham Geunhyung isn’t wary of the good-natured kids in our class, so there’s a chance to win if we get close and make a surprise attack, paired with a good distraction.

However, we had a problem, and that was Yong Jegun.

— What should we do about Professor Yong Jegun? He’ll be coming at the end of our class.

— How about we attack him too?

— Oh… If we’re gonna do that, can I try it? I want to test a technique that I’m meaning to use on my Taoist teacher.

Dokgo Miro and Maeng Hyodon took the offensive route, but I was against attacking Yong Jegun.

Yong Jegun doesn’t have a teacher’s contract set in place yet, so he’s going to be hard to deal with right now.

— Hahaha! It’s not easy to deal with that mischievous dragon. If he senses a surprise attack, he’ll just use his spatial technique to build a wall.

— …You’re good at surprise attacks though.

— Hm, let me see. Does yours truly want to fight with Yong Jegun? There’s nothing I can do if this body’s best friend asks. It’s possible.

Hani’s intent wasn’t to ask Hwang Jiho to attack Yong Jegun, she was just mocking the way he stifled his presence and suddenly appeared.

— Wait, but why are we kidnapping our homeroom teacher again?

— It’s alright as long as Professor Ham Geunhyung doesn’t get hurt… Do you not want to do it, Daesok?

— Well, I guess Geurin’s right. As long as our homeroom teacher doesn’t get hurt, then of course there’s no problem.

Song Daesok belatedly raised doubts but went along after hearing Min Geurin’s words.

— How about we ask Yong-ssaem for help?

— Yeah, I agree with Saeum.

— Let’s do that. There’s no reason to take risks.

Saeum of April, Kwon Lena, and Mok Wooram convinced us to include Yong Jegun in the plan.

In the end, we decided to ask Yong Jegun’s help with the kidnapping.

He’d be of great help even if he just stood still.

And that’s how our kidnapping plan was completed.

Thanks to the attention-grabbing efforts of our AS duo, the kids in our class who were skilled in close combat, and Yong Jegun staying still, the kidnapping was a success.

We brought him to a rented conference room at the Hwangmyeong Tower.

“…I would’ve come with you if you just told me.”

Mok Wooram untied Professor Ham Geunhyung when we arrived, and those were his first words.

At first, he tried to reflexively counter the sudden attack, but when he judged that it was impossible to escape and it would be dangerous if he resisted, he just went with it.

Since I was the one who came up with the idea, I answered his question.

“The kids said they wanted to kidnap you, Professor.”

“Jo Euishin, you…”

Professor Ham Geunhyung’s expression became extremely complicated as his words trailed off.

I guess he’s surprised that I took the lead in a prank like this.

Yong Jegun, who quickly offered one of the seats in the room that we decorated, smiled ominously and said,

“I was worried about how Jo Euishin would do it, but he exceeded my expectations. He knows the kids in our class very well. Makes me think that he actually controls the kids’ abilities to fight.”

I know this because most of them are playable characters I used in PMH, and I’ve seen how the non-playable character kids in my class fight a few times.

Yong Jegun, as if knowing something about my light skill, went out of his way to say something like that.

Does he want to know which kids in our class I can borrow powers from?

“I heard that this performance is very meaningful.”

Ong Gildong, wearing a costume with an aurora carnation motif, spoke in an exaggerated tone.

“This is to condemn the reality that teachers are overworked and can’t spend time with their students!”

We can’t kidnap someone without any reason, and that’s the excuse that we came up with.

The reason that Eungwang High professors have to shoulder a heavy workload is largely due to the eventful year that passed.

Hwang Jiho has a large share in that.

After hearing Ong Gildong’s words, Yong Jegun and I looked at Hwang Jiho.

“It’s not just because you wanted an excuse to do some thief activities, is it?”

“That’s not wrong either. Kidnapping someone and making them have a good time is something a strange thief would do, isn’t it?”

Ong Gildong puffed out his chest and spoke in response to Goo Seulbi’s sullen question.

While they talked, Professor Ham Geunhyung and the other kids took their seats.

The party room was divided into fourteen and decorated differently.

The kids in our class wanted to decorate their own areas.

Kim Yuri’s area was cute, Hwang Jiho’s was elegant and sophisticated, Maeng Hyodon’s was rough and mostly used what was available in the room, Jin Jungmok’s like a martial artist’s, etc.

It wasn’t cohesive, but the party room reflected everyone’s individuality and sincerity.

Among the areas, the area that was most eye-catching that it was almost an eyesore was the attention seekers’.

“We’ll reveal the gift that we prepared first. Here!”

“This is no ordinary gift. This was made with the kids who aren’t coming to school yet!”

Have they become that close with those kids?

I was confident that they’d bring a good gift, but this exceeded my expectations.

The item that they took out of the box wasn’t common, but surprisingly, Maeng Hyodon reacted first.

“Huh, where did I see that before?”

It was a dreamcatcher that’s said to chase away nightmares.

‘Heukma once gifted Maeng Hyodon one.’

He received it as a reward for saving the Horse Clan’s Shinsoo.

The dreamcatcher that Heukma gave was made from unicorn tail feathers.

Maeng Hyodon seemed to remember what it was, but knowing his personality, I doubt that he remembers where he put it.

“Look! You can even card it!”

Goo Seulbi bragged, but it meant that our Professor couldn’t receive it anymore.

If the item’s rarity is high enough that it can be carded, then it can’t be gifted to our homeroom teacher.

It’s probably their first time making one, but since they’re my playable characters, I’m not surprised that they did that well.

It’s unfortunate that they can’t give it as a gift, but it made us realize once again that the skills of the kids who are yet to come to school were truly outstanding.

“Let’s hang it up in our classroom with Geurin’s painting!”

“I to place it. I was hoping to adjust our classroom’s lighting to beautify the—”

“I oppose that. There must be a place of darkness everywhere.”

“What’s that guy saying…”

Even though it was a gift he couldn’t receive, Professor Ham Geunhyung was happy.

“Thank you. I wish you go to school as often as you can.”

The attention-seekers who generously offered the valuable item couldn’t easily respond.

Perhaps it will take some time before they do so.