Who Exactly Is This Guy?
Even within the 3rd Academy, there were a few who could not lose themselves in the festive atmosphere. Mok Simwol stood at a distance, silently watching Bukjin as he basked in the cheers of the crowd. She slowly closed her eyes. Her heart grew calm, the lingering ripples of emotion smoothing out into a still, quiet surface.
Once, Bukjin had given Mok Simwol his everything. In return, she had trampled upon him—cruelly and completely. But as of today, the debt between them was settled. Mok Simwol was a clever, pragmatic woman. For a long time, she had suffered because of Bukjin, enduring his coldness and blatant disregard. Finally, she understood.
She felt the need to escape the stagnant pond of despair, revenge, hatred, and jealousy. She needed to ride a larger current toward the rivers and the vast ocean. A great fish cannot grow in a small pond. A small pond cannot hold a dragon. Mok Simwol realized it was time for her to leave Unmong City. She resolved to put a period on the nightmare that had been her life thus far and embrace a new beginning with a broader heart.
Turning away, Mok Simwol slowly vanished into the crowd. Not far from where she had stood, Oh Sobang and Gwan Bi-do remained, their expressions vacant and devastated. They wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come. They couldn't bring themselves to join the cheering students of the 3rd Academy.
Meanwhile, Mi Yeo-yeon was surrounded by her classmates, receiving their enthusiastic praise. She turned her head to look at Bukjin, who was similarly engulfed by a throng of people. A sincere smile spread across her clear face. In the final battle, Mi Yeo-yeon had ultimately defeated Im Yeok, securing her own victory. She was, without a doubt, a member of the winning team. Mi Yeo-yeon had managed to conclude this Academic & Martial Arts Competition with a more beautiful and perfect ending than anyone else.
Time passed. The cheering crowds gradually dispersed. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, and the darkness of night began to shroud the earth. Bukjin returned to the 3rd Academy. Originally, Baek Geum-un had been rampaging, trying to drag everyone to Manseung-ru for a feast, but the teachers eventually stepped in.
"You haven't even laid hands on the winner's plaque yet. Calm down for now. It won't be too late to hold the celebration tomorrow after you receive the plaque and the official events conclude. Everyone worked hard today, so go home, rest well, and have sweet dreams."
Those were the words of Cho Heun. Bukjin wholeheartedly agreed with him. Everyone gathered at the main gate of the 3rd Academy before parting ways. Once the people left, the academy became profoundly quiet. Streetlamps powered by mystic formations illuminated the dark paths.
Bukjin let go of all his tension, walking toward Juk-won with a relaxed mind. 'It's finally over. Since Jo Pacheon was poisoned, that life-and-death contract will have to be put on hold for a bit.'
However, Bukjin wasn't in a hurry. 'That bastard, who's lower than a mongrel, is a rat in a trap anyway. Even though Bang Jin-yu died at the hands of the Demon Worshippers, the 7th Prince of the Empire is still alive and well. The bet I made with him can never be taken back.'
Bukjin believed that from the moment the competition ended, every second of Jo Pacheon's life would become a living hell. He intended to give Jo Pacheon plenty of time to savor the terror of death.
In front of the gates of Juk-won...
Master! My eternal sovereign!
A-kwang came hopping out, holding a chalkboard with those words written on it. Perhaps because he had been eating and sleeping well lately, his silver fur was practically glowing. His fur, which looked like a light dusting of snow, fluffed up every time he jumped, making him look incredibly adorable.
Cheong-cheong and Cheon-cheon emerged wearing elegant clothes and heavy makeup, looking more beautiful than ever as they greeted Bukjin. Just looking at them was enough to put one's mind at ease. Returning to Juk-won and seeing them, Bukjin felt a small warmth blooming in his heart.
Upon seeing Bukjin's return, Wang Chung dropped to his knees. After surreptitiously rubbing a bit of chili powder into his eyes to make them red and teary, he wailed at the top of his lungs.
"Master! Did you see?! Our young master has finally become the best! He won the Academic & Martial Arts Competition, crushed all his enemies, and now stands tall above all of Unmong City!"
'Dammit, that idiot!' Bukjin walked over quickly and gave Wang Chung a swift kick. 'How dare he start wailing like it's a funeral on such a glorious day!'
After being kicked by Bukjin, Wang Chung finally let out a comfortable groan and said, "As expected of the young master! I missed this pain!"
In some ways, Wang Chung's skin was even thicker than Bukjin's.
"I've kept our two beauties waiting too long." Bukjin didn't give Wang Chung a second glance. He beamed, firmly grasped the small hands of Cheong-cheong and Cheon-cheon, and led them inside Juk-won.
Suddenly, the howl of a magical beast echoed from somewhere.
"Huh?" Bukjin turned his head and noticed a doghouse that hadn't been there before, tucked away in a corner of the garden. Inside was...
"An Ice Wolf? Where did that wolf come from?" Bukjin asked, bewildered.
"Ah, Young Master, about that..." Wang Chung hurried forward to explain. "When I went out to the market this afternoon to buy ingredients for dinner, I saw an official from the Education Bureau selling trained magical beasts. Remembering that assassins had broken into Juk-won twice already, I decided to purchase one. That Ice Wolf was the most docile of the bunch. I thought it would make a good guard dog, so I bought it for thirty silver coins."
'That cheap?' Bukjin reflexively turned to inspect the Ice Wolf. For some reason, the creature looked strangely familiar.
"Ho ho, Young Master. And there's even better news. That Ice Wolf is a female. And she's pregnant. In other words, we got two for the price of one! If we train the pup from the moment it's born, it'll become a very clever magical beast." Wang Chung spoke with a sly grin.
'Hmm... A pregnant mother wolf? Quite a cost-effective choice.' Exhausted, Bukjin decided not to think about the wolf any further.
Entering the house, Bukjin saw a spread of delicacies and liquor that Wang Chung had prepared. Ever since he first tasted the alcohol of this world at the Yeollae Inn, he had grown quite fond of it. Wang Chung knew Bukjin's palate well and had prepared all his favorite dishes.
Standing to the side, A-kwang was gulping down saliva as he stared at the food on the table. Sitting down, Bukjin chuckled.
"Alright, everyone sit. There are no other guests in the house, so no need for formalities. Everyone, sit and enjoy this meal with me."
A-kwang let out a cheer, tossed his chalkboard aside, and leaped onto a chair. Cheong-cheong and Cheon-cheon sat on either side of Bukjin. Cheong-cheong poured his wine, while Cheon-cheon picked up morsels of food and fed them to him. The food smelled divine and tasted even better. Bukjin had become quite accustomed to being pampered by his two maids.
A-kwang buried his face in his bowl, eating like a man possessed. Wang Chung also enjoyed the food with a smile, and his eating speed was certainly no slower than A-kwang's.
"Young Master, Gong Gong from the city office stopped by this afternoon to deliver some news. I heard that the Pung-eo-haeng-do provincial office issued a decree. They're allowing our family manor, which had been sealed off, to be used again. And the ownership of the manor... they said it's being given to that old man, Im Jin-nam."
Wang Chung, who had been gauging Bukjin's mood, brought this up cautiously since Bukjin seemed to be in high spirits. He was worried that Bukjin might explode in a fit of rage. However, Bukjin simply downed the wine Cheon-cheon had poured for him and replied nonchalantly, as if he didn't care at all.
"Who exactly is this Im Jin-nam guy? Is he really my father's brother? If so, why is that dog-like bastard Im Yeok my cousin? Isn't the family hierarchy a bit messed up?"
The moment he finished speaking, Bukjin was startled by his own words. 'Crap. I let something slip that I should have kept to myself!' He began to worry that Wang Chung might suspect him.
But his fears were groundless. Wang Chung showed no reaction and began to explain. "Since you've never taken an interest in family affairs since you were a child, it's not strange that you wouldn't know... I'm not sure where to even begin. It's a very long story."
A rare look of distress clouded Wang Chung's face. After taking a shot of wine, he spoke with a troubled expression.
"That dog-like bastard Im Jin-nam doesn't even deserve to be called our Master's brother! He was originally just a failed minor noble from Pung-eo-haeng-do. Everything he touched turned to ruin, and no one paid him any mind. Im Jin-nam's family couldn't even be compared to our Im clan! If we were in the heavens, he was in the gutter."
"Then he's not actually a relative or someone close to us? Then how did this happen?" Bukjin's curiosity was piqued. In truth, he enjoyed hearing these petty family dramas and backstories.
Wang Chung took another drink and continued. "Originally, our Master had a stepsister. That sister married Im Jin-nam. That's the only reason they became related to the Im clan. And coincidentally, Im Jin-nam's surname was also Im, just like ours. After the marriage, the bastard even changed his name to Im Jin-nam. It's a name that makes him sound like a blood brother to our Master. Back then, the Master took great care of him for the sake of his stepsister. It was only by leaning on the prestige of our Jeon-cheon-hu family that Im Jin-nam finally began to live like a human being. Back in the day, he couldn't even lift his head in front of the Master or you; he was nothing but a sycophant. Watching him was enough to make one's eyes rot."
Listening to Wang Chung, Bukjin realized that Im Jin-nam was truly a shameless piece of work. Wang Chung went on.
"And later, when tragedy befell the Master and the Jeon-cheon-hu manor was purged, Im Jin-nam was the very first to betray the family. Instead of protecting you, he took the lead in putting you in danger. He listed twenty ridiculous 'sins' allegedly committed by the Master, reporting them to the powerful nobles to save his own skin. And now, through whatever schemes he used, he's even managed to get his hands on the Jeon-cheon-hu manor. It's truly a case of the fox playing king in the tiger's absence..."