Mercenary Settles In
“It seems you’ve been worrying and making assumptions again.”
Han So-young quickly changed the subject before more questions could be asked. Her feigned indifference was amusing. In urgent situations, she was all business, but in calmer moments, she occasionally showed this side of herself. It was an unexpectedly endearing trait.
I had to keep my lips tightly sealed to prevent laughter from escaping. It was a tricky situation. Just as Han So-young’s neck began to flush a light pink, I managed to swallow my laughter.
I was about to speak when Han So-young, perhaps embarrassed, beat me to it.
“I was really worried while you were away. It seemed like your return was delayed.”
“I was able to track the signs quickly. However, returning to the city would have taken too much time, so I decided to continue. I’m sorry for causing you concern.”
“No need to apologize. After reading the expedition report, I believe your decision was the right one. As the representative clan of Monica, we are deeply grateful.”
“I was just doing my duty. Such praise is overwhelming.”
As compliments and humility were exchanged, the initially tense atmosphere began to warm. Talking with Han So-young brought back memories. In the first round, I was just a clan member, and she was the clan lord—someone I couldn’t even dream of approaching. Even now, we weren’t exactly equals, but at least we both represented our respective clans.
While I was engaged in a pleasant conversation with Han So-young, I noticed the two women sitting on either side of us. Park Da-yeon looked like she was dying to join the conversation, while Yeon Hye-rim was giving me a pouty look. I had greeted them when I first arrived, but since then, I had mostly been talking to Han So-young.
“Anyway, you’ve done well. The investigation team has already been formed and will depart tomorrow. Yeon Hye-rim, the princess of the executioners here, will lead it.”
“Hmph.”
“Yeon Hye-rim?”
“Th-thank you, Mercenary Lord. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Han So-young narrowed her eyes, prompting Yeon Hye-rim to quickly change her attitude. I gave a small smile to show it was fine. Dispatching the investigation team the next day was certainly efficient.
“Now, let’s settle the matter of your reward.”
“Just give me what was originally agreed upon. I’m satisfied with a 30% discount.”
“That’s not possible. And I did say the reward would be based on your performance.”
“Of course, of course.”
Han So-young’s tone made it clear she wouldn’t budge on this. Park Da-yeon seized the opportunity to chime in.
“I can handle that part…”
“We’ll provide the renovated clan house free of charge.”
But Han So-young was quicker. Park Da-yeon, caught off guard, looked between us with a pout, pretending to yawn. Beside her, Yeon Hye-rim stifled a giggle.
“Isn’t that a bit much?”
“Not at all. Even if you had saved just one user, it would be invaluable. But you saved seven lives and tackled the troublesome Illusion Canyon. A clan house seems insufficient. Let’s see… Da-yeon?”
Finally giving her a chance, Han So-young called on Park Da-yeon in a low voice. Park Da-yeon, cheeks puffed and lips pouting, quickly changed her expression when I looked at her. I thought it might be amusing to pair her with An Sol. I almost laughed again.
“Damn, this is harder than a battle. I can’t let my guard down.”
“I’m Park Da-yeon from Istantel Low.”
“I remember meeting you before. Nice to see you again.”
“Yes, indeed. Nice to see you too.”
Her expression and tone were quite dignified. Beside her, Yeon Hye-rim made a sound as if suppressing laughter. Please, don’t laugh. I’m barely holding it together myself.
I composed myself. Park Da-yeon, glaring at the giggling Yeon Hye-rim, turned her attention back to me.
“By any chance, do you have the equipment of the deceased users from this expedition?”
“Yes, I do.”
While it could be a decent side income, it wasn’t the main prize. Most of the equipment we recovered was secondary, with the primary gear heavily damaged from battles with vagrants. They wouldn’t fetch a good price, and even the secondary gear was mostly in poor condition.
After some calculations, I figured selling everything might bring in 8,000 gold at best. The equipment’s condition was far from ideal.
“A request came from the subordinate clans to help retrieve them. Three clans, especially Yeoulgan, are in dire straits and couldn’t ask directly.”
“I understand. I wasn’t planning to charge much and am willing to hand them over reasonably.”
“That’s generous. Originally, each clan was to contribute 4,000 gold, and Istantel Low would add another 4,000 to purchase the equipment. But before that, I have a question. The renovation is almost complete, but now it’s time to furnish the interior, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Do you have any users with architectural knowledge in your mercenary group?”
Architectural knowledge… I briefly thought of Shin Sang-yong but dismissed it. He was a researcher, not an architect. After some thought, I shook my head, and Park Da-yeon’s eyes sparkled. I could sense her tapping her foot on the floor.
“Then how about this? We have someone in Istantel Low who specializes in architectural design and interior decoration from Earth. They were heavily involved in designing our clan house.”
“Hmm. I see what you’re saying.”
After nodding a couple of times, Park Da-yeon smiled broadly.
“We can’t support special-purpose rooms like workshops, but we can help with basic furniture and interior design for reception rooms, dining areas, and accommodations. We often receive requests from other clans, so you won’t regret it. If you accept this offer, we’ll first give you 4,000 gold. In exchange for returning the equipment, the 4,000 gold will cover the interior costs. Would you like to take a look?”
Park Da-yeon handed me a few documents with elegant gestures. I read them slowly, calculating in my head.
Honestly, it wasn’t a bad offer. In fact, it seemed a bit excessive at first glance. Enchanting the walls with alarm spells and inscribing magic circles to limit external magical interference on the entire clan house alone was worth at least 3,000 gold. Considering the various beneficial spells and top-quality furniture listed, the total cost far exceeded 4,000 gold.
“Hmm…”
I had a rough idea of their intentions. Simply put, they wanted to curry favor with the mercenaries. If it were a representative clan from another city, I might have hesitated, but with Istantel Low or Hamil Clan, where my brother would be the clan lord, there was no reason to refuse. Moreover, establishing a strong relationship with Istantel Low in Monica would deter many troublemakers.
“Or… should we just give you the gold?”
Her voice was slightly more cautious than before. After reviewing the documents a bit more, I smiled and replied.
“Haha. No, how could I refuse when you’re taking care of the tedious parts?”
“Hoho. Not at all. So, is it a deal? Oh, sorry. Will you accept the offer?”
“Of course. I’ll gladly accept your generosity.”
Returning the documents, Park Da-yeon laughed lightly, looking triumphant. With this, the expedition matters were mostly settled. The achievements from there were significant, and the rewards accompanying the request were nothing to scoff at.
Han So-young, who had been quietly listening, spoke up, sensing the conversation had gone well.
“An excellent choice. We’ll make sure everything is to the satisfaction of you and your clan members.”
“If anything doesn’t meet your expectations, let me know. I know those guys well, and they’ll change it without a word if I ask.”
Yeon Hye-rim, who had been speaking arrogantly with her legs crossed, quickly corrected her posture when Han So-young glanced at her.
While staying a bit longer to chat would be nice, I decided it was time to leave. With the investigation team set to depart tomorrow, Istantel Low would be busy, and I had a few matters to attend to myself. So, I slowly rose from my seat.
“Understood. I’ll head back now and send over the equipment.”
“We’d appreciate that.”
Han So-young stood up and began to walk towards me, step by step. She stopped in front of me and gently extended her hand. I hesitated for a moment, then cautiously reached out to shake it. Her touch was cold, yet there was an inexplicable warmth to it.
“I’m counting on you. I have high hopes for the Mercenary Clan.”
She didn’t say much, but her intentions were clear. After we released our hands, I looked directly into her eyes. Her dark, obsidian-like eyes were deeply contemplative.
Time passed, and we found ourselves on the eve of the completion of our clan house. We had already packed our belongings. Since it was our last night at the Love House, the clan members and I gathered on the first floor, snacking and chatting. With the night workers out, even Madam Lim had joined us.
“Hehe, it’s finally happening tomorrow. I’m so excited.”
“Aww, I wanted to do some shopping in the city.”
“Come on, it’s better to leave it to the experts. The furniture is top-notch and really affordable. No need to waste money shopping. Didn’t Ha-yeon say we saved a ton?”
“Ugh, stop lecturing me! Who said anything? Anyway, if I don’t like it tomorrow, I’m asking for a change.”
Some clan members were chatting about the new clan house, while others were gathered around, watching a baby unicorn dance.
“Kyuu kyuu kyuu!”
“Aww, so cute!”
“Wow! Our Yuni is amazing!”
“Haha…”
Meanwhile, I was in a corner, receiving a report from Go Yeon-ju. She was updating me on the warp gate restrictions I had asked about earlier.
“So, the Golden Lion is just picking a fight?”
“Yes, it’s completely one-sided. Monica and Koran are somewhat better off, but Khan and the eastern cities are in a dire situation. Despite strong protests from Goryeo, they’re being completely unreasonable.”
“And how are the users reacting?”
“It’s hard to say who to blame. Vivian’s orders did arrive two days ago, so it’s not a complete ban. The Golden Lion’s media play is still effective, and though it’s cooled down a bit, they’re still clinging to their justification. They said they’d lift the restrictions if we comply with their demands, but who would agree to that? Tsk.”
Go Yeon-ju clicked her tongue as she finished. I nodded quietly, letting out a long sigh. The situation was uncertain, but there was an unsettling feeling in the air. It was faint but impossible to ignore. Thinking through all the possible scenarios was starting to give me a headache. Just then, Jung Ha-yeon spoke up beside me with a clear voice.
“Soo-hyun, don’t overthink it. We don’t know how things will turn out yet, and tomorrow is the clan house completion. Why not take things one step at a time?”
She was right. I couldn’t just storm into Barbara and demand the warp gate be activated, nor did I intend to. As Jung Ha-yeon suggested, if there was nothing I could do now, it might be best to watch how things unfold.
After tapping the table for a moment, I suddenly remembered something and turned to Jung Ha-yeon.
“By the way, I haven’t asked about your secret class. How is it?”
“It’s great. My special abilities have evolved, my potential abilities have evolved, and my stats have increased. Thank you, Soo-hyun.”
“No problem. Did you gain any unique abilities?”
“Unfortunately, no. But I’m more than satisfied.”
Jung Ha-yeon smiled bashfully and gently took my hand. I could sense Go Yeon-ju’s envious gaze, but I quickly activated my third eye.
Name: Jung Ha-yeon (2nd Year)
Class: Magician of the Blue Moon (Secret, Master)
Nation: Free Mercenary
Clan: Mercenary (Performance under evaluation)
True Name · Nationality: Blue Moon’s Drop · South Korea
Sex: Female (26)
Height · Weight: 166.5cm · 52.8kg
Alignment: Lawful · Good
(Before) [Strength 34] [Endurance 38] [Agility 40] [Stamina 32] [Magic 87] [Luck 80]
(After) [Strength 36] [Endurance 40] [Agility 41] [Stamina 34] [Magic 91] [Luck 81]
(Remaining stat points: 0)
<Achievements (0)>
<Special Abilities (1/1)>
<Potential Abilities (4/4)>
Ancient Magic (Rank: A+)
Magic Circuit Application (Rank: A-)
Rapid Casting (Rank: B+)
Anti-Magic (Rank: B+)
‘She’s grown a lot.’
The fact that her magic surpassed 90 and her special and potential abilities evolved was certainly encouraging. But it wasn’t over yet. I needed to assess the overall growth of all the clan members. During this period of reorganization, we had to fully integrate what we gained. Only then could we determine our next course of action.
For now, we awaited the completion of the clan house tomorrow. Settling in would undoubtedly keep both me and the clan members busy for a while. As I slowly organized my thoughts on what to tackle first, I closed my eyes. The surrounding noise was still lively.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
Character settings will be updated soon. After today’s note, replies, and messages, I’ll update the character settings (user info, equipment status, etc.). It’s a bit much to do all at once, so I’ll update one character at a time. The changes in stats will also be revealed in the story, one character at a time. Thank you.
Ps. As of episode 284, Kim Soo-hyun’s class powers, stats, and equipment have been updated. You can view them in the work settings – number 3, Kim Soo-hyun (1).
『 Reader Comments (Episode 282) 』
Miwolya: Congratulations on being first. There is a meeting part with Kim Han-byeol and Kim Soo-hyun. It’s a bit short, though. :)
Tears River: Haha. Of course, we share. Vivian’s interpretation will probably come first. :)
Love It: The elixir might appear in the next episode. It should be completed within 1-2 episodes. :)
Pineiro: Elixirs are very expensive and rarely available. :) Users often consume them, so they’re much more expensive and rarer than stat-boosting equipment.
Opitlove19: Right. In such cases, it’s best to think it’s advantageous for the user. Haha.
『 Reader Comments (Episode 283) 』
SoshiIsAwesome: Congratulations on being first. The Mercenary Clan’s specs are amazing, right? Haha. They’ll get even more amazing. :)
PanErJimHnia: Thank you for the coupon. I’ll continue to work hard to repay you with great content. (__)
Pureblood: Today, I started at 18:30 and finished at 11:57. ( —) I did take breaks for meals.
Flute: The headband has its own storyline. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
hohokoya1: Thank you always. I’ll quickly regain my pace. (__)
Thank you for always reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great encouragement.
I hope you always read with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.