The two women stared at each other silently for a long while. Though the night was dark, the garden was bathed in soft, flowing moonlight, and a pale mist drifted quietly through the air. Ansor’s staff glowed with a pure white blaze, while Jegal Haesol’s eyes shimmered with golden light, creating an atmosphere both calm and mysterious.
As time stretched on without a word, Jegal Haesol was the first to break the silence.
“Let’s start with an explanation. Why did you stop him?”
“…?”
A simple question mark was all Ansor gave in response. Jegal Haesol’s eye flicked sharply, scrutinizing her. Ansor’s expression, however, remained utterly steady—no hint of a joke. A soft curve formed in Jegal Haesol’s eyes, and the smile on her lips deepened.
“Ah, I see. It’s that again, isn’t it? So it’s a hunch, or maybe just luck.”
With a tone almost mocking, Jegal Haesol took a step forward.
One step. Then another.
She leisurely closed the distance.
Soon, the two were close enough to touch.
“Well, what should I do about this?”
Stopping abruptly, Jegal Haesol bent slightly to meet Ansor’s gaze.
“You know, I’m a very practical person.”
Her voice dropped low, brushing against Ansor’s ear.
“So I don’t believe in hunches or luck. I might believe in talent, though. But you… you don’t exactly strike me as talented, do you?”
“…”
“Oh, of course, I admit the world is vast, and even I don’t know everyone. After all, there are people like me—smart as hell and with killer legs to boot. So, there’s variety. I’m not mocking you. I think what you’ve done so far is impressive. But that doesn’t mean I can just apply my standards to you.”
“…What exactly are you trying to say?”
At last, Ansor spoke. At the same time, she subtly stepped back, never breaking eye contact. Their breaths were almost mingling now. Jegal Haesol chuckled softly and took a step back herself.
“I’m just curious. Are you confident?”
Crossing her arms, she asked. Ansor tilted her head in response.
“I am confident. I know who that man is, and I have a sense of why he came. So, are you confident? Confident in stopping me, in saving that man?”
Was the question too complicated? Ansor remained silent, only tilting her head slightly. Then, slowly lowering her staff, she let out a light sigh. It was hard to tell if she understood or not.
“That doesn’t matter at all.”
“…Was that hard to say?”
“No. What I mean is, whether I’m confident or not doesn’t affect the outcome. Because the choice ultimately belongs to my brother.”
“…”
This time, Jegal Haesol was silent. Thinking it over, she realized Ansor wasn’t wrong. She had assumed Kim Suhyun would know Ha Seungwoo’s identity, which was why she hadn’t intervened beyond a warning.
“Right. The choice definitely belongs to the clan lord. I agree with that. But what about you?”
“I just try to stop my brother as much as I can. Because that’s all I can do.”
The golden light in her eyes suddenly dimmed.
“…Stop?”
Jegal Haesol’s face clouded with confusion. The word sounded strange—as if Kim Suhyun had already decided to kill Ha Seungwoo. Then, her eyes returned to normal, but her curiosity was unmistakable.
“Then what about your prophetic ability?”
Though she tried to soften the question, it was a direct hit.
Ansor didn’t even blink before answering.
“My brother must not kill that man.”
Her voice was clear and firm, as if it were an absolute truth.
“…Must not kill him?”
“Yes. The user Ha Seungwoo must live.”
She emphasized it twice. This was getting interesting.
Jegal Haesol’s tone turned intrigued.
“…Why?”
“Because…”
Her voice trailed off, growing faint.
Turning her gaze toward the castle entrance where Ha Seungwoo had entered, Ansor closed her eyes gently, as if recalling something.
How much time passed?
“Because only then…”
After a long pause, Ansor opened her eyes, thin as a thread, and spoke quietly.
“…My brother can live, too.”
(It seems that man was right. Ha Seungwoo, was it?)
“Is that so?”
(Yeah. His first destination was Mulo. But rumors are already spreading. Apparently, a user was found brutally murdered in the Blue Mountain Range.)
“Hmm.”
(Anyway, we’re on our way, but I plan to investigate first. You know the monsters in the Blue Mountain Range—they chew people to the bone. So finding a corpse there is definitely suspicious. I think it’s worth checking out.)
“Definitely.”
(Got it. I’ll report back once we reach the Blue Mountain Range.)
“Woo Jungmin, wait a moment.”
Seeing Jungmin about to end the communication, I quickly stopped her. The image of Jungmin on the orb showed a flicker of surprise.
(Why?)
“Could we slow down the investigation in the Blue Mountain Range a bit?”
(Slow down? I’m not worried. We’ll be careful with the tracking, given the location.)
“No, it’s not that…”
I rubbed my thumb nervously between my clasped hands.
The Outlaw Extermination Squad was just about to reach the Blue Mountain Range. Their swift progress was impressive, but it also made me uneasy.
Why did Ha Seungwoo give such precise information?
Was there some reason? Or was it a trap?
Honestly, I wasn’t sure yet. Since Ha Seungwoo arrived, I’d been waiting for an opening, but all attempts failed. To be exact, Ha Seungwoo never showed a crack. I ordered Go Yeonju to keep close watch, but the reports always came back: “No abnormalities.”
Ha Seungwoo had thoroughly played the part of an ordinary user, quickly blending into the mercenary clan. Now, people were even asking why he hadn’t been promoted to a full clan member yet. Originally, I planned to create a situation before the Outlaw Extermination Squad arrived, but…
There was no choice now. Watching blindly carried too much risk. Time was on Ha Seungwoo’s side in this situation. Only two options remained. And I had to choose one.
(Kim Suhyun?)
“Ah. I think we’re close to finding a clue about the Outlaws’ base.”
At the call, I answered almost reflexively. I had already made up my mind.
“I’ve been discussing the Outlaws with the Central Management Organization. I can’t go into details, and nothing’s confirmed yet, but…”
(Is that true?)
“Yes. Once I get solid information, I’ll contact you. For now, just take it slow. Think of it as support.”
(Thanks. I understand.)
After exchanging farewells, I ended the communication. As the orb’s light faded, I bit my lip.
This situation was different from Baek Seoyeon’s. Back then, everyone knew Baek Seoyeon was an Outlaw, so we could act without hesitation. But Ha Seungwoo was different.
No, not just different—completely the opposite. Of course, the Third Eye couldn’t be wrong, but the process mattered as much as the result. How I uncovered the truth was crucial.
…Still, the only option left was a frontal assault.
A moment later.
I took a deep breath, opened the desk drawer, and pressed one of the neatly arranged summoning stones.
In the dark room, faint light seeped through the door crack. Afternoon had passed, and night had fallen.
I sat in my chair, tapping my fingers on the desk.
Once a decision is made, action must be swift.
A lesson I learned from Han So-young, a former member of the first Istantel Row Clan.
Since this was essentially a head-on confrontation, there was little to prepare—but I had made some precautions just in case.
Inside the desk drawer was a set of potions that could corrupt a user’s mind. Made from the tainted fruit of Yggdrasil, they had been invaluable during Baek Seoyeon’s interrogation. They had played a major role in breaking the Fairy Queen’s spirit, so I expected them to be just as effective this time.
Go Yeonju was waiting outside, hidden. I was confident I could handle Ha Seungwoo alone, but having her there was a safeguard against any surprises. Two of us would be enough.
But the most important thing was not to raise Ha Seungwoo’s suspicions. Suddenly calling him out of nowhere might seem strange. After all, Outlaws were unpredictable.
So, I summoned the four newcomers one by one. Since there was talk of promoting them to full clan members, what better excuse?
In the end, I had already finished interviews with Sarah, Elizabeth, and Ha Seungyun. I had been especially careful with Ha Seungyun, even suggesting he join officially. Whether he’d accept or not was another matter, but for now, there was nothing for Ha Seungwoo to suspect. All that was left was to wait.
Thinking this, I tapped the desk again and stared at the door.
Knock knock.
“Mercenary Lord, user Ha Seungwoo is here.”
Damn. Speak of the devil.
“Yes, come in.”
At last, the door creaked open gently, revealing a man with a kind, open face. Ha Seung-woo stepped in politely, glanced around the room, and his mouth dropped open in surprise.
“What’s got you so amazed?”
“Huh? Ah… sorry. The room is much nicer than I expected.”
“Is that so? Well, anyway, please have a seat here first.”
“Thank you. I’ll take a seat then.”
Ha Seung-woo kept marveling quietly as he sat down on the sofa with utmost respect. The distance between us was now about five meters—half the battle won, for now.
“Sorry for calling you so late at night. I originally planned to finish earlier, but the interviews are taking longer than I thought.”
“No, it’s really fine. Come to think of it, Seung-yoon came in here with a big smile. He’s probably rolling around in the room right now. Haha.”
Seung-yoon? So that means he’s heard the story.
“To be honest, it’s a bit late. The Mercenary Clan is usually very closed off. Anyway, make yourself comfortable. This final interview is just a formality, after all.”
“A formality…? Th-then…”
Ha Seung-woo repeated the words quietly, then suddenly his expression blanked out. He blinked a couple of times. His acting was so convincing that if I didn’t have a third eye, I might have been fooled myself.
“I’ve been hearing good things about User Ha Seung-woo lately. Everyone’s been praising you.”
“Ha ha, ha ha. I’m a bit embarrassed. I’m not used to flying on planes.”
“I see. Then, before the official approval, may I ask you a few questions? It won’t be many.”
“Of course!”
Ha Seung-woo answered with a strong voice.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
I began to slide my right hand, resting on the desk, quietly to the right.
“First, I want to know why User Ha Seung-woo joined the Mercenary Clan.”
“…Pardon?”
That question seemed a bit unexpected. For a split second, a subtle expression flickered across Ha Seung-woo’s face. It vanished instantly, but I caught it clearly.
“Well, because the Mercenary Clan is the best. Isn’t it the clan every user wants to join?”
“Hm. I want a more detailed answer.”
“Uh… actually, my younger brother really wanted to join the Mercenary Clan.”
“I’ve already heard that. I’m not interested in what anyone else thinks, nor your sister’s perspective. I want to hear your thoughts, User Ha Seung-woo.”
Cutting him off deliberately, I saw his expression darken slightly.
I decided to speak first.
“I like the clan. Of course, on a broad level, what you say isn’t wrong. But what I want to hear is something more specific.”
“More specific?”
“Yes. I want to know your purpose. For example, are you seeking protection and refuge? Are you here to infiltrate and extract information? Or do you have some other ulterior motive? …Something along those lines.”
“My purpose…”
Ha Seung-woo looked innocent, scratching his head as if he still didn’t understand what I was getting at. But his Adam’s apple moved ever so slightly.
Then, slowly, as if drawing on his magic power—
“So, I want to hear it. Your purpose for joining the Mercenary Clan.”
I slid my hand over to the hilt of the unsheathed sword resting on the desk.
“And that, too…”
I spoke quietly.
“From a user who’s practically the leader of the vagrants.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I’m a bit late today compared to the scheduled time. The revision took longer than I expected. I made some changes to my writing style—it feels okay but still unfamiliar. Haha.
Anyway, here’s another teaser for you. This one won’t be resolved quickly. As I’ve mentioned before, Memorize was planned with the ending in mind from the start. More precisely, this is a foreshadowing of the highlight scene leading to the conclusion. If you recall the tarot card reading from Melody back in the day, you might get a sense of what I’m hinting at. :)