I sat alone in a dark room. The door was closed, the light stone turned off, and the curtains drawn tight—no light seeped in. Glancing out toward the terrace, I saw the sky steeped in complete darkness. Just hours ago, the city had been noisy, but now it was quiet, with magical street lamps casting a mysterious glow.
Without realizing it, I found myself half-rising from my seat. The urge to step outside and witness the city’s night was strong, but I forced myself back down. It felt like running away. I sighed deeply and lowered my gaze to the four sheets of records lying on the desk.
“Clan Lord…”
“Why did you suppress conflict and eliminate competition?”
I couldn’t find the words to respond. Jegal Haesol had told me to think it over slowly before vanishing like the wind, but for hours since, my mind had been stuck in a loop—unable to make any decision.
Truthfully, there was no need to agonize this much. I already knew the answer. The reason I eliminated conflict and competition wasn’t some grand ideal or deep meaning. It was simply because it was easier.
Conflict and excessive competition weaken a clan. So we all move as one, a small elite.
Under that justification, I suppressed them strongly—but deep down, I didn’t fully believe in it. The more conflict deepened and competition intensified, the harder it would be to lead the clan as I wished. In nicer terms, I was guiding them; bluntly put, I was controlling them.
Yes. I wanted the mercenaries to move strictly under my will. So whenever I sensed conflict or excessive competition, I stepped in and made it disappear.
There were definite results. I couldn’t read everyone’s true feelings, but at least when I was around, everyone moved together with smiles.
But there was a cost. With conflict gone on the surface, competition naturally faded too. Over time, some clan members began to settle into complacency. When faced with problems they couldn’t solve alone, they leaned on the clan; when the clan couldn’t handle it, they leaned on me.
And I, in turn, took the lead in solving nearly everything. That’s how the current mercenary clan came to be.
Outwardly, a small elite clan brimming with secret and rare classes. But in reality, it was a fragile house of cards—if the user Kim Suhyun disappeared, the whole thing would collapse like sandcastles. That was the mercenary clan’s true state.
“Watching the recent Steel Mountain campaign, I’ve realized a lot. Their performance doesn’t match their reputation…”
“Ah, of course, the battles were well fought. They showed outstanding power in general combat. I admit that.”
“But aside from those fights, in real crises… did the clan members do anything? When facing the pit monster, or the awakened giant king—was there anyone who could have handled those situations without the Clan Lord?”
Jegal Haesol’s words came back like sharp daggers, impossible to refute. It stung deeply.
“Hmm…”
I sighed again and scattered the papers on the desk. My eyes landed on the fourth sheet—an evaluation of clan members by rank. Except for one or two, the classifications were quite accurate. Still, I couldn’t shake the thought: was this really necessary? I stared at the records for a long time.
“…”
How much time had passed?
“The Clan Lord’s plan is good. But the mercenary clan has been wearing ill-fitting clothes for too long.”
“At this rate, the mercenary clan will never truly develop.”
Finally, I picked up my quill. First, I marked Ansoul and Lee Yujeong’s ranks with a V, then began carefully reviewing each member one by one.
“Go Yeonju is S… Shin Jaeryong is A…”
Night passed, and morning came.
After breakfast, I summoned all combat users to the first-floor meeting hall. Now that I’d made up my mind, there was no turning back. Though the meeting was unannounced, we’d sometimes met daily during intense periods. The clan members gathered one by one, showing no suspicion.
The meeting began as usual. Since I’d occasionally mentioned recruiting new members, I started with the need for change and reorganization. Everyone seemed to agree. When I introduced the idea of a “Clan Member Ranking System” as the first step, the clan members quietly fixed their eyes on me.
“There’s no need to overthink this. You all know about the CSAT, right? When you take the exam, you get a score, and based on that, students are ranked from first to ninth grade.”
The silence lasted only until then.
“We’ll do the same. From EX rank down to F rank. This ranking will represent the level of authority each individual holds within the clan.”
The moment I revealed the details, the room erupted into murmurs. The meeting hall was swept by a wave of confusion and unrest unlike any before. I slammed the desk a couple of times.
“Quiet, please!”
The noise died down, but the tension lingered. Eyes filled with disbelief and confusion stared from all sides. Even Jegal Haesol looked at me with wide, surprised eyes, but when our gazes met, he smirked and shook his head silently—offering a soundless applause.
“I’m sure you have many questions. I’ll take them one by one.”
A hand shot up from the right row, and someone stood immediately. It was Jo Seungwoo.
“Clan Lord, I… I don’t quite understand the purpose of this plan.”
“The purpose? I made it clear in the introduction. It’s to help us become a better clan, isn’t it?”
“Yes, change is good. But why this direction? Honestly, it feels too sudden.”
“There’s nothing sudden about it. I hadn’t said anything before, but after hearing how the mercenary clan fared when I was gone, I’ve been thinking about this ever since.”
At that moment, the clan members’ faces stiffened. That last part was a lie. If it weren’t for Jegal Haesol, I wouldn’t have announced this plan. But I lied to remind everyone of what happened then.
“This issue has been pointed out for years. It became undeniable after the Atlanta campaign. Even considering the external disturbances, I’ve decided I can no longer ignore it.”
“Even so…”
“And let me be clear: this plan is only the beginning. I intend to pursue fundamental changes continuously until the problems are fully resolved.”
“…”
Jo Seungwoo seemed to want to say more but eventually rolled his eyes and sat down.
“Clan Lord, I have a question.”
This time, Jung Hayun stood.
“I understand what you’re saying, but you mentioned that the ranks represent the authority individuals have within the clan.”
I nodded.
“Then I want to know exactly what that authority entails.”
A faint blue light flickered in Jung Hayun’s eyes.
I spoke quietly.
“It’s simple. Authority means all activities based on our mercenary clan.”
In other words, a summary of the entire ranking plan.
“All… activities?”
I’d condensed it too much. Jung Hayun tilted her head, clearly needing more explanation.
Something stronger, clearer.
So I continued.
“For example, until now, when we found loot, we discussed and shared it amicably, right? That ends now. Regardless of class, higher-ranked members will have absolute priority. Speaking rights in meetings? Same deal. No more equality. The higher your rank, the stronger your voice. Every little thing will be evaluated and managed by rank.”
I had finally crossed the line.
Those who work harder get better treatment.
I was abolishing the complacency that had persisted under the guise of a free mercenary group and declaring open competition.
Jung Hayun showed no reaction. She just stared at me quietly, then exhaled deeply and sat down, her expression unreadable.
“…I hesitate to call it a concession, but I will make a few promises.”
I added calmly, scanning the room. The clan members looked dazed. The meeting hall had fallen silent again, save for occasional shallow breaths. No one spoke or even seemed willing to.
I worried whether they would understand and accept this plan, but I had no intention of stopping now. The die was cast.
“Being close to the Clan Lord or an early member won’t grant you special privileges anymore. From now on, your influence will be determined solely by your rank.”
At that moment, Kim Hanbyul and a few others snapped their heads up. On the other hand, An Hyun, Ansoul, and Lee Yujeong visibly flinched. Yes, I was blunt, but while An Hyun and Ansoul might not mind, Lee Yujeong would feel the sting.
I looked left and continued.
“Long-standing cliques within the clan won’t form to wield secret influence. Ten B-rank members together won’t outweigh a single A-rank member.”
Then, one by one, I caught fleeting signs of nervousness from Jeong Ha-yeon, Go Yeon-ju, Lim Han-na, and Nam Da-eun. I’d noticed it before when persuading clan members about the support mission in Region 3 of the Steel Mountains. It seems they do have some kind of gathering.
‘But over there, there are two S-rank members and one A-rank…’
Well, besides me, there’s one more EX-rank.
Of course, the chances are slim, but if those four were to misuse this plan, I’d step in personally. Even if all four were my women.
Anyway, no further questions came up. Feeling the time was right, I pulled out the carefully folded record from my chest pocket. The clan members’ gazes naturally followed the document in my hands.
“This record contains the grades I’ve carefully evaluated for each of you.”
I raised the record slightly so everyone could see.
“Initially, the rankings are based on user information, but the grades aren’t determined solely by class, skills, or stats. Every task you complete, every single line of a spell you cast—it all counts. Your performance is reflected here and updated monthly.”
Naturally, once a grade is assigned, it’s not set in stone. Depending on how hard you work over the month, your rank can rise—or fall if you slack off.
I glanced around the room once more, then gave Go Yeon-ju a subtle nod. Receiving the signal, she carefully stood and approached the throne where I sat. I handed her the record immediately.
“When the meeting ends, post this on the first-floor hall so everyone can see it. Actually… do it right now.”
I corrected myself since I planned to wrap up the meeting soon anyway. Go Yeon-ju accepted the record politely and turned to walk toward the entrance. The clan members’ eyes anxiously followed her retreating back.
Every so often, I caught sight of her throat bobbing as she swallowed nervously—an unspoken reflection of the clan’s mood. Probably how students feel just before receiving their exam results.
By the time Go Yeon-ju disappeared completely through the door—
“Then, this concludes our meeting.”
I slowly rose from the throne.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
The clan member ranking system doesn’t apply during the 0th or 1st year. In other words, Je-gal Hae-sol and Cha Hee-young are excluded. The ranking system kicks in starting from the 2nd year. :)