"Isn't it true that the practical exam details are not revealed until the day before the test?" Akyunho asked, his eyes wide with surprise.
As if he had expected this, Myung Il-o smiled slyly.
"Of course. But there was a practical exam for the new instructor position at Cheongryong Academy last time, and the time before that as well. I came early to do some research..."
From this, we could see just how thoroughly Myung Il-o had prepared for the practical exam after the interview.
Moreover, he seemed eager to share the information he had gathered with us.
However, there is always a reason behind excessive kindness.
I furrowed my brows and asked, "Is it really okay for you to share this much with us? After all, we are competitors."
At my words, Myung Il-o chuckled good-naturedly.
"Haha. This much is something anyone can find out with a little effort. If I fail the exam, it will be due to my own shortcomings, not because of others. And..."
Myung Il-o winked at us and said in a subtle voice, "Even if you fail the exam, there will be another chance, but this opportunity to gain two friends is only now, isn't it?"
'He’s not just a simple, kind fool.' Even if he fails the exam, he intends to build a good relationship with us. 'It must be because of Akyunho.
I’m just an extra.' He was someone who calculated things in his mind.
I don’t dislike those who are quick-witted and good at socializing.
I smiled and said, "Alright. Then, in exchange for the information I’ll get from you, Akyunho here will cover the drinks."
"…Why do you get the credit while I pay?"
Having exited the interview room side by side, we were able to continue our conversation in a rather pleasant atmosphere.
That was until the student supervisor of Cheongryong Academy blocked our path.
"…Can you spare a moment?" The student supervisor, with fiery eyes, directed the question at me.
I tilted my head in confusion and replied, "What is it…?"
"It won't take long. I just want to ask you something quietly."
His tone was polite, but seeing him block our way, it didn’t seem like he would step aside if we refused.
After a moment of thought, I told Akyunho to go ahead to the inn first.
"You go on ahead."
Leaving behind Akyunho and Myung Il-o's glances, I followed the student supervisor.
He led me to a secluded spot behind an empty building and then stopped.
"…I just want to ask one thing."
The old man with white hair scrutinized my face and, suppressing a trembling voice, asked, "What is your father's name?"
"Why do you want to know about my father…?" At that moment, the words my father had told me before leaving Baekmugwan flashed through my mind like lightning.
- When you go to Cheongryong Academy, your maternal grandfather will be there.
Why did I only remember this now?
- That… is the student supervisor.
The words my father had said came rushing back.
- I don’t know how your father-in-law will see you.
He might think you resemble your mother and find you lovely… or maybe not.
"Or maybe what?"
"Is your father…?" My maternal grandfather glared at me with eyes as sharp as a blade and asked, "Does he have the surname Baek and use the characters 'Mu' and 'Heun'?"
"…."
- He might want to kill me for resembling him.
I swallowed hard and glanced at the sword at my grandfather's waist.
"Why are you not answering? Surely you know your father's name…?" The student supervisor's white eyebrows twitched.
From the traces of time on the old man's face, I could sense a firm and stubborn personality.
I recalled the name of my maternal grandfather that I had heard from my father.
Mae Geuk-ryeom.
He had taught students at Cheongryong Academy for decades and was now the student supervisor, guiding the students' conduct and etiquette.
He had been at Cheongryong Academy longer than the academy's owner, Cheonsu Gwan-eum, and was like a living history of the academy.
…He is my maternal grandfather.
"I'll ask again. Is your father a scoundrel with the surname Baek and the characters 'Mu' and 'Heun'?"
…Father.
What on earth did you do to your father-in-law?
To say his name was like chewing each syllable, filled with anger.
The rage in Mae Geuk-ryeom's voice was boiling cold.
It felt like a sharpened blade ready to strike.
'This old man… is impressive.'
Despite the awkward situation, I found myself admiring the martial artist standing before me.
Though his body was aging, he was extremely well-trained, with a stable yet restrained aura.
I couldn’t compare directly, but the deputy head I had seen earlier, Hwa Yeom, seemed lacking in skill compared to him.
'But why is he the student supervisor?'
I had a fleeting thought, but Mae Geuk-ryeom didn’t give me the chance to ponder deeply.
"Are you not going to answer? Or have you suddenly become mute?"
For someone so angry, he showed remarkable patience.
Normally, one would beat someone up to get the answer they wanted.
"If you refuse to speak until the end…"
But it seemed he was nearing his limit.
Mae Geuk-ryeom's right hand was slowly moving toward the sword at his waist.
At the same time, his gaze grew sharper.
'If I lie, it will be found out quickly.
Rather…'
Quickly organizing my thoughts, I took a stance of submission.
"Yes. My father has the surname Baek and uses the characters 'Mu' and 'Heun.'"
"Indeed… Baek Mu-heun, that scoundrel…!"
In an instant, Mae Geuk-ryeom's face turned as red as a persimmon, and his expression twisted like a monster.
He must have seen my father's old face in mine.
"How dare you… where do you think you are…!"
Mae Geuk-ryeom trembled with emotion.
I worried he might grab his neck and collapse.
"Baek Mu-heun, that scoundrel…!"
…Father.
I am truly curious about your school days.
Sighing, I called out to Mae Geuk-ryeom in a low voice.
"Grandfather."
"Shut up! I warned you clearly…!"
Letting out a sigh, I looked him straight in the eye and spoke.
"My mother has the surname Mae and uses the characters 'Yak' and 'Bing.' Even if you cut out my tongue, that fact won’t change."
"…."
The tip of the sword against my neck trembled slightly.
A drop of blood formed at the tip, but I didn’t care and continued speaking.
"I, the unfilial grandson Baek Su-ryong, greet you, Grandfather. Please forgive my late introduction."
The trembling tip of the sword gradually stopped.
I took a few steps back and bowed deeply to Mae Geuk-ryeom.
"Please accept my bow."
Mae Geuk-ryeom slowly lowered his sword and gritted his teeth while looking at me.
His eyes had turned red with rage.
"…Ha. You resemble her. Your eyes are similar. Your hands are similar. Now that I see you again, your lips are similar too…"
After a while, the old man, who had been searching my face for his deceased daughter, asked me, "Why didn’t you say so from the beginning?"
I couldn’t say, 'I didn’t recognize who you were,' so I pretended to think for a moment and came up with an excuse. "…I wanted to reveal my name proudly after passing the final exam."
For a hastily made excuse, it sounded quite plausible.
Whether it was convincing or not, Mae Geuk-ryeom scoffed and said to me, "Did you think entering Cheongryong Academy would be easy? Were you planning to just go back if you failed?"
His tone, once filled with hostility, now carried a hint of unexplainable disappointment.
So, I smiled confidently and replied, "I’m confident I will pass."
But at that moment, Mae Geuk-ryeom's expression froze like ice.
"…I feel uncomfortable."
"Why, what’s wrong?"
"That overconfidence resembles your father… that scoundrel…"
For a moment, Mae Geuk-ryeom's expression, which had softened, turned back into that of a fierce beast.
It was hard to believe someone could switch their emotions so dramatically.
I hurriedly explained, feeling flustered.
"Uh, I heard my mother was also a confident person."
"That was true. But your smile is just like that scoundrel’s, and it’s very unpleasant…"
I immediately forced my smiling lips down, and Mae Geuk-ryeom slowly took a deep breath and nodded.
"…Alright. Don’t smile like that in front of me again."
'What’s wrong with this old man? Does he have a problem with anger management?'
It seemed Mae Geuk-ryeom was seeing both his only daughter and the son-in-law he despised in my face.
"Yes. So you are my grandson…"
"Yes. I am the only precious treasure left by my mother in this world."
"But your father is…"
"Don’t worry about him. In fact, I don’t resemble him much. Seeing you today, I can tell I definitely take after my mother."
My flattery, which would sell out even my father to survive, made Mae Geuk-ryeom frown deeply.
"Enough of that. He is still your father."
"…Yes."
"Of course, he is a scoundrel."
"…."
What does he want?
In any case, Mae Geuk-ryeom's expression returned to something similar to when I first saw him.
It seemed the emotions that had been stirred up during our conversation had calmed down considerably.
"How was the interview?"
"Yes. I think I will pass."
"That remains to be seen… Where are you staying?"
When I told him the name of the inn where I was staying, Mae Geuk-ryeom nodded, saying he knew where it was.
Since he had called me out in the midst of his busy schedule, we couldn’t have a long conversation.
Mae Geuk-ryeom said bluntly, "You can go now. I’m busy too."
"I will come to visit often."
"Hmph. Don’t do anything unnecessary."
Mae Geuk-ryeom scoffed, but it didn’t seem like he truly disliked it.
I turned away from him and walked off.
Without looking back, I continued walking until just before exiting the main gate of Cheongryong Academy, when I turned around.
Mae Geuk-ryeom was still looking at me, and when our eyes met, he quickly turned his head away.
"The old man is embarrassed."
I chuckled softly and turned my body, stepping out of Cheongryong Academy with light steps.
In a place filled with enemies, it seemed I would have at least one ally.