Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 3

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 003

 

After leaving the Staff Lounge, I came out of the Resource Learning Room on the 1st Floor after selecting Essential Supplies.

 

‘They had all sorts of things there, so it’s not like they lack money.’

 

Since there were even mysterious items mixed in that I couldn’t identify, I had some trouble picking out only what I needed. Thinking I had taken more time than expected, I hurried my steps.

 

“Oh? Teacher, you’ve already gathered all the Essential Supplies?”

 

And just then, on my way out after gathering all the supplies, I ran into Yu Jin-chae in the hallway.

 

“Ah, yes. I thought it would be more troublesome to go back and forth to the 3rd Floor.”

 

The Dolphin Class I belong to is on the 3rd Floor. Considering the most optimal route in terms of movement, I judged it would be better to take everything while I was here.

 

‘Also, using this as an excuse, I wanted to get out of that suffocating space from earlier.’

 

Seeing Teacher Park I-deun struggling alone to give explanations that weren’t really explanations was quite pitiful to watch.

 

“Wow~ You’re really diligent. As expected, someone who graduated from the Early Childhood Education Department is different. Oh, you know this, right? Among our Kindergarten teachers, you’re the only one who can truly be called a real kindergarten teacher.”

 

Even though her words sounded somewhat sarcastic at first glance, I didn’t feel bad about it.

 

Rather, I was shocked to the point of being appalled.

 

…This is crazy. So that review was actually true.

 

The review on saying they accept D-rank or higher Awakeners even without a kindergarten teacher certification wasn’t false after all.

 

‘This must be how a tenant feels when facing a shoddily constructed building.’

 

I don’t even know where to start worrying.

 

“And you’ve read the Manual, right? I don’t know about others, but Teacher Hwiyeon absolutely needs to familiarize herself with it~”

 

My attention shifted back to Yu Jin-chae, who clapped her palms together loudly.

 

‘I did receive a Manual.’

 

If that bizarre and hard-to-understand thing is indeed the Manual that Teacher Yu Jin-chae is talking about.

 

The detailed with illustrations in that yellow booklet.

 

“I did read it. But it seemed strange somehow.”

 

Teacher Kwon Hae-seong handed it to me so I received it and read it, but I just skimmed through it and closed it.

 

Setting aside the fact that the content wasn’t difficult to understand…

 

‘It’s not some ghost story, but the content was strange.’

 

Except for a few pages containing brief information and precautions about all the Kindergarten students, the content was mostly incomprehensible.

 

“Ah~ It might feel unfamiliar to someone seeing it for the first time.”

 

Unfamiliar. Simply explaining it with just that one word seems insufficient.

 

When I read that Manual, I had quite a few more thoughts.

 

“…Well.”

 

The Manual is ostensibly stated to be for ‘protection’ and ‘safety.’

 

However, if you look into it even a little more carefully, you would definitely feel something strange.

 

The targets of that ‘protection’ and ‘safety’ are ambiguous, and most of the Manual’s content discusses response methods after incidents and accidents have occurred.

 

“As you know, all the children at Ocean Kindergarten are Awakeners. Since they’re poor at controlling their abilities due to their young age, it’s closer to a place made to control them well rather than a kindergarten made to care for them well?”

 

“To control them… well.”

 

Of course, it wasn’t the first time I was hearing this, so I wasn’t flustered.

 

Baek Cheonhyeong had told me on the day of the interview.

 

…After I had finished signing the Employment Contract, that is.

 

At that moment, Baek Cheonhyeong’s annoying face came to mind simultaneously.

 

‘He said this was the reason they only hire D-rank or higher Awakeners as teachers.’

 

So, I understood what Yu Jin-chae was saying.

 

In other words, what we need to do is ‘properly’ prevent young Awakeners from causing accidents due to poor ability control in situations where their guardians are absent.

 

And the Manual I received was created to prepare for such situations.

 

But even so.

 

“I’m not really sure about it.”

 

I’m really not sure about it.

 

“Of course, it’s said to be a Manual for everyone’s safety, but there were many items that seemed inappropriate as emergency response methods that could be used on unstable children.”

 

-If you fail to control the target, make them wear a Control Device. (At this time, do not be particular about means and methods)

+You’ll get hurt if you let your guard down.

-Proceed in order according to danger level: Control Device attachment as 1st priority/mental defenseless state as 2nd priority/Guard request as 3rd priority/Hunter request as 4th priority.

Don’t need all that—just hope you fill up the Control Devices as quickly as possible.

 

Mostly things like that.

 

The content and the brief comments attached at the end seemed to treat the kids like wild beasts.

 

“….”

 

Ah.

 

I had talked too much.

 

‘They might think the newbie is being too presumptuous.’

 

I immediately regretted my impulsive words. I hurriedly added more to Yu Jin-chae, who was now looking at me with a strange expression.

 

“I just mean that if it were me, I’d focus on preventing emergency situations from happening in the first place rather than following emergency manuals. I think that would be better for both the kids and myself… Um, well then, I’ll head upstairs now.”

 

As the atmosphere grew awkward again, I quickly climbed the stairs leading to the 2nd Floor.

 

“Teacher, do you know something?”

 

At Yu Jin-chae’s voice suddenly coming from behind, I stopped climbing the stairs and turned around.

 

Unlike before, she was smiling with her dimples deeply showing.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Your class is called S Class.”

 

“…S. Is it like an elite class or something?”

 

I thought I gave a pretty reasonable answer to the sudden question, but what’s with that expression?

 

Like she’s never seen someone so naive…

 

“Eh~ No~ It’s because the difficulty level is S-rank.”

 

What?

 

‘Did I mishear?’

 

Probably… My face must have stiffened as I repeated Yu Jin-chae’s cryptic words several times in my head.

 

Could this also be some kind of hazing?

 

And just as I was about to open my mouth to ask what she meant again.

 

-BOOM!!!

 

A tremendous roar accompanied by vibrations shook the entire building.

 

“…!”

 

I grabbed the stair railing and immediately crouched down.

 

And at the same time, my eyes met with Yu Jin-chae, who was instantly lying flat on the floor.

 

‘What was that sound?’

 

‘Wait and see for now.’

 

Roughly these kinds of eye signals were exchanged, and when the situation calmed down, I spoke first.

 

“What was that sound just now?”

 

Looking at Yu Jin-chae’s attitude, she didn’t seem particularly flustered.

 

Rather, her brown pupils that had been lively throughout our conversation were now lifeless like turned-off lights.

 

“It’s scary how right I am. Go check quickly.”

 

Yu Jin-chae, who slightly furrowed her brow as if annoyed, jumped up from her spot and started running toward the opposite end of the hallway.

 

Watching her, I hung halfway on the stair railing and shouted toward her as she ran in the opposite direction of the noise.

 

“Teacher! Where are you going?!”

 

“To get Control Devices! Go upstairs quickly! It looks like your class kids caused another accident!!”

 

Watching Yu Jin-chae moving away effortlessly with her long legs, I too started running up the stairs, taking three steps at a time.

 

‘I have no idea what’s going on.’

 

My class kids caused an accident?

 

But right now, there are only the twins in the classroom.

 

No matter how much kids can cause all sorts of trouble the moment you take your eyes off them.

 

‘I’ve only been away for about 20 minutes?’

 

…No, no.

 

‘Twenty minutes is enough time for anything.’

 

Sure enough, as soon as I entered the 3rd Floor, I could see Kwon Hae-seong and Kang Sa-gwa standing in front of Dolphin Class.

 

The two of them appeared to be discussing something and looked calm.

 

“Teacher Hae-seong! Teacher Sa-gwa!”

 

At my shout, Kwon Hae-seong turned to look at me and simultaneously pointed at the tightly closed door of Dolphin Class.

 

“Right now Seo-ro and Seo-ra are….”

 

I quickly passed the two of them and threw open the door to Dolphin Class.

 

From the loud noise and vibrations, it was hard to guess what was happening.

 

Whether someone had fallen from a high place, or gotten hurt while playing.

 

“Kids!!”

 

Imagining all sorts of situations that might unfold, I opened the door and then…. stopped in my tracks.

 

What am I looking at right now?

 

***

 

The sliding door slid easily to the side without any resistance.

 

And as soon as the door opened, I immediately felt something was wrong.

 

‘A burning smell?’

 

-Crash!!

 

The round table that had been in the center of the classroom flew at a terrifying speed and shattered the window.

 

“…?!”

 

“They’re fighting…. The two of them.”

 

Kwon Hae-seong, who had approached beside me, whispered an explanation.

 

…If what I saw was correct.

 

The person who threw the table just now was definitely Seo-ro, who was standing far away.

 

He sent a desk flying with just a flick of his finger?

 

“Lee Seo-ro, don’t make fun of me!”

 

Not to be outdone, Seo-ra retaliated with a booming voice, creating flames in both her hands.

 

The flames, gradually changing from red to blue, blazed fiercely.

 

At that moment, the brief information about the children written on the first page of the Manual came to mind.

 

 

 

A-class Telekinesis and A-class Natural Element Ability.

 

‘Neither the grade nor the abilities are things you commonly see.’

 

I know almost nothing about these offensive-type abilities.

 

At best, I only know fragmentary information from watching short videos about ‘known types of awakened abilities’ floating around on places like WiTube.

 

I’m not sure if this even counts as information though.

 

“How long have those two been fighting?”

 

I asked calmly, trying to calm my surprised heart.

 

“About 10 minutes maybe….”

 

“22 minutes. At first it seemed like they were just bickering, but when Seo-ra got angry and lit her gas fire, they started going at each other.”

 

Kang Sa-gwa corrected Kwon Hae-seong’s words while looking at the electronic watch on her wrist.

 

‘Gas fire—is that referring to the flames Seo-ra created?’

 

So, to summarize: 22 minutes have passed since they started fighting.

 

Seo-ra threw the first punch, then the fight began.

 

“Do you know why they’re fighting?”

 

I need to know the reason to be able to talk them down. Normally I would have rushed in to stop them physically as soon as I understood the situation.

 

But right now, if I approach recklessly, I’d be perfect for getting knocked out by flying furniture or something.

 

“Is it wrong to call a dummy a dummy? Lee Seo-ra, you are a dummy.”

 

“No! I’m not a dummy! Lee Seo-ro, you’re a dummy poop-head!”

 

“Then what’s two plus seven?”

 

“…Why should I tell you that?”

 

“You don’t know, do you? See? Lee Seo-ra is a dummy.”

 

“No! Ten…one? Right!”

 

“The poop-head isn’t me, it’s you.”

 

The conversation between the two children from a distance provided the answer. Kwon Hae-seong poked the twins with his index finger as he spoke.

 

“As you can see, it’s about whether they’re stupid or not…”

 

I glanced at Kwon Hae-seong and then looked back at the twins.

 

‘I’ve never thought so seriously about children’s fights before…’

 

Whether they’re stupid or not.

 

Is that really the issue?

 

Of course it’s an issue, at least for them it would be.

 

“Oh my, Seo-ra is losing the argument again.”

 

Park I-deun appeared with a pitiful expression, though I hadn’t noticed when she arrived.

 

I quickly asked her.

 

“Does this happen often?”

 

“Well, about once a week?”

 

“…That frequently.”

 

“It would be boring if they didn’t.”

 

Damn it. No wonder everyone except me seemed so calm.

 

The cold reality actually cleared my head.

 

I pushed down the sudden urge to quit and came to a conclusion.

 

‘Let’s stop them. Let’s try to stop them somehow.’

 

What’s the big deal—if furniture comes flying, I’ll dodge it, and if fire starts, I’ll put it out.

 

Having reached this conclusion, I stepped straight into the classroom without hesitation.

 

…However, this naive thinking would be completely overturned before long.

 

Is this place hell?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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