The Calm Before the Storm: Ansol’s Past
“Wow, you’re something else. What kind of guardian acts like this?”
“You said it was okay.”
“When did I say that? I mentioned you could help the mercenaries, but only after consulting with the angels.”
“Whatever. If I can’t stay by my brother’s side, then I won’t do it. No, I refuse!”
Ehyoul, who had been eavesdropping, burst through the door the moment she heard Ansol’s plan. Now, Ansol and Ehyoul were in the middle of a heated argument.
The angels weren’t fools. As the guardian of the northern continent, Ansol was expected to act from a neutral standpoint. They couldn’t allow her to wield her powers for personal gain. Yet, Ansol seemed to think she could just try it out and quit if it didn’t work.
“Wow, stabbing me in the back like this… You’re really something, aren’t you?”
“Hmph. Who’s the one changing their story? You’re the real villain here.”
Ansol’s retort left Ehyoul speechless, her eyes darting around before she slumped her shoulders. The truth was out, and she seemed to think the damage was done. Ansol felt the same, her cheeks puffed in frustration, showing her deep disappointment.
“Enough…”
“Everyone, stop.”
Sensing a second round brewing, I spoke in a low, firm voice. Even to my own ears, it sounded heavy. Ever since the summons, I’d been on edge, and now, even in the supposed sanctuary of the clan house, things were getting under my skin.
Reading my mood, the harsh breathing gradually subsided.
There’s a saying that a tree with many branches never has a day without wind. That was exactly my situation. It wasn’t just one person’s fault. Ehyoul for filling Ansol’s head with nonsense, Ansol for jumping in without thinking, and me for putting it off under the guise of being busy. We all shared the blame.
I understood Ansol’s feelings. She admitted to being a burden to the mercenaries and couldn’t stand it. Watching others like Anhyun and Lee Yoojung, who started at the same point, grow into rare classes while she felt stuck must have been hard.
But understanding her feelings didn’t mean I could let it slide. We almost lost her right under our noses.
After calming myself, I spoke softly.
“Ansol.”
“Yes…”
Her voice was barely a whisper. Memories flooded back. While I’d been hard on Anhyun and Lee Yoojung, I’d always coddled Ansol. Lee Yoojung often said, “You always favor Ansol.”
I didn’t want to waste more energy on this mess.
“Go to your room. Reflect until I call you.”
“Brother…”
“Now.”
”…”
Ansol called out to me in a pitiful voice, but I met her gaze firmly. She lowered her head, nodded weakly, and shuffled away, mumbling an apology.
Watching her retreat, I turned sharply to Ehyoul, who was avoiding my eyes.
“Come with me.”
I spoke coldly and headed to my office. I heard the door close behind me.
Without offering her a seat, I went straight to my desk and began drafting a message to my brother.
“Mercenary Lord, you seem really upset…”
“Ehyoul.”
She started cautiously, but I cut her off, continuing to write. The message was to reject her clan member. I had thought she was useful during the summons, but a guardian wasn’t essential. Exploration? I knew over twenty places on the northern continent alone. Better to avoid conflict by not recruiting her.
“Ansol is a mercenary clan member, and I’m the clan lord. You approached without my permission. What should I say?”
“I’m sorry. I apologize. But if I may explain…”
“There’s a phrase I hate.”
It didn’t take long to write the brief message. I folded it and pushed it to the edge of the desk, speaking in a businesslike tone.
“I hate when people say ‘of course, but…’ after causing trouble. Don’t make excuses. It sounds pathetic.”
”…”
“What do you think Ansol felt hearing you? Do you even know her?”
”…No.”
“Or do you think, as the great guardian of the north, we should follow you? That would mean you look down on us.”
At that, Ehyoul looked up, meeting my gaze. Her face was calm, but her eyes burned intensely. My words must have struck a nerve. But she soon lowered her eyes, picked up the message, and approached the desk.
“You’re right. I was thoughtless. I have no excuse. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
“The mercenaries have grown on their own. We don’t need your help. Understand?”
“Yes. I’ll remember that. I’m truly sorry for this incident. If you want, I’ll apologize to her personally.”
Ehyoul was indeed impressive. Despite my harsh words, she genuinely seemed remorseful.
I gestured toward the door, signaling her to leave quickly.
“Go back to Hamill. Thank my brother. If not for him, I wouldn’t let you off so easily.”
“Right. It’s awkward to say now, but I’m grateful for saving my life and helping during the summons. I’ll be in touch soon, for official matters.”
“I won’t go far. You can leave.”
Ehyoul bowed gracefully and turned to leave. Her retreating figure seemed unusually subdued.
As the door closed and she disappeared, I let out a long sigh.
Suddenly, everything felt overwhelmingly complicated.
Days passed since Ehyoul left. The mercenary clan was, well, quiet.
Nothing was different. Like other clans, we focused on our tasks, staying alert to external news.
As I stood on the rooftop, lost in thought, a clear voice interrupted.
“Suhyeon, what are you thinking about?”
I turned to see Jeong Hayeon, holding two teacups and smiling warmly. She lifted a steaming cup, and I nodded, grateful for the offer.
The fragrant aroma of lemon tea filled the air. I savored the scent and asked calmly.
“How did you know I was here?”
“I stopped by your office to report, but you weren’t there. I thought you might be on the rooftop.”
A lie. Who brings tea for a report?
But I didn’t point it out. I decided to play along with her little charade. Knowing her meticulous nature, she probably found something to report just to come up.
“Yes. What’s the report?”
“The vagrants. As you instructed at yesterday’s meeting, we handed over all the records to Istantel Low. They’re planning a trial soon and want you to attend.”
“I see. Good work.”
I lifted my teacup in response.
”…Ahem. Oh, and the Istantel Low lord wanted to express gratitude for the mercenaries’ kindness. He hopes you won’t worry too much.”
As I sipped my tea, I nodded in understanding. The memory of sweating bullets to clear up a misunderstanding with my brother still brought a wry smile to my face.
“Thank goodness Han So-young is so magnanimous,” I thought, chuckling to myself as I took another sip.
With nothing more to report, Jeong Ha-yeon began to glance at me, gauging my reaction. After a brief silence, she spoke softly.
“Su-hyeon, I know it’s a bit odd to bring this up now, but things have been so dull lately. In the past, we’d be busy preparing for expeditions…”
“You seem curious about something,” I interjected.
Caught off guard, Jeong Ha-yeon hesitated, then wrapped her hands around her teacup and continued.
“Yes, you’re right. You didn’t say much at yesterday’s meeting. Everyone was curious about the results of the summons, but you didn’t mention it. Is it a secret you can’t share?”
“Yes, it’s still a bit sensitive to discuss. It’s classified.”
“I see. Well, there’s nothing we can do then.”
“For now, just wait. In time, everything will become clear.”
By now, the invasion of Halo should have begun. This morning, all communication was cut off, just like with Mule, Beth, and Dorothy. I suspected a large-scale interference with magical waves, but I kept that to myself. It would seem odd if I were the only one aware of it when others were clueless.
“Or maybe it’s already been taken over.”
“It’s quite noisy outside. I heard that just as the Golden Lion was about to send reinforcements, the warp gate was cut off, as if by magic. Who knows what’s happening in Halo now?”
“It’s not ‘as if by magic’; it is a lie. The chances of it being a coincidence are slim.”
Abandoning Halo to regroup was a wise choice, but Do Yeong-rok was not fit to lead the Golden Lion. He lacked the decisiveness to act on his thoughts.
By now, they should have requested support from the southeast, but there was no word even after the summons. Watching how long the Golden Lion would hold onto its pride was an interesting spectacle. The moment they ask for help will be when the fire is at their feet.
As soon as Halo falls, or at the latest when Barbara is taken, the southeast will spring into action.
My role ended with handing over the key. How they use it is entirely up to them. For now, stepping back and observing seemed like a wise choice. It wasn’t something I should involve myself in voluntarily, and it was a time for careful pacing.
Realizing she wouldn’t get much from me, Jeong Ha-yeon sighed softly and spoke.
“Sigh. I came hoping to learn something… So, we’re just waiting indefinitely.”
“I’m itching to say more. Sorry.”
“Oh, it’s fine. Su-hyeon, does that mean you’re done with most of your work?”
“Yes? Well, yes.”
“Then, how about throwing a party soon? I know it’s sudden.”
The suggestion of a party made me frown. Seeing my reaction, Jeong Ha-yeon quickly added.
“Everyone’s been so out of touch lately. And we have new clan members, right? It’d be a good chance to see everyone and welcome them. What do you think? Is it too much?”
“Hmm…”
‘A party in this situation…’
It felt off, and I was about to suggest postponing it when a thought struck me.
“Sounds good. Let’s do it.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. We need to settle the equipment we got from the vagrants anyway. But tell the clan it’s more for team-building than a party.”
Jeong Ha-yeon beamed with joy, clearly pleased with my agreement.
“Great. I’ve been worried about Soli lately; she seems down. This will cheer her up.”
“An Sol?”
“Yes. She just shakes her head when I ask what’s wrong. I’ll try to talk to her today.”
“I see.”
I chuckled to myself, handing my empty teacup to Jeong Ha-yeon as I headed for the rooftop door.
“Discuss the details with Go Yeon-ju. I have somewhere to be.”
“Okay. Where are you going?”
As she stacked our teacups, I stretched and replied.
“I’m thinking of visiting the shrine.”
“Oh…”
‘Huh? What’s with that reaction?’
I merely mentioned the shrine, yet Jeong Ha-yeon blushed and fidgeted with her fingers. Puzzled, I shrugged and was about to leave when she called out.
“Su-hyeon!”
“Yes?”
“If you’re not too busy… can I visit you sometimes at night?”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello. I have some unfortunate news to share. I might be away this weekend, September 7th (Saturday) and 8th (Sunday), for a family visit. I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll let you know by Friday at the latest. :)
Half the week is over! It’s Thursday. Haha. I feel like Vivian these days. The comment section has been quiet, which drained my energy, but yesterday’s explosion of comments revitalized me. Maybe I’m a bit of a masochist. (?)
『 Reader Comments (Episode 331) 』
LonelySolo: Congrats on being first. Haha. Your username… I want to escape being single. ㅜ.ㅠ
Nangrang: Corrections made. Thank you!
GoddessYuriFan: I’ll remove that during the e-book editing. It’s my dark past. Sigh.
NewFantasy: Well, I hope they don’t die, but with my current plan, more than half might not make it to the end. :)
JinEye: Wasn’t Simon the user from the Western Continent? Hehe. Look forward to it. Memorize? No, it’s a counterattack rise! That’s right!
『 Reader Comments (Episode 332) 』
OneShotMode: Yes! It’s been a while since I saw you in first place! Enjoy the read!
MTBear: You’re just like me. I don’t understand either, but I’ll do my best. Let’s keep going! Fighting~.
NaturalNatural: You’ll regret letting An Sol go. Hahaha. I’ve made a slight change to the plan. :)
Sereson: It’s An Sol! An Sol is here! Long time no see!
MonguHunter: Correct. It’s because they moved to another continent. Haha. I want to keep quiet about Terra for now. :)
Thank you for always reading. I hope you enjoy the story with a relaxed mind.