The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Cha Yul-ryeong was looking at Namgung Il with a cold gaze.

'...I'm caught.'

Namgung Il had not intended to sneak in like this from the beginning.

Although he didn't know if there was another entrance, this was the only entrance to the lecture hall.

Since it was realistically impossible to sit down without Cha Yul-ryeong noticing, Namgung Il had opened the door with the thought of just getting scolded once.

'If I had gone a little further, I wouldn't have been caught... Why did he have to turn his head at this moment?'

When he opened the door, Cha Yul-ryeong's attention was on another brat.

How could he just pass by after seeing that?

Thinking that this was an opportunity given by heaven, Namgung Il had been cautiously moving to his seat, killing his presence.

However.

"..."

Looking at the situation, it seemed that he had failed in his gamble.

Namgung Il stood up straight with an awkward smile and said to Cha Yul-ryeong.

"Haha... I'm sorry. I'm a little late."

"..."

"Since I'm late, I'll run to my seat quickly right now."

"Who said you could go?"

Although he had tried to get over it by being vague, it didn't work on Cha Yul-ryeong.

Namgung Il stopped in his tracks again and looked at Cha Yul-ryeong.

"To be late for my class from the first day, I'd really like to hear the reason why you were late with such audacity."

"...The class president of our class said he had something to say to me, so I was late!"

In the end, Namgung Il sold out Ak Simin.

When you think about it, it wasn't wrong to say that the reason he was late was because of Ak Simin.

Although he had originally planned to just get scolded, since he had been caught trying to sneak in like this, it seemed he had to sell Ak Simin's name to avoid punishment even a little.

"Do you think that's a reason to be late for my class?"

"..."

"If you think so, then it must mean that I'm more of a pushover than the Vermilion Bird Class president."

Oops.

Namgung Il belatedly realized that he had stepped in shit while trying to avoid miso.

"That I'm a pushover means that my class is also a pushover."

"Uh... I think you're misunderstanding a lot of things..."

"In that sense, I'll give you a special problem."

Lightly ignoring Namgung Il's words, Cha Yul-ryeong took something out of his clothes.

"This is what I was going to teach the students in class today."

"...?"

"To be late for my class so confidently from the first day, you must surely know the name and efficacy of this grass, right?"

What Cha Yul-ryeong had taken out of his clothes was a grass.

A grass that was slightly reddish overall and had small spots dotted on it.

Cha Yul-ryeong held out the grass close to Namgung Il and said once more.

"Explain the exact name and efficacy of this grass."

"..."

"If you're wrong, you'll receive a considerable punishment."

That was no different from saying that he would punish Namgung Il.

In the first place, that was a grass that was not even explained in the textbook, so how could Namgung Il explain the name and efficacy of that grass?

Most of the students here thought that Namgung Il would not be able to answer anything and would be punished by Cha Yul-ryeong.

'I-I'm in big trouble!'

The same went for Jong Seo-eon.

The exact name of that grass was Hongbancho.

Jong Seo-eon, who was a Hougai of the Beggars' Sect, knew well about that grass.

'That's not even well-known to ordinary people!'

The reason why Jong Seo-eon knew about Hongbancho was solely because the Beggars' Sect had a wealth of knowledge about medicinal herbs.

But Namgung Il was different from him.

It seemed that the Namgung Clan would not separately teach about such medicinal herbs.

"..."

Of course, Cha Yul-ryeong had also thought so and had asked Namgung Il about Hongbancho.

With this, the justification for him to punish Namgung Il would have been clearly established.

Cha Yul-ryeong lowered his slightly raised lips again and said to Namgung Il.

"You don't know? Then..."

"That grass is Hongbancho."

"...!"

"Its efficacy is to stop bleeding. Especially if you chew Hongbancho well with your mouth and apply it to the wound, it can exert a greater effect in stopping bleeding."

When Namgung Il said that calmly, Cha Yul-ryeong was momentarily at a loss for words.

Because what Namgung Il had just said were all correct answers.

Jong Seo-eon, who knew that fact, also couldn't hide his surprise, his two eyes wide open at Namgung Il's answer.

"To explain further, Hongbancho usually grows in wetlands."

"..."

"Its reddish leaves and spots are its characteristics. Besides that, its flowers are also red, so if you look for it well in wetlands, you can easily find it."

That was also the right answer.

When Cha Yul-ryeong did not answer anything, Namgung Il asked Cha Yul-ryeong with a meaningful smile.

"That's all, but was there any part of my words that was wrong?"

"...You know quite a lot about medicinal herbs."

"What do you mean? It's just knowledge I've picked up here and there."

Of course, Cha Yul-ryeong did not believe those words.

To know about Hongbancho with just knowledge picked up here and there?

Those words were poking Cha Yul-ryeong's nerves even more.

"...As I said just now, if you have Hongbancho nearby when you're not stopping bleeding, you can take simple first aid."

"..."

"If you keep moving while bleeding without taking first aid, the possibility of dying will increase significantly. The number of martial artists who have died from simple wounds, overlooking this point, is much more than you think."

Cha Yul-ryeong said to the students, still staring at Namgung Il.

"You are absolutely right."

Namgung Il, who nodded in front of him and agreed with Cha Yul-ryeong's words.

Since he had gotten the correct answer, Namgung Il was about to go to his seat.

"Is it okay for me to go to my seat now?"

"...Namgung Il, I will give you five merit points."

Huh?

When Cha Yul-ryeong suddenly said that to him, Namgung Il couldn't help but be surprised.

"Did you say you would give me merit points?"

"Yes, since you got the problem I gave you right, there must be a reward for it."

"..."

What a windfall?

To think that he would even get merit points when he was late, of course, he had not even thought of it a little.

'What is this, am I perhaps having a good day?'

Is this what they call a blessing in disguise?

Namgung Il smiled brightly and said, scratching his head as if he were embarrassed.

"Aigoo, you don't have to take care of me that much."

"..."

"But since you're giving it to me, I won't refuse."

"Yes, then take ten demerit points with you as well."

Did I hear something wrong just now?

Namgung Il tilted his head and asked Cha Yul-ryeong.

"Uh... I think I heard the word 'demerit points' just now. Did I perhaps hear wrong?"

"No, you heard right."

"..."

"Don't tell me you've forgotten the fact that you were late?"

"Wasn't that supposed to be a non-issue if I got the problem right?"

Namgung Il had, of course, thought so and had gotten the problem right.

But to give him ten demerit points?

Even if he added the five merit points he had received earlier, in the end, five demerit points would remain.

"I only said that if you were wrong, I would give you a considerable punishment, but I never once said that if you got it right, it would be a non-issue."

"..."

"Since you got the correct answer, it ended with ten demerit points. If you had been wrong, I would have given you a bigger punishment."

This brat... it's clear he had been planning this from the beginning.

The intention to punish him somehow, whether he got the correct answer or not.

Since he had given him merit points at first and then had slapped him in the back of the head like this, Namgung Il felt even more annoyed.

"Do you have any objections?"

"...No."

Namgung Il let out a slight smirk and answered.

"You can go back to your seat now."

With those words, Cha Yul-ryeong walked to the podium.

Namgung Il, who was silently watching him from behind for a moment.

Although he had expected it to some extent, it seemed that he had been thoroughly disliked in this class from the beginning.

'So you're going to come out like that, huh?'

He decided.

He would get the highest score in this class, no matter what.

Since Cha Yul-ryeong was coming out like that, Namgung Il felt even more of a competitive spirit.

Swish—

Soon, Namgung Il, who turned his body and went back to his seat.

Just then, the voice of Cha Yul-ryeong, who was standing on the podium, was heard from behind.

"Let's start the class."

* * *

The first day's classes were all over.

Before going back to the dormitory, Namgung Il stopped by the dining hall and was eating dinner.

"Hoo—"

Namgung Il sighed, with food in front of him.

'I'm tired.'

Even after all these years, it seemed that he couldn't help but lose his energy when he took classes.

It wasn't a physical problem, but rather, he felt mentally tired.

He even thought that it might be less tiring to just train at the training ground all day.

'I'll get used to it gradually.'

Still, it was certainly fun to attend the academy after a long time.

A feeling of returning to his youth.

Although his current body was Namgung Il's, besides that, he felt as if he had become younger mentally to match his body.

'It'll be a little quieter from tomorrow. I think there were too many things from the morning today.'

In the first place, to adapt on the first day, he was bound to use more stamina than usual, and besides that, there was also a commotion in the dining hall from the morning.

Not only that? After that, hadn't he been running around the academy for over an hour?

Since he had been taking classes in a tired state from the beginning, it was only natural that he was feeling so tired now.

'Ah, come to think of it, I have to meet my sister too.'

Since they had parted like that in the morning, he would have to meet her later and continue the conversation.

Although he was sorry to Namgung Yeon, he hoped that she would end the conversation a little shorter today.

Just then, Gwangcheon approached Namgung Il from the side and spoke to him in a friendly manner.

"Captain, you look very tired."

"...?"

"If it's okay, would it be okay if I massaged your shoulders? There's a special massage technique passed down in the Shaolin Temple."

Look at this bastard?

Seeing Gwangcheon, who was saying that to him, Namgung Il smirked inwardly.

"I don't need the help of a traitor."

"T-traitor! Are you saying I'm a traitor?"

"Yes, didn't you say this morning that you wouldn't call me captain?"

"At that time, I thought the captain was a piece of trash who made a peerless beauty cry..."

"Trash?"

"I-I misspoke!"

Gwangcheon said and hurriedly bowed his head.

"Captain! I have a once-in-a-lifetime request, can you grant it just once?"

"A request?"

"Just once, let me have a one-on-one conversation with your sister..."

Whack—

Before his words could even end, Namgung Il's right hand was hitting Gwangcheon's head.

"Are you crazy, you bastard! How dare you try to hit on my sister in front of me?"

"I'm not hitting on her! It's just that I feel like I can get peace of mind just by talking to your sister..."

"Just take it. I'll hit your head today so that my handprint is stamped on it."

"Then will you let me meet her?"

When Gwangcheon asked so nonchalantly, Namgung Il's right hand flashed up in the air again.

"C-captain!"

In the end, Jong Seo-eon hurriedly grabbed Namgung Il's body from behind.

But Namgung Il's right hand, which was still fiercely trying to jump forward.

If Jong Seo-eon hadn't stopped him, it seemed Gwangcheon would have been a dead man.

"Y-Young Master Gwangcheon! Hurry up and apologize for being wrong!"

"I saw a fairy for the first time in my life. If the fairy smiles at me just once, I think I'll have no regrets even if I die right now."

"...Yes. Let's die once today!"

Gwangcheon's words set fire to Namgung Il's heart.

"Namgung Il."

Just then, a voice was heard from behind.

Namgung Il, who was holding Gwangcheon's head with both hands, looked at the person who had just called him.

"...There's a place I need you to go with me for a moment."

Looking at Jeong Hyeon-yeong, who was saying that to him, Namgung Il tilted his head.

(End of Chapter)