The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

The office was silent.

In the midst of it, Namgung Il, who was still standing in front of the bookshelf.

Fortunately, the book he had been holding was back on the bookshelf.

'...That was a close call.'

He had been so focused on the book that he had noticed Cha Yul-ryeong's approach too late.

If Cha Yul-ryeong had opened the door just a little sooner, wouldn't it have been a situation where he couldn't have gotten out of it?

Although the atmosphere was quite tense now, still, it was at a level where he could somehow cope.

"...Hello."

"..."

"You must have come from class? It seems you weren't here when I came in earlier..."

"Don't talk nonsense and just answer my question."

Hearing his voice, it seemed that Cha Yul-ryeong was very angry now.

Even now, it felt like this, but if he had been caught with the book wide open, what on earth would the atmosphere have been like... Namgung Il didn't even want to imagine it.

"I was waiting for the teacher."

"..."

"The president ordered me to help Teacher Cha Yul-ryeong with volunteer work."

"Volunteer work?"

A question appeared on Cha Yul-ryeong's face.

Seeing that reaction, it seemed he had not heard anything from Seo Shin-won.

Namgung Il sighed inwardly and grumbled, not really grumbling.

'I came to receive punishment, but do I have to explain it myself?'

Still, it couldn't be helped. Wasn't he just a mere student?

Namgung Il sighed once inwardly and opened his mouth.

"Uh... wasn't there an accident in the Vermilion Bird Class this time?"

"...?"

"I was also at fault to some extent. The president ordered me to do volunteer work by the teachers' side for ten days as a punishment for that."

"Ah, you're talking about that."

As expected, Cha Yul-ryeong also seemed to know about that.

At that moment, a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

Namgung Il looked down on him with a face that was full of contempt, and Cha Yul-ryeong opened his mouth.

"I was really dumbfounded when I heard that. Dozens of people in the academy had a brawl? I've been at the academy for more than ten years, but there has never been such a thing."

"..."

"I knew the level was low, but I didn't know it would be this much... It's truly regrettable."

Yes, curse me as much as you want.

Since it wasn't the first or second time Cha Yul-ryeong had spoken like this, Namgung Il was just letting it go in one ear and out the other.

"So you came to me to receive punishment now?"

"...Yes."

"..."

Hoo—

Cha Yul-ryeong looked at Namgung Il and let out a deep sigh.

As if he were tired of taking on a troublemaker.

In fact, Namgung Il also felt similarly.

'You don't like me being here either, right? I don't like it either, so just tell me to get lost once.'

Even if Cha Yul-ryeong said that, the volunteer work would not end, but still, he could at least go to another teacher.

Wouldn't that be beneficial for both of them?

Namgung Il hoped that Cha Yul-ryeong would say that one thing, even if he cursed him more.

"..."

Just then, Cha Yul-ryeong's gaze turned to the back where Namgung Il was standing.

Although he had somehow managed to put the book back, there was no time to get away from the spot, so Namgung Il was still standing close to the bookshelf.

"Don't tell me you searched my office without permission while I was gone?"

"...Of course not."

"Then why are you standing there?"

Cha Yul-ryeong pointed that out once more.

He had thought he could just get away with it since the topic had flowed to another side, but...

Should he say he was stubborn? Namgung Il immediately said the excuse he had prepared in advance.

"This is the first time I've seen a room with so many books."

"..."

"I was just looking around for a moment because I was curious about what kind of books the smart and cool Teacher Cha Yul-ryeong usually reads. Ah, but I didn't take out the books and read them, so don't worry about that."

If he were to say that he had done nothing in a situation like this, it would feel even more suspicious.

Because anyone could see that he was standing as if he had been wandering around the office.

So he answered that he had looked around, but had not taken out the books.

"Didn't you learn not to enter a room without the owner's permission?"

"I didn't think that far. I was just thinking of following the president's orders."

Namgung Il brought up Seo Shin-won's name once more here.

As if he had been forced to come here by Seo Shin-won's order, not by his own will.

To calm that Cha Yul-ryeong, it would be most effective to use Seo Shin-won as a shield.

"..."

Cha Yul-ryeong still had a face that seemed to be displeased with something.

But Namgung Il knew well that he could not say anything more to him because Seo Shin-won was involved.

"...If you enter my office without permission again, I will not forgive you then."

"..."

"It won't end with just a suspension like this time. Do you understand?"

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

Namgung Il answered and moved his steps towards the entrance.

'I somehow got away with it.'

It felt like he had narrowly escaped.

Probably, the same excuse would not work next time.

Although he wanted to come into Cha Yul-ryeong's office once more if he could, it seemed he would have to try it in a much safer state than now.

"..."

The Blood Rice Herb he had seen in the book was still in a corner of Namgung Il's mind.

A medicinal herb that can bring the dead back to life.

Since Cha Yul-ryeong had burst in the moment he had read that sentence and was about to turn to the next page, there were still many questions about the Blood Rice Herb.

'It's still ambiguous to conclude whether such a medicinal herb really exists in the world.'

To be sure of that, it seemed he would have to read all the contents written in that book.

But that was impossible right now.

Since he had remembered the location where the book was placed, he would be able to read it all for sure when he had a chance later.

'If that really exists...'

It was then.

Namgung Il stopped walking at the voice calling him from behind.

"Namgung Il."

"...?"

"Where are you going now?"

Where was he going? Since it was now dinner time, he would have to go to the dining hall and eat.

Even at this moment, Namgung Il did not know the reason why Cha Yul-ryeong had called him to a halt.

"Didn't you say you came to me by the president's order?"

"...!"

"Don't tell me you were trying to sneak away?"

Only then did Namgung Il remember why he had come here.

Since his head was full of thoughts about the Blood Rice Herb, he had forgotten for a moment, but hadn't he originally come here to receive punishment?

Since the atmosphere was one of finishing up, Namgung Il had been moving his steps towards the entrance without realizing it.

"Uh... if you don't have anything for me to do, it's alright if you don't."

"..."

"Then I can just go to another teacher. The busy Teacher Cha Yul-ryeong doesn't need to punish a troublemaker like me himself."

You don't like me either.

Although Namgung Il said that in a roundabout way, it seemed that his feelings had not been conveyed to Cha Yul-ryeong.

"As it happens, I have something for a troublemaker like you to do."

"..."

"Come to the entrance of Mt. Gyeryong tomorrow morning."

...Damn it.

Cha Yul-ryeong said once more to Namgung Il, whose mouth did not open easily.

"If you're late, I'll report it to the president. So don't be late."

"...I understand."

In the end, he answered and Namgung Il gradually moved away with a weak gait, just like when he had come to the office.

Cha Yul-ryeong, who watched him for a moment and then closed the door.

Soon, turning his head, Cha Yul-ryeong looked around the office as if he were looking for something.

"..."

As if he had not found anything suspicious, Cha Yul-ryeong stopped his moving head.

Thud— Thud—.

Cha Yul-ryeong soon walked inside.

In front of the bookshelf where Namgung Il had been standing just a moment ago.

Cha Yul-ryeong stopped there and stared intently at the bookshelf right in front of him.

"..."

A moment later, as if he had discovered something, Cha Yul-ryeong's eyes widened slightly.

***

Chirp— Chirp—.

The chirping of mountain birds was heard in his ears like a melody.

Besides that, this clear morning air that seemed to make the day refreshing just by breathing it in.

Although Namgung Il was greeting the morning in such an environment, far from being refreshing, he was sitting on a rock with a face as if he had chewed on poop.

'What am I doing here from the morning?'

As Cha Yul-ryeong had said yesterday, Namgung Il had come to the entrance of Mt. Gyeryong early.

Since he didn't know what kind of fault he would find with him if he were late, Namgung Il had not even been able to eat breakfast properly at the dining hall.

Swoosh—.

Just then, Namgung Il took something out of his clothes.

Since he couldn't not eat breakfast at all, Namgung Il had packed a rice ball from the dining hall and had brought it, just like Ak Simin usually ate.

'I'll have to eat this at least.'

Namgung Il let out a small sigh and chewed on the rice ball he was holding in his hand.

It's delicious since I'm hungry.

As he was eating a rice ball here like this, Namgung Il was briefly reminded of the old days.

'I think I ate a rice ball like this here back then too.'

A rice ball had been served for lunch at the entrance exam.

And this Mt. Gyeryong. He had done something similar to a treasure hunt here with thousands of people.

As he was eating the same food like this in the same place now, Namgung Il was naturally reminded of the memories of that time.

'To call a person to a place like this from the morning, what on earth is he planning to have me do this time?'

Namgung Il had not heard anything yet.

Since it didn't seem like Cha Yul-ryeong would tell him even if he asked, he hadn't bothered to ask.

'I hope it's not just a troublesome thing.'

Although he had such a small wish, to be honest, it didn't seem like that wish would come true.

First of all, the place where he had been called to strongly gave the feeling that he would have a lot of trouble.

If he were to choose the most troublesome thing among the entrance exams, he would choose the exam that had been held here without a second thought.

'No, even if it's troublesome, I just want to get out of it quickly.'

First, it was to get away from Cha Yul-ryeong.

Just that alone seemed to make him feel at ease, both physically and mentally.

Namgung Il was having such useless thoughts while chewing on the rice ball.

"...?"

The right hand that he had unconsciously stretched out did not hold anything.

Seeing the empty lotus leaf, Namgung Il realized that he had already eaten all the rice balls.

'What, I've already eaten it all?'

Strictly speaking, it wasn't already.

Although Namgung Il was not aware of it, including what he had just eaten, it was the fifth one.

Although it was an amount that would normally be enough to fill one's stomach, Namgung Il had a disappointed expression, as if five were not enough.

'It doesn't even tickle my stomach.'

If he had known it would be like this, he should have packed more.

Namgung Il had such a regret belatedly, but it was not a situation where he could go back to the dining hall now.

Swish—

In the end, Namgung Il threw the lotus leaf that had wrapped the rice ball on the floor and waited for Cha Yul-ryeong again endlessly.

But Cha Yul-ryeong, who did not show up even as time passed.

As half an hour passed, Namgung Il also began to get annoyed.

'Why isn't he coming after calling a person?'

At this point, it seemed it would have been alright even if he had eaten a hearty breakfast at the dining hall.

This feeling of being even hungrier after being moderately full.

As the continuous waiting and the ambiguous hunger overlapped, Namgung Il's expression could not help but be tinged with annoyance.

Thud— Thud—.

Just then, a presence was felt approaching from this side.

'Is he coming now?'

As soon as he felt the presence, Namgung Il immediately moved his head that way.

But a question that immediately appeared on his face.

Although he had thought that Cha Yul-ryeong was coming, the approaching presence was not one, but several.

'What is this?'

Was there someone else who would come to a place like this in the morning besides him or Cha Yul-ryeong? And so many?

Namgung Il continued to watch in the direction where the presence was felt, with such a question.

"...?"

A moment later, a group that appeared from that side.

The students who were wearing blue robes were walking this way confidently.

(End of Chapter)