Academy Delinquent in Charge: Episode 2
Before he knew it, time flew like an arrow; thirteen years had passed, and like any other child, Baek Iljin had grown quickly.
"The Young Master comes of age this year."
"To think that the Young Master has already grown so much…."
Having lost all memories from before obtaining the Dragon Heart, Baek Iljin no longer committed meaningless slaughter.
Of course, it would have been nice if there were only advantages, but the problem was that there were side effects as well.
The first was a pain that came once a day when the sun set. Fortunately, this was something he could endure through qi circulation, so it was fine.
The problem was the second.
Perhaps it was the price of forcibly suppressing his murderous intent, but Baek Iljin could hardly feel emotions. Because of this, he felt no interest in anything except eating and sleeping.
Baek Myeonghak, who watched Baek Iljin from afar, shook his head with a bitter expression.
'I feel heavy-hearted, as if I've done something truly terrible to a child who hasn't even experienced the world.'
Fortunately, even among this misfortune, his emotions had not completely disappeared.
Though faint, to the point of being difficult to distinguish, Baek Iljin showed signs of gradually awakening to emotions moment by moment.
'If only he had grown up like any other ordinary child….'
Whenever he saw the eighteen-year-old child who had just come of age cooped up in his room, sitting still in a daze, it felt as though his heart was being torn apart.
'Still, I'm thankful that you've grown up healthy. To think that tiny child is already an adult….'
Baek Myeonghak recalled the day he first laid eyes on Baek Iljin.
* * *
On that day, a single starlight had flickered exceptionally bright.
No, the word "flicker" was insufficient to express that light.
Among the small stars decorating the night sky, there was one that revealed its presence distinctly.
The light flowing across that brilliant star grew increasingly radiant, deepening in color, and soon began to devour the moonlight.
Watching that sight, Baek Myeonghak muttered in a low voice.
"The star that eclipses the moon—the Heavenly Killing Star……. Is a blood tribulation about to occur?"
Though he was already a being who had left the secular world behind, he could not simply stand by and watch a blood tribulation unfold. He led his body toward the direction the light pointed.
The place he arrived at by following the light was a cave deep in the mountains.
"As expected, I knew you would come this way. Hehe, would you care for some tea?"
There, Pietro—Baek Myeonghak's fiercest rival and long-time friend—was preparing to greet him.
Pietro appeared to be in his early twenties, with perfect features that made him difficult to recognize as a human.
"No. Without further ado, I will get straight to the point. Hand over the child behind you. It is a child bearing the Heavenly Killing Star."
"That I cannot do. This child is the last vestige of my daughter."
"What happened to your daughter is tragic. However…."
Baek Myeonghak and the young man exchanged informal dialogue ill-suited to their appearances, yet somehow it did not seem awkward.
"As I understand, your kind does not accept humans born in the midst of your amusements as blood kin."
Was that an affirmation?
The old man's long-time friend, Pietro, nodded a few times, then gazed into the distance and continued.
"……It was my daughter's last request."
At those words, Baek Myeonghak briefly recalled his friend's daughter.
Though he had only seen her a few times, her polite and affable demeanor—so unlike other dragons—remained deeply etched in his mind.
"Pietro…… Surely you didn't make a pact?"
"…."
"Then, are you saying it doesn't matter if countless people die because of that pact?"
Pietro affirmed in silence.
"I have tried countless times to understand your kind, but…."
Soon breaking the ensuing silence, Baek Myeonghak raised his hand into the air. Before he knew it, intense energy that seemed capable of shattering the world coiled around both his hands.
"This time, I cannot understand."
"I'm sorry. Myeonghak."
At the same time, brilliant light flashed in the air before Pietro, and dozens of magic circles intricately inscribed with runic language sprang into existence simultaneously.
Just as a collision was about to occur.
Several of Pietro's magic circles lost their form and flickered intermittently.
'Are his magic circles going out?'
Baek Myeonghak gazed at Pietro's magic circles with a momentarily quiet gaze, then withdrew his energy and lowered his hand.
"You are not in a normal physical condition right now."
"…."
In lieu of an answer, Pietro extinguished all his magic circles and made a bitter smile.
* * *
"Gramps…."
The voice calling him repeatedly broke Baek Myeonghak's brief reverie, and he turned his head toward the direction of the sound.
"Grandfather!"
Baek Iljin was staring at Baek Myeonghak with his characteristically expressionless face.
'Hehe, that boy, well, he's handsome indeed. Whose grandson could he be?'
Baek Myeonghak's words were no mere jest.
Pitch-black, deep-set eyes dark as the dead of night, and hair with the luster of black pearls. And even his broad shoulders.
He was not a pretty boy with delicate features, but there was a refreshing, manly handsomeness to him.
'The more he grows, the more he resembles that fellow, Cheon Subaek.'
When Baek Iljin received no answer despite Baek Myeonghak staring holes into him, perhaps feeling frustrated, he came directly to fetch him.
"Grandfather—"
"Did you call?"
"What are you thinking so hard about? Max said meal preparations are all done."
"Ah…… Yes, it's already mealtime, isn't it."
"Yes, please have your meal quickly."
The dishes prepared by Max, a Stone Golem and one of the Lair's familiars who served as their chef, were all splendid.
Grilled troll sinew, soy-braised ogre, wyvern drumsticks, stir-fried orc meat, and more.
Watching Baek Iljin eat with a happy expression at the end of the dining table, Baek Myeonghak couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.
'At least when he's eating, I get to see that expression. That's good.'
Baek Myeonghak stroked Baek Iljin's head.
His hair became disheveled, but Baek Iljin didn't even care and put food in his mouth.
"Is it delicious?"
"Yes, Grandfather."
Without even picking up his spoon, Baek Myeonghak watched Baek Iljin eat endlessly.
"Grandfather, what are you thinking so hard about today? You're not even eating."
"Hehe, this old man feels full just watching our Iljin eat."
Ding-dong-dang-dong—
Amid their conversation, the alarm magic installed in the Lair rang out loudly. Baek Myeonghak asked the familiars guarding the Lair's door.
"What is it?"
"We shall check."
Canis and Baxter, the werewolves guarding the Lair's door, went outside and returned shortly after.
"Master, it is the nosy village chief of 'Blue Leaf,' the village in the forest below the mountain range. Shall we chase him away?"
"No, there is no need. Let us go out."
Upon going out, they saw a platinum-haired elven chief holding a blue wooden staff, kneeling with his head bowed, pleading his case.
Beside the prostrated chief, a cart could be seen filled with vividly fresh fruits and sparkling jewels.
"Great Being. Monsters have appeared in the skies of our 'Blue Leaf,' throwing the village into chaos. May I dare impose and ask for your assistance?"
"Such a matter is not difficult…… but I am not a dragon. There is no need to maintain such posture."
Suddenly, the chief recalled one of the sayings passed down by oral tradition from the wise predecessors.
'There are no dragons who reveal their true identities in the midst of amusement. They live immersed in the roleplay they have created.'
Even if that weren't the case, there was one more thing that was hard to believe.
'Living in such remote depths, and saying you aren't a dragon……?'
The deepest place among the seventeen peaks of the Kapteus Mountain Range.
For a being living in a Lair built in such rough, high terrain—difficult even for elves to reach—the chief simply could not believe he was not a dragon, so he maintained his posture.
"Yes, then perhaps when might you…."
He wanted to get a definitive answer as soon as possible, for there was no knowing when the capricious absolute being might change his mind, but seeing Baek Myeonghak with his eyes closed, the words caught in his throat.
In an instant, Baek Myeonghak opened his eyes wide, raised his index finger toward the sky, and swiped—swoosh—from left to right.
"It is done."
"Pardon? Ah, no. Thank you."
What exactly was done? He hadn't even felt mana flowing.
But not knowing what retribution he might face if he asked again, he had no choice but to leave his cart behind and turn back with resignation.
Watching the chief trudge down the mountain after finishing his greetings, Baek Iljin turned his head and asked Baek Myeonghak.
"Why did you leave the three alive?"
"How did you sense that?"
"I'm not sure either. It's just…."
Baek Myeonghak spoke to the questioning Baek Iljin as if calmly, but inwardly he was unable to contain his surprise.
'A child who hasn't even learned martial arts, how could he already….'
To be sure, he had taught him a light mental cultivation technique capable of handling his internal energy so he wouldn't be consumed by the powerful energy within his body, but beyond that, he had never taught him martial arts.
"Though they are mere creatures, my heart did not feel right about killing young ones that have yet to fully grow."
"Is that what you call emotion?"
"That is correct."
"Then, among these things called emotions, which is the most important?"
He pondered for a moment at the unexpected question, but there was not a single one that was unimportant.
"Emotions are largely divided into seven, called the Seven Emotions. I told you this before, didn't I?"
"Yes."
"Joy is paramount, anger is the beginning, sorrow is the ultimate, pleasure is the supreme, love is the greatest, and desire is foremost."
Listening to his grandfather, Baek Iljin briefly organized it in his head and said.
"They're all the same."
"That is precisely why all emotions are important; not a single one can be left out."
"Then what about hatred?"
Baek Myeonghak smiled as he stroked the head of his cute, curious grandson.
"This old man has yet to realize how hatred should be defined, so if our Iljin comes to understand it first, do tell me."
"I will."
Just then, Canis and Baxter came to find Baek Myeonghak. Judging by their looks, it seemed to be a matter to discuss where Baek Iljin was not present.
"Iljin, go to your room for a moment."
"Yes."
Watching until Baek Iljin entered his room, Baek Myeonghak turned his head toward Canis and Baxter.
"What is it?"
"We have thought of a way to develop the Young Master's emotions."
"……Speak."
* * *
The deepest, most rugged reaches of the Kapteus Mountain Range.
The fresh scent of grass carried by the cool breeze tickled the nose.
But Habes, the chief of Blue Leaf Village, could not feel such things and trembled like an aspen tree.
'Why on earth was I summoned……?'
Having lived for over 150 of the roughly 200 years given to elves, he had thought he had already transcended most matters, but even for Habes, facing a dragon before his eyes was a fearful thing.
'What courage did I have a week ago to come here….'
Looking around, two werewolves—twice as large and ferocious-looking as ordinary ones—were carrying refreshments.
'Hurk—'
Whether he knew Habes's heart or not, Baek Myeonghak—who had been looking toward Baek Iljin's room with an indifferent expression—turned his head and repeated what the elven chief had just said.
"So, an academy……?"
"Yes, Great Being. I have heard that when humans reach a certain age, they enter a place called an academy to broaden their horizons and build bonds with one another."
"I see."
He knew as well.
That if he only lived in such a narrow world as now, there would be no further advancement in his grandson's heart.
In truth, from a few years ago, the speed at which Baek Iljin's emotions developed had noticeably slowed.
'Of course, it's much better than when he was young, but….'
"So, how does one enter this thing called an academy?"
"First, one must receive a letter of recommendation…."
"Hmm…… A letter of recommendation."
Seeing Baek Myeonghak briefly furrow his brows, the anxious Habes quickly spoke the next words.
"I—I will contact Count Hwangbo, who frequently trades with our village! He should have a letter of recommendation for the academy!"
"Then I shall leave it to you."
He too thought that for the future, it would be better for his grandson to leave his narrow embrace and learn the joys and sorrows of the wide world.
'An academy……. It shouldn't be bad.'