The Villains I Taught Became Heroes - Chapter 89



88 – I Knew – 5

The experience of defeating a large magical beast became a great source of pride for the students.

Was that why?

Catching a second magical beast wasn’t that difficult either.

“With this, my father should be proud of me!!”

Normally, Ludwig would have referred to him as ‘Your Majesty,’ but perhaps due to his excitement, he called the Emperor ‘Father.’

It wasn’t just him who was excited.

The other students were also enveloped in the thrill of having captured a large magical beast.

“Teacher! Let’s go catch another large magical beast!!”

“Right now, I feel like we could win against anything!!”

Even the usually composed Eiffel couldn’t hide his excitement.

Those kids.

Is it really that great?

But unlike what the kids were saying, I had no intention of heading out to catch another large magical beast right away.

That was because, while everyone was currently fired up with victory, they were undoubtedly exhausted.

“Let’s call it a day and return to base.”

“Aw…”

At my words, everyone looked disappointed.

However, perhaps out of respect for my orders, the kids obediently returned to the base.

“Rest well today, and we’ll move out tomorrow. I’ll take the night watch, so don’t worry about anything else and just get some sleep.”

“Teacher, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I didn’t really do anything.”

I was ready to step in if any problems arose, but the kids fought far better than I had expected.

Thanks to that, I could avoid lifting a finger, so it would be better to at least take the night watch.

“I don’t mind doing it alone… How about we take the night watch together?”

“I, I also…”

“What are you talking about? You two were able to take down that giant monster because you worked together.”

“That’s right! Sister Saint! You say you did nothing!”

“Lady Rena, you were amazing too! That multi-magic… it was incredible!”

The students gathered around So-wol and Rena, who had come closer to me.

Unable to stop the chattering kids, the two exchanged wry smiles and waved at me.

As I watched the kids head into their respective tents, I sat down in front of the campfire.

Gazing at the crackling flames, I pondered the future.

Once the giant monster was dealt with and we received the Hall of Glory, Angela would make her move.

Could the kids handle Angela and the special forces of the Magic Empire at their current level?

Of course, if So-wol, Rena, and I joined in, we could easily take them down.

But Angela would know that too.

If so, the enemies she brings will be much stronger than those originally encountered in the game.

What could possibly come out then?

The chimera from the last chapter? Or the enemies that appear in the boss battle?

Perhaps something entirely different could emerge.

Could the kids really win against those foes?

No, would Angela even come?

-Crack.

The twig I was holding snapped.

Proving my anxiety, I tossed the shattered twig into the campfire and closed my eyes.

“Why are you out here instead of sleeping?”

“I thought you seemed troubled, Master.”

So-wol, who had walked over lightly, naturally sat beside me.

She wasn’t someone who had been with me for a year just for show.

She must have noticed that I was deep in thought.

“You’ve always been like this, Master.”

“I have?”

“Yes. Ever since I was little. You seemed to feel fear like a lost child.”

A lost child.

That wasn’t entirely wrong.

After all, I was moving in a world that wasn’t my own.

[Observe the True Ending]

[Reward: Return]

[※Time in the real world does not flow while you are in this world.]

[※If you die in this world, you will also die in reality.]

I gazed at the window that was visible only to me.

Could I really return if I witnessed the true ending?

—

No, can I even see the true ending?

What if my kids die or get hurt in the process?

The difficulty of the true ending is by no means easy.

That means the kids I’ve taught could be in danger on the way to the true ending.

No matter how good it is for everyone, is it really right to wish for sacrifices from the children?

I don’t know.

I don’t even know if I’m doing this right.

“Master.”

I felt warmth touch my hand.

When I looked up, Sowol was holding my hand.

This kid has always been like that.

Even if she grumbles with her mouth, she always believed in me and followed my words.

“Meeting you might have been my greatest fortune.”

“Oh my? Did you just realize that? Phew. It’s good that you know now. Now, please fill this out.”

What is it? What Sowol handed me was a marriage registration form.

“…Do you carry this around usually?”

“Life is unpredictable, you know? I’ve written everything down, so all you have to do is sign.”

“Hahaha. This kid. Hahaha.”

I ruffled Sowol’s hair playfully.

She grumbled that her neatly arranged hair was getting messed up, but she didn’t reject my touch.

I snatched the marriage registration form from her and tucked it into my arms.

“A kid whose head hasn’t even dried from the blood is carrying something like this around. Confiscated. Confiscated.”

“Oh ho ho ho! I have one more!”

…What a scary kid.

“Anyway. I don’t know what worries you have, Master, but we, no, I am ready to follow whatever decision you make.”

“Well, I’d prefer if you could neatly put that marriage registration form away.”

“Ah. Except for this one. I can agree to everything else. Even your perverted desires, Master.”

“What?! Perverted? Where is there a gentleman like me!”

“Hm? For someone who claims that, you seemed to sneak glances at my chest, didn’t you?”

“I swear to the heavens, I’ve never done such a thing.”

“Master, when you lie, you should at least wet your lips.”

What a sharp kid.

How did she know?

As a man, I can’t help but glance at pretty women with good figures.

“You’re such a strange person. I really don’t understand why you’re rejecting me. What are you so afraid of?”

“I feel like I’m too lacking to be the partner of the great Saintess.”

At my words, Sowol smiled brightly. Then she pulled my hand and gently kissed the back of it, looking up at me.

“So I’m saying I’ll accept you, right?”

This could go on endlessly.

Instead of answering her mischievous smile, I shifted my gaze to the campfire.

—

So-wol, who had been giggling at me, stood up.

“Anyway, think it over. I believe that if it’s the Master, he could stand by my side.”

“Yeah. Right.”

“And if possible, I’d like to know why you’re rejecting me.”

“Think about it.”

I watched her head towards the tent and waved my hand.

.

.

.

The hunt for the giant monsters continued the next day, and the day after that.

Perhaps because I had already experienced it once, the extermination wasn’t that difficult.

They were worth teaching.

Once we finished the last monster hunt without any major injuries, everyone seemed tired and collapsed onto the ground.

From noble mtl dot com

“If anyone’s hurt, come to me~.”

I raised my hand to heal them, but the only one who came to me was Arisha.

Bouncing over to my side, Arisha wore a bright smile.

“I got hurt here!”

“…Are you really hurt?”

With a mischievous grin, she slightly parted her cleavage.

The space between her plump, bouncy breasts seemed to beckon me.

Arisha, giggling as she caught my averted gaze, took my hand and placed it between her breasts.

“Uh-huh! I think it’s really hurt here!”

“Hey. This is s*xual harassment.”

“Huh? I’m just a kid, so I don’t really know?”

This girl?

I quickly pulled my hand away, and Arisha laughed even more joyfully.

Is this how you tease an adult?

“Ouch, ouch, ouch~! Ouch, ouch~!”

I grabbed Arisha’s head tightly with an iron claw.

As she burst into laughter while in pain, Lena, who had been watching, sighed and took care of Arisha.

“Alright. Let’s head back.”

Now all that was left was to deal with Angela and her crew after collecting the Hall of Glory.

Upon returning to the capital, the king, who had been waiting for us, greeted us with a smile.

In his hand was the box I had seen before.

“You’ve worked hard, Instructor Lee Hyun.”

“What have I done? My kids did it all.”

“Haha! Leading everyone is also a significant task. Here. This is the promised reward.”

I received the box containing the Hall of Glory on behalf of everyone.

Now, this would serve as the treasure of Class A, to be lent to students when going on quests or engaging in battles.

“I’ve prepared a meal for everyone, so enjoy it to your heart’s content!!”

—

I recovered my strength with the meals provided by the palace.

Everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, so I could say that the fatigue from battling the giant beast was completely gone.

There were no injuries, and both our stamina and morale were decent.

At this level, facing Angela wouldn’t be too difficult.

“Everyone, be careful on the way back.”

As we finished our meal and stepped outside the capital to return, I spoke to the students.

The kids looked puzzled, but none of them asked any questions.

It was nice to have some quiet.

As we arrived at the place with the dimensional magic circle, Sowol approached me, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Master.”

“M-Master, the atmosphere is… strange.”

Instead of the mages who should have been near the dimensional magic circle, there were figures cloaked in black robes.

As Rena gripped her magic staff tightly, she felt the ominous energy they exuded.

“Hand over the Hall of Glory.”

A figure clad in black armor spoke in a low voice.

Naturally, I refused, and as if expecting that, the armored figure raised a hand.

“They’re coming.”

With his signal, those who had been hiding around us began to reveal themselves. There were about a hundred of them. Each one was not to be underestimated.

Are these the special forces of the Magic Empire?

As one of the robed figures stepped forward, someone among the students let out a low scream. It was understandable, as the body of the one inside the robe was grotesquely twisted.

A chimera.

An elite-level enemy that appeared in the later chapters.

“Lee Hyun. I’ve heard a lot about you. Have you considered joining our Magic Empire army?”

With a voice that sounded like grinding stones, the armored figure urged me to surrender, and I shook my head with a smile.

“No, thank you.”

“….”

“Angela.”

My shoulders trembled.

The armored figure stared at me intently before slowly removing his helmet.

What was revealed was hair the color of beige.

I could hear some of the students gasp in shock at the identity of the armored figure.

“…Since when did you know? No, how much do you know?”

The usual gentle demeanor had completely vanished, replaced by a sinister expression as she questioned me, and I shrugged my shoulders.

“I knew from the very beginning…”

As I finished speaking, I revealed the Moonlight Island to her, baring my teeth.

“I know everything.”