Chapter 338: Conclusion and Unraveling
“You didn’t recognize me… Does that mean you’ve lost all your memories?”
“No, as I mentioned before, it’s not complete amnesia. It’s partial.”
Ahn Hyun shook his head with a somber expression. I interlocked my fingers and fell into deep thought.
The one regret I have is that I heard about the past from Ahn Hyun’s perspective. His account lacked detail about what exactly happened to An Sol, as he wasn’t around much back then.
After organizing my thoughts, I spoke slowly.
“So, you remember some things but not others.”
“Yes. According to the doctor… they said she likely forgot most of her painful memories. There are many possibilities, but the most likely is that it’s a kind of self-defense mechanism, an instinct to not remember.”
”…”
“When I heard that, my mind went blank. If she forgot me, it means deep down, my sister resented me.”
I nodded quietly. Even though I hadn’t heard it from An Sol herself, I could empathize with the situation.
A family ruined, leading to discord, a mother’s suicide, prolonged domestic violence, bullying at school, and finally, a father’s suicide.
Moreover, their father suffered from severe schizophrenia.
Given the circumstances and genetics, it seemed inevitable that mental illness would manifest. In a world where she had no allies, it was almost miraculous that An Sol hadn’t attempted suicide.
‘Or maybe she did.’
Perhaps Ahn Hyun didn’t know, or he chose not to say.
I tapped my cigarette a couple of times and spoke softly.
“So, what happened to An Sol after that?”
”…She was very confused and anxious. She avoided people, suffered from severe depression, and often clutched her head, crying. To make matters worse, her symptoms worsened, and she began to regress in age.”
“And has that continued until now?”
“The hospital said it was due to extreme trauma and stress. They suggested we wait and see, as sudden recoveries are common. But as time passed, I didn’t see any signs of improvement.”
Ahn Hyun sighed deeply, his gaze fixed on the cigarette between my fingers. I gestured slightly, offering him one, but he shook his head.
I withdrew my hand and licked my lips. Ahn Hyun leaned back slightly, supporting himself with his hands, and began to speak.
“I managed to bring her home somehow… At first, I tried to find a way to help. The pressure of realizing it was just the two of us was overwhelming. So, I showed her photos, took her to the hospital regularly, and visited places we used to go together.”
“You should’ve done that sooner.”
“Haha… Regret always comes too late. Anyway, except for work, I was with her almost all the time. Then one day, a thought struck me.”
”…?”
Ahn Hyun paused, then looked directly at me and spoke clearly.
“Maybe it’s not so bad if she lives without those memories.”
”…Hmm.”
“Isn’t it? If we handle it well… maybe she can start anew.”
“I’m not sure…”
Personally, I didn’t agree with that idea. But I didn’t voice my thoughts. If Ahn Hyun had stuck to his original belief, he wouldn’t have shared this with me. And since I hadn’t experienced it myself, I had no right to judge.
Ahn Hyun continued.
“But, you know, some things are just not meant to be. Just when I was ready to start fresh, I found myself here with my sister. You understand, right?”
”…I do.”
“And you, getting summoned right after your military discharge… Who wouldn’t feel wronged? Anyway, that’s the gist of it. Haha.”
Ahn Hyun ended his story with a laugh that was hard to distinguish from a sob.
The clear moonlight illuminated the quiet night. Silence enveloped us. Ahn Hyun and I fell into a mutual silence, as if by agreement.
After a slightly prolonged pause, I decided to speak first.
“Hyun, I’m just a listener here, so I can’t fully grasp the pain you’ve felt. Because I haven’t lived through it myself.”
”…Yes.”
“Still, I can’t help but think… if you’d told me sooner, maybe we could’ve found a solution earlier.”
“That’s…”
Ahn Hyun hesitated for a moment but then replied in a small voice, as if deciding to go all the way.
“I was afraid of being abandoned…”
“Hmm?”
I raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue in a slightly louder voice.
“Honestly, isn’t it true? Even today, people look at mental illness with prejudice… And when we first entered the rite of passage, it was the same. Do you remember?”
“Ah, back then…”
Indeed, it was true. I fell silent. An Sol had shown much more severe symptoms then, and Park Dong-gul and Lee Shin-woo had suggested leaving her behind. Ahn Hyun must have overheard.
‘Wait, does that mean her condition has improved somewhat now?’
A flood of questions filled my mind. But pondering them now wouldn’t yield answers. It was a matter we’d decided to address over time.
I organized my thoughts and slowly stood up. Approaching Ahn Hyun, who was still seated, I placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke.
“Alright, I understand. I’m sorry for making you talk about painful things.”
“Hyung…”
“And thank you for trusting me and sharing.”
“No, I feel relieved now that I’ve said it. I should’ve told you sooner, especially since it’s you…”
Ahn Hyun replied with a clumsy smile. Watching him, I suddenly extended my hand. He looked at it blankly before finally letting out a small laugh and taking it.
Just as I was about to help him up, we heard Lee Yoo-jung’s voice from afar.
“Oppa! Ahn Hyun! Where are you two? What are you doing?”
Ahn Hyun and I turned our heads simultaneously, then exchanged glances. I exhaled softly and helped Ahn Hyun to his feet.
”…The mood’s a bit down, but shall we go?”
“Yes, hyung. The festival’s still on. Ugh, up we go.”
Once on his feet, Ahn Hyun dusted off his hands and stretched energetically. Then he bowed his head respectfully and spoke.
“Hyung-nim, please take care of our Sol. I’ll do my best to help. Just tell me what to do.”
“Alright. I can’t promise anything, but I can assure you of this.”
Having already made a promise, I could answer confidently.
“I’ll do my best within my abilities.”
With that, I headed towards where the clan members were gathered.
This time, it was I who held onto Ahn Hyun’s arm.
The gathering proposed by Jung Ha-yeon concluded successfully. Personally, I found it quite beneficial. Despite only a few days passing since the festival ended, the atmosphere within the clan had noticeably changed.
Previously, there were quite a few members who were distant from each other, but this event helped bring everyone closer. Of course, the ongoing cold war between the kids and Kim Han-byeol showed no signs of resolution.
After the gathering, I took a few days to think before calling for An Sol.
And now, An Sol stood before me. It seemed she had been waiting for my call ever since our last argument, as she rushed over the moment I summoned her.
Watching An Sol, who kept her head down and fidgeted with her hands, I fell into quiet contemplation.
To be honest, I’m not entirely confident. My greatest assets are my knowledge of the future and my strength.
If it were a matter of using force, I wouldn’t be so conflicted. I’m no expert in mental health, nor can I rely solely on potions like Baek Seo-yeon. It’s easy to break something, but fixing a broken mind is difficult.
‘But I can’t just sit idly by…’
Even if a solution doesn’t present itself immediately, I’ll keep trying until I see results. That’s my current mindset. ‘Knock, and it shall be opened unto you,’ as they say.
I decided to clear my thoughts and speak.
“Sol.”
“Y-Yes?”
Startled by my voice, An Sol looked up quickly.
“I’ve been thinking… and it seems to me that you’re the least suited to be in the current mercenary clan.”
”!”
As soon as I spoke, an exclamation mark seemed to pop above An Sol’s head. Her eyes welled up with tears, and I could guess how she interpreted my words.
“O-Oppa…”
“Look at this. You’re doing it again. I haven’t even finished talking, and you’re already about to cry?”
“I’m sorry…”
“Yes, you should be. If it were Yujeong, she wouldn’t be crying. She’d be asking about her shortcomings and promising to fix them. You know Yujeong’s been scolded by me plenty, right?”
Ansol swallowed hard, trying to hold back her tears, and nodded slightly. Seeing this, I continued speaking.
“I acknowledge that you have abilities that set you apart from others. But those abilities only have value when you know how to use and protect them yourself. Otherwise, they’re just skills waiting to be exploited. Am I wrong?”
Ansol shook her head, biting her lip. Her pitiful gaze tugged at my heart, but I had already steeled myself.
So, I spoke firmly, cutting to the chase.
“You’re currently the slowest to develop among the clan members. I’m not talking about your abilities. I’m talking about your understanding of this whole plane. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes, yes… I’m really sorry… I won’t do it again… Please forgive me…”
This was the first time I’d pushed Ansol this hard. She seemed shocked, unaccustomed to this side of me, having been coddled until now.
Watching her plead, I softened my tone slightly.
“Sigh. You know there’s an open spot for a trainee, right?”
Recently, I had officially announced in a meeting that I was releasing Yujeong from her trainee duties. It wasn’t because she was lacking. Whether it was thanks to the ‘Headband of Purity’ or not, Yujeong had shown remarkable stability.
We had discussed it thoroughly before the meeting, and with some persuasion, I had gained her agreement. Though she seemed quite disappointed.
Once Ansol nodded quickly, I continued.
“I’m considering appointing you as her replacement.”
“M-me? As a trainee?”
“Yes. But don’t misunderstand. You need to learn more about this plane and improve. You don’t have a choice. You’d better be prepared.”
“Then…”
Ansol’s expression, which seemed on the verge of tears, began to change subtly. She swallowed a few times and blinked several times.
“You’re not abandoning me? You’re not kicking me out?”
It was at that moment that Ansol’s cautious voice reached me.
Thud! Bang!
“Mercenary Lord!”
Someone burst into the office, long hair flying. I was annoyed at the sudden interruption during an important conversation, but when I saw who it was, I felt puzzled.
The person who had barged in was none other than Im Hanna.
Knowing her usual composed demeanor and graceful conduct, I found this behavior even more surprising. But before I could say anything, she spoke first.
“Breaking news. I just got back from the city center and heard something.”
“User Im Hanna. Calm down and take a breath. What did you hear?”
Following my words, Im Hanna placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath. After about five seconds, she began to speak slowly, having calmed down a bit.
“Halo, Halo has fallen.”
“Hmm… I heard communication was cut off… Anyway, yes.”
Since it was something we had anticipated, I responded calmly.
But Im Hanna wasn’t finished.
“And there’s a support request from the Golden Lion. It’s not just one or two things. Also, there’s a rumor that users from the Western Continent have started marching towards Barbara…”
As Im Hanna continued, I reflexively tapped the table.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
There were many more stories I wanted to tell, more threads to unravel. But I think it’s better to reveal them gradually as Ansol’s story unfolds.
I’m glad I’m not too late today. Haha.
Now, the resolution begins. I’ll try to move things along quickly before the war. Thank you. (__)
『 Reader Comments 』
UsainBolt: Congrats on being first. Cool, cool. 11!
Blami: Blami, try going for first place sometime! I’ll try to post at midnight soon! ㅜ.ㅠ
Ayasaki: You must be in the military. Thank you for protecting our country. Stay strong!
[Pirate] Zoro: No, I hardly watch TV. Haha. I might watch a variety show three or four times a month. :)
SunsetS: I’ve made the corrections. Thank you! (__)
Pierrot’s Tears: Your comment moved me. Just hearing my nickname properly made me tear up. Thank you. Sniff.
Eshalkei: Honestly, Ansol is too overpowered. If you combine her with Baek Hangyeol, you get the strongest support combo. I can’t give it away easily. Hehe.
Guzzi: Oh dear. I see. I’ve corrected it right away. Thank you!
Mukhyang’s Cousin: Mental disorders are often related to incest. It accounts for almost 70%. That means 30% are not related. I didn’t rush it. :)
Lea: Yes, I also want to reveal stories of characters other than the protagonist from time to time. My mission(?) is to write as entertainingly as possible for the readers. Haha.
Quill: Thank you for always reading. :D
Repil: Thank you for your kind words. Ultimately, it’s up to me. I’m always pondering. It’s a delightful dilemma. :)
Thank you for always reading. I hope you read my work with a relaxed mind.