The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Namgung Il couldn't help but frown slightly.

That was understandable, if a dagger suddenly flew towards one's forehead as soon as one opened the door, who could remain calm?

It was because it was Namgung Il that he had simply caught the dagger with his hand; if it had been a normal person, it could have led to a serious injury.

'...Did it fly from there?'

Namgung Il raised his gaze slightly and looked at the ceiling.

There, a suspicious-looking device was attached, and a string connected from the device continued to the door.

"..."

A device that was clearly installed to aim for the person who opened the door and entered.

Namgung Il looked forward again and said.

"Are you the student council president?"

"Yes, I am Cheon Hong-ryeon, the student council president."

At Namgung Il's question, Cheon Hong-ryeon answered calmly, just as before.

Should he say that a thorn was hidden within her beautiful appearance... That was Namgung Il's first impression of Cheon Hong-ryeon.

"That device, did you perhaps install it, student council president?"

"That's right."

"Why did you do such a thing?"

Usually, such a device was used to block external intrusions or to ambush an enemy.

But for such a thing to be installed inside the student council hall, of all places.

Namgung Il couldn't understand that part at all.

"Because I was bored."

"...?"

"It was just a prank."

When Cheon Hong-ryeon answered like that, Namgung Il was momentarily at a loss for words.

The reason for installing a device inside the student council hall was just because she was bored?

Namgung Il had no idea how to accept those words.

"President, didn't I ask you to refrain from such pranks?"

Just then, Wi Ji-yang entered the room from behind and said.

Hearing that tone, it seemed that Wi Ji-yang was not very surprised by the fact that the device had been activated and a dagger had flown out.

Moreover, he seemed to be easily accepting the fact that this was Cheon Hong-ryeon's prank.

'Come to think of it, this brat... he told me to go into the room first, right?'

Come to think of it, he could now understand the reason.

Since he had known in advance that a dagger would fly out as soon as he opened the door, hadn't he let him go first?

If he thought about the fact that he had been standing far back, it was almost certain.

"...You there, senior."

"...?"

"Did you perhaps know that a dagger would fly out as soon as I opened the door?"

"Well, roughly."

At Namgung Il's question, Wi Ji-yang answered calmly.

"Our president usually plays a lot of dangerous pranks."

"..."

"Although I didn't think a dagger would fly out, I had expected that she had prepared some kind of prank."

It seemed that Cheon Hong-ryeon and Wi Ji-yang really thought of this as a prank.

If he took it in that sense, he could tell that that device was also not installed to aim for him from the beginning.

'Was this what Ak Simin meant?'

Namgung Il could now understand the reason for the tension that had been revealed on Ak Simin's face at that time.

To send him to a crazy student council president who throws daggers at guests as a prank.

Namgung Il thought to himself that he would have to complain about this part to Ak Simin when he went back later.

"So I kindly warned you before you opened the door that it would be better to be nervous."

"..."

"Are you perhaps angry?"

"...No."

Namgung Il answered with a smile.

Seeing that, Wi Ji-yang laughed lightly and said to Cheon Hong-ryeon.

"President, this first-year student says he has a favor to ask you."

"A favor?"

"Yes, please tell her."

Wi Ji-yang said and sent a glance to Namgung Il.

A silent signal to talk to Cheon Hong-ryeon directly now that he had arranged the meeting.

Namgung Il immediately understood the signal and approached Cheon Hong-ryeon.

Thud—

When the distance had become somewhat close, Namgung Il stopped in his tracks again.

"I am Namgung Il, a first-year student of the Vermilion Bird Class."

"Namgung Il?"

When Namgung Il introduced himself, a strange light flickered in Cheon Hong-ryeon's eyes.

At the same time, Cheon Hong-ryeon said with a slightly excited voice.

"If you're Namgung Il, then you're Namgung Cheon and Namgung Yeon's younger brother?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Hmm, I see."

Cheon Hong-ryeon muttered to herself as if she understood something and nodded.

"What business does that younger brother have with me?"

"..."

Namgung Il was lost in thought for a moment before getting to the main point.

What on earth should he say to that student council president, who threw a dagger at his forehead as soon as she saw him, for it to work well?

Namgung Il took a deep breath for a moment and then opened his mouth again.

"I heard that you have the authority to grant merit points to students, president."

"So?"

"Please give me twenty merit points."

As soon as he heard those words, a laugh that seemed amused flowed from his lips.

Cheon Hong-ryeon said to Namgung Il with a smile that felt so innocent.

"You're an interesting first-year student. I never thought that the purpose of you coming to see me was something like that."

"..."

"But why should I give you merit points? Although I certainly have that authority, it's not a light authority that I can just give because you ask for it."

He had already expected that Cheon Hong-ryeon would say that.

As if he had been waiting, Namgung Il brought out the words he had prepared in advance.

"If you give me merit points, I will tell you some information that you might be interested in, president."

"Information that I might be interested in?"

"Yes."

Namgung Il answered without a moment's hesitation.

Since a strong conviction was felt in that expression, Cheon Hong-ryeon rested his chin on one hand and asked Namgung Il as if to test him.

"Information that I might be interested in... what on earth could that be?"

"Well, you'll know if you promise to give me merit points."

"..."

"To give you a little hint, it's related to Senior Wi Ji-yang."

As soon as Namgung Il said that, Wi Ji-yang, who had been standing back, tilted his head.

Why on earth was his name coming up there?

Wi Ji-yang was about to ask Namgung Il that right away.

"Information related to me? A brat who I saw for the first time today..."

"I'm curious!"

"...?"

"Alright! I'll give you the merit points, so tell me the information that I might be interested in."

Cheon Hong-ryeon said, cutting off Wi Ji-yang's words.

"P-president! Are you going to give him merit points for something like that? You should rather ask me."

"I don't want to. This side looks more interesting."

He was wrong.

Since he knew that once Cheon Hong-ryeon was in that state, she would no longer listen to anyone's words, in the end, Wi Ji-yang had no choice but to quietly watch the situation.

"Now, tell me."

"...It's some hot information I just got."

At that moment, Wi Ji-yang sensed a somewhat ominous feeling.

In the first place, it had only been about a quarter of an hour since he and Namgung Il had first met.

For such a Namgung Il to say something about him to Cheon Hong-ryeon...

"N-Namgung Il! Let's talk for a moment..."

"I truly respect you, Senior Wi Ji-yang."

"...!"

"To think that you would do such a thing so confidently inside the student council hall, as expected of the Jade-Faced Young Master! You're very amazing!"

Namgung Il said and even clapped for Wi Ji-yang.

At that moment, Wi Ji-yang's expression, which had hardened.

Namgung Il looked at him and smiled, raising the corners of his lips slightly.

'This is revenge, you brat.'

Namgung Il had still been holding a grudge against the fact that Wi Ji-yang had sent him into a room with a device without any warning.

This should be enough revenge for that.

To drive the nail in, Namgung Il added.

"I'm sorry, senior. You were having a good time with that lady, but I opened the door without any sense, right?"

"...!"

"But it's still a relief, isn't it? That I went in before you took off all your clothes..."

"Sh-shut up!"

Wi Ji-yang shouted in a hurried voice.

And just then.

At the voice heard from the side, Wi Ji-yang's body froze as it was.

"Really? You did that with a woman inside the student council hall?"

"...!"

"If Namgung Il hadn't found you, you would have been going wild by now, right?"

He was scared to look to the side.

But since he couldn't stay like this, Wi Ji-yang forcibly turned his head and said to Cheon Hong-ryeon.

"It's a misunderstanding, president! I was just going to offer a cup of tea to the young lady who had visited the student council hall..."

"So the taste of tea gets better if you drink it in a dark place with your clothes off. I should try it once later."

"You shut up!"

Wi Ji-yang shouted at Namgung Il, who was slyly intervening from the side.

However.

"You're the one who should shut up."

"...!"

"You stay here after this is over."

When Cheon Hong-ryeon said that, Wi Ji-yang could no longer say anything.

"Ah..."

It was all over.

Wi Ji-yang bowed his head deeply with a look of despair.

'He looks a little pitiful like this.'

But it was his own fault.

Although he had not originally intended to say this, since he had been provoked first, he had come out like this.

"Then you'll give me twenty merit points as promised, right?"

Namgung Il asked, looking at Cheon Hong-ryeon.

And so, Cheon Hong-ryeon put a smile on her lips again and said to Namgung Il.

"No."

"...?"

What on earth does that mean?

Although he had surely provided the information, for her to say that she couldn't give him the merit points now... Namgung Il immediately asked Cheon Hong-ryeon as if to complain.

"Isn't this different from the promise?"

"It's not different. Because the information you just mentioned didn't really interest me."

"...?"

"In the first place, I already knew that Wi Ji-yang was promiscuous with women, and I also already knew that he had done that in the student council hall not just today but several times."

Wince—

At those words, Wi Ji-yang flinched and reacted.

To the point of reacting like that, it seemed that what Cheon Hong-ryeon had said was true.

"You just told me information that I already knew."

"..."

"Will this be enough to convince you?"

To be honest, it was not a part that could be easily convinced.

If she was going to come out like this from the beginning, she shouldn't have made a promise before hearing the information.

Although there was no change in the fact that Cheon Hong-ryeon had broken her promise, still, since the opponent was the student council president, Namgung Il could not complain any further here.

"...Then how can you give me the merit points?"

"Do you need the merit points that much?"

"..."

"Why are you so obsessed with merit points? On the contrary, I'm more curious about that."

Cheon Hong-ryeon said and looked at Namgung Il intently.

But Namgung Il, who was still maintaining his silence.

Since he had already been deceived once, Namgung Il had no intention of telling Cheon Hong-ryeon the reason.

"Ah, that should work."

Just then, Cheon Hong-ryeon smiled brightly as if something had come to mind.

Although it was an innocent smile, it was a smile that felt somehow anxious.

In that state, Cheon Hong-ryeon asked Namgung Il.

"There's a way to get merit points. Do you want to try it?"

"..."

To be honest, Namgung Il was very reluctant to accept those words.

From the first moment he saw her until now, Namgung Il could not figure out the inner thoughts of that woman named Cheon Hong-ryeon.

That was why Namgung Il's intuition was now warning him that it would be dangerous if he accepted that proposal.

However.

"Alright."

"..."

"Please tell me."

Namgung Il decided to accept Cheon Hong-ryeon's proposal.

Isn't there a saying that to catch a tiger, one must enter the tiger's den?

In the period of five days, no, now four days, to get twenty merit points, he was not in a position to be picky.

Swoosh—

When Namgung Il answered like that, Cheon Hong-ryeon took out the ornament that was stuck in her hair with one hand.

"Here, take it."

"...?"

Why was she holding out that ornament to him?

Although Namgung Il could not understand Cheon Hong-ryeon's intention at all, he took the ornament that was being held out to him with his hand.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"Three days from today, return it to me then."

"...?"

"Then I'll give you twenty merit points."

Just by returning this, she would give him twenty merit points?

Although he didn't know why she had attached such a condition, it was a condition that seemed very easy at a glance.

'...It's ominous.'

The woman named Cheon Hong-ryeon he had seen so far was by no means a woman who would give merit points so easily.

What on earth was she hiding?

Seeing Cheon Hong-ryeon's face, who was smiling at him as if she were amused, Namgung Il couldn't help but have such a thought.

"Then I'll see you in three days."

Cheon Hong-ryeon, who said that and waved her hand at Namgung Il with a smile.

Namgung Il put the ornament he was holding in his clothes, gave a simple greeting, and turned his body.

"Wi Ji-yang."

"...!"

"I told you to stay, didn't I?"

With that voice as the last, Namgung Il came out of the building.

(End of Chapter)