Academys Villain Professor Chapter 301

[ … words ]

A massive hall under the lights.

Countless people were bustling about on the spacious stage visible below.

“Haa.”

Ho-cheol, sitting in a theater-style seat, propped his chin on the armrest and let out a long sigh.

“This is boring.”

“It’s only been ten minutes, though.”

At So-hee’s scolding, he wiggled the fingers of the hand propping his chin.

“What’s important isn’t the time, it’s the density. Why call busy people here just for this?”

The invitation clearly stated the event would start at 5 o’clock.

But now, almost ten minutes past five, they were still only preparing, let alone starting, which was quite frustrating.

I came on time for no reason.

I could’ve left an hour later.

“This is why the Association collapsed.”

Grumbling so, I closed my eyes.

The Hero Association did, in fact, collapse, but not solely for the reason Ho-cheol grumbled about, of course.

Since Ho-cheol had arrested the Association President and all the Bureau Directors, how could the organization be intact?

A body with its head gone naturally couldn’t function properly.

And it was reborn.

The government, as if it had been waiting, announced a statement regarding the Association’s corruption and suspicions, incorporating the Hero Association as an affiliate of the government.

Of course, they stated they would respect the existing structure and the hero philosophy that emphasized individuality as much as possible, so they weren’t treated as civil servants like police, firefighters, or soldiers.

Some expressed concern that the government might intervene and control activities close to volunteer work, like being a hero, but the government reaffirmed this wouldn’t happen, citing statistics that such volunteer activities had often meant a lack of guaranteed rights and human rights.

From the point where the most recognized S-rank Hero No. 1, Swordmaster, and Clington, which produced a large number of heroes every year, both agreed to the reform, there was nothing that external refusal could change anyway.

Many things changed under the government’s leadership.

First and foremost, the abolition of hero ranks.

Changes to the hero registration system.

Improvements in the villain arrest process.

Expansion of arrest authority for non-Awakeners.

The creation of a clause that punished citizens who threatened heroes for obstruction of public duty, and so on.

Of course, various unexpected problems would arise during the reform, but Ho-cheol’s role was to act as a buffer to ensure no blood was shed during that process.

“The abolition of ranks is still shocking to think about. Some people even said it meant a true collapse.”

“Why?”

At So-hee’s murmur, Ho-cheol subtly opened his eyes again.

Ranks, whether S, A, or C, were simply ranks for division and had no real meaning.

Some argued that the existence of higher ranks motivated heroes, and that these ranks led to improved performance, but Ho-cheol could not accept that at all.

The hero profession itself is based on service and a spirit of sacrifice.

Are heroes going to slack off if there are no ranks?

If anything, they caused problems; rarely did they prove beneficial.

In fact, wasn’t the hero rank system itself created for citizens and the media to pick apart, chew, and enjoy?

Lost in thought about how the Hero Association would change in the future, someone came up onto the stage in front.

The newly hung banner, which had been set up sometime earlier, was boldly inscribed with the words: ‘Hero Association Reorganization Launch and Appointment Ceremony.’

[Ah— Ah— From now on, the Hero Association Reorganization Launch and Appointment Ceremony will…]

A man who appeared to be Master of Ceremonies held a microphone.

After that, the appointment ceremony was endlessly boring.

Ho-cheol found the situation of him sitting there slightly ridiculous.

A former villain, currently a professor.

He was utterly unsuitable to be invited to a place packed with high-ranking government officials and heroes.

If So-hee hadn’t been affiliated with the Association and it wasn’t a situation where she absolutely had to participate, I wouldn’t have even considered it and would have thrown away the invitation.

I only attended as an escort purely to save her face.

In the midst of all this, the person who came up to the stage as the new Hero Association President was a face quite familiar to Ho-cheol.

The former Bureau Director of the Legal Department.

The Association President position fell to the only surviving Bureau Director of the Legal Department.

In fact, the government side seemed keen to fill even the Association President position with their own people, but Ho-cheol refused that.

Ho-cheol only allowed the executive staff to be filled entirely with government personnel because he didn’t know any suitable talent, not because he trusted the government.

The new Association President handed out certificates of appointment to the new Bureau Directors one by one.

The new Bureau Director of the Legal Department was a well-built middle-aged man.

Seeing that, Ho-cheol asked So-hee next to him.

“Aren’t you disappointed? That position could have been yours.”

It was exactly as he said.

There were only two talents Ho-cheol could recommend for an Association executive position without hesitation.

One was the Bureau Director of the Legal Department, and the other was So-hee.

Of course, there were many more simply kind or capable people, but if you asked who could handle the Association’s work well, it was only these two.

However, So-hee herself refused the overwhelming promotion opportunity.

“Disappointed? Not at all.”

So-hee chuckled and raised her hand.

She placed her hand over Ho-cheol’s hand, which was resting on the armrest.

As she fiddled with the back of his hand, she continued.

“I’m a field type. And if I wore a high-ranking title like that, would I keep being stuck to work like this? I’d be trapped in an office, just looking at documents all day.”

She was still Ho-cheol and Ji-an’s monitor.

She looked like she was playing at Ho-cheol’s house every day, but that was all part of her mission.

She was steadily receiving her monthly salary.

Moreover, in the early days, it was classified as an ultra-high-risk mission, so she accumulated quite a lot of extra vacation and life insurance allowance.

“True.”

Ho-cheol nodded in agreement, then leaned toward her and whispered.

“I would hate it if someone else came to monitor me too. I like it because it’s you.”

Perhaps not expecting such a blatant expression, So-hee’s cheeks flushed red.

She covered her mouth with her hand, seemingly embarrassed.

Holding Ho-cheol’s hand tightly.

***

There was supposed to be a banquet after this, but it had nothing to do with the two of them.

It was called a banquet, but in reality, it was a place for Association executives and high-ranking government officials to network.

Neither Ho-cheol nor So-hee, who had no interest in those connections, felt any need to participate.

In truth, for both Ho-cheol and So-hee, the New Hero Association Reorganization Launch Ceremony today was just a side event.

And Ho-cheol’s expression, as he prepared for the real main event, was anything but cheerful.

Ho-cheol stood in front of the mirror, checking the state of his clothes repeatedly.

“Nothing looks strange, right?”

“Ugh, how many times are you going to ask?”

Was his tie crooked?

Were his lapels properly folded?

Had some dust gotten on him again?

This was the complete opposite of Ho-cheol, who usually found suits uncomfortable and paid no attention to them.

“You look perfectly fine.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Having confirmed that his condition was perfect for the last time, he checked the time.

He crossed his arms and nervously tapped his toes up and down, clearly showing his anxiety.

“…A cigarette. It’s been a long time since I felt such a desperate need for a cigarette.”

At his murmur, So-hee asked with curiosity.

“You smoked too?”

“Briefly during my villain days. The stress was endless, and there was absolutely no way to relieve it.”

Of course, even back then, smoking didn’t exactly relieve his stress.

He had planned to quit quickly, but he found an unexpected advantage.

In fact, Ho-cheol was a minor back then, and many villains picked fights with him because of his young looks.

After his standing as a villain grew and he started wearing a mask, no one said anything like that, but in his early villain days, he constantly had a cigarette in his mouth to avoid being looked down upon.

He became addicted out of habit after that.

“I quit right after Smiley died.”

In any case, he was locked up in prison for almost ten years after that, so he didn’t have a chance to smoke anyway.

Taking a moment to breathe, he gloomily murmured again.

“I’m so nervous I feel like throwing up.”

It wasn’t just simple nausea.

It was only April, and the weather was quite chilly for spring. Yet, he was sweating profusely.

“I think I’m going to become an under vacuum Jeong Ho-cheol.”

“You’re too nervous. Just relax.”

So-hee gave a bitter smile and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

She never thought she’d see Ho-cheol this nervous.

“How can I relax? It’s the first time meeting your parents.”

The first meeting.

And it was also the occasion to reveal their relationship.

Even if they couldn’t hold a wedding ceremony or stamp the marriage registration form right away, it was a necessary procedure as long as they were seriously continuing their relationship.

In essence, it could be considered a formal meeting between the families.

And the reason Ho-cheol was nervous was extremely simple.

There was a high probability that this relationship, as well as his very existence, would be rejected.

No, it was certain to happen.

How he would handle the situation afterward and get permission.

The revived Jeong Yu-hwa, the Immortal Monster, or even the monstrous Byeong-hoo didn’t frighten him.

They were all hardships he could overcome.

But right now, he was afraid.

What if they disliked him because he had a record?

What if they disliked him because he was an orphan?

What if they disliked him because he had many women?

What if they simply disliked him because they didn’t like his existence?

“…I’m going crazy. Should I just run away?”

Seeing Ho-cheol showing a rare sign of weakness, So-hee shrugged.

“Well, if they really don’t approve, why don’t we just cause an accident beforehand? What would they do once an accident happens.”

Ho-cheol didn’t answer.

He just stared silently at So-hee’s abdomen.

Normally, he would have flicked her forehead and told her not to talk nonsense, but he wore a subtly conflicted expression.

So-hee let out a dry laugh instead.

“I’m joking.”

“Right?”

Ho-cheol also managed an awkward smile.

At least his tension eased a little.

Checking the time, he nodded.

“It’s time. Let’s go in.”

Creak—

Ho-cheol opened the door and stepped inside, then found the middle-aged couple sitting in the room and bowed his waist in greeting.

“Hello.”

So-hee told him they were a very ordinary family.

The father was an office worker, and the mother was a homemaker.

That’s precisely why the situation was infinitely difficult for Ho-cheol.

To him, the concept of ordinary was left in the collapsed tunnel with his parents over a decade ago.

The door closed.

Conventional greetings and well wishes were exchanged through the firmly closed door, and ordinary conversation continued.

But that was only for a moment.

—!

A sharp sound of something shattering rang out, accompanied by a furious shout.

A little while later, only Ho-cheol was kicked out of the room.

“Hmm.”

With a bruise under one eye, he rubbed the back of his neck and leaned his back against the wall.

After a short while, So-hee rushed out, looking for Ho-cheol.

“Are you okay?”

Tearfully, she smacked Ho-cheol’s arm.

“Why did you take all that!”

It was the water bottle So-hee’s father threw, and thankfully, it was an empty bottle, so he wasn’t soaked with water.

He could have dodged it or blocked it.

But Ho-cheol took the bottle head-on.

“He threw it for me to take it; wouldn’t he be disappointed if I dodged?”

“E-even so…”

The atmosphere wasn’t bad at first.

Honestly, they were a little disappointed about his background and record, but it wasn’t a huge problem.

If the two of them were happy, what could they do even if he had a bit of a record?

—That was the mild atmosphere.

However, the atmosphere instantly froze when the topic shifted to the issue of women.

Well, it wasn’t just a matter of two-timing.

It was five women.

And he intended to find a house later and live with all of them?

Was he even serious right now?

In this kind of situation, So-hee’s father finally couldn’t hold back and threw the water bottle.

Looking back, it was understandable.

“I got what I deserved.”

So-hee looked at Ho-cheol’s bruise with complicated feelings.

The complicated issue of women.

Frankly, a large part of the reason this kind of relationship formed was strictly her own fault.

She was the one who forcibly dragged Ho-cheol, who didn’t want to enter a deep relationship with anyone, and attached him to everyone.

But what could she do?

Without that, it would have been a relationship that couldn’t even start.

“I’ll try to persuade them again.”

“Don’t push yourself. It would hurt me too if a good family relationship gets tangled up because of me.”

As he saw earlier, So-hee’s family was an extremely ordinary, good household.

It was enough for him to just be the bad guy alone; there was absolutely no reason for them to have their feelings hurt.

So-hee nodded and slowly went back into the room.

How long did he wait again?

So-hee opened the door and came out, looking completely dejected.

Her expression, briefly seen, looked like she was about to burst into tears.

Then, she immediately clung to Ho-cheol.

“What is it? Did it not go well?”

When she suddenly clung to him, weeping, that was the first thought that could occur.

However, So-hee, burying her face in his chest, shook her head.

“Whew. That’s a relief. Then why?”

She whispered softly.

“Three people…”

“What about them?”

“They told me to bring three grandchildren, the first one a son. Then they’ll open the door for me.”

“Ah.”

Ho-cheol made a dumbfounded sound.

It meant they couldn’t possibly accept a son-in-law who lived with multiple women, so they told her to create an excuse they couldn’t possibly refuse.

He paused, scratching the back of his head with one hand.

With the other hand, he stroked So-hee’s back.

Three people…

“Well, I’ll try my best.”

“We have to do it together. Can you do it alone…”

Having heard the answer she wanted, So-hee hugged Ho-cheol even tighter.