Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
25. Stalemate (1)
In the morning, a device message from Kim Yuri arrived.
[Kim Yuri] Looking at the general bulletin board, people from the Art Club and Oriental Painting Small Group will come to look for you…
[Kim Yuri] Many people may gather, so let’s go together with our classmates!
[Kim Yuri] I’m really sorry, Geurin ㅠ▽ㅠ I should have been careful when I was posting on bulletin board… Because of me, you received malicious comments and then I made coming to school for you difficult…
Yesterday, the class president Kim Yuri published Teacher’s Day’s epilogue post on the Eungwang School web-community bulletin board.
In that post, Min Geurin was swept up into a keyboard battle.
‘Yuri did nothing wrong. From the beginning, there were many weird people on the internet.’
When Min Geurin was actively producing works, there were many pieces of trash who nitpicked on things with even less sense.
This time, the content was that Min Geurin plagiarized Min Geurin, so she didn’t suffer particular damage.
Min Geurin sent a reply saying it was fine.
[Kim Yuri] Really sorry… I’ll bring bagel chips and maple milk tea as an apology. Let’s eat them together with others!
[Kim Yuri] Then see you at the main gates ⟩▽⟨♡
After closing the hologram, Min Geurin prepared to go to school.
She wore AR glasses under the hooded jacket.
And she put on Player shoes, which were able to bear her superpowers and physical abilities.
When Min Geurin, who completed all preparations, took a deep breath and opened the front door.
Someone was standing there.
“Ah, you scared me!”
In front of Min Geurin, who screamed startled, like a jangseung[1] stood Song Daeseok with black bags under his eyes.
“How long did you stand here? What happened?”
Song Daeseok didn’t reply.
Min Geurin and Song Daeseok were childhood friends since they started to attend kindergarten.
Even without hearing a reply, Min Geurin could guess why Song Daeseok came.
‘Daeseok wants to send me off, huh?’
Song Daeseok, who rarely even came out from his room, came all the way here.
The terrifyingly white face of Song Daeseok who didn’t receive any sunlight looked at Min Geurin.
Min Geurin hesitated and then asked.
“Do you want to go to school together? All our classmates are nice. The homeroom teacher is also teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim.”
Song Daeseok shook his head.
Seeing him shake his head, Min Geurin’s shoulders dropped.
It was Min Guerin who thought that if she gathered courage to go to school first, Song Daeseok may go to school with her.
‘It’s not possible with my strength, huh…’
Min Geurin diligently faked a bright voice to say:
“I’ll only go to the morning general class with classmates, and then I’ll come back. Let’s play in the afternoon.”
“Got it.”
Song Daeseok replied with a deep voice.
Even today, Song Daeseok will observe the satellite record materials alone in his room.
Just like Min Geurin loses her mind for paintings, Song Daeseok fell for Player Satellite.
“I’ll be going.”
“Stay safe and be back.”
After bidding farewell to Song Daeseok, Min Geurin started to run, choosing the road to school rarely used by humans.
Even though she was running, her head was filled with worry about her childhood friend.
***
Monday, morning.
The next day after artist Min Geurin’s incident broke out in the 1st year class 0’s Teacher’s Day’s epilogue post.
Kim Yuri asked beforehand to gather at the main gates to move together, at which all class kids agreed.
Usually I would go straight from the residential zone to the 1st year building, but today I headed towards the main gates.
‘Did I come too early?’
In front of the Eungwang School’s main gate’s clock tower.
Looking at the time pointed by the clock tower, there was a lot of time remaining until the appointed time.
What should I do while I wait?
‘Let’s make a civil complaint about the Tallae Middle School’s case.’
Tallae Middle School’s facilities were extremely lagging behind.
The school staff and Parents Council was mistreating outstanding talent with actual accomplishments like Maeng Hyodon and his 3rd year homeroom teacher.
Objectively, it looked suspicious, but even subjectively my personal feelings were bound to be strong.
In the game, Maeng Hyodon occasionally gave descriptions of events related to his middle school student life.
In PMH’s style, they were deeply upsetting, enough to feel like being choked with sweet potatoes, but worthy of a national game wreck, it didn’t give anything like cider[2].
‘Since it came to this, shouldn’t I do everything perfectly?’
I opened a public financial notice board with the Education Office homepage.
In that place, I searched for Tallae Middle School’s main budget and revised supplementary budget reports’ expenditure specifications and was about to write the civil complaint while checking the account book.
Totter, totter.
Together with lifeless footsteps, a group of zombies descended from the Heavenly Wings Mountain.
‘What is that!?’
Looking closely, the zombies were wearing Eungwang School’s spring[3] and gym uniforms.
Their clothes were school uniforms, but as their sunken faces were covered in mud and their entire appearances were messed up, they just looked like beggars, vagabonds or zombies.
Looking at the name tags’ color, they were 3rd years.
I heard the whispers of the students who were going to school a moment ago.
“I think they’re 3rd year seniors.”
“Huh, why do they look like beggars?”
“… It’s 3rd year class 0?”
“The crazy guys who challenged their homeroom teacher?”
About twenty people, looking to be 3rd year class 0, kept trudging forward as they received the gazes of students who were going to school.
They stood in front of the main gate clock tower.
“Why are they like this from Monday?”
“Why are you filming?”
“I have a feeling like I have to record it.”
“What? What the hell is this?”
From among the 3rd year class 0, a student looking like the most wretched beggar among them, stepped out in front of them.
The wretched beggar used an item card.
Peeew—!
The item the wretched beggar used sent a supernatural flare into the sky.
The wretched beggar who used the flare emitted a supernatural wave and trimmed the flock of lights into the shape of letters.
It was an astonishingly sophisticated supernatural wave control, but seeing the complete writing, it just felt ridiculous.
[Surrender] 3rd year class 0’s defeat [Submit]
Whatever they were doing, that was the declaration of surrender in front of the main gates’ clock tower they talked about before.
‘Did you even surrender because you wanted to stand out like this!’
Though, looking at their expressions, I didn’t think they did it because they liked it.
Even so, declaring surrender like this was an excellent way of drawing attention.
Worthy of the spirit of Eungwang School’s troublemaker collective class 0 and the best in years, 3rd year class 0.
“Uisin, hi! Wow, teacher Im Yeonhwa-nim won, huh?
“Hello! I saw a supernatural flare when I was flying, so I came in a hurry.”
“Vice president, you came early.”
When I was absorbed by 3rd year class 0’s eccentricities, our class kids arrived.
“What are those seniors doing?”
“Let’s look at the general bulletin board?”
I opened the 3rd year class 0’s ‘Process of surrendering, epilogue’ published with videos and a summary together with classmates.
[Commemoration of Teacher’s Day, 3rd year class 0 vs teacher Im Yeonhwa-nim Revenge Match]
[Discipline: Paintball game]
[Location: Designated area in the Heavenly Wings Mountain]
“Paintball game?”
“It’s a game where you shoot paint bullets at each other to win. It’s also called a survival game. It varies based on individual rules, but usually you’re out when you get shot in the vital point.”
“It looks like you’re just out when you are covered in paint. Reading it, they weren’t limited to gun weapons.”
“If you’re not using skills or Gwangrim, then using a gun seems the easiest…”
They said they set a barrier around a certain point away from the walk trail in the Heavenly Wings Mountain.
It looked like they were playing a survival or paintball game inside of it.
“Did teacher Im Yeonhwa-nim take all 3rd year class 0 seniors out by herself? Amazing.”
“And they weren’t using items which are able to be cardified? From Friday to Monday morning, it’s 3 nights and 4 days, were they fighting inside like this the entire time?”
There were also videos made during the game.
It seemed that 3rd year class 0 installed recording devices through the entire field to record the moment of their victory beforehand.
But the recording devices only captured the moments of humiliation and defeat.
“… whoa.”
“It’s the teacher-nim in charge of the Understanding of Jin People, yes? Uh, um.”
Among the numerous recordings, the best cut seemed to be following:
The class 0 student is walking while carefully observing her surroundings.
Behind her, with camouflage paints applied on her face, hanging upside down barefoot from the tree was Im Yeonhwa.
It was a scene where, holding a painted knife in her mouth, Im Yeonhwa was quietly observing the soon to be hunted student.
‘If she used paint bullets, the sound would spread, so she used a knife to keep it quiet like this?’
Im Yeonhwa alone hunted all 3rd year class 0 children.
Nevertheless, that wretched beggar was the class president who endured to the end, but in the last 1 to 1 fight, he ended up being defeated during a short clash.
‘But the process of surrendering epilogue? Then there is also the end of surrendering epilogue? Where is the start of surrendering epilogue?’
What the hell will be published as the end of surrendering epilogue?
“Uh, there is another post.”
“It said it’s teacher Im Yeonhwa-nim’s epilogue?”
Looking at another post on the general bulletin board, it was a post of someone among the students taking a picture of Im Yeonhwa’s SNS.
[I had great time with our class kids kekeke
Bring carnations as you promised!
Cuties ~^0^ㅋ
#Teacher’s Day epilogue #Did you receive that energy of the Universe or something? #You have no chance against me #Even so you grew a lot!]
Im Yeonhwa took a selfie with the 3rd year class 0’s surrender declaration in the background from somewhere and published it.
Unlike the guys who became zombies, Im Yeonhwa looked very clean and energetic.
It was a look that made it hard to believe that she was playing a survival game for 3 nights and 4 days in the mountains.
‘Even so, those guys look cute in Im Yeonhwa’s eyes, huh?’
The magnanimous and mad mindset of the teacher who alone overpowered the 3rd year class 0 was extraordinary.
At that moment, another unexpected situation occurred.
“It looks fun.”
“Right? Class 0 seniors had to have a lot of fun!”
I had no idea what sounds Han Yi and Lee Lena were making.
“It does seem fun!”
“Uh… Can our class also play it?”
Sawol Seeum and Maeng Hyodon were saying nonsense.
Behind them, Hwang Jiho’s eyes started to light up little by little.
“I’m envious. We also should play a survival paintball ga…”
“Min Geurin came.”
Before Kim Yuri, who had a strong acting power, made an irretrievable remark, I cut off her words.
Luckily, Min Geurin really was running at the side in the shade, avoiding people’s eyes.
Thanks to that, the topic has changed.
‘Even so, shouldn’t we do it if our class kids want it?’
If my Playable Characters and NPC desire it, I should do it, right?
First time I turned the topic around, but if this conversation comes up one more time, I will have to make plans for it.
There were also the 2nd year class 0’s group uniform outing case before, I acutely felt that our class is also a class 0.
“Uh? There is no one here.”
“I heard there was a war. Weird.”
The entrance on the 1st year class 0’s side.
The surrounding was quiet like usual.
Yesterday comments of art clubs and Min Guerin’s fans were saying that a war would break out.
“You came, huh?”
After the eight of us entered the building, teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim spoke up.
I guess Ham Geun-hyeong checked the bulletin board and came beforehand to clean everything up.
Ham Geun-hyeong was making an extremely menacing expression.
If most people looked at that expression, they would just crawl out on their own.
“Hello! Teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim cleaned it up, huh… Thank you!”
“Th-thank you.”
Kim Yuri spoke brightly and Min Geurin, who was hiding among the kids, said thank you.
Ham Geun-hyeong who looked at the eight of us, asked:
“Did you go pick up Min Geurin?”
“Yes! Because of the events on the bulletin board yesterday.”
“… Okay.”
Ham Geun-hyeong had a more stern face than usual to deal with Min Geurin’s hardcore fans.
In the instant, Ham Geun-hyeong’s face turned softer.
“Teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim, I brought snacks and black tea. Let’s eat together!”
When Kim Yuri showed the shopping bag she held while smiling, Ham Geun-hyeong nodded his head.
The 1st year class 0, who had gathered in the classroom early in the morning, had a morning tea party like this.
***
After finishing Newspaper Club activities.
I left the device paid for by the school in the classroom’s locker and headed towards the off-limit zone.
‘My disciple should grow today.’
Yeom Junyeol was struggling because ‘Superpower Swallowing’ didn’t go like he wanted.
He was diligently doing imagination training while taking sufficient breaks, so he would improve since the previous time.
I sat on the desk in the old school’s classroom, waiting for Yeom Junyeol.
Ding.
A message came to the synchronized device.
The message was from the Newspaper Club president.
[Emergency call, those who can come within 5 minutes gather in the Newspaper Club general club room.]
What is happening in the Newspaper Club?
I was worried, however I couldn’t abandon the promise I made to my Playable Character and my disciple.
Among the club members was Hwang Jiho, so whatever was happening would be handled well.
“Master-nim! Apologies for being late!”
The instant I closed the hologram, Yeom Junyeol entered.
Yeom Junyeol didn’t make excuses, but I heard people talking that he got into an argument with Ma Jinseung.
“I didn’t wait long, so it’s fine. I heard the Student Council is busy, I’m not wasting your time?”
“I’m also working hard in the Student Council! Please don’t talk about reducing lesson time.”
Yeom Junyeol panicked at my words and said.
It seemed he was worried that by chance the sound about reducing the lesson time would come out from my mouth.
As if he wanted to change the conversation topic, he took out a transparent box from his pocket and stretched it out towards me.
“It’s a bit late, but here is a carnation! I made it myself with flames.”
I took a palm-sized box with flames made into the shape of a carnation inside.
On Parent’s Day from Eun-ho’s descendants and on Teacher’s Day from Yeom Junyeol I received a carnation, huh?
I felt something tickling me inside.
“Thank you. Even so, let’s take today’s lesson easy and finish.”
“Yes…?”
Yeom Junyeol’s voice lost energy, but I didn’t think of taking my words back.
“You’re going to participate in the chess tournament this week, aren’t you?”
Based on the results of the matches, I’ll meet with Yeom Junyeol as a rival.
*~*~*
[1] jangseung – a pole sculptured with a scary/grotesque face which represents a guardian of a village, road or a temple. It’s also a figurative expression for someone tall but with not a good looking face.
[2] sweet potatoes and cider – slang, sweet potatoes stands for sad and stressful stories, while cider stands for sweet, easy-going stories. The rule of thumb in storytelling is that when giving sweet potatoes, you should give readers some cider or you will suffocate them.
[3] spring uniforms – spring and autumn uniforms to be precise (but it’s spring, so I just said spring).
Translator’s note:
*Stealing the comment from raws*
NPC = Nae Playable Character (*Nae sounds like 내 which means ‘my’)
*~*~*
Clarification about ‘what is that sound’ and similar unusual uses of ‘sound’ in sentences:
I forget to explain my reasoning, I apologize. You may have noticed weird phrases like ‘what is that sound’ or ‘making sounds’ or similar in this and previous chapters, which indeed doesn’t make much sense in English. But it is also a very specific phrase in Korean, not very weird, but specific, and as it will become more and more apparent as the story goes that the ‘sound’ in this novel is a very important word, with a lot of second meanings. Because of this, this translator decided that suffering from clunky English will hurt readers less than if they try to make it sound natural (pun unintended).
That said, not all weirdly sounding things are this translator’s intention, especially not the sleep-deprived translator, so I will always be thankful for your insight. Thanks for reading and bearing with me~
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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