The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Su Majin's words move a thousand gold.

Because of that, the nickname given to Su Majin was A Thousand Gold Words.

It meant that Su Majin's words had a considerable influence on the business world, and the words uttered by such a person, even if they were jokes, were bound to be heavier than those of ordinary people.

"..."

For a moment, only silence flowed in the room.

And.

Namgung Cheong opened his mouth with a voice that felt slightly displeased.

"It is entirely my authority to decide who will enter the Flying Dragon Academy through recommended admission."

"..."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think it's a matter for you to decide, Father-in-law."

No matter how much it was Su Majin, this was an act of crossing the line.

If he let him cross this line now, Su Majin would try to invade even further in every matter in the future.

Even if his relationship with Su Majin worsened, he had to answer clearly here.

"Of course, the decision is yours."

"..."

"But don't I have the right to at least raise a question?"

Although Su Majin was speaking in a slightly softer voice, Namgung Cheong still felt an unspoken pressure in those words.

Was he saying that he had come in deep once and was now taking a step back for a moment?

Although Su Majin was slightly bending his opinion as if he were making a concession, in the end, he did not completely break his will to intervene in this matter.

'I can't go on any more strongly.'

Although he had grasped the intention, since the other side had taken a step back, he would have to take a step back as well.

Still, he had at least prevented Su Majin from completely crossing the line.

Since Namgung Cheong also did not wish for his relationship with Su Majin to be completely ruined, he had no choice but to nod his head at those words.

"Wasn't it originally Namgung Hae's turn for the recommended admission to the Flying Dragon Academy this year?"

"As you know, Father-in-law, recommended admission does not only have benefits."

"Yes, with benefits come corresponding responsibilities and expectations."

"That's right. So I plan to decide the person fairly based on skill."

"Fairly..."

Su Majin muttered and stroked his beard with one hand.

At that moment, a strange light appeared in his eyes.

Namgung Cheong belatedly realized that Su Majin was aiming for something, but it was impossible to take back the words he had already uttered.

"I heard that you will decide the person through a spar?"

"...That's right. The essence of a martial artist is, after all, in martial arts."

"Of course, that would be correct. But I don't think that method is fair at all."

"...What do you mean by that?"

"Didn't you just say it with your own mouth? That you would decide fairly."

What kind of question could there be about that?

Namgung Cheong still couldn't understand what Su Majin was trying to say.

"I have a part that I highly evaluated about you. Do you know what that is?"

"...I don't know."

"Fairness."

"..."

"As a clan head, you have handled all matters as reasonably as possible. Even if it was a matter related to blood relatives, you have handled matters fairly by judging reasonably rather than with personal feelings."

As he said, Namgung Cheong had handled all matters that way until now.

No, to be precise, from right after he became the clan head.

Because he had believed that making reasonable judgments a principle rather than personal feelings would make the Namgung Clan stronger, he was still firmly holding onto that philosophy.

In fact, because he had kept that philosophy, the Namgung Clan, which had once been in crisis, was able to survive like this now.

"But this time, it seems that personal feelings have entered, deviating from fairness."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It means you favored that child, Namgung Il."

Thud—

Hearing those words, Namgung Cheong slammed the table with both hands and got up without realizing it.

At the same time, his expression contorted slightly, revealing his anger.

In contrast, Su Majin was still looking at Namgung Cheong with an expressionless face.

"I... cannot agree with that."

"..."

"I have always made all decisions reasonably and fairly. Even if it was a matter related to blood relatives, as a clan head, I have always prioritized the choice for the clan."

But now Su Majin was saying something that seemed to deny the actions he had taken so far.

That fact made Namgung Cheong so angry that he couldn't bear it.

"Of course, that would be so."

"..."

"But not this time."

"What on earth..."

"Didn't you give a benefit to that child, Namgung Il, in advance?"

When Su Majin said that, Namgung Cheong stopped talking and remained silent.

That he had given a benefit to Namgung Il.

Namgung Cheong couldn't understand those words for a moment, but he soon opened his mouth as if he had remembered something.

"Could it be... are you talking about teaching him the advanced sword style?"

"Yes."

"..."

"Although I'm not a martial artist, I know well how big that difference is. Namgung Il, who has learned the advanced sword style, and Namgung Hae, who has not. Isn't the result of who will win the spar already obvious?"

Namgung Cheong couldn't answer those words.

Because in fact, Namgung Cheong had thought that the winner of this spar would definitely be Namgung Il.

No matter how much Namgung Hae had grown through closed-door training, he had thought that he would not be able to keep up with the growth rate of Namgung Il, who had learned the advanced sword style.

"Why did you let only that child learn the advanced sword style?"

"...Because I thought that with Il-ah's skills, he would be able to fully learn the advanced sword style of the Namgung Clan."

"Really? But the timing is strangely coincidental."

"..."

"As soon as Namgung Hae entered closed-door training, you let Namgung Il learn the advanced sword style, and as soon as he came out of closed-door training, you decided to decide the recommended admission through a spar."

"..."

"I don't think it's a fair decision. What do you think?"

Namgung Cheong had by no means taken Namgung Il to the Emperor's Secret Archives with such an intention.

But even if he said so, would that Su Majin be convinced?

In fact, since that decision of Namgung Cheong's was largely based on his own subjectivity, thinking about it that way, Su Majin's words had a point.

'To think that the decision at that time would come back to bite me like this.'

The normal route for a direct descendant to enter the Emperor's Secret Archives was after raising the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style to a certain level.

But hadn't Namgung Cheong changed that decision on his own with just one word that Namgung Il had realized the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style on his own?

Since that was an act that deviated from the philosophy he had adhered to so far, Namgung Cheong could not easily refute those words.

"...What do you want?"

In the end, Namgung Cheong had no choice but to ask.

In order to protect the philosophy he had kept as a clan head so far.

If he had known that Su Majin had been aiming for that from the beginning, would a different situation have come out now?

No, perhaps from the moment Su Majin came here, this situation was already decided.

That was the kind of person Su Majin was, and that was Su Eon Cheon Geum.

"I just hope that you, as a clan head, will make a fair decision."

"..."

"But it would be impossible to proceed with a fair spar now."

Namgung Cheong knew immediately that the words that would follow were the real point.

"Then there's no choice but to proceed as originally planned, right?"

"..."

"It would be good for Namgung Hae to enter through recommended admission this year, and for Namgung Il to enter next year."

At a glance, it wasn't a very difficult matter.

Recommended admission was not only this year, and the Namgung Clan would be given that authority next year as well.

However, Namgung Cheong did not like the fact that the choice was intended by Su Majin.

"Wouldn't it be better for others to see them entering in order of age?"

"..."

"Of course, as I said earlier, the choice is entirely yours."

His words and actions felt so different that it was disgusting.

Namgung Cheong looked down at Su Majin, who was calmly drinking tea again, and couldn't say anything for a while.

"Clan Head, Young Master Namgung Il has arrived."

Just then, such a voice was heard from outside the door.

"..."

Namgung Cheong looked silently at where the voice had come from.

Come to think of it, he had called Namgung Il here at Su Majin's request.

As they were talking, Namgung Cheong had forgotten that fact for a moment.

"Let him in."

"..."

"I still have something to say to that child."

Just then, Su Majin said.

What on earth was that person going to say to Namgung Il this time?

Although he knew Su Majin's purpose, Namgung Cheong felt an unknown sense of anxiety in those words.

"...Let him in."

In the end, Namgung Cheong said towards the door.

And a moment later, Namgung Il appeared in the reception room.

Seeing Su Majin's figure, Namgung Il tilted his head.

'Why is that human here?'

Since he had met him at the banquet before, Namgung Il was able to recognize Su Majin immediately.

What on earth was this combination?

Since he had just come in, he couldn't know the exact circumstances, but Namgung Il could tell that the atmosphere in the room was strangely not good.

"It's been a while."

"...Hello."

When Su Majin spoke to him, Namgung Il greeted him out of courtesy.

"Now, have a seat first."

"..."

As if he were the owner of this place, Su Majin said.

Although he couldn't explain it separately, he felt a hostility instinctively.

He didn't know if it was because he was Suseonghwa's father, but Namgung Il didn't particularly feel any favor towards the person named Su Majin.

Thud—

In the end, Namgung Il walked closer to the chair as Su Majin had said.

But Namgung Il sat in the opposite direction of where Su Majin had pointed.

Seeing that, Su Majin's eyebrows twitched slightly, but he soon maintained a calm appearance and opened his mouth.

"Namgung Il, I have a proposal for you."

"...?"

When Su Majin suddenly said that, not only Namgung Il, but also Namgung Cheong's eyes showed a question.

"I think it would be good if you gave up the recommended admission this time and yielded that spot to your older brother."

"...?"

"That's the reason I called you to this place."

Ah, so that was it.

The moment he heard those words, Namgung Il roughly grasped the situation.

'That brat, did he tattle to his grandfather because he thought he would lose the spar?'

Thinking that, it was so absurd that he couldn't even laugh.

For a grown-up brat to tattle to his grandfather.

Of course, that grandfather was not an ordinary person, but a great figure, the head of the World Escort Agency, but that didn't particularly matter to Namgung Il.

"Why should I?"

"..."

"The Clan Head has already decided that it will be decided by skill in a spar. So I don't think it's a matter for the Escort Agency Head to particularly care about."

How bold.

How dare such a young brat say such a thing in front of him.

As if finding that rather amusing, Su Majin said to Namgung Il with a strange smile.

"Of course, that would be so."

"Then I will consider our business finished."

Namgung Il said and got up from his seat.

However.

"The main point starts now."

When Su Majin immediately said that, Namgung Il stopped walking and stood in his place.

"I'm not just asking you to yield. If you yield, I will have to show my sincerity accordingly."

"...?"

"Because that's the principle of a deal."

Saying so, Su Majin still maintained a smile on his lips.

"If you just yield, I will pay a corresponding amount."

"...!"

When Su Majin said that, Namgung Cheong's expression contorted as before.

To think that he would say such a thing after calling Namgung Il.

That was an insult to a martial artist... no, it was no different from an act of insulting his own son.

"What on earth do you mean by that!"

"How much?"

"Right now..."

...What?

Namgung Cheong thought for a moment that he had heard something wrong and turned his head to where the voice had come from.

"Aigoo—you should have said so from the beginning."

"..."

"Now, make your offer first."

Namgung Il, who was now smiling, was saying so.

Namgung Cheong stared blankly at him.

...Son?