Chapter 305: The Vicious Boss...
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 305: The Vicious Boss...
Just as a white snake stands out among dark-colored ones, bastards with exceptional talent were bound to stand out from the crowd.
This was especially true at the Heavenly Dragon Academy of the Central Plains, a gathering place for the Orthodox Faction. Their brilliance shone even brighter than that of the so-called genius Young Prodigies, further inflating their pride and fame.
As a result, rumors about cliques forming within the Academy captured the attention of the student body. For many, it was a chance to either make or break their future. It was clear that almost no one came to the Academy solely to study. In fact, they had probably been waiting for something like this to happen.
The rumors spread like wildfire.
The Snow Phoenix is taking direct action to form a faction. She has already won over merchants and a few blood relatives from noble clans.
The Meteor Sword has formed a clique mainly consisting of swordsmen.
Students from the various Sects are banding together to form one large faction.
A group of bodyguards is being assembled for the Sword Dancer and the Sword Venerable’s descendant.
These were the major rumors making the rounds.
What the hell is that last one?
I couldn’t help but laugh when I heard it. A group of bodyguards? I honestly thought I’d misheard. Are they insane? What do they even plan to do with their lives? They must seriously have nothing better to do.
“Did you see it?” I asked, pausing my meal and turning to Namgung Bi-ah, who was dozing off beside me.
“…Hmm?”
“Those guys. The ones who are supposedly your bodyguards.”
Namgung Bi-ah just shook her head. Did she really not know about it? Was it a fake rumor, then? That was possible. After all, rumors aren’t always true.
However…
“I saw it,” Gu Jeolyub suddenly chimed in, cutting through my thoughts.
“Saw what?”
“The group of bodyguards.”
“…So they actually exist?”
“Yes…” Gu Jeolyub’s face was a mask of exhaustion. According to him, his instructor was obsessed with the Demons, forcing him to memorize an absurd amount of information. But was it really bad enough to make him look like death warmed over?
“How are they?” I asked.
“…Well, they definitely don’t seem normal.”
Of course not. If they were normal, they wouldn’t have formed such a group to begin with.
“Because of that, Wi-“
Wi?
“…Never mind.” Gu Jeolyub stopped mid-sentence. What was that about? I let it slide for now, figuring he must have a good reason, though I made a mental note to ask him later.
“Then, is the rumor about you also true?” I asked, turning to Moyong Hi-ah this time.
Moyong Hi-ah paused, carefully placing a morsel of food in her mouth before responding to my question.
“No.”
It was a firm denial. That made sense. How could she possibly win over merchants and noble clans in such a short amount of—
“It’s not entirely correct. I still have some things left to do.”
“…Huh?”
“There were more merchants than I expected. There was also an unnecessary number of arrogant people who didn’t know their place. Because of that, I think it will take longer than I anticipated.”
“…”
“But it shouldn’t take too long, so you needn’t worry, Master.”
Sorry, but even if the world were ending, I don’t think I’d ever worry about Moyong Hi-ah. A shiver ran down my spine as I saw the sparkle in her eyes. How did she manage to accomplish so much in just a few days?
“Why go to all that trouble? You should take it easy.”
“Master, the world isn’t as simple as you think.”
She wasn’t wrong. Yes, I knew better than anyone how messed up the world could be.
“If I start preparing now, it will benefit you in the future, Master Gu.”
“…How is it supposed to help me when you’re the one doing all the work?”
“…”
I noticed Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes turn a shade colder after I spoke. Did I say something wrong?
“Master Gu, I haven’t said anything particularly harsh to you yet, have I?”
“I don’t think so?”
I’d endured endless bitter remarks from the Snow Phoenix in my past life, but that hadn’t happened in this one. It just showed how different our relationship was now.
“I would like that to continue, but it’s not easy.”
“Why?”
“You don’t need to know, you idiot.”
With that, she turned her head away, sulking. What the—did I actually do something wrong? I glanced at Namgung Bi-ah and Tang Soyeol for answers, but they both averted their eyes. Judging by their reactions, I was definitely the one at fault here.
In situations like this, it’s best to just eat quietly.
One thing that concerned me, though, was Cheol Jiseon, whose eyes wouldn’t stop trembling.
“Your eyes might fall out if they keep shaking like that, friend.”
“…Huh? Oh, yeah…”
“Why are you so nervous? Did I threaten you or something?”
“No…”
I tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but it only made Cheol Jiseon shrink further into himself. He seemed to be thinking, ‘Why am I even here?’
Though I understand why he’s acting this way.
He was probably preoccupied with the rumors about the cliques and everything related to them.
The biggest rumor spreading through the Academy was something along the lines of:
The True Dragon is trying to dominate the Heavenly Dragon Academy.
I was speechless when I first heard it. Dominate my ass, for fuck’s sake… Why would I bother with such a hassle? This rumor likely started because of my fight with my instructor and the mess I made of Jang Seonyeon’s group.
Even the names in this rumor were ridiculous.
The fierce and vicious leader, True Dragon.
The right hand of the True Dragon, Pe Woocheol.
The hidden mad dog, Cheol Jiseon.
Etcetera…
Just hearing these names was enough to make me lose my appetite. Why do people come up with such nonsense?
Vicious? Vicious? Who’s calling who vicious here? I’m doing my best to be as kind as possible.
Putting that aside, the real problem was Cheol Jiseon. ‘The hidden mad dog,’ huh? Thanks to the mess I made with his tormentors, they’d stopped picking on him, but it had also isolated him from everyone else a bit too much.
The man who is friends with the True Dragon.
He may look weak, but we can’t let our guard down. He must be similar to the True Dragon in strength!
Maybe Jin Eesuk just got lucky? It was probably better for him to be punished by the True Dragon before he got bitten by the mad dog.
Rumors like these were everywhere. Four days had passed since the incident, and Cheol Jiseon’s reputation had hit rock bottom in that short time. He wore a frustrated expression, hoping everyone would realize he hadn’t done anything, but he couldn’t stop the rumors from spreading.
There was, however, one grain of truth in the rumors.
I did save that bastard named Jin Eesuk.
The bastard who had been picking on Cheol Jiseon. It was technically true that I saved him—by crushing him before Cheol Jiseon was forced to use his power.
Cheol Jiseon barely moved his chopsticks, his appetite gone, but he probably knew it was safer to stay by my side right now, even if his face was pale as he sat next to me.
His isolation wasn’t part of my plan, but it was a fortunate turn of events. It made my job easier.
So, what now?
I still had so many questions. If Cheol Jiseon was the Zhuge Jihee I knew, I wanted to find out if he was disguising himself as a boy or a girl, why he had come to the Heavenly Dragon Academy under a fake name, and, finally, how I could get him to use his power in the way I wanted.
What do I need to do first?
First, I needed to get him to show me ‘that’ power of his. To do that, I either need to force him to use it, or he needs to use it on his own.
I had no intention of forcing him. I wouldn’t have gone through the hassle of becoming his friend if that was my plan. So, I needed to make him show me voluntarily.
If I wanted that to happen… I thought for a moment. Many ideas came to mind, but only one seemed reasonable.
“Friend.”
“H-Huh?”
“I have something I want to ask fro-“
“Brother.”
Just as I was about to speak to Cheol Jiseon, Pe Woocheol suddenly interrupted.
“…You scared me.”
“Sorry for interrupting your meal. Older Brother Cheol and the other sisters are here too, huh?”
“A-Ah, yes… nice to meet you.”
Cheol Jiseon looked thoroughly confused at being called ‘older brother.’ As soon as Pe Woocheol heard that Cheol Jiseon was my friend, he started addressing him that way. Cheol Jiseon had insisted he stop, but Pe Woocheol wouldn’t listen. He called the girls ‘older sisters’ as well.
…I thought he was incapable of reading the room.
Despite his bulging muscles, Pe Woocheol was unexpectedly quick-thinking. Compared to the bad first impression I had of him, he had improved significantly, as if he was learning how to adapt to the world. Thanks to that, even more rumors about me were spreading.
“Why did you show up all of a sudden? You startled me,” I said with a frown.
Pe Woocheol flinched. “I’m sorry. It’s nothing major, but—” He lowered his head mid-sentence, as if choosing his words carefully. “…Instructor Cheol Hwanho was looking for you.”
“…Why are you saying that so cautiously?” He’d made me nervous for nothing.
When I asked him, my tone laced with disbelief, Pe Woocheol was the one who looked confused. “Huh? I-I honestly thought this was a life-and-death situation…”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Since you are thinking of dominating the Heavenly Dragon Academy, I thought you were planning to get rid of the instructors first.”
“…”
I take back what I said about him being smarter than I expected. Is he insane?
“Do not worry, brother. As your younger brother, I shall follow you wherev—“
Pow.
“Ugh!”
I kicked Pe Woocheol’s shin, and he doubled over, screaming.
“I think you’re the one spreading these rumors.”
“W-What are you talking about…”
“…Be honest. You’re not really from the Orthodox Faction, are you?”
“Pardon…?”
Ugh, my back. I ignored Pe Woocheol, who was clutching his leg, and stood up. I hadn’t even finished eating.
“I’ll be leaving first.”
“…You’re going?” Namgung Bi-ah, rousing from her doze, sounded disappointed. We hadn’t spent much time together lately, but I couldn’t stay. Still, concerned by her gaze, I gave her a few pats on the head.
“See you next time.”
“…Okay.”
Then…
“Hmm?”
I turned around. I thought I’d felt a sharp gaze just now. The problem was, when I looked, there was nothing. I only saw the girls continuing their meal. I considered sharpening my senses to confirm my suspicion, but the gazes seemed to come from too many directions to pinpoint a source.
…Was I just mistaken?
I’m almost fully healed from my injuries. Could I really be mistaken? I was a bit concerned, but I had to go meet Instructor Cheol Hwanho.
“So, where is Instructor Cheol— …What are you doing?” I started to ask for directions, but Pe Woocheol was glaring at someone.
It was Gu Jeolyub. What was going on? A staring contest? Grown adults wouldn’t do that, so what was it? Gu Jeolyub himself seemed just as confused as to why Pe Woocheol was glaring at him. He looked at me, seeking an explanation.
What was happening right now?
There’s no point in asking me. I didn’t understand that strange bastard either.
Then, Pe Woocheol spoke to Gu Jeolyub. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“…?” Gu Jeolyub’s expression turned strange. Mine probably did, too.
“You must hate a rock that suddenly rolls in from nowhere, but what can you do? That’s just how the world works.”
What was he suddenly going on about? His serious tone only confused me more.
“…Are you talking to me?”
“Unfortunately for you, I am the right hand of my older brother fro—“
“You crazy bastard.”
“Ugh!”
I pulled Pe Woocheol away before he could spout more nonsense. “Stop talking crap and lead me to the instructor.”
“U-Understood.”
I dragged Pe Woocheol away. I had no idea what he might do if I left him here. As we left, Gu Jeolyub continued to watch Pe Woocheol with a baffled expression.
Once Gu Yangcheon had left…
“Then… I shall also—” Cheol Jiseon tried to stand up, awkwardly left alone. He didn’t want to be stuck in this situation. He had quickly realized the tense atmosphere that settled among the girls whenever Gu Yangcheon was out of sight. He wanted to approach each of them individually, knowing how impressive they were, but doing it all at once was too much.
Just as Cheol Jiseon was about to leave his meal unfinished…
“Wait…”
Flinch.
Someone called out to him, stopping him in his tracks. It was none other than the lady known as the Sword Dancer, Namgung Bi-ah of the Namgung Clan.
“Pardon…?”
“…Finish… your food first…”
Her blue eyes shimmered. Combined with her absurd beauty, it made Cheol Jiseon deeply uncomfortable. He couldn’t hold her gaze for long and naturally looked away.
“…Eat first.”
“Yes…” Compelled by her words, Cheol Jiseon sat back down.
…What’s happening? Why did she tell me to sit down again? She might as well tell me to make myself sick, forcing me to eat in a situation like this.
Perhaps…
Then, Cheol Jiseon remembered. That beautiful lady was the fiancée of the vicious True Dragon. That alone validated his suspicions.
…Is this a new form of torture?
He became convinced she was picking on him. Namgung Bi-ah kept her strange gaze fixed on him, and eventually, with no other choice, he resumed eating. The Snow Phoenix remained silent, Tang Soyeol sipped her tea quietly, and Namgung Bi-ah continued to stare directly into his eyes. He could barely taste what he was eating.
…Sis, I’m having such a hard time.
Cheol Jiseon thought of his sister, far away, but it did nothing to improve his current predicament.
With Pe Woocheol leading the way, I headed to see the instructor.
Instructor Cheol Hwanho hadn’t looked kindly upon me since our bet, but he had kept his promise, which was true to his character.
“I heard you called for me.”
Instructor Cheol Hwanho let out a small sigh before speaking. “I heard you caused quite a stir.”
So that was it. On my way to see him, I’d wondered why he’d summoned me. There was really only one reason. It was likely the mess I’d made with Jang Seonyeon’s group, just as he said. Of course, I didn’t expect to get off easily after causing so much trouble.
As expected, Cheol Hwanho began to discuss the matter. “Students are allowed to spar with one another, but I heard that wasn’t what happened in this case. Am I correct?”
“Yes.” That’s right. It wasn’t a spar. I’d beaten them in a very one-sided manner.
Cheol Hwanho asked, “Why did you do it?”
I responded without hesitation. “I wasn’t fond of that bastard’s attitude, so I taught him a lesson.”
“…What?” Cheol Hwanho’s eyes widened in surprise. Did he think I was going to offer a proper excuse? There was no chance of that.
“A bastard was picking on a student weaker than him, and no one was stopping him. So I ended up doing it myself.”
“This is a problem they need to solve themselves. Besides, you aren’t part of that group. You must let others handle their own issues; everyone in the Academy is a martial artist.” Cheol Hwanho was preaching about how people need to overcome their own hardships.
That’s right. I agreed with him. However, he seemed to be missing my main point, which I had stated clearly the first time.
“Yes, I did it because I got annoyed.” I know I shouldn’t have, but I was pissed off.
“Sigh…” Cheol Hwanho let out a deep sigh. “You don’t even have an excuse, huh? This isn’t something we can let slide easily. You know that, right?”
But that didn’t necessarily mean I was going to be suspended. It was possible my exemption from morning training would be revoked, but I was fine with that. I’d expected as much.
“Then what do I need to do?” I was curious about the punishment.
Cheol Hwanho gave me an unexpected answer. “The Head of the Academy is looking for you.”
“Pardon?”
“The Head will decide your fate.”
My eyes widened at his words. The Leader of the Kunlun Sect, the Qinghai Sword. The man who was the Head of this year’s Heavenly Dragon Academy was looking for me.
Cheol Hwanho seemed to think my shocked expression was due to understanding the gravity of the situation, but that wasn’t it. Whether it was the Qinghai Sword or anyone else…
“Wait, you should’ve just sent me to the Head’s office from the start. Why call me here first? What a hassle.”
“…”
“Ugh, the Head’s office is in the opposite direction from here… Sigh.”
Cheol Hwanho frowned deeply at my response.