# Chapter 14
As more presentations were given, the students’ presentations became increasingly disastrous. The issues pointed out in the previous class would appear unchanged in the next presentation.
At first, Ko Eungyo thought they were deliberately doing this to sabotage him, as it seemed impossible to be this bad unintentionally. But now he knew it wasn’t deliberate.
The preparation reports were so awful that after giving feedback to correct even the footnotes, he left his office with a headache, only to overhear a student who had just received his feedback cursing on the phone, saying he wanted to smash that professor’s nose.
Of course, that team had also delivered an equally disastrous presentation.
What was the problem?
Inevitably, his critiques became longer. His wording grew harsher. Being human, he became irritated by repeated issues. It made him feel like a villain tormenting students under the pretext of reviewing.
He sighed and stopped clicking the remote. He no longer held back his sighs for the students’ sake. No matter what he did, the students wouldn’t like him, and he couldn’t like them either.
When he openly sighed, a student who had been sniffling began to sob quietly. The faces of Team 6 members were quite a sight.
They’re all red and blotchy, just like autumn leaves. The fall must be getting deeper.
He rubbed his temple and said stiffly:
“Team 6, rewrite and resubmit your preparation report from the beginning. And I clearly instructed you to consider team compatibility when selecting a mock gate, so why did a physical Esper team choose a ghost city gate?”
“…W-we’ll choose again and prepare.”
They don’t even make excuses anymore.
This was actually better than watching them spout nonsense with flawed logic.
In fact, Team 4’s leader had stubbornly insisted until the end that their chosen gate completion method was correct. It was an impudent attitude implying all of Ko Eungyo’s advice was wrong. Of course, as he had no desire to argue with young students, Ko Eungyo warned that if they couldn’t convince him during the presentation, they wouldn’t receive points.
The leader of Team 4 was very dissatisfied but pushed his opinion until the end. And naturally, Team 4’s presentation failed to convince Ko Eungyo, who coldly stated that he couldn’t give assignment points unless they rewrote the preparation report and submitted a new mock gate simulation recording.
The entire Team 4 had no choice but to follow his advice, albeit reluctantly. Fortunately, most students acknowledged that Ko Eungyo’s advice was correct.
“Yes. And it seems the team’s Espers aren’t familiar with basic formations either. You’re severely lacking in fundamentals. If you knew you couldn’t subdue ghost-type monsters, you should have immediately taken the Guide and fled to survive. Naturally, when choosing to flee, some members should act as decoys to draw the monsters’ aggro. Not sticking together like this. This is the most basic of basics. In the next mock simulation, please start with formations again…”
“Professor.”
Just as he was about to finish his feedback, one of Team 6 members stepped forward with an indignant expression and called out to Ko Eungyo.
Raising his eyebrows as he looked at the student, the brave volunteer began to speak firmly with an aggrieved voice.
“But you never taught us. The lecture you gave before the presentation class wasn’t about gates, but about basic Guide empathy and behavior. Our team didn’t have experienced members like other teams, and this was our first mock gate simulation. I’m sorry, but aren’t we naturally lacking compared to other teams?”
As the student said, quite a few students taking this course were already working as Center ability users, like Nam Seonjae, Woo Sihyun, and Lee Seungwoo. Of course, many weren’t, but this team unfortunately seemed to have formed purely for socializing, with everyone being first-timers at gates.
No wonder they appeared to know nothing. So that was the background. Then they should have mixed with other ability users, or asked Ko Eungyo for help in advance. They were the ones who did nothing.
As the student said, the first time is difficult.
‘Well, but…’
Everyone has a first time. Whether in a mock gate or a real one, if they fail to properly complete the mission, they will learn each of the things Ko Eungyo pointed out through harsh humiliation from experience. Isn’t it better to be safely critiqued by him here and now?
And.
‘Do I really need to tell them not to shoot their own Espers?’
It’s true that Team 6’s fundamentals were significantly lacking, but what was most vexing was that they couldn’t even follow obvious rules that could be found just by skimming a book. This was even in the realm of common sense. Team 6’s complaint was no different from using being first-timers as a shield to be defiant.
He judged that if he let this slide, the next team would make the same excuse.
Ko Eungyo’s face grew cold.
“When asking a question, please introduce yourself.”
“…I’m Ji Suhyeon.”
There’s obviously no benefit in arguing with students. What use is there in winning an argument with a student?
But he too had experienced considerable stress from the consecutive presentations. It was exhausting to review the same disastrous presentations like a parrot, seemingly done in retaliation, and consistently dealing with a group that was not favorable to him also added to his stress.
“Yes, Ji Suhyeon. I thought you already knew how to conduct a mock gate simulation. Isn’t this an elective course for fourth-year students?”
“…”
“Did I need to teach you the basics? I understand that special department students take gate classes as a major subject from their first year, so how should I interpret the statement that this mock gate simulation is your first time?”
“…”
All the students were silent at his criticism. Honestly, if they had any conscience, they should have nothing to say.
“As Ji Suhyeon said, some students are already going to gate fields, and the rest are preparing resumes and interviews to get jobs as Center ability users next semester. So what should we do if only Team 6 doesn’t know these basics?”
“…”
“If you didn’t know, I hope you now feel the necessity to study from the basics. Right?”
The headache that had accompanied him since the start of the lecture recurred. The sobbing that had filled the lecture hall had also stopped at some point.
The students were looking at him. Even without raising his head, he could feel the hostility directed toward him.
*
What he called ‘hostility’ intensified over time. He thought that making a student cry that day had become the trigger.
“Ha…”
It’s a mess. He pressed his throbbing temple firmly while having the familiar thought he’d had many times.
‘…Maybe I shouldn’t have done that.’
Now some teams weren’t even coming for pre-presentation feedback, and he frequently saw students who refused to attend class or openly glared at him when they did come.
‘Isn’t this unusual?’
This is a university, not a high school.
While mercilessly grading the midterm exams, he wondered if students were being disrespectful because he wasn’t a real professor. Of course, that curiosity wouldn’t be resolved just by wondering. Anyway, students wouldn’t act this way toward other professors, would they?
Was it because he assigned too many assignments for an elective course? Or was it because real professors teach much better than him?
If they were angry because Ko Eungyo’s lectures were unbearable to listen to… although frustrating, he could understand. In fact, there’s no other explanation if that wasn’t the case.
But how would he know what the standard of university classes is these days? It’s been at least 10 years since he graduated from university. And considering the students’ level, they had no right to be angry.
As he was seriously examining himself for flaws, he looked up at the greeting, “Hello.”
The leader of Team 11 was standing there. That is… Woo Sihyun.
In his opinion, all the students who disliked him after being criticized probably didn’t compare to Woo Sihyun. That’s based on facial expressions alone.
If looks could kill, ‘Ko Eungyo’ would have died hundreds of times. He habitually detected intense murderous intent and hatred from Woo Sihyun. Naturally, this “Hello” wasn’t from him either. It was said by Lee Seungwoo, who was smiling gently beside him.
Smiles were contagious. He inadvertently followed Lee Seungwoo’s lead, smiling slightly as he said:
“I said only the team leader needed to come, but you came together. The other team members…”
“Why would I?”
But what came back was a very rude response that instantly erased even the polite smile he had been wearing.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
