Despite it being dinner time, the castle’s first-floor dining hall was unusually quiet. In the past, at least forty or fifty people would gather regularly at mealtimes, but tonight only about twenty sat clustered around the tables. Still, it was understandable—earlier that morning, two groups led by Ahn Hyun and Woo Jung-min had left for Atlanta.
So, while the castle felt a bit emptier, the atmosphere wasn’t necessarily bad. In fact, a warm, pleasant vibe filled the dining hall—nothing too loud or raucous, but most of those present wore smiles as they listened intently to someone’s story.
“So, basically, we were a bit clueless. We should’ve come looking sooner, but we just couldn’t.”
At the center of the room, a man spoke calmly and clearly. His voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried gently to every corner of the hall. Beside him, Ha Seung-yoon nervously chewed on his nails, glancing around anxiously, which made a few clan members chuckle at his restless behavior.
“But, when you think about it, it was kind of unavoidable. Like I said earlier, my sister and I never imagined the man we met that day was actually Mercenary Lord.”
“O-oppah.”
“In the end, I messed up with my words. Seung-yoon was in a pretty bad mood back then. So when he walked up to us, he just blurted out, ‘I’m not giving you a single penny, so get lost.’”
“O-oppah! Stop it already…”
“That’s why I gave him a serious scolding that day. Back then, Atlanta only had a handful of veteran users, right? Anyway, he did reflect on it. But when we later found out that guy was Mercenary Lord, can you imagine how crushed Seung-yoon was? He said his dream of joining the Mercenary Clan was completely shattered…”
“Ah, I said stop it!”
Ha Seung-yoon finally shouted and slammed his fist down hard. Ha Seung-woo, hit squarely in the ribs, gasped and doubled over in pain, groaning. Seung-yoon, still fuming, suddenly realized something and glanced around nervously. Feeling the curious stares from all sides, his face flushed bright red.
“N-no, it’s just… Oppa keeps saying weird stuff…”
“Oh dear, I’m suffocating here. By the way, does anyone have a Crystal of Truth?”
As if trying to come up with an excuse, Ha Seung-woo pretended to be dying and took another hit. This time, the kicks followed. His back bent painfully again as he clutched his calf.
“Tch!”
Seung-yoon stuck out his tongue in embarrassment, then collapsed face-first onto the table, burying his face in his arms.
Ha ha ha ha! Ho ho ho ho!
Laughter erupted from all around. Watching the siblings bicker was just too funny. Everyone who heard the story felt a strong sense of camaraderie with Ha Seung-woo. His apologetic, humble attitude reminded them of a mischievous older brother who teased his little sister but secretly cared deeply for her. It was a familiar yet refreshing charm, quite the opposite of Kim Soo-hyun’s demeanor.
After finally calming Seung-yoon down, Ha Seung-woo shifted the conversation to another topic. The clan members listened attentively between bites, captivated by his engaging storytelling and the way he made eye contact with each of them. His eyes were deep and calm like the ocean, making it hard to look away.
Just as the warm, friendly atmosphere was settling in—
Bang!
“Damn… so damn noisy.”
Someone slammed their hand on the table and muttered a low curse. At that moment, several clan members suddenly snapped awake, eyes wide. All eyes turned toward the source: Lee Yoo-jung was struggling to stand, swaying unsteadily. Her face was flushed bright red, and her fiery red hair bounced wildly as she tried to keep her balance.
If a flicker of disappointment crossed Ha Seung-woo’s face at that moment, it might have been just my imagination.
A moment later—
“Unni, your words are way too harsh.”
Ahn Sol, sitting at the table, spoke cautiously, and Yoo-jung’s lips curled into a sly smile.
“Oh my~ Is that so? Was our dear Ahn Sol’s unni really that noisy?”
“No, it’s not that…”
“Yeah, yeah~ When an EX-rank speaks, a lowly D-rank like me should just keep quiet. Sorry! Very sorry.”
“U-unni…”
“I was wrong. A D-rank shouldn’t be acting so cocky. I’m just so terribly sorry.”
“……”
Though she apologized, anyone could tell she wasn’t sincere. Her tone was twisted and sharp, practically dripping with sarcasm. Realizing words wouldn’t get through, Ahn Sol fell silent and looked away. Yoo-jung’s mouth twisted in irritation.
“I was just trying to quietly drink… and now this… so annoying…”
“Yoo-jung, you seem pretty drunk.”
Park Sang-nam quickly stepped in to manage the situation.
“Drunk? This is nothing…”
“Let’s go. I’ll help you back to your room.”
Without waiting for a reply, Park Sang-nam wiped his hands and came out of the kitchen. Yoo-jung protested, insisting she wasn’t drunk and wouldn’t go, but Park Sang-nam gently but firmly escorted her out of the dining hall. Though handled swiftly, the mood in the room had already been thoroughly dampened.
Standing there awkwardly, Ha Seung-woo scratched his head and spoke up.
“Ha ha. Looks like I talked too much. Sorry about that. I do tend to like talking. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
He bowed politely in apology, and the stiff atmosphere softened just a bit. The clan members nodded in approval, appreciating his respectful yet confident manner.
“No, he’s just a little—well, a lot—unusual. But we were all enjoying the story. Right, everyone?”
Kim Dong-seok joked, drawing a few small affirmations.
“Come on, then, keep going. I’m dying to know what happens next.”
Ha Seung-woo smiled brightly, took his seat, and began to speak again.
After the meal—
“Phew.”
Under the deep darkness blanketing the castle garden, a man stood in a secluded corner.
“I can’t keep doing this.”
He looked uneasy, tilting his chin side to side and rubbing his jaw. The man was Ha Seung-woo.
“By now, they should’ve reached the Blue Mountain Range… Maybe I should’ve given them more info. I just want this over with quickly.”
Muttering to himself, Ha Seung-woo sighed quietly. Then he pulled out a small, round crystal, turning it this way and that, lightly touching his face. After slipping the crystal back into his pocket, he slowly scanned his surroundings. The lavish garden before him drew a small breath of admiration.
Then—
“Really amazing. How did a clan less than five years old manage to build something like this…?”
His quiet muttering suddenly rose in volume, and Ha Seung-woo, who had been standing calmly, took a hesitant step back.
“……”
His tension was obvious. For the past few days, he’d felt eyes watching him—more than once, and often. If it had been some secret surveillance, it might have been amusing. But this was blatant staring. What was worse, he had no idea where or who was watching. Already on edge, having this continue late into the night was a serious source of stress. And this wasn’t the kind of stress that would just blow over.
Meanwhile—
“Hohoho.”
On the castle rooftop under the night sky, a woman perched on the battlements, gazing down below. Her golden eyes shone as if quietly observing someone. A gentle breeze stirred her long, neatly flowing hair.
“No, no. This won’t do.”
Je-gal Hae-sol shook her head softly, brushing her hair aside.
“I was planning to just watch for now… but if they ignore the warnings, they’ll have to pay the price.”
Indeed, Je-gal Hae-sol possessed the ability known as the “Wisdom Eye that Gazes at the Heavens.” Though not quite a “Third Eye,” it was enough to uncover Ha Seung-woo’s true identity. Of course, she had no intention of intervening directly. If she were the only one who knew, maybe. But she didn’t think Kim Soo-hyun was unaware of Ha Seung-woo’s secret. She suspected there was some ulterior motive behind letting things be, so she stayed out of it.
Still, Ha Seung-woo’s presence grated on her. With her proposal in motion, the Mercenary Clan was finally showing signs of rebirth as a true mercenary force. And now, suddenly, some pest—at least from her perspective—had crawled in. That was hardly something to be pleased about. Recently, she had deliberately sent watchful glances as a kind of warning. But Ha Seung-woo’s behavior in the dining hall today had clearly crossed the line.
She still had no plans to step in directly, but she wouldn’t just stand by either. If the warnings were ignored, a stronger message would have to be sent.
With that thought, Jegal Haesol slowly raised his right hand.
“Alright then, shall I show you what I’m really capable of?”
A faint, almost unreadable smile played on Jegal Haesol’s lips as he lightly snapped his fingers. In that instant, Ha Seung-woo’s eyes widened as if they might tear. He had been waiting for the moment the oppressive gaze would vanish, but suddenly, an overwhelming surge of magical energy flooded from all directions. Like a swirling vortex, the magic encircled Ha Seung-woo, imprisoning him and steadily tightening its grip.
Sweat began to bead on his smooth forehead. The garden remained calm and silent, but Ha Seung-woo alone felt as if he stood in the eye of a storm. Yet, unwilling to succumb, he summoned his strength and fiercely resisted the intangible whirlwind bearing down on him. Watching this, Jegal Haesol smiled broadly, clearly enjoying the challenge.
“Not bad. How about this?”
This time, Jegal Haesol clenched his right hand tightly. Immediately, the magical vortex surged forward, completely ignoring the protective barrier around Ha Seung-woo and pressing in with relentless force.
There was no time to feel despair. Ha Seung-woo felt an immense power squeezing him mercilessly, one he could barely resist. He struggled to hold on, but there was no way he could match Jegal Haesol, whose magic ability was a staggering 102 points. Eventually, Ha Seung-woo collapsed to his knees.
“Is this where it ends? What a shame. Maybe I should peel off that mask of yours, just a little?”
Jegal Haesol smacked his lips and toyed with his hands as if pondering how best to ‘handle this guy.’
Then—
“Angelus, grant salvation to the suffering.”
Under the gentle moonlight, a pure, innocent voice echoed softly through the garden. Ha Seung-woo, barely able to open his eyes, saw a staff glowing bright white swing before him. At that moment, the swirling magical vortex vanished as if it had never existed. Freed from the crushing pressure, Ha Seung-woo managed to cough violently.
“Cough, cough!”
“Are you alright?”
The voice was clear and pure, almost childlike.
“W-who…?”
Unconsciously, Ha Seung-woo lifted his gaze and shuddered. A woman dressed in pristine white priest robes, slightly bowing, was looking at him intently.
An Sol, a third-year user.
A secret class priest of Radiance.
Blessed with the incredible power of miracles.
Mentally, she was quite young for her age.
A flood of information rushed through Ha Seung-woo’s mind, but he shook his head hard to clear it. As he slowly regained his senses, An Sol smiled gently, gripping her staff with both hands.
“You seem to be alright.”
“Th-Thank you…”
“Please, get up.”
“…Huh?”
Ha Seung-woo stared at An Sol in disbelief. He had been attacked suddenly, then saved just as abruptly. He had no idea what was going on. Yet, despite his confusion, his body wavered but began to rise, hands touching the ground for support. It wasn’t forced—more like an instinctive feeling that he had to obey.
An Sol kept smiling as she gestured toward the castle.
“Get up and return to your quarters. I think it’s best you get a good rest tonight.”
“B-but…”
“It’s alright. Don’t worry, just go inside. Hurry.”
“……”
Ha Seung-woo swallowed hard. There were so many things he wanted to say, but an overwhelming feeling told him he shouldn’t stay any longer. Call it intuition. Deciding to update his knowledge about An Sol, he bowed his head slightly and started walking briskly.
Once Ha Seung-woo safely entered the castle, An Sol finally exhaled deeply. She calmly tilted her head back and gazed quietly at the rooftop beneath the night sky.
After a moment, someone lightly jumped down from the rooftop. Then, at a slow, floating pace, they began to descend. The magic known as Levitation—something thought impossible in this world—had just appeared.
“Here we go.”
Jegal Haesol landed lightly on the ground, arms spread wide. Despite witnessing such incredible magic, An Sol showed no surprise. In fact, as Jegal Haesol approached leisurely, her smile vanished, replaced by a cold, expressionless glare. This was a stark contrast to her usual demeanor.
When he was about ten meters away, Jegal Haesol stopped, crossed his arms, and grinned at the glaring An Sol.
“Well, well, what brings our little princess here?”
“……”
“No matter. I’ve been wanting to have a little chat with you. Heh heh heh.”
“……”
Jegal Haesol’s low, mocking laugh filled the air.
But his eyes didn’t smile.
An Sol remained silent.
Yet her gaze never wavered.
At last, the two women’s eyes locked fiercely in midair.
Meanwhile, at the same time—
“Huff… huff…”
Ha Seung-woo collapsed onto his bed the moment he opened the door to his quarters. Feeling chased, he had run back without even realizing how. His body felt heavy, like wet cotton, and a deep exhaustion washed over him. Though only minutes had passed, it felt as if he had just emerged from a brutal battlefield. Many thoughts swirled in his mind, but for now, he just wanted to sleep deeply. Turning halfway, his eyes caught the dazzling ceiling.
Staring at the crystal chandelier hanging from the ivory ceiling, Ha Seung-woo finally closed his eyes.
‘Where… am I?’
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.
‘What kind of place is this, really?’
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
What kind of place, you ask?
Nothing special.
It’s just where Kim Soo-hyun, who has the Third Eye, lives; where Jegal Haesol, with a magic ability of 102 points, resides; and where An Sol, blessed with a luck stat of 103, dwells. ^^
Ha Seung-woo: (pouting)
Ah, and as of yesterday, my reserve forces training is finally over. Four days straight was really tough. But now that it’s done, I feel so relieved. Haha. Feeling great. :D