Choice, Barbara
“User Shin Sang-yong. User Lee Man-sung. User Baek Han-gyeol.”
As soon as I mentioned those three names, I noticed a few people flinch. Instantly, an unprecedented tension began to ripple through the clan members.
In the Hall Plain, the word “war” carries a weight that cannot be taken lightly. This isn’t just an exploration or an expedition; it’s a matter of life and death, where a single mistake could cost you your life. It’s the kind of large-scale battle with the highest mortality rate.
I could fully understand the anxiety among the clan members, but that didn’t mean I could cater to their every wish. Sometimes, you have to do things you don’t want to. If we declared our non-participation in the war now, I had a strong feeling that this would be the end of the Mercenaries.
One thing was clear: now was the time to step up.
After a brief pause, I spoke decisively.
“Everyone except the three names I just called will participate in the war. That concludes the personnel announcement. That’s all.”
“What…?!”
The announcement was simple, but the first response came unexpectedly from Shin Sang-yong.
I turned my head calmly in the direction of the voice and saw Shin Sang-yong sitting at the far left. He seemed surprised, but upon closer inspection, there was a slight frown on his face. It was rare for him to show such emotion, so I couldn’t help but tilt my head in curiosity.
‘What’s going on with him?’
Not that the others were any different, but I judged Baek Han-gyeol to be too inexperienced for war. The old man wasn’t brought in for combat in the first place.
As for Shin Sang-yong, I had agonized over his participation but finally made a decision last night. It wasn’t because he preferred safety. Unlike Vivian, Shin Sang-yong was still more of an “alchemist” than a “summoner.” And “alchemy” wasn’t exactly a combat-oriented skill.
“If anyone has objections to this decision, you have the floor now.”
”…”
“User Shin Sang-yong?”
“N-no, it’s nothing.”
When I asked again, Shin Sang-yong seemed flustered but soon bowed his head quietly. I waited a bit longer, but he showed no further reaction, just sat there deep in thought.
“Regarding this war, I’ll explain from the perspective of the Mercenaries.”
I took a light breath and looked around at everyone.
The meeting room had become so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was holding their breath, focused on my words. Initially, I was a bit worried, but then I realized this wasn’t entirely bad. This attitude was proof that they were taking the war seriously.
“As free mercenaries, we will undertake this war in the form of a commission. Of course, this is merely a formal procedure to maintain our clan’s identity.”
At that moment, I noticed Jung Ha-yeon cautiously raising her hand.
“Does that mean there’s a clan that commissioned the Mercenaries?”
“Yes, there is. In fact, there are two.”
Anyone quick-witted would have sensed something odd in my words. I decided to cut to the chase.
“The Mercenary Clan has decided to accept the commission from the East. We plan to move to Princia soon and assist in the recapture of Barbara under the Eastern Alliance’s command.”
“What…? Not Istantel Low? Wait a minute. If it’s a commission from the East… what about the South?”
As expected, Jung Ha-yeon’s face began to show a hint of confusion, sensing something was off.
Though it’s still a secret, it would soon come to light. Until then, I planned to keep a tight lid on it, so I continued speaking.
“Now, I’ll explain the operation name ‘New World’ devised by the Northern Continent.”
(So, you’ve decided to come to our side after all?)
“Yes. Attacking the western city isn’t a bad idea, but recapturing Barbara seemed worthwhile.”
(Didn’t Istantel Low try to hold you back?)
“Well, they seemed a bit disappointed, but that’s just my impression. They still respected my decision.”
My brother’s face, reflected in the crystal ball, looked rather bitter. He clearly wasn’t thrilled about my decision to go East, judging by his expression from the start.
Eventually, he clicked his tongue and gave a wry smile.
(If that’s what you think, there’s nothing I can do. So, when are you coming over?)
“When are you leaving?”
(Soon. I don’t know about the South, but the East is almost ready. Something came up recently, so we had to speed things up. Anyway, since you’ve made up your mind, it’s best to come as soon as possible to get used to the atmosphere here.)
The “something” must refer to the incident where Barbara cut off its own warp gate. I could guess that this event forced them to move up the departure date.
“Got it. I’ve already informed the clan members, so we should be able to move in three or four days.”
(Alright. I’ll make sure to inform them, so just focus on wrapping things up.)
“I can’t do that. There are still some formalities to follow. It’s just a matter of sending a single messenger, so don’t worry too much.”
I shook my head firmly. I believed it was unsightly to value procedures and then not adhere to them myself.
(Understood. Anyway, I have a lot to say about the formation and the war, but let’s discuss it when we meet. That seems better.)
“Okay. Once I get to Princia, I’ll visit the Haemil Clan first. I’ll hang up now.”
(Oh, I’d appreciate it if you could give me a heads-up before you come.)
That was a given, so I nodded vigorously to reassure him.
After exchanging brief farewells with my brother, I cut off the magic flowing into the crystal ball. Once the light in the crystal ball faded, I pushed it aside and turned my attention to the desk.
There, Ansol was scribbling a message to send to the Eastern Clan. Occasionally, she let out a small groan, as if she was wracking her brain.
“Ansol? Let’s do a mid-review. Bring me what you’re writing.”
“Eek! B-brother, could you give me a little more time?”
“No, I said I want to do a mid-review. We need to send the message today. I can’t give you more time.”
Ansol looked like she was about to cry, but when I urged her in a stern voice, she reluctantly got up and handed me the document. I began to review it carefully.
“Hello. This is Kim Su-hyun, the Lord of the Mercenary Clan. The reason I’m sending this message is…”
As I read through the document, I suddenly extended my right hand.
“Bring me the quill.”
Perhaps because of the numerous times I’d scolded her, the quill was quickly placed in my hand. As soon as I received it, I began editing the content. I crossed out unnecessary parts and added what was needed.
“Brother, how is it…?”
“It’s not bad. It’s better than the first draft.”
When I glanced up to answer, I saw Ansol’s face brighten, perhaps because it had been a while since she received a compliment.
Honestly, it still wasn’t perfect, but it was an improvement compared to the first draft. The initial version felt like a letter from a kindergarten student to a soldier.
“There are still some issues, though. It’s true that the Lord of Goryeo has a higher reputation than I do, but we’re still both clan lords. There’s no need to be overly formal. Also, there are too many embellishments.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“And the biggest problem is, you’re too slow. If it were Jung Ha-yeon or Lee Yoo-jung, they would have finished it in ten minutes.”
“I’ll try harder from now on!”
Effort, huh. Compared to the first day of training when she almost cried after being scolded, this was a significant improvement.
Anyway, I decided to be satisfied with this for today and quickly completed the message. I handed the revised version to Ansol along with a blank sheet of paper.
“Copy this onto the new sheet. Send it as soon as it’s done. You know where to send it, right?”
“Um… to the Goryeo Clan in Princia.”
“Right. And after sending the message, post a notice on the first-floor lobby board. Tell them we’ll have a final check in two days, so they should have their equipment ready by then.”
“Yes, understood.”
Ansol answered obediently. After hearing her confirmation, I calmly stood up.
“Then I’ll leave it to you. I’m going out for a bit. I expect everything to be done by the time I return.”
“Oh, brother! Wait a moment!”
Just then, as I was about to leave the desk, Ansol’s soft voice stopped me.
“What is it?”
“I have something to tell you… It’s about one of the clan members, and I thought it would be better for you to know…”
I didn’t expect Ansol to bring this up, so I nodded, half impressed and half pleased.
“If it’s about a clan member, I should know. Go ahead.”
Finally reassured, Ansol slowly began to speak.
“Last night, I woke up because I needed to… um, I mean, I wanted to go to the bathroom.”
Noticing my narrowed eyes, Ansol hastily corrected her words. I didn’t want to interfere with her speech, but her choice of words was problematic for a twenty-year-old woman, so I had no choice.
“I couldn’t sleep and felt restless, so I thought I’d take a walk in the garden…”
“And then?”
“I saw Sang-yong sitting alone by the pond.”
“Sang-yong Shin?”
It seemed like nothing at first, but his reaction at yesterday’s meeting was odd. Something about it just didn’t sit right with me.
“Did you notice anything strange?”
An-sol paused, deep in thought, before slowly continuing.
The Mercenary Clan House. Vivian’s workshop on the third floor.
Inside the workshop, bathed in the glow of amber light, a woman and a man were engaged in a serious conversation.
“Do you really have to go that far? It’s not like you chose to step back. Kim Soo-hyun made that decision for you.”
The woman was Vivian. She sat with her legs crossed, scratching her head as she spoke. Her usually relaxed eyes were slightly narrowed, reflecting her complicated feelings.
The man’s response came after a moment.
“Well, yes, that’s true. But… I’ve thought it over carefully and made my decision.”
“Think it over again. I’ve lived through a few wars a hundred years ago. Not as a participant, but as a citizen. War isn’t as simple as you think. And you don’t need to carry that cheap guilt. You’re not the only one staying behind.”
“It’s not guilt! And my situation is completely different from theirs. I just feel like stepping back this time isn’t right.”
Vivian tried to persuade him with a sincere tone, but the man’s resolve was unshaken.
“Sigh… I get it, but… wait a minute. If you were going to do whatever you wanted, why did you come to talk to me?”
“Ha, haha. You’re the only one I can talk to about this, Master…”
Vivian pouted, clearly frustrated by Sang-yong’s awkward smile.
“Fine, do what you want. But as your mentor, I advise you to think it over one more time. You know Kim Soo-hyun’s personality, right? Once he makes up his mind, he can be really scary, you know?”
“Of course. I’m prepared for that.”
“Ugh. Well… if it’s too much, I can talk to him for you.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll handle it myself.”
His firm answer left Vivian with no choice but to shrug and collapse onto her desk.
“Oh dear, oh dear. Whether I do it or not, it’s all on me. I’m done. Kim Soo-hyun will take care of it.”
Watching her, Sang-yong smiled gently.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
And so, the curtain rises on the war! The journey from the East to the Central region will take about two to three weeks! I plan to detail every step of the way, so we might reach Barbara in about 21 chapters! Kim Soo-hyun walked! Kim Soo-hyun nodded! Kim Soo-hyun turned his head! Just like that…
Thud! Thud thud! Thud thud thud thud! Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud!
(After the readers’ reprimands.)
Sniff sniff… Just kidding… (Wipes nosebleed. Wipes tears.)
I’ll smoke a cigarette and post the replies! ‘ㅇ’/
『 Replies 』
Devaran: Congrats on being first. I dare say, Im Han-na’s heart will one day belong to Kim Soo-hyun. (?) Just kidding! Haha.
Chiwoo-hyun: Really? Is cliffhanging bad? If it’s bad, why call it a skill?! (Teasing!) LOL.
Katalina: This is the war that marks the climax of Part 1. Haha. I’m looking forward to it too. Enjoy!
Mingui: It’s that big and beautiful. (?)
Rovellyan: Haha. I used to be a main cannon supporter. Not anymore, though. :)
WonjoongS: I’m grateful you binge-read. If the atmosphere feels gloomy, then I’ve captured it well. War can’t be cheerful. :) I’ll work on the chaos. Thank you!
QuistA.Gw*(): =ㅁ=. Are you looking down on all the bronzes in the country?
ThisIsTheKindOfMan: Well, even if I smoke a pack a day? Sometimes a pack and a half when it’s a lot. (?)
Parnal: Yes, it’s possible. But there’s a unique contraception method in Hall Plain. :D
Yoon.: That’s a unique comment! But somehow, I’m drawn to your tone. LOL. Im Han-na is a great woman too~.
Thank you for always reading. I hope you enjoy the story with a relaxed mind.