Ch. 73
"...Ak Simin."
Hwang Dong-jae muttered, frowning.
An expression that was not very pleased with Ak Simin, who had appeared here now.
Just then, Ak Simin looked at Namgung Il and said.
"Namgung Il, take your hand off the sword."
"Yes, I'll do that."
Namgung Il obediently took his hand off the sword as Ak Simin had said.
Looking at the situation, didn't it seem that Ak Simin would now take care of things on his own?
As long as they didn't attack from that side, Namgung Il had no reason to fight anymore.
"You put it away too."
"...!"
When Ak Simin said that, the man standing opposite him also hurriedly put away his sword.
Only after confirming that did his gaze turn to the first-year students.
The first-year students were still maintaining the horse stance and sweating profusely.
"The first-year students there."
"...?"
"Do you want to be late from the first class? Go to your rooms right now and sleep early."
Ak Simin said to the first-year students.
Is it really okay to get up right now and go to our rooms?
Since they still hadn't properly grasped the situation, the first-year students looked at each other and cautiously tried to lift their knees.
"Who told you to get up as you please?"
"...!"
"The brat who gets up will die at my hands."
Just then, Hwang Dong-jae's sharp voice was heard.
When such words came out, of course, the first-year students had no choice but to stop their rising knees, and they took the horse stance again with their trembling legs.
"...Senior, what are you doing now?"
"As you can see, I'm in the middle of hazing."
"Didn't I tell you not to do it this year?"
"Really? I don't remember."
A smile had now appeared on Hwang Dong-jae's lips.
On the other hand, Ak Simin, who was still looking at Hwang Dong-jae with a cold gaze.
In the gazes of the two, an unseen war of nerves seemed to be unfolding fiercely.
'It's hot. It's hot.'
Namgung Il was watching that as if he were watching a fire.
At a glance, the two did not seem to be on good terms.
If he were to make a rough guess, it seemed that there were factions divided within the Vermilion Bird Class.
'It was a little strange from the time I heard that a third-year student was the class president.'
Usually, the class president would come from the fourth-year students.
Of course, that was not an absolute condition, but to lead the entire grade, wouldn't it be easier in many ways for the highest grade to take charge?
But if a third-year student, not a fourth-year student, became the class president, a situation like now would unfold.
"Then I'll say it in this spot. Send the first-year kids back right now."
"What if I don't want to?"
"Then I won't be able to talk so nicely like this anymore."
"..."
Haaah—
A deep sigh escaped from Hwang Dong-jae's mouth.
"Ak Simin, no matter how much you're the class president, don't you think it's too much to suddenly get rid of a tradition that has been done every year?"
"..."
"Did we hit the kids or something? Aren't we just greeting each other in the sense of getting along well in the future?"
"Then what was the sword that that brat was holding just now?"
When Ak Simin pointed that out, the body of the man who had been holding the sword flinched.
But Hwang Dong-jae did not get flustered at all and continued to speak leisurely.
"That was to scare the impolite junior a little to teach him some manners."
"..."
"On the contrary, we were the ones who were hit. That brat used force first, so we had to at least threaten him with a sword. Isn't that right?"
"...Are you saying a first-year student used force first?"
When Ak Simin asked, Hwang Dong-jae pointed at Namgung Il with his finger.
"Yes, that brat attacked first."
"..."
"Then isn't it self-defense? Or does a senior have to just stand still even if a junior hits him?"
Ak Simin's gaze turned to Namgung Il.
Namgung Il, who was standing there perfectly fine, and the second- and third-year students who were lying around him.
Just by looking at the current situation, it seemed that Hwang Dong-jae's words had a point.
"...Namgung Il, is that true?"
"Do you believe those words?"
"I'm asking because it seems you really could have done that."
"I'm embarrassed. I didn't know you thought of me that way, senior."
"..."
"Unfortunately, no. Those brats attacked first."
An opinion contrary to Hwang Dong-jae's statement.
Since he had expected it to be roughly like that, Ak Simin looked at Hwang Dong-jae again and said.
"Namgung Il says the seniors attacked first."
"Of course he would say that. But just look at the current situation and judge."
"..."
"Then doesn't the conclusion already come out?"
Unless some evidence to refute those words came out, it seemed he had no choice but to conclude that Namgung Il had attacked first, as Hwang Dong-jae had said.
"No! They attacked first!"
Just then, Jong Seo-eon shouted at Ak Simin.
However.
"Namgung Il and that brat are a pair. So of course he would testify in a way that is advantageous to Namgung Il."
Hwang Dong-jae immediately refuted.
Of course, Jong Seo-eon was extremely resentful of those words, but he couldn't think of anything to refute.
In fact, he and Namgung Il were even using the same room.
Unless a new witness appeared, it seemed that it would be concluded that Namgung Il had committed the wrong first.
"...!"
Just then, a person came into Jong Seo-eon's view.
If he couldn't testify because he had come here with Namgung Il, didn't that mean that the words of a person who had been here from the beginning could be sufficient testimony?
As it happened, there was one person who was suitable for that.
"Young Master Gwangcheon!"
"Did you call?"
"Please tell them, Young Master! It was them who attacked first, not the captain!"
The other first-year students would be scared of Hwang Dong-jae and would not be able to speak properly.
But it would be a different story if it were Gwangcheon.
Jong Seo-eon clenched his two hands tightly and waited for Gwangcheon's answer.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see."
"...Pardon?"
"I was so focused on my training that I didn't have time to look around. It seems I'm still very lacking."
Saying that, Gwangcheon laughed calmly with a loud voice.
'That useless baldy!'
Since Gwangcheon, whom he had trusted, was like that, Jong Seo-eon felt so frustrated that he was about to burst with anger.
Just then, Hwang Dong-jae smirked and said to the people around him.
"Is there anyone else here who saw me attack Namgung Il first?"
"No!"
"That first-year student attacked first. We were just being attacked!"
When Hwang Dong-jae asked, of course, the people of the same group just said that there was no one.
As if that answer was not enough, Hwang Dong-jae turned his head and looked at the first-year students.
"Still, to be sure, it would be good to ask the first-year students."
"...!"
"Then wouldn't our class president also believe my words?"
At that moment, Hwang Dong-jae's gaze became sharp.
When he looked at them with such a gaze, of course, the first-year students couldn't help but be intimidated, and Hwang Dong-jae slowly looked around them and asked.
"Now, is there anyone here who will testify that I attacked Namgung Il first?"
"..."
"Don't feel burdened and speak freely."
His expression was quite contrary to the content of his words.
Since a threat that he would not leave them alone if they really spoke was clearly being conveyed, the first-year students could only avoid his gaze and keep their mouths shut.
Grin—
Seeing that, a curve appeared on Hwang Dong-jae's lips.
"There's no one. Yes, with this, my words..."
"The senior attacked first!"
"...?"
"I saw it! That senior ordered the other seniors to attack!"
When such a voice was heard, the smile on Hwang Dong-jae's lips couldn't help but disappear in an instant.
Swish—
Hwang Dong-jae turned his head to where the voice had come from with a fierce gaze again.
There, a woman had released her horse stance and was standing upright, and even when Hwang Dong-jae looked at her with a fierce gaze, she did not avoid his gaze at all.
"...Junior, what's your name?"
"It's Tang Wol-yeong."
"Tang Wol-yeong... yes, did you perhaps misunderstand something and make a slip of the tongue just now?"
"No. I said it correctly."
Thud—
"You ordered them to attack that person!"
"..."
"And that, four of them against one... and this horse stance now, you're forcing all of us to do it!"
Hwang Dong-jae's face crumpled like a fierce god of evil.
To think that there was another junior who was rebelling against him besides Namgung Il.
Hwang Dong-jae slowly approached Tang Wol-yeong.
Swish—
Just then, Ak Simin blocked the path between Hwang Dong-jae and Tang Wol-yeong.
"That's enough. I won't tolerate any more trouble."
"...Are you also rebelling against me, your senior?"
"I am a class president before I am a junior. Are you now going against the words of the class president, senior?"
"..."
"No matter how much you're a senior, there's a limit to how much I can let you off."
Ak Simin said with a warning.
The two glared at each other for a while without a word, and in the end, the person who turned his eyes first was Hwang Dong-jae.
"...First-year students, you'll have to do very well to attend the academy without any trouble in the future."
"..."
"Let's go!"
Hwang Dong-jae said and moved his steps first.
The group that disappeared from that place, following him.
Just then, Hwang Dong-jae discovered Namgung Il, who was visible in front, and stopped walking for a moment.
"Namgung Il."
"..."
"I've remembered your name clearly."
Hwang Dong-jae said and passed by Namgung Il, moving his steps again.
"The same goes for me."
"...?"
"Hwang Dong-jae. I've remembered your name, senior."
A brat who is arrogant to the end...
Ignoring the voice heard from behind, Hwang Dong-jae moved away as he was.
"..."
Ak Simin stood still and watched until Hwang Dong-jae's group had all disappeared.
Soon, a sigh escaped from Ak Simin's mouth.
Although he had expected it, it seemed his academy life this year would not go so smoothly.
"...First-year students, go back to your own rooms quickly."
The first-year students had now all released their horse stance.
When Ak Simin said that, the first-year students looked at each other and began to leave that spot one by one and go back to their own rooms.
"Ah, wait."
"...?"
"Thank you. Thanks to you speaking up with courage, we were able to end it without any trouble."
Ak Simin said to Tang Wol-yeong.
If Tang Wol-yeong hadn't stepped up, it would have been more difficult to make Hwang Dong-jae back down than now, and if things had gone wrong, it could have led to a situation where force was used.
When Ak Simin expressed his gratitude for that part, Tang Wol-yeong just bowed her head and went on her way again.
"Senior, you were quite like a class president just now."
Just then, Namgung Il approached and said to Ak Simin.
At those words, a smirk escaped from Ak Simin's mouth, as if he were at a loss for words.
"Of course. Because I'm the class president."
"That's right. Then shall I call you class president from now on?"
"Never mind. Just call me whatever you want."
"I like that about you, senior."
For a first-year student to say such a thing to him. He was a truly arrogant brat.
But for some reason, Ak Simin did not find Namgung Il's words that unpleasant.
"...Namgung Il."
"Yes."
"It seems Hwang Dong-jae has really marked you."
Hwang Dong-jae would not just back down like this.
Ak Simin knew that better than anyone else.
So he was about to tell Namgung Il to be careful in the future, but.
"That's good."
"...What?"
"It seems my academy life won't be boring in the future."
On the contrary, when Namgung Il said that, Ak Simin was momentarily stunned.
"...Aren't you afraid of Hwang Dong-jae?"
"Why?"
"Well... he's older than you and has learned a lot at the academy. And it's a bit much for me to say this, but Hwang Dong-jae's power within the Vermilion Bird Class is not to be taken lightly."
"That's a big problem."
Namgung Il said with an expression that was not a big problem at all.
"Then I'll line up behind you, Senior Ak."
"What?"
"I'll be in your care from now on, senior."
Namgung Il, who said that and held out his right hand.
Ak Simin looked at him blankly for a moment and then burst out laughing again.
"I've never seen a brat like you in my life."
"I'm a pretty good junior."
"Then why did you do that to Hwang Dong-jae?"
"That's because I also act by choosing my opponents. Just because one is a junior, one doesn't have to crawl like a slave to a senior, right?"
"I agree."
Swoosh—
Answering, Ak Simin, who also held out his right hand just like Namgung Il.
Under the moonlight, in front of Gwangcheon, who was still maintaining the horse stance. There, the two held each other's right hands.
(End of Chapter)