The terrace was bathed in twilight. The faint darkness that colored the sky drifted through the wide-open entrance, seeping deep into the room. Light stones embedded along the terrace railing cast a soft, clear glow, while the only sound emanating from the round dining table at the center was the gentle clinking of dishes.
As a side note, Kim Soo-hyun’s office was incredibly spacious—easily over 3,300 square feet. When it was originally designed, it wasn’t just meant for work; it was remodeled with multiple purposes in mind: living quarters, bathroom, even outdoor intimacy. That’s why the terrace boasted a larger area than most rooms. Imagine dining here in the cool evening breeze, accompanied by delicious food, chilled drinks, and a stunning view. Truly a dreamlike atmosphere, right?
“…”
“…”
Apparently not. Because the five guests sharing the table with Kim Soo-hyun looked painfully awkward. From left to right, they were Sun Yoo-woon, Shin Jae-ryong, Ahn Sol, Lim Hanna, and Jegal Haesol. The two men were naturally reserved, but the three women were a different story. Ahn Sol kept stealing glances at Kim Soo-hyun with wide, doe-like eyes; Lim Hanna’s face was flushed red as she fidgeted nervously; and Jegal Haesol wore an expression of deep frustration. It was hard to tell if the food was going down their throats or up their noses.
Clack.
Perhaps sensing the tense atmosphere, Kim Soo-hyun set down his chopsticks, causing the five to flinch.
“Is the food not to your liking?” he asked.
But the five only exchanged uneasy glances, prompting Kim Soo-hyun to tilt his head in confusion.
“Huh, I asked them to pay a little extra attention today…”
“Oh, no, it’s very delicious. Haha.”
Eventually, the eldest, Shin Jae-ryong, spoke up. With a forced smile, he began slicing the well-cooked meat. The others reluctantly picked up their utensils, and Kim Soo-hyun smiled in satisfaction before resuming his meal. Yet the awkwardness lingered.
There were two reasons for the discomfort. First, Kim Soo-hyun’s invitation was oddly timed. It was rare for him to propose such a private dinner rather than a formal meeting. And even if they tried to rationalize it, the atmosphere surrounding Kim Soo-hyun had undeniably shifted.
It had changed too much. They knew his face was usually cold, but today there was an unfamiliar aura—something chilling and utterly cold. Was it dignity? Solemnity? None of the five could pinpoint it exactly, but all felt an undeniable sense of awe, as if defying him was unthinkable. Just now, when he asked if the food didn’t suit their taste, they had all stopped eating abruptly.
The root of this was Kim Soo-hyun’s new ability: “Lord, Command.” Recall the case of Han So-young at the last third summit. An A Plus rank charisma, when unleashed deliberately, could silence hundreds with ease. If A Plus was that powerful, there was no need to explain S Zero. And since its effect was always active, it was no wonder everyone found Kim Soo-hyun intimidating.
In other words, there was no way around it—for now, they just had to get used to it. Despite the discomfort weighing on them, the five managed to finish their meal. But as they retreated to their rooms, they caught sight of steaming white tea cups resting on desks and tables, and groaned inwardly. No need to guess who had placed them there—Go Yeon-ju must have sneaked them in just as the meal ended. Kim Soo-hyun praised her keen sense, but the five trembled as they grasped their cups. It was a continuous ordeal.
Finally, after finishing their tea and burning the last of their cigarettes, Kim Soo-hyun got to the point.
“The reason I called you all here today is…”
He paused briefly, then said,
“Well, first, take a look.”
He began stacking items on the desk: a massive violet longbow, a long, blunt mace glowing faintly, and a small stone token. Curious eyes fixed on the objects as Kim Soo-hyun pulled out three Goods Appraisal sheets.
“User Sun Yoo-woon, the longbow is yours. User Shin Jae-ryong, the mace. User Lim Hanna, the token.”
The two men and one woman named rose reflexively but only stared at each other in silence.
“Take them and read the Goods Appraisal. Go on.”
At Kim Soo-hyun’s urging, they slowly approached and picked up their items and the documents. Sun Yoo-woon gazed at the bow with somber eyes, letting out a small breath at its impressive length—1.8 meters. The curved limbs of the bow were striking, adorned with beautiful decorations near the center. Running his thumb over it, he felt a stirring energy. It was clearly a divine artifact. A small spark flickered in his otherwise indifferent eyes.
‘Heavenly Bow’
(Description: Long ago, when dragons ruled the world, some humans sided with them. Among these, a faction betrayed humanity by embracing demonic power, forming a group called ‘Der Freischütz’—the Marksmen of Magic Arrows.
As the damage caused by these marksmen grew severe, humans prayed for power to fight back, shooting a single arrow into the sky—the ‘Heavenly Bow.’ Moved by their plea, the god Apollo asked the rainbow goddess Plavius to grant their wish.
Since then, individuals with exceptional archery talent have appeared throughout the human realm. Their skills are truly heaven-sent, rendering even the magic-empowered marksmen powerless.
Thus, archers born by divine will are called ‘Heavenly Bows.’)
“…Wow.”
Reading the appraisal, Sun Yoo-woon couldn’t help but exhale softly. Shin Jae-ryong and Lim Hanna shared the same reaction.
‘Sacred Champion’
(Description: Throughout history, countless holy wars have been fought, but the most significant was the Gratia Order’s crusade against the Demon’s Den. This war was not driven by religious ideology but by a sacred mission. At that time, the Gratia Order came to the aid of the Angelus Order, nearly destroyed by the Demon’s Den’s surprise attack…)
“However, the Demon’s Den’s power was overwhelming… Eventually, they sought a way to counter it… Among the chosen paladins… they unleashed a forbidden resurrection spell to raise warriors capable of opposing saints… These warriors are the Sacred Champions…”
Shin Jae-ryong cradled the long mace in both hands, murmuring the words in a daze.
“User Shin Jae-ryong, your physical abilities are quite impressive. That’s why I thought this would suit you well. Haha.”
At the voice, Shin Jae-ryong looked up blankly, but Kim Soo-hyun’s gaze had already shifted elsewhere.
“And Hanna, you… you know what this is, don’t you?”
Lim Hanna stood frozen like a statue, but hearing Kim Soo-hyun’s words, she gently clasped the token with both hands and nodded faintly. How long had she waited? A piece of the Twilight Priestess, a piece from the dragon-sleeping mountain range, and now this piece. Only when these three fragments came together could the true ancient priestess be complete.
“Good. If you’ve confirmed, the three of you may leave.”
As he gave the dismissal, the three simultaneously looked up. Kim Soo-hyun gave a faint smile. ‘You’re so clueless it’s a wonder you even noticed…’ As Imanseong once said, Kim Soo-hyun was perceptive in everything except romance. (Though he himself believed—or rather, deluded himself—that he was good at love, too.) He had long sensed the awkwardness caused by the “Lord, Command” effect. Yet the three, especially Sun Yoo-woon, had no intention of backing down.
“Wait a moment, Clan Lord.”
“Hm?”
“Where exactly did you get these…?”
“Ah… I just acquired them through legitimate trade. Anyway, there’s no need to know the details.”
“No need to know.” Simple words, but their meaning was clear: don’t ask any more questions. Suddenly, Sun Yoo-woon, Shin Jae-ryong, and Lim Hanna felt they really ought to comply. Sun Yoo-woon stammered.
“B-But… how are we supposed to…”
“Are you going to accept them? Yes? Or do you refuse?”
Kim Soo-hyun’s voice took on a teasing tone, and Sun Yoo-woon instinctively gripped the bow. Strangely, the bow’s limbs felt warm. Refuse? No, this was good. More than good—it was a blessing. Class inheritance was something every user dreamed of. Of course, a fleeting doubt crossed his mind: ‘Am I really worthy?’ But the desire to have it was stronger. Their emotions were running high.
“There is, however, one condition.”
Kim Soo-hyun’s voice echoed softly through the room.
“I highly value the achievements you’ve all built so far. And of course, I recognize your skills.”
“…”
“But I don’t want you to settle here. I want you to rise higher, to soar even further.”
“…”
“At the same time, I hope you don’t get overconfident. Even if you inherit that class, there are users in the Mercenary clan stronger than you. For example: Ko Yeon-ju, Nam Da-eun, Heo Jun-young.”
“……”
The three of them just listened quietly. Because there was truth in those words. Ko Yeon-ju, the Queen of Silhouette; Nam Da-eun, the Sword Empress; Heo Jun-young, the Executor of Silence. Aside from Kim Soo-hyun, these three were practically the top contenders for first, second, and third place within the Mercenary clan.
“If you’re confident you can surpass those three, then you may leave this room with what you’ve been given.”
And with that, Kim Soo-hyun challenged them to surpass those names. The three stood there for a long moment, their faces betraying their inner conflict. But eventually, Sun Yoo-woon was the first to snap out of it, staggering forward as if drunk, and the others followed suit. After watching them quietly exit, Kim Soo-hyun turned his gaze to the remaining two.
“An Sol.”
He called out to An Sol first.
“Yes, yes! Big brother!”
An Sol snapped to attention, her innocent face brimming with anticipation. She didn’t fully understand what was going on, but she knew Kim Soo-hyun had given her something incredible. After all, a gift from her big brother was always something to be happy about. She held out both hands eagerly, like a child seeing Santa Claus.
“You can leave too.”
But Kim Soo-hyun smiled gently, betraying her hopeful expression.
“Huh?”
“I said you can leave. I have no more business with you.”
“W-what? Then why…?”
“Was the meal good?”
At that, An Sol’s eyes instantly welled up. She looked at him as if to say, ‘Really?’ but Kim Soo-hyun just shrugged and pointed toward the door with his index finger, silently urging her to go.
“…Nyeeeh.”
Though she felt deeply teased, An Sol obediently got to her feet. She wanted to burst into tears, but looking at Kim Soo-hyun, she just couldn’t. So, with the smallest act of rebellion, she roughly gulped down the half-cold tea left in her cup.
That was when—
“Hm?”
An Sol, who had been chugging the tea with her eyes tightly shut, suddenly opened them wide. Something small and round had slipped into her mouth along with the tea. It slid down her throat on the wave of the poured tea, and then—
『You have consumed the Potion of Luck Enhancement.』
『2 new ability points have been generated.』
Two messages appeared before her eyes.
“Pffft!”
An Sol sprayed the remaining tea from her mouth.
“…Ah.”
Jegal Hae-sol, who had been quietly sitting nearby, closed her eyes calmly as the tea splashed all over her.
“No, no! Cough cough! S-sorry! Ukkekekekekekek!”
Was she choking? An Sol suddenly transformed into a wild monkey, darting around the room, pounding on Jegal Hae-sol’s back as if begging for help, and banging her forehead on the table. With a heavy sigh, Jegal Hae-sol flicked her hand lightly, and An Sol’s body was enveloped in a blue glow before vanishing. Now, only one woman remained in the room. Jegal Hae-sol felt an intriguing gaze fixed on her and finally spoke.
“I sent her to the first floor. Someone passing by will help her.”
“Well done.”
Kim Soo-hyun said calmly, then placed another item on the desk. This time, it was a sphere blending light and darkness, and a fan that shimmered with a soft blue glow. Jegal Hae-sol tried her best not to look directly at Kim Soo-hyun, staring indifferently at the two objects. But her eyes had already begun to gleam with a golden light.
A moment later—
“The user Jegal Hae-sol is…”
The moment Kim Soo-hyun began to speak—
“No.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Haha. I didn’t even realize it, but today marks the second anniversary of this serialization.
I only found out because some readers mentioned it… Well, actually—
Sorry, but this is the only place I can really vent.
So here’s what happened:
Dad: “Yoo-jin, isn’t it almost your 2nd anniversary?”
Ro Yoo-jin: “Huh? Is it?”
Dad: “I think so.”
Ro Yoo-jin: “Wait, let me check… Oh, yeah. It’s coming up soon.”
Dad: “Congrats. Since you started, make sure you see it through to the end.”
Ro Yoo-jin: “Hehe, thanks… Wait, Dad?”
Dad: “Bye-bye. Off to work.”
Ro Yoo-jin: “Dad! Daaaad!”
…And that’s how I found out.
I don’t get it.
He says he doesn’t read it, but then how does he know exactly when the anniversary is?
Meanwhile, my brother’s like, “Hmm. Maybe I should catch up on the parts I missed.”
Ugh, seriously.
I begged and begged—please, stop teasing me.
Ugh, just—
Ughhhhhhh!