“…So, I’d like to hear the opinions of the clan members on this matter.”

I finished speaking quietly and looked ahead. It was the first time I had opened the fourth-floor meeting room since joining the Mercenary House, and a heavy silence filled the space.

I believed I had explained the situation thoroughly. The point was simple: to give Cha Sorim a chance to atone for her actions. But perhaps the vampire’s intrusion had left a bias? The expressions on the clan members’ faces were all subtly complex.

Then it happened.

Thud.

“That’s ridiculous. Oppa! I’m absolutely against it!”

A light thump on the table was followed by Yoo Jung’s angry voice echoing through the room. Her eyebrows were raised high, clearly showing her disapproval of accepting Cha Sorim as a clan member.

“Think about it. Oppa is—”

“Yoo Jung.”

Just as she was about to continue, Ha Yeon interrupted her. Yoo Jung flinched at the sharp look she received and awkwardly cleared her throat, realizing her mistake.

“I’m sorry… But Clan Lord, I really think you should reconsider bringing in Cha Sorim and the vampire.”

“Reconsider… Hmm. Could you tell us why you’re opposed, Yoo Jung?”

“Well, it’s just…”

Despite her initial fervor, Yoo Jung hesitated to answer. Her faltering words suggested she didn’t have a clear reason. Before the meeting, I overheard her saying, “Did you see how she walked in? Acting all high and mighty like a thief!” It seemed the attempted theft of the elixir had left a strong impression on her.

“It’s just… Vampires are monsters… Accepting a monster makes me uneasy… And I’m worried about how others will see us… You said it yourself, Clan Lord, that we should be careful with our actions because many are watching us these days…”

Yoo Jung trailed off, sensing the weakness in her argument.

Her concerns weren’t entirely unfounded, but they were more of a worry than a real issue.

It was time to start persuading them. After organizing my thoughts, I spoke calmly.

“As Yoo Jung said, vampires are indeed monsters. But that’s all they are. While rare, there are cases in Hall Plain where monsters or residents become allies of users. So, I don’t think we need to worry too much about how others perceive us.”

I looked at Yoo Jung, silently asking for her understanding. She pouted, indicating she understood but wasn’t convinced.

‘She really doesn’t like this idea.’

I sighed briefly and turned my attention to the other clan members. If it were just a matter of personal dislike, I wouldn’t have called this meeting.

All the clan members, except for Go Yeon Joo, who was dispatched as an instructor, were present. I wanted to hear their thoughts as well.

“Anyway, that’s my opinion…”

“But sister, we don’t know for sure yet. And…”

On one side, Ha Yeon and Hanna were quietly exchanging opinions. The elder had his eyes closed, deep in thought, while An Sol seemed to be struggling with something she wanted to say.

In contrast, the newer clan members were relatively quiet, seemingly gauging the situation.

How much time had passed?

As everyone was organizing their thoughts, Ha Yeon and Hanna finally stopped their discussion. They nodded at each other, indicating they had reached a consensus. Ha Yeon turned to face me.

As our eyes met, her pink lips parted slightly beneath her sky-blue hair.

“Clan Lord, isn’t it a bit risky to accept Cha Sorim and the vampire?”

She wasn’t as direct in her opposition as Yoo Jung, but her meaning was the same.

I asked immediately.

“What part do you find risky?”

“It’s a bit of a joke, but there’s a saying about adult videos: there are people who have never watched one, but no one who has watched just one.”

A faint chuckle rippled through the room. It wasn’t the most appropriate comment, but it lightened the tension a bit.

I chuckled lightly and looked at Ha Yeon. She remained composed, as expected of her. She wouldn’t have said it without a reason.

I tapped the table briefly and spoke calmly.

“You’re concerned about the possibility of repeat offenses, aren’t you?”

“The warehouse has already been breached once. And since vampires are known for their loyalty to their masters, they could easily do it again.”

“And?”

“That’s not all. Cha Sorim is currently…”

Listening to Ha Yeon, I smiled slightly.

At that moment, she seemed to realize something from my smile and stopped mid-sentence, looking a bit sheepish.

Ha Yeon’s points were simple but hit the core issue: anxiety. Given the precedent, there’s a possibility of it happening again. If we accept them into the Mercenary House, that possibility increases. Her argument was, in fact, quite reasonable.

However, there were a few things Ha Yeon overlooked.

“Ha Yeon, it’s true the vampire broke into the warehouse and breached security. And they stole the elixir.”

”…Yes.”

“I’m not saying that was right. But I want to look at this from a different perspective.”

I began to persuade them calmly.

The key point was that the vampire stole only the elixir. Aside from one bottle of elixir, everything else in the warehouse was untouched. The reason was simple: to heal their master, Cha Sorim.

The solution was straightforward. If the Mercenary House treated Cha Sorim, the vampire would have no reason to raid the warehouse again. Her injuries, being ‘set,’ could be healed with magic or miracles.

“But even if it’s not the elixir…”

“The vampire is a resident. If you’re really worried, you can ask Cha Sorim to renew her contract.”

Ha Yeon tried to argue again, but I countered immediately. She blinked a few times, then tilted her head with a sheepish smile, seemingly convinced. She probably didn’t have much else to say.

By now, all the clan members had heard my explanation. As I looked around, a few nodded in agreement, acknowledging the logic in my words. Then, someone slowly raised a hand. It was the elder.

“Clan Lord, if I may, I’d like to add a word.”

“Please do.”

I nodded, and the elder stood up calmly.

“Heh heh… I can understand how everyone feels. You must have been shocked and angry about the attempted theft of something precious. I fully understand those feelings. But I also agree with the Clan Lord’s opinion.”

The elder’s voice was gentle and soothing, like a grandfather telling a story to his grandchildren. It carried a sense of wisdom. I focused even more intently.

“Cha Sorim didn’t order the elixir to be stolen. It was entirely the vampire’s decision. She must feel some injustice. Yet, she came here, deeply apologized, and is seeking your forgiveness.”

That was exactly my point. I propped my chin on my hand and silently cheered him on.

“Considering these points, I think it’s worth giving her a chance… In fact, embracing her might be the better approach. At least, better than resorting to extreme measures.”

The elder concluded his calm speech and slowly sat down. His final words were quite meaningful. Embracing might be better than extreme measures. The elder also seemed to sense the ambiguity surrounding Cha Sorim’s situation.

In any case.

The first vote of support had been cast. The elder’s opinion came at a perfect time. As I had been persuading Yoo Jung and Ha Yeon, the atmosphere had gradually shifted, and the elder’s support solidified it.

“Does anyone else have a different opinion?”

I asked, hoping to ride the momentum, and confirmed that there were no further objections. Although a few still seemed dissatisfied, they ultimately remained silent.

Feeling that this was enough, I turned to An Hyun.

“An Hyun, please bring the two of them to the meeting room.”

“What? Oh, yes, understood.”

An Hyun, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly snapped to attention. It seemed he had been lost in thought during the meeting.

As An Hyun quickly left the room, I moistened my lips.

After a short while, Cha Sorim and the vampire entered the meeting room. Once An Hyun guided them to the center and returned to his seat, I quietly observed her. Cha Sorim seemed quite tense, likely anxious about the decision.

I spoke softly.

“Cha Sorim.”

“Yes.”

“I’d like to see your skills.”

“W-What?”

Cha Sorim responded in a voice filled with surprise.

“After discussing with the clan members, we’ve decided to give user Cha Sorim and the vampire a chance. However, there’s one condition attached.”

“And that condition is…?”

“It’s based on user Cha Sorim’s skills.”

The suggestion to assess her skills came from Hanbyeol. Although they had agreed to accept her, they needed to test her abilities to some extent.

‘Why are they doing this?’

Cha Sorim looked bewildered for a moment, glancing around as if unsure of what to do.

Finally, she closed her eyes tightly and spoke in a trembling voice.

“B-but… I’m new to this… I have no experience… and in a situation like this… how can I…?”

‘Is she lacking confidence?’

It was surprising at first, but I quickly understood her feelings. She was in a difficult situation physically, and it was natural for her to wonder if she could perform at her best.

Not wanting to be too harsh, I reassured her.

“There’s no need to worry. Considering your current condition, we won’t test you immediately. We’ll wait until you’ve recovered.”

At that moment, Cha Sorim’s eyes flew open, and she lifted her head.

“Are you saying you’ll heal me?”

“Yes.”

“Then… could it be…!”

“It’s not an elixir.”

I shook my head.

“Even without an elixir, the Mercenary Clan has two ways to heal you.”

“Is that true?”

The vampire’s voice rang out, but I continued without acknowledging it.

“If neither of these methods works, we’ll use an elixir to heal you. How does that sound?”

“Oh.”

The entire Mercenary Clan was present in the meeting room, so my words carried weight and credibility.

Cha Sorim stared at me, blinking rapidly, clearly overwhelmed.

Seeing her like that, I felt a slight pang in my chest. I was confident in our ability to heal her through other means, so mentioning the elixir was more of a reassurance.

Cha Sorim tilted her head slightly but responded.

“If that’s what you think is best… Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I’ve heard your spear skills are exceptional. I’m looking forward to seeing them.”

As Cha Sorim bowed her head, I shook mine.

And then, it happened.

“What?”

Cha Sorim froze, as if time had stopped just for her.

“Spear skills…? Oh, oh!”

After about ten seconds, her previously awkward expression transformed into one of clarity. Her face flushed red, and she avoided my gaze, clearly embarrassed, like a shy girl caught off guard.

“User Cha Sorim, is there a problem?”

“N-no, not at all!”

She answered loudly, then took a deep breath before quickly continuing, as if to confirm something.

“So, if I pass the test, I’ll be staying here?”

“Most likely, yes.”

“I see… So that’s how it is… Mercenary…”

After a moment, Cha Sorim let out a long sigh, her face gradually calming as she regained her composure. Initially, her reaction had worried me, but seeing her settle down was reassuring.

Finally, with a determined look in her eyes, she spoke.

“If that’s the case… I understand. Thank you for giving this useless body a chance to live again. I’ll do my best.”

I replied with the usual line.

“Welcome to the Mercenary Clan.”

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=

Just made it by noon. ㅜ.ㅠ

Ah, I read the comments from the last chapter, and there were some interesting opinions. Some of you might be disappointed, but Cha Sorim is already spoken for. Remember when I mentioned creating a new character to pair with Ahn Hyun? Cha Sorim is that protagonist. Haha. :)