“Whoa! Why are you suddenly yelling like that?”
“Are you… are you out of your mind?”
“Oh, really? Out of my mind? And who do you think you are, talking down to me like that?”
As Park Dayeon shouted, Yeon Hyerim instinctively covered her ears and frowned. Her initial anger was quickly replaced by a more complex expression as she looked at Dayeon’s face, her words trailing off.
Dayeon’s face was a mix of emotions, clearly showing her inner turmoil. Hyerim blinked a few times, feeling awkward, and stammered out a response.
“No, really, I didn’t mean anything by it. We were just close back at the academy, and…”
“What exactly did you say? Tell me exactly.”
“I just said when they return to the city, they should bring the vagrants to our clan… and that the draft is happening soon, so they should attend…”
Dayeon let out a heavy sigh at Hyerim’s explanation. But realizing there was no time to waste, she quickly lifted her head and dashed up the stairs. Left alone, Hyerim hesitated for a moment before slowly following her.
Dayeon headed straight for Han Soyeong’s office. She burst in without knocking and immediately started tattling about Hyerim’s actions.
Soyeong initially looked displeased at the lack of knocking, but as Dayeon’s story unfolded, her expression shifted to one of surprise—a rare sight for someone known as the “Iron-Blooded Queen.”
After hearing the whole story, Soyeong set down the records she was holding with a thin sigh. She looked at Hyerim, who was hesitantly entering the room, and spoke quietly.
“Hyerim, is what Dayeon said true?”
“Well, it’s just…”
“Is it true?”
”…Yes.”
Soyeong pressed her hands to her forehead, massaging it as if to relieve a headache, and spoke in a weary voice.
“How can you be so… foolish? We already have so much to do, why do you keep creating more problems?”
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way…”
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Hyerim glanced at the pile of records on Soyeong’s desk and mumbled in a small voice.
Technically, Hyerim’s actions weren’t entirely wrong. The rules were clear: the main clan was responsible for trials involving vagrants, and it made sense for the Mercenary Clan to participate in the draft. But the way she went about it was the problem. There are procedures and protocols to follow.
The key issue was that the Mercenary Clan wasn’t a subordinate of Istantel Low; it was a free mercenary clan. Even a subordinate clan wouldn’t be treated this way. Despite the rules and circumstances, the primary rights over the vagrants and the decision to participate in the draft were solely the Mercenary Clan’s prerogative.
In short, Hyerim had overstepped, relying on a flimsy past friendship and ignoring necessary procedures. From the Mercenary Clan’s perspective, it was a serious breach of etiquette.
“What should we do?” Dayeon asked in a subdued voice. Hyerim, who had been watching nervously, cautiously replied.
“I know I was wrong. Maybe I should just apologize? They didn’t seem like the type to hold grudges.”
“Oh, please. If only you used half the brain you use in battle in everyday life… Of course, you should apologize, but don’t do it half-heartedly.”
Dayeon shook her head, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Hyerim’s impulsive nature made Dayeon uneasy about leaving things to her.
A brief silence followed. Soyeong, feeling slightly better, removed her hands from her forehead and looked at the two standing before her.
I wasn’t particularly surprised to hear that a new visitor had arrived. Given the interest some users had shown in the Mercenary Clan, I had anticipated that someone like Jo Seungwoo or Gu Yejin might drop by.
However, the employee informed me that it was a client, not a user. In the current situation, with the continent under invasion, I hadn’t expected any requests. But the prospect intrigued me, so I quickly wrapped up the meeting and asked the employee to show the client in.
When I entered the reception room, I saw a woman in a neat robe. As she looked up at me, I paused for a moment.
“Hello!”
“Oh, yes. Hello.”
The woman was a user I knew well, though not from the second round, but the first.
“Are you the Mercenary Lord?”
“Yes, I’m Kim Suhyun, the Mercenary Lord.”
“Ah, you’re younger than I expected! Anyway, nice to meet you. I’m Hyun Seunghee, the Lord of the Starlight Clan.”
With a bright smile, Seunghee extended her hand. I shook it, still unsure why she had come to see me. I didn’t recall the Starlight Clan being active in the southern region.
Curiosity piqued, I invited her to sit and listen to what she had to say.
“I heard you have a request.”
“Yes. Oh, am I your first client?”
“No, you’re not.”
“Ah, too bad.”
Seunghee pouted playfully, then crossed her legs and clasped her hands over her knee, smiling brightly.
“Do you know much about me?”
“Yes, to some extent… You’re known as the only user to tame a unicorn.”
“Well, not the only one anymore. Another user managed to tame one recently.”
I was sure she was referring to me. It had been a while since I brought the baby unicorn, so the news must have spread. I had a feeling this was related to the unicorn, so I nodded for her to continue. Seunghee gave me a captivating smile and began her story.
The Starlight Clan had been a subordinate clan in the western city of Halo, participating in the Steel Mountain Expedition. The expedition’s failure had left them devastated, and Seunghee had barely escaped with her life, thanks to her unicorn. As they struggled to recover, the western continent was invaded, and after the fall of Bess and Dorothy, she decided to leave Halo.
“So, you’ve left the SSUN’s subordinate clan?”
“Yes. Honestly, nothing felt right after the expedition. They brought in a bunch of new users for some development plan, leaving us to clean up the mess. When Bess and Dorothy sent out distress calls, they cut off the warp gate. And now they’re coming to Halo? They keep calling for meetings, but nothing improves. So I left everything behind and fled to Monica. Staying there felt like a death sentence.”
Seunghee’s grievances poured out rapidly, revealing her deep-seated frustrations.
“You might call it cowardly, but please understand. Many users are doing the same. It was a desperate move.”
“I don’t think it’s cowardly.”
I replied clearly, looking at Seunghee. I wanted to ask about the situation in the western city, but she seemed reluctant to discuss it further.
“Anyway, let me get to the point. It’s not exactly a request, but the Mercenary Clan is my only hope.”
“I assume it’s about the baby unicorn.”
“I like quick-witted people. Yes, as I mentioned, the unicorn saved me during the Steel Mountain Expedition, but it was severely injured. We managed to heal its physical wounds, but it’s been listless ever since.”
Seunghee’s face, usually bright with a smile, darkened with genuine concern for the unicorn.
“You might know that unicorns are sensitive creatures. I don’t know if it’s because it saw its clan members die or if it can’t forget the scene. We healed its body, but its heart remains wounded. So, I want it to meet the unicorn you have.”
“You hope meeting the baby unicorn might help it heal.”
“Yes. Unicorns have a strong sense of kinship. I think something might change if they meet.”
Her reasoning made sense, so I nodded thoughtfully. Taking my response as agreement, Seunghee suddenly shifted her demeanor. She wore a slightly revealing outfit, and as she clasped her hands and leaned forward, her expression turned earnest.
“Look, as fellow unicorn tamers, I’m asking for a favor. Think of it as saving a poor soul. Could you help me just this once?”
The request had subtly shifted from a formal commission to a personal plea. Sure, Hyun Seung-hee was quite attractive, with a charming face and a great figure. She was skilled at enticing men, too. But I already had Go Yeon-ju, who was practically unbeatable in that department. So, I could respond calmly and confidently.
“I understand where you’re coming from. You’ve come all the way here to ask, and I have no intention of turning you down. As long as the compensation is clear, I’ll gladly take on the task.”
At that moment, I noticed Hyun Seung-hee’s face turn slightly pouty. I chuckled inwardly.
Lately, the clan house had been bustling with activity. It seemed my clan members had picked up on my urgency from the recent meeting, as they were moving swiftly. The tasks I had assigned were being carried out one by one, efficiently.
The clan house was now a hub of activity, with residents coming and going frequently. Jung Ha-yeon had produced an estimate in just a day and immediately sought out the residents who could handle the construction. Not long after, she brought me the blueprints and the necessary budget, which I promptly approved. Thanks to her meticulous work, construction began just yesterday.
I watched the residents moving between the lobby and the basement, then glanced up at the rooftop. During the construction, we had temporarily moved the vagrants up there, as we couldn’t keep them confined in their usual space.
Coincidentally, Go Yeon-ju, who was overseeing the vagrants, was also looking down. Our eyes met, and she waved cheerfully. I waved back before heading inside to the third floor.
In the third-floor storage room, equipment was lined up even in the hallway, each tagged with a Goose Appraisal order. Ahn Hyun, the old man, Shin Sang-yong, and Baek Han-gyeol were busy organizing the gear, oblivious to my presence.
I watched them with satisfaction for a while before heading to my office. I considered visiting the workshop since Vivian hadn’t been around much lately, but I didn’t want to disturb her if she was busy.
Once I reached my office on the fourth floor, I sat at my desk, lost in thought. Everything was progressing smoothly. It seemed we would complete all tasks soon, so it was time to plan our next steps.
I was about to jot down some notes when there was a knock at the door.
“Oppa! Are you in there? Oppa!”
It was Lee Yoo-jung’s urgent voice calling for me.
“Come in.”
As soon as I gave permission, the door swung open, revealing Lee Yoo-jung with a somewhat frantic expression. She hurried over to me and spoke immediately.
“Oppa, there’s a problem.”
Lately, Lee Yoo-jung had taken a keen interest in being part of my entourage. Initially, I kept her close just to have her nearby, but she turned out to be quite capable. However, she had one flaw: she tended to overreact to minor issues.
“Oh? What’s the matter?”
I set the notes I was about to write aside and twirled my pen leisurely as I asked. Lee Yoo-jung swallowed hard before speaking in a rushed voice.
“The Istantel Low Clan is here. And the clan lord himself has come.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
It’s August 26th, and the new semester is starting. Many have expressed concern since my schedule is packed. I’m feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. (I have classes late into the afternoon four days a week.) I’ll do my best, though. Thank you. (__)
『 Reader Comments 』
Cheetos: Congrats on being first! Ah, are you referring to Sudden Attack when you mention clan battles? :)
RedWilderness: I’ve often been told the pacing is slow. Those who prefer faster plots or want to see certain content quickly might find the detailed approach frustrating. But there are also readers who appreciate it. :)
Retire: As I mentioned before, the egg hatching will take some time. :)
MyungBakJjang: Help me. My brother said I look like a dead person today. LOL.
Pineiro: Some are eager to see how the equipment and Baek Seo-yeon are handled. The scenes are already planned, but they connect with future content, so I can’t skip them entirely. Please be patient a little longer.
LittleHero: I’m envious. I gain weight when I eat and lose it when I don’t. ㅜ.ㅠ
Blami: It seems I skipped some parts in the middle. I should have written it more clearly. Sorry. ㅜ.ㅠ
LatiDoll: Haha. Shin Jae-ryong hasn’t joined yet, but he’s staying at the Mercenary Clan House thanks to Kim Soo-hyun’s hospitality. :)
SunsetS: Thank you. I have a personal fondness for Park Da-yeon, so I’m grateful you like her. ㅜ.ㅠ
PotatoChip: There are characters already set to join at the end of this war arc. I think quite a few men will be joining. :)
Thank you for reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great support.
I hope you always read with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.