There had been a formal notice from Lair a few days ago.
– Guardian’s Consultation Period
In this time period, the guardians would have a counselling session with their cadets, and talk about what they needed and what they lacked. They could then submit the record of the consultation to the teachers for reference.
It was mandatory for cadets with guardians so he was thinking of doing it soon, and this was a great opportunity.
When Yu Jitae sat on the chair next to his desk, Yeorum went and sat down on his bed. She was wearing a serious expression which was quite rare.
After a few seconds of silence, Yeorum swept her hair up with her hand repeatedly, and soon murmured after heaving out a sigh.
“You know.”
“…”
“I think, I’m a bit too trash.”
“…”
“That’s just what I suddenly thought of. And for the past few days, I kept thinking about it.”
“Did your thoughts change?”
“Yeah. I’m a huge puny piece of garbage.”
She was still serious.
While sitting down on Yu Jitae’s bed, she wrapped her arms around her knees.
Silence continued for a long time.
A red dragon revealing its own weakness, was a very rare thing. Including the previous iterations, Yu Jitae had known this young red dragon for dozens of years, and despite being defeated in several fights, she had never labelled herself as weak.
– I!
– I would rather die than lose to an opponent I can beat.
That was what Yeorum had said in the past, during the Anti-demon War Simulation and the Regressor knew that it wasn’t a metaphoric expression.
“A few days ago, I asked for a duel with a cadet in a Level 5 society.”
“Yeah.”
“He was good with a sword, so I took out mine as well. Fuck, I was certain that I would be the one coming out on top.”
“Then, did you lose?”
“No, I won. I won but… I didn’t win with a sword.”
There was only one thing that could have been used then.
“Did you use the mana inside the dragon heart?”
“Un. I was so frustrated that I wanted to break the Taboo of Amusement.”
Taboo of Amusement was the lifting of polymorph.
Of course, it wasn’t a taboo that had a restrictive power, but even the trash, bastard-like dragons kept this taboo as something important.
She almost lost as a human form, and thus used the power of her true body.
“I wanted to kill myself. Because I was beyond pathetic.”
After saying that, Yeorum stuck her finger into her ear.
“Well, I’m just saying, that’s what happened.”
She then leaned back and started rolling on top of the bed. Yu Jitae stared at her for a bit. Bom talked about him taking her in as a disciple, but the red race had tremendous pride in fighting, and she had not been seeking his teaching.
But that pride of hers was crushed by a bit.
Yeorum rolled around on the blanket before rolling her body in like a sushi. Her gaze was facing the wall, and she was wearing a blank expression.
Because of the time they spent together, he had a rough idea.
She was seeking help.
However, there was a problem.
First – Yu Jitae had never taught anyone before.
Second – the process of getting stronger was quite painful, and it did not suit a hatchling who had left for a fun Amusement.
And lastly.
Yu Jitae walked up to her head that was peeking out from the blanket and crouched down.
“You are strong.”
“Huh?”
She, was 15 years old.
This was extremely young for a dragon who lived up to 10,000 years and it was like a human child that was 2 months old.
“You are strong already, and you will become stronger in the future. The blood flowing in your body will make you like that.”
“…”
“Right now, there are humans stronger than you in Lair, but there won’t be such a human after 10 years. After a 100 years, it will be hard to find humans stronger than you in this world, and after a 1000 years, it would be difficult to find such a human in all dimensions. There is that limit placed on humans.”
“…”
“Just by living, you gain the authority to reign. That is the future given to you, luckily enough.”
“…And?”
She raised her head and looked at Yu Jitae.
“But if you want to surpass your future by ten, or a hundred years, that would be going against the flow of time. And if you wish to go against the laws of nature in any shape or form, you must pay a price that corresponds to it.”
Six regressions.
The time he spent struggling to become stronger.
And everything that he had to lose because of that.
“…”
“There might be things you must sacrifice.”
The Regressor had lost everything.
“Do you still want to become stronger?”
Perhaps saying this to a young dragon that wished to climb one step further in a staircase was a bit extreme, but he knew exactly what kind of monster one’s ‘strength’ could be.
Going against the laws of nature wasn’t a one-time decision. It was their attitude facing their life, and that flow followed the laws of inertia.
Power was sweet, and there was no end to it once you got drunk in it. Demons didn’t sign contracts with the existences of abyss because they were retards as humans.
Are you ready to embrace that attitude?
That was the Regressor’s question.
“…”
And the response,
“Un.”
Came rather easily.
The Regressor gave a nod.
“Then let’s do it together when the holidays start soon.”
“Do what.”
“Getting stronger. I’ll teach you.”
“Huh?”
Yeorum suddenly widened her eyes.
“You’ll be teaching me? I wasn’t asking for you to teach me anything though.”
Thinking back, she indeed did not directly ask him for help.
“…”
“Ahh, I get it. You wanted to teach me huh? Right?”
It was hard for Yu Jitae to understand whether this was a joke, or whether he was completely wrong in the first place.
He shook his head.
“Let’s not do it if you don’t want to.”
“Huh, uh…? Well, I don’t really mind, but like, I didn’t say I didn’t want to.”
“Then, should I teach you.”
“Uh, I wasn’t really asking you to teach me, but if that’s what you want.”
“…Should I not?”
Yeorum deeply stared at him, trying to hint him at something. Asking him to teach her damaged her pride, but if she were to say that she didn’t need it, he seemed to be taking it in literally.
Huu… Heaving out a sigh as if she’s given up on something, she opened her mouth powerlessly.
“…Yes. Please.”
“…”
“Please teach me how to fight. Mister Yu Jitae.”
“…”
“You happy now? Ehew…”
Clicking her tongue, she crawled out from the blanket and walked towards the door. In the middle of that process, she opened her mouth casually.
“You know.”
“Yeah.”
“Think of it as an honour.”
“What.”
“Which human would dare teach a red dragon?”
After she left, Yu Jitae randomly wrote the record down on a notebook.
[Yu Yeorum: No manners. Same as always.]
***
His next target was Kaeul.
“…Consultation?”
“Yeah.”
“Uh, umm. As for me! Recently, I’m just going to school normally. Hehe.”
He gave a nod.
Inwardly, he had been slightly worried. Ever since the end of the declaration during the entrance ceremony, she had a lot of chances to stand in front of countless people, receiving love and attention.
When those were blocked, what would happen to the daughter of a gold race that was thirsty for attention? Would it amplify the problem instead as a side effect? That was the worry that had been on his mind.
But fortunately, she was leading a decent life at the academy city.
“Umm, I made some friends, and… I’m studying as well. There are many interesting things. Walking around with Bom-unni is fun as well! And Gyeoul likes me reading books as well.”
“Yeah.”
“And Yeorum-unni is… um…”
“…”
“Uh, e, energetic…”
“Okay I got it. Anything you need?”
“Hmm, not really.”
The baby chicken gave a wide smile.
“Ah, by the way.”
“Yeah.”
“If possible, can I go on a dispatch if there’s a chance?”
“A dispatch?”
“Yes! When I looked into it a bit, I found that the Lair sent cadets on a dispatch to military camps here and there. Can I go as well?”
“Why.”
“Nothing really. I want to try volunteering. And I also want to meet new people!”
Who knows.
The location and the people within that place were important.
“Let’s talk about it again once there’s a detailed plan.”
“Yess!”
When she stood up, her hair braided into pigtails swayed. Her feet carrying her outside the room were light, and the Regressor’s gaze followed the back of the gold head.
He raised his pen.
[Yu Kaeul: Doing well, but requires further observation.]
***
Lastly, Bom walked into Yu Jitae’s room.
Wearing an indifferent expression that hid her thoughts underneath, she approached him and stood in front.
“Sit down.”
“Where?”
There was only one chair.
When Yu Jitae was about to point at the bed, Bom abruptly came closer and sat down on his knees.
“Here?”
“…No. There.”
“I like it here as well.”
Even when he gestured, Bom looked into his eyes without moving.
“…”
He found this distance to be slightly perplexing.
“So, why?”
“It’s time for a consultation. How is it these days.”
“Listening to lectures; playing with Yeorum and Kaeul, and I’m looking after Gyeoul.”
“Anything you need.”
“Nothing.”
He decided to ask her something.
“What about like, wanting to draw or wanting to write a novel. Anything like that?”
“No, why?”
“You’re from the green race.”
Bom shook her head.
“I tried it, but it wasn’t fun. Weird right.”
That was when Bom snatched the notebook off of Yu Jitae’s hand. She then extended her hand out, asking for the pen, which he obediently handed over.
“What about ahjussi?”
The target of the consultation was switched in an instant.
“How is it these days for ahjussi?”
“Just normal.”
“Any problems?”
“My knees are a bit heavy.”
In response, she raised her leg and turned her body around to face him. They were very close, and he was even more perplexed than before. Seemingly without even caring about that, Bom started moving her pen.
“Guardian Yu Jitae… knees are heavy… assumed to be due to adhesive capsulitis…”
“…”
“Is adhesive capsulitis for knees? Anyways, anything else that you need?”
“Nothing.”
“Guardian Yu Jitae… living a satisfactory life…”
She then continued writing.
“Just get off.”
“Why? It’s close and good.”
“It’s too close.”
“Better than being too far right.”
“…”
“We need to be this close as well.”
“…”
“For now, we’re not this close right.”
Bom stared directly at him.
“Ahjussi.”
“Yeah.”
“What should I do, to make us a bit closer?”
She then slowly began leaning forward with her upper body. Yu Jitae brought his body back, and seeing that, Bom whispered with a very soft voice.
“See?”
“…”
“When I get closer, you distance yourself.”
The delicate distance became shorter yet again.
“Do you find me burdensome, ahjussi?”
“No.”
“Or do you see me as a woman?”
“No.”
“But the outside shell is a female human. So are you embarrassed?”
“…”
She then started slowly whispering.
“Did you know? Ahjussi, you’re…”
Soon, the back of the seat touched his back.
“Unexpectedly…”
Even then, Bom’s face continued approaching his face.
His gaze remained indifferent, and was wearing the same expression which everyone else would find intimidating. However, he was feeling gradually more perplexed inside as time went on.
Realising that, Bom who had been blank-faced till then let out a “Puhup..!” and laughed. Once a crack appeared on her expression, she couldn’t hold it back and she struggled to breathe in her laughter.
“Ah… that was fun…”
After having Bom leave the room, Yu Jitae moved his pen.
[Yu Bom: Doing fine. She hasn’t found anything of interest yet, but enjoys making her guardian perplexed…]
In the middle of writing down the record, he erased everything. He then edited it by writing a simple sentence, [Hasn’t found a dream yet].
However, behind the thin paper, he could see some words which hadn’t been written by himself. He turned a page and read the words.
[Yu Jitae: Unexpectedly shy.]
***
With that, the cadet consultation was over.
“…”
But why was she here.
“…”
Gyeoul glanced at where her unnis were at before turning back to Yu Jitae. Her gaze turned into a glare.
“Why, is there something you want to say?”
“…”
“If there’s nothing, just go out. I have things to do.”
After giving a nod, Gyeoul turned and walked out.
Yu Jitae was about to turn around but soon he felt a gaze. Looking back, he found Gyeoul’s blue pair of eyes staring at him through the gap between the door and the hinge.
It was unclear why but disappointment was shooting out from her eyes.
Thus, Yu Jitae suddenly had to carry out an unnecessary consultation with a baby. He lifted the child up and placed her down on the bed, and only then did she break out into a wide smile.
“How are you these days.”
“…”
Perhaps it was a difficult question, as Gyeoul remained smiling all the time.
“Anything you need.”
“…”
She was still smiling.
“Anything you want?”
“…”
Until the very end, she wore a wide smile on her face.
Since there was no need to write it down, he closed the notebook but realised that the child seemed regretful after seeing that. Yu Jitae therefore wrote something down as the consultation record.
[Yu Gyeoul: Appears to be in a good mood.]