17 Chapter 17 (1/2)
The boy sighed at Dang So-mun's depressed demeanour.
'You've always been so soft-hearted! But you know, I'm glad you're like that.'
Baek Mun-ji felt that it would be best to change the subject for Dang So-mun's sake.
”Did you know? This class we're attending is the first Horticulture class in the Academy.”
”The first? So, this is the Academy's new course?”
Baek Mun-ji quickly continued upon seeing Dang So-mun's interested response.
”Yes. And, I've heard the new teacher is quite young.”
”I see…”
Baek Mun-ji felt Dang So-mun' interest waning, and immediately spoke up again.
”Hey wait! As the master of information, I have some more details. The name of the teacher is Kang-hyuk.”
”Kang-hyuk?”
Dang So-mun's thoughts immediately drifted to the man named Kang-hyuk he had travelled to Nakyang with.
But, he had heard that Kang-hyuk's intentions were to stay in Nakyang for only a few days.
Whilst he thought that it was most likely a coincidence, he still had hopes.
”It would be great if our Horticulture teacher was really Kang Dae-Hyeop.”
”Kang Dae-Hyeop?”
Dang So-mun began to explain the events of his journey to Nakyang, and the circumstances under which he had met Kang-hyuk.
Baek Mun-ji nodded.
”Wow, that's quite amazing! I wish I could have met him too! Anyway.”
Baek Mun-ji continued with his findings on the Horticulture teacher.
”His age is twenty four, and he must have passed the teacher's test with flying colours to now be the Horticulture teacher!”
They had now reached the building in which the Horticulture class was taking place.
”Let's go in!”
Dang So-mun nodded.
Inside, there were around twenty desks for the students evenly arranged around the room, and at the centre, facing the students' desks was the teacher's desk which was twice as high in height.
Whilst the pavilions of Benevolence and Righteousness were meant to be used for any class that had to take place indoors, in reality, it was almost exclusively used for Liberal Arts subject classes.
This was because all Martial Art subject classes were held in the training grounds unless there were special circumstances preventing them from doing so.
The training grounds were used whether it rained, snowed, or even in the case of a typhoon.
Despite there being over 240 students, there was sufficient space for them within all four buildings due to the usage of the training grounds.
The other students in the class came in and chose their desk. They then began to look around the room in astonishment.
”Hey, look! The desks and chairs are made of steel!”
”Even the floor is steel!”
”Oh my! The walls and doors are made of steel as well.”
”It's so that even If you guys make a mistake, the building won't burn down.”
”...!”
The unexpected sound of a young man's voice caused the students to turn their heads.
A young, handsome man who was wearing a teacher's uniform walked in.
”Uniform?”
”It can't be?”
The man nodded hearing the students' queries.
”Yes, I am your Horticulture teacher. My name is Kang-hyuk.”
Kang-hyuk looked around at the students. His first class was composed of eight first-year students.
Tapping his desk, he spoke to the class.
”You can all sit down now.”
Dang So-mun was completely taken aback. His wish that his Horticulture teacher would be the 'Kang Dae-Hyeop' that he knew had actually come true.
”Kang Dae-Hyeop?”
Kang-hyuk turned his head to look at Dang So-mun, and laughed.
”It's Dang So-mun from the Sacheon's Dang Family. It's good to meet you again. But from now on, it's not Kang Dae-Hyeop, its Kang Seonsaengnim.”
”Oh. Yes, of course! Seonsaengnim!”
Baek Mun-ji grinned at Dang So-mun's flushed face.
”We will now begin the class. If any questions arise, please feel free to ask me. Also, if you have any urgent need to go somewhere whilst the class is going on, you may do so, but come back within a good time. I will call the attendance register at the end of the class.
He then sat down in front of his desk. Due to the height of the desk, the students were able to see him in close detail.
”As you know, the subject I am teaching is Horticulture. It's common to think of Horticulture as simply growing plants for their appearance, but it also encompasses growing fruit trees and vegetables, not just flowers.
A student put up their hand. It was a pretty girl who looked as though she would become a flower of Moorim when she grew up.
'She seems to have strong self-esteem.'
Her action had drawn the full attention of the whole class.
”I have a question.”
”What is it?”
”Are you really only going to be teaching us such ordinary things?”
Her question caused the whole class to erupt in laughter.
”I guess so. My martial cultivation is weak.”
”Hahaha! I guess it can't be helped then.”
Dang So-mun tilted his head to the side in confusion at Kang-hyuk's explanation.
'Weak martial cultivation?'
Dang So-mun was fully aware that Kang-hyuk didn't have a weak cultivation. He had seen him wielding a sword with his own two eyes when he had protected him from the Am-gi weapon and when he was fighting off the bandits.
His movements were definitely not one of someone with a third rate level of cultivation.
Whilst he had only wielded his sword, and hadn't used any extra-sensory cultivation abilities in front of him, Dang So-mun had seen those with various levels of cultivation, and to him, it felt as though Kang-hyuk definitely had a peak level of cultivation.
'He has a minimum of a peak level of cultivation!”
Dang So-mun decided upon observing Kang-hyuk further and just letting it be for now.
Kang-hyuk, on the other hand clicked his tongue.
'Tut tut, these kids…'
He knew that the girl hadn't asked because she was actually curious, but with the intention of ridiculing him.
'She seems to have learned the twisted ways of the adults already!'
However, her question was still a question, so he had to answer properly.
”It's a good question! This is Hwacheon Clan's Academy, which means that the Horticulture we will be learning will definitely not be ordinary.”