The S-Rank Warden Devours the Academy - Chapter 40

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 40

“Sa Hyeon?”
The moment Sa Hyeon gave his brief assent, Hae Sung pushed open the door and stepped inside.
He blinked repeatedly as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room.
“Good timing.”
Spotting Sa Hyeon’s silhouette drifting through the gloom, Hae Sung looked puzzled.
“Pardon?”
“Keep your evening free.”
“This evening? For what, if I may ask?”
“Thought I’d visit Gwak Cheol Jung’s workshop.”
“…You don’t mean Gwak Cheol Jung, the master craftsman?!”
Hae Sung’s voice shot up an octave in an instant.
A first-generation Awakener, South Korea’s greatest master craftsman—visiting his workshop!
“I left something there to be worked on.”
Sa Hyeon nodded matter-of-factly.
Now that the weapon potential has been unlocked, there would certainly be changes in its performance.
Hae Sung’s Gourmet Specialty would come in handy.
“Yes, understood! The master craftsman’s workshop… it’s an honor.”
Hae Sung kept bobbing his head, looking dazed.
Never mind that the man had a terrible personality—as if any of that mattered.
“So, what did you come for?”
Sa Hyeon settled onto the sofa and asked, and Hae Sung startled, hurrying to the main point.
“Ah! This morning Yu Weol and Professor Ha Yeon began their first lesson together. I came to inform you. But the thing is….”
As Hae Sung trailed off with a troubled expression, Sa Hyeon rose to his feet as if the matter already bored him.
“Mm.”
It was plain without looking.
“I’m sure it’s a complete mess.”

* * *

“Aagh! Yu Weol! Please, just try to control your Summoned Creature!”
Ha Yeon’s anguished cry echoed through the Practice Room.
But Achinomix merely snorted derisively, dodging her outstretched hands with casual evasion.
“It won’t listen even when I tell it to.”
Even Yu Weol herself, who should have been controlling the creature, responded with indifference while leaning on one leg.
‘Then at least try to catch the damned thing!’
Ha Yeon drew a deep breath, inscribing the character for patience across her mind over and over.
‘She’s a student. I have to be patient.’
She shifted her target.
Sloth, the guardian perched on Yu Weol’s shoulder.
“Sloth, at least you….”
Despite Ha Yeon’s pleading gaze, Sloth stretched its jaws wide and released a prolonged yawn.
Then it coldly averted its gaze from her and closed its eyes again.
“…Ugh!”
Ha Yeon burst with frustration.
The Summoner and the Summoned Creatures alike—both were young entities, utterly beyond control!
The early part of the lesson had gone smoothly enough.
Now she understood why Sa Hyeon had entrusted her specifically with this difficult S-rank case.
Sloth had emotional resonance with Yu Weol but unstable Mana flow, while Achinomix was entirely willful.
With Yu Weol herself being uncooperative, the lesson made no progress—it was Ha Yeon’s struggle alone.
Ha Yeon tilted her head back and released a deep sigh of exasperation.
‘No, I can’t give up over something like this.’
The lesson could only proceed once she got the two creatures to settle down.
“Sigh.”
Ha Yeon forced a smile to her lips, lowered her body, and approached Achinomix.
Please, at least you cooperate!
She lowered her gaze to signal no aggression, and moved forward with deliberate slowness.
Unlike before, Achinomix watched Ha Yeon in silence.
Then its yellow eyes suddenly widened, and the creature abruptly flattened itself against the ground.
“? Huh?”
Had my sincerity finally gotten through to it!
The moment hope surged through Ha Yeon.
Creak—
The Practice Room door swung open.
“This is a mess.”
At the sound of that familiar voice, a miracle happened.
“…! Master! Good morning! Did you sleep well!”
Growl—
“I came by this morning to check on you, but you seemed to be sleeping, so I left!”
Yu Weol planted her feet properly and bent at the waist ninety degrees. Meanwhile, Achinomix flopped onto its belly, exposing its stomach.
“Ugh….”
Ha Yeon exhaled a hollow sigh.
Sa Hyeon barely acknowledged the greeting and turned to look at Ha Yeon.
“You said it wouldn’t listen.”
“It has to understand commands first.”
At Ha Yeon’s complaint, Sa Hyeon’s gaze shifted to Achinomix.
“It won’t listen?”
As his ashen eyes narrowed, Achinomix rumbled and rubbed its head against the toe of his shoe.
“It listens just fine.”
…….
These creatures were really….
Ha Yeon let out an exasperated breath.
“…Um, Professor, would it be possible for you to observe one of our lessons?”
“? Why would I bother.”
A refusal so matter-of-fact it was almost brutal.
Ha Yeon’s temples began to throb.
‘Either way, student or teacher….’
Both had a gift for driving people to the brink.
As she gathered her composure, Sa Hyeon slowly surveyed the Practice Room.
Furniture overturned in disarray. Professor Ha Yeon alone drenched in sweat.
“I can probably guess what happened here anyway.”
Sa Hyeon turned to Yu Weol and spoke.
“If you want me to do anything useful, you need to learn to handle your Summoned Creature properly first.”
That way I’ll have an easier time of it too.
“…!”
Unaware of Sa Hyeon’s true thoughts, Yu Weol’s face lit up with emotion.
“I’m sorry, Master! I’ll work hard at it!”
Fire blazed in Yu Weol’s eyes.
What had all those two hours of struggle meant, then.
Ha Yeon laughed weakly.
It couldn’t have been this easy all along.
“You’ve worked hard, Professor.”
Hae Sung, who had come with Sa Hyeon, handed Ha Yeon a water bottle.
“Vice Chief!”
Finding the one sane person in the room, Ha Yeon’s face brightened considerably.
“You brought Professor Sa, didn’t you? Thank you….”
When Ha Yeon offered her gratitude sincerely, Hae Sung waved it off.
“Oh, please! I was just doing my job.”
Thank goodness at least Hae Sung is normal!
Ha Yeon marveled at this and drained the water bottle in one go.
For the first time, she felt her faith in humanity being restored.
Hae Sung offered his characteristically warm smile and checked his wristwatch.
“It’ll be lunch soon—shall we grab a meal before the afternoon classes?”
“Lunch right after waking up?”
Sa Hyeon answered flatly, and Yu Weol beside him gasped in alarm.
“Goodness, Master! You need to eat properly! Let’s go together!”
Hae Sung added a subtle comment from beside them.
“I heard today’s the day a chef with the Gourmet Specialty comes by on assignment. It’ll definitely be delicious.”
Sa Hyeon, who ordinarily detested commotion and made do with quick meals in his office, rarely got the chance to taste food prepared by an Awakener with the Gourmet Specialty.
Under normal circumstances, it would be difficult to eat such a dish even if he waited half a year.
But he had no inclination to fill his own stomach with delicious food while the others went hungry—not given Hae Sung’s nature.
“Here you have a secretary who’s so good at his job inviting you, and you’re just going to refuse? The Cafeteria is right nearby anyway.”
Ha Yeon added a remark.
But Sa Hyeon narrowed his eyes and declined firmly.
“Not interested.”
Hae Sung paused briefly, then drew his trump card.
“There are two course options, and apparently the Homemade Burger is exceptional.”
Sa Hyeon’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
The dish he’d eaten on his first day back on the surface.
Hae Sung drove the point home with an easy tone.
“Oh! And you haven’t been to the Cafeteria lately, have you? They’ve set up a Carbonated Beverage Machine in each zone. There are at least ten drink varieties!”
Sa Hyeon rolled his tongue thoughtfully in his mouth.
Afternoon meant classes with the chicks, and evening meant dealing with that old man Gwak Cheol Jung…
With so many draining tasks stacked up, it wouldn’t be bad to fill his stomach now.
“Might as well take a look.”
The moment Sa Hyeon reluctantly moved to his feet, Hae Sung led the way with a satisfied smile.
“Right away! I’ll show you there immediately!”
Yu Weol followed behind with her tail swishing, along with Achinomix.
“Man…”
Ha Yeon exhaled in wonder as she watched the peculiar spectacle.
‘Sa Hyeon turning fierce beasts—or at least wild ones—into gentle lambs is no small feat either, but still.’
Could that aide Hae Sung, who handles such a person with a single word, be the truly frightening one…?
Ha Yeon mused on this.

* * *

Soft classical music drifted through the restaurant.
The Academy Cafeteria was lavish enough to evoke a five-star hotel.
“They’ve built quite a high-end restaurant here.”
Sa Hyeon sipped his drink and slowly surveyed the dining room with a lukewarm gaze.
While Sa Hyeon’s group settled into their seats at a table,
“…Is that guy really S-rank? Is he a foreigner?”
“Wow, I’ve never actually seen an S-rank before!”
“Who’s that next to Teacher Ha Yeon?”
The restaurant filled with lively murmuring.
Before Sa Hyeon, who wore a displeased frown, a juicy Homemade Burger set was soon placed.
Sa Hyeon took his first bite.
Noticing the crease vanish from his brow, Hae Sung began his meal with a composed expression.
“Dining with my master…”
Yu Weol, touched with emotion, belatedly picked up her utensils.
‘Why am I sitting here eating with these people…?’
Ha Yeon, somehow having ended up at this table with them,
sighed and tossed a french fry into her mouth.
“?!”
Just the right amount of salt, warm and crispy as if freshly fried.
‘This is why you attend the Academy!’
At the very moment Ha Yeon was working through her plate in delight,
a long shadow fell across the table.
“Professor Sa Hyeon?”
It was Jae Hyeok, the Combat Arts instructor.
His hair was cut with razor precision, his suit immaculate.
“Thanks to you, my nephew was just discharged today. I hear he’s managed to walk since yesterday.”
He fixed Sa Hyeon with a cold stare.
“Sigh.”
Ha Yeon let out a small sigh.
So he’d skipped the greeting and come straight to provoke—that was her thought.
“You’re out sooner than expected.”
Sa Hyeon replied without even looking his way.
Jae Hyeok’s brow twisted for a moment.
Ooh…! He’s not easy to rattle, is he?! Ha Yeon observed the situation while crunching down on the remaining french fries on her plate.
Jae Hyeok exhaled sharply through his nose, then opened his mouth again.
“…I understand this is your second class today. Shall we avoid the kind of dangerous lesson you conducted last time?”
“Does the Academy really allow this sort of interference in other instructors’ classes?”
Sa Hyeon set his spoon down on his plate.
The cutlery struck the empty dish with a light metallic ring.
“It’s not interference—it’s concern. It’s the bare minimum responsibility toward student safety.”
“If you’re so worried, why not observe the class? I could even let them get some hands-on experience.”
Ahhh…! That’s refreshing! Ha Yeon drained her carbonated drink in one satisfying gulp, ice and all.
Jae Hyeok’s eyes burned like fire kindling.
He’s properly infuriated now.
Whatever his rough manner, Sa Hyeon turned out to be more sound-minded than she’d expected—stubborn and willful though he was.
Ha Yeon was just about to smile with satisfaction when—
Scrape—
Sa Hyeon rose from his seat with unhurried ease.
“If you’re done talking, I’m leaving.”
His bowl had already been cleared empty.
Yu Weol and Hae Sung stood up right after him.
Ha Yeon’s eyes darted frantically between her still-half-full plate and Sa Hyeon’s departing form.
“Wait a minute! I haven’t even finished eating!”
Sa Hyeon’s gaze drifted slowly toward Ha Yeon’s plate.
“So I see.”
With that curt reply, he walked straight past her.
Yu Weol followed at his heels like a shadow.
“Professor Seo, I’ll head in first!”
Hae Sung hurried after him with a polite bow.
“…What? Wait, why is everyone leaving?!”
Ha Yeon stared helplessly at the three departing figures.
“…Ugh.”
Jae Hyeok stood alone, his mouth twisting into a bitter smile.
Ha Yeon, left behind at the table by herself.
“That guy, he’s seriously…!”
She clutched the back of her neck and ground her teeth.

Chapter 40: The S-Rank Instructor Devours the Academy

Author
Baek Ru-ga
Publisher
Daon Creative
Planning / Editing / Production
Yoon Tae-ri
Cover Design
Tong

UCI
G720:N+A036-20260512043.0041

ⓒ2026, Baek Ru-ga

This e-book is protected under the copyright law of South Korea.
No part of this work may be reproduced or adapted in any form without permission from the author and publisher.

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