Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 125
>Chapter Title: Club Activities (3)
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Evening after the exam ended. One of the halls in the Demonic Path Hall.
In accordance with Il-mok's Demonic Path Academy reform proposal, in that place now called the [Infirmary], Il-mok was having a consultation with Physician Seo Jae-pil.
"Your demonic art went berserk?"
At Physician Seo Jae-pil's question, Il-mok nodded with a reluctant expression.
'Somehow, he looks like he's enjoying this?'
Some people were on the verge of dying from seriousness, while others looked at him like a lab rat.
"Could you tell me the details?"
Amid the discomfort, at Physician Seo Jae-pil's question, Il-mok let out a sigh.
'Even if the physician changes later, for now, there's no choice.'
With no immediate replacement, Il-mok gave up and opened his mouth.
The incident where he faced a joint assault from Dokgo Pae, Kwak Sul, Choi Ung, and Seong-hwan Mun-gyu. All five of them.
And right after dirt splattered on his body and clothes, the berserk episode.
"Thankfully, at the very end, I forcibly suppressed the demonic art, so no major accident occurred."
It had been truly dangerous.
The Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword had swung the blade eagerly targeting the necks, hearts, or vital points of those five in pursuit of a 'perfect sword path.'
Thanks to regaining control of his body at the last moment, he barely twisted the sword to strike them with the flat of the blade.
"Indeed... Taking the disinfectant alcohol to wash hands before touching the Lord of Demonic Arts, and on top of the obsession with perfect swordsmanship, it seems Young Master has quite a strong obsession with hygiene as well."
Separate from the lab-rat gaze, Physician Seo Jae-pil earnestly responded to the consultation, diligently moving his hands to record everything from the session with Il-mok.
On top of that.
"It's not exactly the same side effect as Young Master Il-mok, but in the case of a previous patient I consulted with, gradually exposing them to situations they disliked little by little made them adept at managing the side effects."
He even immediately shared his own treatment approach.
"Could you extend your left hand forward for a moment?"
At Physician Seo Jae-pil's instruction, Il-mok extended his hand, and Seo Jae-pil dipped his brush in ink and dropped a drop onto the back of Il-mok's hand.
"!!!"
Il-mok startled and glared at Physician Seo Jae-pil, who asked with a relaxed expression.
"Do you feel like you're about to go berserk right now?"
"...I want to wash it off immediately, but it's not enough to lose my mind."
"Then, for today, try enduring it while counting to ten."
At his instruction, Il-mok turned his head away, gritted his teeth, and tried to suppress the obsessive symptoms while ignoring the ink on his hand.
"Eight. Nine. Ten."
And as soon as Physician Seo Jae-pil finished counting to ten, Il-mok sprang up, poured water on his hand to wash off the ink, and even added alcohol for disinfection.
"You did very well. This tea has been confirmed to have a calming effect on body and mind. For now, sip this tea little by little."
"Hoo."
Letting out a deep sigh, Il-mok took a sip of the tea offered by Physician Seo Jae-pil and repeated deep breaths to settle the demonic art that kept trying to surge up.
As Il-mok's breathing seemed to stabilize a bit, Physician Seo opened his mouth again.
"When did the side effects become severe?"
The consultation continued for quite a while.
'...Well, a physician is a physician after all.'
Il-mok hadn't trusted him, believing he was mad about medicine alone, but conversely, in terms of medicine or consultation, he felt trustworthy.
He couldn't be sure of the effect of that treatment just now, but at least venting about the side effects had eased the stuffiness in his mind a little.
'As expected, the Demonic Path Academy needed a physician.'
Il-mok himself was proof of that.
His achievements had risen steeply in the half-year since entering the academy, worsening the side effects.
If he could have gone back and forth to the Serenity Garden like when he was at the main mountain, he probably wouldn't have reached this state.
Of course, excluding his medical skills, Il-mok still didn't fully trust Physician Seo.
While Il-mok looked at Seo Jae-pil with subtle eyes, he finished organizing the consultation content and lifted his head to look at Il-mok again.
"By the way, I happened to hear you founded a meditation club. Given Young Master's symptoms, it seems like it could greatly help manage the side effects. However, are you alright with that?"
It was a somewhat out-of-the-blue question, but Il-mok easily grasped the intent.
"The instructor in charge?"
"Yes. According to the Lord of Demonic Arts, the newly appointed instructor is highly likely connected to the faction targeting Young Master."
At Seo Jae-pil's point, Il-mok nodded.
It was a problem he was aware of.
"There were two main reasons. One, as Physician Seo said, to manage the side effects."
For others, maybe not, but with a physician like Seo Jae-pil, Il-mok thought it might be okay to reveal half his true feelings.
Telling such inner thoughts to those demonic art-obsessed cultist old fogeys would only earn insane remarks about weak willpower or insufficient faith, but Physician Seo Jae-pil was an exception.
Of course, his true intentions were a bit different.
'Even without side effects, the club would still be the meditation club.'
Separate from the side effects, Il-mok preferred doing nothing and resting above all.
"And the second reason was to make myself the bait. As the old saying goes, keep friends close, enemies closer."
"......"
At Il-mok's words, Physician Seo Jae-pil showed a startled expression.
'Is this something to be so surprised about? Could it be... because his lab subject is in danger?'
Il-mok viewed Seo Jae-pil as a mad scientist, but the words that came from Seo Jae-pil's mouth deviated slightly from his expectation.
"Keep friends close, enemies closer? Was there such an old saying? I haven't heard of it either. To know words even I don't know. As expected, you're incredibly erudite."
"...Ahem. Uh, it was something I picked up somewhere."
Clearing his throat, Il-mok managed his expression.
'Damn. Wasn't it an Eastern proverb?'
He had almost aroused strange suspicions or looked like a madman.
While Il-mok thought he should be more careful with his words from now on, Physician Seo Jae-pil quickly returned to a worried expression and spoke.
"I understand Young Master's intent, but isn't it dangerous?"
"Considering the events so far, they won't move easily. After all, those guys are moving in a way that avoids leaving evidence as much as possible."
"You're saying they won't target Young Master in situations that could arouse suspicion?"
"Yes. If misfortune befalls me during club activities, the instructor in charge would be the prime suspect, right? Plus, I have three witnesses lined up, so it should be reasonably safe."
Naturally, those three witnesses were Choi Ung, Seong-hwan, and Mun-gyu.
They were pulled in to meet the numbers for founding the club, but even if he could have started it solo, Il-mok planned to bring those three.
"To have thought that far ahead is fortunate at least. However, if they can't come up with a plan, there's a risk they'll go for a gamble."
"...I know."
"And yet you're volunteering for this dangerous bait role?"
"Hoo."
Il-mok sighed.
Given his safety-oriented nature, his original self would never choose such a bait role.
"This is also because of this guy."
Saying that, Il-mok pointed to his own head with his right index finger.
There might be someone in the Demonic Path Academy trying to kill him.
The thought had circled his mind relentlessly right after returning to the academy. He was so anxious he could barely do anything properly.
Thus, after heated debate with his side effects, he came up with the idea of becoming bait himself.
He couldn't cope with unpredictable misfortune, but monitoring a suspected enemy up close would allow at least some countermeasures.
Seeing Il-mok call his own head 'this guy' while pointing at it, Seo Jae-pil's eyes gleamed as he picked up his brush again.
"Could you tell me more details? As expected, Young Master is an excellent experimental subject. No, you're someone who gives me medical inspiration."
"......"
Il-mok was convinced.
'This bastard. He's not worried about me; he's just sad his lab sample might disappear.'
* * *
While Il-mok was spending time in the infirmary for a while.
In the Demonic Path Academy's deputy branch leader's hall, a meeting was underway with the new instructor, Ma Do-young.
Under the pretext of handing over the martial arts training that Deputy Branch Leader Yu-geuk had conducted for about twenty days in place of Chu Il-hwan, and information on the cadets Ma Do-young would take over.
They were exchanging frank conversation.
"Lay low for a while?"
"That was his will. Due to successive failures, there's a risk of being caught by the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons."
At the new instructor Ma Do-young's answer, Yu-geuk frowned.
"Then, it means just leave the young master alone until he safely graduates from the Demonic Path Academy?"
At Yu-geuk's question, Ma Do-young made a subtle expression.
"You mustn't misconstrue his will. 'Lay low for a while' means exactly that. At least wait until the Supreme One's surveillance lightens."
"The young master's graduation is now only a year and a half away. If surveillance remains tight until then?"
"Then there's no choice."
Seeing Ma Do-young answer nonchalantly as if it were nothing, Yu-geuk's lip curled up on one side.
"If that's the case, neither you nor I will have achievements. Now stuck in this tiresome Demonic Path Academy, it seems you won't climb up either?"
At Yu-geuk's point, Ma Do-young smiled faintly and replied.
"Now that I've entered the Demonic Path Academy, with the Supreme One's tight surveillance, it's impossible to communicate further with him. And in wartime situations, when communication with superiors is impossible or in emergencies, proposing preemptive actions first is basic among basics, isn't it?"
Yu-geuk, looking intrigued, now had both corners of his mouth slightly upturned.
"Proposing preemptive actions."
"Wasn't chasing out Instructor Chu done without reporting?"
With no intent to deny through wordplay, Yu-geuk nodded refreshingly.
"So, do you have a plan in mind?"
"Not right now, but one thing is certain. We must seize an opportunity that leaves absolutely no evidence. In that sense, I've secured quite a favorable position. Deputy Branch Leader."
"...Becoming the youngest young master's club advisor?"
"Yes."
At Ma Do-young's confident answer, Yu-geuk nodded and replied.
"Good. Watch carefully and find the opportunity."
* * *
The next day.
After the customary post-exam meetings and training with instructors ended.
Il-mok headed not to the usual clearing, but to a certain hall.
Together with Choi Ung, Seong-hwan, and Mun-gyu.
The place they headed to with those three, looking like they were being dragged to a slaughterhouse, was the club room.
"Please take good care of us, Instructor!"
Unlike the three, Il-mok, with a face full of pure bliss, greeted the instructor and sat down, closing his eyes.
"Suuuup. Hooo."
At Il-mok's attitude of repeatedly taking deep breaths in and out, the three, who had been awkward, soon followed suit, sitting down and entering meditation.
Ma Do-young almost let out a hollow laugh at Il-mok's sight of just closing his eyes and breathing deeply, not even doing Qi Circulation and Breath Adjustment.
'Too defenseless.'
He felt pathetic toward those who had repeatedly failed to kill such a defenseless guy.
'Right now, I could end it with a single swing of the hand.'
Regret naturally arose. If only those ragtag guys weren't with him.
If only there wasn't the condition of leaving no evidence, it was a mission that could be finished instantly.
'Kill? Or not?'
With the prey defenseless right in front of him, Ma Do-young kept feeling the urge to kill.
Meanwhile.
"Snore. Zzzz."
Seeing Il-mok start snoring outright, veins bulged red on Ma Do-young's forehead.
'Damn it! Right now, I could kill him just by casually flicking my finger!!'
Staring at the defenseless prey kept stirring him; he felt like heart demons would come.
On the other hand.
'Shit.'
'Why drag us to a place like this.'
'Please have some awareness, Young Master Il-mok!!'
Seeing Il-mok blatantly dozing off in front of the instructor and the instructor glaring at Il-mok with bulging veins on his forehead, the three's mouths went dry.