Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 49

“What are you looking at?”

The next day, Kang Jin-ho entered the classroom and asked Jung In-gyu, who was staring intently at something.

Jung In-gyu replied with a confident look, “A prep academy for repeat test takers.”

“I took the exam, and I felt like something was missing. It felt like I could have done better if I had studied a little more. Just a little bit was lacking. I think I could get a good score if I just did it for one more year. It feels like a waste to spend a year at my prime, but if sacrificing this one year makes the rest of my life better, it’s a challenge worth taking!” It was a very plausible statement.

However, Kang Jin-ho’s assessment was cold. “You should have felt that way two months ago.”

“……It’s better to feel it now than never.”

“Do you think that ‘little bit’ will be filled?”

“If you retake the exam, a year will fly by while going to the billiard hall and PC cafe [internet cafe].”

“You… you talk like you know it very well.”

“It’s a story I heard.”

“From who?”

“There’s someone like that. Someone who is always chased by deadlines.”

“Huh?”

“Someone who retook the exam with the same feeling as you, but their college entrance exam score actually went down after retaking it.”

“……That’s really pathetic.”

‘That’s your future.’

Kang Jin-ho didn’t say anything more.

In his memory, he vividly remembered what happened to Jung In-gyu, who chose to retake the exam.

At the time, Kang Jin-ho resented his friends for not visiting him, so he was obsessed with their news.

“Did you do well on the exam?”

Park Yu-min asked.

“How about you?”

“I think I did as well as my skills allowed.”

“I offer my sincere condolences.”

“Hey, wait a minute. I said I did as well as my skills allowed.”

“That’s what I mean.”

“Is this the time for me to get angry?” While Park Yu-min was pondering, Kang Jin-ho sat down at his seat.

High schoolers who had finished the college entrance exam had nothing to do. Now, all that was left was to wait for the report card to come out.

“Hey, Kang Jin-ho!”

The door opened, and Han Se-yeon rushed inside.

“Did someone die? Why are you in such a hurry?”

“What score did you get?”

“How would I know when the report card hasn’t even come out yet?”

“Didn’t you do a preliminary score check?”

“I need to remember something to do a preliminary check.”

“Didn’t you write it down on the back of your test admission ticket?”

“Was I supposed to do that?”

“……You’re really dumb.”

Kang Jin-ho’s face slightly contorted.

“Why are you picking a fight after coming here?”

“No, it’s not like I’m picking a fight… it’s just, well, that’s it.”

Han Se-yeon looked at Kang Jin-ho with a sulky face and then turned around.

“Dumbass!”

“You are picking a fight!” Han Se-yeon stuck her tongue out.

“Did you complete all your volunteer hours?”

“What’s that?”

“……Are you really a high school student? Or an alien?”

“That assessment is cliché. Someone else used it first.”

“Who?”

“There is, a small girl.”

“Your taste is…”

“It’s not like that.”

“That’s a relief. I was shocked thinking there was a criminal around me. Clang, clang!”

“But, volunteer hours?”

“Yeah, you have to complete them all. Otherwise, you’ll get a penalty.”

“There are points for volunteer work?”

“It’s called points, but it’s just time. You do volunteer work at places like orphanages and get that time.”

“I see.”

“You just need to complete a total of 60 hours over three years.”

“60 hours?”

“Yeah. You haven’t done any, have you?”

“I don’t remember.”

“No, that can’t be. If that were the case, the teacher wouldn’t have stayed quiet until now.”

“Really?”

“You should check first. And you have to go and fill in the remaining time.”

“So, you’re saying I have to go to places like orphanages or nursing homes to fill in the time?”

“Yeah.”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head and looked at Park Yu-min.

“That’s what they’re saying?”

A wicked smile appeared on Park Yu-min’s face.

“Finally, the time has come for me to show my true worth.”

“Huh?”

Han Se-yeon looked at Park Yu-min, bewildered.

“Well, then.”

Park Yu-min said with a bright smile, “How many hours do you need?”

“Yu-min lives here?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you from an orphanage?”

“That’s strange. Usually, everyone knows.”

“Besides, a normal person wouldn’t say it so openly.” Realizing her mistake at Kang Jin-ho’s words, Han Se-yeon covered her mouth with her hand.

“Ah, sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s the truth.”

“What about the others?”

“In-gyu has completed all his hours, and Tae-ho and Min-jae don’t have many hours left, so they’ll come later.”

“That’s unfair. If we’re going to do it, we should do it together.”

“Well, if they have any sense, they would have filled in some hours during the summer vacation.”

“Are you saying I’m senseless?”

“That sounds like you’re looking for a fight.”

Park Yu-min, who was under a joint attack, slowly backed away.

“No, well, it’s not like that.”

“Let’s go in.”

Kang Jin-ho strode towards the orphanage.

“He acts like this is his home.”

“Because he comes here often.”

“Really?”

“Jin-ho doesn’t need to do volunteer work. He’s worked here so much that they just need to sign off on his hours.”

“Really? Then why did he come?”

Park Yu-min smiled and stared at Han Se-yeon.

“Maybe he thought it would be a bit much if I worked alone?”

Park Yu-min replied sulkily, “What are you talking about? He just doesn’t know. If he knew, he would have asked me to do it.”

“You’re really jumping to conclusions.”

“Hey, Park Yu-min.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re becoming more and more annoying as time goes on?”

“Re, really?”

“You were better before!”

Park Yu-min chuckled as he watched Han Se-yeon turn away with a cold look and follow Kang Jin-ho.

“Why are you taking it out on me?”

Volunteer work was not easy.

It’s not easy to deal with children in general. But without even seeing it, one could tell how difficult it would be with children with disabilities.

However, Kang Jin-ho had no problems.

“Ugh… ugh…”

“Don’t cry.”

Thud.

“Follow me.”

“…..Okay.”

“We’re going into the bath. Commence.”

The child followed Kang Jin-ho’s words like a soldier receiving orders.

It was a level that even Park Yu-min, who had spent over ten years with children, couldn’t even dream of reaching.

“Wh, what is that?”

Han Se-yeon looked at Kang Jin-ho in shock.

“It’s strange, but the kids listen to Jin-ho very well.”

“Does that look like they’re listening well to you?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t they look like cows being dragged to a slaughterhouse?”

“……It does look a bit like that.”

“Is he going to be like that to his own kids later?”

“Wouldn’t it be similar?”

“That’s not right! Kids are so sensitive!”

“Why are you worrying about that?”

“Hey, Park Yu-min.”

“Yeah?”

“You were really better before.”

“……”

“I think you need to be bullied a little.”

“Thanks.”

Han Se-yeon soothed and comforted the children as she cared for them.

Even Park Yu-min was impressed by how Han Se-yeon washed the children and played with them without getting annoyed once.

“She looks really kind.”

At Kang Jin-ho’s words, Park Yu-min burst out laughing.

“Han Se-yeon is originally kind.”

“Liar.”

“Think about a year ago. She used to be quiet and very gentle.”

“Then why is she like that these days?”

“She’s not strange these days, she’s just like that to you.”

“Why?”

“Don’t you know?”

“If I knew, would I ask?”

“You really don’t know?”

“Do you have a grudge against me? Did I do something wrong?”

Park Yu-min shook his head with a look of disgust.

“No.”

“No, you have to tell me so I know.”

“……No. I don’t know either.”

“How boring.”

Park Yu-min shook his head at Kang Jin-ho.

That was a disease.

A serious one at that.

It was hard, but time passed quickly.

Before they knew it, they had all completed their target hours.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“You’re welcome.”

The director of the orphanage smiled at Han Se-yeon.

“It’s the first time Yu-min has brought a friend other than Jin-ho. You must be very close?”

“Yes, I’m close with Yu-min.”

“No, with Jin-ho.”

“……We’re just okay.”

The director smiled as if she understood.

“I’ll send the confirmation through Yu-min. There’s a date issue.”

“Please do.”

“It would have been fun if you had come a bit earlier, but now the building has changed, so the shower facilities are good, and it’s too easy. If you had come a year ago, you would have really done proper volunteer work.”

“Then I’ll just come more often.”

“Even if they say that, not many people actually come back.”

“I’m not like that.”

“Is that so?”

The director smiled and patted Han Se-yeon on the shoulder.

“Thank you. You’ve worked hard. You don’t have to come to work, but come visit often.”

“Yes.”

The director whispered quietly into Han Se-yeon’s ear.

“Jin-ho also comes often on weekends.”

“Yes?”

“Jin-ho, you’ve worked hard too.”

“Yes.”

“And one more request, Jin-ho needs to talk more.”

“I’m trying.”

“Yes, you’ve improved a lot. But if I could ask one more thing, please be a little more sensitive.”

“What do you mean?”

The director looked at Kang Jin-ho with a pitiful face, and Park Yu-min burst out laughing.

Only Han Se-yeon kicked the ground in vain.

“Then.”

Kang Jin-ho said goodbye and went outside.

“Ah, that was rewarding.”

Han Se-yeon stretched.

“Then go home.”

“Hey, you have to take me home.”

“It’s the opposite direction?”

“The sun is setting. If I get into trouble while walking alone in the dark, do you think you’ll be able to sleep peacefully?”

“……Probably.”

“I’ll come back as a ghost!” Kang Jin-ho sighed and turned Geumdong around.

“Get on.”

“Behind you?”

“Then are you going to carry me?”

“That’s not it.”

Han Se-yeon got on the seat behind the bicycle. Then, she hugged Kang Jin-ho’s waist with both arms.

“We’re leaving.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho slowly rode the bicycle. Han Se-yeon buried her face in Kang Jin-ho’s back.

‘It’s warm.’

The day of the long-awaited grade announcement was approaching. Teacher Kim Seong-ju called out the students’ names.

“Jung In-gyu.”

“Yes!”

“You’re going to retake the exam, right?”

“Yes?”

“You’re going to retake the exam. Right?”

Jung In-gyu looked like he was about to cry.

“You must retake the exam. You have to retake the exam.”

“……Yes.”

Jung In-gyu received his report card and let out a deep sigh.

Kang Jin-ho comforted Jung In-gyu.

“That’s the result you wanted. Congratulations.”

“I seriously wanted to kill you just now.”

“Park Yu-min.”

“Yes!”

“Yu-min, it doesn’t matter since your grades aren’t important anyway.”

Laughter erupted.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t worry. It’s much higher than In-gyu’s.”

Jung In-gyu slammed his head on the desk with a twice-dead face.

“And… Kang Jin-ho.”

“Yes.”

Teacher Kim Seong-ju looked back and forth between the report card and Kang Jin-ho’s face.

“Were you not in good condition when you took the exam?”

“I was fine.”

“Then why is it like this?”

“……”

Kim Seong-ju looked at Kang Jin-ho with a serious face and then handed him the report card.

“You were in good condition, but why did you get three wrong? Reflect on yourself!”

“Whoa!”

Exclamations burst out.

Kang Jin-ho received the report card and checked his score.

Then, he looked at Teacher Kim Seong-ju with a stern face.

“I will reflect on myself.”

“Make sure to get a perfect score next time.”

“Teacher, next time is a bit…”

Teacher Kim Seong-ju patted Kang Jin-ho on the back as if he was proud.

“Hey! You really got three wrong?”

“Kang Jin-ho is crazy? Isn’t that an all-time fluke?”

Kang Jin-ho said lightly, receiving the envy and exclamations of the children.

“I’m sorry. I guess I wasn’t in good condition. I got three wrong.”

“You wanna die!”

“Hey, kill him! Cover that bastard’s coffin!” The children rushed at Kang Jin-ho and hit him.

Kang Jin-ho was about to counterattack for a moment, but this time, he just let them hit him.

The door opened.

“Hey!”

Kang Jin-ho could now tell who it was without looking.

“Is it you?”

“What’s your score? How much did you get?”

“See for yourself.”

Kang Jin-ho handed the report card to Han Se-yeon.

Han Se-yeon stared intently at the report card and then looked at Kang Jin-ho.

“Are you going to say something weird again?”

“……”

But strangely, Han Se-yeon just looked at the floor without saying anything.

“Are you crying?”

“Who’s crying, you idiot!”

“Then why are you like that?”

“It’s because I’m pathetic.”

“Why you?”

“My score is lower than yours. I might kill myself.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll kill you!”

Han Se-yeon ran away from the furious Kang Jin-ho.

But there were tears in her eyes.

‘That’s a relief.’

The peaceful day at Dongmyeong High School was passing.

And there were those who were watching that peaceful day.

“Is that him?”

“Yes.”

“He’s definitely not ordinary. Even I feel nervous looking at him at that age…” A middle-aged man replied lightly.

“It’s impossible… for an ordinary person.”

A man exuding an ominous black aura bared his teeth as he looked at Kang Jin-ho in the distance.

“Welcome to the modern world. New returnee.”

The chains of fate were now engulfing Kang Jin-ho.

＜To be continued in “Demon Lord’s Advent in the Modern World” Volume 3＞