Chapter 3: Academy Responsible Delinquent

On a particularly beautiful morning, the sky was clear and spotless. Bak Iljin, who usually lived in the silent lair, was suddenly woken up by the loud and noisy sounds early in the morning.

Bang-

Crash-

'What is it? Did a monster invade?'

Looking around, he couldn't see Max, the stone golem who usually attended to him. Stretching, Bak Iljin pressed the call button next to his bed.

"Max, are you there?"

"Yes, young master."

Max, the stone golem, who was over three meters tall, entered cautiously, wearing an apron that didn't quite match his size.

"What's going on?"

"Actually..."

After hearing the rough details from Max, Bak Iljin set out to find his grandfather to learn more about the situation.

'Academy? What's this all about suddenly...'

The lair was vast, like a small castle. As Bak Iljin wandered around looking for his grandfather, he stopped where the noise was coming from.

'Here it is.'

Opening the door, he saw various shining gold coins and jewels. The walls and ceiling were lined with countless artifacts.

"This isn't it."

Bak Myunghak, who was using artifacts on a practice dummy and repeatedly discarding them, said, "This isn't it either."

"Grandfather, what are you doing so early in the morning?"

"Our delinquent is up early."

"Yes, it's a bit noisy."

Realizing his mistake, Bak Myunghak put down the artifact in his hand and patted Bak Iljin's head.

'I must have been too loud.'

The recommendation letter from the 'Blue Leaf' village chief arrived sooner than expected. Unable to send Bak Iljin off without anything, Bak Myunghak was selecting protective artifacts.

"Have you heard the story?"

"Yes, something about going to an academy..."

Bak Iljin's eyes were as calm as the sea, and his expression showed no emotion, making him look somewhat frightening at first glance.

But to Bak Myunghak, he looked incredibly adorable.

'I hope this cute child doesn't suffer anywhere...'

I hope he doesn't walk alone without making friends.

I hope the seal I placed on him doesn't break, and he doesn't get consumed by his energy.

Perhaps it was worry for his soon-to-depart grandson. Despite the mountain of near-miraculous items, only a few artifacts caught his eye.

'If I had known, I should have taught him some defensive martial arts.'

Bak Myunghak didn't teach Bak Iljin martial arts because he was a Heavenly Killer, and he also hoped he wouldn't become a martial artist.

'But now I regret it...'

Bak Myunghak, who still made mistakes at his age, handed something to Bak Iljin.

"Delinquent, try putting this on and infusing it with your inner energy."

"It's a strangely shaped ring."

"It's an adventurer's ring made by my friend."

When Bak Iljin infused it with his inner energy, a blue current flowed, and a large space appeared above the ring.

"Pretty spacious, right? It should be useful."

The space was large enough to fit ten stone golems like Max.

"What is this?"

"You can store your luggage in this space and travel freely without carrying a bag. And also..."

Bak Myunghak turned the gem on the ring, and the color changed with a whirring sound.

"Infuse it with your inner energy again."

When Bak Iljin did so, a refreshing liquid circled his body and disappeared.

"Feel refreshed?"

"Yes, it feels like I just took a bath."

It also had translation and map functions.

While the abilities of the 'adventurer's ring' were impressive, Bak Iljin wasn't particularly interested.

He looked into Bak Myunghak's eyes, who was giving him the artifact.

"Why are you suddenly giving me these things?"

"..."

Bak Myunghak averted his eyes, as if he had done something wrong.

"Is it because of that academy? Do I have to go? I want to live with you forever. Or will you come with me?"

Unlike his usual self, Bak Iljin's face showed complex emotions, and his voice was heavy with emotion, much like any other teenager.

"Hehe... As I always say, I hope you regain all your emotions soon."

"..."

"And I always imagine you smiling brightly at me when you regain your emotions."

"I can smile now, I can smile now."

Bak Iljin forced a smile, but his facial muscles trembled from the effort.

"Hehe. I see you can smile, Delinquent. But I want to see a natural smile."

"A natural smile?"

"A natural smile is warm like spring and abundant like autumn."

I understand, how could I not?

Whenever his grandfather looked at him, he always smiled. That smile must be a warm and abundant 'real smile.'

"Grandfather..."

Bak Iljin's eyes reddened, and tears welled up. The tears that fell to the ground were 'real.'

Seeing this, Bak Myunghak also held back his tears.

'This child, who didn't shed a single tear even as a baby...'

It was a precious moment that reminded him of how special he was to his grandson.

'However, I can't be swayed by fleeting emotions. If I only protect him in my arms, he won't be able to develop socially here.'

He wiped the warm tears from Bak Iljin's cheeks and forced a smile.

"Whenever you feel tired, come back. I'll always be here, watching over you, Delinquent."

After staring at Bak Myunghak for a while, Bak Iljin made a resolve.

I will definitely regain my emotions and smile for my grandfather.

"I'll definitely come back, able to smile."

Bak Myunghak embraced Bak Iljin without a word.

* * *

After finishing his meal and packing his bags, the familiars in the lair came to see him off.

"Young master, please be careful."

Canis and Vexter looked at Bak Iljin with moist eyes. Bak Iljin patted their backs and said,

"Canis, Vexter, and Max, take care."

"Please be careful."

"Young master, stay healthy!"

As he bid farewell to the familiars, he noticed a blonde elf from Blue Leaf who had come to greet him.

It was the first time he had seen a girl his age, but his expression remained indifferent.

"Hello, I'm Hae-rin from Blue Leaf."

"Yes."

Her amber eyes briefly furrowed but quickly returned to normal.

'Why is his answer so short?'

But she didn't want to show her annoyance with the giant werewolves standing nearby.

Hae-rin put on a bright, professional smile.

"Hehe, shall we go?"

"Yes."

The mountain, which was over 5,000 meters high, was quite a climb, even with an elf who could control wind spirits.

Hae-rin glanced sideways at the human beside her.

'Ha... Will it take a long time?'

Elves must perform an adult ceremony mission at the age of 18 to be recognized as adults. She was currently on that mission.

'Why did I have to draw the short straw...'

Thinking of Elia, who was giggling and saying, "Oh, what will Hae-rin do? The academy is over," made her clench her fists.

'Elia...! Just wait! I'll definitely be in the top two!'

While urging the sylph to speed up, she glanced at Bak Iljin, who was running alongside her.

He was keeping up without breaking a sweat.

'He's doing better than I thought.'

She had heard that he was raised by a dragon who was pretending to be human, and it seemed the dragon had cast some kind of assistance spell on him.

'It's already this late?'

While descending the mountain, the clear blue sky had turned red like a watercolor painting.

"Hey! There!"

Her voice cracked from not speaking for a long time.

'Oh, how embarrassing.'

Cough.

After clearing her throat, she tried again.

"Um, are you... not tired...?"

She had heard they were the same age but was unsure whether to use formal or informal language. She decided to use formal language.

Nod.

Bak Iljin nodded without a word.

'Do humans usually talk so little?'

No, the humans she occasionally met in the village for trade were all talkative and fond of drinking.

Rumble.

After using spirit magic all day, her stomach signaled that it was time to eat.

"Are you... not hungry?"

Only then did she realize she had been facing him for the first time in hours.

'He's quite handsome...'

His face was so masculine and handsome that it was rare even among elves, but his expression was unreadable, making her uncomfortable.

'But, if you ask a question, you should answer, right!'

Unable to eat despite her hunger, she couldn't move any further.

"Um... let's rest here."

Bak Iljin also felt the sun setting.

'It's already sunset...'

At this time, his body would vibrate as if it were about to explode. Sure enough, his dantian expanded, and his blood vessels twisted.

This pain had been with him since the beginning of his memories. He had to practice his cultivation technique every day to control the surging energy.

If he skipped even one day, the energy would rage and tear through his body.

"Let's do that."

As he answered, Bak Iljin fiddled with his ring, pulled out some firewood, and started a campfire and set up a tent.

Hae-rin, who had been watching silently, also helped prepare the meal, recalling what the village chief had said that morning.

'You're the same age, so try to get along with him.'

How was she supposed to get along with him?

They had exchanged fewer than ten words during the descent.

Even if she smiled and tried to start a conversation, he would only nod or give short answers. What else could she say?

'Sigh. Getting along is harder than climbing the mountain.'

While they were eating, the sparks from the campfire formed small circles and danced around.

'But he looked quite happy while eating...'

Glancing at Bak Iljin, she saw him sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, meditating.

'This is so awkward. Did he become so stoic because he was raised by a dragon?'

While pondering the dragon's parenting style, an alarm spell she had set up alerted her to an intruder.

Tense, Hae-rin cautiously spoke to Bak Iljin.

"Um... someone seems to be coming. We should be prepared..."

She wrapped a green magic circle around her hand and summoned a spirit. The green spirit from her magic circle entered her sleeve.

'I used too much magic descending the mountain. I can't summon a high-level spirit.'

Thud, thud.

The noisy footsteps grew closer.

'Four, no, five?'

Soon, five large men with thick beards covering half their faces approached, kicking the campfire and causing chaos.

"Who lit a fire in the Black Dragon Fort's territory without permission!"

"You're brave, kids. Oh, one of them is an elf?"

"Really an elf? If I bring her to the lord like last time, he'll be happy."

Their familiar behavior suggested they had done this many times before.

"Aren't martial artists supposed to stay out of the Kapthis Mountains?"

"That's only for the strict martial arts alliance. We're not like that."

The man who answered her approached Hae-rin. He held a hexagonal club with something red and hardened on it.

"Come here. I won't eat you."

Hae-rin called the sylph in her mind.

'Sylph, Wind Cutter.'

The small spirit under her hand emitted a green light.

A sharp wind, like a sharpened blade, cut through the bandits' bodies, causing red blood to flow.

Although it didn't seem to be a major hit, it created some distance.

"Damn you!"

"Capture them! Don't kill them, but break a limb or two."

The bandits with hexagonal clubs started to charge.

'Can I handle all of them alone?'

She glanced behind her but quickly shook her head. No matter how he was raised by a dragon, she didn't expect a human boy to resolve this situation.

"Sylph, Wind Missile!"

Boom!

A wind missile hit the chest of the bandit in front, causing his ribs to cave in. He fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth.

"Damn elf!"

"Maintain formation!"

Unlike their previous random charge, the bandits now approached slowly, maintaining their formation.

"Wind Missile."

The bandit dodged the wind missile with a slight turn of his head, revealing his yellowed teeth in a grin.

"Now what will you do?"

"..."

While speaking, the bandit in front suddenly lunged and punched Hae-rin in the stomach.

'Sylph!'

She used the wind to slightly dodge the punch, but the punch, infused with inner energy, still caused internal shock.

"It'll hurt. I was known as the 'Fist of Fire' in Bus Village."

Hae-rin tried to get up and move, but her bent knees wouldn't support her.

"I told you to listen when I spoke."

"But... before I hand you over to the lord, can I at least check if you're damaged?"

"Of course. We need to check if you're poisoned or not!"

They treated her like a captured animal, joking in front of her.

'Lowlifes...'

Thud, thud.

At that moment, Bak Iljin, who had finished meditating, stepped forward.

To the bandits, he was just a boy with no special aura, seemingly unremarkable.

"What? Who's this weirdly dressed kid?"

"Is he even a boy?"

Bak Iljin scanned the bandits.

It was his first time meeting humans other than his grandfather, but the situation was far from pleasant.

"Be quiet. Just leave."

The low voice from Bak Iljin made the bandits look at each other in confusion, then burst into laughter.

"Look at this kid's serious face."

"Is he trying to look scary?"

As the bandits said, his deeply set, expressionless face could be seen as a young boy trying to look tough.

One of the bandits, chuckling, gestured towards Hae-rin and asked,

"Hey! What's this? Are you two... a couple?"

"Whether we are or not, I have something to do. Move aside."

As the bandit was about to push Bak Iljin aside, he noticed the indifferent eyes staring at him.

"Huh? Kid, look at me. A kid like you, can't even look me in the eye..."

Crash-

Before he could finish, the bandit's body was reduced to dust and scattered.