Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Teachings for the Disciple (2)
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***
On a tree facing the Lord Howe Academy first-year boys' dormitory.
The crow beastkin Corbus, who had come to find her disciple, was feeling downcast.
—Who's Corbus? Who's that?
—Never heard the name before.
Like any beastkin trying to blend into society, she was used to the suspicion from humans.
—Hey, found the knight. The one who fought the Nigerian rebels... a beastkin?
—A beastkin? A beastkin as a teacher?
—Even so, a beastkin is a bit...
But being used to it didn't make it any less painful. Just like how a stab to a scar still hurt.
—She won't eat the students, right?
—The academy would have checked that much. Obviously a civilized beastkin.
—Who knows...
Just as the students' suspicions were deepening, she drew up her mana to block her ears.
If it was prejudice-based suspicion, she could at least argue back, but she couldn't. All the suspicions coming from the students' mouths were based on facts.
In the silence she had created herself, she recalled the past.
The memory of when her kin—more precisely, her furred relatives—had crossed through the Earth's dimensional gate.
To the beastkin of the great plains, who had lived considering all humans except superhumans and mages as delicacies, Earth looked like a land of opportunity.
A land full of eye-catching sights, spices, and delectable humans.
But the fools who had lived their whole lives nurturing only their wild nature didn't realize.
That not only the human kingdoms of the North, but even the elves and dwarves had been trampled under Earth's military boots.
So... they ate them.
They leaped into the crowd of Earthlings gathered beyond the dimensional gate to welcome them, chewing, tearing, and tasting.
Unaware that the scene was being broadcast worldwide, they roared and reveled.
Her foolish kin didn't understand what aftermath their actions would bring.
What did it matter if Earth's non-human equality movement collapsed or the UN human rights agreement fell apart?
They had just eaten a few humans, nothing new.
But the Earthlings thought differently.
Earth's electorate weren't the nobles beyond the dimensional gate who wouldn't care if a few natives or serfs were eaten.
—The only thing beasts who commit cannibalism deserve is extermination.
They sent their armies to burn the beastkins' plains.
The black muzzles of machine guns spewing hundreds of bullets per minute, the engine roars of tanks crushing the plains, the smell of shells falling over holy sites.
Countless kin who believed themselves to be wild predators... no, fools... died.
Beastkin who could wield mana performed military miracles, but it was far too insufficient to affect the war.
Only then did the quick-witted beastkin prostrate themselves before the Earthlings.
The feathered kin who hadn't eaten humans, or the scaled kin, could be forgiven.
Even if it meant being driven from their homeland or forced into labor in protected zones, it was better than the furred kin.
The furred relatives who had directly committed cannibalism were not forgiven...
—Hey! Found out Cheon Yeomyeong's first choice!
At that moment, when Corbus was lost in the past with her ears blocked.
—Those avoiding Cheon Yeomyeong for their applications, gather here!
A booming voice pierced through to her ears.
Whether it pulled her suddenly from the past or not, Corbus found herself listening to the voice without realizing it.
Cheon Yeomyeong—that was the name of the human who would soon become her disciple.
***
—Anyone know a superhuman named Corbus?
Wesley's voice, filled with mana.
Yeomyeong swallowed a hollow laugh at the voice piercing through the door.
"...Is that why you asked?"
He had come out of nowhere asking about first choices, and it turned out he was just spreading the word around?
While Yeomyeong shook his head, Baonic, who was beside him, chimed in.
"From their perspective, it's pretty important info. If choices overlap, one spot's definitely gone."
Even though it wasn't in the original novel's story, Baonic could tell how fiercely the students were playing the observation game.
To receive direct training from major NPCs who only appeared later in the story.
If not for Yeomyeong's orders, Baonic would have been racking his brain over who to apply to as well.
'If possible, I'd want training from Corbus or Michele too...'
Baonic thought while neatly folding his special class application.
She gives me weird orders, but goes herself to get trained by an NPC like Corbus.
It made his stomach twist with injustice and resentment. Strictly inside, of course.
He didn't have the guts to voice complaints.
To Yeomyeong, Baonic was nothing but a merciless master who could snap his neck anytime.
Better to vent complaints much later, at least after becoming a useful dog.
While gauging Yeomyeong's mood with such thoughts, Baonic suddenly recalled info that might score points.
"Um..."
"What."
"About that, the chapter 1 boss... hasn't been caught yet, right?"
It was a sudden question, but Yeomyeong immediately knew who Baonic meant by 'chapter 1 boss.'
The priest from the 'Cult' leading this academy terror.
According to the notebook's story, he should have died by the 'protagonist's' hand in the shelter, but he hadn't shown up during the actual terror.
"...Hasn't been caught. Considering his ability, probably won't be in the future either."
The ability Yeomyeong mentioned was tied to the boss's true title.
Leather(??) Priest.
A grotesque title for his bizarre transformation art of peeling off others' skin and wearing it inside out.
"I just... thought of a way to find that guy."
"...A way to find him?"
Yeomyeong raised an eyebrow as he asked back.
Because of wearing a living person's skin, identifying the Leather Priest by appearance alone was nearly impossible.
Even Yeomyeong had given up tracking him, so no need to say more.
If they did a blood test or the priest revealed his mana himself, maybe... but that wasn't simple.
"Not a great method, but... enough to find him if needed."
Hearing Baonic's proposal, Yeomyeong crossed his arms as if to say, go on.
Seizing the moment, he laid it out.
"Truth is, his transformation isn't perfect. Can't hide his unique mana signature, even if appearance changes."
It was repeating what was in the notebook, but Yeomyeong decided to give him a moment.
If it deviated from the notebook at all, he'd grab his neck right then.
Unaware of Yeomyeong's inner thoughts, Baonic continued enthusiastically.
"He knows that, so he's probably transformed into a regular human who can't use mana, right?"
"...So?"
"Here's the key. Ever heard 'beastkin know beastkin'?"
"..."
"It's not a myth. Beastkin share a unique pheromone? Sense? Only among ourselves. And the Leather Priest... he's a wolf beastkin."
Only after hearing that did Yeomyeong realize Baonic's method.
"Normally, no beastkin in the academy... but conveniently, one's here now."
"Right, Corbus."
The crow beastkin who came to the academy to become a special instructor.
Thinking of her, who would soon be his master, Yeomyeong pondered briefly.
Chapter 1 boss, Leather Priest.
Not much gain from killing him—just a few magic tools he carried, probably.
But letting him roam free in the academy was a problem.
No guarantee he wouldn't cause a second or third terror, and above all, he was the one who targeted the Saintess.
'Not jumping in to kill him myself... but I should at least ask Corbus.'
Tell me immediately if you sense beastkin aura from a regular person.
Not a hard request, and a good deal for Corbus, who wanted to repay the Saintess's favor.
As Yeomyeong thought that.
Someone tapping on the dormitory window broke his reverie.
Tap, tap, tap!
Turning his head, he saw a massive crow pecking at the window. A very familiar one.
'...Can't beat this guy.'
Regardless of Baonic's shocked glances between him and the crow, Yeomyeong stood up.
***
"I didn't realize, but my disciple is incredibly famous."
As soon as they came out to the bench in front of the dormitory, Corbus said that.
Yeomyeong looked at the crow's face, wondering if it was sarcasm, then was at a loss for words.
Contrary to his expectation, Corbus was genuinely impressed.
Yeomyeong sighed in response.
"...Famous? Nah, it's not like that."
"Ahem, excessive humility is no different from arrogance."
Clacking her beak, Corbus continued in a voice tinged with amusement.
"If you'd seen it yourself, you wouldn't be so humble."
"...Seen what?"
"When it was announced you'd be my disciple, countless students wrote applications to take me as their master! Even though I'm a beastkin!"
He couldn't tell which part excited her, but her voice almost sounded like singing.
Seeing her more thrilled than imagined, Yeomyeong couldn't help but comment.
"...Don't tell me you've been eavesdropping on the boys' dorm since dawn?"
"Eavesdropping? How can I help what I hear? Night whispers are heard by rats, daytime ones by birds."
"..."
"Ahem, don't make that face. That was my attempt at Earth-style humor."
Two coughs, one brief silence.
Only when the morning sunlight cast shadows over the dormitory did Corbus begin the serious talk.
"How's the murderous intent since that day? Felt the urge to kill anyone again?"
"...No issues so far."
"Hmm... truly strange. Such strong killing intent that rattles the mind shouldn't end so simply."
Corbus eyed Yeomyeong up and down suspiciously.
A natural reaction. She didn't know what he'd done in his trance.
Yeomyeong hadn't told her about beating down the killing intent in Soemiri's form, or freeing the spirit of the demon Pasun...
He just claimed he remembered nothing.
Corbus didn't seem fully convinced but didn't press further.
It was true—after waking from the trance, Yeomyeong's killing intent had vanished completely. At least on the surface.
"If it stirs again, tell me. I'll definitely treat you."
"Then next time, something other than ice pick, please."
At the mention of the ice pick, Corbus burst into laughter.
"How about you shoot the ice pick yourself next time?"
"..."
"Want to learn magic?"
A sudden proposal. Question marks floated over Yeomyeong's golden eyes, then vanished.
After a short silence, he met the crow's black eyes straight on and replied.
"Do I look like someone avoiding it because I don't want to use it?"
Half-sarcastic words slipped from Yeomyeong's mouth, but Corbus tilted her beak in a smile.
"Ever tried learning magic?"
"..."
No.
Unlike martial arts he could mimic just by watching, magic couldn't be copied even reading mana flows.
But it wasn't just because he couldn't mimic it.
He couldn't put it into words, but it was an instinct-like certainty. That he couldn't use magic.
Corbus seemed to think differently, though.
"Such precise mana sensitivity to read a mage's chant, talent to learn martial arts with a glance. I believe you can master magic."
Embarrassing praise, but Yeomyeong shook his head.
"...Not about talent. Even a whale swims well but can't fly."
"That's true too. But you won't know unless you try."
Corbus gave a subtle look. The atmosphere said refusing was pointless, so Yeomyeong nodded vaguely.
"...If you insist, I'll try once during special class."
Only after giving the answer she wanted could Yeomyeong change topics.
To the martial art Corbus developed independently, Black Wing Style, and the Leather Priest.
That was what he wanted to discuss right away...
"Corbus, about the essence of Black Wing Style you told me last time, I have questions—"
As he brought up Black Wing Style.
Corbus's gaze shifted toward the far side of the dormitory.
Precisely, to the path down the hill leading to the dormitory.
Yeomyeong didn't ask why she suddenly looked there.
Like Corbus, his senses had detected two manas striding toward the dormitory.
Far side of the dormitory, on the sunlit path, the Saintess in her pure white priestess robes walked side by side with a sturdy old woman.
'...Saintess?'
Looking closer, they weren't walking together.
The Saintess, gripped by the sturdy grandmother, was being dragged along with a desperate expression.
'Felt like I saw something similar in Manchuria...'
Feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, Yeomyeong sighed. Without anyone telling him, he felt near-certain.
'The Saintess... blabbed again.'
What nonsense had she spouted this time? Surely not about getting her butt spanked?
Rubbing his throbbing temple, Yeomyeong stood.
As he moved toward the Saintess... Corbus's talon grabbed his uniform jacket.
"...Disciple, where are you going?"
Instead of answering, Yeomyeong nodded toward the Saintess.
The crow looked between the Saintess and him, then said gravely.
"The one dragging the Saintess now is Hoana Tuley. Are you prepared?"
"...Prepared?"
"Prepared to overcome the trials of love!"
Only then did Yeomyeong recall this crow was mad about the Saintess too.
Swallowing the curse rising to his throat, he shrugged off the jacket caught in the talon.
Corbus tried to say more, but Yeomyeong spoke a bit faster this time.
"Not sure about prepared... but gonna clear up the misunderstanding first."
The misunderstanding he meant and the one Corbus thought were a bit different... but Yeomyeong didn't bother explaining. Didn't want to.
'Gonna lose my mind, seriously.'
Swallowing a deepening sigh, Yeomyeong headed toward Hoana Tuley.
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