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Translator: uly
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Former Hero Party's Otherworld Mishaps (4)
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Unfortunately, the plan to cut down on one mouth to feed went up in smoke. Another day slipped by.
'Never thought I'd end up feeling like I was raising kids at my age.'
He was exhausted.
Why had the day flown by so fast?
Those walking disasters kept causing trouble like mischievous brats, so he couldn't relax at home for a second.
Aram must have reported to him dozens of times today alone.
[Yuseong-nim, Leonhardt smashed the door handle.] [Sylvia suddenly freaked out while watching TV—what should I do?] [Ah, Valian...] [Alicia and Luxy...]
Those idiots caused chaos like they'd planned it together.
Accidents kept happening because they had zero common sense about modern life!
Aram was providing constant support, but even an AI had its limits. At this rate, there wouldn't be anything left in the house.
Surprisingly, Mirni—the one who'd seemed most likely to cause trouble—was the only one behaving herself, quietly holding a fashion show in her room.
"I wonder if I can even turn these idiots into real people."
They were people who'd spent decades absorbing different cultures, habits, common sense, and laws.
The thought of drilling Korean common sense into them already gave him a headache!
"Aram."
[Yes, Yuseong-nim?]
"Suppose you had to instill Korean common sense into people from another country—ones whose culture and mindset are worlds apart from Koreans. How would you do it?"
[Hmm...]
"Ah, sorry. Shouldn't have asked you."
[...Do you really need to handle that yourself, Yuseong-nim?]
"...What?"
[From what I know, there are education programs for immigrants and foreigners. Wouldn't it be better to send them there?]
"...".
[You see the screen now? This is the schedule for the 'Korean Adaptation Program' for foreigners. There's one starting in about a week. Want me to sign them up?]
"...Aram."
[Yes?]
"You're a genius."
[Hehe! Took you long enough!]
Leave medicine to pharmacists and cooking to chefs.
With the realization that he didn't need to handle everything himself—just hand it off to the experts—Yuseong finally cracked a smile.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
...A week later.
It was the time that wiped the smile right off Yuseong's face again.
"Those damn barbarians..."
No response.
...
The first day had been great.
With six oxygen thieves gone, the house felt less stuffy—and they were out half the day for classes, creating blessed space!
He'd savored some quiet contemplation for the first time in ages, even cracking open a beer to enjoy simple bliss.
But then...
-(Um, the instructor is Yoon Hye-young. Are these folks from some divided region or something?)
...The calls started coming the next day.
-(A bit... um... do they have some mental health issues?)
Similar messages kept pouring in. Exactly five days later, the instructor called, her voice trembling.
-(I-I'm really sorry, but... I just can't handle this. I'm so sorry...)
What the hell had these idiots done to make a pro instructor cry?
She handled hundreds of immigrant classes a year—a true professional.
Making someone like that throw in the towel? In a way, it was an achievement.
And now.
"What kind of mess did you cause?"
"...W-We didn't do anything special..."
"No more lies. Mirni, you first."
"Huh? I did great in class. The problems came from Leon, the musclehead, and that pointy-eared bitch."
"How dare you slander—!"
"Slander my ass."
Yuseong shot cold glares at Alicia, Valian, and finally Leon as he took in Mirni's cynical smirk. The three averted their eyes and slowly bowed their heads.
"...You get three seconds. Confess."
"W-Well—"
Their mouths slowly opened.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The trouble started when politics came up.
"Democracy? Giving voting rights to the people? What does that even mean?"
Leon was dead serious.
"Even if you give the people rights, is it really useful? Won't some exploit it?"
"T-That's..."
"And can those in power ever let go? They'll surely try to pass it down hereditarily. Won't that just breed national corruption? Do the people not realize this?"
The instructor was losing her mind.
She was just a regular instructor, not a political scientist.
Leon's questions pinpointed every flaw in democracy—points even she could agree with.
So she brought up America as an example...
"That's a nation ruled by money. Isn't it no different from powerful merchants dominating politics and society? That kind of system breeds wealth gaps. And claiming to be world guardians while stationing armies? Isn't that just a tool for their dictatorship? Are they a democracy or a dictatorship?"
The instructor nearly fainted from shock.
But if that was all, it might've ended as mere political debate. The next one was the real problem.
"Police, right? Protectors of civilians from criminals? But why does hiring them require mandatory gender equality? Subduing dangerous criminals needs tough responses and combat skills. Ignoring gender differences in tests creates issues, doesn't it?"
"T-That's for gender equality..."
"Not questioning equality. Why not raise the bar? No combat issues in this country?"
"N-No, that's not it... Th-There are guns!"
"I know. But guns are restricted weapons that barely get used due to discipline issues. Useless as a painted stick. What's the point?"
"...".
"Protectors without combat power—what good is that?"
"...".
Valian wasn't spouting sexist nonsense; he seemed genuinely curious.
The instructor couldn't respond.
And finally.
"I hear racism is rampant here. Discriminating and abusing your own kind over skin color? You people have no answers."
"N-No, that's a misunderstanding! That's absolutely wrong—"
"Wrong? So history books are wrong? Earth's history has black persecution, Jewish massacres. Even this Korea resents whites and blacks. And you claim no discrimination?"
"...".
...The instructor gave up teaching.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"—Th-That's how it happened..."
"...".
After hearing everything, Yuseong didn't know how to react.
Those three idiots had dragged out every taboo topic people avoided and dissected them one by one.
'No wonder the instructor quit.'
One wrong step, and even she'd lose her sanity. Quitting was the smart move.
"Haa..."
"D-Did we do something wrong?"
"...".
"Luke?"
"...Tch."
He hated to admit it, but their opinions and questions...
"No, you weren't wrong. They were just questions people hate answering."
No flaws to pick at.
📜 DIVINE VOICE 📜 [How unexpected.]
"What is?"
📜 DIVINE VOICE 📜 [I thought you'd scold the kids outright. Instead, you accepted their views.]
"What, that? ...If they'd been discriminatory or stubbornly unreasonable, I wouldn't have let them off. But that's not it, right? They asked legitimate questions. They genuinely wanted answers. If anyone's at fault, it's the instructor who couldn't respond properly."
📜 DIVINE VOICE 📜 [Is that so?]
"If you're gonna call yourself an instructor, you need to have your own stance on those questions. At least speak your mind clearly. She failed on that count."
📜 DIVINE VOICE 📜 [You're strict.]
"The moment you lose professional pride in your job, you're no pro."
📜 DIVINE VOICE 📜 [Then the kids...]
"What am I supposed to say when they didn't do anything wrong? Guess I'll just teach them myself."
📜 DIVINE VOICE 📜 [I see. Hehe.]
"...Why are you laughing?"
📜 DIVINE VOICE 📜 [Nothing.]
Did he even realize?
This was the first time he'd sided with Leon and the others.
Even if it was the right call, he hadn't blindly berated his enemies.
📜 DIVINE VOICE 📜 [Yes, you're still the man who calls right right.]
"...?"
📜 DIVINE VOICE 📜 [Hehehe!]
Ten years had passed, but Yuseong—Luke—still had the unyielding heart of a hero.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
From that day on, Yuseong taught them himself.
Even when Leon and the others fired off questions.
"Midgard has nobles eating everything up—what's the problem here? Pissed? Start a revolution later. Not my business."
"Police are sticks, not crutches for the people. How many actually work with pride? Ever seen the kingdom guard do their job? This place is better by comparison. At least no devil deals."
"Hate it? Do human rights activism, you crazy bitch! Quit bitching!"
He answered, but not gently.
With apt examples and analogies, they finally got it—sometimes grudgingly.
They gradually started grasping how Korea—no, this world—worked.
"Um, Luke."
"What?"
"So, to gain power here, you have to study?"
"Nah, good grades don't guarantee power. Education and specs matter, but they're basic—ignore 'em. Real power comes from scamming well."
"Scamming?"
"To win elections, you need good promises and rhetoric. Gotta send apology boxes to reporters and work the media too."
"Apology boxes?"
"...It's a figure of speech, idiot. You, a noble's son, don't get that?"
"H-He means money, Leon."
"Ah..."
Leon nodded at Sylvia's clarification.
Typical of him—useless outside combat, zero social awareness.
'Dumber than Valian.'
They called Valian musclehead, but better that than clueless.
"What? Noble boy hates being a commoner here? Craving power?"
"...No."
"Then?"
"...Just curious about the differences between Korea and Midgard."
"Hm?"
He'd expected outrage at the jab, but Leon was calmly analytical.
"Korea—no, this world—has achieved extreme technological progress without magic or gods. A brilliant civilization. I wanted to know what makes it so different from Midgard."
His power questions were part of the same line of thought.
What set this world's rulers, nobles, and royals apart to create such nations?
"The Five Kingdoms are regressing. It's clearer over time. But this world advances with time. Where does the difference come from...?"
"What? You asked that without knowing something so simple?"
"Y-You know?"
"Of course. Shocked it's so basic."
"W-What is it! What's the difference between us and you!"
"...".
"Answer me, Luke."
...Why was this guy so intense?
Yuseong answered reluctantly.
"One difference between Midgard and Korea: whether rulers care about public opinion. That's it."
"...Ah."
Even a clueless noble's son got it—eyes widening in realization.
"See? Midgard concentrates all tech and power in nobles and kings. They're greedy as hell, hypersensitive to new power rising. They hate—loathe—fresh blood. Stagnation sets in, and stagnant water rots."
Throughout history, east or west, stagnant water always rotted.
It hadn't changed in the modern world.
But one upside here:
"Care about public eyes, and no one monopolizes everything. Forced to share with others. Ignore it, and you get backlash—dragged down. Whether wealth, tech, or knowledge. Only by sharing fairly can you secure power and riches here. Even if it's just for show."
"...".
"Midgard rulers never share. They'll die ugly, but insist 'mine is mine.' No progress—just obsolescence."
"That's...!"
"True, right? Without the goddess, could the Five Kingdoms survive? Dream on. Midgard's stuck in parallel stagnation."
"Th-That could be seen as blaming the goddess for the world's flaws! Take it back!"
"What? I didn't say anything wrong. And I never blamed her. Goddesses fulfill their duties—what's their crime?"
"Th-Then?"
"Your fault."
"...".
"Twisting doctrines. Temples pretending nobility while rotten to the core. Admit it?"
"...".
"You always clam up on this. Just know: nobles run wild and people suffer because of your temples."
Yuseong sneered.
Corrupt priests acting big? Witch with the most sins denying it?
Nothing hit harder than facts. Before 21st-century truth bombs, Sylvia fell silent, face draining pale.