The Conjurer of the Academy

Chapter 87

Listen, my dear child.

This Yeouiju has been cherished by your mother for a thousand years. Please take this and run far away.

Though I may perish on this land, you must ascend to the heavens and rule over the world as a dragon.

And whenever you feel like crying, always remember this: Your mother loves you unconditionally.

Goodbye.

My beloved son.

* * *

At a buffet restaurant, mountains of food and stacks of cleanly emptied plates piled up.

“Did he eat all that?”

“How long was he starving…?”

With every glance from the passing staff and customers, I felt a cold tremor run through me.

“Tell me the truth. Is this kid really an Imugi or just incredibly famished?”

“Imugis have a large build and thus naturally eat a lot.”

Even Yomi, who was known for her good appetite, stopped eating and watched in silence for a while.

“Nom nom.”

“There’s plenty, so eat slowly.”

Do-il gulped down the food in a hurry. Although he made a mess, it was still better than when he started eating with his hands.

‘If this were a regular restaurant, my entire monthly allowance would’ve been wiped out.’

Had it not been for Yomi’s advice to go to a place where he could eat all he wanted, my finances would not have been able to quell Do-il’s hunger.

‘At this rate, we’re going to get kicked out.’

Even though it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet, the staff’s eyes had been on us for a while, looking none too pleased.

Still, I waited silently for Do-il to finish eating. It was better to endure the stares than to rush a kid while he was eating.

“Huaa.”

“Feeling a bit full now?”

Finally, having filled his stomach a bit, Do-il stopped eating and patted his belly.

“Thank you!”

“Why the sudden politeness?”

“Mom said anyone who shares food is a good person!”

“What convenient logic. Like mother, like son.”

Yomi sighed and propped her chin with her hand.

Then she leaned over the table and brought her nose close to Do-il.

“Definitely smells like Dorongi.”

“You’re scaring him.”

“Argh, how dare you pull on my ears…!”

I pulled Yomi back by her ear to make her sit down again. There were so many things I wanted to ask.

“First of all, what exactly is an Imugi?”

I decided to start with the basics.

“To think that a descendant of the shaman clan doesn’t even know the basics.”

Yomi crossed her arms and lifted her chin in a confident manner.

“An Imugi is a serpent that has not yet become a dragon. They are the closest beings to becoming dragons.”

“I know that much. It’s said that after a thousand years of training, they become dragons and ascend to the heavens, right?”

“Hmph, that’s not all.”

Yomi wiggled her index finger.

“To become a dragon, an Imugi needs two things: the Yeouiju crafted over a thousand years and human recognition.”

“Recognition?”

“Yes.”

Yomi nodded at my question.

“The first human to witness an Imugi’s ascension must recognize it by saying, ‘That is a dragon,’ for the Imugi to become a dragon and ascend.”

“…What if it’s not recognized?”

“On the contrary, if someone says, ‘That is a serpent,’ the Imugi will remain a serpent forever and never become a dragon.”

With narrowed eyes, Yomi glared at Do-il, who was already emptying another plate.

“Dorongi was my old friend, close to ascension.”

An Imugi must be recognized by a human to become a dragon. A single word could nullify a thousand years of training.

“That human called my mom a serpent.”

Do-il paused his eating, tears welling up in his eyes.

“She must have sought refuge in a rural village with strong Imugi beliefs. There, people would traditionally refer to an Imugi as a dragon upon witnessing its ascension.”

So, Dorongi, Yomi’s close friend, had settled in a village with a strong Imugi faith, ensuring that anyone who witnessed her ascension would call her a dragon.

“When my mom was soaring into the sky, a person emerged from the bushes, insulted her by calling her a serpent, and then…”

Do-il’s clenched fists shook, and he bit his lip.

“…She must have given you the Yeouiju before she died.”

“I don’t see anything resembling a Yeouiju.”

“Before the human could take it, I quickly took it.”

Do-il looked down at his stomach.

His bloated belly didn’t seem to be just from overeating.

“Like my fox orb, an Imugi can carry the Yeouiju within its body. Even a common yokai can gain immense power instantly by possessing the Yeouiju.”

I took a sip of water and stroked my chin.

“Since we’re on the topic, how much time do you have left until your ascension, Do-il?”

“I…”

“Forget it. This kid is a mere hatchling, not even a hundred years old.”

“I’m not a hatchling!”

Do-il shouted angrily at Yomi’s words. Yomi responded with a mocking smile directed at Do-il.

“Mom told me to take the Yeouiju and run as far away as possible.”

“So, that’s why you were alone in such a crowded place.”

Do-il shook his head.

“No, I came chasing that human for revenge.”

If Do-il’s words were true, he probably trekked from a quiet rural area to here, a journey that must have taken ages.

“Yomi, aren’t Imugis mythological creatures? And if she had lived for a thousand years, how could she be defeated? Was the opponent exceptionally strong?”

“It’s possible.”

Yomi pondered for a moment, then shook her head as if reconsidering.

“But that’s highly unlikely. Unless a group of shamans attacked, that is. Moreover, Imugis are revered as divine creatures by shamans, so there would be no reason to exterminate them.”

“Mom told me that Imugis are at their weakest during ascension and to be extra careful then.”

“That’s probably why. Forceful recognition by humans wouldn’t work.”

Do-il started to tear up.

It seemed like reminiscing about that day was painful, but it was something that needed to be confirmed.

“Do-il, can you tell me who this person chasing you is?”

“They were emitting strange energy.”

As expected, his explanation was vague. Well, despite looking like a human child, he is still a Yokai.

I took note of it, but it wasn’t enough information to identify the culprit who killed Dorongi.

‘What should I do?’

It’s a tragic story, but I haven’t decided whether to help yet.

If there was a clear clue, it would be different, but there isn’t. Besides, my original purpose of gathering spirits could get delayed.

Even if I’m criticized for being inhumane, I have to weigh every choice on the scale to achieve the greater good within a limited time.

[The murder suspect from Yeonnam-dong last month…]

At that moment, the TV in the store caught my attention.

“Huh?”

Do-il paused and turned his head. The TV was repeatedly reporting the news I had seen earlier in the morning.

[We are releasing the personal information of the wanted criminal, Park Jung-seok. If you have seen him, please contact the number below.]

The screen showed the face of a burly criminal. Although I didn’t typically believe in physiognomy, it was undeniably a face that, once seen, couldn’t be forgotten, exuding malevolence.

[The suspect has recently been moving around the mountainous areas of the Gyeonggi-do region after leaving Seoul. Recently, he was spotted re-entering Seoul…]

“Ah…”

At first, Do-il had a blank expression. But soon, his grimace twisted as if he had bitten into something bitter. His eyes sharpened, and an overwhelming spiritual energy emanated from him.

“I won’t forgive him!”

The entire store shook at that moment.

Even those without any spiritual abilities felt a chill and shivered in response.

‘Was it him?’

The one who killed Do-il’s mother…

Just as I was about to calm the enraged Do-il, a quest window appeared in the air.

Hidden Quest

Q. Capture the Criminal

– Subdue the murderer reported on the news. The murderer is within this city.

※ If the Imugi, Lee Do-il, dies, the quest will be considered a failure.

A hidden quest.

I stood up and placed a hand on Do-il’s shoulder.

“Let’s go, then.”

“Huh?”

“You can’t keep running forever.”

Simply running away leaves too many variables at play.

“We’re going to get revenge.”

The best defense is a good offense.

Now that a justifiable reason presented itself, I had the perfect excuse to act aggressively.

* * *

“P-please, spare me…”

In a narrow, deserted alleyway, a young woman lay on the ground, groaning.

“Ah, such a hassle. How did I end up like this?”

A man with a hulking frame over a hundred kilograms and a puffed-up face like a toad. His dark and pockmarked skin bent down to rummage through the woman’s bag.

Pulling out a credit card from her wallet, the man—Park Jung-seok—waved the card back and forth.

“I’ll make good use of this. By the way, have you seen a small boy with gray hair?”

Park Jung-seok crouched to meet the woman’s eyes. Though he wore a smile, it was all the more chilling.

“N-no, I haven’t…”

“Really? That’s quite troublesome. I can’t stop and ask every person I meet.”

Park Jung-seok scratched his head.

“When I was escaping from the mountain, I defeated a snake-like monster, and it dropped a huge golden nugget. But then some brat took it and ran away. That thing could turn my life around.”

“I really don’t know.”

The woman shook her head, sobbing.

“Don’t feel too bad. I’m just asking out of curiosity. It’s unlikely that a kid I met on a mountain trail would be here in the city.”

“Please, please let me go! I won’t report anything, I swear—”

“Really?”

Squish.

In that instant, blood splattered in the narrow alley. It was enough to stain the walls, and the woman’s cries came to an abrupt stop.

“Those who say things like that are the first to report me if I let them go.”

Leaving the alley, Park Jung-seok waved his hand toward the now-lifeless woman.

“I’ll use this well and give it back. Wait for me, golden nugget, I’m coming~.”

Blatant malice was unleashed in the heart of the city.

* * *

Name: Park Jung-seok. Age: 44.

A repeat offender with 17 counts of robbery and murder. He spent most of his 30s in prison and was on parole when he committed another murder and fled.

“They let garbage like this out in society everywhere, don’t they?”

“How did you find that out? Does that little box tell you all kinds of things?”

“Well, yes.”

I flipped through the screen on my smartphone, glancing at the traffic light signal.

“Does it also tell you where he is?”

“That’s a bit…”

According to the quest window, the murderer Park Jung-seok is within this city. But it’s impossible to search for him amidst this massive crowd. He’s sure to be hiding from people in the first place.

“Yomi, can you find that man among all these people?”

“Even for me, it’s impossible. I don’t know his spiritual energy in the first place.”

“How about you, Do-il?”

“Sorry…”

Do-il shook his head despondently.

His face looked quite dejected. Given the traumatic events he’s experienced, he might be feeling useless.

“It’s okay.”

I patted Do-il’s head. Finally, relief appeared in his eyes as he looked up at me.

“I know someone who’s perfect for this.”

I know someone who’s an expert at finding people.