I Became a Troublemaker at the Academy

‘Who would have thought that Jeong Ye-rin’s father worked for ‘Sky Forge’?’

Kim Baram blankly gazed out of the bus window, recalling yesterday’s events. 

After parting ways with Ko Joo-yeon and heading to the training center, he had called on the number given by Jeong Ye-rin’s mother, Seong Ye-sook. 

Fortunately, Seong Ye-sook warmly welcomed his call. She said she had already spoken to her husband about him and provided him with his number. She suggested he visit ‘Sky Forge’ on Saturday.

‘And Jeong Ye-rin’s father even agreed to gift me a weapon.’

Since Kim Baram needed a weapon for tomorrow’s mission with the Fixer Clan, it was truly a stroke of luck to receive such an offer. 

Moreover, the company Sky Forge, which manufactured gears, was renowned worldwide in the story’s context.

The reason for its fame was due to its former president, Jeong So-cheon, who possessed the unique ability [Master Craftsman]. 

Most of the weapons crafted by Jeong So-cheon were extraordinary. They were rated at least Grade 5. 

Many players sought him out to obtain his creations, but the weapons he made had a unique trait: they chose their own masters. 

Despite this strange characteristic, Jeong So-cheon’s weapons were so exceptional that numerous artisans were drawn to him, leading to the establishment of Sky Forge.

However, at this point in time, Jeong So-cheon had overworked himself to death, and his friend and second-in-command, Park Yeom-cheol, had taken over the presidency of Sky Forge.

Among Jeong So-cheon’s many famous anecdotes, one of the most notable was about the hero’s sword, Excalibur. 

After crafting Excalibur, Jeong So-cheon planted it in the company’s front yard, declaring that only a true hero could draw the sword, and then returned to his workshop. 

Many Korean players attempted to draw the sword but failed. 

The news spread, and players from around the world traveled to Korea to try their luck. 

Eventually, the sword was drawn by an A-rank player from the United States, who quickly became an S-rank and earned the nickname ‘Hero’ due to the sword’s immense power.

Jeong So-cheon continued to create numerous weapons, giving them away for free to the players chosen by the weapons. 

Those players either became globally renowned or were killed by jealous rivals trying to steal their weapons. 

Of course, even if they were stolen, the weapons couldn’t be used by anyone else.

Everyone thinks the grass is greener on the other side.

In any case, while Jeong So-cheon’s story was fascinating, Kim Baram’s focus today was on the weapon he was to receive. 

‘I wonder what I’ll get. A sword seems like the safest choice.’

A sword was the first thing that came to mind. However, considering Kim Baram’s track record, he was worried that he might not have any talent for swordsmanship. 

As he was lost in thought about the weapon, the bus soon arrived at the Sky Forge stop.

Snapping out of his reverie, he hurried off the bus.

Standing at the bus stop was a man in his mid-30s. He wore a neat suite and looked at his wristwatch as if waiting for someone. 

Kim Baram checked the time on the smartwatch and approached the man who appeared younger than he had expected.

“Excuse me, are you Ye-rin’s father…?”

“Ah! You must be the student who saved our Ye-rin. Nice to meet you. I’m Jeong So-won, Ye-rin’s father.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Baram. Is Ye-rin doing well?”

They shook hands and introduced themselves. Jeong So-won responded to his question with a warm smile.

“Yes. She’s doing well thanks to you. In fact, Ye-rin asks about you more often than I do. Haha, we should have a meal together sometime with Ye-rin. My treat.”

“Haha… I feel a bit guilty about receiving so much hospitality, including the weapon.”

“You saved our Ye-rin, so it’s only right that we repay the favor. Let’s head inside. I’ll guide you.”

Jeong So-won led the way, and Kim Baram followed, feeling both grateful and slightly overwhelmed by the generous hospitality.

At those words, Jeong So-won led Kim Baram inside the Sky Forge building.

***

Inside Sky Forge, it was unexpectedly quiet. 

In fact, aside from a few staff members, there didn’t appear to be any customers at all. 

Kim Baram glanced at Jeong So-won and hesitated slightly before speaking up.

“It seems pretty quiet here. Is it always this peaceful?”

“Oh. Not at all. This is primarily a sales area, separate from the manufacturing section, so it’s usually quieter. But a customer rented out the entire place today, so we’re not accepting any other visitors.”

“What? Then shouldn’t I not be here?”

Jeong So-won reassured Kim Baram with a friendly smile.

“Haha, it’s fine. We already informed the customer, and they were okay with having one extra person. So don’t worry and feel free to look around.”

“That’s a relief.”

As Kim Baram showed his relief, Jeong So-won continued to smile warmly and asked him a question.

“Do you have a specific type of weapon you prefer? Like a sword or a bow?”

“Actually, I haven’t been a player for long, so I’m not really sure. But I’m leaning towards a sword.”

“Alright. I’ll show you some swords then. If you change your mind, feel free to let me know.”

Jeong So-won’s considerate tone and kind smile put him at ease. 

Following his guidance, they moved to another section filled with various types of swords. 

As Kim Baram scanned the rows of swords, his gaze settled on one that was entirely black. It had a blade about 80cm long. He stared at it intently.

Noticing his interest, Jeong So-won spoke up. He sounded slightly surprised.

“Ah! You’ve got a good eye. That’s the one I was going to recommend. This sword is called Black Fang, made from the fang of a B-rank magical beast, the Black Tiger. While it doesn’t have any special abilities, it boasts high magical conductivity and excellent hardness and durability, making it resistant to damage.”

‘I see.’

Honestly, Kim Baram just thought it looked cool because it was black. But good conductivity and durability sounded ideal for a beginner like him, who knew nothing about swordsmanship.

As he nodded and showed more interest in the sword, Jeong So-won continued.

“It’s slightly on the heavier side, which makes it excellent for both thrusting and slashing. It’s rated at the top of the Grade 7 in terms of quality.”

“Seventh grade?!” 

‘Jeong So-won, this seems a bit excessive.’

A top-tier seventh-grade weapon would cost around 50 million won. And for reference, the price increases tenfold with each grade.

Seeing Kim Baram’s shock, Jeong So-won reassured him again.

“You saved Ye-rin’s life so it’s only right to give you something of this level. Please don’t feel burdened.”

“But still, a top-tier Grade 7 sword is worth at least 50 million won… I can’t take that for free…”

As he continued to protest, Jeong So-won seemed to ponder for a moment before making a decision and speaking carefully.

“Actually, the former president of Sky Forge, Jeong So-cheon, was my cousin. While I don’t have his talent for crafting weapons, I do have the authority to make this happen, so please don’t worry about it.”

Kim Baram had no idea there was such a connection.

Even as a seven-year reader of ‘Infinite Regression Player,’ he didn’t know this fact.

***

In the end, Kim Baram received the Black Fang as a gift from Jung So-won.

Although it felt a bit burdensome, he couldn’t help but smile as he admired the sleek, jet-black sword. 

With the treasured Black Fang carefully sheathed and cradled in his arms, he followed Jeong So-won out to the lobby. 

There, in the center of the lobby, someone was walking around, swinging a long staff-like object.

“Ah! That’s the person who rented out the entire place for today. Do you know ‘Yeohje’ (Empress)? The staff said she’s a famous YouTuber.”

Of course, Kim Baram knew her from the novel. Her real name was Yeo Ji-hye, but she used the nickname ‘Yeohje’ for her YouTube channel.

One of her most notable features was having the highest charm stat in the novel’s universe.

‘I expected to meet her eventually, but I didn’t think it would be here.’

As Kim Baram got closer to the center of the lobby, her features became more distinct. Her bleached hair had a hint of pale yellow, and her clear blue eyes looked like they captured the essence of a bright, cloudless sky. 

With her attractive cat-like features, she certainly lived up to the novel’s description as the most beautiful character. 

She wore a white blouse with a black ribbon and a dark navy tennis skirt. She held a selfie stick with her phone mounted on it.

Seeing her in person, Kim Baram felt that the novel’s descriptions didn’t do justice to her beauty. 

However, considering their age difference and her still youthful appearance, he didn’t feel any romantic interest—just fascination. Since she was a popular character among readers.

As he walked closer, he could hear her cheerful voice as she talked to the camera.

“Today’s content is about becoming the owner of a weapon crafted by Master Jeong So-cheon. Something my dear viewers have been asking for~”

She pointed to a bracelet prominently displayed in the middle of the lobby with a bright tone. For reference, her fans were affectionately called ‘subjects.’

While watching her film, he stopped and stared at the bracelet she pointed to. Jeong So-won noticed his interest and kindly explained.

“That bracelet is one of the weapons crafted by my cousin, Master Jeong So-cheon. It’s the only one of his works still at Sky Forge. Although we don’t know its exact abilities, Master Jeong said the condition for owning it is being a ‘charming person.’”

“I see.”

Upon hearing Jeong So-won’s explanation, he immediately recognized the bracelet’s significance. 

Meanwhile, Jeong So-won observed Yeo Ji-hye more closely and continued.

“Perhaps the bracelet’s owner might appear today. Miss Yeohje is undoubtedly very attractive. Of course, if my daughter grows up to be her age, she’ll be even more beautiful. Hahaha.”

Unlike his usual calm demeanor, Jeong So-won’s face lit up with a proud fatherly smile when he talked about his daughter, Jeong Ye-rin.

Considering Jeong Ye-rin’s cute face, Kim Baram couldn’t deny his claim.

However, contrary to Jeong So-won’s expectations, he was certain Yeo Ji-hye wouldn’t become the bracelet’s owner. 

In the story, it was always the villain, Cha Eun-ho, who ended up with it.

Translator’s Note; Thank you for the patience and continued support! The regular release (3-5 chapters/week) will begin henceforth. Please don’t forget to leave a review on NovelUpdates.

Happy reading!