30 Years Have Passed Since the Prologue
chapter-124

Ivan was generally a deep and warm person, but when it came to self-objectification, he was extremely pragmatic.

So he knows he’s not a good teacher. He can never teach a disciple like Enrique.

“Kill me…!!”

“Don’t say that. You’re not going to die.”

“This monster…!! I’m… canceling my enrollment…!!”

“Felix von Eswil, second son of Count Thieles Eswil, residing at 21, 3rd Avenue, 3rd District. Has three maids, one butler, one servant, two horses, and sends a letter home once a week, but the recipient is a common girl in the Count’s domain, Irina. Is that correct?”

“…Eek?!”

“There’s no early dismissal in my class. So focus.”

Ivan is someone who has directly experienced the advanced educational curriculum of the 21st century. And in the 21st century, South Korea is an advanced country that implements modern standard education.

Enrique’s method is closer to an apprentice system. One-on-one teaching, pouring all the knowledge one knows into the chosen disciple with all sincerity.

But standard education is different. The quality of the student doesn’t matter. Its aim is to raise the average level of all students through an adequate level of education.

South Korea operates a social security system called ‘compulsory education’. It means providing equal educational opportunities to students regardless of their will and circumstances.

He has already sent enough warnings through orientation. He was an unimaginably kind prelude, considering the execution of the eradication unit does not involve preludes.

So students who take his class have signed up to bear all the risks that may arise in the class. It was an excellent attitude towards learning.

Ivan decided to become a teacher who provides educational opportunities for passionate students and those who want to learn. Since he already memorized all the personal information of the students, it wasn’t a difficult task.

Since humans are animals with rich imagination, they often mistake trivial ‘truths’ as ‘threats’.

From Jean-Jacques Rousseau to Pestalozzi, the shining educational philosophy of the 21st century will illuminate this primitive pre-modern society.

“Ahhh—!! My arm, my armm—!!”

“Shh, screaming won’t help you survive. Remember the [Anatomy and Mana] class and deal with it. If the nerve in your arm is severed, remember the emergency treatment method and reconnect the nerve.”

“Gaaah—!!”

“Your nerve hasn’t been severed. It’s just paralyzed, and the pain you feel is nothing more than an illusion. Focus, slowly.”

Ivan’s teaching method has already been validated many times. Mostly when educating new soldiers on the battlefield.

Seeking to equalize performance regardless of individual talent, the spirit of ‘compulsory education’ is not much different from ‘military training’ when viewed from a slightly different perspective.

At least in that field, he is superior to Enrique. No, he boasts that he is not inferior to anyone in this world. He is someone who is so adept at self-objectification.

“Grrrr—.”

“It’s broken. Patricia. I’m counting on you.”

“I can’t really open my eyes and see…. I didn’t take on the role of the department head of theology to see this…. Wasn’t it Brother’s request? I have no reason to do this! Do I look like a health teacher?!”

“You look like a saint.”

“…!!”

After briefly responding, Ivan looked around. About fifty students were all scattered with their own unique postures.

It’s okay. Survival skills have only just begun. These students were sure to receive excellent education. There is no ‘F’ in his class.

However, there is one unpleasant aspect.

If there’s a reason why Ivan’s teaching method has become somewhat, very slightly rough, it’s because even Eugene’s status window couldn’t detect ‘Academy Demon Agent’.

‘Was my prediction wrong?’

Ivan briefly pondered this question and then erased it cleanly from his mind. That couldn’t be the case.

Since Pavel led the uprising during the past ‘Academy Festival Attack’, the internal espionage network of Frechenkaya is the most densely spread in history. Because the rebels were allies, they were able to address all known vulnerabilities.

Therefore, according to the ‘common sense of this world’, there can be no more threats in this city. Unless the Demon King or the Seven Dragons directly descend.

The rogue of the hero party is patrolling the rear, the Counterintelligence Command tightly controls the internal espionage network, the crown prince has fallen, and all government agencies have pledged allegiance to the princess.

Since the alliance with the dwarves, even the northern military leaders are favorable to the princess. The rewards they received were not insignificant.

In this situation, who on earth, how on earth could send spies to Frechenkaya? That was the ‘common sense of the residents of this world’.

Of course, that’s not the ‘common sense of modern people’. There must be spies in the academy.

All the virtual countries are salivating over the students who will be targeted, even though they have different majors.

There are three such classes. Moreover, since they are elective courses unrelated to majors, it is easy to infiltrate. Under such conditions, it is natural for spies to come in.

“If all species are human, it means there are guys who have made deals with demons among humans.”

And if he can’t be from Krasilov, then he’s excluded.

Ivan sighed as he scanned the foreign nobles among the students. The situation where suspicious characters abound is well beyond twenty. It won’t be easy.

“Uncle!!”

On his way out after class, a foreign nobleman ran up to him. Soon, other foreign nobles surrounded him.

Isabelle looked up at Ivan with fiery eyes. Eyes from the era when heroes formed parties to overthrow the Demon King.

The resolute members of the hero party, their determination burning brightly, surrounded Ivan. Ivan slowly scanned the group.

“Professor.” (Ivan)

“Yes…?” (Isabelle)

“Please use proper titles at school.” (Ivan)

This could potentially send the wrong signal to other students that he favors certain students. This goes against the educational philosophy of standard education.

In response to Ivan’s words, Isabelle snorted.

“What between us!”

“Between us.”

Just like all professors in the world, Ivan remembers the students he gave A+ to. Even more so if the student who received an A+ still wrote that it was the worst class in the course evaluation.

Since Ivan was a warm-hearted person, he didn’t easily get hurt by such incidents. He was just being rational. He replied brusquely with reason.

“So what’s the matter?”

“What are you doing tonight?”

“Preparing for class.”

“Other than that? You don’t have anything else to do anyway. You’re just going to do the same thing you did with us!”

Isabelle laughed haughtily and lifted her head confidently.

“Let’s all have dinner at our house tonight! Okay?”

“That’s not possible.”

Ivan, being a principled person, does not extort money from students who approach him with the aim of achieving grades. That violates the principles of standard education…

“Even though the dinner menu is kimchi fried rice?” (Isabelle)

…

Since the Counterintelligence Command was a curious group, they followed the principle of resolving any curiosity that arose.

Ivan couldn’t hide his intense curiosity from the words that came out of Isabelle’s mouth, nodding his head in response.

*

A smell.

“Enjoy your meal!” (Isabelle)

“Wait, why does this look delicious?” (Eugene)

“What did you do? Is this cabbage in here, is it that one?” (Oswald)

“Wow, amazing. This is completely different cuisine, isn’t it?” (Yuri)

A familiar smell.

-Clink.

Ivan cautiously lifted the spoon. It’s unfamiliar. Handling utensils itself felt unfamiliar. This was because most meals consisted of sloppily cooked porridge scooped into a bowl or nibbling on nutrition bars, as eating was primarily about supplying essential nutrients. It wasn’t much different from basic weapon maintenance for maintaining the constant performance of the body.

-Swish.

Bubbling stew, chunks of well-prepared meat and potatoes gently collided with the spoon, softening. It was a carefully cooked, heartfelt dish.

Ivan inadvertently sniffed his nose as he smelled the steam rising from the stew in his bowl.

No matter what, he didn’t completely lack the ability to taste food. No matter how unimportant, he wasn’t unable to distinguish taste.

However, taste, in the end, is just a kind of nostalgia mixed with stimuli created by learned environments and universal human taste. And in this world, there is no stimulus to evoke his nostalgia.

So,

-Swallow.

The hot and textured swallow of the stew. The sensation of the well-cooked lamb tenderizing on the tip of the tongue. The vegetables, sufficiently roasted to bring out a hint of sweetness.

In between, there’s the spiciness of the seasoning sprinkled on top, the lime and sour cream perfectly mixed to balance the flavors, down to the last taste.

It’s somewhat altered, but to some extent.

“How is it?” (Isabelle)

Isabelle looked at him with sparkling eyes. Hands clasped over her chest confidently, yet cautiously with a hint of anxiety in her eyes.

There was a moment of silence. Ivan silently moved his tongue to clean up the remaining food in his mouth.

Kim Sunwoo bowed his head.

“It’s delicious.” (Ivan)

His gaze fell outside the window. Since Krasilov’s seasons were always winter. Unlike in other countries, Krasilov only had winter.

Ivan moved his spoon again and took a large scoop of stew into his mouth. Mechanically, without stopping, continuously.

Finally, clink, the end of the spoon scraped against the bottom of the bowl.

“Would you like more? I made plenty.” (Isabelle)

“If possible.” (Ivan)

“Anytime. As much as you want.” (Isabelle)

Isabelle stood up with a warm smile. There was a cheerful energy in her brisk steps towards the kitchen.

A slow and gentle conversation spread across the table.

The hero party and the possessed individuals. A completely mismatched combination. The “protagonists”.

Different from them, the protagonists leading the story of this generation.

These kids joked with each other with silly stories, playfully grumbled, and affectionately continued their meal.

Ivan quietly gazed out the window amidst it all.

“This is unexpected.”

Kim Sunwoo whispered quietly. Ivan briefly agreed. It was unexpected.

Feeling nostalgia in this primitive world was not logical.

However, sometimes, illogical things aren’t necessarily bad.

“It’s alright.”

Ivan murmured quietly, gazing at the first snowfall outside with an unusually soft voice.

He didn’t realize that the cloudy sky with falling snow would evoke a different image than the Northern Front.

“Big brother… Am I dreaming?” (Eugene)

“Wait… Did he actually give a compliment?” (Oswald)

“This is incredible… Is this the skill of a hero’s daughter?” (Yuri)

Amidst the bustling and lively atmosphere at the table, Ivan glanced down at the new bowl of stew that appeared before him.

Isabelle carefully pushed the bowl towards him and smiled brightly.

“Eat plenty!”

Ivan smiled back.

Side chapter: Winter is the season of making kimchi