The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Swoosh—

Kang Cheol-woo held out the wooden box to Seo Shin-won, who was sitting opposite.

"With this, the item has been delivered for sure."

"..."

Seo Shin-won quietly opened the wooden box placed in front of him.

After checking the item inside, Seo Shin-won immediately closed the wooden box as it was.

"I've confirmed it."

"..."

"Is there anything else I need to do?"

"You just need to stamp your seal here."

Kang Cheol-woo said and held out the document he had prepared in advance to Seo Shin-won.

If he didn't leave a document like this, there might be a claim later that he hadn't received the item.

As a safety measure, a certificate had to be left like this whenever a high-priced escort item was handed over.

"I'll do that."

Seo Shin-won said and took out his seal.

Kang Cheol-woo, who was watching him carefully.

Although he wasn't showing it on the outside, Kang Cheol-woo was a little surprised to be seeing Seo Shin-won so up close.

'Is this the Crouching Dragon in the Abyss, Seo Shin-won?'

Seo Shin-won was a very famous person, to the point where his recognition could be counted on one hand throughout the entire martial world.

The fact that he was the principal of the Flying Dragon Academy also played a part in that, but more than that, Seo Shin-won's past actions had played a decisive role in raising his fame.

"..."

According to rumors, Seo Shin-won had performed tremendous feats in the Righteous-Demonic War.

The corpses of the enemies he had cut down in the past had formed a mountain, and the sight of Seo Shin-won covered in the enemy's blood was regarded as an object of fear to the enemies.

Of course, the most famous name from that war could be said to be the Ten Stars of Light, but if one were to be picky, Seo Shin-won's name would probably be mentioned next.

'A dragon crouching at the bottom of a pond... if the rumors are true, it's a fitting nickname.'

The person who had driven the enemies into fear during the Righteous-Demonic War was now a gentle teacher who taught students.

That was why the nickname Crouching Dragon in the Abyss was given.

Although he might be a benevolent teacher to the students, the people who had experienced the Righteous-Demonic War together remembered the sight of Seo Shin-won covered in the enemy's blood more strongly.

"Now, is this done?"

Seo Shin-won was now holding out the document with the seal stamped on it again.

Kang Cheol-woo came to his senses and took the document, and after checking the seal, he folded the document carefully and put it in his clothes.

"Yes, I've confirmed it."

"You've worked hard."

"Uh... if it's not too much trouble, may I ask you one thing?"

"If you're asking me to tell you what this is, I can't answer."

When Seo Shin-won said that, Kang Cheol-woo hurriedly waved his hands.

"The escort item entrusted as a request can only be known by the client and the escort agency head! I was definitely not trying to ask about that, so please don't misunderstand!"

No matter how much he was an escort leader, he should not have any interest in the escort item entrusted as a request.

That was not only the case for the World Escort Agency, but also for other escort agencies.

To transport the escort item safely and to thoroughly protect its security. Those two were the absolute principles of an escort agency.

"Is that so? Then that's a relief."

"..."

"It won't be good for you to be curious about this."

When Seo Shin-won said in a serious voice, Kang Cheol-woo's gaze went to the wooden box.

As he had just said, Kang Cheol-woo had not once opened the wooden box during the escort, but seeing him say that, he was a little curious.

"You'll have to pay more extreme attention to this escort than at other times."

"..."

"Especially, maintain the security thoroughly. No one should know what this is."

"...I'll keep that in mind."

Before leaving for the escort, Su Majin had also urged him to do so.

Although he had been warned like this a few times in the past, this time it felt different.

Should I say that an unknown tension was felt in Su Majin's voice?

Although he had thought that it might be because the opponent was Seo Shin-won, still, it was a little surprising for Su Majin to show such a side.

'Is that thing that dangerous?'

Although he was a little curious, that was all.

One of the ways to survive for a long time as an escort was not to be interested in things that felt dangerous.

Kang Cheol-woo decided to forget everything about the wooden box and asked Seo Shin-won the question he had originally intended to ask.

"Do you perhaps know a student named Namgung Il among the students of the Flying Dragon Academy?"

"Namgung Il?"

When Kang Cheol-woo asked, Seo Shin-won tilted his head as if he were surprised.

"Why are you curious about that?"

"I happened to receive help in the city yesterday, but I couldn't properly express my gratitude to that student."

"..."

"Fortunately, I know his name and the fact that he is a student of the Flying Dragon Academy, so I asked just in case."

Of course, it was all a lie.

Since what had happened yesterday was not something to be said openly in this place, Kang Cheol-woo had made up a story and had asked.

"That student has entered the Vermilion Bird Class as a first-year this year."

"...?"

"It's surprising that Namgung Il helped you, escort leader."

Just then, Cha Yul-ryeong, who had been sitting quietly on the side until now, suddenly intervened and said.

"A first-year..."

Among other things, Kang Cheol-woo remembered that word first.

For the brat who had left him with such a humiliation to be just a first-year.

Although he had thought he was arrogant, hearing those words made him feel that way even more strongly.

"But what kind of help did Namgung Il, that problem child, specifically give you, escort leader?"

"...Pardon?"

When Cha Yul-ryeong suddenly asked, Kang Cheol-woo was a little flustered.

Who would have known that he would dig into a made-up story so persistently?

As Cha Yul-ryeong looked with a slightly suspicious gaze, Kang Cheol-woo hurriedly opened his mouth.

"Wh-why are you asking that?"

"Since he's a problem child who has been showing a lot of prominence from the beginning of the semester, I'm curious what kind of good deed he did."

"Uh... I'm sorry. It's a personal matter, so I don't think I can tell you in detail."

"...Is that so?"

Fortunately, Cha Yul-ryeong did not dig any deeper and backed down.

But the suspicious gaze felt in that expressionless face.

Even if he tried not to meet his gaze, he felt the gaze, so Kang Cheol-woo couldn't help but be on pins and needles.

"Th-then I'll be leaving now."

"If it's alright, shall I guide you to Namgung Il?"

Cha Yul-ryeong kindly said with an expressionless face.

But a situation that did not feel kind to Kang Cheol-woo.

Since it seemed his lie would be revealed if he were to meet Namgung Il in this state, Kang Cheol-woo was trying to leave before things got any more complicated.

"Ah, no! I can't trouble you like that."

"..."

"I have some business, so I'll go and see him separately next time."

"...Is that so?"

When he said that, Cha Yul-ryeong did not continue the conversation any further.

Before that attitude changed, Kang Cheol-woo hurriedly said goodbye to the two.

Click—

Closing the door, Kang Cheol-woo went out.

A moment later, Cha Yul-ryeong asked Seo Shin-won in a serious voice.

"Principal, where are you planning to keep that?"

"Well... wouldn't that place be good?"

"..."

"Or it could be another place."

Seo Shin-won said and got up from his seat, holding the wooden box.

"I don't think I can tell you the exact location."

"..."

"Will you understand me?"

"...Of course."

At that answer, Seo Shin-won smiled lightly and went out, holding the wooden box.

Cha Yul-ryeong, who was left alone in the room.

A moment later, when Seo Shin-won's presence had completely disappeared, Cha Yul-ryeong also got up from his seat.

* * *

"Hmm..."

Namgung Il was standing in front of the bulletin board, thinking hard about something.

"Captain, haven't you decided yet?"

"...And you?"

"I've already applied for this."

Jong Seo-eon said and pointed to the bulletin board with his finger.

Numerous names were listed in a row on the bulletin board.

Among them, what Jong Seo-eon was pointing to with his finger was a subject named Economics.

"Economics?"

"Yes. I thought it would be helpful to the Beggars' Sect later if I learned a little about money in this class..."

"..."

"Thanks to you, captain, we've put out the urgent fire, but we can't be indebted to you forever."

A praiseworthy brat.

Seeing him like this, it seemed that his mindset as a Hougai was firmly in place.

The subjects posted on the bulletin board now were all elective subjects.

Unlike the required subjects, students could choose and take the elective subjects, and the types were also very diverse.

Just like the one Jong Seo-eon had just chosen, there were quite a lot of classes that taught content that was not directly related to martial arts.

'There are so many types, so it's even harder to choose.'

In the past, there were no subjects that students could choose to take like this.

As expected, as time passed, did the academy also change accordingly?

Namgung Il thought for a moment and then asked Gwangcheon this time.

"Gwangcheon, what did you choose?"

"I chose this."

Dance?

Although he was puzzled why Gwangcheon had chosen this, Namgung Il checked the name of the teacher in charge next to the subject and could immediately understand the reason.

'No doubt. This brat chose this by looking at the teacher, not the subject.'

The teacher in charge of Dance was Han Yu-wol.

The head of the White Tiger Class and the woman who had sent Gwangcheon flying during the entrance exam.

Since he remembered Gwangcheon rushing at her in a frenzy at that time, Namgung Il immediately noticed that.

"You, have you still not come to your senses?"

"What do you mean? I just chose this because I'm interested in dance."

"A brat with hair on his conscience."

"I don't have a single strand of hair on my head."

Let's just not talk.

Seeing that, the sight of Gwangcheon flying through the air again was clear in his eyes.

'Anyway, these two brats have already chosen.'

Both had their own reasons and had chosen the subjects they wanted.

If he were to take an elective subject, wouldn't it be better for him to take a class that he thought was necessary rather than something useless?

Although the meaning was a little different in Gwangcheon's case... if it was necessary for him, it would be necessary.

Namgung Il looked through the subjects on the bulletin board and his gaze stopped at one place.

"..."

The place where Namgung Il's gaze had stopped had the words 'Hidden Weapon Techniques' written on it.

Literally, a class where one studied and handled hidden weapons.

As if there was no need to think any further, Namgung Il picked up the application form placed next to the bulletin board.

"Oh, have you chosen?

"Yes."

"What are you going to do, captain?"

"Hidden Weapon Techniques."

Hearing that answer, Jong Seo-eon tilted his head as if he were surprised.

"Hidden Weapon Techniques? Why did you choose that of all things?"

"Because I want to learn it once."

"Hmm..."

To be honest, in the martial world, hidden weapons were regarded as a heretical weapon, unlike swords or sabers.

Since the people who used hidden weapons were almost all assassins or members of the heretical faction, the perception was particularly bad in the righteous faction.

"Hidden weapons... I think it's a little bad."

"Why?"

"You know. In fact, hidden weapons are a weapon that strikes the enemy's weakness. The perception is also considered a bit cowardly, and if you face them from the front, the efficiency is a little low..."

It was then.

"Take that back right now."

"...?"

A fluttering blue robe.

A man in a green robe inside said, glaring at Jong Seo-eon with sharp eyes.

(End of Chapter)