It was quiet in Eungwang High when winter came.
The school lost its vitality from the consecutive incidents, and it seemed to become lonelier as the weather got colder.
Not just the weather, but also because even Class Zero, the notoriously rowdy and noisiest students in the school, were quiet.
In Year One Class Zero, no one attends school.
In Year Two Class Zero, except for their quarrel with the newspaper department after Jegal’s retirement, they were as quiet as a mouse.
‘The Class Zero uproar was vital to Eungwang High.’
Im Yeonhwa, the homeroom teacher of Year Three Class Zero, was out of energy upon losing her fellow teachers and students.
Woo Kihwan was disappointed by that.
However, when the Year Three Class Zero took the CSAT, Woo Kihwan caused a stir.
Regular exams in the lower years, and the final exam of the third years in the second semester.
For the first time, Do Wonwoo and Woo Kihwan tied for the top spot in terms of academic standing.
‘It seems that Do Wonwoo was shaken because he’s having a hard time. There’s a lot of noise about who the next student representative would be…’
At the time of the student association elections, teachers supported Heo Chaeah instead of Kwak Gyungu, the student with a history of drinking.
Although the game was reversed by Heo Chaeah’s admission of also drinking posted on the Eungwang High bulletin board.
Eventually, Kwak Gyungu won as the next student representative, but the teachers still pressured the student association.
As a result, though Do Wonwoo was supposed to pass on the baton, he continued to be in charge of the student association.
That’s when something happened.
‘Who knew Woo Kihwan would step up like that?’
Do Wonwoo remained unbothered even though he lost the sole first-place position, but Woo Kihwan challenged it.
As a result of re-calculation, Do Wonwoo’s exclusive first-place position was confirmed by a mere one point, and Woo Kihwan blew it.
He was no longer the top scorer anymore.
The whole school didn’t understand what Woo Kihwan was thinking.
“Hello, Jeokho-ssi. You seem to be interested in school matters lately. I guess you got closer to Dain. Did you meet her today?”
“…Not yet.”
“So you’re here to see her.”
Yong Jegun talked to Jeokho as he looked around the campus.
Yong Jegun spoke in a way different than usual, but he didn’t look so good.
He was still smiling, but the Dragon Clan’s favorite dragon didn’t seem to be in good condition.
Because of the contract that the teachers of Eungwang High signed with Hwangho, their strengths are restricted.
However, Yong Jegun was more debilitating than they had encountered on campus before.
Jeokho asked about something in disbelief.
“Are you still making a wish?”
“Yeah, I dunno, maybe Shinrok will still change his mind.”
Time ceases to flow for the deceased.
There’s no way Yong Jegun doesn’t know that, but he waited for Kim Shinrok to change his mind…
In the first place, Jeokho’s son might’ve already left for a faraway place past the cycle of reincarnation.
Jeokho thought so, but he didn’t have the heart to stop Yong Jegun.
Even though Yong Jegun’s body and soul were worn out, he wanted to encourage him still in hopes that his son might still live.
As if he read Jeokho’s mind, Yong Jegun smiled.
“I’ll let you know when my wish comes true.”
Jeokho didn’t feel any spirit in Yong Jegun’s voice.
Jeokho moved away from him as if he were running away.
And while wandering around the campus aimlessly, Jeokho ran into Ahn Dain.
She was in the middle of a conversation, no, a unilateral speech from Choi Pyeondeuk, her homeroom adviser.
“Do I sound funny? You think you’re all that because people complimented your grades, huh? What!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Where did you learn how to talk back! Gah, kids these days…”
Ahn Dain was being scolded for nothing.
Choi Pyeondeuk seemed to be taking the side of the students who were jealous of Ahn Dain’s grades.
The weather was cold but Ahn Dain was wearing only a thin uniform jacket, while the teacher who scolded her was heavily protected from the cold.
Apparently, he made a ridiculous claim that wearing a coat in front of an adult was rude.
It was clear that the teacher was just picking on Ahn Dain.
‘I can’t believe the teacher who took my son’s place was this indecent!’
It was the first time Jeokho saw Choi Pyeondeuk in person.
He saw him on paper before, but that was it.
He wanted to turn a blind eye to the person who replaced his son, but he couldn’t leave Ahn Dain alone.
And so Jeokho hid in a fog and listened to the nonsense that Choi Pyeondeuk was spouting.
‘…I think I’ve heard of this somewhere.’
Jeokho collected information based on Choi Pyeondeuk’s words.
One can determine another’s origin, educational level, personality, and others through their speaking habits.
While listening to him for what seemed to be an hour, Jeokho was reminded of someone.
He thought it was impossible, but Choi Pyeondeuk used a similar tone to a certain person of royal lineage.
One of the clan heads of the 12-point alliance, the head of the Pig Clan, Jogangryeob.
‘Is it a coincidence?’
Jeokho’s son died upon the betrayal of someone from the alliance, and then a teacher took up his son’s position and took charge of school affairs upon the retirement of another teacher.
Choi Pyeondeuk’s lowly attitude was contrary to his integrity and competence shown on paper.
In this kind of situation, it was inevitable to doubt if the teacher who spoke similarly to the clan head.
‘I’ll get an answer if I investigate.’
From then on, Jeokho thoroughly investigated Choi Pyeondeuk.
Since he couldn’t get help from the others from Tiger Clan, Jeokho’s movements were limited.
In such a situation, Jeokho thought that this was his last chance to get a clue, so he used all his capabilities to investigate Choi Pyeondeuk.
And he eventually learned the truth.
Choi Pyeondeuk wasn’t just the product of corruption, he was corruption personified.
Illegal admissions, leakage of problems, excessive physical punishment, running a business in front of the school, and many others.
Choi Pyeondeuk was committing every crime that a teacher could do using his position.
‘…How foolish I was! Why didn’t I think of this sooner!’
Jeokho wanted to expose all of this right away and bring Choi Pyeondeuk down, but he couldn’t.
Jogangryeob had an alibi at the time of his son’s head.
In other words, someone other than Jogangryeob must’ve been involved, but Jeokho has no clue.
If he got rid of Choi Pyeondeuk now, all his leads would evaporate.
‘Choi Pyeondeuk should be used as bait to deal with the Pig Clan and the others involved.’
Jeokho endured, with much difficulty, to look away from Choi Pyeondeuk’s evil deeds.
Just when his patience was about to wear off, he finally got a piece of information.
He found that the head of the Pig Clan and the other traitor was set to meet in Eungwang High on Christmas Day.
‘Eungwang High is open to outsiders on Christmas Eve. I’m sure they’re waiting for that. What the hell are they going to do in Eungwang High?’
Every year, on the eve and the day of Christmas, Eungwang High would hold a charity event hosted by the student body.
This year, Eungwang High’s festival was more like a memorial service for all those who were deceased, but it was still an event to prepare to do good things and enjoy whatever festive atmosphere was left.
It angered Jeokho that the traitors would meet right in the middle of the Tiger Clan’s territory, but this was a rare opportunity.
It might be necessary to deal with the clan heads at the same time, but Jeokho’s morale was soaring at the thought that he’d finally be able to avenge his son.
He trained and refined his energy waves at Cheonik Mountain in preparation for Christmas Day.
“Jeokho, are you there?”
“…Baekho.”
Less than a week before Christmas, Jeokho ran into Baekho.
Jeokho knew that Baekho began to get involved in strange events over Eungwang High.
In particular, he became close to Joo Soohyuk, Ahn Dain’s rival.
Joo Soohyuk is a fairly bright player, and he had a hunch about the huge power going after Eungwang HIgh which he opened up to Baekho.
Baekho seemed to be trying to help Joo Soohyuk.
‘It would be better to join forces with Baekho… When everything becomes clear.’
Jeokho made a suggestion.
“I have something to say to you after Christmas. Can you spare some time?”
“Alright.”
Baekho’s attitude remained unchanged.
It seemed like a lie that they didn’t meet for such a long time.
Even before and after Jeokho committed his great crime, Baekho always appeared indifferent but always respected the will of his friends.
“I’ve been aiming for Eungwang High. Take good care of yourself.”
And Christmas Eve came.
Student association members, including Ahn Dain, were busy preparing for the Christmas charity event.
In the meantime, Ahn Dain invited Jeokho.
Ahn Dain regarded Jeokho as a close acquaintance even though she knew that he was an unusual person of royal lineage.
While looking at the exhibits on campus with Ahn Dain, Jeokho asked her.
“I heard that there are going to be performances today and tomorrow night. Will your homeroom teacher attend?”
“No, Professor Choi Pyeonduk can’t come.”
“He’s not coming tomorrow either?”
“Yes, I heard that department-level teachers are going on overseas business trips. Professor Choi Pyeondeuk officially became the head of the school affairs department.”
Jeokho thought it was strange.
Choi Pyeondeuk was an opportunist.
He can’t believe that he was going away from this.
Jeokho was almost sure, from Choi Pyeondeuk’s similarities with Jogangryeob and his actions, and he intended to stomp him at once, but he suddenly was going on a business trip.
He found it strange, to say the least.
“Oh…?”
“What’s the matter?”
“I think there’s a problem at the school gate. The main gate, the east gate… all the gates from all sides are…”
Ahn Dain looked at her device and became speechless.
Communication was suddenly cut off.
And…
Ssswaaa…
An ominous energy crept up from somewhere.
Jeokho vaguely sensed the energy of a royal lineage.
Ahn Dain felt it too and so she quickly actualized her energy gun.
Jeokho spoke to Ahn Dain.
“Leave this to me and run. The opponent is a royal lineage. I’ll take care of it.”
“It’s dangerous to go one-on-one. I’ll cover you.”
“It’s alright. My powers are optimized for solo fighting. It’s hard to control it when troops are around.”
Jeokho wasn’t lying.
He had destroyed the leadership of the Bear Clan alone.
However, he knew that Ahn Dain would not be a burden.
Ahn Dain’s combat skills would make it hard for her to be captured by Jeokho’s lightning, but he decided to send her off first seeing that she was concerned about the last report she got before communications were cut off.
After sending off Ahn Dain, Jeokho confronted the mysterious force.
‘What the hell is going on? Weren’t they supposed to move tomorrow…?!’
Aside from the early attack, something else was strange.
What Jeokho knew was that it was going to be a meeting, not an attack.
But what the hell is happening now?
‘No way… I got false information?’
Jeokho was appalled.
He suspected that he was being played on someone’s palm.
And then, snow began to fall on Eungwang High.
“This snow is…”
There was no forecast of snow.
And this snow didn’t seem to fall naturally.
Jeokho was reminded of his long-cherished old friends.
In the meantime, Jeokho’s whole body was hit by snow.
“Pungbaek and Usa, Unsa… Why are they…”
When the snow hit his skin, Jeokho became certain.
This was the work of Pungbaek, Usa, and Unsa.
‘No, something is off.’
Pungbaek, Usa, and Unsa would always spray wind and rain over Jeokho’s head whenever he committed mischief.
Although it was in the distant past, Jeokho was most affected by their tricks.
So Jeokho felt a faint sense of incompatibility.
He spaced out as the snow hit his body.
But that was the worst mistake in his life.
Tick.
His eyes were red, the sound of bones and flesh being penetrated.
The blade of a lump of iron penetrated his abdomen.
The next shock ensued before Jeokho could see who wielded the weapon.
Puck, hit, stab.
The opponent stabbed Jeokho several more times, ensuring that he can no longer fight.
By the time Jeokho’s black clothes turned red, he could no longer stand.
Jeokho collapsed on the snow.
He doesn’t work with recovery items or skills, and Eungwang High doesn’t have any healing light skill users.
Jeokho was sure to die.
‘Ah…’
A vain death.
Without avenging his son, Jeokho faced a foolish death.
Children and friends left behind are in danger, and he dies leaving nothing behind.
‘I will die doing nothing.’
It wasn’t just Jeokho who tried to target the opponent’s gap.
As Jeokho got more involved in the enemies’ activities, they also took notice of him.
The opponent aimed at the time when Jeokho was most careless.
Jeokho tried to move somehow, desperate to leave a clue behind, but his mind and body gradually collapsed.
He tried to engrave something on the floor, but even that was buried in the snow.
Pitter. Patter.
Jeokho’s face was wet, and his vision was blurred.
‘Rain…? Wasn’t it snow?’
In the face of death, Jeokho’s spirit was already dissipating.
He was unable to think properly.
‘Is it sleet…?’
Under the sleet sky, there was someone clad in a fine red dress.
He tried to reach out and wipe off her tears, but Jeokho’s hand was no longer able to move.
