The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Namgung Il could not properly accept this situation for a moment.

'Cha Yul-ryeong...?'

Why on earth was that brat standing there with a sword?

The sword qi that had just passed in front of his eyes also seemed to be Cha Yul-ryeong's doing.

"..."

Namgung Il soon maintained his composure and returned to his usual face.

If he thought about it a little, it was not that strange for Cha Yul-ryeong to appear here now.

It seemed that the designated time limit had already passed, and the other students might have been scared by Namgung Il's attack and had gone to find Cha Yul-ryeong.

Still, the one thing that Namgung Il could not understand now was why Cha Yul-ryeong had killed the man.

Swoosh—

Namgung Il turned his head and looked towards the man.

The torso leaning against the tree with only the base left, and the pale head rolling below it.

Even without checking his condition, he could be sure that the man was already dead.

'I haven't heard the answer yet...'

He had not yet heard the reason why the man had been here.

On top of that, even the meaning of the words he had uttered meaningfully.

He had just been about to find out about that slowly, but Cha Yul-ryeong had now ruined all of that.

Thud— Thud—

Just then, Cha Yul-ryeong slowly approached where Namgung Il was.

"Namgung Il, are you hurt?"

"..."

"Is there no one else besides this brat?"

Cha Yul-ryeong asked Namgung Il.

Although it was a kind tone, different from usual, and he was even concerned about Namgung Il's safety, Namgung Il did not hear those words at all now.

"Why did you kill him?"

"What?"

"You should have captured this brat and interrogated him. But if you kill him like this, we can't find out his purpose and identity, can we?"

"..."

As Namgung Il questioned him, Cha Yul-ryeong did not say anything for a moment.

The two who were looking at each other in that state.

Cha Yul-ryeong said in a low voice, sheathing the sword he was holding.

"The safety of the students was more important to me."

"..."

"Yes, even if it's your life, you problem child."

Those words sounded quite awkward to Namgung Il now.

If you look at how Cha Yul-ryeong usually treated him, it seemed he would just leave him to die in a situation where he was about to die... Didn't those words now sound as if he had killed the man for him?

Although it seemed natural for a teacher to save a student, as the subject was Cha Yul-ryeong, a slight sense of incongruity arose.

'Still... was it necessary to kill him so hastily?'

If it had been a situation where he was in danger of dying, it would be different, but the situation just now was a sight where anyone could see that he had subdued the man.

But to kill the man by even sending out sword qi under the pretext of saving him?

Namgung Il couldn't help but have a little doubt about that.

"..."

A reason that could make Cha Yul-ryeong's actions understandable came to mind.

Killing to silence.

If he thought that Cha Yul-ryeong had killed him before the man could say anything useless... he could understand the reason why he had sent out sword qi in that situation.

'Is there some connection between the strange man who appeared in the forest and Cha Yul-ryeong?'

Of course, he could not judge rashly.

While Cha Yul-ryeong was the head of a class at the Flying Dragon Academy, of all places, wasn't the man a member of the Blood Dragon Cult?

Since they were beings that could not be mixed with each other like water and oil, Namgung Il could not advance his speculation any further.

"It seems you're fine."

"..."

"Then go and help the injured students and take them to the Heavenly Doctor Hall."

Cha Yul-ryeong said and turned back.

Seeing that, Namgung Il slyly threw a question.

"Where is the teacher going?"

"I'm going to search the forest."

"..."

"There might still be more strange men. I'll have to prevent any more damage as much as possible until the other teachers arrive."

Cha Yul-ryeong said and quickly moved away.

Namgung Il, who was standing in his spot and watching him.

A feeling that something was still not right was still evident on his face.

"Ugh... I don't know."

Namgung Il muttered as if he were annoyed, scratching his head.

Swoosh—

Since it was related to the Blood Dragon Cult, he might be thinking too complicatedly.

Namgung Il thought so, looking at the man who had become a cold corpse.

***

The heads of the four classes were gathered in the room.

And Seo Shin-won, who was sitting in the center.

They had gathered urgently in the middle of the night to discuss the strange man who had attacked the students today.

"As you all roughly know, a strange man appeared in Mt. Gyeryong today."

"..."

"It happened during class. Because of that, several students were injured by the strange man."

Seo Shin-won opened his mouth in the solemn atmosphere.

One of the most sensitive issues from the academy's point of view was the safety of the students.

Moreover, to be injured not by the class, but by an external attack.

Since it was a problem directly related to the honor of the Flying Dragon Academy, all the class heads, including Seo Shin-won, had gathered here today.

"Fortunately, I heard there were no casualties. But two of the injured are seriously injured."

All the students with minor injuries were those who had been defeated by Namgung Il. But Seo Shin-won knew that all of that was also the man's doing.

Due to the appearance of the real strange man, all of Namgung Il's actions were also blamed on the man.

Of course, Jegal Myeong and a few other students knew the detailed truth of the incident, but they did not mention that.

"The students with serious injuries also do not seem to have their lives in danger, fortunately... but we'll have to contact their families for now."

"I will contact them."

"..."

"It happened in my class. So I am responsible."

Cha Yul-ryeong suddenly interrupted and said.

Although the fact that the students were injured was a problem, the fact that the incident had occurred in the Azure Dragon Class was a bigger problem.

Especially since the two with serious injuries were Jegal Myeong and Tang Il-yeong.

Since their families were the Jegal Clan and the Sichuan Tang Clan, which were in the ranks of the five great families, he could not predict at all what kind of answer would come back if he contacted them.

"..."

Although all students were precious, the academy had no choice but to pay more attention to the students of the Azure Dragon Class.

Because most of the students there had enormous family influence.

Since most of them were places that could be known just by saying their names, they could directly influence the academy if they put their minds to it.

"...No, it's fine."

"But..."

"Just as you are responsible for the class, as the headmaster, I am responsible for shouldering all the mistakes made by the teachers."

As Seo Shin-won said that, Cha Yul-ryeong could not say anything more.

"Rather than that, Head Cha, what about the search for the strange man?"

"...Nothing has been found so far."

"..."

"We plan to form groups and search the forest regularly in the future."

After the appearance of the strange man, the academy had urgently formed a search party and was searching the mountain.

Of course, a group made up of teachers, not students.

Since the forest was so wide, they had not been able to finish the search within today.

"...For now, designate Mt. Gyeryong as a forbidden area."

"..."

"And it would be good to strengthen the patrols for a while."

"...I understand."

With this, they would be able to protect the students' safety to some extent.

Although it could not be said to be a perfect measure, for now, this seemed to be the best.

"But has anything been identified about the identity of the strange man?"

Just then, Jeong Dae-woong asked Seo Shin-won.

Although protecting the students' safety was important, wouldn't identifying the strange man's identity be just as important?

Everyone could not help but be curious about the identity of the strange man who had dared to enter the territory of the Flying Dragon Academy and had attacked the students, and on top of that, the students of the Azure Dragon Class.

"...It seems he belongs to the Blood Dragon Cult."

"I-is that true?"

"Yes, that mark was on the body."

As Seo Shin-won said that, the people's two eyes widened in surprise.

To think that the identity of the strange man was the Blood Dragon Cult.

Since everyone here was a martial artist who had experienced the Righteous-Demonic War, they had no choice but to take that fact sensitively.

Bang—!

Just then, Ho Jeong-won slammed the table with both hands and got up from his seat.

"Are those brats trying to start a war again!"

"Head Ho, first, calm your excitement."

"..."

As Seo Shin-won said that, Ho Jeong-won sat down again.

But his face, which was still trembling as if his excitement had not subsided.

Seo Shin-won looked at the people and continued to speak calmly.

"Nothing has been confirmed yet. The Blood Dragon Cult may really be plotting something, or it may be the work of someone disguised as the Blood Dragon Cult."

"..."

"For now, I plan to report this to the Martial Arts Alliance. After that, it's a problem for them to handle."

As he had said, all the Flying Dragon Academy could do was to protect the students and report this to the Martial Arts Alliance.

The Flying Dragon Academy was, as its name suggests, an educational institution, nothing more, nothing less.

Still, Ho Jeong-won was still crossing his arms with a sullen face, as if he were not pleased with something.

"...Headmaster, then what about the classes?"

"..."

"Since the students' safety has not been confirmed yet, wouldn't it be better to suspend them?"

Han Yu-wol asked.

Seo Shin-won maintained his silence for a moment and then opened his mouth as if he had finished thinking.

"Please proceed with the classes as they are. If we suddenly suspend the classes, the students may be confused."

"..."

"When you are on patrol, please be careful not to cause anxiety to the students."

"Actually, I think there will be a little problem with that. If we are to form a patrol team until night, won't we be a little short of manpower with just the teachers?"

The academy grounds were so wide that a newcomer might get lost.

Even if all the teachers of the Flying Dragon Academy were mobilized, it was uncertain whether a proper patrol would be possible.

If even the internal patrol was that much, if they were to form a team for the outside as well as at night, they would naturally be short.

"I have a plan for that."

Just then, Jeong Dae-woong interrupted the conversation.

"How about putting the student council on patrol?"

"The student council?"

"Yes, putting the student council only on the night patrol when a lot of manpower is needed. Of course, the area is limited to the inside."

"..."

At those words, Seo Shin-won was lost in thought for a moment.

It would surely be realistically impossible to fill all the patrol team members with just the teachers.

If it was a relatively safe internal patrol, it might be alright to put the students of the student council in the patrol personnel.

Especially since the students of the student council had a high average grade and were more skilled in martial arts than ordinary students, he would be able to trust and entrust them to some extent with peace of mind.

"Still, is it alright to put in students?"

No matter how much it was the student council, they were still students.

As Han Yu-wol pointed out that, Jeong Dae-woong immediately answered with a calm voice.

"It would be better than having a hole in the patrol due to a lack of manpower."

"..."

"Since the situation is like this, wouldn't it be unavoidable?"

As he had said, if the patrol was not properly carried out, the students' danger would only increase.

Since Han Yu-wol also understood that, she did not say anything to refute it anymore.

"The student council is strong."

"..."

"Since they are also the representatives of the students, don't they have a duty to participate in the patrol for the safety of the students?"

Jeong Dae-woong finally asked Seo Shin-won.

Seo Shin-won maintained his silence and then opened his mouth as if he had finished thinking.

"...Then let's do that. But, please assign the students to the inner areas as much as possible."

"I understand. Then I will let the other teachers know as well."

"I'm counting on you."

Seo Shin-won finally met the eyes of the four slowly.

With just that, Seo Shin-won's intention was sufficiently conveyed.

After sending a look of request to each of them, Seo Shin-won opened his mouth again.

"Then let's end the meeting with this."

"..."

As Seo Shin-won announced the end of the meeting, people got up from their seats one by one and left the room.

Cha Yul-ryeong, who was the last of the four to get up and was about to leave the room. But he hesitated for a moment, closed the door, and came back inside.

"Headmaster."

"Is there something you still have to say, Head Cha?"

"...The purpose of the strange man who appeared in the forest is surely that, isn't it?"

"..."

That which Cha Yul-ryeong was talking about now.

Even without specifying it, Seo Shin-won knew what it was.

"If he is really a remnant of the Blood Dragon Cult, it means that the information has already leaked to that side."

"..."

"It would be better to move it to another place..."

"Head Cha."

Seo Shin-won called Cha Yul-ryeong in a low voice.

A voice that felt dignified and solemn.

At that call, Cha Yul-ryeong swallowed his words in the middle and could only look at Seo Shin-won quietly.

"That is being kept safely."

"..."

"The fact that the information has leaked to the Blood Dragon Cult is also not certain, and moving it rashly might lead to a worse result."

"...I understand."

Seo Shin-won's tone clearly conveyed his intention not to bend his will.

As if Cha Yul-ryeong had also noticed that, he immediately said so and bowed his head.

Click—

Cha Yul-ryeong closed the door and left the room.

Seo Shin-won sat still for a moment and then got up from his seat and walked somewhere.

"..."

The place where Seo Shin-won was heading was a wall with nothing on it.

Seo Shin-won, who slowly held out his right hand towards that wall.

A moment later, as his right hand was about to touch the wall, that part was hollowed out and went inside.

Click—

With that sound, the wall swung around.

As if a door had been opened, a new space appeared inside, and Seo Shin-won put his hand in there and then took it out again.

"..."

A ring was held in Seo Shin-won's right hand.

A simple-looking silver ring with no special jewel set in it and no particular carving.

"...Yes, that would be good."

Looking at the ring, as if he had decided something, Seo Shin-won muttered to himself.

(End of Chapter)