Chapter 31
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Not Exactly Righteous
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Cheon-sim-dan was suddenly on his feet, glaring at Tae-seong like he wanted to kill him.
“You punk, you really hit the jackpot. I was already looking for you.”
“You were looking for me?”
“After pulling that sorcery crap to beat me that day, you think you'd just walk away unscathed?”
“Sorcery? Wasn't it just the difference in our skills?”
“Are you from the unorthodox sects?”
The word “unorthodox” made the eyebrows of the nearby Demon Dragon Academy students—who had just been watching—twitch.
“What if I said no?”
“Don't give me that bullshit! We've already looked into you! There's no such place as Hanbang Gym.”
“Hmph. So that means you had someone tail me?”
“We just found out where you live! So we could come collect our revenge later...”
A wave of irritation suddenly washed over Tae-seong.
His identity was a fake one bought from the Whispering Shadow Sect.
If this idiot somehow blew his cover, everything would go up in smoke.
He'd have to scrap the whole plan and start over from scratch.
Thankfully, it didn't seem like they'd dug that deep yet.
Tae-seong decided to steer things toward attempted assassination.
The righteous sects viewed assassinating enemies as deeply dishonorable.
It was an especially sensitive issue for the prestigious clans.
After all, they lived and died by their reputations.
“Is that so? Nothing else, like maybe trying to assassinate me?”
“W-what bullshit! Why would the son of the Overlord Sect's patriarch need to assassinate a nobody like you?”
“Yeah, we'll figure that out later.”
“Anyway, you unorthodox scum dared to deceive the Dragon Academy! Got any excuses?”
“What do you want me to do about it? If you're pissed about losing to an unorthodox guy, come at me again. This time, I'll make sure that pathetic leg of yours is completely useless.”
“...You bastard!”
Cheon-sim-dan looked around desperately for someone to back him up.
Unfortunately, no one stepped forward.
It was thanks to all the misdeeds he'd piled up over time.
On top of that, rumors were swirling about how he'd passed the sparring exam without even showing up.
But the biggest reason was that Chief Instructor Jang Man-cheol had made it crystal clear.
No matter how pissed they got, they had to keep their tempers in check today.
Amid all this, a Dragon Academy cadet shook his head at the sight of Cheon-sim-dan.
“What a thunderbolt-headed fool. Picking fights even on a day like this. Truly deplorable.”
“Tell me about it. Speaking of, who knew that guy was unorthodox?”
“Hey, don't lump us in.”
The two made sour faces as a Demon Dragon Academy guy suddenly butted in.
“What?”
“I hear that guy's unorthodox, but he took the Dragon Academy entrance exam? That true?”
“Yeah, he took our exam. Failed, of course.”
“Thanks.”
As the Demon Dragon guy walked off, the Dragon Academy cadet shook his head again.
“Never thought I'd hear 'thanks' from an unorthodox thug in my lifetime.”
“You and me both.”
Hwang Tae-seong looked at Cheon-sim-dan—who kept glancing around instead of facing him—with utter contempt.
“So, are we fighting or what?”
“Hmph, I'm holding back today because of the expulsion risk! Not because I think I'd lose to you!”
“You've already lost, so why's your tongue so long?”
“Just you wait until next time...”
“Got it. Now scram before I change my mind.”
With Cheon-sim-dan finally chased off, the cadets he'd been bullying approached Tae-seong with thanks.
“Thanks, man. Feels good to get that off my chest. Name's Sim Sa-hyeok.”
“Guess not everyone's righteous just because they're from the righteous sects. I'm Yu Si-bin.”
“I had a personal grudge with that jerk anyway. No need to thank me.”
“Reasons aside, I'm still grateful. If you ever need my help, just say the word.”
“Sorry about clocking you with that stick back then.”
“Ah!”
The mention of the stick jogged Tae-seong's memory of his face.
This was the guy from three months ago who'd gleefully whacked him with a staff during the sparring exam—until Tae-seong's dropkick sent him flying.
“Hahaha... long time no see.”
Truth be told, the second guy's impression had been so strong that he'd barely remembered the first one's face.
“Come to think of it, haven't seen that second guy who fought me lately?”
“Oh, you mean Seven Stick?”
“You know him?”
“He's from my hometown. Now that you mention it, he's been dodging you like the plague.”
“I see. If you run into him, tell him that stuff I said back then was all a joke.”
“No idea what that's about, but sure.”
After they left, Tae-seong moved elsewhere under the crowd's piercing stares.
Next, Tae-seong's group headed to the local landmark, the Heavenly Moon Tower.
They said you hadn't really visited Heavenly Fragrance if you skipped the Heavenly Moon Tower.
The tower was an eight-sided, nine-story wooden structure. The first three floors were a restaurant, the fourth a teahouse, and the upper floors all inns.
Its grandeur rivaled any modern hotel.
'Whew~ this is practically a landmark.'
Among the buildings Tae-seong had seen here, the Heavenly Moon Tower was by far the tallest.
As they tried to enter, two burly men blocked their path.
“The Dragon Academy has this place reserved right now.”
Tae-seong asked flatly,
“And?”
“What?”
“That's just something you guys decided among yourselves. What does it have to do with us?”
“How dare Imperial Palace Martial Academy trash...”
The man glared fiercely.
“Imperial Palace Martial Academy trash?”
Tae-seong's face grew icily cold.
Sa Ma-ryang and Jo Gi-myeong stepped in to calm him.
“They're telling us not to go in, right?”
“I kinda wanna check it out even more now. How about we...”
“We're going in.”
Ignoring them, Tae-seong shoved his way into the restaurant.
“You punk!”
The blockers reached for their hands, but quickly stopped.
Even a light poke could get them expelled for real.
“Damn it!”
“Let 'em go. Bunch of pups...”
Inside, over half the tables were taken by Dragon Academy cadets.
Their eyes locked onto Tae-seong, followed by Yang Cho-gun.
“Isn't that the guy with Yang's sword?”
“And who's the other one?”
“That's him—the one who fought Cheon-sim-dan on the sparring platform.”
“Why are they wearing Imperial Palace Martial Academy uniforms?”
“Beats me.”
The whispers were loud.
Tae-seong quietly sized them up.
Every one was at least first-rate.
Even Yang Cho-gun was just average among them.
The Dragon Academy was clearly a cut above the Imperial Palace Martial Academy.
Tae-seong hated to admit it, but credit where it was due.
'Hmm. If Yang Cho-gun hadn't gotten hooked on Western swordsmanship, would he be sitting with them now as a Hainan Sect member?'
The one feeling the most pressure from their stares was the unorthodox Sa Ma-ryang.
“Heh... heh.”
Thrown into the heart of enemy territory, he'd completely lost it.
“Hmph, packed house? Let's head upstairs.”
No seats on the first floor, so Tae-seong went up.
Second floor was full too.
Straight to the third, then.
Better views up there anyway.
The third floor was surprisingly quiet.
Or rather, no one else could come up because of who was already there.
It was packed with all the Dragon Academy figures Yang Cho-gun had warned about.
From the Sword Emperor's grandson to heirs of major righteous clans.
Even Yang Cho-gun seemed a bit deflated amid such luminaries.
They were thrown off too.
How dare these apparent Imperial Palace Martial Academy scrubs barge in where even their peers feared to tread?
One guy even choked on his water at the sight.
“That table over there's fine.”
Tae-seong sat by the lake view, cool as ever, and called the waiter politely.
“Order here.”
“Uh... what do we do?”
The waiter hesitated awkwardly in the tense air.
Tae-seong repeated lowly,
“I said, order here.”
The waiter's eyes squeezed shut at the sharp glare. He took the order.
“W-what can I get you?”
Tae-seong ordered what he'd planned.
“Whole chicken.”
“Yes. Anything else...?”
“Two plates each of blanched vegetables and dumplings.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
Tae-seong regretted the academy's no-alcohol rule.
As the order wrapped up, piercing stares prickled from all sides.
Every Dragon Academy cadet was glaring daggers.
Tae-seong ignored them, admiring the view.
A light mist over the lake made it feel like sitting on clouds.
“Killer view, huh? Don't you think?”
“Y-yeah.”
“The view's nice, but...”
The others clearly felt burdened by the cold eyes of these rising stars.
Tae-seong rattled on regardless.
“No wonder they say hit the Heavenly Moon Tower first when you enter the martial world. Just looking at it makes your chest swell.”
“H-ha, swell...”
“Keep your voice down a bit...”
For everyone but Tae-seong, their chests weren't swelling—they were shrinking in fear.
Tae-seong savored the tea the waiter poured, still gazing at the lake.
Then, a clamor rose from below.
More Dragon Academy cadets were coming up.
They bellowed at Tae-seong's group the moment they arrived.
“How dare you punks act like this is your turf!”
“Come quietly, or you'll regret it for real.”
They looked ready to drag them down by force, but the Sword Emperor's grandson held them back.
“Just leave them.”
“But still...”
“This isn't our Heavenly Moon Tower. We have no right to kick them out. Don't make trouble—go back down and finish eating.”
“...Fine.”
Even as peers, they couldn't defy the Sword Emperor's grandson.
As they trudged back down the stairs, they muttered at Tae-seong.
“We'll see you later.”
“Never met anyone scary who said 'see you later' first.”