The Returnee Is Great at Teaching People a Lesson

Chapter 133: Rome Academy (5)

"By any chance, are you married?"

At Totti’s words, the air lingering between them seemed to freeze for a moment.

Yoo jin’s eyes narrowed very slowly into thin lines.

"Why are you asking that?"

"Because it is an important matter."

Francesco Totti.

The Principal of Rome Academy—the world’s number one academy for the Awakened—and a high-ranking clergyman of the Vatican.

"No, I’m not."

"Oh, Lord."

The corners of his mouth remained curled upward as he looked at Yoo jin.

***

The Principal’s Office of Rome Academy.

Yoo jin had moved inside.

Only Principal Totti and the Holy King were present in the room.

The students had been guided to a reception room prepared next door after coming as far as the entrance.

While it was largely due to Totti’s personal whim, a quiet conversation with the invited Returnee had already been scheduled.

As the supervisor of the field trip, the leader of the students, and their teacher.

It was intended to convey a few requests and rules to be followed while staying here.

Well, that was the original plan, at least.

Contrary to his calm and benevolent expression, the lips of Totti, the Principal of Rome Academy, moved without rest.

Across from him sat Yoo jin, his eyes narrowed into slits, radiating the ultimate "this is a bother" vibe.

"If you aren't married, do you currently have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Someone you like?"

"None."

"What is your ideal type?"

"None."

"Then, what do you care about most when choosing a spouse?"

"Never thought about it."

"Is there anything you want from a spouse's family..."

"None."

A conversation that anyone could tell was no longer about professional business filled the office.

They hadn't even started on the basic details of the field trip.

No, it didn't seem like they were going to start at all.

Even though a significant amount of time had passed since entering the office, the words coming out of Totti’s mouth were unrelated to work... moving beyond that, he was asking only deeply private and personal questions about Yoo jin.

Sensing this, Yoo jin tried several times to give short answers and leave, but the elderly man, maintaining a perfectly calm face, would skillfully turn the conversation and create situations that prevented Yoo jin from standing up.

It wasn't something one should say while at the Vatican, but Yoo jin thought that the man before him had the face of a Buddha but the tongue of a nine tailed fox.

The Wily Raccoon in Korea and a nine-tailed nine tailed fox.

The Association President and the Ignis Guild Master, who were like monsters that had lived for over a thousand years, would be nothing more than little mountain goblins in front of this old man.

Yoo jin felt it clearly.

The man before him was certainly.

More than anyone he had met since returning to Earth.

The most persistent.

And the strongest.

And the most annoying...

"By any chance... your religion...?"

"None. I only believe in myself."

"I see. Well, it doesn't matter. I had no intention of forcing anything. Carrying out and believing in oneself is the right path. Hahahaha. As expected, you are a man strong not just in martial power but in spirit. There's a term for it these days, a 'Alpha Male.' Yes, an alpha male. Hahahaha."

Unlike the expressionless Yoo Jin, Totti laughed so loudly it seemed the office would burst, clearly enjoying himself for some reason.

If not for Totti’s laughter, the atmosphere of the office would have been no different from a field in the middle of winter.

It was beyond cold; it was chilling, hard to believe it was July.

Yoo jin’s expression was proof of that.

However.

There was someone else in this space who felt it was even colder and more painful than Totti, who couldn't communicate with Yoo jin.

Next to the two of them.

The Holy King, sitting alone on a small sofa.

Karina was the one.

Through her deeply bowed head, a flushed face and trembling pupils were visible.

Indeed.

Holy King Maria.

The messenger of God and the foremost treasure of the Vatican.

And the Returnee called a god.

For her, a dark history was being created that was worse than having her bare face caught by her first love.

'Lord... please just take me now...'

Whether in Rome or Korea.

Family was always the biggest embarrassment.

***

Only after thirty minutes of what felt like an interrogation did a proper conversation begin to flow in the Principal’s office.

"Roughly... well, not roughly, but anyway, now that I've confirmed your personal details, let's talk about important matters."

Totti cleared his throat.

"Important matters? Weren't the things just now fairly important too?"

"..."

Yoo jin was about to say something but held it in and let out an exhale.

Watching that, an even softer smile spread across Totti’s face.

A sense of "I've done enough now" was tucked into the corners of his wrinkles.

"Let us do that. I feel I know a fair amount about you now."

At the sound signaling the end of her dark history, Karina stole a glance at Yoo jin.

The aura of darkness that had been devouring her earlier had already vanished.

When Yoo jin’s eyes moved toward Karina as he sensed her presence, her gaze moved to the ground at a speed faster than light.

A Buddha-like smile appeared on Totti’s face once more.

"First of all, though it is very late, thank you, Returnee. For accepting Rome Academy's invitation."

As Totti bowed his head slightly, Karina followed suit after taking a hint.

"I told you to call me Teacher."

"Well, let's do that. Teacher Yoo jin."

Totti continued with a smile.

"To be honest, I was half in doubt when I sent the invitation. I heard you hadn't accepted invitations from other Returnees until now."

As Totti looked at Karina, Yoo jin’s eyes followed.

Under the approaching gaze, Karina froze like a robot.

With her gaze fixed on the empty air, she acted as if trying to avoid meeting his eyes.

"I... I sent links to the Room of Gods a few times, but you didn't enter. It's not that I invited you, it was just that the Heavenly King kept being annoying. So. After I heard from the Supreme King, I barely sent any. This invitation was also kind of like that... I didn't send it personally, it was for business. Uh... for... for exchange between Returnees..."

Even though he hadn't asked, Karina’s mouth opened.

It made one wonder if she was the same person from earlier, the one with the dignity and beauty that could freeze a body just by looking.

'Why is she acting like that?'

Yoo Jin tilted his head.

'She's just a kid.'

Yoo jin.

Returnee.

Profession: Teacher.

Through his eyes, the Holy King.

Was just a student who looked like she belonged in Class A.

"I guess that’s why the invitation was so long. I threw it away because I didn't want to read it, then picked it back up."

As Yoo Jin spoke bluntly, Karina’s face turned red.

"Ah... that... that! Out of courtesy, I put in a lot of words. There was someone who helped with the translation..."

Her voice, which grew smaller toward the end, trailed off.

Watching her, Totti smiled deeply and turned his head toward Yoo jin.

"But there is only one reason you came, right?"

Yoo jin picked up his tea, drank, and set it down.

"The kids."

At those words, the Holy King’s eyes shook violently.

Even Totti, who had asked with some level of suspicion, wore a fairly surprised expression upon hearing it from his mouth.

"Holy King. Returnee. Rome Academy... honestly, I wasn't that curious."

Yoo Jin's voice was calm.

"The gathering of Returnees, the Room of Gods? That's why I didn't join. And it's a bother."

"Then why are you here..."

Karina said, bowing her head deeply again for some reason.

A short silence followed.

"I told you. Because of the kids. It’s a good opportunity for them."

The faces of the Class A children flickered through Yoo jin’s vision.

Jin-ho.

Kang Tae-wook.

Seong-hyeon.

Ye-na.

The twins... and all the other children.

"The world’s number one academy. A private Magic Tower, the world’s best faculty, facilities, geniuses from various countries... I can see how much the kids will like it."

Totti and Karina’s eyes trembled minutely.

"Truly..."

"It’s just like the rumors."

Totti and Karina’s low voices filled the office.

"What is?"

"The saying that students come before the world."

The light in Totti’s eyes as he looked at Yoo jin was peculiar.

In the light held within his blue eyes, there were emotions reflected that he hadn't reached despite becoming a clergyman.

"I didn't know such a person really existed."

"If the world is ruined, you can just make it again."

Yoo jin muttered nonchalantly.

"But if kids grow up wrong once, you can't make them again."

The room became quiet for a moment.

So many emotions were being swallowed by the silence.

Totti broke the quiet and nodded.

"That is why we also wanted to lean on that heart."

"Lean?"

"Couldn't we learn from each other? We have protected children in our way here. And Teacher... you must have protected children in your way."

Totti’s gaze deepened.

"I wanted to see those two ways meet. And the children will surely see, feel, and learn many things."

"Well, whatever is fine. If the kids get anything from this place... actually, it’s fine even if they don’t. They’ve already laughed a lot. This field trip is already a success."

Unlike his alias as the Demon King, the smile on his face looked like that of an angel, even to a clergyman or the one called a Saintess.

***

The reception room right next to the Principal’s office.

While Yoo Jin, the homeroom teacher, was having a conversation with the Principal of Rome Academy and the Holy King, the Class A children were waiting in the reception room.

Past the door.

A room where a large cross hung in front, and old books, magic tomes, holy paintings, and artifacts were harmoniously mixed on both sides.

Lee Si-wang’s waist sank deep into the backrest of the sofa.

"The chairs are incredibly soft."

"The guests who come here are no ordinary people."

"I suppose so. Most people wouldn't even be able to set foot in the Academy."

Lee Si-wang nodded at De Marco’s voice.

"By the way, I’m curious, is all of this bought with taxes?"

"This isn't a place that survives on taxes..."

"Then... donations?"

"..."

When De Marco wore an awkward expression, Lee Si-wang immediately backed down.

"It’s a joke, a joke... haha."

"Haha... I see..."

Behind the awkward laughter of the adults.

"Whoa, what is this book? It looks like an ancient magic tome!"

"I think this chair is really expensive."

"The carpet on the floor has Mana in it too?"

"They use this artifact as a decoration?!"

"Idiot, it’s obviously a trap. This kind of thing is like a barrier. I saw it on Nutube."

"As expected of Rome Academy."

The Class A children burst out in admiration as they looked at everything filling the reception room.

Unlike the other children who were exclaiming, there was one spot where the expressions were somewhat low.

The students leaning against the window and looking outside.

Emotions a bit different from the other children were visible on the faces of Kang Tae-wook and Jin-ho.

"They must really not like us."

"Seriously. I don't know why, but they’ve been emitting intense bloodlust for a while now."

Through the gaze of Jin-ho and Kang Tae-wook looking out the window.

A male student was visible in front of the fountain, staring precisely and piercingly at the magic window of the Magic Tower where the Principal’s office was located.

A student with long blonde hair reaching down to his chest.

Judging by the pure white school uniform he was wearing, he seemed to be a student here...

"But."

"I think he'll be incredibly strong."

For some reason, the only disciples who possessed Demonic Energy.

Yoo jin’s disciples, Kang Tae-wook and Jin-ho, who had received special training inside the Gourd.

Even to their eyes, Rome Academy, where only the geniuses among geniuses gathered.

Among the students of the world’s number one academy...

They were certain that boy was the number one.