The Mercenary Clan’s Rise!
News of the changes sweeping through the southern outer city spread quickly by word of mouth. Instead of idle gossip, what caught users’ attention were the visible, tangible developments. Since all the cities were connected by passageways, it took only a few days for the news to reach every corner of Atlanta.
In particular, the rumor that the central plaza was being rebuilt with mana stones drew the eyes of every mage in Atlanta. Let me emphasize again: mana stones are incredibly valuable. Beyond their versatile uses, they’re rare and hardly ever come up for sale. When they do, the price is steep—at least two gold coins per gram, they say.
What really elevated the Mercenary Clan’s status was the public recruitment notice posted in the plaza. From the very first call for participants, they promised hefty gold payments and profit sharing. But when conditions sound too good to be true, people naturally get suspicious. Any user would be wary at least once.
Yet, barely a few days into the restoration work, all doubts vanished as if washed away.
They did. Every user involved received not only the promised wages but also all sorts of overtime bonuses, paid promptly on the same day.
That wasn’t even a question anymore. While pay varied depending on individual contribution, every single spell cast by a mage was meticulously calculated and compensated.
Nope. Once the agreed working hours ended, the contract was over. Whether to continue or extend the work was entirely up to the user.
All this news spread throughout Atlanta in just a few days, and user enthusiasm grew by the day.
It was no wonder. The highest-paid mages earned an average of two gold coins per hour. Think about it: if you went exploring in the morning and returned by afternoon, working just five hours would net you ten shining gold coins. Work every day for a month, and that’s 300 gold coins. Keep at it until the contract period ends, and you’d have 900 gold coins rolling in.
That’s a modest haul for a caravan, and a solid windfall for an individual. Working nonstop for three months would be like hitting the jackpot. Who could say no to that? It was a golden part-time job you simply couldn’t find anywhere else.
As user enthusiasm exploded, the Mercenary Clan suddenly became a hive of activity. Every member was busy running around day after day. A few grumbled about being tired, but it was all talk. Despite the complaints, their faces were smiling.
Since Kim Suhyun’s safe return, all worries and troubles had been resolved, and the difficult work sailed smoothly like a ship with full sails. On top of that, the praise from their clan echoed everywhere, making their shoulders rise with pride. So much so that a joke had recently spread among the clan members: “Is this really the Clan Lord’s doing?”
The southern outer city buzzed with excitement over the fresh wind blowing through. But Kim Suhyun himself remained calm, not getting carried away. He wasn’t running around busily like the others but kept a watchful eye on everything, focusing fully on the city’s restoration.
And so, the city changed day by day.
“Oppa! Hurry up! Let’s go quickly!”
On a bright morning, amid the bustling shouts and noisy construction sounds, Kim Hanbyul dashed out into the street, spinning around to call out.
But as I kept walking at a leisurely pace, she grew impatient, clasping her hands and shouting again for me to come faster. Honestly, I thought, why not just take it slow? We could check out the restoration progress along the way. No one’s going to complain about being late. Besides, once we get to the warp gate, it’s a quick trip.
Still, Hanbyul was restless, stamping her feet and urging me to hurry. This was unusual for her. But I understood why—today was the day we were heading to the Northern Continent.
Since returning from hell, Im Hanna had recommended I visit the Northern Continent. Of course, after surviving, it made sense to go at least once, but her tone hinted that something had happened while I was away. It wasn’t just a casual visit; there was something I needed to see.
I didn’t think it was anything urgent. If it were, I would have been informed already. For now, as Jung Hayeon advised, I chose to focus on the city’s restoration. And now that the work was gaining momentum, I could spare a little time to visit the Northern Continent—and maybe check on Mard as well.
I wasn’t going alone. Somehow, Hanbyul found out I was going and asked to come along. Since she had returned with me, I had no reason to refuse and agreed easily.
But when we met at the castle gate that morning, I was a bit surprised. She had clearly put effort into her appearance.
The sparkling earrings were cute, but that was just the start. She wore a soft, thin top with a tight red waist belt that emphasized her slender figure. Her legs were clad in sheer black fishnet stockings, revealing long, alluring limbs. The slight glimpse of milky skin on her upper thighs was especially captivating.
On top of that, she subtly wore a faint musk scent, clearly excited. Compared to the plain robe she used to wear, this was a dramatic transformation.
“Oppa! Hurry up! Are you purposely coming late?”
“Alright, alright. Why are you so impatient?”
“Really. If you keep this up, I’m going ahead without you.”
“…”
So that’s how eager you are to go, huh?
I stopped in my tracks. Hanbyul’s eyes widened in surprise.
I bent my knees slowly, steadying my breath. Then, I quickly summoned my mana and activated the ‘Palace Shadow Step.’ With a light bounce, I felt my body lift and in an instant, I passed Hanbyul.
“Let’s go. Quickly.”
I said as I brushed past her and sprinted down the street. Hanbyul looked back at me, stunned, then gave a look of disbelief. Of course, I’m a close-combat type with 98 agility points, and Hanbyul’s a mage. Ha ha ha.
Soon, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed behind me.
But—
“Oppa! Come with me!”
Before ten seconds had passed, a desperate shout rang out behind me.
Why? You said you wanted to go quickly?
I ignored it and slipped into the passageway.
“Oppa, oppa…! Hey! You dummy, you idiot oppa!”
Huh…?
After the commotion, I safely passed through the passage and reached my city’s warp gate. According to plan, I was supposed to wait there, pretending not to notice Hanbyul’s late arrival, then smile and say, “You’re late.”
But when I saw her staggering toward me with teary eyes, I felt the need to change plans. I was suddenly the center of attention, receiving countless stares and whispers, feeling like the worst villain in the world. In the end, I ran over, took her hand, and hurriedly used the warp gate.
Once we arrived at the Northern Continent, pushing through the bustling crowd near the warp gate, I finally saw the familiar sights of Monica. It had been a long time, but the city streets looked the same. A bit quieter than before, but nothing much had changed. I wasn’t expecting anything special—just a wave of nostalgia.
“…Let’s go.”
After a brief look around, I headed toward the clan house. Though it felt a little unfamiliar, I had been here thousands of times before. My mind still remembered the way, and soon we arrived at our destination.
“Clan Lord!”
Several clan members were already waiting at the front gate. I had told them over the communication orb not to greet me, but of course, they didn’t listen. Well, I was grateful anyway.
I smiled brightly and shook hands with Jo Seungwoo, who greeted me.
“You didn’t have to come all the way to the gate. This is really overwhelming.”
“No matter what, how could I not? It’s been so long since we last saw each other. Ha ha ha.”
“Didn’t we talk yesterday?”
“But this is the first time seeing you in person, right? Anyway, come on in. Ha ha ha.”
Jo Seungwoo responded with a question to my question and personally opened the gate to lead me inside. As I stepped in, I felt a strong sense of emptiness.
“By the way… where’s Mard? And what about Yumi and Dodo?”
“Ah.”
Jo Seungwoo paused, then looked at me with narrowed eyes.
“Unfortunately, none of them are here at the clan house right now.”
“Hm. Not here? Did they go out somewhere?”
“Yes. They should be back by tonight at the earliest, or by tomorrow morning at the latest.”
“Eh?”
What’s this about?
“I wish you had told me earlier. Actually, wasn’t yesterday the first time you contacted me?”
Jo Seungwoo continued as if to explain. I nodded absentmindedly.
“To be honest, I don’t know where they went. But from what I heard, Mard has been praying somewhere every day without fail. Praying for the Clan Lord’s safe return.”
“What do you mean? Everyone already knows I came back alive…”
“Yes, I heard. They told me directly. But they don’t believe it.”
“Why not?”
“Because the Clan Lord didn’t contact us personally… and even when he said he wanted to see us and would come himself, the others stopped us from going. Actually, moving to Atlanta is currently prohibited, isn’t it? That’s why. But they seem to think the adults are lying to protect themselves.”
“Then why didn’t they contact me if that was the case…?”
I trailed off cautiously, and Jo Seung-woo looked at me steadily.
“I wanted to, but I heard you were very busy. At that time, the situation around the mercenaries in Atlanta wasn’t good either. I didn’t want to burden you unnecessarily, and I was told you’d come as soon as things settled down.”
Though he said this, there was a tone in Jo Seung-woo’s voice that seemed to say, “This is really unfair.” Feeling at a loss for words, I clicked my tongue. Jo Seung-woo let out a light breath.
“Anyway, don’t worry too much. I was very worried at first, too, but they always come back without a scratch. Come to think of it, Mard has changed a lot. You can probably look forward to it.”
“I see…”
I answered slowly, glancing around. The clan house was just as it had always been: a neat, square building, the annex on the right, and the beautiful garden stretching from the entrance to the building… a small stone pond…
‘…Huh?’
But when I shifted my gaze to the far left, I felt my eyes involuntarily tense.
“Well then, Clan Lord, first of all…”
Jo Seung-woo awkwardly tried to block my view, but then hesitated. Reading my expression, he looked at me intently and suddenly gave a bitter smile.
“…Oh. You’ve already seen it.”
Jo Seung-woo stepped aside. There, in the garden, two solitary graves came into view. I quickly looked away. Mard and Young-soo, that was understandable. But now that I thought about it, there was someone else missing.
“What about Grandfather…?”
Had Kim Han-byul seen the graves, too? Her voice trembled slightly as she addressed Jo Seung-woo. Suddenly, the room fell silent.
“Um…”
Jo Seung-woo kept his mouth firmly shut. His once lively eyes sank downward, and only a strained groan escaped his lips. He looked deeply conflicted.
“The truth is…”
But then, as if making a decision, he lifted his head resolutely and spoke quietly.
“First, Clan Lord, you should go to your office.”
He immediately turned his gaze over my shoulder and continued.
“Han-byul, you should go to your quarters, too. Now.”
Jo Seung-woo told me to go to the office on the fourth floor. It was a vague instruction, but I quickly climbed the stairs and reached the fourth floor. After a brief deep breath, I opened the door without hesitation.
The room was clean. Even in my absence, it seemed well maintained—no dust on the walls. The study and sofa were just as before. But that wasn’t what mattered now.
As I stepped inside slowly, something caught my eye. The empty desk was bathed in light streaming through the window.
And there, in the center of the light, lay a faded record, lonely and still. I approached in a daze, sat down, and, as if entranced, carefully opened the document.
After a moment, I saw the densely written words, clearly penned with care, one character at a time.
…Let’s read this first.
『Kim Soo-hyun… Clan Lord…
Hmm. I don’t quite know how to begin.
To you. Yes, to you.
That’s better.
To you.
If you’re reading this, it means I managed to hold back my overwhelming embarrassment and didn’t tear this record apart. On the other hand, it also means you returned safely.
It’s a shame I can’t say this to you in person, but at least I can leave a few words here.
First of all, congratulations. I’m truly glad you came back.
Honestly, I debated for days before picking up the quill to write this. I wanted to quietly move on as if nothing happened, but that didn’t feel right. So, despite my shame, I took up the pen.
If you’re perceptive, you probably noticed the two graves in the garden on your way here. Or maybe Jo Seung-woo already told you.
Well, I want to assure you that you didn’t imagine it.
Hmm… Ah. As I ponder how to say this, I suddenly remember when I first met you three years ago. It was quite remarkable. You were dressed like a fresh academy graduate, yet you carried such an air of experience.
I’m sorry if I was a bit prickly back then. I had just had a big fight with a user who came before you arrived. So I might have been unintentionally curt. Hmm? Why do I suddenly feel like I’m confessing? Ha ha ha.
Anyway, at that time, I had little attachment to life. I was planning to quietly spend my remaining days in some corner of the city.
But one day, I found myself interested in you, the user.
Sure enough, a few months later, you returned as the leader of a respectable clan. Just a few months. And you even invited this old man to join. Looking back, I regret refusing at first. Hmm.
Maybe that’s why I was so happy when you didn’t forget what I casually said and actually brought Han-byul along. Coincidentally, thanks to that, I survived a vagrant attack. I think that’s when a new bond began for me.
Honestly, I still don’t know what you were thinking when you brought me here. I suspect you might have felt disappointed—bringing me all this way only for me to do nothing but eat your food. Ha ha.
Of course, I could have been more active. But please understand—I wanted to remain an old man watching quietly as the mercenary clan grew day by day. All I have is my age and a worn-out body, and I didn’t want to force a place for myself.
Anyway, I don’t know what you thought, but in the end, you treated me very well. You didn’t expect me to be on the front lines, just let me do what I wanted. Some might call me a backroom old man, but personally, I’m very satisfied. I spent my days quietly, just as I wished.
Hmm… And this is what I wanted to say earlier.
I won’t go into the details about my body. What’s the use of an old man’s stories? The memories are already etched in my heart, and I think it’s time to slowly let go. I hope you think the same.
Time passes, and white hair comes. (If you live another 40 or 50 years, you’ll understand what I mean.) I couldn’t stop the melancholy of youth lost, so how could I stop the coming white hair?
Anyway, I begged everyone not to tell anyone else. You’re busy enough as it is; no need to worry about this.
Ah, and please treat Han-byul well. Though expecting that from someone like you, who’s barely competent, might be wishful thinking… Tsk. But this old man’s meddling ends here. My eyes keep closing.
Phew. When I started writing, I had so much to say, but now it feels like nonsense.
Anyway, please don’t worry too much just because an old man is gone. I have friends who went before me, so I won’t be lonely.
If I have one personal request, it’s to leave me a modest grave next to that friend. At least a place to shield from rain and snow, a comfortable resting place. It might be a bit cold, but we’ll lean on each other and endure. After winter comes spring.
Well then, I hope you’ll remember me just enough to stop by occasionally. That’s all.
Thank you for everything. And I’m sorry to leave without a word.
I hope you achieve what you set out to do in the Whole Plain.
Sincerely,
Lee Man-sung.』
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
We’ve reached episode 700 already.
Honestly, I wanted to post this exactly at midnight, but as you can see, there’s quite a lot of content. I wanted to give it a special meaning and also make up for yesterday’s short update. So it ended up being a bit late. I sincerely ask for your understanding. Ha ha ha.
I just glanced at the comments. So many congratulations already—thank you all so much.
I’ll keep pushing hard until the very end. :)
Oh, by the way, Joara now has webtoons. I really like webtoons—I follow both Naver and Daum closely. So I’m very excited about Joara’s new webtoon section. Heh.
Personally, my favorite Joara webtoon is ‘I Am Mob’ by Zephigaru. The concept is fresh, and the story is really well told. I clicked on episode one and before I knew it, I’d read all ten. Haha.
If you like webtoons, I highly recommend it!