Chapter 294

Pearl Island, Lion’s Castle gate.

“Welcome.”

In the past eight years, how many times had Seol Su-Ah suppressed her anger and nervousness?

Every time she saw the child of the person who’d been like a parent to her, Seol Su-Ah felt an overwhelming urge to rush over and shield him from all hardships. “Your father has blessed me with great kindness,” she imagined herself saying. “So I will protect you from now on.”

Of course, those words never did leave her heart

They couldn’t.

Back then, any careless move on her part would’ve invited far worse consequences. If she’d openly sided with the Kang family, many forces in Korea—including Ji Cheon-Myeong and the military—would’ve redoubled their pressure on her; most likely, she would’ve lost jurisdiction over Lion’s Castle, the one resource, the one safe haven she’d managed to keep.

And domestic conflict would’ve been the least of her problems. Qilin and the Sword Master, the chief culprits behind the Yaksha’s fall, would surely have moved to silence her.

In fact, Seoul Su-Ah hadn’t known the identities of the culprits behind the Yaksha’s fall and had only found out recently thanks to Jae-Hyeok. Before then, not knowing had only made her all the more cautious; After all, that the culprits could besiege the Yaksha spoke volumes of their strength. Seol Su-Ah knew she wasn’t their match, so what she feared most was drawing these hidden enemies to Korea before Jae-Hyeok was ready. Before then—she could only hide in the dark, leaving Jae-Hyeok to bear the pain of a shattered family and the weight of a reviled surname for all these years.

Logically, she knew this was best for Jae-Hyeok. But emotionally, Seol Su-Ah’s heart bled at the injustices Jae-Hyeok was forced to suffer alone.

Only today was her heart finally free.

“Congratulations on passing the second tribulation. Your father would be so proud.”

Gazing at Jae-Hyeok, Seol Su-Ah’s usually sharp eyes glowed with a light as soft as the summer sun’s.

The child had surpassed her in just a few months. In the blink of an eye, he became someone far beyond her worry.

She said, “I’ve prepared what you asked of me.”

Seol Su-Ah clapped her hands and dozens of players appeared carrying enormous bags.

“Jae-Hyeok!”

Among them was Jae-Hyeok’s homeroom teacher, Kim Jin-Myeong.

Thump!

Kim Jin-Myeong dropped the bags and approached Jae-Hyeok with an agitated expression.

“What happened? It has been less than a month since the vacation started. How do you become a National Treasure candidate and then a National Treasure? Is this a prank?”

Jae-Hyeok’s achievements were simply too absurd, and it just so happened that an extremely acclaimed show was airing where students deceived their teachers, so Kim Jin-Myeong couldn’t help but disbelieve the recent news.

He shook Jae-Hyeok by the shoulders. “Jae-Hyeok, be honest—you’re part of next season’s Fool Your Teacher, aren’t you?”

“Teacher Kim, teacher Kim!” Park Joo-Bong, the teacher in charge of Class A, rushed over and pulled Kim Jin-Myeong back. “This is no way to speak to a National Treasure.”

Park Joo-Bong straightened and dipped in salute to Jae-Hyeok, who smiled.

“I’m glad you’re all doing well, but...” Jae-Hyeok turned to Kim Jin-Myeong doubtfully. “Teacher, why are you here and not at the hospital?”

“The hospital?”

Kim Jin-Myeong tilted his head.

“I’m not hurt anywhere. I’m fine.”

“Yes, but your wife... It’s vacation, so I thought you would be by your wife’s side.”

“

Ah

...”

Kim Jin-Myeong finally realized the truth of Jae-Hyeok’s status. Only a National Treasure could easily access others’ personal information through the government.

So he knows my wife is suffering from magic stone disease.

Kim Jin-Myeong coughed, his expression awkward.

“Even without classes, there’s still much for us teachers to do. Besides, how will I get paid if I take a break as well? Jae-Hyeok, I,

uh,

I mean...”

Like all the teachers, Kim Jin-Myeong was used to addressing students by first name; even Shinra Kyeong, a National Treasure candidate, wasn’t exempt from this. But now Kim Jin-Myeong couldn’t help but hesitate—after all, Jae-Hyeok was a National Treasure. Could a National Treasure really be addressed so casually?

A National Treasure candidate and a National Treasure are on completely different levels...

Watching Kim Jin-Myeong stutter and hearing him gulp, Jae-Hyeok thought back to when he met Kim Jin-Myeong on his first day of school, and a vengeful smile stole over his face.

“Teacher, first you shake me, and now you speak informally. Impressive. Very impressive...”

The blood completely drained from Kim Jin-Myeong’s face.

“I-I-I’ve been disrespectful.”

Jae-Hyeok was taken aback. He’d only intended to spook Kim Jin-Myeong, not strike terror into the poor man. Jae-Hyeok opened his mouth, intending to end the joke there, but before he could speak, Kim Jin-Myeong’s phone vibrated.

Kim Jin-Myeong’s heart dropped further into his stomach. He hurried to change his phone to silent—but stopped when he saw the caller ID.

It was his wife.

Wife? How could it be my wife?

Ever since Kim Jin-Myeong’s wife had been hospitalized due to her worsening magic stone disease, she hadn’t opened her eyes at all.

That was five years ago.

Since then his wife's cellphone had sat in her bedside drawer, unused.

Don’t tell me?

A chill ran down Kim Jin-Myeong’s spine. What if something had gone wrong with his wife, and the hospital was contacting him through her belongings?

No... No, that doesn’t make sense. The hospital has my contact information. Why would they use her phone?

Kim Jin-mYeong knew this rationally, but even still, his heart weighed heavily and he expected the worst.

As for the possibility of recovery?

The thought didn’t once cross his mind.

He’d spent years waiting for the pharmaceutical companies to finish development on a cure. Yet no news, no updates, no sign of progress ever came. Of course, he still hoped for that call to come, but after years of disappointment, only a spark of that hope remained.

Jae-Hyeok wondered, “Aren’t you going to take this call?”

“Ah, it is a personal call...”

Jae-Hyeok’s smile warmed.

“Take it.”

“Um, that’s okay, I—”

Jae-Hyeok snatched the phone from Kim Jin-Myeong’s hand, turned on speaker mode, and accepted the call.

“Honey?”

“

Uh?

”

Kim Jin-Myeong was dumbfounded. Every night he fell asleep listening to old recordings of his wife. There was no way he could forget her voice.

“Hello? Is this Kim Jin-Myeong’s phone?”

Had her husband left her? Was she alone?—The woman’s voice audibly shook.

Kim Jin-Myeong finally came to his senses and shouted, “Me! Honey, it’s me!”

“Oh, thank goodness... Dear, I’ve missed you.”

“My wife, my wife...”

Kim Jin-Myeong snatched the phone back from Jae-Hyeok, who watched with a knowing smile.

Just then, the gate portal flared and expelled a massive man.

“Jae-Hyeok, things worked out as you guessed. This Firebird’s Essence is truly wondrous. Even something like the mana stone disease was easily cured.”

The man’s hair flowed like a lion’s mane, his eyes shone gold, and his voice rumbled like thunder.

“Thunder Emperor!”

The Thunder Emperor’s aura swept over the teachers, whereupon a collective gasp escaped them, with some teachers even falling on their rears.

“At least try not to scare them.” While shaking his head, Jae-Hyeok waved his hand and dispersed the Thunder Emperor’s aura. Then he turned to Kim Jin-Myeong.

“Teacher.”

“Y... Yes?”

“Hurry to the hospital. You still need to handle discharge procedures for your wife.”

“......”

Hearing Jae-Hyeok’s words and registering the knowing smile on his face, Kim Jin-Myeong finally put two and two together.

“I... I...”

Kim Jin-Myeong burst into tears.

“Jae-Hyeok, thank you. Thank you so much...”

Kim Jin-Myeong recalled all the harsh words he’d said to Jae-Hyeok on the first day they met, and his chest ached with remorse.

Jae-Hyeok waved off Kim Jin-Myeong’s thanks as if it were only natural.

“Teacher Kim, if anything, I should be thanking you. Once you saw me for who I am, you accepted me and even looked out for me.”

Just like everyone, Kim Jin-Myeong previously held prejudice against the Kang family, which led him to assume the worst about Je-Hyeok when Jae-Hyeok had first arrived at Lion’s Castle. But that was only in the first few days. After watching and guiding Jae-Hyeok firsthand, Kim Jin-Myeong was broad-minded and compassionate enough to change his attitude in light of his own experiences with Jae-Hyeok.

For Jae-Hyeok, who had just arrived at a new place and had yet to make friends, Kim Jin-Myeong’s support meant more to Jae-Hyeok than he could know.

“Teacher Kim, I’ve never forgotten your guidance and support. In this life, you will always be my teacher.”

“

Sniffle, sniffle.

Good, good lad...”

Kim Jin-Myeong couldn’t stand it and hugged Jae-Hyeok. His tears and snot soaked Jae-Hyeok’s ceremonial robe, but Jae-Hyeok didn’t mind at all.

“I’m going.”

Kim Jin-Myeong bowed to Jae-Hyeok several more times before leaving for the hospital.

After he departed, Jae-Hyeok instructed the group to gather their bags.

Their destination—the lion statue.