Chapter 490: Sleet (4)

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.

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.