After a rather complicated reunion with my clan members—some of whom were on the verge of tears—I finally managed to get the full story from my brother.
Initially, he had planned to leave on his own, despite the strong objections from the Hamil clan members. But just then, some mercenary clan members who had been tracking my whereabouts arrived, and through Vivian’s contract, they learned I was still alive. Right there, they decided to form a rescue team to bring me back.
Even though nothing major happened, I was grateful for the effort they put into organizing the rescue. Regardless of the reasons, these people had risked their lives to come for me.
“Even though I know you’re alive… and you’re right here in front of me… my heart’s still racing,” said Jung Ha-yeon, placing her hands over her chest, her voice filled with emotion.
“Yeah, same here. You have no idea how shocked I was,” I replied.
“Yu-jeong, please stop crying. You’re making it hard for the leader,” Shin Sang-yong said with a good-natured laugh, prompting Lee Yu-jeong to quickly wipe her eyes with the back of her hand.
Watching Jung Ha-yeon and Lee Yu-jeong, Ahn Hyun approached me with a mischievous grin and whispered, “Hey, hyung, you’re pretty lucky, aren’t you?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“As soon as they heard you were missing, it was chaos. Especially Ha-yeon noona, Yu-jeong, and even Im Han-na were in tears. I’m so jealous!”
”…?”
I tilted my head, puzzled by Ahn Hyun’s words. While I could understand Jung Ha-yeon and Lee Yu-jeong being upset, I was surprised to hear that Im Han-na had cried too. Glancing over at her, I saw her standing quietly with her hands clasped together. When our eyes met, she gave a gentle smile and shook her head, as if she had overheard Ahn Hyun’s whisper. I found myself curious about what she was really thinking.
‘I’ll have to find out later when I get the chance.’
With that thought, I spoke up calmly, “Anyway, thank you all for coming. And I’m sorry if I worried anyone.”
“No worries, hyung. I never doubted you’d come back. No one could have predicted the attack. The important thing is you’re back safe and sound, right, crybabies? Ouch!”
Ahn Hyun ended up getting smacked by Jung Ha-yeon and Lee Yu-jeong. Watching him groan on the ground, I turned around, realizing I had forgotten something. Behind me stood the elder and Kim Han-byeol, looking a bit awkward.
While Go Yeon-ju and Ahn Sol had already mingled with the clan members, Kim Han-byeol had been standing with her head down, staring at the ground.
“Anyway, as Ahn Hyun said, my clan members and I have returned safely, so you can stop worrying now. Oh, and I almost forgot to introduce you. This is the elder we recruited from Mule… ahem, user Lee Man-seong. Kim Han-byeol, elder, please come over.”
Relieved to no longer be the odd one out, the elder approached with a much brighter expression and introduced himself.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Man-seong, the newest member.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Jung Ha-yeon. Welcome to the clan, Lee Man-seong.”
“Thank you. I apologize for causing trouble for the clan lord right from the start, but I look forward to working with you.”
“We look forward to working with you too. And feel free to speak comfortably; you seem a bit older.”
Jung Ha-yeon took the lead in welcoming him, and the elder seemed to take a liking to her, nodding with a warm smile.
As the introductions naturally continued, I finally felt like I could catch my breath.
That’s when it happened.
“Mercenary Lord.”
Hearing my title called out, I turned to find an unexpected figure. Two men stood there with sheepish smiles. One was Seong Hyun-min, whom I had seen earlier. The other was…
“It’s been a while.”
Shin Jae-ryong.
“Han Lord… and user Shin Jae-ryong?”
“You remember me. I’m glad to see you alive.”
“Ah, yes. But what brings you two here… and I didn’t see you earlier, Shin Jae-ryong.”
“I thought it best to let you reunite with your clan first. And…”
Seong Hyun-min and Shin Jae-ryong exchanged glances before Shin Jae-ryong spoke up.
“I joined the rescue team by chance.”
“By chance?”
I asked, and Shin Jae-ryong replied with a slightly embarrassed expression.
“Yes. After returning from the expedition, I had a lot to sort out. Once I finally got everything in order, I thought of the Mercenary Lord. I wanted to thank you for your help, but then I heard you were missing.”
“So… you joined the rescue team to save me?”
Hearing Shin Jae-ryong’s words, I couldn’t help but think, ‘What kind of person is this?’ He continued with a faint smile.
“You saved my life. And when I heard the Mercenary Clan lacked a priest, I thought I could help. Ignoring the plight of someone who saved me would be inhumane.”
”…I see.”
I nodded, trying to calm the growing tightness in my chest.
Perhaps… I’ve been seeing the world too harshly. But I quickly dismissed the thought with a long sigh and turned my attention to Seong Hyun-min.
Seong Hyun-min looked a bit embarrassed as he spoke in a shy voice.
“Ah… actually, I came at the request of an acquaintance.”
“An acquaintance?”
“Yes. More like a benefactor. Anyway, I’ve had a close relationship with the Hamil Lord for a while. I joined just in case… I’m sorry, I didn’t realize the Mercenary Lord was his brother.”
“I understand. No need to apologize. In fact, I’m grateful.”
Seong Hyun-min’s explanation was that his main goal wasn’t my rescue but to persuade Kim Yoo-hyun if things went south. Shin Jae-ryong’s actions were unusual, but in Hall Plain, Seong Hyun-min’s response was typical, so I nodded without any discomfort.
Seong Hyun-min seemed to gauge my reaction before glancing at something. His gaze was directed at the captured vagrants.
“Mercenary Lord, it might be inappropriate to ask here, but may I ask you something?”
“Yes. Is it about the vagrants over there?”
At the mention of vagrants, a flicker of interest crossed Seong Hyun-min’s eyes.
“So they are vagrants. I thought I recognized a few faces. How did you capture them?”
“While escaping from Mule, we set a trap. They pursued us, so we ambushed them, killed most, and captured a few.”
Though my answer was simple, the weight it carried was not. As Seong Hyun-min and Shin Jae-ryong murmured in awe, I focused on one of the vagrants, Baek Seo-yeon. Despite the commotion, she kept her head down, staring at the ground.
“Do you know a vagrant named Baek Seo-yeon?”
“Baek Seo-yeon…? Is that villainess here?”
I asked just in case, and Seong Hyun-min’s reaction was unexpected. His usually amiable face hardened instantly, making me wonder if I had mistaken her identity.
‘No, it’s not unexpected.’
Baek Seo-yeon was notorious among vagrants, so someone like Seong Hyun-min would surely have heard of her.
“Do you know Baek Seo-yeon?”
“Of course. Damn, because of that villainess… Ah, sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. From what I’ve seen, Baek Seo-yeon seems quite notorious.”
“Notorious is an understatement. But is she really Baek Seo-yeon? I couldn’t see her face well…”
Even as he spoke, he ground his teeth, clearly harboring a deep grudge. But the enemy of my enemy is my friend, so it wasn’t bad news for me.
Seong Hyun-min seemed intent on confirming Baek Seo-yeon’s identity, scrutinizing the captives closely. Then, in a quiet voice, he spoke.
“If that vagrant is really Baek Seo-yeon…”
”…….”
“The Mercenary Lord has done a great service to the Northern Continent. Especially in the current situation.”
“Haha…”
I responded to Seong Hyun-min’s sincere words with a light laugh.
Whether it would end as a mere service or change the Northern Continent—or even the future—remained to be seen.
After the dramatic reunion with the rescue team, we set off together for Eden. On the way back to the city, I was able to learn more about the current situation.
The first thing I asked about was support for Halo. Seong Hyun-min was tight-lipped about this. He said no official request for support had been made yet, and they were still discussing it, so he couldn’t give a clear answer.
However, he did say, “It’s a bit funny how they restricted the warp gate until now, but activated it as soon as the invasion began,” hinting at the situation indirectly.
Apart from the city that had been attacked, the warp gates remained open, but it was clear that the situation needed to be monitored closely. The truth of the matter would likely become evident once the western city of Halo fell.
In comparison to the first round, only one thing had changed: the vagrants had ambushed Mule first before invading the western cities. Dorothy and Beth had long been under the control of the western continent, and now even Halo was in danger.
The enemy’s strength was still unclear, and the Golden Lion and allied clans had not fully recovered from the failed expedition to the Iron Mountains. The process of organizing reinforcements was fraught with difficulties, to the point where some were even suggesting abandoning Halo altogether.
There’s a saying: “Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.”
To devise a strategy, one must understand the enemy. Communication with Mule was cut off as soon as the invasion began, and Dorothy and Beth only sent messages of invasion and requests for help, without any detailed information.
In this situation, capturing one of the vagrants who attacked the city was invaluable. Especially since Baek Seoyeon was nearly at the level of their leadership, the information she could provide was priceless.
The key was how quickly we could break Baek Seoyeon’s spirit. This was the problem I had been pondering throughout our return.
With acquaintances now accompanying me, it was difficult to employ the same tactics as before. I also doubted whether a method used once would work again.
“Anyway, getting back to the city is the priority now.”
In this confined space, options were limited. Once back in the city, at the clan house, new opportunities would surely present themselves.
“……”
As I slowly emerged from my thoughts and looked up, the blue sky came into view. It felt as if my mind, cluttered with thoughts, had been cleared.
I had been walking slightly apart from the group, using the excuse of needing to think, to escape the constant pestering from my brother during our return.
“Kim Suhyun, Kim Suhyun!”
Lost in the pleasant feeling of gazing at the sky, I sensed someone bouncing towards me. It was Vivian’s voice. Soon, her face, flushed with excitement, popped into view. I spoke calmly.
“What is it?”
“Your brother wanted me to tell you that he’ll be arriving in Eden soon. But why are you walking while staring at the sky?”
“I was just thinking.”
“About what? Yesterday’s issue?”
I nodded. I wasn’t the only one who had been mulling over the problem. I had shared some of my thoughts with Vivian during our night watch. She was someone I could speak to without reservation, and she might even come up with a better solution. (Honestly, it was also to pass the time.)
“Hehe. I see. Did you come up with anything good?”
“Just one or two ideas. What about you?”
“Hehe. Actually, I’ve been thinking too. Hehe.”
“?”
Her confident laughter piqued my curiosity, and I looked at her with a mix of suspicion and anticipation. She grinned and rummaged through her belongings.
“I’ve come up with a really good idea. Two, actually.”
“What is it? Don’t keep me in suspense.”
“Hehe. Just wait a little longer, will you?”
“Where did you learn to talk like that…?”
Vivian whispered “Ahn Hyun” in a small voice, then held out her hands. In her right palm floated a glowing white orb, and in her left was a thick book—Ordo of Order and Marbolo’s Training Journal.
‘Well, the Ordo makes sense, but why the book?’
I was puzzled but decided to hear her out. Vivian, with an uncharacteristic playful smile, began to speak in a clear voice.
“Remember the information about Goose Appraisal in the Ordo of Order?”
“Goose Appraisal?”
I recalled some of it, but not in detail. Just as I was about to activate my third eye towards the white orb to check, someone shouted loudly.
“Eden is in sight!”
Instinctively, I turned my head.
Ahead, the small eastern city of Eden was coming into view. I immediately spoke to Vivian.
“Is there a lot to discuss?”
“Yes, quite a bit.”
“Alright. Let’s talk more once we’re back in the city.”
“Hehe. Sure, I can wait that long. I promise you won’t regret giving me the Ordo of Order. You can look forward to it.”
I had no idea what she was planning to say, but her confidence suggested she had a clever plan.
Watching Vivian turn away with a snort, I resolved that if she started spouting nonsense about training like Margarita, I wouldn’t let it slide.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Haha. Some of you anticipated the use of the contract. Yes, the presence or absence of the contract could confirm Kim Suhyun’s survival. Since the contract didn’t have a specific clause about transferring to another upon death, it would automatically be void if Kim Suhyun died. You could verify the contract’s continuity at the temple. Of course, you could add a posthumous clause, but that would make the contract much heavier. :)
『 Reader Comments 』
UsainBolt: Haha. Congratulations on being first. Yes, Vivian is almost like a half-slave. :)
MTBear: Oh dear. Many are intimidating me as I fill up my course load. Hahaha. I’ll do my best.
SonjaMan: I’m Royujin, so you can rest easy. Who is this Royumi person? ?ㅇ?
hohokoya1: After much tension, there will be some heartwarming content for a while. Of course, there will be exceptions when the vagrants appear…. :D
irenairis: Haha, no way. If I removed Ansol, I’d probably get mobbed.
NinthSky: Oh, how did you know? In modern times, there was a setting where a photo was attached to a pillow…. Just kidding. :)
Merliwi: I’m considering banning the word “brother-in-law” soon. Haha.
araoj: No, there were no records of the past. The record was information about my brother’s actions that I previously asked Go Yeonju to gather.
Anaski: I’m glad you enjoyed it. I hope your difficult situation resolves positively!
LongLiveRang: Thank you for the encouraging comment. I’ll continue to work hard. (__)
Thank you for always reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great source of strength.
I hope you always read with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.