Start Inn ------------------------------------------------------------------------
A delicate fork was firmly lodged into a tiny sandwich. From the pierced surface, a hot liquid, steaming and glistening, trickled down the fork. It seemed to contain some kind of congealed dairy, as the yellow liquid shimmered with a glossy sheen. Whether it was worth the price was uncertain, but it certainly looked delicious.
Bringing it to my mouth, I took a bite, and something seemed to burst inside, filling my mouth with a sweet and tangy aroma.
Noticing me eating, the others quickly reached for the sandwiches in front of them. Despite their small size, they were still sandwiches. Ahn Hyun grabbed his and swallowed it in one gulp. He chewed voraciously, and soon his throat bobbed up and down. It seemed he hadn’t chewed it properly before swallowing.
“Wow. It’s really tasty, but it doesn’t even touch the sides.”
Ahn Hyun smacked his lips and picked up a cookie. The other clan members also tried the sandwiches, comparing them to Go Yeon-ju’s cooking. The tasting session continued for a while, and fortunately, the reviews were positive. Everyone agreed that the food Go Yeon-ju made was delicious. Despite her earlier grumbling about the inn, a faint smile played on her lips.
After setting down the sandwich with bite marks, I gently nudged Ha Yeon. She was chewing when she turned to me with a surprised look. As I gave her a knowing glance, she seemed to understand and nodded a couple of times. She swallowed and then softly opened her lips.
”───. ───. ───.”
Even without words, I knew. It wasn’t so much telepathy as it was her being well-versed and adapted to such external matters. While she might lack a bit in internal matters, those were things I could help her with.
Soon, her clear voice resonated calmly around the table.
“Block Field. Reverse.”
“Oh.”
Block Field and Reverse. To reiterate, Block Field can block all sounds from entering or leaving. However, Ha Yeon seemed to have tweaked it slightly with her magic circuit application. Now, external voices could be heard, but internal ones couldn’t escape. This minor difference could be life or death on the battlefield.
“User Go Yeon…”
Just before I spoke, I took a moment to organize my thoughts about what was to come. Currently, we were at the stage of reduced power due to the failed expedition of the Golden Lion Clan and allied clans to the Iron Mountains. Next would come the weakening control over the northern continent, including the major city of Babara, the conscription orders, and the rise of vagrants exploiting the situation. This gap would last about a month.
When I looked up, I saw Go Yeon-ju staring blankly at me. She seemed to have reacted to her name being called and paused when I stopped speaking. So, I continued.
“Yeon-ju.”
”…Yes. Go ahead.”
“I need information on the Iron Mountains expedition.”
“I was planning to look into it anyway. But it might take some time. What specific information do you need?”
“The status of the participating clans and the damage assessment. I don’t need the minor details. Just the major points. Even though these things will soon be revealed, I need the information ahead of time. The sooner, the better.”
“Hmm. Got it. I’ll move as quickly as I can.”
Go Yeon-ju replied in her usual brisk manner, winking as she did. Her response gave me a reassuring feeling.
The Golden Lion’s mistakes would continue. One of them was trying to downplay the damage from this expedition. It was a desperate measure to maintain control, but it was like covering one’s eyes and pretending not to see. This behavior would later significantly impact the independence of other city clans. Although there were other direct causes, it served as a pretext.
Having entrusted an important task to Go Yeon-ju, I turned to the other clan members.
An Sol was crying. It seemed Ahn Hyun had eaten her share of the cookies. I gave her my cookie to stop her tears. Vivian, meanwhile, was eyeing the sandwich I had left with sparkling eyes. When I handed her the fork, she eagerly licked the flowing yellow liquid like someone possessed.
Just as the atmosphere settled and I was about to get to the main point, a commotion arose.
“Hey. You haven’t even finished eating. Why are you getting up?”
“Be quiet. I told you something’s off. It feels like the Block Field has been breached.”
“You said there was nothing wrong. No traces, right?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I imagined it, or maybe I missed the traces. Either way, let’s get out of here. If it’s the latter, staying here feels too risky.”
A group of users heading towards the entrance caught my eye. The user leading them seemed oddly familiar. It wasn’t their face, as their long hair obscured it, but the aura they exuded felt familiar. I activated my third eye once more.
Name: Heo Yu-ri (4th Year)
Class: Normal Mage Master
Nation: Babara
Clan: Reverse
True Name · Nationality: Mad Flame’s Jester · South Korea
Sex: Female (25)
Height · Weight: 165.5cm · 45.5kg
Disposition: Aggressive · Sharp
[Strength 96(+2)] [Endurance 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 72] [Magic 96] [Luck 90(+2)]
[Strength 55] [Endurance 48] [Agility 64] [Stamina 56] [Magic 92(+1)] [Luck 52]
Heo Yu-ri. Reverse Clan. As soon as I read the information on the leading user, a wry smile crept onto my face. I thought I recognized them, and indeed, they were familiar figures from my memory.
The Reverse Clan exists until the latter part of the Hall Plane. It’s a place with its own unique characteristics. They don’t have any users who reach the top ten in strength. Secret or rare classes are scarce, if present at all.
Yet, there was a time when I wanted to join the Reverse Clan. If Han So-young hadn’t scouted me, I would have applied to join them. The Reverse Clan is defined as a gathering of diligent users.
They showed that even ordinary users could become strong. One famous story is their battle with the Odin Clan, formed in the southern continent. At the time, Odin was renowned for having top-tier users, yet the Reverse Clan fought them without retreating an inch.
Their combativeness was that strong. At the pinnacle of that combativeness was an elite group within Reverse known as the Assassination Squad. The squad’s reputation was so well-known that even vagrants were advised to avoid them at all costs.
Suddenly, I was curious about why they were here now. A myriad of thoughts crossed my mind, but they quickly exited through the entrance. I watched the entrance for a moment before shaking my head calmly. If they were from Reverse, they weren’t enemies. We had formed alliances in the past, and there was nothing concerning from my first run-through.
The clan I aimed to create was a small elite group like Odin. The biggest drawback of such a clan is the lack of numbers. The solution was to form alliances with other clans to bolster our ranks, and the Reverse Clan was perfect for that. With a majority of ordinary users, they had enough members, and they would become strong enough to be called a combat powerhouse in the future.
I chuckled softly, glancing at the spot where they had left, before turning my attention back to the table. Meeting old acquaintances in an unexpected place had stirred a sense of nostalgia. Contact with them would come later, so this meeting was premature.
In any case, it was time to explain to the clan members why we had come to Babara.
Having established the Mercenary Clan, we needed to secure a base for future activities. Assuming we had enough funds, most would think of Babara. However, I had no intention of setting up a base here. I knew all too well what would become of this major city after the civil war. The reason for coming here now was to gauge the current situation.
I looked at Vivian, who was licking her fingers and savoring the taste, and slowly began to speak.
“Let’s continue the discussion we couldn’t finish in Mule. Please listen carefully.”
“Yes.”
The kids answered in unison. Just to be sure, I checked the block field one more time before continuing in a low voice.
“As you all heard, the Golden Lion Clan failed their expedition to the Iron Mountains. For now, we’ll watch how things unfold. It’s best to be at the heart of the action, where things are most sensitive. We won’t need much time. The current plan is to stay in Barbara for just a week, then move on to another city. Of course, we won’t be wasting that week. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask.”
Ha-yeon immediately raised her hand. I nodded, giving her permission to speak.
“User Go Yeon-ju mentioned gathering information. You said we won’t be wasting the week. So, what should the other clan members do during that time?”
“Yes, there are a few matters in Mule that need our attention. Once we leave for another city, we’ll begin our main activities. Before that, we’ll take care of these pending issues. During the week, we’ll likely spend time organizing these matters.”
“Pending issues…”
“These are related to personal privacy, so it’s difficult to discuss openly. However, they are issues that must be resolved. Since I can’t address them in front of everyone, I’ll inform each clan member individually.”
There were several reasons for coming to Barbara. The main one, as I mentioned, was to closely observe the flow of the Hall Plane. Recruiting new members, organizing equipment (like binding mimics), and registering the clan emblem were all secondary tasks.
Much had changed since the first round. So much had happened in Mule that there was no guarantee the future I knew would unfold as expected. In other words, things could change in unpredictable ways. At this critical juncture, with the situation so volatile, I couldn’t foresee what lay ahead. We might need to adjust our plans after assessing the changes.
My mind was filled with these complex thoughts. I let out a deep sigh and looked out the window. The golden sunlight was slowly fading, and dusk was creeping in. I stretched lightly. It was about time for the users who had ventured outside the city to return. It would be better to move now than to scramble for a crowded inn later.
After sharing a few more points of caution, I slowly stood up. As I did, the clan members followed suit. When I went to the counter to settle the bill, I saw the waitress from earlier, still looking a bit downcast. I felt a bit sorry for her, but I wasn’t planning on leaving another tip.
“That’ll be 4 gold and 70 silver.”
“Thank you! Please come again!”
After paying what still felt like an expensive snack bill, I stepped outside. As I opened the door to the gentle breeze, the cold evening air wrapped around me briefly before slipping away.
At that moment, thoughts of Kim Han-byeol flitted through my mind.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yu-jin.
Thankfully, I managed to post before 4 o’clock. Yes, it’s a continuous update. Yes, @[email protected] I’m so sleepy that I’ll update the replies after I get some rest. Thank you. (__) Actually, it might be better to finish writing and sleep peacefully. So, I’ll do five replies. Why am I making so many typos? ㅜ.ㅠ I’ll do it.
『 Replies 』
Hwi-eul: Congratulations on being first. If I hadn’t replied this time, I might have made you sad again. (Like last time…) ㅜ.ㅠ Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)
EyeSeeYou: Ah, so you’re saying Ansol > Vivian. Haha, I see. Oh? Vivian seems very sad! She’s shedding tears!
Cheongeop Hyeol Sin Cheon Mu Jon: Brother, stop it. Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang.
hohokoya1: Thank you as always. (__) I really want to sleep now. Hahaha. My eyelids feel so heavy.
C.E.O: ! I was startled for a moment. I always wonder about that too. I assure you, I won’t be able to make the first comment on the midnight update. I’m going to try it tonight. Hehe. This is a challenge.
Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind continuous updates. (This is the truth.)
I always read all the comments repeatedly.
Please don’t feel too disappointed if you’re not in the replies.
If you have any pressing questions, feel free to message me, and I’ll respond!
With that, I’ll take my leave for today.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
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