Chapter 47 : Failure? (1)
That evening, a small banquet was held at the inn.
The three people were sitting together in one place.
Now, Gwangcheon was also slyly joining the dinner.
"Hoo— I still can't believe I've survived."
Jong Seo-eon said and stroked his chest.
Especially when Ak Simin had appeared, he had thought it was all over, but fortunately, the three, including Jong Seo-eon, were able to pass the second exam safely.
"This is all thanks to Buddha and the captain. I'll be in your care next time as well, Captain."
"...How long are you going to call me captain?"
"Once a captain, always a captain."
Gwangcheon said slyly.
Well, it didn't really matter what the brat called him.
Thinking that he had just gained one more obedient younger brother, Namgung Il put the food into his mouth.
"But will it really be okay?"
"...?"
"It seems we've passed safely for now, but... I'm worried that something might be said later..."
Namgung Il immediately knew what Jong Seo-eon was worried about now.
Perhaps he was still concerned about being caught at the battle site by Ak Simin.
Namgung Il swallowed the food in his mouth and said to Jong Seo-eon.
"From what I saw, I don't think that brat will say anything else later."
"..."
"He actually said that I owed him a debt, so I don't think you need to worry that much."
"If you say so, Captain..."
When Namgung Il said that, Jong Seo-eon's expression finally looked much more at ease.
Grumble—
As his worries disappeared, hunger rushed in.
From early in the morning, all Jong Seo-eon had eaten was a little water.
Since he had also given the rice ball provided by the Flying Dragon Academy to Namgung Il, this dinner was his first meal of the day.
"Hurry up and eat."
"S-sorry. Then I'll eat well!"
When Namgung Il said that, Jong Seo-eon began to eat the food in a hurry.
Seeing that, Namgung Il was about to offer food to Gwangcheon as well.
"Gwangcheon, you also worked hard today, so eat a lot..."
"Pardon?"
"...Never mind. Keep eating."
This brat has already finished one bowl.
Seeing that appetite, it seemed that the food bill would be higher today than yesterday.
'Well, I can happily buy something like this.'
If he just thought that he had gained one more friend's disciple, the money was not particularly a waste.
Because he owed Jinheo a debt that he could not repay even if he repaid it for the rest of his life.
Besides that, Namgung Il personally liked the person named Gwangcheon.
"Gwangcheon."
"Yes, Captain."
"Are you really a disciple of the Shaolin Temple?"
"Doesn't anyone see me as a disciple of the Shaolin Temple?"
Gwangcheon really didn't seem to realize that he was asking this question because he didn't look like one.
"Then how did you come to think of entering the Flying Dragon Academy?"
"Hmm..."
"..."
"I will just say that the Shaolin Temple was too small to confine me."
"Why are you saying it so grandly? You're just trying to enter the academy because there are no women in the Shaolin Temple."
Pang of guilt—
When Namgung Il hit the mark, Gwangcheon froze for a moment.
Gwangcheon, who looked at Namgung Il with an awkward laugh.
Gwangcheon, who was now holding a wooden fish in his hand, said.
"How could that be? I am a body that has devoted itself to Buddhism."
"..."
"For such a person to try to enter the Flying Dragon Academy because of a woman. The joke is too funny, Captain."
"First, wipe off the rice grain on your lips and then talk."
"Hoo-eup— thank you."
It was then.
Yeonghwa came down from the upper floor and immediately approached Namgung Il when she saw him.
"Young Master, when did you come?"
"I just came."
"How did the exam go?"
"I've passed so far. They said the rest will continue tomorrow."
"Hmm— I see."
Hearing the answer, Yeonghwa's gaze immediately turned to the people who were sitting with Namgung Il.
She had seen Jong Seo-eon yesterday, so she already knew his face... who on earth was that newly added baldy?
Yeonghwa asked Namgung Il with a puzzled expression.
"It seems you have a new companion."
"Ah, let me introduce you. This is Gwangcheon. He's a brat from the Shaolin Temple."
When Namgung Il said that, Gwangcheon immediately got up from his seat.
And he greeted Yeonghwa with a rather plausible palm-to-fist salute.
"Nice to meet you. I am Gwangcheon."
"Ah... yes."
"What is your relationship with the captain?"
"Pardon?"
Yeonghwa quickly realized that the captain Gwangcheon was talking about was referring to Namgung Il.
"Ah... I'm his handmaiden."
"I see. The captain must be happy. To have such a beautiful person as a handmaiden."
"Pardon? Beautiful..."
When Gwangcheon praised her, Yeonghwa's face turned slightly red as if she were shy.
"Then please enjoy your meal, Young Master. I'll be in my room."
"Alright."
After a simple greeting, Yeonghwa left.
And so, Gwangcheon began to eat again as if nothing had happened.
Namgung Il looked at him from the side for a while and said, as if he were surprised.
"But your reaction is a little different from that time?"
"What do you mean?"
"Isn't our Yeonghwa quite pretty? But I was a little surprised that you didn't make any passes at her and just greeted her politely."
He had made such passes at the woman who had attacked him during the exam.
Since it was a quite different reaction from that time, Namgung Il was a little curious about the reason.
"Haha, a pass? When did I ever do that?"
"...?"
"I just conveyed my honest feelings."
That's what a pass is, you brat.
"And I don't do that to just any woman."
"Then is Yeonghwa not to your liking?"
"Of course, she is a beautiful person, but what should I say... it was a little disappointing."
"Disappointing?"
"That... her chest is a little... ahem, no."
"..."
I know exactly what this brat's taste is now.
As expected, this brat is a lecher and a pervert.
Namgung Il now judged Gwangcheon as such.
'I should keep it a secret from Yeonghwa.'
Good luck, Yeonghwa.
The tastes of men in the world are all different.
Still... let's cut down on the drinking.
* * *
The next morning, Namgung Il had entered the examination hall of the Flying Dragon Academy for the next exam.
"..."
Looking around, the examinees had gathered early.
Compared to the number of people who had gathered at the Great Training Ground for the first time, it felt really deserted.
Seeing it directly like this, he could clearly feel with his body how many examinees had failed the second exam.
"The number of people has really decreased a lot."
"..."
"Now that we've come this far, can we say that we've passed a hurdle?"
Jong Seo-eon asked from the side.
Since the number of people had decreased, the competition rate had decreased that much, so the possibility of passing had increased.
Jong Seo-eon was now thinking so simply.
However.
"It also means that only the core is left now."
Namgung Il thought that the real thing was starting from now on.
Didn't Cha Yul-ryeong also say that the two exams he had taken yesterday were preliminary exams?
The examinees gathered here were the ones who had been filtered and filtered through the two preliminary exams.
"It's too early to be happy. No matter how much the number of people has decreased, only about twenty percent of the people here will survive until the end."
"T-twenty percent..."
When Namgung Il said that, a sense of tension appeared on Jong Seo-eon's face again.
Seeing that, Namgung Il said again with a light smile.
"Still, we are also the brats who have survived the two exams. So there's no need to be scared or nervous."
"The captain is right. If you're nervous, would you like to listen to the sound of the wooden fish and find peace of mind?"
When Namgung Il and Gwangcheon encouraged him a little, a smile appeared on Jong Seo-eon's lips again.
"Th-that's right! Since I've come this far, I will definitely pass no matter what!"
"..."
Fortunately, it seems he has regained his spirits.
Anyway, he was a grand-disciple who needed a lot of care.
'This is not the time to worry about others.'
Although he had said that to Jong Seo-eon, it was not the time for him to be careless either.
Just by looking, the momentum flowing from the brats in the hall was not to be taken lightly.
Perhaps there were a considerable number of children from families that were quite well-known in that region.
'I'm one of them, though.'
No, he had misspoken.
It was not that region, but the entire Central Plains that recognized his family, the Namgung Clan.
From the perspective of the other brats, he was probably the biggest object of fear.
To maintain a moderate level of tension and not be careless. If he just kept that in mind, there would be no reason why he couldn't pass.
Thud— Thud—.
Just then, a person appeared in front of the examinees.
'Cha Yul-ryeong.'
The fact that that brat had appeared meant that the exam would start soon.
Even though no words came out, the gazes of the other examinees, including him, were all directed at Cha Yul-ryeong.
Thud—
Cha Yul-ryeong stopped walking.
His gaze turned to the examinees in the hall without a word.
Among them, his gaze seemed to stop for a moment where Namgung Il was standing, but soon, Cha Yul-ryeong opened his mouth with a benevolent smile.
"Congratulations."
"..."
"The three hundred and fifty-six people here have passed the preliminary exam and have finally gained the qualification to take the main exam."
Three hundred and fifty-six people.
Although the hall had felt deserted, to think that the number was so small.
It was proof that the second exam was that difficult.
"Just by surviving this far, you all can be proud of yourselves as excellent talents."
"..."
"But unfortunately, the final number of people who can enter our academy is only eighty, as originally announced. We will now begin the main exam to select those final eighty people."
At that moment, a sense of tension filled the hall.
The first was odd or even, and the second was a treasure hunt.
Since both were exams with completely unpredictable content, no one could easily predict what would come out in the third exam.
'Bring it on. I'll definitely pass this time too.'
Looking at Cha Yul-ryeong, Namgung Il muttered to himself.
And.
Finally, Cha Yul-ryeong announced the third exam to the examinees.
"The third exam is a written exam."
"...?"
"Each of you, go to your designated seat and write the answers to the questions on the exam paper."
...A written exam?
Due to the completely unexpected ambush, Namgung Il's mind went blank for a moment.
"W-wait!"
"..."
"A written exam all of a sudden? Why does a martial artist have to take such a thing?"
In the end, Namgung Il hurriedly shouted at Cha Yul-ryeong.
Just as Cha Yul-ryeong was about to answer, someone new came up to the stage, and Cha Yul-ryeong immediately shut his mouth.
"I will answer that question."
At the sudden appearance of the person, everyone's gaze turned that way.
The same went for Namgung Il.
When a face that was quite familiar to him appeared, Namgung Il stared at the person with a slightly surprised face.
"Because the purpose of establishing our academy is to cultivate martial artists with intelligence and virtue."
"..."
"To cling only to strength without having such virtues is no different from the unorthodox faction. Don't you think so?"
The person asking Namgung Il was none other than Seo Shinwon.
'...I'm screwed.'
When he had attended the academy in his youth, Namgung Il's grades were not that bad.
Except for one thing, studying.
No matter how much he was a hero who had defeated the Blood Demon and saved the world, he was endlessly weak in front of studying.
"Uh..."
I'm a body that has saved the world once... are there perhaps any bonus points?
Namgung Il just wanted to ask Seo Shinwon that now.
(End of Chapter)