I'll Retire After Saving the World-Chapter 111: Adorable Junior (1)

TL: SHW

Han Tae-kyung smiled brightly as if he were the only light in the room. In reality, his sunglasses reflected the fluorescent light, making them sparkle.

On the other hand, Lee Seung-yeon and Kang Tae-woo stood there, looking half-dazed as if all their energy had been drained by Han Tae-kyung. It wasn’t hard to guess what had happened in the car on the way here. Kang Tae-woo was one thing, but even the usually quick-witted Lee Seung-yeon was reduced to that state - that's quite something, if anything.

…Thinking about it, seeing Lee Seung-yeon and Han Tae-kyung standing together like this might be a miracle for some people. Originally, Lee Seung-yeon wouldn’t have even gotten the chance to meet Han Tae-kyung.

If that’s the case, does the same apply to Kang Tae-woo? He’s a student at Pilot High School now, but originally… he would’ve likely been killed by Alex Hope. If that guy’s attack on the orphanage had happened the same way back then, that is.

Back when I first considered enrolling No. 3, I never imagined things would unfold like this. Honestly, if I were Lee Mi-seon, I would’ve been furious about admitting someone like that to the same school as my nephew. If a cult deliberately set out to lure in the kids…

Well, even if the orphanage had been intact, it wouldn’t have been easy. Given the nature of Pilot High School’s classes, there are adults watching at all times, so when would they have had the chance?

And in the end, things worked out. No, saying that when people have died feels a bit off.

Anyway.

Kang Tae-woo doesn’t seem to have any intention of returning to Ark and has completely placed his trust in this side. So, isn’t that enough?

"Did you miss me?!!" frёewebnoѵēl.com

Han Tae-kyung’s booming voice jolted me back to reality. Hong Seok-young grimaced in disgust.

“L-Lower your voice a bit.”

"Did you miss me?"

This time, he practically mouthed the words, whispering so softly it was barely audible.

Hong Seok-young didn’t relax his frown.

"Let's find a middle ground, okay?"

"Ah, sunbae-nim. I, Han Tae-kyung, am obviously a man who knows the middle ground!"

It doesn't seem like you know it at all.

Grinning broadly, Han Tae-kyung gave a thumbs-up. I took a step away from him. Lee Seung-yeon and Kang Tae-woo exchanged glances before discreetly moving behind me.

"Teacher. Is that person really going to be our teacher?"

Lee Seung-yeon clung to my clothes with a desperate expression.

Would he quit school if I said yes? What on earth happened in that car on the way here?

I don’t want to know.

“Wahaha!!”

Han Tae-kyung burst into a fit of laughter. Lee Seung-yeon and Kang Tae-woo clung to me even more tightly.

Running away from home wasn’t a good decision, but was this too harsh a punishment for a moment of rebellion?

"I told them several times but the kids just wouldn't believe me, sunbae-nim!"

It wasn’t that they didn’t believe him. They just didn’t want to.

“Alright! Let me introduce myself once more! My name is Han Tae-kyung! I will be your teacher from now on!”

***

“I want to drop out.”

During morning assembly.

As soon as Han Eun-young saw her brother’s face, more precisely, his face hidden behind sunglasses, she blurted out her decision with a stiff expression.

With his younger sister glaring at him so murderously, one would expect him to flinch, but Han Tae-kyung didn’t even budge. Instead, he shamelessly placed both hands on his waist and clicked his tongue at her.

"My lovely but naughty sister who blocked oppa's number. Did you call Mom?"

“Ugh.”

“She was worried since you weren’t answering her calls.”

Han Eun-young hunched her shoulders and fell silent. It was as good as surrendering.

Still, her face was filled with dissatisfaction. Should I just be grateful she’s not crying while demanding to quit?

Well, I’d be just as shocked if a family member became a teacher at my school. The reason I didn’t go to the academy myself was… well, something like this.

“Alright. As you can see, Eun-young is my sister, but that’s not what’s important for you all.”

"Isn't that completely important?"

Choi Jin-woo interjected.

“This here is…”

Under normal circumstances, Hong Seok-young would have responded with a joke just as trivial, but this time, he didn’t. Just look at those dark circles under his eyes. A clear sign that he had been tormented by Han Tae-kyung all night.

As for me, I used Mini-me as an excuse and quickly escaped. I also took Lee Seung-yeon and Kang Tae-woo with me, telling them they must be exhausted and should get some rest. Honestly, throughout all my time teaching, no, even during my entire tenure at the Ability Management Agency, I had never received such a look of reverence before.

Hong Seok-young did glare at us with a betrayed expression, but… what could we do? After all, isn’t he the sunbae’s adorable junior? Sunbae should be the one taking care of him.

“Hahahaha!!”

Han Tae-kyung burst into another fit of laughter like a lunatic.

Hong Seok-young, his speech interrupted, looked at Han Tae-kyung with an exasperated face.

“Take off those sunglasses.”

“Hahaha! …What?”

“Sunglasses. We’re indoors. You’re meeting the students for the first time, and you’re just going to keep them on?”

Han Tae-kyung shrugged and coyly adjusted his sunglasses with the tip of his finger.

“You should never take sunglasses away from a man.”

“What…?”

"They're like his heart."

“……”

“They even have a name. Chase. Cool, right?”

“……”

“If you look at them under sunlight, they have a slight pink tint. Just like Chasie! Ah, do you know who Chasie is…?”

“I know. So shut up.”

“Chasie! Chasie Fullhouse is the cutest cat in the world! Soft pink fur like cotton candy, green eyes, absolutely the most adorable cat ever!!”

For reference, Chasie Fullhouse is a cat from an old American classic animation. Even twenty years later, Han Tae-kyung still loved that damn cat character. To the point where his father had to stop him from painting a pink cat face on the back of his leather jacket.

Even when we first met, he had shoved a plushie of that cat at me.

‘Hello, Hwijae! I’m Uncle Tae-kyung. Do you not like cats?'

Not a fond memory…

"Why do you think I go into dungeons! I'm going to earn money to buy the copyright! I'm going to create a new series with Chasie as the main character!"

I told you. He’s a crazy bastard. Han Eun-young has every right to be embarrassed.

Han Eun-young shot her hand up.

“I’m dropping out of school!”

What a disaster.

Maybe the real reason I couldn’t find any trace of Han Eun-young in the original timeline wasn’t something complicated, maybe she just left the Hunter world entirely when her brother became a teacher at Pilot High School.

Honestly, even if that were true, it wouldn’t be surprising. And that made me a little sad.

So, in twenty years, South Korea was relying on the strength of a guy like this…?

“……”

Han Tae-kyung, passionately ranting about a pink cat.

Han Eun-young, passionately declaring her intent to drop out.

In that sense, the siblings were quite alike, both fervently vocal about what they wanted. Han Eun-young would hate to hear it, and even I found it an insulting comparison for her.

Meanwhile, the rest of the students stood there, dumbfounded… except for Kim Chae-min, who was watching with a straight face but clearly trying not to die laughing.

“……”

“……”

Then, my eyes met Hong Seok-young’s.

He stared at me intently.

What. What do you expect me to do?

“Tae-kyung. I told you to shut up.”

Eventually, Hong Seok-young raised his hand. If left alone, Han Tae-kyung would likely go on about the cat’s life and adventures for an entire week. Only after getting smacked on the back of the head did Han Tae-kyung finally quiet down.

Still, his smirking face… made me really not want to get any closer to him.

“Ahem.”

Hong Seok-young forced out a cough, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

“He may seem like this… but he’s actually quite skilled.”

“Ah, sunbae. Just saying ‘quite skilled’ is a bit disappointing. How about introducing me as ‘the only man who will defeat Hong Seok-young in the future’?”

“…Did you all hear that? This kind of confidence is nothing but poison, so don’t even think about learning from it. Just model yourselves after Teacher Woo instead.”

“Sunbae!”

“You’ve heard enough of his introduction. His name is Han Tae-kyung. Though he’s technically a teacher, he’s more of a student-teacher and a security guard.”

“Huh? I am?”

“That’s how it turned out.”

“Well, if that’s how it is.”

Han Tae-kyung shrugged.

S-rank Hunters usually don’t lack anything. That’s why even Kim Chae-min was easily swayed by just a few runes.

“For the time being, I won’t be personally teaching you….”

Lee Seung-yeon and Kang Tae-woo visibly sighed in relief.

“But a teacher is still a teacher, so everyone, greet him properly.”

“Hello, kids! I’m Eun-young’s oppa!”

Hong Seok-young smacked Han Tae-kyung on the back of the head once more.

Even though he had infused his palm with mana, Han Tae-kyung didn’t even blink, well, with those sunglasses on, it was impossible to tell if he did. At least outwardly, he seemed unfazed, casually waving as he greeted the students.

“My name is Han Tae-kyung!”

“I’m! Dropping! Out of school!!!”

Han Eun-young’s desperate cry, which no one acknowledged, marked the end of the morning assembly.

*

“It’s nice to have someone so lively around. Teacher Woo is rather quiet, after all.”

Kim Chae-min laughed cheerfully as she exchanged greetings with Han Tae-kyung.

Even Han Tae-kyung, for all his antics, seemed to be at least somewhat wary of the Archmage’s presence, greeting Kim Chae-min with unexpected formality.

“Good morning. I’m Han Tae-kyung.”

“You don’t have to be so formal.”

“Really? But I’ve heard about the great Archmage Kim Chae-min’s reputation….”

“I told you, you don’t need to be formal. We’re just colleagues, aren’t we?”

“Speaking of colleagues.”

While the students were off eating breakfast, the teachers held a meeting.

“This is still a school, so we need to maintain some level of formality among ourselves.”

“Why are you looking at me while saying that, sunbae?”

“Because you’re the problem, Tae-kyung.”

Hong Seok-young ran a weary hand over his face as he spoke.

“From now on, call me Principal.”

“Principal? Sunbae, that makes you sound really old.”

“…Just shut up and call me Principal.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The Hunters here don’t have to act like teachers, but at least maintain some basic decorum in front of the students. Got it? The same goes for the Daseon Hunters.”

“Ah, come on, sun- no, Principal. I’m not a kid, you know. Of course, I’ll be respectful.”

“A kid would probably be easier to deal with.”

Han Tae-kyung simply smiled brightly, pretending not to understand what Hong Seok-young meant.

“Teacher Kim Chae-min and Teacher Woo Hwijae… Well, Kim is a Mage, so that’s expected, but technically, Teacher Woo is actually your senior.”

“Senior?”

Han Tae-kyung jolted in surprise and looked at me. It might have been the first time he ever paid this much attention to me.

“Isn’t he a D-rank Hunter?”

“His license is, yes.”

“Hmm.”

…Right, Han Tae-kyung didn’t know I was from Ark. From his perspective, I must look like an outsider who just rolled in from nowhere.

Around this time in the original timeline, Han Tae-kyung had been desperate to join his father’s guild. When his father refused to take him in, he even formed his own one-man guild to follow in his footsteps. It didn’t last long, though.

Han Tae-kyung stepped closer to me.

He was just tall enough to reach my chin. Feeling a bit of defiance from him, I slightly raised my chin to look down at him. Twenty years later, he would complain that it pissed him off when I did this, so it should work just as well now.

“Senior, huh.”

Sure enough, Han Tae-kyung scowled exactly as I expected.

Puffing out his chest, he pointed a finger at me.

“I don’t like calling people weaker than me sunbae!”

This little bastard, seriously.