Every continent or city has its own name. For example, the continent where I’ve been operating is commonly called the “Northern Continent.” And within that continent, each city has its own distinct name—Barbara, Princica, Halo, Monica, Pamela, and so on.
But Atlanta is a bit different. Both the continent and the city are collectively referred to simply as “Atlanta.” It’s a minor detail, nothing to lose sleep over, but if you look into the historical records preserved in the city’s library—the official chronicles used for compiling history—you can uncover the reason behind this difference.
In a way, you could say I currently hold one of those very chronicles.
I lightly touched the earring hanging from my right ear.
『Victoria’s Glory』
The key point here is that the Victoria Kingdom was once powerful enough to wage wars for continental unification. Of course, how exactly they defined “unification” back then is unclear.
Cutting to the chase: the area we’re currently conquering is the very continent where the ancient Victoria Kingdom’s heartland once stood—the equivalent of its capital.
Maybe that’s why Atlanta is different from the Northern Continent. Unlike the Northern Continent, where cities are scattered in all directions, Atlanta’s cities cluster tightly around a central capital. Imagine a large metropolis, Barbara, surrounded by four smaller cities to the east, west, south, and north.
When I first arrived in Atlanta, the man I met said, “There are no mercenaries in this city,” and “You’ll find them if you go through the western tunnel.” That was what he meant. In the first expedition, we called it one inner city and four outer cities.
Of course, that doesn’t mean there are no towns or villages on this continent at all. Traces remain, but those places are more like ruins—no longer functioning as inhabited settlements like Atlanta.
But that’s not the main point.
Given this background, it’s somewhat possible to guess why Atlanta’s current situation has come to be. After all, suddenly five connected cities appeared, so users must have had all sorts of thoughts.
Naturally, after an expedition ends, rewards go first to those who worked the hardest. And there’s no difference when it comes to expeditions.
That’s why things got complicated. If there had been only one city, it would have been simpler. Even if the central city was managed by a central authority, the four surrounding cities sparked intense power struggles among the expedition teams. That much was obvious.
“So this is where our mercenaries faced opposition…”
Thinking it over, it’s clear who was behind it. Probably the Eastern faction.
In the end, it was simple. Looking purely at achievements, no one could argue against the mercenary clan taking control of a city. But outside of achievements, there was room to dig in.
After the meal, I heard that the East really went all out to shake the mercenaries. They launched a massive media campaign against us.
For example:
“The mercenaries participated as a subordinate clan of the South. They’re not even from the Northern Continent, so it’s unfair for them to be the representative clan.”
“A clan barely over 50 members managing an entire city? Doubtful.”
“Since Kim Suhyun disappeared, the mercenaries have lost their way.”
“There’s infighting within the mercenaries over Kim Suhyun’s position.”
And so on.
They spread all kinds of nonsense to destabilize the mercenaries.
What the East wants is simple: to exploit the current users’ biggest concerns.
According to Go Yeonju, the East has been quietly delaying the second round of talks held so far. They’ve shifted the blame for the delays onto the mercenaries through ongoing media attacks, cleverly preying on users eager to wrap up the city situation and move on. It’s a tactic to win public favor.
When I first heard this, I couldn’t help but admire it inwardly.
Sure, such tactics won’t erase the mercenaries’ achievements. But that’s what makes it impressive.
It’s neither clumsy nor reckless. It’s perfectly calculated. Whoever came up with this strategy clearly understands the East’s current situation and chose the best possible approach within their means. Of course, I’m just admiring it—I have no intention of conceding an inch.
Anyway.
With that, I’d covered everything I needed to know before the third round of talks, but…
“…Why did it come to this in the first place?”
A lingering question remained in the back of my mind.
I lay on the bed, turning my body to stare at the worn ceiling.
Literally, why was this allowed to escalate so far? Naturally, this question tied directly to Han So-young.
Since the talks are organized under Istanbul Row’s authority, Han So-young is practically untouchable right now. If the South had supported the mercenaries while restraining the East, this would have been resolved long ago.
Even without that, I know Han So-young’s temperament well. She’s not the type to drag things out like this. So the fact that things have gotten this bad can only mean she’s been neglecting the situation.
“Why?”
There are many possibilities. Maybe she wanted to keep the mercenaries as a subordinate clan, or was laying groundwork for a merger while I was gone, or intended to keep us in check, or simply didn’t care.
Unfortunately, none of these lead to a good conclusion.
Of course, the South isn’t obligated to support us. But considering the relationship we’ve built so far, it’s hard not to feel a bit disappointed.
“Or maybe she’s thinking something I can’t even imagine… hmm?”
Just then. As I tried to dismiss that as unlikely, I sensed something strange. For a split second, something dark flickered across the ceiling.
Pausing my thoughts, I fixed my gaze on the ceiling and quietly spoke.
“Why don’t you come out?”
“Oh, caught me.”
As expected, Go Yeonju suddenly appeared from the shadowed part of the ceiling. I smiled wryly at her sticking out her tongue.
“Did you sneak in as a shadow because I locked the door?”
I had indeed locked the door tight after entering the room. Partly to quietly gather my thoughts before the talks, but mostly because the kids had been so persistent. No matter how many times I told them to stop, they clung on relentlessly. I was about to lose it. Only after getting angry and retreating to my room did I finally get some peace.
“Should I leave then?”
Go Yeonju said lazily, flashing a slight smile. I smiled back and tapped the bed a couple of times.
“You can stay if you promise not to act like a kid.”
“Hmph. We’ll see who’s really acting childish.”
With that, Go Yeonju flowed down from the ceiling like a mermaid and landed on the bed. She tried to wrap her arms around me, but I caught her and pulled her close instead. She shivered in surprise. Glancing down, I saw her long lashes fluttering nervously.
It struck me how long it had been since I’d seen her this close.
I studied her slowly, taking in every detail.
“Seeing you after so long…”
I whispered, inhaling her uniquely intoxicating scent.
“You’re really beautiful, Go Yeonju.”
“…What?”
Her mouth dropped open in shock. Her ash-gray eyes glinted with disbelief, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.
Ignoring that, I lowered my head and pressed my forehead to hers.
“You really worked hard.”
I whispered softly, then gave her a gentle kiss. The more I did, the more she looked like she couldn’t quite believe it.
“Did I say something wrong?”
I tilted my head.
“W-why are you acting like this all of a sudden? It’s embarrassing…”
Go Yeonju stammered, then quickly turned her head, trying to pull away. But I held her tight, refusing to let go. She whimpered softly, caught off guard, wriggling helplessly. Seeing her like this felt strangely refreshing.
“W-wait a minute, Suhyun. About the third round of talks…”
Eventually, Go Yeonju cleared her throat awkwardly and changed the subject. I wanted to tease her more, but decided to let it go.
“Yes? What about the third talks?”
“Well… I thought it might be best to visit Istanbul Row Road once before the talks begin…”
Hearing that, I felt my mood dip slightly. Not because she was wrong. Go Yeonju clearly understood the situation perfectly, and it was probably the best course of action.
But I had no intention of looking for Han So-young before the meeting. In fact, I wasn’t even going to let her know I was back. Because, even if Dongbu was one thing, I was curious how Han So-young would react if I wasn’t around.
If the unfortunate possibility I feared came true, I knew I’d be at least a little disappointed in her. Still, despite everything, I wanted to see her at least once—to understand her true feelings.
“Well… I’m not sure…”
I deliberately trailed off, dodging the topic. It was my turn to change the subject. And just as Han So-young came up, someone popped into my mind.
“By the way, there’s something I’ve been wondering about.”
“Huh? Oh, you mean the person who pretended to be Su-hyun?”
Ko Yeon-ju’s face lit up as if this was the perfect moment to bring it up, but I calmly shook my head. Sure, I was curious about that too, but there was something I needed to ask first. If things were different, I might have asked as soon as I arrived in the city.
“I mean… about my brother. My older brother.”
That was the moment.
Just as I was about to ask about my brother’s current situation, Ko Yeon-ju’s expression stiffened. Shadows darkened her face in an instant, and I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling creeping over me. Her look seemed to say, “So, it’s finally come.”
“Why… why is that?”
“Well… the truth is…”
After hesitating for a long moment, Ko Yeon-ju finally spoke.
And shortly after, having heard everything from her—
Bang!
I slammed the door behind me and bolted out.
“Su-Su-hyun!”
I heard Ko Yeon-ju’s voice calling after me, but at that moment, my mind was blank. The plan to keep my return a secret until the meeting vanished from my thoughts. All I could think about was getting to my brother as fast as possible.
“You’re completely… insane. Honestly, you’re almost a madman.”
I never imagined it would be this bad. Maybe, deep down, I’d hoped my brother was okay. Because he’s strong.
“After Su-hyun disappeared, he really struggled.”
But that was a mistaken thought.
“At some point, he just couldn’t hold on anymore. You won’t find any trace of the man he used to be.”
In the end, my brother was just human. Thinking about how I fell apart after losing him once, I knew I couldn’t afford to be so careless.
“Right now? I don’t know exactly what he’s doing, but I heard he’s been holed up in the library all day, cutting himself off from the outside world.”
Yeah. I should have come straight to him the moment I got back.
“Damn it!”
Cursing under my breath, I rushed out of the inn and sprinted through the streets.
Straight to where my brother was.
According to Ko Yeon-ju, there was a high chance my brother was still at the “library.” Having spent a long time in Atlanta, I knew exactly where that place was. I ran at full speed, and before long, I arrived at the destination.
The building was a far cry from what I remembered—dilapidated and eerie, looking like it could collapse at any moment. Yet, a faint bluish light seeped out from inside.
There was no time to savor the feeling of being back. I hurried up the stairs and entered the library. The fact that light was shining at this hour meant someone was inside.
“…”
The interior was dark. The light I’d seen outside came from deep within, behind rows of bookshelves. But as I followed the glow and stepped inside, I had to stop dead in my tracks.
The source of the light was a large crystal orb resting on a dusty, old table.
The area illuminated by the orb was a complete mess. Piles of documents lay scattered or stacked haphazardly on the table. Some had toppled over, strewn about like fallen leaves. The chaos was so overwhelming it made my head spin.
In the center of the table sat a dark figure, cloaked in a thick robe.
“He should be here… No, he has to be… The red curtain… The black hole… Definitely… heh heh heh heh.”
His eyes burned fiercely as he muttered to himself, fixated on the records before him. Even without a clear look, I knew who it was.
“Su-hyun… Su-hyun… just wait a little longer… your brother will be there soon…”
That shadow was my brother.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Today’s chapter is a scheduled post.
Kim Su-hyun has returned.
What’s Han So-young really thinking?
And what state is Kim Yoo-hyun in now?
Please look forward to it.
Thank you. Thanks to all your support, I feel like I’m finally finding my rhythm again.
A new October has arrived.
Personally, I hope this October will be a turning point for me. I plan to return to my regular posting schedule and, when I have time, maybe even do some extra chapters. Please continue to cheer me on! :D