Chapter 89 : I Believed in You
Namgung Il was still looking at Namgung Cheon as if he were dumbfounded.
Did his robe, which he was wearing on the outside, have some kind of secret?
To the point where he had such a thought, only the robe was damaged to some extent, and Namgung Cheon, who was wearing it, looked very fine.
'...He's a monster.'
His one blow had surely fallen right on Namgung Cheon's head.
But for only the innocent building to be destroyed and for Namgung Cheon himself to be fine.
Namgung Il had no choice but to admit that Namgung Cheon's skills were at a much higher level than he had thought.
Thud— Thud—.
Even at this moment, Namgung Cheon was walking this way with an expressionless face.
On the other hand, Namgung Il, who was sitting on the spot and not moving at all.
Although he felt like he was going to die from nausea even if he just stood still, it was absolutely impossible to run away from Namgung Cheon in this state.
'Is this it?'
Namgung Il muttered to himself and lay down on his back.
Although it might not have ended so futilely if he had fought in a fine state from the beginning, he no longer had the strength to fight now.
"I'm sorry, but I don't have the ornament."
"..."
"So whether you roast me or boil me, do as you please, brother."
Namgung Il said, lying on his back.
The reason why Namgung Cheon had been waiting for him here was surely to get the merit points, just like the other students.
If he had the ornament in his clothes now, Namgung Il would have just handed it over obediently, but there was really nothing in Namgung Il's clothes now.
"I don't need that."
"...?"
When Namgung Cheon answered like that, Namgung Il couldn't help but have a question.
Then why on earth had Namgung Cheon been waiting for him here, and why had he picked a fight without letting him go obediently?
As Namgung Il raised his head with a puzzled gaze, a voice suddenly intervened from nearby.
"You've made quite a mess."
"...?"
"If you were going to fight, why did you make a fuss in my office instead of outside?"
When he turned his head to where the voice had come from, Cheon Hong-ryeon was standing there.
A moment later, Jong Seo-eon and Jeong Hyeon-yeong, who appeared following Cheon Hong-ryeon.
Seeing that, Namgung Il smiled meaningfully.
"A-are you alright!"
As soon as they discovered Namgung Il lying on the floor, Jong Seo-eon and Jeong Hyeon-yeong immediately approached him.
Namgung Il, who barely raised his upper body with the help of the two.
But now, rather than worrying about his own body, there was something he had to ask the two.
"I'm fine. More importantly, how did the plan go?"
"Don't worry about that. It all went according to plan."
Jeong Hyeon-yeong answered with a smile.
It all went according to plan.
Only after hearing that one sentence could Namgung Il let out a sigh of relief.
'Somehow, it succeeded.'
Today, Namgung Il was the bait.
A role of running away without getting caught as much as possible while focusing people's attention on himself.
Although Hwang Dong-jae and the others had thought that Namgung Il would have the ornament, in reality, there was nothing in Namgung Il's possession other than a dagger.
"People will naturally think I have the ornament."
"..."
"So while I'm drawing their attention, you guys move around freely and find out where the student council president is."
In the first place, they had planned it like that and had divided their roles.
No matter how much he thought about it, it seemed almost impossible to find Cheon Hong-ryeon's location while avoiding the pursuers at the same time.
So Namgung Il had decided to focus only on the role of running away, and he had entrusted the role of finding Cheon Hong-ryeon's location to the two.
"Then if we find the student council president's location, should we let you know the location?"
"No, there's no need for that."
"...?"
"I'm just a bait. So the role of finishing it is up to you."
As soon as he had read the public notice, Namgung Il had been able to discover the loophole hidden in it.
The public notice had clearly stated this.
That he would grant twenty merit points to the one who brought the ornament.
If he thought about it differently, it meant that the person who returned the ornament to Cheon Hong-ryeon did not necessarily have to be Namgung Il.
'Whoever goes, it's the same to get the merit points.'
The merit points are applied to the class, not to an individual.
In other words, as long as one belonged to the Vermilion Bird Class, whether Namgung Il went or someone else went, the result was the same.
In the first place, Namgung Il's purpose was not to return the ornament to Cheon Hong-ryeon, but to get twenty merit points.
Using that part well, Namgung Il had entrusted the role of finishing it to the two, and as a result, the three had been able to seize victory in this absurd war.
"You did well! I believed in you!"
To be honest, he had been a little anxious, but Namgung Il did not bother to say that part.
The three hugged each other and celebrated their victory, and Cheon Hong-ryeon looked at them for a moment and then moved her head to Namgung Cheon.
"Namgung Cheon, the event is over."
"..."
"If you swing your sword any more there, it's definitely a violation of the school rules."
Cheon Hong-ryeon said to Namgung Cheon.
Although she was smiling, it was a tone that felt somewhat threatening.
Namgung Cheon looked at Cheon Hong-ryeon in silence for a moment and then sheathed his sword.
"Namgung Il."
"...?"
"Come in a fine state next time."
Namgung Cheon said to Namgung Il.
Hearing that tone, it seemed that Namgung Cheon had known that his condition was not good from the beginning.
Namgung Il's gaze changed to a serious one, and he answered those words.
"You'd better be prepared then."
"..."
"It won't end with just your clothes getting ruined like now."
A reply mixed with a provocation.
Namgung Cheon still did not answer anything with an expressionless face and slowly left the spot.
"Namgung Il! Don't tell me you fought with that person?"
As if he had belatedly noticed Namgung Cheon's existence, Jeong Hyeon-yeong asked with a surprised face.
"Why are you so surprised?"
"Is this not something to be surprised about now?"
At Namgung Il's question, Jeong Hyeon-yeong immediately retorted.
Just the fact that he had fought with a student of the Azure Dragon Class was a considerable thing to be surprised about, but how could it not be surprising that he was safe after fighting not just an ordinary student but the class president of the Azure Dragon Class?
Although Namgung Il's condition was not to the point of being called fine, there was no one among the first-year students of the Vermilion Bird Class who could dare to end it at this level against Namgung Cheon.
"It's not just anyone, it's the Emperor Sword Dragon, Namgung Cheon!"
"Emperor Sword Dragon?"
What kind of grand nickname was that?
Still, if he recalled Namgung Cheon's impression, it was a nickname that suited him quite well.
"Yes! I heard he got that nickname because he has never been defeated in a single spar until now."
"Hmm... really?"
"I see that the Emperor Sword Dragon's attire is also quite a mess, don't tell me you fought fiercely?"
"..."
"Huh? Answer me!"
Why was this brat making more of a fuss than him?
Namgung Il just smiled awkwardly and did not answer anything.
'To have never lost in any spar...'
Although he had spoken so provocatively to Namgung Cheon just now, he didn't think he could guarantee that he would win if they fought in a perfect state next time.
The impression of Namgung Cheon, which was quite strong.
With this incident, Namgung Il had come to realize that his swordsmanship was still far from enough.
"How's your condition?"
Just then, Cheon Hong-ryeon approached Namgung Il and asked.
At that moment, as if he had realized something, Namgung Il's two eyes widened, and he forcibly got up from his seat.
Although things had turned out well in the end, there was something he really wanted to say if he were to meet Cheon Hong-ryeon.
"What on earth were you thinking, doing such a thing?"
"Wasn't it fun?"
"Fun?"
"Yes, the academy was boisterous after a long time. It seemed everyone was enjoying it, so I felt good watching."
This crazy woman...
Namgung Il momentarily had such a curse welling up to his throat, but he barely held it back before it came out of his mouth.
"Would you like to be chased by the students in the academy once, president?"
"I don't want to."
"You said it seemed fun? As an experienced person, I'd really like to recommend it to you once, president."
"I'll pass. I prefer watching rather than running myself."
Cheon Hong-ryeon said and smiled brightly.
Although they say you can't hit a smiling face, if he could, Namgung Il felt he could not only give a bitter word but also a fist with a bitter taste to that smiling face.
"You're the one who said you would accept this, right?"
"..."
"Still, if you're upset, I'll make that a non-issue as a sign of apology."
Cheon Hong-ryeon said and pointed to the ruined building with her eyes.
"That, it seems it will cost quite a lot to rebuild. Originally, the person who destroyed it should pay the cost, but this time, the student council will just bear it."
"..."
"Will that make you feel a little better?"
Well... if it was something like that, he was willing to just endure it.
Whatever the reason, the person who had made that building a ruin was him.
Since he had burned down Cheon Hong-ryeon's office, it would be enough as a retaliation for this incident.
"I understand. Let's just let it go."
"Thank you."
"..."
When he saw her like this, she seemed like a normal person.
But Namgung Il shook his head inwardly and immediately came to his senses.
'No, this woman is not sane.'
When a person who had only done bad things did one good thing, that thing would be greatly highlighted.
The fact that he had felt that Cheon Hong-ryeon was a normal person was the same.
If he recalled what she had done to him until now, Cheon Hong-ryeon was still a target to be wary of.
"Still, I was quite surprised. I was curious how you would hand this over to me, but I never thought you would come out like this."
"..."
"Thanks to you, it was quite fun."
Cheon Hong-ryeon said, and a smile spread across her lips as if she had really enjoyed it.
On the other hand, Namgung Il, who was making a rather unpleasant expression.
As if he had become a clown for Cheon Hong-ryeon's fun, he didn't feel very good.
'Was this also just a prank?'
Well, for a person who threw a dagger at one's face as a prank, this much would be nothing.
From now on, it seemed it would be beneficial to his well-being to just not get involved with Cheon Hong-ryeon as much as possible.
"Then you'll give me the merit points as promised this time, right?"
"Of course."
"..."
"Come and see me later. Then I'll give you the merit points."
"Later? Can't you just give it to me now?"
"Even if I wanted to, I can't handle the paperwork because someone has made my office like that."
"Uh..."
He had nothing to say about that.
In the end, Namgung Il decided to go and see Cheon Hong-ryeon later as she had said.
Phat—
Just then, Wi Ji-yang appeared in the student council hall belatedly.
"President! What on earth is this..."
Wi Ji-yang, who had come in, was at a loss for words for a moment when he saw the ruined building.
And a moment later, a scream was heard from someone next to him.
The student council's finance director had grabbed the back of his neck and had fallen back.
(End of Chapter)