Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 99

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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 099

 

One hour before dismissal.

 

The children of Dolphin Class are busily moving around to clean up the toys they’ve been playing with all day.

 

Each child’s cleaning method is full of personality.

 

Cheonji carefully stacking car models into the toy storage box.

 

‘The cars are lined up in a row.’

 

Noah sweeping scattered LEGO pieces on the floor with a spatula and tossing them in.

 

‘Somehow it seems like he’s spilling more than he’s collecting.’

 

Seo-ro casually waving his hand and using telekinesis to close the windows.

 

‘No, Seo-ro, that’s something the teacher should do…’

 

Even Seo-ra and Tae-jae sitting back-to-back putting books on the bookshelf.

 

“This book is fun! ‘Eating Poop’. Tae-jae, have you read this?”

 

“Yeah, it was interesting. It’s about a pig that likes poop.”

 

‘These two suddenly switched from organizing books to sharing reviews…’

 

By the way, there’s also Nabi running around the classroom with her arms full of dolls.

 

“Hehehehehe!! This is fun~!”

 

‘Not a care in the world.’

 

But I didn’t bother trying to stop Nabi who was frolicking like a colt.

 

Because.

 

“Nabi, have you seen this book?”

 

“…No, is it interesting?”

 

“Yeah, come here and look.”

 

Before long, she obediently sat down on the floor at Tae-jae’s call.

 

I’ve observed this pattern several times already.

 

Whenever it seemed like Nabi was about to cause trouble or couldn’t do something, one of them would step up to stop her or help her.

 

While Cheonji was mainly the one looking after Nabi, all the other kids also naturally took care of Nabi like this.

 

‘Such good kids.’

 

Contrary to my worries, Nabi was adapting well and the class children were showing admirable behavior, so I couldn’t ask for more.

 

Yes, there was nothing more to ask for here…

 

“Teacher!”

 

Suddenly the Dolphin Class door opened and Kwon Hae-seong urgently called for me.

 

“…?”

 

A face filled with bewilderment.

 

Behind that face, I could hear noisy shouting going back and forth.

 

I calmly nodded and spoke to the children who were still cleaning up.

 

“Teacher will step out for a moment. Clean up nicely while I’m gone! Got it?”

 

“Yes-“

 

Following Kwon Hae-seong down to the 1st floor where the shouting was coming from, all the other teachers were already down there.

 

What’s going on?

 

“Does this make any sense right now? An investigation targeting children!”

 

“We don’t want to do this either, but these are orders from above.”

 

“Go back! I won’t let you take our children!”

 

The owner of the shouting voice was none other than the angry Principal.

 

‘Who on earth is arguing with the Principal…’

 

As I quickly approached them standing near the entrance, I could see a figure who had been hidden by the crowd.

 

It was a face I’d seen during the interview.

 

Representative Baek Cheonhyeong’s… secretary, I think?

 

“Calling our children spies! In all my life, this is the first time I’ve seen a company call 7-year-old children spies!”

 

“…Director. After working at that company for decades, shouldn’t you know by now…”

 

“Director? You completely sent me here before, and now I’m the Principal here. I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

 

“I find this situation uncomfortable as well, but it can’t be helped. ‘Nam Tae-jae’, ‘Kim Noah’, and ‘Baek Cheonji’ all need to be investigated right now.”

 

What the hell is this about.

 

I stretched out my arm and squeezed between the two of them.

 

Then I saw the secretary who spotted me reflexively hesitate. After that, he seemed to forcibly relax his facial muscles, then informed me as if this was perfect timing.

 

“Perfect, the teacher in charge is here. Teacher Na Hwi-yeon, I’d like you to accompany the children to the interrogation room right now.”

 

***

 

The secretary standing at the entrance didn’t seem to have any intention of backing down.

 

However, I also had no intention of complying with what was no different from an order disguised as a request.

 

“I refuse. At least give me a proper reason before I decide whether to go or not.”

 

“….”

 

As we continued this silent battle of wills.

 

Eventually, the secretary chose to explain with a sigh rather than waste time with meaningless arguments.

 

“Haah…. You may not know, but the company is a bit noisy right now.”

 

“I don’t know the exact details, but I did… hear that some confidential data in storage was stolen a few days ago.”

 

“Yes, you heard about it. Then, did you also hear who the criminal was?”

 

“….”

 

Not an internal person, but an outsider.

 

Moreover, not an adult but a child… I had heard that.

 

Whether he keenly read my expression, the secretary nodded and confirmed.

 

“The rumors spread quickly, I see. Since there’s no one here who doesn’t know about it already… As you know, that’s exactly why I’m acting like this now.”

 

I understood well enough that the company was in a difficult situation.

 

And their intention to quickly identify the spy as well.

 

However, even if an F-rank Psychometry Awakener identified the criminal as a ‘child’, how could they specifically determine it was a child from our Ocean Kindergarten?

 

Moreover, how could they pinpoint exactly three children from our class to take away?

 

The secretary’s words didn’t stop.

 

“After examining the date of data network access and CCTV footage, there were a total of 4 children who visited the company that day. And among them, three children who visited for regular checkups were… ‘Kim Noah’, ‘Nam Tae-jae’, and ‘Baek Cheonji’.”

 

Regular checkups.

 

Regular Awakener-specific examinations conducted for Ocean Kindergarten children.

 

During the weekend, Seo-ro went to the Hunter Camp with me, and Seo-ra went ranch experiencing with Lee Seo-hyeok, so they had to miss their regular checkups.

 

However, these three visited the company on the weekend for their scheduled regular checkups.

 

And coincidentally, the confidential data was stolen that day…

 

This is an absurd story.

 

That’s what I thought.

 

‘Do they really think this makes sense?’

 

Do they really think one of those three is the criminal?

 

“Did the CEO order this?”

 

No way.

 

I asked just in case.

 

‘Cheonji is even his younger brother.’

 

No matter how serious the matter is, if he’s suspecting even his own younger brother, this is…

 

“Let’s say it’s a consensus decision from the higher-ups… We’ll separately inform the guardians later, so there’s nothing for you to worry about, Teacher. They’re all BOND employees after all, so they’ll understand.”

 

“They’re not hostages, right?”

 

Startled.

 

That wasn’t my voice. I looked at Yu Jin-chae who was standing with her arms crossed in a defiant pose.

 

“From what I’m hearing, it sounds like you’ve already identified those kids as criminals and are starting the investigation, but the company is actually suspecting someone else… For instance, the children’s guardians.”

 

“…!”

 

“Hey, Mr. Secretary. I understand you’re in a hurry, but let’s maintain some business ethics… At this rate, people will think BOND is some backwater detective agency.”

 

Tension filled the air due to Yu Jin-chae’s suddenly changed tone. Kwon Hae-seong standing beside her was also staring at the secretary with an undisguised menacing expression.

 

“I don’t want to use manpower on something like this.”

 

“Go ahead and use it, when have you ever been so noble as to just run your mouth about such matters.”

 

The atmosphere was heating up.

 

In the middle of a conversation that seemed like it could break into a fight at any moment.

 

“Before you take the kids away right now…!”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

I ran my hand through my hair and cut off the excited secretary’s words.

 

“Let’s investigate.”

 

 

Gently ignoring the teachers’ shocked questions and concerns, I gathered the children and left the kindergarten.

 

Of course, I also quickly stuffed Nabi, who had returned to doll form, into my pocket.

 

‘Anyway, staying there longer won’t give us any answers.’

 

The situation was turning serious. Hearing Yu Jin-chae’s words made me even more certain.

 

‘Holding onto the child and turning on the guardian’s side…’

 

This was a matter that could spiral out of control if handled wrong.

 

Moreover, those words also meant that no threatening investigation would be conducted on the children immediately.

 

‘So, it would be better to act cooperatively for now.’

 

Following the secretary’s guidance, we arrived at the Awakener Examination Room right next to the emergency center.

 

The secretary pressed his tired eyelids and spoke to me with a sigh.

 

“This is… the best I can do.”

 

“Yes, thank you.”

 

That’s right.

 

Unlike what we were told to expect, we came to the Awakener Examination Room instead of the interrogation room.

 

This was the result of me persistently pestering the secretary on the way to the building.

 

‘The interrogation room is absolutely out of the question.’

 

I bombarded the secretary with all sorts of reasons why we couldn’t go to a place that sounded like it could create PTSD even where none existed.

 

As a result of persuading him at almost a semi-threatening level.

 

“Wait here and the Psychometry User will come.”

 

His eyes, worn out from overtime, briefly scanned us before quickly looking away in exhaustion.

 

I watched the secretary hurriedly turn and disappear as I moved to find a seat.

 

The Children’s Waiting Room in the corner of the Awakener Examination Room required taking off shoes to enter.

 

‘At least I asked to go to a place the kids are familiar with.’

 

“We came here before too~”

 

“I call dibs on the bouncy horse!”

 

“Kim Noah, I’m riding it first!”

 

The children quickly kicked off their shoes and ran into the waiting room.

 

‘It’s just like their own home.’

 

Naturally, they didn’t know why they had come here. So…

 

“Teacher, please read this to me!”

 

“Don’t bother Teacher Lee Seo-ra.”

 

“It’s my choice!”

 

The twins ended up coming here too, following me and their friends.

 

‘The twins didn’t really need to come along…’

 

When all their friends suddenly said they had to go to the company, they insisted on coming along too.

 

‘I should contact Lee Seo-hyeok separately.’

 

I hid my complicated feelings and picked up the fairy tale book Seo-ra handed me.

 

Just as I was almost finished reading the fairy tale book with realistic storytelling skills.

 

I saw a woman with drooping shoulders and a stern-looking man open the examination room door and enter.

 

“Let’s check quickly and go.”

 

“Really… BOND is going to be cursed.”

 

They were civil servants.

 

A pair of man and woman with civil service IDs hanging around their necks approached us, grumbling.

 

Among them, the stern-looking man quickly bowed and straightened up, speaking obsequiously.

 

“Oh my, Teacher. We are these kinds of people… And this friend here is that Psychometry User.”

 

[ Korea Hunter Management Headquarters ]

 

[ Awakened Specialized Crime Investigation Division ]

 

“Hello… I just need to briefly place my hand on the children’s heads.”

 

“Yes, yes~ We won’t do anything bad to the kids, just use the ability and leave!”

 

“…Tae-jae, Cheonji, Noah. Can you stop playing for a moment and come over here?”

 

The civil servant who was supposedly the Psychometry User approached and placed her hand on each of the children’s heads in turn.

 

While doing so, she repeatedly opened and closed her eyes, exchanging conversations with the children.

 

“…You need to eat more vegetables.”

 

“I hate vegetables~!”

 

Hm?

 

“You… use a Blue Pen… I used to do that when I was little too.”

 

“The Blue Pen teacher gave me a gift for doing my homework well.”

 

“…Really? That’s amazing.”

 

Wait, why is the conversation going like this?

 

“You like potatoes… New Potatoes are the most delicious.”

 

“Yes, should I give you some of the New Potatoes we have at home?”

 

“Oh, really? Thank you. Then… just a little.”

 

Listening to the conversation going completely off track, the man quietly placed his hand on the woman’s shoulder.

 

It was a signal to stop.

 

“Stop… More importantly, what about the criminal?”

 

The woman’s indifferent eyes turned toward the three children sitting quietly and waiting.

 

And soon a dry voice was heard.

 

“I don’t know. There aren’t any particular peculiarities.”

 

“No similar-looking appearance either?”

 

“What I saw was just an afterimage to begin with.”

 

The man shook his head. Then he spoke to me, making eye contact.

 

“Haha… Well, she says there are no peculiarities. So, it looks like you’ll have to wait here a bit longer.”

 

“What? Wasn’t this the end?”

 

“Well, we’ve been stuck here for days unintentionally because BOND suddenly requested support. Now we’ve done everything we can check… Yes, probably from now on the company will move directly.”

 

The woman who had been quietly listening from the side also chimed in.

 

“They said either they’ll bring the A-class Psychometry User from Brazil… or Representative Baek Cheonhyeong will come.”

 

“Of all times, this trouble had to happen when those two have overseas schedules… Haha, what kind of hardship is this for powerless civil servants and teachers~ Anyway, I think it’s just beginning now! Good luck! We’ll be going now…!”

 

With those words, the civil servants vanished completely.

 

Like the wind.

 

And that really was the beginning.

 

To the extent that it could be considered the prelude to the absolute chaos show that was about to unfold.

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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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