Chapter 68 : The Three Idiots (1)
Namgung Il and Jong Seo-eon were running hard towards somewhere from broad daylight.
"Captain! That's why I told you to hurry up a little more!"
"What, so you're saying it's my fault now?"
"That's..."
Jong Seo-eon was about to speak but swallowed his words in the middle.
To be honest, the reason why the two were late for the entrance ceremony of the Flying Dragon Academy was all because of Namgung Il.
Originally, they were supposed to leave Kaifeng early in the morning three days before the entrance ceremony, but because Namgung Il had suddenly disappeared, Jong Seo-eon also couldn't leave on time.
In the end, Namgung Il had appeared when the sun had almost set that day.
Since it was already dark, the two had left Kaifeng a day later than planned, and as a result, they were now running to the Flying Dragon Academy, pressed for time.
"Seo-eon-ah, the Beggars' Sect owes a great debt to Namgung Hyeon-jil this time."
"..."
"Namgung Hyeon-jil is a benefactor of the Beggars' Sect who has the Benefactor Beggar Bamboo Plaque. So as a Hougai, you must treat Hyeon-jil as you would treat me from now on."
"I understand, Master."
Jong Seo-eon had answered Gae Du-sik with confidence.
So no matter how much the cause of this situation was Namgung Il, Jong Seo-eon could not say anything more.
"It's fine to be a little late."
When Namgung Il said that calmly, Jong Seo-eon let out a sigh inwardly.
For a new student to be late on the first day of the entrance ceremony, how could he be so calm...
It seemed that they were the only new students who were late today.
Swoosh—
Just then, someone appeared next to Namgung Il and Jong Seo-eon, who were climbing the mountain path.
"Oh—I thought it was a familiar figure, and it was indeed you two?"
"...?"
When someone suddenly said that in a happy voice, Jong Seo-eon turned his head to the side.
"Y-Young Master Gwangcheon! Why are you here?"
"That's because I saw the two of you running..."
"Who asked you that now? I'm asking why you're here when the entrance ceremony must have already started."
"Haha, isn't it because I'm late that I'm here?"
"..."
There was one more new student who was late in this situation.
At the fact that that person was Gwangcheon, Jong Seo-eon was at a loss for words for a moment.
"Are you two also running so hard like this because you're late?"
"That's... about right."
"As expected, it seems the three of us are tied by a tough fate."
Gwangcheon said and laughed calmly.
Don't tell me I'm the only one who's worried about this situation?
Jong Seo-eon felt that if he didn't pull himself together, he might be kicked out of the Flying Dragon Academy, which he had worked so hard to enter, without even a single morning passing.
Thud—
As they climbed the mountain path to some extent, the main gate of the Flying Dragon Academy began to be visible from a distance.
Although Jong Seo-eon tried to hurry towards the main gate, just then, Namgung Il grabbed the back of his neck from behind, so Jong Seo-eon had no choice but to stop in his tracks.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
At this late hour, we should go inside as soon as possible.
Jong Seo-eon couldn't understand Namgung Il's action of holding him back.
"Are you going to go in through the main gate so confidently?"
"Pardon?"
"We're late. But if we go in through the main gate so confidently, we'll surely be punished later."
"Then what should we do..."
When Jong Seo-eon said that, Namgung Il smiled meaningfully.
"We have to sneak in."
"Th-that's ridiculous! If we get caught doing that..."
"It's fine. I know a place where we won't get caught even if we sneak in."
"..."
Although Namgung Il was saying it with certainty, Jong Seo-eon still couldn't help but feel anxious.
Although Jong Seo-eon's personality was such that he thought it would be better to just go in through the main gate even if he had to endure some punishment, since Namgung Il had said so, he couldn't just ignore it.
"Namgung Hyeon-jil is a benefactor of the Beggars' Sect who has the Benefactor Beggar Bamboo Plaque. So as a Hougai, you must treat Hyeon-jil as you would treat me from now on."
The words that his master had said echoed in his head again.
In the end, after several moments of thought, Jong Seo-eon answered.
"I understand... then let's do that."
"Gwangcheon, what will you do?"
Yes, if even Gwangcheon stopped him, Namgung Il's thoughts might change.
Jong Seo-eon looked at Gwangcheon with such an expectation.
"We can already be said to be a community of fate."
...I was a fool to have expected it.
Seeing him answer like that without a moment's hesitation, Jong Seo-eon's body went limp.
Rustle—
With Namgung Il in the lead, the three were approaching the Flying Dragon Academy like thieves.
A huge wall that stretched long on both sides of the main gate.
The three stuck close to the wall and continued to move in the opposite direction of the main gate.
Thud—
After moving to some extent, Namgung Il suddenly stopped in his tracks.
And so, the two who stopped in the same way.
Namgung Il turned his head back and said to the two.
"We can go over from here."
"Are you perhaps telling us to jump over the wall?"
"If you can go over, then do so."
Jong Seo-eon raised his head and looked up at the wall.
A height that made the back of his neck ache.
Since it was a height that far surpassed the trees growing around, to be honest, Jong Seo-eon did not have the confidence to quietly go over the wall.
"Can you do it?"
"...No."
"Your lightness skill training is still lacking."
Namgung Il said and fumbled with the wall with his hand.
"...?"
Jong Seo-eon looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Like a cicada, sticking close to the wall, what was Namgung Il doing now?
Just then, a meaningful smile appeared on Namgung Il's lips as he was fumbling with the bottom of the wall.
"It's here."
"Pardon?"
Without answering, Namgung Il lowered his posture and grabbed the stone embedded in the wall with both hands.
'Don't tell me... is he going to pull out the stone with his strength now?'
No matter how much it was Namgung Il, that seemed reckless.
Since the wall was so sturdy, it would by no means be easy to pull it out with strength, and even if he did, it would not be connected to the inside right away.
Especially, the act of trying to break down the wall of the Flying Dragon Academy with strength now would by no means be forgiven.
Before things got any bigger, Jong Seo-eon tried to stop Namgung Il.
"Captain, I think it would be better to just go back to the main gate..."
It was then.
A stone that came out of the wall without even giving Jong Seo-eon a chance to stop him.
Discovering the hole that had formed in the wall, Jong Seo-eon couldn't hide his astonishment.
"C-captain! What are you doing now!"
"What?"
"To break the wall of the Flying Dragon Academy... if this is discovered, it won't end with just a punishment!"
"What did I break? This was originally like this from the past."
When Namgung Il said that, Jong Seo-eon was momentarily stunned.
"It was like that from the past... what do you mean by that?"
"It's a structure that comes out like this. That's why I was able to pull it out so easily."
"..."
"Then I didn't break it, right?"
Although those words sounded like a sophistry, they also sounded right.
If that stone in the wall originally came out like that, then it was right that he hadn't broken it...
Still, Jong Seo-eon thought it was dangerous for this to be discovered by someone else.
"Then let's put it back as it was and go back!"
"Why?"
"Why... you can't go inside just by pulling out that one thing, can you?"
"No, it's properly connected to the inside."
"...?"
"If you don't believe me, see for yourself."
There was no way it would be connected to the inside just by pulling out one stone on the outside.
Still, Jong Seo-eon lowered his head half in doubt and looked into the hole.
"...Hmm?"
Something was strange.
As he lowered his head towards the hole, wasn't there some kind of passage visible, not just another stone?
Looking closely, it seemed that a faint light was also coming in from the other side.
"How is it? It's properly pierced, right?"
"...!"
"Although it's narrow, one person can pass through it."
Jong Seo-eon raised his head again.
Although the passage was properly pierced as Namgung Il had said, on the contrary, Jong Seo-eon was even more surprised by that fact.
"H-how did this happen?"
"How did it happen? It's a dog hole."
"A dog hole..."
"Yes, no matter how sturdy a wall may seem, there's bound to be a dog hole like this."
This dog hole was a passage that Namgung Il had also frequently used in the past.
He had often snuck out of the dormitory at night and had gone out to drink through here.
Although he had thought it might have disappeared after a long time had passed, fortunately, it still existed.
'Well, it wouldn't have mattered if this place was blocked.'
Because he knew more routes to secretly enter and exit besides here.
Namgung Il had just come to the place that seemed least likely to have disappeared among them.
"...But Captain."
"Why?"
"How did you find the dog hole here, Captain?"
Jong Seo-eon, of course, couldn't help but be curious about that.
Wasn't the existence of the dog hole here at a level that was difficult to find even for a student who was already attending the Flying Dragon Academy?
But for Namgung Il, who was a new student this year just like him, to have found it, Jong Seo-eon could not understand.
"Huh?"
When Jong Seo-eon suddenly asked, Namgung Il was slightly flustered.
'I hadn't thought of a reason for that far...'
At times like this, he was a uselessly sharp brat.
As Namgung Il maintained his silence, Jong Seo-eon came closer and interrogated him.
"Besides that, it seemed you already knew about the existence of the dog hole, Captain."
"..."
"How did this happen?"
It was then.
"There's no time, so I'll go through first!"
Gwangcheon said and slipped into the dog hole.
'Well done, Gwangcheon!'
He couldn't miss this opportunity now.
Namgung Il shouted with joy inwardly and grabbed Jong Seo-eon's body.
"Yes, there's no time, so you go in next!"
"Pardon? No, that's..."
"The entrance ceremony will be over at this rate! We have to go in before that to make some excuse!"
Namgung Il said and forcefully pushed Jong Seo-eon's back.
In the end, Jong Seo-eon was flustered and was forced into the dog hole, and in that way, Namgung Il was able to shut Jong Seo-eon's mouth for now.
'I'll have to just gloss it over for now.'
Then he would naturally forget about it.
Namgung Il finally blocked the entrance with a stone again and entered the dog hole.
Swoosh—
Since Namgung Il had to block the entrance, he was crawling through the passage, lying on his stomach in the opposite direction.
Although it could be said to be a rather awkward movement for a person moving like that for the first time, it was a familiar action for Namgung Il, who had already experienced it several times in the past.
Thud—
Just then, something got caught on Namgung Il's foot.
'What is this, why isn't it moving?'
Since he hadn't come out of the dog hole yet, this must be Jong Seo-eon.
For a person who was crawling forward, why was he dawdling so much?
As if to urge him, Namgung Il kicked at Jong Seo-eon.
"C-captain! Reverse! Reverse!"
Just then, Jong Seo-eon said in a flustered voice from the front.
But as if he didn't care at all, Namgung Il continued to kick.
"What do you mean, reverse? I've been reversing from the beginning."
"It's dangerous!"
"Then go quickly!"
Whack—!
As Namgung Il's kick went in coolly, Jong Seo-eon's body completely came out of the dog hole.
Since there was nothing more to get caught on, Namgung Il crawled back again, and soon, he came out of the dog hole and was able to come out.
"Hoo— now to the entrance ceremony..."
...Hmm?
As he stood up straight and looked back, someone was looking this way from the front.
A man wearing a blue robe, not Jong Seo-eon or Gwangcheon.
Although it was a person Namgung Il was seeing for the first time, a sense of familiarity was felt from that man.
However.
Now, more than that, only one thought was in Namgung Il's head.
'...This wasn't in the plan.'
It seemed he had caused a huge accident as soon as he had entered the school.
(End of Chapter)