I Became the Academy's Disabled Student-Chapter 272: Birth Festival (2)

Despite my earlier worries, the meeting with the elderly man, Hong Seongjin, took place in a relaxed atmosphere.

"How’s the main household? Since the founding ancestors settled here, it’s always been the same, but there are some rough aspects to the facilities that have made things uncomfortable for many."

[No, the facilities were really good, and I received so much help from people nearby, so I spent the vacation very comfortably.]

"That’s a relief to hear."

[Ah! I received a lot of help from Hwabyeokun. I first learned the art of alchemy from him, and I still use it well.]

"Hwabyeokun? That grumpy old man taught you the technique?"

[Ahaha... He does speak a bit harshly, but he was very considerate, so I was able to follow along well.]

On the table, some light snacks were placed, and an easygoing topic arose.

There was no attempt to dig into my past or take any jabs at me. Instead, Hong Seongjin guided the conversation in a smooth and considerate tone. In this atmosphere, I was able to relax and respond comfortably.

"Geobhwa is a fire that prides itself on being the strongest, but it can also be a ferocious fire that consumes even itself if not controlled."

It wasn’t just idle chatter. Occasionally, serious and rare advice like this would come up.

"Among the ancestors of the family, there are not a few who were consumed by their own Geobhwa. Therefore, those who manifest Geobhwa must always prioritize mental discipline."

Whoosh!

"However, to think such a Geobhwa could be this gentle..."

The old man’s seasoned hands caressed the flames, gently stroking the Geobhwa. His hands, which had sparked this fire for a lifetime, were not burned, and my own Geobhwa didn’t have any intention of burning him either.

"Each manifestation of Geobhwa has a slightly different nature, but I’ve never seen such a gentle one."

Whoosh! The flames danced like they were swaying with affection, and admiration filled Hong Seongjin’s eyes.

"How can this be called Geobhwa? But the inner power is indeed Geobhwa, so this is truly a mysterious child."

After confirming the peculiarity of my Geobhwa, he didn’t hold back his advice, drawing from his own experience.

He shared priceless insights that weren’t found in the original experience or the valuable information obtained during the 11th cycle.

‘As expected of Yeonhwa’s grandfather...!’

Yeonhwa, sitting beside me, seemed to shine with curiosity. Any worry about being scolded quickly disappeared.

Hong Seongjin was such a kind and gentle grandfather...!

"Here, have some more."

[Thank you.]

A bowl of snacks was pushed toward me. I bowed my head slightly and picked one up, popping it into my mouth. The taste wasn’t much, but it would have been rude to refuse.

Crunch, crunch.

"Hehe, you eat so heartily."

"Mhm."

[......]

Whenever such compliments came, I felt a little awkward, especially with Yeonhwa’s teasing response right beside me, which made it even more uncomfortable.

But with the tea, it was easy to swallow.

The sticky snack crumbled in my mouth. I analyzed it and realized it was a honey-preserved snack.

It would’ve been nicer if I could have appreciated the taste more directly, but I was probably just being picky. I should be thankful to be alive and in this situation, shouldn’t I?

‘......’

Suddenly, thoughts about my sense of taste and smell came to mind, and I caught my wandering gaze.

Sensory sealing... or was it called the Curse of Solitude? Thanks to the adjustments made by the Tower Lords, the curse's level has decreased, and it’s possible to weaken it conditionally.

Yeonhwa was one of the people I could trust in this.

In this bleak world, Yeonhwa’s presence was a solace. Her scent lingered in the air, occasionally brushing my skin...

"Hmm."

"Feeling a bit choked? Here, take this."

After a small cough, Yeonhwa immediately offered me a teacup. My mouth was dry, so I gulped down the lukewarm tea.

"Ahh..."

Just as I was washing down the scratchiness in my throat, I suddenly heard a sharp exhale from across the room. Looking over, Hong Seongjin was staring at me with wide eyes, as if he had just seen something unbelievable.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Heh... unbelievable."

His reaction was even more shocked than when he admired my Geobhwa earlier. He looked almost stunned, as if he had just seen a cultural shock. Yeonhwa narrowed her eyes and asked him.

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

"Unbelievable... what’s so hard to believe? Did you think I was hallucinating?"

Hong Seongjin blinked and then massaged his eyelids. Whoosh! The faint Geobhwa flame that surrounded him flared up.

Looking closely, I could see that he was burning off something harmful that might have stuck to him.

At the blatant display of Geobhwa, Yeonhwa's face scrunched up.

"Unbelievable, what’s with that reaction?"

"In fact, it still feels surreal. I never imagined you’d be walking around with a man by your side... and with such a proper child, too? That troublemaking crazy dog?"

"What? What do you—!"

Yeonhwa flared up immediately, shouting.

"Really! What kind of thing are you saying to your own granddaughter?"

"Heh, your speech has really become much more refined. No more swearing, no more stories about beating people or causing trouble. Do you know how worried your daughter-in-law was when you joined Sioram, wondering who you’d beat next?"

"No! Don’t say that! Someone might think I just go around beating up people!"

Yeonhwa glanced at me, worried that I might misunderstand. When our eyes met, I could see the relief on her face.

Seeing Yeonhwa’s expression, Hong Seongjin looked even more shocked.

"...Huh, unbelievable. When I first met you, I thought this child must have been threatened or something."

"What do you think of your own granddaughter, seriously?"

Yeonhwa scoffed and then gently placed her hand on my head, patting it softly.

It made me feel completely relaxed...

"Hehehe?"

Just as I was starting to let go, the presence of Hong Seongjin across from me suddenly made me stiffen.

Whatever happened, this was our first meeting. I had been trying to make a good impression, but now I was starting to feel like I was ruining it.

"Uh, n-no, wait a minute..."

But despite my inner turmoil, Yeonhwa didn’t stop. Her affectionate hands kept gently brushing my hair.

[Ahhh... Ugh, happiness.] [Happiness.]

"Hehe..."

Her hands, now more practiced, moved to more pleasant spots on my head, and my body melted further into her embrace.

I couldn’t resist. My body melted and I leaned my head into her warm embrace. She smelled so comforting, and I felt completely at ease.

[Good...] "Good..."

"Hehe."

Yeonhwa, seeing me completely enveloped in her warmth, grinned and puffed out her chest in a proud manner.

After a brief moment of silence, Hong Seongjin carefully spoke up.

"...Did you use some kind of potion?"

"This crazy—what are you talking about!"

Yeonhwa yelled back.

A short time later.

Regaining my composure, I tried to stop myself from reaching for the winged fabric above my head and bowed deeply.

[I'm sorry for showing such a pitiful sight...]

I couldn't bring myself to look up. I had tried so hard to make a good impression, but it felt like I had ruined it at the last moment...

"It’s not that. It’s just that it’s hard to believe. But you do look good."

Hong Seongjin waved his hand and sipped his tea again. Looking at his face, it seemed like he genuinely didn’t mind.

I breathed a small sigh of relief, and Yeonhwa, with her arms crossed, spoke up.

"But really, you only came to see my face? Is there nothing else you wanted to talk about?"

"Anything else to discuss... I’m sure you’ve heard most of it from my daughter-in-law by now."

"Well, there might be something I haven’t heard."

"Hmm... Ah, I see."

After briefly recalling something, Hong Seongjin let out an exclamation.

"I suppose you haven’t been properly informed about the Tower."

"The Tower?"

Yeonhwa, who had been listening with a casual attitude, blinked in surprise. I subtly raised my head, intrigued as well.

The Tower. This wasn’t a topic to take lightly.

"As you know, my son-in-law and I led the purification squad, and after moving around the magic field last year, we recently discovered the Tower."

"Ah, I’ve heard about it. The unclaimed Tower, right?"

‘The unclaimed one...’

I sighed inwardly as I listened intently.

Deep within the magic field lies an unclaimed Tower. It’s not just any Tower, either—it's comparable to the five Towers in this world and the invasion Towers in terms of size.

But there are more than just one Tower in the magic field.

There are smaller ones... and at times, a Tower of Spirits might appear.

I had wondered if the Tower of Spirits had shown up by this point, but it seemed that the discovered Tower was indeed unclaimed for now.

"My son-in-law and I, after much deliberation, entered the Tower."

"Really? I didn’t hear about that during the break."

"At that time, we had just discovered the Tower and only alerted others about its existence. Entering it came later after some thought."

Yeonhwa’s eyes widened in surprise as she asked, and Hong Seongjin shrugged in response.

"Anyway, everyone agreed to at least enter before retreating. But after going in, we quickly decided it was too dangerous and withdrew."

"What was inside?"

Yeonhwa, who had gulped down her tea, urged him eagerly, clearly interested in the topic of the unclaimed Tower.

I, too, was intrigued. I needed to confirm whether this Tower was the same as the one in the original.

Seeing us both so eager, Hong Seongjin chuckled softly and continued.

"The inside of the Tower was... similar to a dungeon. It was huge. The sky was filled with all sorts of clouds, and thunder roared so loudly it drowned out all other sounds. Below, there were monsters dealing with thunder attributes."

"Thunder attribute monsters?"

"Yes, there were many, starting right at the entrance. It felt like the entire sky and ground were covered with monsters. We tried to go deeper to gather information, but the deeper we went, we felt like we wouldn’t make it out, so we decided to retreat."

"Hmm..."

"It wasn’t just the quantity, either. The ranks were also high, and we saw quite a few 3rd-tier monsters."

"Woah... What kind of nightmare is that?"

The 3rd tier. In the current era, where 1st-tier monsters don’t even exist, the 2nd tier is already a dangerous level, with the 3rd tier being even more perilous.

Hearing that there were many monsters of 3rd-tier rank in the Tower, Yeonhwa, who had been absentmindedly imagining the Tower’s interior, suddenly froze in shock.

"So we withdrew. Maybe if we bring in reinforcements from the Changhae or Taesan families, we could try again, but at the time, it was too dangerous with our strength."

"Sounds like it was a close call. So, are you planning to go back with reinforcements?"

"Not sure. We still don’t have much information about the Tower. What’s clear is that we won’t be attempting to enter anytime soon."

The conversation paused for a moment.

Yeonhwa seemed to be lost in thought, and Hong Seongjin, after speaking, took a sip of tea to quench his thirst.

I, too, had plenty to think about.

‘It seems like it’s the same Tower as in the original.’

Clouds swirling in the sky, thunder constantly rumbling, and monsters filled with thunder attributes inside the Tower.

This matched the description of the unclaimed Tower from the original magic field.

In the 8th cycle, we had to withdraw before we could clear it, but in the 11th cycle, we finally managed to clear it and obtain the wish token.

At the time, I had assumed it was just a typical Tower—one full of powerful monsters where clearing it would give a wish token.

But Ariel had said it wasn’t just any ordinary Tower.

‘To become a Tower Master, the right conditions must be met.’

The 11th cycle didn’t meet the qualifications to become a Tower Master. So, the Tower didn’t offer the position but instead processed its stored power into a wish token.

‘Hmm...’

I thought for a moment.

The 8th cycle technically failed.

But we had the strength to conquer the Tower.

With our synergy, we had plenty of time to execute guerrilla tactics and take down the monsters in the Tower.

But in the end, we couldn’t clear it. Just as we were nearing the end, the Tower Master of the Cold Front appeared.

The sudden appearance of the Cold Front Tower Master forced us to retreat in haste. Otherwise, we knew the end of the realm would be inevitable.

And that’s when I was killed by Baek Ah-Rin’s betrayal.

‘...The Tower Master must meet certain conditions.’

The 11th cycle didn’t qualify.

Did the 8th cycle not qualify either?

I don’t know. I never got the answer, since the 8th cycle ended in death before we could clear the Tower.

‘...Baek Ah-Rin...’

If only I hadn’t been betrayed, that cycle could’ve been one where I grew even stronger...

Suddenly, the thought left me frowning.

"Eh?"

Thud!

"What the—why’d you stop suddenly?"

Baek Ah-Rin, walking down a street lined with stalls, suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Her friend, who had been following her, bumped her head and clutched her forehead, but Baek Ah-Rin ignored it and started looking around frantically.

"What is it? Did something happen?"

Her friend, still grumbling, blinked and asked.

Baek Ah-Rin furrowed her brows and tilted her head.

"Hmm... No, it just felt like something poked me suddenly."

"Ah, someone must have been badmouthing you. What kind of grudge do you carry around?"

"Grudge? How could I possibly be that bad?"

"We all got abandoned, you know? We’re the team without a white or red, the Hongbaek team. Do you even understand how we felt when we got abandoned right when Sioram arrived?"

"Ahaha, sorry, sorry~ that couldn’t be helped~"

Baek Ah-Rin shrugged her shoulders, but the sensation of something poking her back still lingered, making her look around suspiciously.