Before the war, the Mercenary Clan had thirteen members.
“Shin Sang-yong.”
But during the war, one of them died.
“Nam Da-eun, Woo Jung-min, Sun Yoo-woon, Won Hye-soo, Park Hyun-woo, Cha So-rim, Sasha Felix.”
After the war, we welcomed seven new members.
In a short time, the clan’s numbers swelled to nearly seventy percent of its original size. Now, the Mercenary Clan had nineteen members in total. (I deliberately left out the baby unicorn.)
Of course, compared to the massive clans with hundreds of members, our numbers were meager. But I didn’t place much importance on numbers. The Mercenary Clan valued quality over quantity.
There’s a saying: “One well-trained user is worth more than ten mediocre ones.” It’s better to nurture promising individuals than to fill the ranks with just anyone. Or to bring in those who have already blossomed.
In that sense, the Mercenary Clan was a small but extraordinary group. We had users who had reached the top ten, those with secret or rare classes, and others with the potential to join the top ranks. Our squad was dazzling and impressive to anyone who saw it.
I had no major complaints about the current squad. But having no major complaints didn’t mean I had none at all. My dissatisfaction wasn’t with the members’ skills but with their attitudes.
“The clan members don’t feel like a cohesive unit.”
This thought struck me during a recent meeting about Cha So-rim’s situation. The original members freely voiced their opinions, but the new members seemed hesitant, as if they were walking on eggshells.
I understood why. Most of the new members owed me a debt of gratitude. They were aware that they were receiving certain conveniences or considerations from the Mercenary Clan, so it was natural for them to be cautious.
However, if this situation persisted, it could lead to an awkward dynamic within the clan. They needed to find their voices to integrate smoothly as clan members.
The reason for my sudden concern was that this issue wasn’t something I could directly resolve. Relationships are built through personal effort, not by someone else’s command.
“But I can’t just sit back and do nothing.”
I took a sip of bitter tea and stretched as the sun rose high in the sky. The sunlight streaming through the window slightly warmed the chilly room.
What the Mercenary Clan needed now was unity. Bridging the gap between the original and new members was crucial. While direct intervention was difficult, I could help indirectly by creating opportunities for them to showcase their abilities or bond.
“The only things that come to mind are expeditions or festivals. Or maybe assigning joint missions.”
There were many possibilities, but not many immediate ideas. I chuckled wryly.
“Go Yeon-ju would be great at this… Maybe I should give her a call later.”
“Go Yeon-ju? Who’s that?”
“She’s a member of the Mercenary Clan. She’s away on business right now.”
I took another sip of tea and replied calmly to the voice that had suddenly appeared. I had sensed a presence for a while.
“Ah, I see… You’re quite perceptive, aren’t you?”
The voice belonged to Sasha Felix, who appeared out of thin air. I spoke quietly as I watched the vampire materialize.
“Shouldn’t you say something first?”
“My apologies.”
Sasha bowed her head sincerely. I nodded and continued.
“The office is a private space. Next time, knock before you enter.”
“I’ll remember that. I’m still getting used to the human world, so please understand. Oh, are there any other rules I should know? Like how to speak, for example.”
I chuckled inwardly. Her awkward attempt to add a polite ending was amusing.
“As for your speech… There’s no need to change it. Just distinguish between formal and informal settings. You can manage that, right?”
Sasha tilted her head, sniffing the air like a curious puppy.
“So, what brings you here?”
“I came to express my gratitude.”
“Gratitude?”
“And to apologize.”
”…That’s unexpected. Hmm?”
I lifted my hand, feeling the lightness of the teacup on my finger, and set it aside before speaking again.
“If you’re referring to the theft incident, there’s no need to apologize.”
“Oh, really? Haha, you’re quite straightforward.”
“And your master has already thanked me enough, so that’s unnecessary too.”
“Uh, um. Hmm.”
Sasha stammered, seemingly at a loss for words. But her hesitation suggested she had another reason for being here.
After a moment of indecision, Sasha finally spoke up.
“Actually, I have a favor to ask…”
“So that’s your real reason. Alright, go ahead.”
“Thank you. But before I do, let me properly introduce myself. You deserve to know who I am.”
“How kind of you. I’m touched.”
“Haha, no need for tears. Anyway, I am the rightful heir of the once-glorious Felix lineage, known as…”
Grrrr.
At that moment, Sasha’s stomach growled loudly. The vampire glanced down in embarrassment, then looked at me, flustered by the sudden hunger pangs.
“Heh. Grrrr, huh? That’s quite a unique name.”
“No, no! My name isn’t Grrrr!”
Grrrr!
Despite her protest, Sasha’s stomach betrayed her again, even louder this time.
“Alright, Grrrr. Go on.”
“Ugh!”
Sasha Felix looked frustrated. I chuckled and stood up, heading for the door. The vampire remained standing, turning her head to watch me.
“Where are you going? I haven’t finished my story!”
“Let’s go.”
“Huh?”
“To the dining hall. I’m hungry too. We can talk over lunch.”
Sasha Felix blinked in confusion, then reluctantly nodded and followed me out. As we walked, I heard her clear her throat behind me.
Sasha Felix turned out to be quite the chatterbox. On our way to the dining hall, she kept talking, mostly boasting about her worth as a vampire.
I, who preferred concise summaries, let most of it go in one ear and out the other. After all, I had already confirmed Sasha’s identity with my third eye. I responded appropriately as we descended the stairs.
When we reached the first floor, her endless chatter finally ceased. I heard her catch her breath, suggesting she was a bit tired.
As we entered the lobby, I spotted familiar faces and paused. On the circular sofa, Vivian and Nam Da-eun sat together, engrossed in something. They occasionally exchanged warm smiles.
“Clan Lord. What are you doing? I’m hungry.”
“Just a moment.”
I asked the whining vampire for a moment’s patience and watched the two. Suddenly, Nam Da-eun let out a light laugh. Her genuine smile was heartwarming, enough to dispel my earlier worries. The sight of them together was truly delightful.
I recalled what Nam Da-eun had said when she joined the clan.
“I want to start anew with the Mercenary Clan.”
Remembering that moment filled me with gratitude and pride.
As I’ve said, improving relationships requires personal initiative.
Nam Da-eun had expressed her desire to start fresh and promised to try, but I had secretly worried. Before the war, she had been deeply hurt by her past with the vagrants.
But seeing her smile so brightly after just a few months was proof of her efforts. Knowing how hard it is to shed the masks others place on you and step forward on your own, I wanted to applaud her.
“Oh, don’t even get me started. She secretly loves this kind of thing.”
“Really? Her? No way.”
“I’m serious! Oh, and this is a secret, but she once secretly pinched my butt. Or maybe I should say she smacked it?”
“Oh my, really, sister?”
I approached them with a warm feeling, but they suddenly looked up, startled by my footsteps.
“Vivian. User Nam Da-eun.”
“Oh, uh? Ki, Kim Soo-hyun?”
“Clan Lord?!”
Their voices rose in surprise. They exchanged a quick glance before turning their attention to me.
Gulp!
For some reason, both women swallowed nervously. What were they up to that made them so anxious?
Vivian quickly hid something behind her and laughed awkwardly.
“Ho, hoho. What brings you here? You’re always in your office.”
“Lunch. I was thinking of having lunch with Sasha Felix. Oh, what about you two?”
I asked, thinking we could all eat together if they hadn’t yet, but they quickly shook their heads.
“No, we’re fine. We’ve already eaten.”
“Hahaha. Lunch was really delicious today. I hope you enjoy your meal too, Clan Lord.”
I couldn’t help but squint my eyes. Something felt off, like there was more to this than met the eye.
“So, what were you up to? You seemed to be having a good time.”
“Oh, uh? By the way, Kim Su-hyun!”
Just as I was about to turn my head slightly to the side and continue speaking, Vivian suddenly jumped up and blocked my view. Then she buried herself in my arms, wrapping her arms around me. What on earth is she doing?
“Kim Su-hyun, Kim Su-hyun! Come to think of it, we’ve had a lot of new clan members join recently, right?”
“That’s right. But why?”
“Well, we were just talking about the new members. How about we throw a festival tonight? To celebrate and get to know each other better. Sounds like a good idea, right?”
“A festival, huh.”
I was momentarily taken aback, not because of the idea of a festival, but because it was Vivian suggesting it.
‘Is she the type to enjoy festivals?’
No, Vivian was only interested in festivals for the food. She wasn’t the type to suggest one herself.
“Wow, a festival. That sounds fun. I’d love to join in.”
Nam Da-eun, who had somehow changed seats, chimed in.
I scratched my head for a moment and then shook it.
“It’s a good idea, but tonight’s not possible.”
“Why not?”
“Go Yeon-ju isn’t here. She’s out working in another city. How would it look if we held a festival without her?”
“Oh, right. Sorry, I didn’t think of that. Haha. So, um… do we have any other plans?”
Vivian laughed awkwardly. Watching her, I shrugged. The conversation felt a bit off, like I wasn’t really welcome.
‘Let’s just drop it.’
I decided it was best to bow out. Staying any longer would just make me seem like I was intruding, and I didn’t want to get in the way of their relationship. Plus, I couldn’t keep Sasha Felix waiting forever.
“We’ll probably have something planned soon. I’ll let you know when it’s time, so just be ready.”
“Oh, I’m really looking forward to that.”
“Anyway, I’m heading to the dining hall now. Could you let go?”
Vivian quickly released me and sat back down, letting out a small sigh of relief.
“See you later.”
As I was about to walk away, I turned back.
“Oh, by the way… I have something to say to the Sword Queen too.”
The two women, who had been nudging each other, looked at me with wide eyes.
I focused on Nam Da-eun for a moment before speaking in a serious tone.
“Nam Da-eun? Seeing you with Vivian like this, it’s really nice. I hope to see it more often.”
It was a bit embarrassing, but I meant it as encouragement.
“What?”
Nam Da-eun responded with a puzzled tone, her eyes trembling slightly as if she was flustered. Just as I wondered why, she suddenly bowed her head.
“I’m sorry.”
Her voice was small and apologetic. Now it was my turn to be confused.
“Uh, what are you sorry for?”
“Oh, haha. No, I understand what you mean. I’ll make sure not to show this side of me again.”
With a face that looked deeply hurt, the Sword Queen quickly ran off, disappearing from sight.
As I stood there blinking in confusion, I heard Vivian getting up. When I turned, she was pouting, her cheeks puffed out.
I quickly spoke up.
“Vivian? What’s with Nam Da-eun all of a sudden?”
Vivian didn’t answer right away. Instead, she pouted her lower lip and glared at me before speaking sullenly.
“Kim Su-hyun, that was too much.”
“Uh, what? What was?”
“Never mind! I know Go Yeon-ju works hard, but you didn’t have to be so sarcastic. We work hard too… sniff!”
“Wait, no… Vivian?”
Vivian turned on her heel and walked in the direction Nam Da-eun had gone.
Watching her disappear into the distance, I finally realized I’d made a mistake. Mentioning Go Yeon-ju had been a blunder. I meant it sincerely, but they took it as, “Go Yeon-ju is working hard, while you two are just playing around. Get it together.”
‘Damn it. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.’
My usual strictness with the clan members probably didn’t help either. Regret washed over me as I bit my lip.
“Oh, I see. It sounded like a compliment, but it could be taken as sarcasm. I’ve learned something new, Clan Lord.”
Whether Sasha Felix understood my inner turmoil or not, she nodded vigorously. Listening to her unintended confirmation, I let out a quiet sigh.
Thinking back to Nam Da-eun’s smile, my shoulders slumped for some reason.
‘I just…’
I just wanted to say it was nice to see… that her smile was beautiful, and I hoped to see it more often…
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
I’ll be going to a ski resort on December 26th (Thursday) and 27th (Friday), so there will be no updates on the 27th (Friday) and 28th (Saturday). (__)
This chapter was a slice-of-life segment featuring Kim Su-hyun within the Mercenary Clan. The next chapter will be the final part of the side story, focusing on Kim Su-hyun and the clan members. I couldn’t cover all the side stories, but I chose the ones that overlapped the most.
In the next chapter, Kim Su-hyun’s concerns from this chapter will be somewhat resolved. There will be a part narrated from the clan members’ perspective, and an encounter with one character, as well as a resolution with another. The encounter will include explicit content, so I’ll include a warning for those who might find it uncomfortable. :)