Academys Villain Professor Chapter 302

[ … words ]

Mid-February.

The weather, which had not yet escaped winter, kept blowing cool winds.

Despite the weather, the ground of the sports field was completely covered with lush green grass.

It wasn’t artificial turf.

For this one day alone, Clington had hired a company to install real grass.

It was understandable, as today was one of the most important events even for Clington.

The Graduation Ceremony.

And it was a significantly meaningful day for Ho-cheol as well.

The 2nd-year students he had been in charge of since his release from prison.

It was the point where they left his care and took their first steps into society as true heroes.

A stage was set up on the widely spread blue lawn, and a white tent was drawn over it.

The sky was clear, and the wind was cold but blew just right.

The sight of hundreds of graduating students lined up in caps and black gowns was quite a spectacle.

The Dean stood on the platform, rambling about something.

Something about the mindset needed to become a real hero in society, or whatever.

The students might have been annoyed by the boring speech, but thanks to the special event of graduation, they all listened intently with bright eyes.

After all, they wouldn’t have the chance to hear such sincere advice again.

Ho-cheol sat backward on a bench, sticking his legs into the gap between the backrest and the seat, leisurely watching the graduation ceremony.

“What is it? Why are you watching from here in such a sentimental way?”

So-hee approached, looking puzzled, and asked Ho-cheol.

The other professors were standing proudly below the platform where the Dean was standing.

“Nothing. It just has a better view from here.”

The bench Ho-cheol sat on was located on a small hill leading up from the sports field.

It certainly had a much better geographical advantage for viewing the other students or the graduation ceremony than where the other professors were gathered.

“So, what’s the real reason?”

“If I stand down there, I feel like I’ll cry. Even now, it keeps welling up a bit.”

Indeed, the tip of Ho-cheol’s nose, as he mumbled so, was slightly redder than usual.

So-hee smiled at his honest answer.

It was genuinely surprising how soft a person could become over the peaceful year they had spent.

“Still, they’ll be disappointed if you don’t show your face at all.”

“Well, I’ll slowly head down when it’s almost over.”

Ho-cheol had no intention of missing it entirely, of course.

He just had to go down appropriately toward the end of the event and show his face.

The Dean’s speech ended, and the Master of Ceremonies took the microphone again.

“The students whose names are called, please come up to the platform. Graduate representatives Heo Sang-yoon, Oh Jang-seok, Jeong Ye-jin. And Choi Da-yeon.”

A murmur flowed through the graduating students.

The graduate representatives were originally three people.

One each selected from the Enhancement, Manipulation, and Emission departments.

—Anomaly students are not selected because they are also registered in the three preceding departments.

— So why were there four?

Of course, Ho-cheol somewhat knew the selection criteria.

S-rank or higher.

Or the highest-performing graduate in that department.

However, the former was a special case that might appear only once every ten years.

And this year, two such special cases appeared in the Enhancement department.

Smiley.

The two who received Yu-hwa’s power already possessed strength equivalent to S-rank.

They couldn’t slight graduates with S-rank strength, so it seemed both were specially allowed to come up.

Watching the two giving their speeches on the platform, So-hee smirked.

“Are you happy? The two you cherish the most are graduate representatives.”

“That’s not it.”

Ho-cheol cut off So-hee, deadpan.

“I don’t cherish anyone more than another.”

It was just that their paths happened to cross when I briefly put down my professor’s card and was active.

Simply meeting frequently cannot be called favoritism.

As a professor, Ho-cheol never thought he favored the two.

If anything, the student he met frequently on campus was the one who threatened to drop out, and there were other students he exchanged private contact with.

Rather, those two had minimized private contact, worried that rumors would spread about them being too close to him.

Above all, Ho-cheol treated every student sincerely, without leaving anyone out.

“Ah, alright. Don’t be sulky. I’ll get going for now. Finish up properly and come back. So, is it an overnight stay today?”

“That’s not something I can decide…”

Ho-cheol briefly recalled Da-yeon and Ye-jin.

When he fleetingly encountered them just a few hours ago, both were looking at him with the eyes of predators before prey.

Thinking about what happened sometimes when So-hee looked at him with those eyes… as expected…

“I think it’s going to be tough.”

Just like that, the graduation ceremony ended, and the students were busy taking photos with their visiting families and the friends they would soon part with.

Only then did Ho-cheol slowly descend from the hill.

“Professor!”

The students, delighted to see him, approached him without waiting for anyone else.

They had been subtly worried because only the other professors were present and Ho-cheol was nowhere to be seen.

They wondered if something had happened.

“You’re too late. The graduation ceremony is completely over.”

“No. I saw all of it.”

“A photo! Let’s take a group photo! Everyone together!”

At the word “photo,” Ho-cheol’s expression subtly changed.

“Ah, I don’t really like leaving traces like this.”

The students didn’t care about the subtly revealed habit from his villain days.

They grabbed Ho-cheol’s arm and pulled him, placing him in the center among the students.

The students seated in the very front squatted down, the middle row slightly bent their knees.

The students in the very back stood tall to ensure their faces appeared in the camera.

They grabbed Se-ah, who was passing by, to take the role of the photographer.

“Honestly. They just order a professor around, don’t they?”

Despite her grumbling, a smile played on her lips.

“Alright, I’m taking the picture now.”

Click—

After taking the commemorative photo, Ho-cheol stood in front of one student.

“Okay, our No. 1, who always worked hard in the very front.”

A short word of encouragement and a greeting.

Then he extended his hand.

“Congratulations on your graduation.”

The male student, who was bigger than Ho-cheol and looked more like a bandit than a hero, was visibly moved, his eyes glistening with tears.

Sniffling, he took Ho-cheol’s outstretched hand and shook it.

“Yes, thank you, Professor.”

And so, it continued with No. 2, No. 3… He shook hands with all 43 students.

The handshake with Ho-cheol was not simply joining hands.

Ho-cheol only offered his hand first to those he acknowledged.

It meant that he recognized them not as students under his guidance, but as full-fledged heroes.

He took individual photos with students who requested them and also had brief interviews with parents.

There were still some parents who seemed slightly uncomfortable with Ho-cheol’s villain background, but most did not express any major displeasure, perhaps because the students had spoken highly of him.

Except for one person.

Swordmaster, with his arms crossed, glared at Ho-cheol.

His gaze was full of dissatisfaction.

“What.”

Ho-cheol also dropped his polite smile and looked at him sternly.

He owed him a lot for various tasks, but some people were just physiologically incompatible.

For Ho-cheol, Swordmaster was such a person.

The reverse was also true.

He stared at Ho-cheol for a long time, then finally sighed deeply and turned away.

And he left alone.

Ho-cheol asked Da-yeon, who was still clinging to his side.

“Aren’t you following him?”

“Why would I?”

Ho-cheol was taken aback, seeing Da-yeon genuinely asking back as if she couldn’t understand.

Was a reason needed to follow her father, Swordmaster?

It was the graduation ceremony; I thought she would at least eat a meal with him.

“It’s fine. I’m just going to…”

She subtly hooked her finger on Ho-cheol’s sleeve.

“I’m going to stay with Professor. I even got the seat next to you conceded.”

Actually, today wasn’t a special day just for Da-yeon.

Ye-jin graduated with her, didn’t she?

However, Ye-jin had absolutely no time to stick with Ho-cheol today.

She had been dragged off somewhere long ago by the younger kids from the facility, who came in a large group, to show them around Clington.

“Today, Professor, I have you all to myself.”

Ho-cheol chuckled at Da-yeon’s words.

“Right. So you have me all to yourself, what are you going to do about it?”

“Let’s walk for a bit.”

There were still too many people here.

***

The two walked and talked about many things.

Da-yeon’s experiences during her internship, the changed hero system and Swordmaster’s reaction to it, and even very trivial and ordinary daily events.

Da-yeon particularly liked the story of Ho-cheol cooking.

The only food he had made for her was ramen, and she hadn’t even been able to eat that properly.

The two, who were just walking without a specific destination, suddenly stopped at the same moment.

“Ah.”

Da-yeon let out a small gasp of admiration.

Although she was visiting after a year, her footsteps instinctively led her here, as if her body remembered the place.

Through the thick bushes, an archery range was visible.

Five targets, one spot.

It was a practice area just for Da-yeon.

Ho-cheol, who followed her into the archery range, also smirked.

“It’s been a while here.”

“Yes. It really has.”

This place held quite a deep meaning for them.

It was where they first met.

“It was early morning.”

“Banana milk and cream bread. Right?”

“Was it?”

Da-yeon even remembered Ho-cheol’s breakfast menu.

How could she forget?

It was the place where she almost ended, and the place where she started anew.

And at that moment, Ho-cheol was right beside her.

Back then, he was nothing more than an unpleasant unwelcome guest, but who would have thought it would come to this.

Ho-cheol, sitting on the bench, casually gestured with his chin.

“Alright, how about I watch you shoot the bow for old times’ sake? I might even give you advice.”

Da-yeon let out a small laugh.

“Advice, you say.”

Opening the bag on her back, Da-yeon carefully took out her bow and notched the first arrow.

“It’s very precious and important counsel.”

“I’d be grateful if you think of it that way.”

Of course, there was no advice or counsel he could give.

Her archery was perfect now.

Da-yeon shot dozens of arrows.

There was no conversation during this time.

However, it wasn’t because they had nothing to say or because it was awkward.

No conversation was needed.

Just facing the same direction together was a strong bond that tightened the corners of their mouths.

A connection that was linked through their hearts.

Da-yeon believed her relationship with Ho-cheol was like that.

As she was shooting the bow, she opened her mouth in a relaxed tone, as if she were saying, “I had a sandwich this morning.”

“Ah, and.”

She released the fully drawn bowstring.

“I’m going to quit being a hero.”

Swoosh—

Thwack—!

“…What?”

Simultaneously with the arrow piercing the center of the target, Ho-cheol asked back foolishly.

Ho-cheol couldn’t help but doubt his ears for a moment.

“No, why are you quitting being a hero?”

Da-yeon turned around and came down from her spot, standing in front of Ho-cheol.

She gently tapped the tassel attached to the end of her academic cap with her fingertip.

Watching the tassel swing back and forth, she asked.

“Do you remember why I wanted to become a hero?”

Ho-cheol, with his arms crossed, nodded.

“Revenge on Swordmaster, right?”

A man obsessed with the sword, who wandered outside even at the moment his wife died.

The young Da-yeon simply could not understand Swordmaster’s actions, feelings, or thoughts.

Therefore, she decided on revenge.

She gave up her talent for the sword, which was superior to Swordmaster’s, and took up the bow.

Her revenge was to completely deny the sword he held by becoming a hero greater than Swordmaster with the bow.

However, Swordmaster simply couldn’t express it, but he loved his family and his wife more than anyone.

Thanks to Ho-cheol, the misunderstanding was resolved, and the relationship between Swordmaster and Da-yeon had now improved to the level of a slightly awkward father and daughter.

At least, they were eating at the same table once a week, she said.

“Being a hero for revenge. Looking back, it was such a pathetic and miserable reason, wasn’t it?”

“Swordmaster is going to foam at the mouth.”

Ho-cheol said that and then thought, Ah—!

That must be why Swordmaster gave him that look earlier!

It wasn’t just because his time with his daughter was stolen after the graduation ceremony, but because he wanted me to persuade her!

I knew his gaze looked pitiful.

Of course, Ho-cheol had no intention of fulfilling Swordmaster’s expectations.

“Right. If that’s what you want. Work hard.”

He was only surprised for a moment at first.

Ultimately, the student’s will was the most important thing.

Especially with heroes, forcing them to do it would only result in the worst possible outcome for everyone.

Da-yeon smiled brightly at his reaction.

“Thank you, Professor. I knew you would understand.”

She said this not because he was simply uninterested, but because he genuinely respected her.

“So, what are you planning to do?”

He would cheer her on no matter what she did, but if she said she was just going to loaf around the house, that was a different matter.

“Actually. I’ve already made all the preparations.”

She pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket.

Ho-cheol raised an eyebrow when he saw the contents written on the document.

“…Graduate school?”

“Yes. I’m going to study more and officially become a professor.”

She placed one hand on her chest and took a breath as she spoke.

“I want to be like you, Professor.”

It was Da-yeon’s new dream and goal.

“But just…”

Just as Ho-cheol was about to say something, Da-yeon cut him off first.

“Don’t worry. That’s definitely not the case.”

She asserted this as if she knew exactly what Ho-cheol was worried about.

Was it simply so she could stick around Ho-cheol for a long time?

Walking the path of an educator for such a trivial reason would be an insult to both Ho-cheol and herself.

Receiving the documents back, Da-yeon sighed with regret.

“I’m so disappointed.”

“About what.”

“Every minute and every second that passes is the last remaining time for me. It makes me a little sad to think that my promise with Professor is ending.”

The promise.

In the past, Ho-cheol had made a promise with Da-yeon.

As long as she was his student, he would absolutely protect her, no matter the cost.

And today, the day of her graduation, was the end point of that promise.

“Right. There was a promise like that.”

Ho-cheol rubbed the back of his neck and gave a bitter smile.

“I called it a promise, but I feel sorry that I couldn’t properly keep it.”

“No. Professor, you definitely kept your promise.”

How hard had Ho-cheol worked?

Da-yeon, who watched him the closest, asserted it.

Ho-cheol had protected her world up until this very moment, today.

Her world, which had been dark and nothing more than gray, changed after she met Ho-cheol.

The blue of the sky, the green of the swaying trees, the white of the passing clouds, and her own heart was a vividly clear pink.

With her hands clasped behind her back, Da-yeon moved even closer to Ho-cheol.

Before they knew it, the distance between them was dangerously close, almost touching their knees.

“And there was one more promise.”

“Was there another one?”

Ho-cheol momentarily cocked his head in confusion.

I don’t specifically remember making another promise.

Da-yeon, having put away her bow, suddenly straddled Ho-cheol’s lap.

She held onto Ho-cheol’s shoulders with both hands and gradually pressed her body against his.

“The end of the promise between student and professor means the end of that relationship, right? So what kind of relationship are we now?”

Every time she spoke, her white breath touched Ho-cheol’s face and dispersed.

And only then did Ho-cheol remember the second promise.

Ho-cheol’s second promise was the exact opposite of the first.

The moment the student-professor relationship ended.

If her feelings for him remained the same until then, he promised to seriously consider it and give her an answer.

He parted his lips.

He had somewhat expected it, but being faced with the situation made him feel awkward.

Who would have thought she would hold onto those feelings for a whole year?

He pondered for a moment and then asked.

“Those feelings, they haven’t changed?”

“Of course. They haven’t changed, nor have they wavered.”

Ho-cheol closed his eyes.

Da-yeon nervously swallowed.

She had done everything she could.

Now, she simply waited for Ho-cheol’s answer.

A little later, Ho-cheol opened his eyes again.

Moments ago, they were the eyes of a professor looking at a proud student, but now they burned much hotter than that.

“Once something comes into my hands, I never let it go. Like a villain.”

Da-yeon smiled widely at the answer she wanted most.

“Please take good care of me from now on.”

At the same time, white snow began to fall from the sky.