The Vampire Incident (6)
Jungwon Martial Arts Academy had fairly strong student council authority. Most of the officers were usually children of famous prestigious families, and the factions that followed them were substantial. Even in modern Murim, the law of the strong ruling the weak had not changed much, and the cadets tended to follow the student council more than the professors to some degree. It was only natural that power would concentrate there.
“Have you seen the article?” Moyong Seong asked, hands clasped on the desk in his usual solemn posture.
“Of course. They say a body presumed to be one of the missing persons has been found, right?”
“Yes. The autopsy results are out.”
Moyong Seong folded a sheet of paper like a card and tossed it to Beatrice. She caught it naturally.
“This is exactly....” Beatrice trailed off as she opened the autopsy report.
“It resembles the legendary vampire.”
“It does. All the blood has been drained. The external injuries are severe as well, but this kind of bleeding wouldn’t occur under normal circumstances.”
“I’ve already instructed the Silent Guard Squad to reinforce the internal boundaries of the academy grounds.”
“Won’t that leave the external perimeter a little thin?” Beatrice tilted her head.
“It can’t be helped. It could be a special type that emerged from a gate. Internal control takes priority. I’ve requested support from the Iron Sword Squad for the outer boundaries. It should be fine starting tomorrow.”
The culprit was not necessarily human. Ever since the unknown threat of gates appeared, nothing was too strange to happen. A real ‘vampire’ might have shown up.
“It really is chaos. It’s the weekend and we can’t even rest. Looks like our treasurer is still busy as ever.”
“The Open Faction deserves most of the credit for discovering the body. The fact that the location isn’t far from the academy is what bothers me.”
Moyong Seong let out a low groan while examining a map of the area near the academy. Being responsible for the cadets of such a massive institution naturally came with an enormous workload. He hadn’t expected things to turn out like this from the very first week of the semester.
Chin resting on his hand, lost in thought for a moment, Moyong Seong spoke again.
“Is support from the Sword Inspection Squad impossible?”
“You already know. We’re short on manpower. Even gate support duties are barely manageable.”
“There’s a shortage of manpower everywhere you look.”
“Korea is still better off. Look at other countries. Plenty of places are practically inhuman hellscapes.”
“That’s true. Our family’s original base was also... Never mind.”
Moyong Seong, who had been about to say something, firmly shut his mouth.
Why had so many martial artists from China migrated to Korea, of all places? Leaving behind every other leading nation in the world. There was only one reason.
To reclaim their lost homeland.
For that purpose, Korea—with its land connections and excellent infrastructure for building power—was the most suitable. They had not come merely seeking support. That aspiration had not rusted even now.
The same was true for the Moyong Clan, Moyong Seong’s own family.
Beatrice leaned lightly against his desk.
“It will be possible to reclaim it someday.”
She had never heard him say it outright, but after observing him for so long, Beatrice naturally understood his long-cherished wish.
“...It must be done.”
Moyong Seong murmured in a low voice.
To purify the central plains that had become a hellscape. To once again raise high the name of the Nine Provinces. That was the true objective of the Divine State Four Families to which Moyong Seong belonged.
“How do I look?” Han Yeoreum spread her arms and showed herself off.
“It’s fine.”
“What do you mean it’s all fine?” She pouted.
I was currently being dragged around by Han Yeoreum for shopping since early that Saturday morning. She claimed she didn’t have enough clothes. My protest that there was no point owning many outfits when we only ever wore school uniforms and martial uniforms was lightly ignored.
“It’s fine, so I said it’s fine. Should I say it looks bad instead?”
“No, you’ve got more detailed thoughts than that.”
“This is the best I can manage.”
“Come on, just tell me what’s pretty about it. Would it kill you to say it?”
“You look pretty in everything.”
“Don’t be so vague about it.” Han Yeoreum gave me a prim sideways glare.
I felt wronged. I had been completely sincere just now. Setting her personality aside, her appearance was flawless—what was I supposed to say? It was a matter of taste, but anyone would agree.
“I’m being serious.”
“Really?” Even with her arms crossed and a suspicious look in her eyes, my answer was already set.
“Yeah. Is there any reason I’d lie to you of all people?”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Take it however you want.”
I let out a deep sigh and finished paying. Thanks to Cheon Hayeon throwing a huge sum my way, I still had plenty left even after making significant investments. On top of that, academy cadets received a basic dignity maintenance allowance. My bank account was more flush than it had ever been.
“Why do you only buy clothes like that?” Han Yeoreum nagged as she looked me up and down. I was wearing loose black clothes from head to toe. I’d picked some up while we were at it.
“They’re comfortable.”
“What about those?” She pointed at a men’s martial uniform made of luxurious material.
“Martial uniforms are consumables. It’s better to buy cheap ones I can use for a while and then throw away.”
“...Really? I think it would look good on you.”
“No need. You wear it.”
“Tsk, then I’m getting this one?”
“Go ahead.”
Han Yeoreum strode inside and soon picked up a single garment.
“You’re really going to wear that?” The outfit was... the more I looked at it, the more my mind went blank.
“Instructor Cheongha wore something like this too.”
“She’s a Plum Blossom Sword Master. It must be the uniform issued by Hwasan. The material and style are completely different from the start.”
What Han Yeoreum had chosen was a bold cheongsam dress. It even came as a set with a flower accessory for the hair. The white, luxurious silk cheongsam featured side slits that boldly displayed her figure from the cleavage downward.
“Not good?”
“Do whatever you want.”
When I answered while rubbing the back of my neck, Han Yeoreum happily went off to change.
“How is it?” Han Yeoreum asked, revealing her pure white thigh through the side slit.
Seeing her after she had changed in an instant...
“...It is pretty.”
I hated to admit it, but now I understood why men liked this sort of thing.
“It’s been a while since you gave such an honest reaction.” Han Yeoreum covered her mouth and smiled brightly.
“I’m always honest.”
“Sure you are.”
Han Yeoreum linked her arm with mine. The soft fullness of her chest pressed against me, which felt a little embarrassing. Paying a sum in the millions at once stung a bit, but she looked so happy that it was hard to refuse outright. I have a lot of money. Thanks to Cheon Hayeon. I planned to become even richer going forward. I already had some stocks I’d begun buying on installment. Even if the future changed because of my actions and a few of them tanked, it wouldn’t matter. As long as one or two survived, doubling the money would be easy.
Above all, it looked pretty once I put it on her. That was enough.
“Ah, I’m hungry.”
“Are you hungry all the time?”
“My growth period must not be over yet.”
“Bullshit.”
“Have you seen such a pretty puppy before?”
“A bit.”
A woman who knew her own beauty well and weaponized it was incredibly annoying. I barely held back the urge to give her a knuckle to the head.
“Let’s go there.”
In the end I was dragged by Han Yeoreum’s hand into a restaurant.
“Looks like it’s a big mess.” Han Yeoreum, munching on her food, spoke while watching the TV.
“Yeah, it is.”
Just as the autopsy report in the file had stated, the newly discovered body had also been completely drained of blood.
“Was there a vampire among the monsters?” Han Yeoreum tilted her head.
“There was no ‘race’ called vampires.” It was the Blood Sect fanatics—fellow humans—who had gone around committing such acts.
When I looked up from my phone, Han Yeoreum was staring at me.
“Who is it?” Her eyes were clearly full of suspicion.
“Cheon Hayeon.”
“You even chat privately with her?”
“We’re friends.”
“...I see. You two must have gotten pretty close already.”
“Jealous?”
“N-no, not at all...! It’s not like I care.” Han Yeoreum whipped her head away and pursed her lips.
When she denied it that strongly, it was practically the same as admitting it. I felt the urge to snap a picture of her current face and show it to her. Forcing down the smile tugging at my lips, I put on a serious expression.
“There’s something I need to take care of. I’ll tell you later.”
“What is it?”
“Later.”
I lightly wiped the cream from the corner of her mouth as I spoke.
Han Yeoreum fidgeted with her lips for a moment before finally letting out a deep sigh.
“...Fine. I’ll trust you.”
“Good. Trust your big brother here.”
“Big brother my ass.”
“But I am your big brother.”
“It gives me goosebumps, so stop.”
Tap. Han Yeoreum lightly smacked the back of my hand.
The first time she had called me big brother was right after we met. It had only lasted a single month. After that it became Kim Mu, Mr. Kim, Mugong, Gong-i—she used every nickname under the sun, and lately it seemed to have settled on plain Kim Mugong or just “you.” Of course she would occasionally call me that when she felt sorry, but if I counted over the whole year, it barely added up to a handful of times.
“Besides, we’re the same age now, aren’t we? Mr. Kim Mugong, exactly how old are you?”
“Hey, you can’t do math like that. Who are you trying to put on the same level?”
“Whatever. Let’s just get up.”
I let out a hollow laugh at her unreasonable logic and slung the shopping bag full of clothes over my shoulder.
“Are we going to a cafe?”
“I want to go somewhere that isn’t a regular cafe.”
“Where?”
“There’s a place I saw earlier. Come on.”
Han Yeoreum strode ahead confidently. We left the shopping mall and entered a building right in the middle of the main street.
“Is this the right spot?”
“Yeah. It is.”
She answered nonchalantly.
“Wouldn’t a movie theater be better?”
“Too many people. I’ve been curious about this place for a while.”
“I have no idea what you’re thinking.”
“Just trust me.”
The place Han Yeoreum confidently grabbed my hand and led me into was indeed a cafe. It just had the word “room” attached to it.