Chapter 46. The Meaning of an Instructor Apologizing to a Student

***

Step.
Click.

The sound of two different footsteps resonated as if intertwining.

The atmosphere between the two people right now was truly peculiar.

The instructor kept hesitating, her lips trembling as if constantly gauging the student’s reaction, while the student, in contrast to the instructor’s attitude, was calmly walking.

It was a strange situation, as if their positions had been reversed.

“…”

In this peculiar atmosphere, Kali and Chunsung were now moving together. After they had been walking for a while, Kali very carefully opened her mouth.

“Student Han Chunsung.”
“Yes, Instructor.”

As Chunsung responded immediately as if he had been waiting, Kali stopped in her tracks and looked directly at him.

The place they were heading to was Kali’s private training room. But Kali stopped before reaching the training room.

She felt she needed to apologize as quickly as possible.

It felt like she couldn’t go on without doing so.

The mental preparation for this had taken so long.

Was it due to her pride as an instructor, or because she wasn’t accustomed to apologizing?

Even Kali herself didn’t know what the right answer was.

But one thing was clear.

She needed to sincerely apologize to him now, before it was too late.

“…”
“…”

Between their meeting gazes, Chunsung looked relatively calmly at Kali’s greatly wavering eyes.

Since they started moving together, Chunsung had been waiting for Kali to speak first.

The moment they called out to each other in the classroom.
When Kali met his gaze with strange eyes, he thought his own thoughts had lost meaning.

As the instructor and student unexpectedly met eyes like this, some students in the area where A-Class classrooms were located unconsciously looked at them.

At that moment, Kali spoke.

“I truly… truly feel sorry towards Student Han Chunsung. I think I did something I shouldn’t have done as an instructor, something very foolish. Without considering Student Han Chunsung at all… I acted stupidly, swept up in my own emotions. I want to properly apologize for all my words and actions today.”

“Instructor…?”

Chunsung, who had been staring at her, was greatly surprised.

ㅡAn instructor apologizing to a student.

A sincere apology, completely different from words spoken during training before.
Considering the authority and position of an instructor within the academy, this apology was unthinkable.

For a moment, Chunsung didn’t know how to respond.

Moreover, this was a space where other students were present. Yet she was offering a direct apology like this.

“About reprimanding Student Han Chunsung when I entered the classroom today… I really have no excuse. At the very least, I shouldn’t have said such things in front of all the students. Although I said I wasn’t trying to blame Student Han Chunsung. Now that I think about it… I believe I spoke with the intention of rebuking Student Han Chunsung. It was a foolish thought and an incorrect action. Even between an instructor and a student, there’s a line that should be maintained. I completely crossed that line.”

Kali spoke in an extremely careful voice.

Along with her wavering gaze, even her voice was trembling.

Nevertheless, Kali didn’t avoid eye contact.
While both her gaze and voice were greatly shaken, she didn’t avoid looking at Han Chunsung.

She felt foolish for not apologizing sooner, for only now properly offering an apology.

She thought Chunsung must have been greatly disappointed in her, and she continued to agonize over her own foolishness.

“…”

Chunsung, who had been silently meeting Kali’s gaze, let out a small sigh.

“Instructor Kali. It’s okay. I think you could easily misunderstand me due to the spreading rumors, and it’s understandable if you don’t view me favorably when such rumors circulate at the beginning of the academy.”

Instead, Chunsung regained his composure more quickly than her.

“When I think about the shame and humiliation Student Han Chunsung must have felt then… I have no words, even if I had ten mouths. I’m truly… sorry.”

As Kali, who had been speaking carefully… finally even bowed her waist.

“…!”

A gasp of shock escaped from among the A-Class students who were watching the situation unfold.

And that… was the same for Han Chunsung, who was facing her.

“……”

Between his blankly parted lips.

Even Han Chunsung was at a loss for words at that moment.

‘Why go this far?’

Seeing Kali bowing to him, all he could feel was confusion and surprise.

Who was Kali, after all?

Known as the Crimson Dawn, she was one of the key figures in this world, considered an axis of the empire.

With her powerful supernatural Talent “Oscillation”, her overwhelming performance on the battlefield like a one-person army.

In addition, she was highly regarded in the empire for her well-rounded personality and passionate attitude… and now she was bowing to me.

And in this open space where other students could clearly see.

She was setting aside her position and authority as an instructor, facing me as one person to another.

“Student Han Chunsung. I’m truly sorry.”

At her words again, I felt like I was belatedly coming to my senses.

Then, my body moved before my thoughts could catch up.

Step.

Taking a step forward, I absentmindedly raised my hand.

I grabbed Kali’s shoulder as she bowed to me and very slowly raised her up. And I thought we should first leave this place.

Kali’s attitude towards me in the classroom was certainly very embarrassing, and at that moment I felt wronged.

But.

No matter what… this wasn’t right.

She shouldn’t be apologizing to me now, bowing her waist like this.

“Instructor Kali.”

Calling her firmly, I took a deep breath.

After the duel in the training room. I had consistently thought she wouldn’t view me favorably.

But that was nothing more than a groundless misconception.

Rather, because Kali thought well of me. Much better than other students. She had treated me emotionally, unlike her usual self.

That’s why she could show such a sincere apology.

“You don’t need to apologize to that extent. My feelings have already been completely resolved. As I said before, I think you could reasonably act that way. I’m rather grateful to Instructor Kali for apologizing like this.”

Admitting one’s mistake and apologizing was much more difficult and challenging than one might think.

Even between friends, or close family members, relationships often fell apart because they couldn’t accept apologies.

Let alone between an instructor and a student…

To set aside one’s position and authority and offer a sincere apology to a mere student like me was something an ordinary person could never do.

“…Student Han Chunsung.”

At my words, she called my name blankly, and a smile involuntarily escaped my lips. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason for my smile.

I just smiled seeing Kali’s utterly blank expression.

It was surprising that she had taken it this seriously and felt so sorry towards me.

It was amazing that I was someone who could make Kali act like this.

When I was called out in the classroom and heard those unpleasant words, I truly felt dejected.

But thinking about it, that was only possible because I was receiving such great expectations and attention.

Kali usually doesn’t even speak to students who don’t put in effort or achieve average grades.

She completely ignores them or treats them as if they don’t exist.

For her to act like this now meant that she considered me that important.

“Instructor Kali. Let’s talk somewhere else first. I think it’s burdensome for both of us to talk here, especially for you.”

As I calmly removed my hand from her shoulder, I felt the stinging gazes.

I didn’t want to damage Kali’s authority any further.

***

Click.

Even as I entered the training room with Student Han Chunsung, my mind was blank.

Thoughts came and went intermittently, scattering and disappearing again.

Nevertheless, I absentmindedly opened my mouth.

“Then… Student Han Chunsung, please rest for a moment. I’ll bring the magic engineering items right away.”

Even as I spoke, I was strangely afraid to meet Student Han Chunsung’s gaze.

“Yes, I understand.”

As I headed to one side of the training room as if avoiding my seat, my heart was pounding heavily.

Thump.

My heart, my feelings were strange.

It was beating completely differently from usual, and even my thoughts scattered after connecting.

‘Why am I like this….’

I felt like I had become a fool throughout the day.

I had been able to offer an apology after agonizing the entire way to the training room, but even that felt strange now.

I couldn’t tell if my apology was proper, if it felt sufficient to the student.

My mind had been blank since then.

However, the moment Student Han Chunsung raised my body, I felt immensely relieved.

The student I thought would be disappointed in me. He looked at me with a gentle smile.

Even when he led me considerately afterwards, I just matched his steps as if being pulled along.

Rustle.

Even as I rummaged through the magic engineering items in my sight, I couldn’t focus properly.

The magic engineering items of various colors shone brilliantly in my vision, scattering and continuously dizzying me.

It felt especially severe today.

“……”

Finally, I stopped for a moment and placed my hand on my chest, taking a deep breath.

Thump.

My heart wouldn’t calm down.

…I needed to help Student Han Chunsung with his training after this. But with this state of mind, I didn’t think even that would go well.

Why was I like this?
I felt strange.

‘Was I shocked that I apologized to a student like that?’

I wondered if I had received such a big shock… but I couldn’t tell.

It’s fortunate that things turned out well, and that should be the end of it. But why won’t my heart calm down?

Why does my mind feel like it’s floating…

“Um, Instructor Kali?”

At the sudden voice, I was startled without realizing it.

“…Student Han Chunsung.”

As I turned my head and met his gaze.

The pounding in my chest… intensified even more.