00420 10. The Final Story (9/9). ------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Laughter echoes!)
“Go Yeon-ju.”
(Sorry, Su-hyeon. But it’s just too funny… Haha!)
”…Sigh.”
Watching Go Yeon-ju laugh uncontrollably, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh. For a moment, I was tempted to end the call, but I managed to suppress the urge and pressed the crystal ball harder.
‘I should’ve just stuck to the point and ended the call…’
Initially, I wanted to hear her thoughts on improving clan unity. But somehow, the conversation veered off course, eventually leading to updates on our clan members. I ended up sharing my recent experiences with Vivian and Nam Da-eun, hoping for some sympathy. But really, who was to blame? It was my fault for bringing it up.
“Could you stop laughing and share some good ideas?”
(Giggle. It’s been a while since I laughed this hard. As for good ideas? Hmm~.)
Yeon-ju wiped her eyes and rested her chin on her interlocked fingers.
(Well, I have a lot of thoughts, but I need to organize them. It’s not a trivial matter, after all.)
“Organize, huh?”
Knock, knock.
Just then.
“Brother, brother. Something’s happened.”
I was about to tell her to calm down and explain when I heard An-sol’s sweet voice from outside the door.
“Something happened?”
“We have a visitor. They want to see the Clan Lord.”
(She’s still the same. How is a visitor a big deal?)
“Exactly.”
Yeon-ju’s sharp remark. I quietly agreed with her and then raised my voice.
“Who is it?”
“Well… Oh! They said they’re from the Tower of Magic.”
“The Tower of Magic? Why…? Anyway, got it. I’ll be out soon, so please escort them to the VIP room on the fourth floor. And bring some tea.”
“Okay~.”
I sensed An-sol’s presence moving away. As I slowly lifted the crystal ball, Yeon-ju, still resting her chin, looked down at me.
“Seems like I have a guest. I should go.”
(Oh, really? But what to do? I don’t want to let you go~.)
“I’m the one supplying the magic power. So, whether the call stays connected is up to me.”
(Tsk.)
Yeon-ju gave me a playful glare, but it wasn’t a serious one.
(Alright. I’ll think about it more, so don’t forget to call me later.)
“Understood. I’ll contact you later. Goodbye.”
(Wait. You’re just going to leave like that? No matter how busy you are. Here, a kiss~.)
“Goodbye.”
Yeon-ju puckered her lips towards the crystal ball, but I cut the magic connection immediately. A small act of revenge for her earlier laughter.
I stretched a bit and stood up. A visitor from the Tower of Magic, huh? I hadn’t caught their name, but I had a good guess.
‘The Tarot Card Magician.’
Who else would come to see me but Seon-yul?
I was curious about the reason for the visit, but first, I adjusted my clothes and headed to the VIP room. Without much thought, I opened the door and found Seon-yul already there. I was taken aback.
“Oh…”
Seon-yul seemed just as surprised. She was about to sit down but hesitated, indicating she had arrived just before me.
“Lord of the Magic Tower. When did you arrive?”
“Again with the ‘Magic Tower Lord’… Tsk, just now.”
“Then An-sol…”
“An-sol? If you mean the cheerful little one, she just pointed me in the general direction and ran off.”
”…What?”
“She mentioned something about bringing tea~. So cute.”
‘This fool.’
Seon-yul spoke nonchalantly, but I felt my face flush with embarrassment. Letting a guest, especially a secret class user and a clan lord, find their way alone without an escort…
“Anyway, it’s been a while.”
“It has.”
After a brief exchange of greetings, we sat down. Seon-yul gently touched her exposed shoulder. Her outfit exuded a mysterious allure, resembling slightly provocative lingerie. As she crossed her legs, a garter belt peeked out, along with fishnet stockings covering her long calves.
I felt a gaze from the front. Reflexively, I looked up to find Seon-yul watching me with a subtle look.
“Mercenary Lord. Do you remember the promise we made?”
“Promise?”
”…You seem quite busy these days?”
“Not really. I’ve been relatively free lately. But why do you ask…?”
Seon-yul didn’t say more. Instead, she bit her lip and continued to gaze at me. Just as I began to worry she might be upset, a thought flashed through my mind.
‘Come to think of it… Did we agree to meet?’
Yes. Now that I think about it, we did make plans after a meeting in Barbara a few months ago. I definitely remember.
Feeling a bit foolish, I rubbed my forehead. But Seon-yul seemed to notice my realization, as a gentle smile formed on her lips.
Just as I was starting to feel awkward, an unexpected savior appeared.
Knock, knock.
“Brother. I mean, Clan Lord. I brought the tea. May I come in?”
“Ah, come in.”
Grateful for the interruption, I quickly responded. Then, I spoke naturally.
“Haha. The tea is here. It’s cold outside, so let’s warm up first. The tea should be quite warm.”
“Oh my, you’re good at changing the subject. I almost fell for it. You could be an actor.”
But Seon-yul wasn’t fooled. Just as I was about to taste the bitterness of defeat, the door opened cautiously. An-sol entered, balancing a tray in both hands.
“It’s the Ramon tea the Shadow Queen left behind. I hope you like it.”
“Oh my… You’re so kind. I’ll enjoy the tea.”
“Hehe. Oh, it’s nothing.”
”…Is she naturally like this? I didn’t expect that.”
Seon-yul’s last comment was probably only audible to me.
Anyway, as Seon-yul played along, An-sol smiled quietly. Or at least, she tried to. Her graceful walk was reminiscent of a model, still caught up in her saintly act.
“Ahem. Ahem, ahem. Please wait a moment.”
“Pfft.”
I don’t know what she thought, but from a third-party perspective… Honestly, it was quite embarrassing.
As the awkwardness piled up, I turned my gaze away, unable to watch any longer.
“Huh? Oh, oh?”
Suddenly, An-sol’s startled voice reached my ears. I quickly turned back to see her stumbling, unable to keep her balance. It seemed her unfamiliar steps had tripped her up.
“No, don’t!”
In the end, An-sol let out a small scream and dropped the tray. I sighed lightly. I should have known things were too quiet lately. Anyway, I intended to catch the falling tray.
’…Huh?’
And at that moment, I felt my eyes widen.
In an instant, the teacup flew through the air. Before I could react, the dark tea spilled onto my pants.
“Ah! Brother, I’m sorry!”
An-sol crawled over from where she had fallen, her hands flailing at my thigh. I felt her touch and the hot liquid soaking my pants, but I couldn’t bring myself to look down.
‘Did I… just stand there?’
An-sol’s movements had been incredibly precise. Even though I knew she was going to fall, I couldn’t react. The distance she fell, the direction the tea spilled, the angle it hit me—it was all perfect, as if measured with a ruler. If it had been a sword instead of tea, I would have been seriously injured.
“An-sol?”
Calming my racing heart, I looked down to see An-sol, unsure of what to do.
“Brother… I’m sorry… Sob…”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at me. But the scene was… awkward. To put it precisely, she was kneeling between my slightly spread legs, her face tilted up. Wait. This looks like something out of an AV… What am I thinking?
I shook my head vigorously. Then, I placed the fallen teacup back on the table and helped An-sol to her feet, reassuring her that it was okay. Given her earlier movements, I didn’t think she had done it on purpose.
‘It must have been a coincidence.’
Watching An-sol leave the room dejectedly, I slowly stood up. Judging by the dripping tea, my underwear and the inside of my pants were thoroughly soaked. Ugh, uncomfortable.
“Sigh. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright. It’s actually quite refreshing.”
”…I’ll go change. My office is just next door, so it won’t take long.”
“No, there’s no need for that.”
Wondering what she meant, I looked up to see a green-glowing card in her hand.
Seon-yul’s lips parted.
“Draw Out.”
At that moment, the green light around the card intensified, and the spilled liquid began to rise. My soaked pants were no exception. The tea absorbed into the fabric slowly seeped out, forming several streams of water.
“Yap.”
The soft, flowing sound of water, like a gentle wave, followed Sunyul’s fingers as it settled into the teacup. I blinked absentmindedly. My pants were slightly damp, and the cup was filled with cold tea.
Sunyul elegantly lifted the cup and took a sip. Wait, isn’t that… I realized it was a bit much, considering it was just cold water.
“Mmm. It’s delicious.”
”…Impressive.”
“Well, as a member of the Secret Class, I have to maintain some standards. By the way, you mentioned Ramon tea? You should try Mercenary Road sometime. It’s got a rich flavor.”
“Haha…”
I wondered if Sunyul was doing this on purpose. Regardless, my thoughts of tea vanished (even if it was water on my clothes), and I quietly watched her. Sunyul, with her light brown neck exposed, tilted the cup to the last drop.
“Alright. Enough playing around. Shall we get to the point?”
With a graceful motion, Sunyul set the cup down after swallowing the last of the tea. Sensing that the real conversation was about to begin, I adjusted my posture in my seat.
“I’m all ears.”
“Great. The reason I visited the Mercenary Clan today is… to put it simply, because of the ancient magical city, Magia.”
“Magia…? But that place has already been explored.”
“Yes, the investigation by Istantel Row is complete, and it was opened to users. Our Magic Tower has also sent cleaners to Magia, starting two months ago.”
Two months? Was Magia really worth that much? I tilted my head slightly.
Cleaners are the third wave of users who enter already-explored ruins to see if there’s anything left to scavenge.
When the Mercenaries explored Magia, they took everything from equipment to valuable ancient magic books. The place was picked clean, leaving only ruins.
“Well, both the Mercenaries and Istantel Row have completed their investigations. Was it necessary to spend two months there?”
“Mercenary Road? The Magic Tower is literally a gathering of wizards. We’re not after buried relics… Magia was the pinnacle of magical cities during the golden age of magic in ancient Hall Plane history. It’s a city where countless ancient magics, unknown to us now, were concentrated. We’re interested in how life was back then, how the city was constructed, and so on.”
Sunyul spoke quickly, her voice slightly more excited than usual. She even reached for the teacup in front of me, taking another sip. I waited patiently, as I had no intention of drinking it anyway.
“Let me continue. We’ve been thoroughly investigating Magia for two months, and recently, we’ve achieved some results.”
Suddenly, I felt a spark of interest.
Sunyul quickly continued.
“It’s not the kind of material success the Mercenary Road might think of. It’s more of a success from the Magic Tower’s perspective. To be honest, it’s not even a success, more like a hypothesis or a guess about previous questions.”
“A hypothesis, I see. So, what is it?”
“To get straight to the point, we believe Magia was a city where magic was central to daily life, unlike other cities. They lived a life distinct from the ordinary. To put it simply, think of the difference between using stairs and an escalator on Earth.”
“When residents of a normal city climbed stairs, the wizards of the magical city Magia used escalators. Is that what you mean?”
Sunyul nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Exactly. And we think what made that possible was the enormous number of magical arrays hidden throughout the city.”
After another lengthy explanation, Sunyul took a deep breath. I fell into silent contemplation.
What Sunyul was saying hadn’t come up in the first round. Magia had been left alone after its exploration. I was intrigued by this new information, but also puzzled.
“Magic Tower Lord, I have a question.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Why are you telling this to the Mercenaries?”
“Hmm.”
Sunyul didn’t answer immediately. She seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking.
“We reached our first conclusion a month ago. Assuming our hypothesis is correct, the Magic Tower has spent the last month investigating in a new direction. What was the city’s purpose? And can it be rebuilt?”
‘Rebuilt?’
Unexpected words kept coming. As the scale of the conversation grew, I found myself more engrossed.
“And a month later, just recently, we reached a conclusion… or rather, a hypothesis.”
“You can call it a conclusion. So, what is it?”
Sunyul smiled bashfully for a moment, then looked at me intently, taking a deep breath as if deciding whether to speak.
After about three minutes of awkward silence, Sunyul finally spoke.
“The city’s purpose was defense. The city itself was a strategic weapon built for defense. And we concluded that it could be rebuilt. One of our clan members, who can interpret ancient texts, found a very interesting record.”
“An interesting record?”
Sunyul nodded. She continued in a low voice.
“To put it simply… Magia has only one master. The master can control everything in Magia. The master is essentially the city itself. And there’s only one way to become the master of Magia. You need a key that can control all the magical arrays in the city. The name of that key is…”
At that moment, a piece of equipment information I had read with my third eye before came to mind. I couldn’t remember the details, but I felt a sudden dryness in my throat.
Sunyul continued.
“The Order of Ordo. That’s the name of the key that can rebuild and control the city.”
As expected. I wetted my lips and closed my eyes tightly. My mind was suddenly a whirlwind of thoughts, with the name Mavolo de Ailight standing out prominently.
After a moment, I opened my eyes and looked at Sunyul. She was speaking excitedly, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
“Mercenary Road, isn’t it thrilling? The one who holds the key can become the master of the city. Or you could say they become the walking magical city itself.”
“Something like that.”
“No, within the city, they might even be considered a god… right?”
“Magic Tower Lord, hold on a moment.”
When I called out clearly, Sunyul widened her eyes and quickly closed her mouth. Watching her, I spoke with a dry throat.
“I think I need to hear more details. Not just the conclusion, but the process as well.”
Sunyul blinked for a moment. Then, with a slightly sulky voice, she suddenly blurted out.
“I’m hungry.”
It was a pretty room. One wall had a robe for priests hanging, and the other had a neat shelf with teacups. The white walls and white bed made the room look like a snow-white wonderland. This was Ansol’s personal quarters.
“Ugh. I was so careless. I shouldn’t have been daydreaming. Stupid me!”
Lying on the bed, Ansol kicked her feet and pounded the mattress with her fists. She was mortified about tripping and spilling the tea earlier.
It was entirely Ansol’s fault. She had been lost in a daydream while carrying the tea. Her daydream involved snuggling into Kim Suhyun’s arms, a rare indulgence of her whims. And at that moment, she tripped and accidentally dropped the tray.
“It was something my brother entrusted to me… What will he think of me now? What if he tells me to quit?”
Ansol continued to mumble to herself, eventually collapsing in defeat.
In truth, Ansol was very satisfied with being part of Kim Suhyun’s entourage. Seeing Kim Suhyun made her happy, and being part of his entourage was the best position for her. It meant she could see him often and spend more time by his side. Sometimes, while carrying out his orders, she even felt like she was his wife.
“Chi, chi, chi, chi.”
After kicking the blanket for a while, Ansol suddenly lifted her head. She remembered the warm gaze and comforting touch that reassured her. Clenching her fists, Ansol sat up resolutely.
“Y-yeah. My brother said it was okay! I just need to do better next time, right?”
Encouraging herself, Ansol shouted a spirited “Fighting!” She approached the shelf and picked up the most recently acquired teacup. Then, she carefully sucked on the spot she had marked with a quill, making a loud smacking sound.
Knock, knock.
The more Ansol licked and sucked the teacup, the better she felt. Her gloomy mood faded, and she felt like she was returning to her cheerful self from that morning.
In fact, Ansol had been in a great mood that morning. She had woken up feeling refreshed and light, her whole body invigorated.
Ansol had never felt this good before. It was as if today was her lucky day, and she could achieve anything she desired.
“Hmm. Mmm.”
Sip. Sip. Tap, tap.
After savoring her tea for a while, Ansol closed her eyes, recalling the moment she had slipped between Kim Suhyun’s legs earlier. She hadn’t noticed it at the time, but she distinctly remembered the scent—a masculine aroma wafting from his soaked trousers. The memory made her cheeks flush with heat.
“Phew. That was nice.”
Suddenly, Ansol stopped sipping her tea. She placed the cup back on the shelf and began to undress, piece by piece. Off came the socks, the robe, the shirt. In no time, she was down to her underwear, and even that was soon discarded. As she reached for her last piece of clothing, her mind wandered to mischievous fantasies.
‘Hehe. What if my brother suddenly barges in? Then I… Eek! I don’t know, I don’t know!’
Giggling to herself, Ansol slipped off her remaining underwear.
And then it happened.
Bang!
“Ansol, are you awake?”
The door swung open, and someone stepped inside. Ansol froze, caught in the act of undressing. Slowly, she lifted her head to see Kim Suhyun standing in the doorway, looking just as shocked.
“B-Brother?”
“Uh… Sorry. I called for you, but you didn’t come, and you didn’t respond when I knocked.”
Kim Suhyun was clearly flustered, but he quickly composed himself and turned away. Despite her embarrassment, Ansol instinctively asked,
“S-Sorry. But, um, why are you here…?”
“Oh, well… I’m heading out for a bit. I’m having dinner with the Tower Lord, and it might take a while. Also, there’s a meeting tomorrow morning, so could you inform the clan members?”
“Y-Yes, I will.”
“Thanks… and sorry. It wasn’t intentional.”
“It’s okay.”
”…Alright.”
Thud.
The door closed. As the sound of footsteps faded, Ansol sank to the floor.
Thump!
“Hoo, hoo.”
Her heart was racing for no reason. After calming herself, Ansol tilted her head, a question mark practically visible above her. Something felt off.
“I did wish he’d come in…”
And he actually did.
“I also wanted to snuggle and take in his scent…”
While they hadn’t exactly snuggled, she had caught his scent.
Suddenly, Ansol’s head shot up. Her eyes sparkled with a newfound brightness.
“Could it be…!”
Maybe today really was her lucky day.
Though it was a baseless conclusion, Ansol felt an inexplicable surge of confidence. Something inside her had erupted, a desire she had been suppressing for too long. Her eyes, once shining, now burned with intensity as she let her imagination run wild.
Kisses! Hugs! Maybe even more!
Imagining things she normally wouldn’t dare, Ansol squirmed with excitement. Her lower body throbbed with a sudden ache. Rising swiftly, she lay on the bed, arms spread wide, fists clenched, thinking that today might truly be her day.
The white ceiling above her seemed inexplicably dazzling.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Epilogue.
(Seonyul spreads out a deck of cards.)
Seonyul: Hmm. Mercenary Lord, your fortune today looks quite dangerous.
Kim Suhyun: What? Dangerous, you say?
(Seonyul gazes seriously at the cards.)
Seonyul: There’s a high chance you’ll become a victim today. A great danger surrounds you. Be careful. It’s already brushed past you once. The moment you let your guard down, the perpetrator will achieve their desire in an instant.
(Kim Suhyun chuckles.)
Kim Suhyun: Stop with the nonsense and let’s eat.
(Seonyul looks at Kim Suhyun with pity.)
And so, Ansol had a happy day…
Fin.
Final Side Story Announcement!
Apologies, everyone. I packed in as much as I could, so it’s a bit late. ㅜ.ㅠ
Ah, I gave the wrong information about the break period yesterday. I am indeed going to the ski resort on the 26th (Thursday) and 27th (Friday), but I’ll be back on the afternoon of the 27th. So, I can write once I return. I have appointments on the 25th, both morning and afternoon. So, the break is on the 26th (Thursday) and 27th (Friday), not the 27th (Friday) and 28th (Saturday). Sorry for the confusion.
Someone inquired about this, and I thought it best to clarify here.
Yes, I plan to pair Cha Sorim with Ahn Hyun. There are no plans to change this. During the Yoojeong incident, I casually mentioned it would be interesting, which caused concern among readers. I was truly thoughtless then, and I still feel sorry about it.
Following readers’ advice, I decided to create a new character, which is Cha Sorim. She was originally meant to appear in the second part, but it seemed better to introduce her earlier in the side story. Since I had already planned how she would connect with Ahn Hyun, changing it now would be quite difficult.
Cha Sorim is a virtuous woman. I was inspired by a character who admires and loves one man for a long time. Also, Cha Sorim and Ahn Hyun aren’t in a relationship yet. It’s more accurate to say Ahn Hyun is slightly intrigued rather than already smitten.
I’ll leave it at that for now. Revealing how Kim Suhyun, Cha Sorim, and Ahn Hyun’s story unfolds would spoil the fun. :)