Professor Choi Chae-gul’s Byproduct Harvesting Class (2)

‘…Whew.’

I wiped the sweat running down my forehead with the back of my hand and took a light breath.

Wow, this…

‘…is tougher than I thought.’

The butcher knife slid into the gaps here and there.
In fact, the monster in front of me was quite a familiar one.

.
It was the first monster I encountered and defeated after arriving here.

“Isn’t that right, you two?”
“…I didn’t particularly want to see it again, though.”
“Meeeooowww~”
“…What? Have you guys caught this before?”

Feeling left out of our conversation, Ju Na-young subtly joined in.

Come to think of it, Ju Na-young wouldn’t know.

“Back when we had an , we entered the gate together. This was the first monster we encountered. It’s also where I first met these two.”

“Hee…”

Ju Na-young let out a small exclamation, then murmured, “Hmm?” as she looked at Moon Bora before glancing back at me.

“Oh, so you haven’t known each other for long?”
“Huh? Well, not really. It hasn’t been half a year for sure.”
“…Hmm…”

For some reason, Ju Na-young’s lips twitched at my response.

Could it be my imagination, or did she seem a bit happier?

Anyway, I answered her and then carefully began trimming the tail.

The professor said this part was the most valuable.

In an instant, I recalled what Meowi had said in the past.

―…The tail here can also be used as an alchemy ingredient, so it fetches a high price.

As expected, our Meowi.
She was smart even back then.

Anyway, I realized once again.

I had somewhat noticed since Professor Strict’s …

‘Indeed, [Gonis Hunter Academy].’

The professors’ level was truly impressive.
Did Choi Chae-gul do it like this?

In barely 40 minutes.
The content he taught was systematic and meticulous, even to an outsider like me.

‘There was a lot of content not written in the textbooks.’

The direction in which the knife enters.

How to harvest leather, claws, nails, teeth, and eyeballs with minimal damage, and so on.

He explained each detail meticulously.

Just from this, it was clear how much pride he took in his work.

It was naturally respectable.

And right next to me was another teacher.

Sway, sway.

A cute, soft cat tail wrapped around my wrist like a bracelet.

I stopped the knife, understanding it meant not to proceed further.

“Meow~ Seha. You have to hold the tail in reverse and slice it as if you’re peeling. Otherwise, the blood might flow in and spoil it.”

“Aha!”

Listening attentively to my angelic Meowi’s ‘Meow~’ words, I proceeded slowly and carefully.

Thanks to this, the theories lingering in my mind became clear, and my actions naturally embodied them.

Then, as if on cue, an information window appeared.

‘Oh…?’

This was quite an interesting situation.

‘[Eyes of Reversed Heaven] is activated, along with [Choice]…’

The options were also unusual.

I never expected that even the stats would be offered as rewards…

‘So, this can happen…’

This was information that even the <Rank 1> didn’t know.

Well, maybe they didn’t explain it because they considered it trivial.

After a brief moment of contemplation, I made my choice.

system_Start
[The knife, meticulously handled for a long time, mercilessly digs into the monster’s remains.]
[‘Select Delicate Butchery.’ A level 15 rare skill. Acquired at level 2.]
[As an acquisition reward, Strength increases by 1, and Mentality increases by 1.]
system_end

Wow, that’s great.

I chose [Delicate Butchery], thinking it would be nice to gradually acquire higher-level abilities.

Additionally, the acquisition reward was substantial.

I gripped the knife and tried using [Delicate Butchery] as a test.

Slice, slice.

Oh, this is different.
Completely different.

‘Wow, the knife goes in so easily…’

The skin, which had been tough to cut through just moments ago, now sliced easily and cleanly.

Thanks to the easy progress of the practice, I was chuckling when…

A shadow loomed over my head.

I looked up.
Choi Chae-gul, who had approached unnoticed, was looking down at us.

“…Professor?”

Choi Chae-gul stood blankly despite the question.
Soon, I realized that his gaze was not on me but on Meowi next to me.

Hesitating, he slowly opened his mouth.

“…Ma Hana?”
“Meow?! P-Professor? When did you arrive?”
“…If it’s not too much to ask, can I inquire about how you came to learn the butchery skill?”

It was a very out-of-the-blue question, but he was serious.
Or rather…
He seemed somewhat shocked.

Meowi stared directly into Choi Chae-gul’s wavering eyes.

Blinking a few times, she soon smiled angelically with a ‘Meow~’.

“Yes, if it’s okay with you, I’d be happy to share my story!”

Ma Hana did not stop [Butchering].

Meanwhile, she continued to chat cutely and coherently about her story to Choi Chae-gul.

“It was about 10 years ago.”

When she was only 9 years old.

Ma Hana always followed closely behind her father, tagging along wherever he went.

“My father often entered gates of the appropriate grade. And on his days off, he would take me into lower-grade gates.”

Though quite risky, it was all part of his decision to give Ma Hana various experiences.

Thanks to this, despite not having significant talent, Ma Hana managed to acquire fairly decent abilities like [Cat’s Instinct] and [Night Vision].

“One day… we were isolated in a dungeon for about a day.”

A sudden ambush.
Although it was a lower-grade dungeon and the monsters weren’t high-level, their numbers were considerable.

In the end, his father carried her and fled.

“At that time, we accidentally lost the pouch containing our food.”

As night fell, the young Ma Hana’s stomach growled in hunger.

Her father, unable to watch his daughter starve, hunted a monster in less than five minutes.

Choi Chae-gul interjected into the story.

“…A monster, you say?”
“Yes, it was a [Poison Nake]. He caught it by the river, prepared it on the spot, and made a meal.”

Choi Chae-gul was surprised at the explanation.
[Poison Nake] was indeed one of the monsters that could be eaten.
But that didn’t mean it was easy to butcher.

The poison sac and fangs.
You had to perfectly remove the gallbladder inside without bursting it, and then roast it for a long time to be edible.

“At that time, my father said he learned it from a colleague who specialized in [Butchery].”

“…A colleague? Did he really call him… a colleague? Just an ordinary [butcher]?”

“Of course! While teaching me [Butchery], my father told me this…”

That it was because of people like them that the hunter society’s economy kept running.

“Also, in abnormally long-structured dungeons, hunters are essential for food supply.”

Choi Chae-gul nodded slightly in agreement.
In fact, in the past, he also participated in parties to solve food issues.

No matter how much preserved food they brought, it was never enough, so they procured it locally.
Those who could cook monsters.
They were commonly known as the class.

Although Choi Chae-gul wasn’t in the class, he was lucky enough to learn related skills.

‘…However.’

Even then, the treatment wasn’t good.
It was just better than the outright discrimination against butchers.

“Since then, I’ve done my best in butchering while living as a hunter. Naturally, I learned the skills as well.”

Ma Hana, who always wandered at the bottom.

To her, who would be grateful even for crumbs after a day’s effort.
Until she met the noble Yu Seha, [Butchering] was the only skill she was praised for.
How could she not cherish it?

At her words, Choi Chae-gul stood still like a stone statue.

Soon, with Ma Hana’s final words that were as warm as sunshine, he felt something crumbling inside.

“The lesson you gave earlier. There were things I didn’t know.”

Thanks to it, I learned a lot.

“Thank you for the great lesson, Professor.”
“……”

1 minute.
Then, 5 minutes.

Choi Chae-gul stood there like a rock.

It was the first time.
No, he hadn’t even expected it.

To be thanked by someone with the outstanding class of .

Always regarded as lowly.
Whispers calling him a butcher.
Even the subtle discrimination he faced.

All of this tore at Choi Chae-gul’s heart.

Paradoxically, because of that…

Ma Hana’s warm words hurt more than anything else.

Choi Chae-gul bowed his head.
With his ugly palms, scarred from repeated blisters, cuts, and regeneration, he covered his face.

“…Meow? Professor…?”
“……”

His shoulders trembled slightly.

Tears with a salty smell flowed down his eyes.

Barely, he answered with a voice soaked in moisture.

“…Ma Hana.”
“Yes?”
“…Thank you.”

Thanks to you, just a little…

“…I feel saved.”
“Meow?”

“…What could have happened to the professor?”

Right beside me.

I looked at Meowi, who tilted her head with a worried expression.

After finishing his conversation with Meowi, Professor Choi Chae-gul immediately ended the practice session.

Afterward, he bowed his head and apologized to the cadets…

Honestly, I couldn’t understand at all why an apology was necessary.

‘The class was fun…’

I just felt it was a pity that the practice was stopped midway.

Anyway, I didn’t know exactly what was going on…
But there was one thing I was sure of.

“Maybe he was moved by our Meowi’s words?”
“…Meow? Really?”

As if it were the most natural thing, I placed my hand on Meowi’s head.
Meowi flinched briefly as if shocked.
Then, she soon showed a pleasant ‘Meow~’ smile.

“……”
“……”

And the two women following behind us looked at this scene with subtle expressions.

“Um? Ju Na-young, Moon Bora? What’s wrong?”

“…No, it’s nothing…”

“…Jealous… Ah, never mind. It’s nothing…”

Hmm?

Something seemed off with the two today.

A little later.

The four of us sat down in order, taking our seats for the third class.

As the clock struck the hour, the door opened as if it had been waiting, and a soft footstep echoed.

“Nice to meet you.”

An elderly female professor with a wrinkled face entered with a gentle smile.

She had to be at least sixty years old, and her presence exuded a natural dignity, making me involuntarily exclaim, “Ah~.”

‘Definitely…’

The one who spoke to me beside Professor Peng Jin-ah…

Oh, her name was… um.

As I tilted my head in thought, Moon Bora next to me informed me.

“It’s Professor Bong Mi-chun. She is in charge of .”
“Oh, right! Thanks for letting me know, Bora Bora.”
“…You’re welcome.”

Huh?

‘What…?’

I looked at Moon Bora, surprised by her unexpected response.
Sensing my gaze, she turned her head in the opposite direction.

‘…Huh?’

This is a bit confusing.

I thought she would definitely say, ‘Don’t call me Bora Bora!’ and get all huffy…

Right now, something…

Embarrassed?
Happy?

Ah, anyway, it was a strange feeling.

Then, I felt another gaze from the other side.

“……”

“Ju Na-young? What’s wrong?”

“…I’m the only one without a nickname…“

“What did you say? I didn’t hear you.”

“…Nothing.”

Then she pouted and stared ahead silently.

What?
What the heck is it?

While I was confused, Professor Bong Mi-chun’s introduction proceeded smoothly.

Additionally, the class also started.

“Meowi. I heard that Professor Bong Mi-chun has been working at the Academy the longest. They say she’s a living fossil who has experienced everything since the early days of the awakened society.”

I nodded at Meowi’s words.
Indeed, a veteran, as they say. Right?

‘…However.’

Actually, I had felt it since I first came in…

I tilted my head as I watched Bong Mi-chun write the lesson on the blackboard.

[‘Unprecedented Sense’ is activating.]

‘…What is this?’

A subtle sensation was felt.

A faint ‘red’ hue.

A color commonly associated with a warning was, surprisingly, emanating from Professor Bong Mi-chun’s entire body.

The intensity was too weak to be clear, but still.
Somehow, [Unprecedented Sense] was telling me that she was a dangerous person.

‘……’

As time passed, I swallowed dryly.

Unconsciously, my hand moved to the hilt of my sword as the red hue grew stronger.

It felt unfamiliar.
And at the same time, familiar.
It was an illogical situation.

But I had experienced such things several times before.

―They usually call that a rule based on experience. Even if you can’t understand it with your head, if your intuition tells you so, try going crazy just once.

‘……’

Swallowing dryly, I thought of the words of the colleague I followed like an older brother.

I began to seriously doubt.

‘…Is that person really…’

…a professor?