Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Spring at Eight Years Old (2)
Gangbyeon Elementary School.
It's the largest elementary school in Yangpyeong. There are two classes per grade, so adding all the grades up to sixth makes twelve classes total. Each class has about 20 students, and the total number of students in the school is just over 240.
Compared to the Seoul elementary schools I'd seen on the news or in newspapers, it was a modest size.
The building was two stories, and the playground surrounded by trees was fairly spacious.
There was a separate auditorium next to the classroom building, and the new students headed there holding their parents' hands tightly.
I was also holding my mother's hand.
'Is this just a slightly bigger kindergarten?'
That was my first impression. Seeing the children with excited expressions holding their parents' hands made me sigh inwardly.
Most of them had dressed up specially for the entrance ceremony, which made me feel shabby.
'What are they wearing on their heads?'
I could see ribbons covering half their heads.
'Isn't that dizzying?'
All the bright colors in South Korea seemed to have gathered here. The shoe colors were diverse, and there were even princess outfits that their small bodies could barely pull off.
'Are they even human?'
The boys seemed to want to look like celebrities with their hair shining with grease, and some wore pants that were too tight on their bodies.
"Uram, you can't hit other kids."
I was sighing at the sight of these clumsily dressed-up children when my mother whispered in my ear.
"I won't hit them."
Of course, I won't hit them. They're kids whose eardrums would burst and kill them if I just yelled. But there's no need to explain that in detail to my mother.
"Don't worry."
"That's right, my son is kind."
I'm not kind. Of course, there's no need to mention that either.
'Let's be careful today.'
I'm in a bad mood. Coming to school isn't great, and what makes me even more annoyed is that the Witch is the only one who got out. I was at least consoled by the fact that I'd be going to hell with my enemy, but at the last minute, the enemy escaped and I fell in alone.
"Uram, come here."
The entrance ceremony was held in the auditorium and ended simply with the mothers watching. After that, the parents accompanied us to the classroom. First Grade, Class 1.
I'm wearing new clothes my mother prepared two weeks ago, and around my neck hangs a name tag with my name written in large letters.
The other 20 students weren't any different in atmosphere. But to my eyes, they all just looked like little kids.
The desks were for individual use, but they were arranged in pairs of two, naturally having someone sit next to you. I sat at the very back.
Due to my training, I was more muscular and taller than the other children.
"He looks about third grade. Did he start late?"
I could hear other parents talking.
"My child is just growing fast."
"Oh my, he even has muscles. You must be having him exercise."
"He likes to exercise."
My mother kindly explained about me.
'Martial arts are different from exercise.'
I wanted to say that, but I just ignored it. It's hell anyway, so it can't get any worse.
"Hello."
A girl with a lisping voice sat next to me. She had her hair in pigtails and wore a red dress.
Since it was the entrance ceremony, she was dressed up quite stylishly.
I was about to ignore her when a stinging gaze touched the back of my head.
It must be my mother's gaze. I made an effort to smile and accepted the greeting.
"Yeah, hello."
I wanted to wave my hand too, but I absolutely couldn't do that. I just gave up. Fortunately, the front door of the classroom opened and a young woman entered.
The homeroom teacher. I don't know her exact age, but she looked to be in her mid-20s by appearance.
She was about 160 cm tall, wore a neat suit, had bobbed hair, and had cute dimples.
The homeroom teacher took a breath and walked quickly to stand in front of the children.
'A rookie.'
Her nervousness was visible.
"Hello, everyone."
As expected, the homeroom teacher greeted us in an excited tone. Her name was Kim Yang-soon. It wasn't a name that matched her appearance.
Throughout her introduction, her timid and worrying personality was revealed.
'Hmm?'
I was looking at the homeroom teacher pathetically when I discovered something strange.
'Was she putting on an act?'
Her upright posture had no disorder. Her voice and expression were trembling, but her body was different. A person's mind is revealed in both words and actions.
'Is she trying to look kind?'
Weak people look kind. I don't agree with this, but most people think that way. Right now, the homeroom teacher is outwardly trying to be considerate of the students and please the parents.
'To think teachers have to go this far in this world.'
In the martial world, a master is like a parent. But not here. If a teacher shows a weakness, the students immediately disrespect them as if they'd been waiting for it.
Teachers don't sacrifice everything to teach, and students don't risk their lives to learn.
The meaning of the teacher-student relationship is different from the martial world. So it doesn't feel very close-knit either. This is the landscape of this society, so I accept it. I'm now a member of this society too.
'I can fix it the way I want later.'
It will eventually be a world I'll possess. I can fix it however I want to fix it then. For now, I'll leave it be.
"Then, you can go home today, and don't be late tomorrow."
That's how the first day ended. I was thinking that school really doesn't suit me when my mother asked,
"Son, shall we go eat something delicious?"
My mother was a bit more excited than usual.
"Are you happy that I started school?"
"Yes. I'm so happy. Actually, I was the latest among my friends. I was very envious when they talked about their children's school stories."
I should attend a bit longer. I can't shatter my mother's dream right now.
"Son, what do you want to eat?"
"The food you make is the most delicious, Mother."
"Aww, my son."
My mother was pleased even though I only stated the truth.
"Then shall we call Dad too and make dumplings after a long time?"
"Sounds good."
This isn't what I like, but what my mother likes. She likes it best when the whole family sits around making dumplings.
Recently, I haven't been able to do it together because I was training, so I decided to go along with it just for today.
From school to home is a 15-minute car ride driven by my mother.
If you leave the city center and drive along the quiet riverside road, there's a road leading toward the mountain, and our house is at the end of it.
After arriving home, we spread vinyl on the wooden floor as planned and started making dumplings on top of it.
Even the Witch who had been in the lab arrived, and as the family event began, my father asked me first.
"How was school?"
"Childish."
"What about your friends?"
"Even more childish."
"What about your teacher?"
"Seems like there's a lot she needs to learn."
"I'm glad she seems like an excellent teacher."
"It's not that I have things to learn, but that the teacher has a lot to learn. She's a total rookie."
My father just laughed at my words. My mother also looked at me as if I was cute. Even when I talk like an old man, my parents' expressions remain the same.
That's why I can speak more comfortably. I just gave up and focused on the dumplings.
When the long dumpling-making session ended, my mother prepared the steamer. But the Witch spoke more seriously than usual.
"Come out for a moment."
When we went out to the lawn-covered yard, the Witch suddenly spoke as if ordering me.
"Don't make it obvious at school."
Her cold tone got on my nerves.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't make it obvious that you're reincarnated. Can't you understand?"
It made me laugh. On the other hand, my heart sank low.
"Are you ordering me around right now?"
My tone changed too. Without realizing it, the Heavenly Demon's tone came out instead of an eight-year-old kid's.
"What's wrong?"
The Witch also reacted to my tone, and her voice became even colder.
"I need to fix your manners."
"Have you ever beaten me even once?"
If it's a provocation, I welcome it.
I faced the Witch head-on.
But the front door opened and my father came outside.
It was to throw away the vinyl and paper prepared for making dumplings.
With my father's appearance, I calmed down my excited mind for now. The Witch also changed her gaze and turned her body. However, she didn't forget one last word.
"Remember. Don't make it obvious."
I want to shut that mouth, but my father is looking at us with a smile. I also had no choice but to smile back.
***
The day after elementary school entrance. I attended something called class.
That day, I saw a textbook for the first time and fell into a deflated state of mind.
My mother packed them for me so I brought them, but I felt skeptical after seeing the contents.
Four integrated textbooks and math, math workbook, Korean language, Korean language activities.
Elementary school definitely has more systematic subjects compared to kindergarten.
So it's systematically tormenting.
Martial arts isn't simply about moving your body. You understand and apply internal energy formulas.
Training requires imagination, concentration, and stamina, and martial world life is based on all etiquette and morality.
Of course, after becoming the Heavenly Demon, I ignored all that, but I didn't forget the theory.
'Because it's the best for picking fights.'
There was a time when I picked fights and fought any way I could. For that, knowledge was essential.
Anyway, no matter how much I skimmed through the books, there was nothing for me to study.
'I should probably quit.'
Both literary and martial prowess. I like that phrase too.
I don't plan to devote my life to scholarship, but I should know enough to befit an absolute being. That's the basics if I'm going to rule this world. But there's nothing to learn here.
Enduring 40 minutes of the first period was torture.
'Should I have gone to middle school or high school instead?'
There might be things to learn there.
"Okay, okay. Today we're going to draw our families."
Break time ended and it was already the second period.
It was art time.
The children had already taken out their supplies and placed them on their desks. I also took out something similar to what the other kids had from the bag my mother packed. Crayons. A sketchbook. On the cover of the sketchbook was a brightly smiling bear drawn.
"Try drawing your family and your home."
"Yes!"
The children took out their neatly arranged crayons one by one and began to draw diligently. Their expressions were no less than any artist's.
"Aren't you drawing?"
The girl with pigtails sitting next to me asked.
I wasn't answering when the homeroom teacher approached. In first grade, the homeroom teacher is in charge of art time.
"Are you sick? Why aren't you drawing?"
The first period proceeded with school life, precautions, and the homeroom teacher's introduction, so I just listened quietly. But the second period required doing something.
I had no choice but to open the sketchbook. The homeroom teacher only looked at the other children after seeing me pick up a crayon.
'Drawing, huh.'
Memories of my past life came to mind.
The day before subjugating the Zhuge Family, I met the head of the Zhuge Family alone. He was skilled in formations and calligraphy.
The rumors about him were so great that I wanted to meet him in person. If he was such a person, I wanted to bring him to my side rather than kill him.
-If you surrender, I won't touch your family.
In response to my proposal, the head of the Zhuge Family presented a drawing. It was a picture of a wolf confronting a tiger.
The wolf was battered. Blood flowed from its entire body, and its body and legs were full of gaping wounds. The head drew those wounds vividly.
-This is my will.
Though battered, only the wolf's eyes were dignified. He conveyed his intention to fight to the end quite romantically.
I drew a picture in response the same way. I dipped my sword tip in ink and drew the picture in one stroke. Where the sword passed, an ascending dragon remained.
Though I drew with a sword, the paper wasn't cut at all. The dragon is the sky. Everything under the sky, I drew as mist. To the dragon's eyes, tigers and wolves are the same insignificant creatures.
Receiving my intent, the head sent all his family members away and resisted to the end all alone. I cut off his neck with the sword that had been dipped in ink.
"Oh my!"
Memories of the past were broken by the homeroom teacher's surprised exclamation.
"You, how did you draw such a picture......"
Only then did I realize that I had drawn a dragon in the sketchbook. The dragon in the sketchbook had ascended to the sky and was looking down proudly.