Thump—!
Ho Jeong-won slamd his palm roughly on the desk.
'That desk is going to break soon.'
Looking at the desk, Ak Simin thought so inwardly.
How many desks had been sacrificed to Ho Jeong-won's palm like that?
Since it was sotis replaced in less than three days, it seed highly likely that the desk would be replaced with a new one the next ti he ca.
"Ak Simin!"
"...Yes."
"Do you think this makes sense right now?"
Today, too, Ak Simin was being nagged by Ho Jeong-won.
When he was first called to the office like this, he had been a little scared, but since he had been in charge of the Vermilion Bird Class for a while and it was already May or June, he didn't feel anything now.
'Why is he in such a bad mood today?'
It had only been a few days since the Vermilion Bird Class had won the Cheongmyeongje Festival.
Until then, Ho Jeong-won's mood had been soaring to the heavens... What was it that he didn't like this ti?
Sotis, it felt more difficult to understand Ho Jeong-won's mind than to understand a woman's mind.
"Is sothing wrong?"
Ak Simin asked in a calm voice.
At that mont, Ho Jeong-won picked up a piece of paper from sowhere and threw it at Ak Simin.
"What's this?"
"It's the bill that flew in this morning!"
"..."
"Read it!"
He didn't know why he was being shown sothing like this, but Ak Simin, as he was told, picked up the paper that had fallen on the floor.
'Huh? Wait...'
As soon as he saw the bill, Ak Simin imdiately knew where it had co from.
The type of items felt sohow familiar.
The items were listed so long that they filled a long sheet of paper, and at the very bottom, the na of the place that had sent this bill was written.
"..."
The bill was from the Yongmun Tavern.
Given the circumstances, wasn't it demanding paynt for the alcohol used at the get-together back then?
Since he had told them to bill the Flying Dragon Academy when calculating the cost, Ak Simin realized that the bill had finally arrived.
"Ah, this has co to the right place. I told them to bill this side when calculating the cost of the get-together back then."
"I know that too!"
"...?"
"Isn't that why I called you now!"
Ak Simin still couldn't understand why Ho Jeong-won was angry at him.
Wasn't it Ho Jeong-won himself who had said to use the class's public funds for the get-together?
As Ak Simin looked at him as if he couldn't understand, Ho Jeong-won pointed to a spot on the bill with his finger.
"...Huh?"
After confirming the spot Ho Jeong-won had pointed to, Ak Simin let out such a reaction without realizing it.
*Did I perhaps misread the character?*
Ak Simin rubbed his eyes with one hand and looked at that spot once more.
"..."
He hadn't seen it wrong.
The character for 'thousand' was clearly written there.
The character for 'gold' written next to it clearly stated that it ant a thousand gold coins, not a thousand silver coins.
'A-a thousand gold coins?'
Only then did Ak Simin realize that there was sothing wrong with this bill.
Of course, the kids had drunk until their noses were crooked that night, but even so, the amount of a thousand coins didn't make sense.
Moreover, it was gold, not silver.
Even a thousand silver coins was an amount that would make his hands tremble, but a thousand gold coins was sothing he couldn't even speak of.
'Could it be... they calculated it at the full price?'
To understand this ridiculous amount, that seed to be the only reason.
The surcharge added to the top floor of the Yongmun Tavern.
If one drank there, the price of even ordinary clear rice wine would jump tenfold.
Considering that and calculating all the items on this list... the amount of a thousand gold coins could very well co out.
'No matter how much I said I'd raise the sales...!'
*Did they really calculate this at the full price?*
Ak Simin had naturally thought that Namgung Il would remove the surcharge for the top floor.
That's why he had just let Ma Dong-pal or Jin Gwon-nam order strange alcohol... This was truly an unexpected event.
"You burned a thousand gold coins on one night's drinking?"
"..."
"Are you guys students? How on earth do you have to drink to spend that much money in one day!"
Ho Jeong-won's scolding pierced Ak Simin's ears like an arrow.
Now he knew the reason why he had been called here.
He had no particular excuse, but Ak Simin opened his mouth as if he couldn't help it.
"...It seems the amount ca out to this much because we had the get-together on the top floor of the Yongmun Tavern."
"What? The top floor of the Yongmun Tavern?"
Hearing those words, Ho Jeong-won was astonished.
*My goodness, the top floor of the Yongmun Tavern.*
Of course, Ho Jeong-won knew what kind of place that was.
"Are you out of your mind!"
"..."
"That's a place even I haven't been to many tis because it's expensive... A student went there and drank?"
"Since we received a lot of help from the Yongmun Tavern during the Cheongmyeongje Festival..."
*Thump—!*
At the loud noise that echoed through the interior, Ak Simin swallowed his words.
Far from three days, the desk had finally t its end without lasting the day.
"...To commorate the Vermilion Bird Class's victory in the Cheongmyeongje Festival, the students had a get-together, and they used public funds for the cost."
"..."
"But the students had a get-together on the top floor of the Yongmun Tavern? So it seems we have to use a thousand gold coins from the public funds. Hahaha... is this how I should report it to the Headmaster?"
"...I think you'll have to."
"Uwaaaah—!"
Ho Jeong-won wailed.
The only saving grace was that the thousand gold coins could be covered by the profits earned from the Cheongmyeongje Festival, but even so, he wouldn't be able to avoid a reprimand.
To use a thousand gold coins on just alcohol, of all things.
Since he was the one who had told them to enjoy themselves to their heart's content, Ho Jeong-won couldn't bla anyone else.
"If only I had drunk to my heart's content there, I wouldn't feel so wronged!"
"..."
*It's the sa for .*
Ak Simin thought so inwardly, but the mont he said it out loud, it would only provoke Ho Jeong-won further.
Thus, Ho Jeong-won wailed like a bear for a long ti, then, as if he had cald down, he beca quiet.
"...Ak Simin."
"...Yes."
"Go and bring Namgung Il."
*Could it be that he's still not over his anger?*
Ak Simin thought that there was no need for even Namgung Il to hear Ho Jeong-won's scolding, so he imdiately retorted.
"The responsibility is all mine..."
"Are you talking back?"
"..."
"Just tell him to go to the Headmaster."
It seed he was looking for Namgung Il for a different reason.
Ak Simin gave a light bow, then opened the door and left the office.
*Thud—.*
The mont he closed the door, another roar was heard from inside.
It seed that the only thing that would be newly replaced today was not just the desk.
***
Ak Simin was walking sowhere with a displeased expression.
'Where on earth is that guy?'
Ak Simin was still looking for Namgung Il under Ho Jeong-won's command.
He had thought he could easily find him by looking at the first-year titable of the Vermilion Bird Class, but contrary to his expectations, Namgung Il was not there.
"He's not there?"
"Yes, Namgung Il didn't co to class today."
"...Do you know where he is?"
"Well. I didn't see him at the cafeteria in the morning either, so maybe he's oversleeping?"
Jeong Hyeon-yeong also didn't know where Namgung Il was.
At that mont, Namgung Il's whereabouts fell into a labyrinth.
There was no way he could know the whereabouts that even his classmates didn't know.
'Is he really oversleeping?'
Since it was still morning, it wasn't an entirely impossible story.
So Ak Simin was heading to the Vermilion Bird Class dormitory for now... but to be honest, he didn't have high hopes that Namgung Il would be there.
'Still, I heard he usually attends class diligently...'
The story that he had overslept today of all days didn't sound very credible.
It would be more likely to think that Namgung Il had deliberately not gone to class.
He didn't know what he was doing, even skipping class, but anyway, because of that, he himself had just beco more annoyed.
'If he's not in his room, I'll have to give up looking.'
It was realistically impossible to find Namgung Il in this vast academy.
Not only that, but there was a high possibility that Namgung Il was outside the academy, wasn't there?
Whatever it was, it was a foolish act to look for Namgung Il alone.
'If I just go back saying I couldn't find him... I'll get another earful.'
Just thinking about it made his head hurt.
Just a few days ago, he had been proud of the fact that he was the president of the Vermilion Bird Class... but now, he didn't feel that way at all.
*Hoo—.*
*Is this an errand boy or a class president?*
As he walked, sighing deeply, Ak Simin soon arrived at the first-year dormitory.
'It was here.'
Since he had co to call Namgung Il once before, Ak Simin found the place at once without getting lost.
Co to think of it, why was he always the one calling Namgung Il?
Feeling a strange feeling, Ak Simin sighed once more.
"...Namgung Il!"
"..."
"Are you in there?"
From outside the door, Ak Simin repeatedly called for Namgung Il.
However, the room was quiet without any answer.
As expected, it seed Namgung Il was not in the room.
'Still, just in case.'
It would be better to open the door and check inside for sure.
Thinking so, the mont Ak Simin reached for the door, his movent faltered.
'This is... what is this?'
Right now, beyond that door, he was feeling so kind of strange energy.
An energy that felt soft, yet at the sa ti, raged fiercely.
He didn't know exactly what it was, but what was certain was that it was an energy Ak Simin had never felt before.
"..."
Why was such an energy being felt from Namgung Il's room?
Ak Simin opened the door with a tense expression.
"...!"
At that mont, Ak Simin's eyes widened in astonishnt.
'...Namgung Il?'
The person sitting there was definitely Namgung Il.
Although his eyes clearly recognized him as such... due to the enormous energy flowing from Namgung Il's body, Ak Simin couldn't help but have such a question.
"...!"
As if he had realized sothing, Ak Simin ca inside and hurriedly closed the door.
He didn't know what kind of change had occurred in Namgung Il's body, but what was certain was that Namgung Il was now trying to advance further as a martial artist.
And not just a little, but several stages of growth.
Ak Simin was staring blankly at that sight.
'Namgung Il... what kind of fortuitous encounter did he have?'
In fact, it was best to leave him alone so as not to disturb Namgung Il.
Because when one was in such a state, they would react sensitively to even a small stimulus.
However, Ak Simin wanted to sohow capture that sight with his own two eyes.
"..."
For a martial artist, a fortuitous encounter was not sothing that ca easily.
Once in a lifeti. It could be said that one was lucky to have it even that much.
Ak Simin had also had a similar experience once, but seeing Namgung Il's state now, he realized that what he had experienced was not at a level that could be called a fortuitous encounter.
*Woong—.*
The energy flowing from Namgung Il's body was shining brilliantly as if it had color.
One, two, three... a total of five lights.
They gathered above Namgung Il's head and ford a shape like a ring.
'...Beautiful.'
Seeing that, Ak Simin couldn't help but let out such an exclamation.
That was now undoubtedly the state of the Five Qi Converging to the Origin.
Blue, yellow, red, black, white. The rings, each with its own color, were the proof.
"..."
Ak Simin had only heard of that state in words; this was the first ti he had seen it in person.
Moreover, to think he would see the process of just entering the Five Qi Converging to the Origin so up close.
As a martial artist, it was a very rare scene that could never be missed.
'No way... to think Namgung Il was at this level.'
He already knew that Namgung Il was strong.
However, knowing vaguely and knowing for sure were very different feelings.
Seeing the scene that could objectively judge that strength like this, Ak Simin felt a cold sweat run down the back of his neck.
'Are all the Namgung family guys monsters?'
It was truly a terrifying talent.
Although he himself was more talented than other guys, compared to those two, he was at a shabby level.
The word 'genius' was used to refer to guys like this.
'First the older brother, and now the younger brother... how crappy.'
A hollow laugh escaped Ak Simin's mouth.
A distance that he had to walk several steps, the geniuses walked in one go.
When he ca to his senses, the gap had already widened.
Ak Simin had once been frustrated by that gap.
"..."
That unforgettable gaze.
If he looked away, it would be comfortable, but then the gap would never be closed.
Ak Simin knew that in order to sohow close the gap, he had to not look away and at least look at the back.
'...Yes, I'll watch.'
He wasn't saying that to Namgung Il.
He was just saying it to the person whose back he had first started to look at.
Vowing that he would one day say it to his face, Ak Simin captured Namgung Il's change with his own two eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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