‘… We asked him to do it in moderation!’

Noh Ik-bong went down after one slap.

“Huh? He is breathing, right?”

Mumu shook Noh Ik-bong’s body, but the fallen man didn’t come to his senses.

This ignorant monster always showed a new side each time. Although just for a moment, Dan Pil-hoo could see Noh Ik-bong’s strength.

It would be no exaggeration to say that he was someone who would be equal to the higher-ranked teachers in the academy.

And he was taken down like that.

‘Even with that power, you are no match to the kid who took down Hang Yeon’s killer.’

Anyway, this was enough evidence. Dan Pil-hoo looked at Oh Muyang and smiled.

“Supervisor? Will you believe me now?”

“… uh.”

Oh Muyang sighed at those words.

The justification that they would have to remove the academy’s people from the investigation had disappeared.

“Ugh!”

Noh Ik-bong got up after opening his eyes.

When was the last time he was laid on a bed with a blanket on him? Noh Ik-bong gulped and bit his tongue as he felt the pain in his mouth.

‘Ugh!’

The inside of his entire mouth was covered in scars, and licking around caused pain. Even more bizarre was the lack of teeth inside.

His teeth seemed to be broken in various spots.

“This… this…”

He was shocked. He then touched his strange-feeling face and noted that the left side was swollen.

And he could only think of one thing.

-slap!

It was the scene of being slapped in the face and the feeling of his head flying away.

‘W-what was that guy?’

Unlike his internal energy, which was clearly just second-rate, the boy did something impossible. Noh Ik-bong thought he could take down the kid in one attack, but the result was anything but.

“Must have been a huge shock.”

Noh Ik-bong looked around, bewildered at the voice which rang in his ears. On the chair near the window was Oh Muyang, who had a cup of tea in his hands.

“A warrior like you didn’t even realize I was here.”

“… supervisor.”

At those words, Noh Ik-bong could say nothing.

What happened was beyond common sense. After consuming many pills and herbs alongside the palace’s education, he had reached his current level, so this result was shocking to him.

How did he end up like this from a mere 17-year-old boy?

Oh Muyang placed the teacup on the table.

“Even if you fight again, there is no way you would win, right?”

“… I am sorry.”

He couldn’t give an excuse.

Even if they fought again, the result was obvious. That Mumu guy was a monster that even his brother, Yu Jin-sung, looked like nothing in comparison.

“Right.”

“Then, how will the investigation proceed?”

At Noh Ik-bong’s question, Oh Muyang shrugged and said,

“Now that the criminal is caught, the academy issue is already cleared. This is contrary to what we wished.”

Oh Muyang had been given one order.

It was to create an excuse to control the academy. However, since the criminal was already caught, the cause to fuss over it had vanished.

“I am sorry. If I had overpowered…”

“Well, it is fine.”

“Uh?”

“The students in the academy are safe, but the transfer of the academy control to the palace itself would have been nice.”

At Oh Muyang’s words, Noh Ik-bong frowned. Wasn’t that their purpose?

If the palace controlled the academy, they could further develop that influence as a cause to control the warriors.

Oh Muyang went through the bag he was carrying and pulled something out as he continued to talk.

“What mission was given to you by the Imperial Palace’s Hidden Troops?”

A casual question.

Noh Ik-bong’s eyes fluttered as the question registered in his brain.

How did this man know that he belonged to the hidden troops?

While he was still shocked, Oh Muyang brought something out and placed it near his stomach.

And…

Push!

‘Golden Gate Chain?’

The Golden Gate Chain was used to restrain the body of a person who had learned martial arts.

It is said that if the Golden Gate Chain was used, then internal energy would become blocked.

Noh Ik-bong could not hide his shock at both what just happened as well as the energy that was emanating from Oh Muyang.

“Y-You learned martial arts?”

Oh Muyang got up from his seat and approached Noh Ik-bong while his strong energy rose.

“I don’t remember saying I never learned it.”

Noh Ik-bong, who sensed something ominous happening, tried to get up, but Oh Muyang stood before him and gently pressed down on his chest.

‘!?’

With a light press, Noh Ik-bong fell back on the bed. Everything happening was beyond his comprehension.

‘W-why…’

The main building’s garden.

Yu Jin-sung and Mumu were sitting side by side at a place with fresh grass. The atmosphere was quite awkward, and Yu Jin-sung spoke first.

“To meet in such a place is quite commendable.”

He was the one who wanted to meet Mumu at home and not at the academy.

An adopted son that his father picked up during exile. Yu Jin-sung had wondered a lot about that.

Mumu said to Yu Jin-sung.

“You look a lot like Jin-hyuk.”

Yu Jin-sung was someone who was both more virtuous and manly than his appearance indicated, but he did resemble Yu Jin-hyuk a lot.

It was as if he was an older version of Jin-hyuk. Yu Jin-sung then smiled and responded.

“That’s because we are brothers.”

“Brothers… right.”

Right.

They were brothers, so looking alike was natural. But Mumu felt strange.

It was the same feeling he felt when he met the family of his adopted father.

In response to Mumu’s reaction, Yu Jin-sung gently placed his hand on Mumu’s head.

“Even if we don’t look alike, you are my brother. Even if we don’t share blood, our father raised you, and that relationship has been passed down to all the family members.”

“Relationship?”

“Right. I haven’t lived as long as my father has, but it seems that the bonds of love cannot be easily broken. So our relationship as brothers will stay until we die.”

With that, he patted Mumu on the head, making Mumu smile brightly.

His father, Jin-hyuk and Jin-sung now, were all good people.

“Ah! Right.”

Jin-sung pulled something from his sleeve.

It was an ornament made of jade in the shape of a hawk.

However, it wasn’t just one but two.

“What is this?”

“There are skilled craftsmen in the capital. When I came to see you and Jin-hyuk, I decided to bring this.”

Along with those words, Jin-sung showed all three ornaments, one attached to his waist and the two in his hand. All three were identical.

“I have one too. If you, Jin-hyuk, and I share them, wouldn’t it be a symbol of our brotherhood?”

Mumu’s eyes shone at those words. It was the first time someone other than his father had given him a gift.

‘Symbol of our brotherhood!’

Quite a deep meaning. Mumu nodded and accepted them.

“Thank you.”

“There is no need to say that to brothers. Rather I am happy.”

“Uh?”

“I always wanted to say thank you when I meet you.”

Mumu was puzzled.

“Brothers don’t thank each other?”

“No, you were by our father’s side during his toughest time.”

“But… father raised me.”

“That is true. But it was you who kept father sane in his exile.”

‘Thanks to you, I could clear my father’s name.’

This was why Jin-sung felt grateful to Mumu.

And now, he was grateful that he was by Jin-hyuk’s side.

He had learned of Mumu’s strength and how it had helped Jin-hyuk and the other students stay safe during the arson attempt.

“Ah, seriously.”

Mumu scratched his head as he felt shy and said.

“Ah! Rather than this, would you like to come to the dorm to see Jin-hyuk?”

“Jin-hyuk?”

“To give him the symbol of brotherhood.”

At that, Jin-sung thought.

He initially had no intention of meeting his brother while the investigation was underway. However, after checking Noh Ik-bong’s condition and the fact that the criminal had been caught, there was no reason not to go.

“Good. But…”

Jin-sung, who was about to say something, looked elsewhere.

He had looked over because he spotted a woman with silver hair standing a bit further away. His eyes shone when he saw her.

‘Master Dan Baek-yeon.’

A face he hadn’t seen for so long.

It was nice to see her, but something felt strange about her appearance.

With a tree in front of her, she kept moving and glancing over to this side. And it didn’t take long to realize that she was looking at Mumu, not him.

‘What is this?’

The restless expression she was looking at Mumu with made her title sound like a lie. She was looking at Mumu for so long that she didn’t even recognize the student who had returned after a long time.

“Uh? Master Dan Baek-yeon?”

Mumu too noticed her. Jin-sung, who was looking at Mumu and the master, smiled.

“I think that I should go alone to see Jin-hyuk.”

“Uh? Why?”

“Seems like Master Dan Baek-yeon has something to say to you. I will go first, so talk and come.”

With that, Jin-sung used footwork to head to the dorm. He was so fast that he soon could not be seen.

When Jin-sung disappeared, Mumu approached Dan Baek-yeon, who was walking around the tree. As he came closer, Dan Baek-yeon began to walk faster around the tree.

“Master?”

She was startled at Mumu’s call.

“Hmm… student Mumu.”

“What are you doing?”

Dan Baek-yeon licked her lips at Mumu’s question, placed her hand on the tree, and said.

“Uh, I was just honing my skills.”

“Here?”

As Mumu tilted his head, Dan Baek-yeon was turning red. She tried to not be conscious of his face, but she couldn’t look at Mumu.

‘What is this?’

Actually, she wanted to thank Mumu for what happened before.

However, the arson incident happened, and the teachers and staff were asked to stay in the main building. She had been unable to approach him due to all the reports the staff was asked to write.

And now that she had time, she came for Mumu, but her heart kept pounding.

‘I just wanted to say thank you.’

The flowers he had brought were filling the window in her lab. She wanted to thank him, but her lips wouldn’t open.

Mumu scratched his head and said.

“Ahh. I guess I misunderstood. I thought you had something to say. Please continue your training. I will go.”

“Wait!”

As Mumu was about to go, she grabbed his sleeve. And Mumu turned his head.

And looking at Mumu, it felt like her face was heating up.

“What is it?”

“… how old are you?”

‘!?’

After saying that, Dan Baek-yeon flinched, and her body turned stiff.

What did she just say?