CLS-Chapter 199

Chapter 199

“What on earth is going on here?”

Seok Mun-cho, the head instructor of the Sleeping Dragon Military Academy, let out a disheartened sigh as he looked at Namgung-hye, who had a ghostly expression on her face in front of him.

‘My stomach hurts, my stomach hurts.’

As a martial artist, Seok Mun-cho had always ridiculed those who complained of minor ailments, saying it was all due to insufficient training. However, recently he had come to realize that at least stomach pain was unrelated to martial training.

Ever since Wei Yan-ho appeared at the Righteous Alliance, Seok Mun-cho had been suffering from indigestion and chronic abdominal pain, and recently he had even been diagnosed with stomach ulcers that nearly reached the level of perforation.

He had been recovering somewhat since he hadn’t encountered Wei Yan-ho for a while, but the moment he faced Namgung-hye’s venomous expression, it started stinging again.

“……What is it this time?”

He roughly guessed why she had come, but that didn’t mean he could show it openly.

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

I know, of course I know.

But I can’t be the first to say ‘I know why you came, but that decision wasn’t made by me, so instead of coming here, go see the Military Advisor.’ People have formalities and processes to follow.

“It would be faster if you just told me what this is about. I’m a busy man.”

At Seok Mun-cho’s gentle response, Namgung-hye’s face flushed red.

‘Truly remarkable.’

Even while being so angry, she still looked beautiful—that was truly remarkable. They say that Sword Peak Namgung-hye is one of the most beautiful women in the world, and those words don’t seem far from the truth.

“Why isn’t my name on this martial arts tournament participation list?”

“You’re asking something obvious. It’s because your skills are insufficient.”

“My skills are insufficient?”

“What’s the point of explaining?”

“Then why is Jong Mi-ryeo’s name on that list?”

Seok Mun-cho scratched the bridge of his nose, thinking that what he expected had come. He had no excuse regarding this matter.

“Are you judging that my sword skills don’t measure up to Jong Mi-ryeo’s? I formally request an answer.”

“Hmm, I have nothing more to say about that matter.”

“Why not?”

“Because the one who made that judgment wasn’t me, but the Military Advisor.”

“……”

This was the natural way to pass the responsibility.

“If I had made the judgment, I would have something to say, but since the one who made that judgment is the Military Advisor, I have nothing more to say. Let me tell you in advance—I have never conveyed any opinions about you or Mu Bong to him. I merely received the orders that came down.”

“……The Military Advisor chose Mu Bong instead of me?”

“That’s right.”

Namgung-hye hung her head low.

Watching this scene, Seok Mun-cho smiled with satisfaction.

‘No matter how great the Namgung family is, the Military Advisor’s name carries considerable weight.’

Though it was a sad reality, even within the military academy where everyone should be equal, family background couldn’t be completely ignored. While they tried to be as fair as possible in evaluating performance, protests from descendants of renowned families couldn’t carry the same weight as protests from others.

Seok Mun-cho was also not free from such pressure. However, while Seok Mun-cho might not know, Jo Hyeon was not someone who could be pressured by a family’s name.

But…….

Seok Mun-cho learned from Namgung-hye’s next words that today’s young people were bolder than he had imagined.

“How can I meet with the Military Advisor?”

“……”

Looking at Namgung-hye, who raised her head straight and asked, Seok Mun-cho trembled.

“The Military Advisor is not such a leisurely person.”

Namgung-hye quietly stared at Seok Mun-cho before opening her mouth.

“I know that not only I, but also Brother Cho Hwi was rejected.”

“……That’s right.”

“Brother Namgung Cho Hwi may not have made it into the Three Dragons and Two Phoenixes, but his skills are certainly not inferior to the Three Dragons and Two Phoenixes. And I am definitely stronger than Mu Bong at this moment.”

“Hmm……”

“It’s incomprehensible that two people were both rejected by two different standards. If things proceed as they are, I will formally lodge a complaint with the Righteous Alliance in the name of my family.”

Seok Mun-cho quietly clutched his upper abdomen.

His stomach was throbbing.

His stomach.

“So you brought her here?”

“……I had no choice.”

“Since when did the position of Military Advisor of the Righteous Alliance become one where I must listen to and explain every tantrum of a child?”

It was a quiet question. But within it was a presence as sharp as autumn frost. Seok Mun-cho bowed his head deeply and answered.

“It is due to my incompetence……”

“Hmm.”

Jo Hyeon sighed as he looked at the flustered Seok Mun-cho. Scolding Seok Mun-cho wouldn’t solve the problem.

‘The Namgung family……’

The Righteous Alliance was a collective of the Nine Schools and One Association, various great families, and small and medium-sized sects.

The martial world, which frequently had to fight against external enemies—namely the Demon Cult and various heretical forces—created the Righteous Alliance to gather their strength in one place. However, as peaceful times had continued for a long time, the necessity of the Righteous Alliance had greatly diminished.

‘The Nine Schools have already virtually withdrawn.’

The Nine Schools were still formally under them, but they were currently not sending their successors to the Sleeping Dragon Military Academy.

This meant they would respect independent paths more than the authority of the Righteous Alliance.

Although Sama Cheon-se and he were doing their best to prevent division, at this rate, it wouldn’t be long before the Nine Schools completely withdrew from the Righteous Alliance.

In such circumstances, if they were to antagonize even the Namgung family, which wielded the greatest influence among the Five Great Families, the Righteous Alliance’s influence would inevitably weaken further.

Seok Mun-cho also knew this, which was why he couldn’t flatly refuse Namgung-hye’s request.

“If she has come this far, it wouldn’t be proper to just send her back. Tell her to come in.”

“Yes, Military Advisor.”

Seok Mun-cho bowed deeply once more and went outside. After some time, a prettily featured young woman opened the door and entered. Seok Mun-cho didn’t follow her in.

“I greet the Military Advisor. This humble girl is called Namgung-hye of the Namgung family.”

“So you are the Sword Peak.”

“Though I am insignificant, I am called so by the people of the world.”

‘A child who knows proper etiquette.’

This should be natural, but having recently dealt with someone who had completely forgotten manners, Namgung-hye seemed remarkably polite. Jo Hyeon felt somehow pleased as he looked at Namgung-hye.

“You said you had business with me?”

“First…… I apologize for meeting the Military Advisor through such an impolite method. If my actions have disturbed the Military Advisor’s mood, it is because I could not abandon the rashness of a child, so please look upon me with mercy.”

“Very well, I won’t blame you. Tell me your business.”

If she maintained such an attitude, Jo Hyeon felt he could laugh heartily even if she had come to take his head.

‘This feels like opening my eyes.’

Just receiving the respect he should naturally receive made his heart so glad. Jo Hyeon realized anew how much pain Wei Yan-ho had been causing him.

“I was not selected for this martial arts tournament.”

“So it has happened.”

“But Mu Bong was selected.”

Jo Hyeon silently nodded his head.

“I cannot understand it. I am stronger than Mu Bong. So why does that child get to participate in the martial arts tournament instead of me? I cannot accept this fact. That’s why I had to come find the Military Advisor.”

“You cannot accept it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Jo Hyeon clicked his tongue.

“You seem like a clever child, so you couldn’t have failed to understand. Tell me what you really want from me.”

“I……”

As Namgung-hye hesitated, Jo Hyeon opened his mouth again.

“You know well yourself that neither you nor Mu Bong can achieve high rankings even if you participate in the tournament.”

Namgung-hye bit her lips repeatedly without answering.

“You are stronger than Mu Bong now. But next year? Can you be confident that you’ll still be stronger than her the year after next?”

“……”

Namgung-hye couldn’t answer.

“The Later Generation Friendship Martial Arts Tournament is like that. Those who will definitely achieve good results are already decided. Then what about the rest? Even if they cannot achieve results right now, the significance lies in giving experience to children who seem to have great potential for development.”

Namgung-hye’s head snapped up.

“Are you saying Mu Bong has greater potential for development than me?”

“That’s right.”

Jo Hyeon answered immediately. It might sound cruel, but this kind of matter could wound everyone if handled evasively.

“I cannot understand the standard of that judgment. You haven’t observed both me and Mu Bong, so how can you make such a judgment?”

“It’s simple. It’s enough just to look at your performance when you were the same age as Mu Bong. Isn’t it easy to see that someone who achieved better results at the same age has greater potential for development?”

Namgung-hye’s body trembled.

Watching Namgung-hye, who couldn’t continue speaking, Jo Hyeon let out a quiet sigh.

It was never pleasant to show reality to a child at an age full of dreams.

‘Besides, that’s not actually why she was selected……’

If it were by grades, it should have been Paeng Do-hyeong, not Wei Su-ryeon. The reason Wei Su-ryeon was participating in this martial arts tournament was purely to draw in Wei Yan-ho.

‘Strictly speaking, that child didn’t have no opportunity either.’

In terms of grades it would be Paeng Do-hyeong, but even Paeng Do-hyeong wouldn’t have easily placed high. In such a situation, from the concept of gender balance, perhaps Namgung-hye could have taken the last spot.

Recalling this fact, Jo Hyeon opened his mouth.

“But from your perspective, it would indeed feel unfair.”

“……”

“So how about this? Won’t you come along?”

“Excuse me?”

Namgung-hye’s head snapped up.

Jo Hyeon smiled warmly, looking at Namgung-hye who was staring with wide eyes in surprise.

“The people who will go are already decided, but since it’s a long journey, we can’t know what might happen. Since there might be unexpected accidents, it wouldn’t be bad to include one substitute. Moreover, even if nothing goes wrong, just watching the competition of the world’s later generation masters there will be of great help to you. Are you interested?”

Namgung-hye nodded vigorously.

“Yes, I’ll go! Please let me go.”

“Good.”

Whatever the intention, he liked that attitude of actively seizing the opportunity that came to her.

‘But you never know. Whether that will be a blessing or a curse for you.’

Since she was a child who already had experience coming to the Righteous Alliance with Wei Yan-ho, he thought it would be fine, but Wei Yan-ho was not the type of person who became less troublesome just because you knew him.

Rather, wasn’t Wei Yan-ho someone who became more uncomfortable because you knew him, and more unsettling because you understood him?

“Anyway, then prepare yourself.”

“Yes! Thank you, Military Advisor!”

Watching Namgung-hye bow her head and rush outside, Jo Hyeon smiled contentedly.

‘With this, the preparations seem roughly finished……’

The Namgung family would be satisfied with this much, and all the participants had been decided. Moreover, since victory was already assured, he should be grateful to the Heavenly Justice League for creating this opportunity.

But…….

“But why do I feel so uneasy?”

Jo Hyeon trembled at the inexplicable anxiety flowing through his body.

“I must be getting weak.”

Trying hard to erase the face that kept appearing in his mind, Jo Hyeon engaged in reality avoidance.

***