The sun slowly dipped toward the horizon.
As it did, Kang Museong's fingernails were being chewed shorter and shorter.
Number 88 still hadn't come in.
'Was he badly hurt? Should I send a search party even now? Damn it, nothing's going right.'
Regret was useless—the water had already been spilled.
And there was nothing he could do anyway.
He couldn't send out a search party until the sun set.
Because the disqualification wasn't finalized yet.
Even if it were allowed, he would've hesitated.
Sending a search party would mean confessing what he'd done.
"Ughhhhh! This is so damn annoying! I never should've taken this assignment. I should've quit the Red Robes back then."
"Immortal, what's wrong?"
"I don't know. Don't ask."
Kang Museong clutched his head and prayed.
At the same time.
Han Yeongsu arrived leisurely and looked for Lee Seoha.
Neither Lee Seoha nor Han Sanghyeok were anywhere to be seen.
"Heh heh heh, disqualified. Serves him right. Acting all high and mighty—just a bookworm in the end."
Naturally, Han Yeongsu had been hoping Seoha would be eliminated.
A scion of the great Cheongsin family.
Perfect score on the written exam.
If he passed the practical exam with high marks too, he would become the undisputed top new cadet.
"Looks like Kim Yongho did his job."
As Han Yeongsu laughed loudly, one of his subordinates spoke.
"Even if he comes in now, he'll be disqualified. He's basically last place. Hahaha."
"Well, it's not confirmed yet. He got a perfect score on the written test, so he might pass on the strength of the Cheongsin family name."
"That's true. Anyway, if he doesn't make it, I should give Kim Yongho something. Hahaha!"
Han Yeongsu laughed as if victory were already assured.
Then—
As the sun slipped lower and the surroundings grew dim, ragged breathing could be heard.
"Huff… huff… huff!"
Han Yeongsu stiffened when he saw Sanghyeok running toward them, gasping for air.
Lee Seoha was slung over his shoulder.
Han Yeongsu quickly looked up at the sun.
It had nearly disappeared from view.
'Just a little more… just a little…'
Han Yeongsu alternated his gaze between the sun and Han Sanghyeok.
And just before Sanghyeok crossed the line—
The sun set.
"Yes!"
Han Yeongsu clenched his fist and shouted, while Sanghyeok laid Seoha down on the ground and then collapsed flat on his back as well.
Kang Museong walked over to the two of them.
"You made it just in time. Pass."
Han Yeongsu immediately stepped forward in objection.
"I object! The sun has already set! How is this a pass?!"
"And who are you?"
Kang Museong checked Han Yeongsu's number before speaking.
"Number 83. This isn't your concern. I'm the examiner."
"This isn't fair. Wasn't the rule that you had to arrive before sunset?"
"There's still a little time before full sunset."
"It's already set. The sun has set!"
"No, it hasn't. I can still see it."
Kang Museong stepped beside Han Yeongsu and grabbed his shoulder.
"Look. See? You can see a tiny bit of the sun over there, right?"
"No, I don't se—aaaargh!"
Kang Museong tightened his grip on Han Yeongsu's shoulder.
"You can see it, right? You see it. Right?"
"No, I don't—aaaargh!"
"Still can't see it? You see it now, right?"
"I see it! I see it!"
"See? You can see it. Ah, now it's gone. That was really close. Right?"
Kang Museong flashed Han Yeongsu a grin, then immediately turned stern.
"Anyone who arrives after this is disqualified."
"Yes."
Kang Museong let out a sigh of relief.
'Whew. Thank goodness. He's alive.'
Strictly speaking, Han Yeongsu was right.
The sun had already set.
It was a razor-thin disqualification.
But so what?
An examiner had the discretion to overlook something like that.
Besides, even with force control, hadn't Number 88 beaten an Immortal in an internal energy clash?
Kang Museong wiped his chest and approached Number 88, Seoha.
"Did we make it?"
"Looks like it."
I watched Kang Museong half-threaten Han Yeongsu.
Looks like he still had a conscience—he was going to let us pass.
But since we arrived at the very last moment, we couldn't expect a good score.
Even with a perfect written exam.
"Sanghyeok, how many passed?"
"Looks like about fifty. What now?"
"That's more than I expected."
"I think I'm already out. My written score was only in the 300s. Don't forget you said you'd send me to Cheongsin even if I fail. Different academies, but still best friends."
"It's fine. You won't fail. We'll just threaten Kang Museong today."
"Yeah, try it. I want to get into Seongmu Academy too."
I smirked.
Now that things had eased up, Sanghyeok was finally showing his true personality.
The results would be announced the next day.
Just then, Kang Museong walked over.
"So, you were alive?"
I sprang to my feet and glared at him.
I'd recovered a bit from being carried on Sanghyeok's back.
"I almost died with my meridians completely twisted, thanks to you."
"As long as you didn't die. Are you okay? Still, you made it in time."
"Thanks to you."
It had been close.
So close that disqualifying us would've been perfectly justified.
Honestly speaking, we were late.
This was basically Kang Museong passing us out of guilt.
Since I couldn't expect a good score, I needed to tilt things in my favor somehow.
"We were pretty late, but honestly, that wasn't our fault, was it? It was yours, Examiner."
Kang Museong looked at me with an unreadable expression.
Was he telling me to be satisfied with just passing?
If so, it couldn't be helped.
Time to play the card I had.
"So, about your first love—"
"Don't worry."
Kang Museong cut me off.
With an oddly gentle smile, he said,
"I'll give both of you good scores. You'll both pass."
"…What?"
What was this?
He was offering me a favor before I'd even played my hand.
"So please don't tell your grandfather. I'm begging you."
"..."
That was what he'd been worried about.
If I told my grandfather that I'd suffered internal injuries after clashing internal energy with an Immortal during the exam, there was no way he'd let it slide.
Kang Museong would either die—
Or be split in half.
Were those really different?
I hadn't planned on doing that, but yeah, it would be terrifying.
"Alright. Deal."
"Good. Then let's head to the physician first. We can't have any hidden injuries. Come on, hurry."
"Take care of Number 87 too. He's completely out."
"I'll carry him. Of course! That's the examiner's job. Hahaha."
Kang Museong hoisted Sanghyeok onto his shoulder and said,
"Let's go. The physician is waiting."
That blockhead was really trying his hand at politics.
Still, it seemed our acceptance was basically confirmed.
"Whew, that was close."
I almost failed.
Cold sweat was still running down my back.
I absolutely could not fail.
Absolutely not.
"Hey, Number 88. What are you doing? Hurry up. The physician's waiting."
"Yes, yes. I'm coming."
I felt fine, but I might as well get treated.
Who knows?
They might give me some good medicine.
The day of the results announcement arrived.
They were announced at Misi (1 p.m.), so the place was crowded from morning.
My grandfather and father were surely there too.
And finding them wasn't hard.
"I heard Ironblood is here? Seriously?"
"You didn't know? Someone from Cheongsin applied this year."
"Hey, where is he? I've never seen Ironblood in person."
"There—he's coming."
My grandfather's name echoed everywhere.
"Wow, he really is famous."
"He sure is."
"But why does a young master like you love gukbap so much? Didn't you eat this after the exam yesterday too?"
I was eating gukbap with Sanghyeok.
He kept asking why a young master would eat something like this, but gukbap is an incredible dish.
Cheap price, huge portions.
Meat, lungs, ears, liver—so many flavors at once.
Add some scallion kimchi and it's hard to tell whether it's peasant food or aristocratic cuisine.
"Want me to be honest?"
"Is there some profound reason?"
"During the war, gukbap was what I missed most. Hot and steaming. Winters are brutally cold—you wouldn't know unless you've lived it."
"…Is that so?"
See? Even when I tell the truth, people don't believe me.
After finishing our bowls, Sanghyeok and I headed to the announcement area.
My grandfather and father had just arrived and were looking for me.
"Grandfather! Father! Over here!"
I waved cheerfully, as befit a fifteen-year-old.
Might as well act cute once in a while.
In three years, they'd probably find it cringe.
"Oh! My grandson!"
My grandfather lifted me up, drawing everyone's attention.
Now everyone would know I was the grandson of Cheongsin.
"Ah, hello. I'm Han Sanghyeok of Unseong."
Sanghyeok bowed deeply—almost excessively.
My grandfather set me down and said,
"So you're Seoha's friend?"
"Yes. I am."
"That's right. And I said I'd pay his tuition."
Sanghyeok's face turned pale.
Of course—who would calmly accept someone suddenly saying they'd pay their tuition?
Except my grandfather.
"Alright. I'll pay it."
My grandfather smiled and patted Sanghyeok's head.
"Seems like you have circumstances you can't speak of. I won't pry."
"…Thank you."
There was no reason for someone from the Han family of Unseong to rely on Cheongsin.
That's why I liked my grandfather.
He didn't fuss over trivial things.
Then my father approached.
"You do well? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
"Of course. Being sturdy is my specialty. The exam was tight, though."
"Hahaha, so do you think you passed?"
"Probably just barely."
"That's still impressive. It's Seongmu Academy. Well done."
Since Kang Museong said he'd pass us, I had to believe it.
Then an old man approached from afar.
The head of Unseong.
Han Baeksa.
His name meant 'foremost among scholars,' but I just called him White Snake.
How could I forget that old face?
When Unseong abandoned the capital and fled despite having thousands of warriors, I'd wanted to spit in his face.
He approached with a greasy smile and greeted my grandfather.
"Well, well. If it isn't Captain of the Guard Lee Gangjin."
"Lord Han. It's been a while."
My grandfather greeted him politely.
They weren't close, but as the head of a great family, he couldn't be ignored.
Han Baeksa glanced at Sanghyeok and said,
"Tsk tsk tsk, there's the shame of our family. May I take him with me?"
"Oh, he's from your household? That's unfortunate. He just became an outer disciple of Cheongsin. I suppose that makes me his father now. If you want to take him, his biological father would need to come."
A master is like a father.
And Sanghyeok has no biological father.
Thus, Unseong had no grounds to take him back.
"…Is that so? Well, having two from our family enter Seongmu Academy is still a good thing."
Han Baeksa stepped back for now.
With my grandfather saying that much, it meant he had no intention of giving Sanghyeok up.
And as Han Baeksa said, there was no reason to refuse Cheongsin raising someone from the Han family of Unseong.
"By the way, is it really alright? My grandson said he barely passed—practically disqualified."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Passing even though the sun had set—did you perhaps spend some money? Hahaha."
"..."
My grandfather stared sharply at Han Baeksa.
On a battlefield, he would've split him in two without hesitation, but this wasn't a battlefield, and the other was a great family head.
'Grandfather isn't great with words.'
He was the type whose fists moved before his mouth.
"We don't even know who the examiner was. What money?"
"Just a joke. Surely Cheongsin wouldn't do such a thing. Hahaha. Still, I heard he got a perfect score on the written exam. Smart head."
Smart head.
Which implied poor skill.
My grandfather crossed his arms, displeased.
"We'll see when the results are out."
"I sincerely hope you pass. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a tremendous embarrassment? Cheongsin's representative failing to enter Seongmu Academy. Hahaha. Just imagining it makes me laugh."
"..."
My grandfather didn't respond.
At last, the long-awaited announcement time arrived.
Kang Museong stepped onto the platform, cleared his throat, and spoke.
"Greetings, family heads and families. I am White-Robed Immortal Kang Museong. Without further ado, I will announce the results."
Everyone held their breath, staring at Kang Museong.
I was no different.
What rank would I get?
'Last place?'
Most likely, I'd barely scrape by at rank 30.
But then Sanghyeok would fail.
His written score was lower than mine.
'Then maybe around 20th.'
So Sanghyeok could just make the cut at 30.
That would be perfect.
My grandfather would be a little disappointed, but avoiding the attention of the Silver Moon Division was more important.
If I placed first, they'd see me as a future pillar and try to kill me.
'Better avoid that.'
Then, in the tense silence, Kang Museong shouted loudly.
"Now, I will announce the top two. First place!"
First would probably be Number 179.
Great written score, and he entered first in the practical exam.
"Number 88! Lee Seoha of Cheongsin!"
Yeah, great written score, and practical—
"…?"
What did he just say?