00222 Many ------------------------------------------------------------------------=
“A secret, huh? So something’s happened recently.”
I cheered inwardly but kept a serious expression on my face. Slowly nodding, I watched as Park Hyun-woo wetted his lips nervously. What could have happened to make him so tense and hesitant?
“Well… I’ll trust you with this. It’s been almost two months now. Do you remember when all the clans were summoned?”
“Of course.”
“Then you must remember the Matriarch as well.”
“I only met her once, but I remember her clearly.”
The Matriarch. Son Bun-rye, a legendary figure who laid the foundation for the Golden Lion and led the clan to its peak.
Her ability to control a gathering of such powerful figures was impressive, so of course, I remembered her. I hadn’t expected her to come up, so I listened intently to what Park Hyun-woo would say next.
“Right. So, let’s get to the point. After the summons ended, the Matriarch left immediately. She went to treat our clan lord, who was severely injured during the Iron Mountain expedition.”
“Oh. I take it there’s been no improvement?”
“Yes. He barely survived… Anyway, the Matriarch only mentioned heading to the Eastern Mountains. She didn’t specify her exact destination.”
‘Seems like he doesn’t want to talk about the clan lord’s condition.’
I probed a bit, but Park Hyun-woo only shared what was already public knowledge and held back. He clasped his hands together and continued.
“It seems she went to find a remedy she had seen before… To be honest, we haven’t heard from her since the portal at the Inn of Beginnings opened. It’s been seven weeks.”
“Did she say when she’d return?”
“No, she didn’t.”
“Then it might not be that unusual. Finding a remedy could take longer than expected.”
”…”
“If you’re really worried, you could send a team of skilled trackers to investigate…”
“We’ve already done that.”
Park Hyun-woo replied in a somber voice, taking out a cigarette. I responded by taking out one of my own, acknowledging his silent request for permission. We lit them with mana stones and exhaled gray smoke together.
”…There are complicated internal matters. Most of the clan, except for a few leaders and members, are unaware of them. So I can’t go into details.”
“I understand.”
“Thank you. Regardless of those matters, the Matriarch needs to return soon. Both external and internal situations demand it. As a newcomer to the Hall Plain, the Mercenary Lord might not be aware, but the Northern Continent is in chaos. It’s incredibly unstable…”
There was no arrogance in Park Hyun-woo’s expression. It almost sounded like a plea. He was speaking with such sincerity that he looked ready to collapse at any moment. I watched him quietly, taking a long drag from my cigarette.
“As I mentioned, we’ve already sent a team. We can’t just sit and wait. To be frank, even our best tracker couldn’t find the Matriarch.”
“Was there no trace at all?”
“To be precise, we found traces up to the Eastern city. But beyond that, nothing. She’s known for moving skillfully, but she wouldn’t erase her tracks intentionally.”
“So… it sounds like someone else might have erased them.”
“That’s a strong possibility. Since she used a warp gate, someone might have planned this. The team has entered the Eastern Mountains, but all we hear is that there’s no sign of her.”
‘It does seem strange. But for someone like the Matriarch… Oh.’
I suddenly remembered the information I had seen when she left the meeting room. She was carrying deep internal wounds, much weaker than during her legendary days.
Park Hyun-woo sighed deeply, flicking ash from his cigarette. The remaining embers danced and slowly faded into the air. After staring blankly for a moment, he spoke again in his initial serious tone.
“It’s embarrassing to admit, but if we can’t handle this internally, we might need external help.”
“That’s why you asked about Go Yeon-ju’s visit.”
“Yes, exactly. To be blunt, we need her skills. The Shadow Queen’s tracking abilities are unmatched. I’m sure she could find something our clan missed.”
”…”
“Please, Mercenary Lord. Even if it doesn’t yield results, if you help us this once, the Golden Lion will never forget this favor.”
Watching Park Hyun-woo bow his head respectfully, I fell into thought. Various ideas swirled in my mind, quickly occupying my thoughts. As I weighed the current clan affairs, I felt a piercing gaze. Looking up, I met Park Hyun-woo’s eyes, still weary but shining brightly.
Matching his gaze, I calmly spoke.
“That might be difficult.”
On my way back from the meeting with Park Hyun-woo, I reflected on the unexpected story I had heard, hoping to glean some useful information.
‘His face was quite a sight when I refused.’
Park Hyun-woo’s face had been filled with confusion when I declined. However, saying “That might be difficult” didn’t mean a complete refusal. I reassured him by mentioning that she would visit around the end of the eighth week.
Refusing the request and sticking to the initial plan was one option.
Helping them and gaining a favor from the Golden Lion was another.
Both had their pros and cons, but I ultimately left the decision to Go Yeon-ju. I believed she could make a better choice, given her role in managing the clan’s plans. Besides, it was the best way to handle the situation, considering all the favors we had received.
The sun was setting as I crossed the quiet academy grounds, breathing in the warm evening air.
I found myself wondering.
‘How much did I know about the present during the first round?’
Strictly speaking, not much. Back then, I was just a novice user, struggling to survive. The future had changed, that much was clear. By now, the Western Continent should have been rising, with western cities falling, but there was no sign of that. Yet, I felt something unseen was still alive.
Whether it would correct the twisted parts or follow a different path was something I couldn’t predict. As I pondered this, the air that had felt warm suddenly seemed unpleasant.
I sighed and quickened my pace toward the dormitory.
The eighth week of the user academy had begun. The total course duration was typically between 13 and 14 weeks, meaning we were just past the halfway point.
The training intensity had been gradually increasing since the first week. Compared to my time, the eighth week’s training felt similar to the first week’s. Most of the new recruits were adapting well, and none had expressed a desire to leave. However…
‘Once you start doubting, everything seems suspicious.’
On the surface, the academy appeared problem-free. With other clans participating, one might expect some suspicion, but everyone was busy praising Park Hwan-hee. All they knew was that he was popular among the new users.
Ironically, this only enhanced Park Hwan-hee’s value. Clans believed that recruiting him would make it easier to scout talented users close to him. Despite having a clan backing him, his social skills were impressive.
After reviewing the approval documents from Han Byul, I headed to the lecture hall for the scheduled training. The morning session was over, and the afternoon was reserved for physical training.
As I walked toward the central training ground, I saw the new users gathered in groups. I paused to observe their formation. At first glance, they seemed to be chatting excitedly, scattered randomly. But when I enhanced my vision with magic, I noticed something odd.
I quickly made my way over.
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh. Ah? Ah! Hello…!”
In a quiet corner, Baek Han-gyeol sat hunched over, and the moment I placed a hand on his shoulder, he startled and looked up. His voice, however, was strangely devoid of energy, and shadows seemed to linger on his face. As he tried to stand up quickly, I gently pushed him back down, saying, “There’s still a bit of time left in the training session, so it’s okay.” I then settled down beside him. He seemed genuinely relieved to have me there, his eyes almost welling up with tears.
“Is something bothering you? Why are you sitting here all by yourself, looking so miserable?”
“Well…”
My words seemed to sting a bit, and Baek Han-gyeol turned his head away, looking dejected. Following his gaze, I noticed an amusing scene.
A group of people surrounded Park Hwan-hee, among them Cha Yuna, who was casting sidelong glances. But her gaze wasn’t one of disapproval; it was more of a gentle, curious look. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, laughing and chatting merrily. It was quite a different sight compared to how they used to stick together all the time.
Baek Han-gyeol watched them with a wistful look before slumping his shoulders in defeat.
“Did you have a fight with your girlfriend?”
”…”
“Or did you break up?”
He didn’t answer, just nodded slowly, then shook his head, looking utterly heartbroken. His lips quivered as if he might burst into tears at any moment. I gently ruffled his hair and, after moistening my lips, spoke.
“Well, if you haven’t broken up, that’s a relief. Can you tell me why you two fought? I like to think I know a thing or two about relationships.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I once—”
“Kim Soo-hyun!”
Just as Baek Han-gyeol’s eyes began to sparkle with hope, a sharp voice cut through the air, hitting my ears with force. It seemed to be Yeon Hye-rim, the training instructor. I gave his hair a playful tousle and stood up.
“Ah, the instructor’s here. Whatever’s going on, hang in there. If things get tough, feel free to come by my place.”
“Really? Can I?”
“Absolutely. As I said, I’m here to help with more than just training. Listening to the concerns of new recruits is part of my job too.”
The moisture on my lips was drying up, and I felt I couldn’t keep up the pretense much longer. With a final encouraging word, I turned to face Yeon Hye-rim.
She was looking at me with her usual aloof expression, yet there was an oddly cheerful wave in her hand.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
After taking a bit of a break today, I feel much lighter. Yesterday, I almost got hit by a car. It wasn’t really the car’s fault. There was no one on the road, so I thought I could cross before it got there. But just as I was about to cross, the car suddenly stopped, and I ended up bumping into it.
ㅇ(Car) ㅇ(Bike)
ㅇ(Me)
That’s the best I can illustrate it. Anyway, thankfully, the car stopped in time, and I managed to twist my body, so it was just a minor bump. When I looked around, I saw two students in school uniforms riding a bike past the car. The driver looked like he had a scare of a lifetime and was yelling at the fleeing bike. It was quite a scene.
『 Reader Comments (Episode 220) 』
Miwolya: Congratulations on being first. I feel a bit sorry for unintentionally interrupting your streak of first comments. (__) Still, overcoming such adversity makes this a truly deserving first comment! (pat pat!)
Diableret: I can only offer a protagonist’s privilege as an answer. Yes, in the novel, whatever the protagonist does, it always turns into a benefit… Oh, never mind. I was just rambling. Ahem.
Alley Kid: Thank you. ㅜ.ㅠ But please, don’t be angry. :)
Hyun-oh: I miss your sharp comments, Hyun-oh. Your spot-on comment about An-sol’s actions still lingers in my mind and makes me smile from time to time. I’m eagerly waiting for more of your classic comments. Hehe. :D
Waryong Teacher a + Passionate Novel Boy + [priest] Priest: I’m sorry. I know how you feel. I accidentally encountered NTR for the first time and was in a daze for a day. ㅜ.ㅠ But as I’ve mentioned, there won’t be any direct NTR involving the protagonist in the future, though indirect NTR might appear. I’ll do my best to make the reasons behind such actions understandable. Bow! (—)(__)
『 Reader Comments (Episode 221) 』
Patenmagon: Congratulations on being first. Haha. I didn’t mean to trick you; it just happened to be posted a bit early. ㅜ.ㅠ I’m not a liar! Anyway, congratulations again. :) I hope you enjoy this episode too.
Blami: I guess I need to be more careful from now on. I was brainstorming while listening to music, and suddenly, there was a flash of light in front of me. It really startled me.
Seolwi: Oh no. Was it too complicated? I should have written it more simply. ;ㅇ; If there’s anything you don’t understand, please ask. I’ll do my best to explain in detail. :)
Strawberry Pie: I’m sorry. For some reason, I found your comment adorable the moment I read it. +ㅁ+
Letzgo02: Oh! You’re a married reader! I’m envious. I want to find my partner soon too. I feel lonely sometimes these days. ㅜ.ㅠ
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