The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 298

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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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The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 298

Chapter 298. The Rehabilitation Specialist Academy (3)

A moment later.
Following the General Store Elder, I arrived at the School Master’s office.
“Isn’t this the School Master’s office?”
“That’s right.”
Why on earth did he summon me here….
While I stood there bewildered, the elder abruptly opened the School Master’s office door.
“Ah….”
I worried it was terribly rude, but the office was empty inside.
“What are you doing? Come in.”
“Ah, yes. I’m coming in.”
“Close the door. It’s cold.”
“Yes….”
I closed the door. In the meantime, the elder plopped down into the chair beside the School Master’s wooden table.
“Isn’t that the School Master’s seat?”
“It is. And for the next fortnight, I am the School Master.”
“What?”
“I’m acting as the School Master. That fellow said he had family business to attend to and needed to return to his clan for a while.”
“I see.”
Ah, so that’s why the elder came here.
The School Master Young Se-yun’s family clan?
In this region, a family clan bearing the name Yeo….
A particular clan came to mind, and I asked carefully.
“Elder, could the School Master’s family clan be the Gangju Yeo Clan?”
“That’s correct.”
I recalled events from my previous life.
The Gangju Yeo Clan was a family with considerable history and tradition, but a minor issue gradually spiraled until the clan ultimately collapsed.
The current School Master must have held a fairly high position within the clan.
He would have received generous support from the clan, but as it collapsed, that support would have been cut off.
So that’s why this academy’s operations have become difficult.
“But why did you summon me?”
“Do you have about a fortnight free?”
“I should have time….”
“Make time even if you don’t.”
If you’re going to say that, why did you ask if I had time in the first place?
As I grumbled inwardly, the Elder continued with a smile.
“That fellow mentioned he’d take a few assistant instructors from here when he returns to the Family Estate.”
“I see.”
“So we’re short-staffed. That’s why I’m asking—serve as an assistant instructor for the next fortnight.”
“Pardon?”
I scratched my head.
“Well, honestly, I thought you’d tell me to go to the Family Estate with the School Master.”
“Why?”
“Because your affection for the School Master runs so deep, sir?”
The Elder laughed heartily at my words.
His silence confirmed my suspicion. When the Elder had spoken with the School Master earlier, his eyes held nothing but trust and fondness.
“So I thought you were asking me out of concern for him.”
“You’ve hit on something irrelevant.”
“Even I think so.”
“Do you know how many swords that fellow has broken so far….”
Then I should mention this.
“Sir, I heard something the other day. Has the School Master already departed?”
“No. He’ll leave tomorrow morning.”
“Then please tell the School Master this: guard the family heirlooms well.”
The Elder’s eyes brightened at my words as he replied.
“I shall certainly convey it.”
“Thank you.”
As expected, the Elder asked me nothing further.
From what I remembered, the trouble that arose in the School Master’s family stemmed from the heirlooms.
With this advance warning, he should handle it well.
Since he’s a master strong enough for the Elder to acknowledge, no problems should arise.
“So, do you accept the role of temporary assistant instructor for the fortnight I proposed?”
At the Elder’s question, I sighed and answered.
“Even if I refused, I wouldn’t have a choice, would I?”
“Wise words.”
.
.
.
The next day,
I sent only Eun Jung-ho and Song Rok’s families ahead to the Hubei Province Headquarters.
Palgap and the guards gathered their belongings and came to Jeong-in Academy. For the next fortnight, they would need to lodge and eat at the academy.
“This way, please.”
Wi Assistant Instructor guided us to the assistant instructors’ dormitory, having received a request from the General Store Elder.
“You may use these quarters and that one.”
“Thank you.”
Palgap opened the door first and stepped inside, glancing around the room before speaking.
“It seems we should clean first.”
In truth, the dormitory room assigned to me could hardly be called pleasant.
It was quite dilapidated.
Every time Palgap took a step, the wooden floor creaked beneath his feet.
Moreover, the walls had cracks and warped sections in places, allowing cold drafts to seep through.
They must have thought they were giving me a decent room….
I was beginning to understand why the General Store Elder had drawn me into serving as a temporary assistant instructor.
Was this their way of saying that if you’re going to support something, do it properly?
Despite the room’s poor condition, Palgap didn’t utter a single complaint and quietly began cleaning.
That’s Palgap for you.
Wi Assistant Instructor scratched his head, his face flushing slightly as he responded.
“I apologize for the inadequate cleaning. The academy is simply short on staff… Since the assistant instructors clean their own dormitories, I did tidy up somewhat, but….”
At this, I smiled and waved my hand dismissively.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s perfectly clean. It’s just that Palgap’s standards are rather high. And if the assistant instructors are responsible for their own cleaning, then that’s how it should be.”
I continued speaking.
“While he cleans, I’d like to hear a detailed explanation of things.”
“Understood.”
Wi Assistant Instructor gave me a brief overview of the essentials.
First, the basic curriculum at Jeong-in Academy was three years, he said.
“If you say the basic period is three years, does that mean there could be additional education?”
“Yes. If we determine that a student hasn’t been properly educated, they must undergo an additional three years of instruction.”
“….”
I began to understand one reason why Wi Assistant Instructor had become such an upright man.
But based on what he’d said yesterday—”They attempt such things because they’re still junior. Once they reach their third year, they wouldn’t do such foolish things”—it seemed there were quite a few who underwent the additional three years of education.
“Mornings are primarily devoted to scholarly studies, and afternoons to specialized fields.”
Wi Assistant Instructor also explained what was taught here.
“All classes are divided by level. So for morning scholarly studies, if someone doesn’t yet know characters, they first learn them, then move to the Elementary Learning texts and….”
“Wait a moment. Isn’t the Elementary Learning text something children study? More importantly, are there really people entering this academy who haven’t yet learned to read?”
As far as I knew, the minimum age for admission here was fifteen years old. This was a rather special place in many respects.
“….”
From the way he looked at me in silence, I felt I had my answer.
“Well, I see.”
Indeed, if someone was sent here, they must have been quite the troublemaker. How could they have received proper education in scholarly studies?
In any case, the scholarly curriculum was divided by level, teaching everything from the Thousand Character Classic through the Four Books and Three Classics.
“After lunch, we provide education tailored to each student’s specialized field, but due to our limited capacity, that education is frankly concentrated on martial arts.”
Wi Assistant Instructor turned to face me as he spoke.
“However, this world isn’t made up solely of people trained in martial arts, is it? We teach farming methods as our resources allow, and we also educate them in calculations so they can work in the Merchant Guild.”
“I see.”
At those words, my mind began to work.
What if we dispatched instructors from our academy here to provide systematic education?
Wouldn’t that allow me to acquire the talent I desire more quickly and in greater numbers?
While I was entertaining such thoughts, the Wi Assistant Instructor continued speaking.
“And after dinner, there is a character education session.”
“Character education?”
“As you know, the character of the students here at this academy leaves much to be desired.”
That much was true.
This was a Rehabilitation Specialist Academy where only those with problems enrolled.
“The School Master personally oversees the character education.”
Since the School Master was currently away, the General Store Elder, serving as acting School Master, would be conducting it.
“After character education concludes, students have personal time, and when the Hour of the Boar arrives—between nine and eleven in the evening—it becomes bedtime. After a roll call, the lights are extinguished.”
The Wi Assistant Instructor continued.
“Except in unavoidable circumstances, it is a strict rule that students cannot leave the dormitory from bedtime until the Hour of the Rabbit the following morning—between five and seven.”
“I see.”
“This is when the assistant instructors become busy.”
“Pardon? Is there overtime work involved?”
“One could call it overtime, but it’s more accurately described as our fundamental duty—disciplining those who violate academy rules. At night, there are quite a few who somehow manage to slip out of the dormitory and engage in deviant behavior.”
“Then how do you discipline them? Do you simply persuade them and send them back?”
At my words, the Wi Assistant Instructor let out a dry chuckle.
“If we did that, wouldn’t they just beat up the assistant instructor instead?”
I recalled how yesterday the Wi Assistant Instructor had wielded a wooden staff against students drinking in the academy.
“By the way, is your nickname perhaps Yaksha?”
At my question, he cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ahem, ahem… In any case, most students who enroll here don’t regard their teachers as teachers. More than half have been forcibly expelled after laying hands on their instructors.”
“….”
The Wi Assistant Instructor handed me a scroll, which I unrolled.
It was the academy rules.
[Do not leave the academy without permission]
[Do not commit violence against instructors or assistant instructors]
[Do not drink alcohol within the academy]
[Do not smoke tobacco within the academy]
[Do not sleep with other women without restraint] and so forth.
“If you discover a student violating these rules, you may discipline them without hesitation.”
These were rules unthinkable in any other academy.
I began to understand why the School Master so strongly disliked anyone interfering in this academy’s operations.
This was a special place.
A place where those who habitually wielded violence without distinction of rank and lived as they pleased came to enroll.
But would ordinary education work on them?
Of course, for ordinary people, simple persuasive education is sufficient.
But for those ruffians who have already missed their chance, there exists an education method suited only to ruffians.
And honestly, it’s because the students of Jeong-in Academy get beaten for breaking the rules.
If you don’t want to get hit, you just need to follow the academy rules properly, right?
After hearing explanations about the academy rules and other duties I’d need to perform as an assistant instructor, my two-week temporary position began—something that had never been part of my original plans.
.
.
.
One of the reasons the General Store Elder had asked me to serve as a temporary assistant instructor for two weeks was because of the classes.
Among those who would be accompanying the School Master when he visited the family estate was an instructor who taught basic arithmetic.
After lunch, I headed toward the lecture hall.
What I’d be teaching was elementary arithmetic. Elementary arithmetic meant… first-year students?
My steps slowed as I walked toward the lecture hall, pondering how to approach the lesson.
– Master, I have important information to report.
At that moment, I received a telepathic message from Jin Yu Warrior, and he relayed some extremely critical intelligence.
These bastards…
It was worthwhile that I’d sent Jin Yu Warrior ahead to gauge the atmosphere.
Now I understood why the instructors and assistant instructors had warned me to be careful.

* * *

The Third Lecture Hall.
Those gathered there were first-year students.
And under the School Master’s educational philosophy that students must possess at least basic arithmetic skills, this was a mandatory class for all first-year students.
True to their status as first-year students of Jeong-in Academy, they showed little interest in the actual lesson and were far more curious about the new assistant instructor teaching today.
“Hey! Did you hear? The instructor teaching today is someone different?”
“Yeah, I heard. An assistant instructor, apparently?”
“He was incredibly handsome. Could he actually be a woman?”
“That’s possible.”
“How about we try to make him cry today?”
“You have a way to do that?”
Thus they whispered among themselves, formulating a plan.
It was an utterly shameless scheme—to throw the first punch the moment the assistant instructor entered and forcibly strip him of his clothes.
“He won’t be on guard yet, right?”
“We’re finally getting some decent entertainment?”
While they were snickering, a student keeping watch through the door crack shouted.
“Hey! The instructor’s coming!”
“Get ready!”
Since more than half of the first-year students were children of martial families, they were confident in their physical abilities.
The problem was they were applying those abilities in entirely inappropriate ways.
The moment the door opened, one student threw a punch directly at Eun Seo-ho.
Crack!
But that fist was blocked with absurdly effortless ease.
“If you add one to one, what do you get?”
“Ugh!”
“Wrong!”
Crack—!
As I spoke, my foot swept across his shin, and simultaneously I blocked another student’s incoming punch while asking.
“If you add two to one, what do you get?”
“….”
Crack—!
My kicks were far from gentle, and every student who took one to the shin crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain.
“If you add two to three, what do you get?”
“F-five!”
“Correct.”
The student who answered correctly was spared, and he clutched his chest in relief.
After posing simple arithmetic problems to all the students, I stepped onto the instructor’s platform.
Three-fifths of the students were still groaning on the floor, and watching them, I smiled wickedly.
“My name is Eun Seo-ho. I’ve been assigned to teach you all basic arithmetic for the next two weeks. Let’s make this class very entertaining.”
The students trembled at the sight of my expression.
It was an instinctive, primal fear—a presentiment of the trials that awaited them.

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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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