“Are you saying that the Teachers… can do that in just a day?”
“Well, it’s just one single move to showcase the Tang Clan.”
“Um… well…”
I understood what Hyeok Gi-rin wanted to say. It was probably something like, ‘Was it really that easy?’
If we consider whether someone can perform the magic to showcase the Tang Clan from the outside, no matter how much of a top-tier expert they are, it’s impossible to master it in just a few hours of training.
However, for the children of the Jeomchang Faction here, it’s possible. What’s difficult about magic? The main reason is that you must show perfection to quell any doubts.
Basically, magic starts with the assumption that people are watching with their eyes wide open, trying to figure out the trick. There shouldn’t be any room for doubt. If there’s even a hint of suspicion, negative perceptions will spread from there, and the very act of spreading doubt can be seen as failing to achieve the goal of the magic.
But what about the children of Jeomchang Faction now?
They believe that The Holy One will give them the Tang Clan, and since I displayed it so naturally and obviously, they might think, ‘It’s common sense for The Holy One to hand the Tang Clan to the Outcast, right?’ Well, maybe not common sense, but at least they’re just going with the flow.
So even if the Teachers’ prayer movements are slow or if there’s something awkward about it, the children, who perceive it as a system where the Tang Clan appears based on prayer, would accept it without much hesitation.
Even if a Teacher makes a mistake and the Tang Clan pops out of their sleeve…
“Oh, there was a little transmission error there. Hehehe.”
The kids would likely brush it off.
“If you’re really worried, shall we go together?”
“No, no. The Teachers have their dignity; how can I, a High Priest, go check up on them?”
For Hyeok Gi-rin, all Teachers must be his Masters, so just the mere act of doubting them might seem disrespectful. I nodded and stuffed the remaining rice into my mouth and stood up.
So, shall we go check on the progress of the Teachers today?
* *
Actually, the movements of the magic are simple. Ah, of course, the technical difficulty is very high… but an Expert can perform general physical movements that don’t involve Qi with just a bit of training.
These Experts focus much more on handling Qi than on their physical bodies in daily life. Therefore, under the extreme assumption of neglecting Qi manipulation, there’s no comparison with the average person’s control or concentration.
Snap!
“Well, that seems passable.”
“I think this level should be enough to trick the kids.”
Turns out, those who aren’t just any peak experts were able to master the gesture of retrieving the Tang Clan in just half a day.
“Hmm. By the way, I’m not sure if I should accept such a skill.”
“It’s really nothing impressive; it’s just a simple movement.”
“Hahaha… simple? I can only imagine how much blood, sweat, and effort went into simplifying it this far.”
“Aish… To think such a simple hand movement can nullify someone’s vision. What have I been doing with my life? I can’t believe I didn’t think of this back when I was young.”
“…hahaha.”
Right? I too was a guy who spent my days playing games, learning those ‘realizations’ or watching magician videos on YouTube during my days off.
Anyway, despite Hyeok Gi-rin’s worries, the Teachers showed incredible learning ability and at least managed to master the motion for retrieving the Tang Clan.
“Alright! Time’s running out. Let’s see the completed movements from the Teachers who have finished!”
As I examined the movements of the eleven Teachers one by one, they were all ready to perform in the field that day.
“So, which Teacher will be performing today?”
A silent battle of glances began among the Teachers until Teacher Yeong-yul sighed and stepped forward.
“Let’s go with Infinite Life Buddha… Vin, you take the lead.”
“Yeah, Yeong-yul better do it right!”
“Hahaha… If he messes up, he’ll instantly destroy his child-like spirit!”
The Teachers were clearly rooting for Yeong-yul to fail. Well, rather than actually wanting him to fail, it was more like they were hoping he’d have a hard time!
“Um…”
I had a general idea of what they were thinking. It seemed the pressure of showcasing a trick they had only learned for half a day in front of children was quite heavy, and they were thinking, ‘I’m glad it’s not me,’ while Yeong-yul, as the representative of the Teachers, stepped up with a sense of responsibility.
Well… it’s your own doing, so who cares?
With about 30 minutes left until the performance, I attached the Tang Clan pouch to Yeong-yul’s sleeve. The Outcast’s outfit ties up the sleeves to enhance mobility, whereas the Teachers’ basic outfits are long robes making it very advantageous for performing magic.
“Hmm… Guess I’ll need the help of my clothes too.”
“Of course. Adding a pouch to the sleeve is the basics of basics.”
I demonstrated putting a Tang Clan into a hole in my own robe sleeve. In this Martial World, nearly all outfits are one-size-fits-all, and naturally, sleeves are very spacious. The Outcast’s clothes are organized at the wrist or ankle with leather ties so they don’t get in the way while moving.
Naturally, the area around the tied-up clothes would wrinkle terribly, so I punched a hole in those areas and placed a pouch inside.
“Wow, a pouch here…”
“Now, wear these wrist guards. You can put a few Tang Clans inside them.”
Teacher Yeong-yul nodded as he tried out the newly attached tools.
“Yeah, I’m pretty much used to it.”
Now, only the actual performance remains.
As we descended, the tension clearly visible on Yeong-yul’s face mingled with the different Teachers, the audience had already gathered.
“We’ve been waiting for the Outcast!”
“I’m going to be the first today!”
After greeting the audience lightly in response to their cheers…
“Ahem! Today, instead of me, this Teacher Yeong-yul will be leading the prayer!”
For a moment, the kids appeared confused, but they soon rushed over to Teacher Yeong-yul.
“Wow, did you also have mystical powers, Teacher?”
“It’s not unusual for the Outcast to have a Teacher.”
“Teacher! Can I pray too? I did a lot of good today!”
“Hmm… let’s first hear from Haejeong.”
Perhaps realizing he had to act like a ‘mystical Taoist’ in front of the children all of a sudden, Yeong-yul blushed as he pointed at one of the kids, stuttering.
The other Teachers were quietly laughing. Well… it’s your own fault.
“Teacher! Today, I woke up at the dawn so I could sweep the yard and also clean the wooden floor with Sa Gong-hyeon Teacher! I practiced swordsmanship so hard that Hwang-sun praised me for my achievement! Today, I chewed through the spinach really well! Also, in the scripture copying, I was second today…”
Unlike when I prayed, Haejeong spilled out her achievements in great detail. I felt a tad bit of regret, but it was a natural occurrence.
The kids probably heard about the Sacheon Outcast, right? Even if they hadn’t, I was just a shady guy hidden under a wide-brimmed hat. After giving them the Tang Clan and showing off some tricks, they came closer to me, but the children wouldn’t truly see me as someone close.
However, Teacher Yeong-yul’s connection with the children was different. And most importantly, Yeong-yul was respected as an elder from the Jeomchang Faction. While being praised by outsiders for their hard work was wonderful, wouldn’t they want to boast and receive recognition from their own Jeomchang family even more?
“Hahaha… I see.”
Even Teacher Yeong-yul, who had been tense, was now beaming with a smile at the never-ending praises.
“…and that’s what I’d like to pray for!”
“Yeah. Let’s pray together.”
Perhaps the relaxed atmosphere suddenly stiffened again, but Teacher Yeong-yul executed the gesture beautifully.
Haejeong, gazing at Teacher Yeong-yul’s palm with a mix of excitement and skepticism, cheered as the Tang Clan appeared when his palm opened.
“Wow! Teacher has mystical powers!”
“Teacher! Can I pray too!?”
“Hahaha… Of course!”
After that, it was all smooth sailing. The children each boasted of their good deeds or made excuses for their mistakes in front of Teacher Yeong-yul, eager to showcase their achievements.
Truly, Teacher Yeong-yul was monopolizing the children’s affection!
“Um…”
“Ahem…”
As the Teachers watched the children joyfully chattering, their expressions became somewhat complicated.
Looking at this scene made me smile to myself.
“Are you envious?”
“Ahem! Who says I’m envious!”
“Hey, we just wanted to perform our own tricks too!”
Seeing Teacher Yeong-yul suddenly become popular among the children, perhaps they were feeling a twinge of envy. But hey, they did this to themselves. They couldn’t exactly ask to swap places now, so they were just wistfully watching.
“Teacher! This time, I want to pray!”
“No, I’m doing it!”
“Hahaha… you kids. Follow the order!”
“That brat… can we just get on with the prayer now… argh.”
“Time’s running out, and the kids need to sleep. Tsk!”
Watching the elderly Teachers burn with jealousy was quite amusing, but well, having the motivation is a good thing. I didn’t know how the Teachers evaluated the skill I taught them, but a month of practice before the performance was definitely too short.
So to teach properly, I saw the need to instill some competition among them.
“Have you thought about this? To understand children, you have to think from their perspective.”
“Hmm… that’s a thought, but…”
“It’s probably hard, huh? Honestly, I came prepared to strictly select the most skilled Teacher for the performance today.”
The Teachers turned to me, looking puzzled.
“I expected you all would actively volunteer. Oh, I’m not criticizing your approach; I just couldn’t understand.”
“Hmm… I see. To be honest, the idea of showcasing skills we’ve only learned for half a day was a bit daunting.”
“Yes, I bet. But… have you thought about it from the children’s perspective?”
“Hmm…? Are you saying they’ll be disappointed in us?”
“Hahaha. Of course not! The kids have no idea how much effort you put into training! They just…”
I purposefully trailed off, looking around at the Teachers.
“Today, Teacher Yeong-yul only happened to be the first Teacher to show his powers.”
A look of confusion crossed the Teachers’ faces. It seemed they didn’t quite grasp what I meant.
“What do you think the kids will think about as they fall asleep tonight? ‘I have to brag about my good deeds to Teacher Yeong-yul tomorrow,’ they’ll likely think.”
“…!”
That quiet realization spread among the Teachers.
“Tomorrow, if another Teacher leads a prayer, the kids will be happy. And as they sleep, they’ll think, ‘What will I say to that Teacher tomorrow?’ But how long will that last?”
“…I see.”
“The more the prayer order is delayed… the more they’ll forget?”
“Forget? No, it’s just that the kids will think, ‘Wow, all the Teachers have mystical powers!’ and won’t see it as anything special.”
Waves of tension passed over the Teachers’ faces.
“Honestly, I also don’t know at what point the children’s thoughts will shift from ‘Oh, Teacher is amazing!’ to ‘Wow, all the Teachers are amazing!’ But you know the consequences of letting the order fall behind.”
Ah, yes. This feeling of tension tightening the atmosphere. This is exactly it. This is what makes a desirable learning environment!
“After today’s prayer meeting is over, I’ll tell you the skills to be used in tomorrow’s session. Tomorrow, we will hold a fair assessment to pick the Teacher with the most skill!”
I pointed towards the prayer area.
“Teacher! Teacher! When did you get your mystical powers?”
“Teacher! Please listen! I forgot to mention something earlier!”
“Haha, they’re all listening.”
Surrounded by the joyful children, Teacher Yeong-yul basked in his newfound popularity. The Teachers were clearly envious, biting their lips and lighting up their eyes.
“Alright! Tomorrow’s my turn!”
“What kind of gluttonous fool is trying to take my spot? Stay back! Tomorrow is mine!”
Watching the Teachers squabble, I nodded in satisfaction. I was thrilled to receive quality education, while the Black Cat was improving her martial arts practice with Hyeok Gi-rin, and now the children had great Teachers to look up to.
It was a truly happy day for everyone.
