The sword was crying.

A myriad of thoughts raced through my mind in an instant. But first, I quickly picked up the sword I had dropped. It was impolite to drop someone else’s sword, and for some reason, I felt an inexplicable sense of guilt.

I held Nam Da-eun’s sword, “Seol-ah,” in my left hand and gently caressed the blade with my right, as if I were stroking An Sol’s hair from long ago—slowly and softly.

The mournful hum of the sword gradually subsided after about ten strokes. I continued to caress the blade as gently as I could.

”…”

”…”

Suddenly, I had the strange feeling that “Seol-ah” was smiling at me.

‘Could it really be sensing my touch?’

I knew it was unlikely, yet I couldn’t help but be surprised by “Seol-ah’s” reaction. Earlier, it had been emitting a sorrowful sound, but now it was trembling as if in delight.

‘What on earth am I supposed to do with this…?’

Setting aside all other concerns, “Seol-ah” was a sword with a clear owner. Its unexpected reaction left me at a loss.

As I continued to stroke the sword, I glanced up at Nam Da-eun, who was still staring at the ground. She seemed as puzzled by the situation as I was.

‘Seriously… what am I supposed to do here…?’

I sighed inwardly.

And whether “Seol-ah” understood my feelings or not…

Wooong~.

The sword continued to emit a clear, resonant hum.

As Nam Da-eun had mentioned, there was a gathering of the team members that evening. I attended the meeting with her, still burdened by the unresolved incident.

The meeting of these special users began, but there was nothing particularly special about it. It consisted of Nam Da-eun’s brief introduction as the representative of the team and a chance for the participants to recognize each other’s faces.

Despite the small number of attendees, each user had a strong personality—or perhaps it was pride. Nam Da-eun seemed to understand this well, as she maintained a non-authoritative demeanor throughout the meeting, simply saying, “Let’s work well together during the war,” in a formal tone.

Her attitude of leaving things to unfold naturally led to a rather relaxed atmosphere as time went on.

The conversation mainly revolved around the war. Initially, there was a lot of talk about Barbara, but as the topic ran dry, the focus shifted to the vagrants.

“Ugh. Sis, I really can’t stand those vagrants hanging outside. I don’t even know what they’re doing there…”

I turned my head at the sound of a voice and saw Nurse Kang Ye-bin, her face scrunched up in displeasure. She was clinging to Go Yeon-ju, voicing her complaints.

“Once we’ve gotten all the information we need, wouldn’t it be better to just deal with them cleanly? I don’t see the point of leaving them hanging in the center like that… It ruins my appetite every time I see it.”

“Well, I don’t see it that way.”

A deep voice suddenly interjected into Kang Ye-bin’s words. It wasn’t Go Yeon-ju’s voice; it belonged to the “Cursed Sorcerer,” Kang Tae-wook.

Kang Ye-bin’s eyes widened for a moment before she recognized him and made a face of disdain.

“Huh? Oh, right. I guess that’s just your style.”

“That’s a bit harsh. It’s not about style; it’s about atmosphere.”

“Atmosphere? What nonsense is that?”

”…Hmph. I don’t have the confidence to explain it to you. Let’s drop it. I doubt you’d understand even if I tried…”

“What did you say?”

Kang Tae-wook’s eyes briefly flashed with disdain before he turned away with a sigh.

‘Atmosphere, huh.’

But I had a vague idea of what Kang Tae-wook meant.

It was, quite literally, a matter of atmosphere. The city was already tense with the anticipation of war. However, the “advertisement” that Lee Hyo-eul had mentioned had created an overly optimistic expectation of victory among the users.

From this perspective, preemptively blocking the vagrants’ infiltration had a beneficial effect on the Eastern users. Even a slight reminder of the enemy’s presence was enough to heighten their vigilance.

Excessive tension is not good, but in a life-and-death war, a thorough awareness of the enemy is essential.

I was lost in thought, occasionally glancing at Kang Tae-wook, who sat quietly.

In the first round, Kang Tae-wook and I had a passing acquaintance. We weren’t particularly close, but we had once worked together as “vagrant hunters.” I vividly remembered his brutal methods, such as conducting human experiments and crossbreeding on captured vagrants.

Wooong…

“Alright, alright.”

I must have been too deep in thought because I had stopped stroking the sword without realizing it. The faint hum from below prompted me to resume caressing the blade.

”…”

From a corner, I could feel Nam Da-eun’s apologetic gaze.

It was then.

“Kim Su-hyun. Kim Su-hyun.”

“Hmm?”

A lively, yet slightly mischievous voice called out to me. I didn’t need to look to know who it was. It was Vivian.

“Now that I think about it, there’s something I’m curious about. Have you seen Shin Sang-yong lately?”

“Shin Sang-yong? I haven’t seen him recently. Why?”

“Oh, he’s supposed to arrive in Barbara tomorrow or the day after. I thought it would be good to visit him as his mentor.”

“Then just go see him.”

“But he’s never there when I go. I’m starting to think he’s avoiding me…”

Vivian’s voice trailed off, sounding a bit dejected. Her reaction made me tilt my head in curiosity.

‘Avoiding her?’

“Should I go look for him?”

“Huh? Well, I guess that’s fine, but what if you can’t find him? And it’s a bit late, isn’t it?”

Vivian looked surprised at my suggestion. The meeting was nearly over, and a few users had already left for various reasons.

“If he’s not there… well, it’s not like I can’t find him at night. I’ll go check.”

“Phew. Thanks. I mean, surely Shin Sang-yong wouldn’t avoid you.”

Nodding at Vivian’s sigh, I stood up—or at least, I tried to.

“Oh, wait. Kim Su-hyun, just one more thing.”

”?”

“This is just personal curiosity, but what have you been doing since earlier?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

Instead of answering, Vivian lowered her gaze. Her eyes were fixed on “Seol-ah” in my left hand and the hand stroking the blade. I instinctively changed the subject.

“The weather’s nice today. The sky’s clear, don’t you think?”

“Huh? What are you talking about? It’s night.”

She wasn’t buying it. I quickly set the sword down and stood up. She’d probably figure it out since she’d been watching.

“Listening to you, I’m a bit worried about Shin Sang-yong. I’ll go check on him right away. Don’t worry too much.”

“Uh, okay. Thanks. But… Kim Su-hyun? Kim Su-hyun!”

I heard her calling after me, but I left the tent quickly.

‘Damn, this is embarrassing.’

I grumbled inwardly as I headed straight for the third division. Even though Shin Sang-yong was a “Chimera Alchemist,” he was currently classified as a mage.

However.

To cut to the chase, I couldn’t find Shin Sang-yong. I asked the guards and found his tent, but he wasn’t there. Even the users sharing the tent didn’t know where he was. All they could tell me was that he seemed troubled lately and returned to the tent late at night.

I could have searched high and low, but I decided to hold off. Since he returned to the tent at night, I figured I could meet him tomorrow.

Still, I felt a bit disappointed to return empty-handed, so I decided to visit Kim Han-byeol instead.

But when I finally found Kim Han-byeol’s tent, I encountered an unexpected person.

“Oh? Mercenary Lord?”

“Ah. You are…?”

“What brings you here?”

In front of Kim Han-byeol’s tent stood Seon-yul, the Tarot Card Magician and leader of the third division.

Inside the personal tent of the third division leader, the Tarot Card Magician, I sat at a table in the center, facing Seon-yul.

The tent was dimly lit, but the light stones scattered around emitted a faint glow, allowing me to vaguely make out Seon-yul’s figure in the dim light.

Soon, Seon-yul’s lips parted slightly.

“I see. You came to check on your clan members… How diligent of you. I was doing something similar myself.”

“I didn’t expect to run into you there.”

“It’s alright. I don’t find it unpleasant at all, so don’t worry. In fact, I find it rather endearing.”

A thin smile played on Seon-yul’s lips as she looked at me, and I gazed back at her quietly.

Seonyul’s outfit was something straight out of a modern magician’s wardrobe, exuding an air of mystery. Yet, being a woman, her attire revealed a fair amount of skin.

She wore a black lingerie ensemble that showcased her delicate shoulders and elegant collarbones. The fabric was sheer enough to hint at the curve of her cleavage. Below, she sported a garter belt, adding to the allure.

Her sensual charm was so pronounced, it was like gazing upon the epitome of a femme fatale.

“Um… if it’s about Mr. Shin Sang-yong… don’t worry too much.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“Of course. He’s one of my subordinates, after all. And I have a keen interest in all the mercenaries… I think he’s just nervous about arriving in Barbara soon. He’s been wandering around, lost in thought, but I figured it’s best to leave him be.”

I’d have to meet him tomorrow to know for sure, but if Seonyul was right, it was understandable.

‘Come to think of it… I really don’t know what to make of this person.’

At first, I thought she was just full of bravado. But now, I see her skill in managing those around her and her sense of responsibility. It seems I need to reassess my opinion of her.

“Just in case, I’ll let him know that the Mercenary Lord came by when he returns.”

“Thank you.”

With that, a brief silence settled between us. The quiet felt oddly uncomfortable, so I decided to break it.

“Tower Lord, you mentioned you had some questions for me.”

Indeed, I had encountered Seonyul near Kim Han-byeol’s tent, where she was making her rounds. She had invited me to chat, and I had accepted, finding myself in her private tent.

“Feel free to call me Seonyul. And yes, as I mentioned earlier, I have a deep interest in the mercenary clan members.”

Seonyul paused, as if gathering her thoughts, then continued in a soft voice.

“But honestly, my questions aren’t anything grand.”

“What are you curious about?”

“I’m just curious about you as a person. I have a lot of questions, like… what kind of person are you? Is it true you’re Hamil Lord’s younger brother? How did you manage to uncover so many relics in such a short time? How did you capture Baek Seoyeon despite being a rookie? How did you manage to catch Go Yeonju, who was roaming freely? Are you really as extraordinary as the rumors say? Things like that. And, if I may ask, aren’t you curious about me?”

‘What?’

The conversation seemed to veer off course, but Seonyul’s expression was so earnest that I couldn’t help but respond, albeit with a puzzled look.

“Um… I think I heard something strange in the middle, but I get the gist. I have my own curiosities, though they’re personal.”

“Oh my, that piques my interest. Hehe. Can I hear what you’re curious about? Even if it’s a bit risqué, I won’t mind.”

“It’s just… you seem a bit unpredictable.”

“Why do you feel that way?”

When I shared my honest thoughts, Seonyul looked at me with a curious gaze. I pondered for a moment before speaking calmly.

“Whether it’s during meetings, from what the clan members say, or when you spoke with the vagrants last time.”

“The mercenary clan members? What did they say? Could you tell me everything? I’m curious.”

‘She’s quite the inquisitive one… but then again, she’s a magician.’

Her endless questions made me chuckle inwardly, but since I had opened the door, I answered as best as I could.

“I heard you’ve been very supportive. Giving advice, reading fortunes, chatting… they said you’re like a big sister. Anyway, we’re grateful for your care.”

“Oh, you mean Ha-yeon and Vivian. There’s no need to thank me. I just liked them and wanted to befriend them… that’s why I read their fortunes… Ah.”

Seonyul seemed to understand the situation better now. She nodded a couple of times, then suddenly looked up as if she remembered something.

After about a minute, Seonyul spoke again.

“Um… Mercenary Lord.”

“Yes.”

“This might be a bit forward, but I have to ask. Vivian is a resident, right? Are you in a contract with her?”

I wasn’t sure why she was asking, but I decided to answer truthfully. Seonyul’s serious demeanor had added an unnecessary weight to our conversation.

“Yes, I am.”

“That’s a relief. But just in case, you should review the contract carefully. And…”

Another silence fell. Compared to the earlier flow of questions, this felt stifling, but I reminded myself to be patient.

Fortunately, the silence didn’t last long. Seonyul seemed to have made up her mind.

“Mercenary Lord, I’ve been thinking, and I believe it’s best to tell you. Be cautious of Vivian.”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“I read Vivian’s fortune once, and the result wasn’t very favorable.”

“Could you share the details of the reading?”

It might have been a bold request, but Seonyul nodded willingly.

“Since I brought it up, I should see it through. But please keep it a secret from Vivian.”

“Of course.”

With my assurance, Seonyul began her story.

“Fortune-telling with cards can be just for fun, but sometimes it hits the mark with uncanny accuracy.”

“By ambiguous, you mean it’s open to interpretation.”

“Exactly. The interpretation can vary. But last time, Vivian’s reading…”

Seonyul closed her eyes, as if recalling the reading, and continued.

“She has a wish, something she desires. It’s strongly connected to someone else.”

“A wish…”

“I don’t know what it is. But the likelihood of it coming true is very high. And if it does…”

I remembered a time when I almost heard something from Vivian, but an unexpected incident interrupted. So I focused intently on Seonyul’s words.

“Honestly, from here, I’m not sure. So I’ll just tell you the card’s interpretation.”

“Yes.”

“Both will become something they’re not.”

“What?”

The same word, “yes,” but the meaning changed entirely with the context. Seonyul seemed to sense this and licked her lips.

“I mentioned interpretation is key, right? It could mean losing oneself. It’s open to interpretation, but it doesn’t sound positive.”

‘Become something they’re not?’

A vague yet familiar feeling crept up on me. It was like grasping at something just out of reach.

“Mercenary Lord.”

Seonyul’s voice called me back. She pulled out a deck of cards and lifted it slightly.

“Since we’re on the topic, would you like me to read your fortune too?”

The cards shuffled with a soft, expert touch.

“Is there anything you’re curious about?”