Come to think of it, was there an “Observation” section in the user info window?
I forced out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I moistened my parched lips with saliva, steadied my breathing, composed my chest, and then spoke quietly.
“What do you mean by that, trainee?”
“Oh, I was just curious. It’s never happened before. Didn’t you see some kind of message floating in the air? I did.”
“I’d rather ask you, the trainee, the same question. Are you really a fresh recruit?”
“Heh, of course.”
Jeagal Haesol’s eyes and mouth curved into a subtle smile, as if this situation amused him to no end. Folding his arms, he said,
“Well, I never expected to meet like this. You’re quite an interesting person, Missionary Road.”
“…So you know me.”
“Of course~. Among the trainees, is there anyone who doesn’t know Instructor Kim Suhyun?”
“……”
His voice was refreshingly bright, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more behind it.
A brief silence fell. I bit my lip gently. Jeagal Haesol remained calm, even sparkling with curiosity in his eyes.
We stared at each other wordlessly for a while.
Then he said,
“Your eyes look complicated. You must be someone who thinks a lot.”
I blinked briefly, then looked back at Jeagal Haesol.
But he was already slowly turning away.
For some reason, I felt I couldn’t just let him go like that. Just as I was about to reach out suddenly—
“Oh my. That’s fine.”
I hesitated, stopping mid-action. Jeagal Haesol half-turned his head and looked straight at me. Then, without a sound, he smiled gently.
“I like to escort people, but I’ll pass today.”
“…Ah, no, it’s not that. Just a moment.”
“It’s late at night. And unless you’re a lifestyle instructor, wouldn’t it seem strange for a training instructor to be out with trainees this late?”
“Hmm.”
I had no good argument, so I fell silent.
“Don’t take it the wrong way, okay?” Jeagal Haesol said, as if wearing a skirt, he lightly grabbed his pants with both hands and bowed—a princess-like gesture.
After finishing the greeting, he turned and walked away without hesitation.
I stood there, dazed, watching him go, feeling as if I were under some spell.
Then, at some point, I slowly touched my earlobe. The distance was less than ten meters. If I wanted to… now would be the perfect moment.
“……”
But in the end, I did nothing and let my hand fall.
I don’t know why. Suddenly, all my energy drained from my body. A helplessness I hadn’t felt since entering the Hall Plain…
No, not the first time. I’d felt this hundreds, even thousands of times during the first round. Like when I saw Jeagal Haesol standing beside the Sacred Queen back then.
Shouldering this long-unfamiliar yet overwhelming feeling, I lowered my shoulders and quietly lifted my gaze forward.
Jeagal Haesol had vanished without a trace.
Morning of Week 9 dawned. After checking the schedule and finishing breakfast, I headed to the Chief Instructor’s office at Shin Jaeryong’s summons.
“…So, after holding a meeting with the magic talent instructors over the weekend, we decided to leave this week’s mental training to the Clan Lord. No matter what anyone says, it seems none of the instructors were satisfied with the trainees.”
The reason Shin Jaeryong called me was simple.
To put it bluntly, I’d been stabbed.
Literally stabbed by the trainees. About ten of them who had been disciplined during the last mental training rose up together, complaining the punishment was too harsh and demanding I never be allowed to conduct mental training again.
Honestly, I wasn’t angry when I heard it. I found it kind of funny. In a way, I was even grateful. My mind had been tangled with thoughts of Jeagal Haesol all weekend, and this gave me a brief laugh.
But what happened next was even funnier.
After calling a meeting with several instructors, they all sided with me instead of the trainees. They criticized the trainees’ rotten mental state and had the lifestyle instructors give them a thorough scolding.
And it was agreed that I would take charge of this week’s mental training as well. In other words, they wanted me to fix the arrogant trainees’ mental state.
“Well, that’s the situation, so you’ll be in charge of mental training again this week. Ha ha ha.”
“Understood.”
“Oh, by the way, there’s mental training this afternoon for all magic talent trainees. It was supposed to be handled by another instructor, but they said they’d like to hand it over to the Clan Lord. They came by this morning unexpectedly, so it’s a bit short notice… but can you handle it?”
“No problem.”
I nodded quietly, speaking in short bursts. Shin Jaeryong suddenly stopped smiling and looked at me with a strange expression.
Damn. Did I give too much away?
“Is something bothering you? Or do you have some worries?”
Blinking at me, Shin Jaeryong waited for an answer. I smiled faintly.
“It’s just that I can see right through it.”
“See through…?”
“I mean, the trainees don’t like their attitude being challenged, but they’re too cautious to act openly. So they want me to step in and fix things for them. In other words, they want to protect their own image.”
“Ah, surely it’s not that bad… The instructors unanimously agreed on this plan.”
“The trainees don’t know that. And the sudden visit this morning was telling. They basically told me not to teach, just to dish out punishment.”
“…Huh.”
I shrugged.
“Well, I think I understand what they’re after, so don’t worry too much. I’ll handle the afternoon training.”
Honestly, I didn’t care.
More than that, just thinking about Jeagal Haesol gave me a splitting headache.
Since that night’s meeting, Jeagal Haesol hadn’t left my mind all weekend. Every time I thought of him, my heart inexplicably raced and an undefined anxiety crept over me. For no reason at all.
Just as I was about to turn and leave the Chief Instructor’s office—
“Clan Lord. Please wait a moment.”
A slightly urgent voice stopped me. I looked over to see Shin Jaeryong fumbling on his desk, searching for something.
“Ah, here it is,” he said, then tossed something at me. It caught the sunlight and gleamed—a clear crystal orb. Not a communication orb, but a recording orb.
“This came from the Missionary Clan. It’s a gift for the Clan Lord.”
“A recording orb as a gift? Why would they send this?”
“By protocol, I should have checked it first since it’s an external item, but it was quite entertaining. I highly recommend you watch it.”
“…Well, entertaining, huh? Probably just some nonsense instead of doing what they’re supposed to.”
Shin Jaeryong just smiled broadly. Then he stood calmly, still smiling but with a softer tone, and said,
“Clan Lord, whatever’s going on, stay strong.”
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, taking my gaze off the orb.
“We always believe in you, Clan Lord.”
“…Am I that obvious?”
Shin Jaeryong said nothing, just smiled quietly.
After leaving the Chief Instructor’s office, I let out a thin breath. That guy really has a sixth sense for reading people. Of course, it’s mostly my fault for being so transparent. …And it’s all because of Jeagal Haesol.
Sighing deeply, I walked down the corridor. The recording orb caught my eye again.
I walked slowly, staring at it endlessly, and decided to try channeling some mana into it. Even a moment of calm for this tangled mind would be welcome.
Then, the orb began to play a video.
(“Now, we’ll start filming a video to cheer on our Clan Lord. First, let’s bring in the three who proposed this plan.”)
That was Jo Seungwoo’s voice. So he’s the one filming?
The video showed three women sitting close together at a table, sharing some food.
(“Oh, they’re enjoying something delicious. I wonder what it is?”)
That’s… rice cakes. Or at least it looks like rice cakes.
(“Ah, Go Yeonju is waving at us with a smile. Such a beautiful smile. And Nam Daeun and Lim Hanna are moving their lips quickly. It looks like they’re saying something, but why can’t we hear any sound?”)
Just as Jo Seungwoo said, Go Yeonju smiled brightly and waved, while Nam Daeun and Lim Hanna kept moving their lips nonstop. But no sound came through.
…That chewing seems a bit excessive for just eating rice cakes. Wait a minute. Could it be… that they’re repeating “tteok tteok tteok tteok tteok tteok” over and over? Or am I imagining things?
After a moment, the video shifted from the three women’s mischievous(?) eyes to another scene.
Next up were Sasha and Helena, who seemed completely unconcerned about the camera and were in the middle of a heated fight.
“Damn it! What’s that lizard-smelling woman doing sneaking in here…!”
(Can’t you just shut that mouth of yours? How dare you speak so recklessly in a safe zone?)
(Aaaargh! How could the Clan Lord accept such a monster?!)
(Hohoho. Monster, you say? Isn’t that a bit harsh for a lady? And have you ever seen a monster this pretty?)
Sasha was losing her mind, while Helena responded coolly. They were having a grand time. Nearby, Heo Jun-young watched them with a look of disdain.
He seemed to be thinking along the same lines as I was. After a moment, he shook his head, glanced at the crystal orb, shrugged his shoulders, and quietly sipped his tea. That guy looks pretty relaxed, too.
(Quite the ruckus, isn’t it? Ah, Clan Lord, don’t worry. Everyone’s diligently carrying out their duties. They’re just taking a little break to record this. Ha ha ha.)
As if sensing my thoughts, Jo Seung-woo reported at just the right moment.
(Well then, Cha So-rim, it’s your turn to say something, isn’t it?)
This time, Cha So-rim appeared. When the camera suddenly focused on her, her eyes widened in surprise, as if she’d been caught off guard. But soon, she bowed her head deeply, clasped her hands together, and hesitated, looking utterly unsure of what to say.
(Uh… um…)
(Come on, it’s okay. Speak up. Loudly. This is for the Clan Lord.)
(S-So… Cl-Clan Lord…)
(Cha So-rim! We can’t hear you! Louder!)
Under Jo Seung-woo’s urging, Cha So-rim suddenly stopped speaking.
A brief silence.
Her exposed Adam’s apple bobbed as she swallowed hard, then she slammed her hands down in front of her with determination. At the same moment, she lifted her head, squeezed her eyes shut, and shouted out:
(I-I miss you!)
…Huh?
Before I could even grasp what she meant,
(Please come back soon!)
she shouted, then turned and ran off without looking back.
“Pfft.”
Watching Cha So-rim like that, I couldn’t help but laugh quietly. I kept walking, eyes fixed on the crystal orb.
After that, the video showed various clan members.
Yumi doing a shuffle dance on all fours.
Vivian shaking her hips playfully as if stirring a cauldron.
The elderly gentleman gently smiling as he polished jewels.
Won Hye-soo staring expressionlessly at a baby, while Woo Jung-min and Seon Yoo-woon looked on.
It was like a candid glimpse into the daily life of the Mercenary Clan.
How much time had passed?
When the video finally ended, I looked up and was suddenly struck by bright sunlight flooding my vision.
I closed my eyes immediately, then opened them slowly. Looking around, I realized I was outside. I must have been so absorbed in watching that I hadn’t noticed.
And then, it happened.
“Huh?”
I suddenly felt the corners of my mouth twitch downward. But I don’t remember smiling.
…So that means I must have been smiling without realizing it?
I absentmindedly touched my lips.
But that wasn’t all. The tangled mess in my mind from earlier had somehow settled, calming down as it used to.
It was as if the worries about Je-gal Hae-sol that had plagued me all weekend were a lie—my body and mind had instantly found peace. Ever since I saw that crystal orb.
It felt like I was under some kind of spell, or rather, a lightness of spirit.
I looked up at the sky. Not a single cloud in sight, the sun high overhead.
After a moment, I closed my eyes again. Recalling the video I’d just watched, a soft chuckle escaped me once more.
Suddenly, something simple yet profound filled me warmly from within.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I’ve received a lot of feedback about Je-gal Hae-sol—and also about Su-hyun’s inner thoughts. There’s probably a difference between Su-hyun’s perspective in the story and how readers see things. “Why is Su-hyun so shaken? Is Je-gal Hae-sol really that amazing a user?”
There’s a lot I want to say, but I’ll hold back for now. I think both you and I want these things to unfold naturally through the story. Ha ha ha. Since I already have the ending planned, I believe the best course is to just keep going as is.
I’m pretty sure none of you will be able to guess how this will end. :)
As for the User Academy arc, I’m currently planning about six to eight more chapters. Once I wrap up the story around Je-gal Hae-sol and Han So-young, I’ll continue straight through to the latter half of the series. (There might be a one- or two-chapter variance.)
Oh, and regarding the break I mentioned yesterday:
Memorize will be on hiatus April 12th (Saturday), 13th (Sunday), and 14th (Monday) due to personal reasons. ㅜ.ㅠ
Updates will resume on April 15th (Tuesday), though since that’s the day I finish work, the update might be a bit late. I appreciate your understanding. (__)
See you again on April 15th (Tuesday)!