“Hm?”
“You don’t even have to look to know what this is about. You’re basically telling me to accept that and inherit the class. Well, I don’t want to.”
Jegal Haesol flat-out refused without even glancing at me. Was she upset about something? Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her eyes were so narrow they reminded me of threads. It wasn’t her usual cocky attitude—instead, it felt like she was deliberately avoiding eye contact. But her refusal was as firm as ever. I clasped my hands together and spoke quietly.
“I’m not trying to give it to you.”
“Suddenly speaking informally… What did you say?”
Ha ha. Even the formidable Jegal Haesol wasn’t expecting that? The startled look on her face was pretty amusing. But seeing me chuckle, she bit her lower lip hard and furrowed her brows deeply. Oh no, is she really mad?
“I’m joking.”
“You really…”
Surprisingly, she didn’t get angry. She just closed her eyes tightly as if trying to swallow her words, then abruptly turned her head away. Still, I could hear her muttering in frustration. That little groan was kind of… sexy. She’s just like a puppy.
“Anyway, let’s hear it. Why?”
“Phew~.”
“Anyone who’s a user dreams of inheriting a class. But why, Jegal Haesol, do you refuse?”
“Wait a minute. I’m talking, I’m talking.”
At that moment, Jegal Haesol cut in, waving her hands frantically. Then she pointed to the left with a pleading expression.
“Could you please look away over there?”
“Look away?”
“Yes. So please don’t make eye contact with me.”
“What are you talking about…?”
What on earth was she saying now?
“Clan Lord, please. Think of it as saving one person’s life. If this keeps going, I….”
“…You?”
“I’ll probably end up, maybe even tonight, crushed under your body.”
“Excuse me?”
“And during that time, I’ll feel the monster mercilessly tearing through the virginity I’ve carefully protected, screaming in disgust, flailing my arms and legs. Right there on that bed.”
“…….”
I understood what she meant. At the same time, I was speechless. I knew she had a vivid imagination, but this was beyond anything I’d expected. This was pure fantasy—no, delusion—swimming wildly in her mind.
“I’d rather die than let that happen. There’s still so much I want to do, so many things I want to achieve. Becoming your physical slave like that is something I truly hate.”
“User.”
“Hey, don’t look! Doesn’t what I’m saying even sound like words to you?”
“Us-”
“Then don’t give off such weird vibes in the first place!”
“Usa-”
“Why! You’re giving off all these vibes I like, then what do you want me to do about it!”
“…Ha~ah.”
In the end, she just closed her eyes completely. I had the sudden feeling I was getting dragged into something I didn’t want to be part of.
“Is that enough?”
“Yes. Honestly, it’s still the same, but at least it’s better.”
Jegal Haesol’s voice returned to its usual mysterious tone as she cleared her throat.
“Then before you explain, can I take a look at those two?”
“By all means.”
I gestured for her to take them, and I could feel her footsteps approaching briskly. Soon, a quiet stillness settled as she began reading the “Gooz Appraisal.”
『Dancer of the White Night』
(Description: Originally, a dancer was a woman who performed dances, and in the ancient Whole Plain, they were considered offerings for prosperity and peace. However, after the appearance of the Dancer of the White Night, that perception changed completely. This extraordinary dancer’s origin traces back to a woman who walked out of the Divine Maiden Valley during a time when the sun was swallowed by darkness.
She traveled across the continent, warding off misfortune and disaster, protecting fortune and blessings. Her elegant dance soothed the dead land, and with a single flick of her fan, she dispelled the darkness that covered the sky, earning the reverence of all humanity.
Though ultimately defeated by a powerful evil spirit and degraded, she chose the tragic path of falling into the abyss with the demon. Despite her ungraceful end, there is no doubt she was a beautiful miracle who saved the world.
The Dancer of the White Night is a supernatural being rooted in folk magic, especially holding an absolute opposing relationship to evil.)
This was serious. The reason I chose the Dancer of the White Night was twofold: the description of an absolute opposing relationship with demons caught my eye, and I vaguely remembered reading about the Divine Maiden Valley in the secret library. Even if Jegal Haesol refused, I could just train a new user. There didn’t seem to be any restrictions.
『Crystals of Light and Darkness』
(Description: A crystal embodying equal parts light and darkness—chaos. Except for one known instance, it has never appeared in the world before. It is connected to an extremely powerful spirit. Unless the user is exceptionally talented, it is advised not to use it recklessly.)
But the Crystals of Light and Darkness were a different story. Even setting aside the complicated description, the warnings alone meant it was not something to take lightly. It demanded a truly talented user. That’s why I thought of Jegal Haesol…
“Clan Lord, I’m curious—what’s the difference between a Secret Class and an Awakened Secret Class?”
At that moment, Jegal Haesol’s curious voice reached me. I almost opened my eyes reflexively but held back.
“There’s not much difference. Maybe just the manifestation process… that’s about it.”
“I see. Well, thanks for the look. But my opinion hasn’t changed.”
A clean refusal. Jegal Haesol clearly had no intention of changing her mind. Honestly, I couldn’t understand her reasoning, but that was just my perspective. I decided to listen for now.
“Hmm~. Of course, I appreciate you looking out for me…”
After a moment, her voice continued, sounding a bit hesitant.
“I don’t want impurities to get mixed into the path I want to take.”
“Impurities?”
“Yes. When I entered this world, I want nothing to interfere except what was given to me.”
“Nothing to interfere? So you mean these things are a hindrance?”
“Not exactly. I know how the Whole Plain works. Of course, it helps. But I think it would definitely be a barrier on the path I want to take.”
“…….”
Damn, I wish I could see her expression. It’s so frustrating with her eyes closed.
“How should I put it… I want to preserve purity.”
“Purity?”
“Right. I’m a user of magic, by magic, and for magic. I’m a mage, and I want to reach the source as a mage. I felt that clearly on this expedition.”
“The source…”
Our conversation went on for quite a while. Throughout, a faint spark flickered in Jegal Haesol’s high voice. Whether nonsense or not, it was sincere. I fell into thought.
Then suddenly,
‘She’s saying she’s been building up her magic power through relentless effort since childhood, reading magic books until her head hurts, practicing spells until her fingers break. So she wishes people wouldn’t doubt the achievements we’ve made, especially from those who barely train but still use their abilities.’
I recalled Mavolo’s sneer, and
‘It’s unthinkable to have a human as a successor… but Jegal Haesol is different. In thousands of years, I’ve seen only five or six humans with her level of talent. If she had been born in the ancient Whole Plain, she would have undoubtedly ruled an era.’
Helena’s—or rather, Magna Carta’s—admiration flashed through my mind.
I felt like I almost understood something. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I knew what she was trying to say. At the same time, a faint chill ran down my spine. Come to think of it, Jegal Haesol was a regular class user even in the first round. So no matter how good my intentions were, maybe… I almost ruined her brilliant future?
“Don’t you regret it?”
In the end, I gave up trying to persuade her. With such a firm will, I couldn’t force her to inherit the class. It was easier to just accept that it wasn’t meant to be.
“Regret? Haha. Not at all. At least when it comes to magic, I don’t intend to lose to anyone.”
“Your enthusiasm is admirable, but sometimes a little humility wouldn’t hurt.”
“Oh, what am I supposed to do? What do you want me to do with all this confidence~?”
“Ha, who’s stopping you?”
I smiled wryly and put the potion for magic power enhancement back where it belonged. Then Jegal Haesol said she had to get back to her research and asked if she could leave now. I nodded. Soon, the familiar sound of magic bursting echoed, and when I finally opened my eyes, Jegal Haesol was gone.
“Tiring.”
I sank into my chair and let out a long sigh. Somehow, giving felt harder than receiving. Anyway, what remained were three spirit crystals, the Dancer of the White Night, and potions for strength, endurance, and magic power.
“By the way, what was my brother’s magic stat again?”
As a result, after that day, the Mercenary Clan gained two Awakened Secret Classes and one Secret Class. And the rumors spread at a terrifying speed. Well, it wasn’t just any rumor—it was about class inheritance, after all. Not something to be taken lightly.
Riding on that rumor, I made a public announcement in the meeting hall. There were still four classes left to inherit, and I declared that anyone confident enough—though I did set minimal class restrictions—was welcome to come forward. It was a clear warning: if you showed up just on a whim, you’d be in for a harsh disappointment.
Part of me considered scouting new users or training potential recruits, but I wanted to give priority to my clan members. It felt right, and it would also prevent any gossip from spreading.
Several days passed, and I received reports that the city’s internal development had made significant progress, along with news that the relocation of special buildings was complete. Naturally, we had also begun construction on the Mercenary Academy. Things seemed to be running smoothly without any major incidents, but I couldn’t shake off a lingering worry.
(Sorry to bother you, young master. If it’s urgent, we can try to get in touch…)
“No, it’s fine. You said they’re still in the Steel Mountains, right?”
(Yes…)
“Then it’s better to wait. Please contact me as soon as they return.”
(Yes, I’ll be sure to pass the message along.)
“Thank you. Goodbye.”
After receiving confirmation, I ended the communication. Staring at the now-dark communication orb, I lit a cigarette.
Isn’t it strange? When I left for the expedition, my brother said he was in the Steel Mountains. And yet, he still hasn’t come back—he’s still there. That means he’s been stuck there for nearly two months, almost three now.
“What on earth is he doing over there…?”
I exhaled a thick plume of smoke and shifted my gaze to the desk, where three sparkling crystals and a fan glowing with a blue light caught my eye. The more I looked, the stronger the urge grew to deal with them quickly.
The reason for my impatience was simple. Strictly speaking, the spirit elixirs could be given later without much issue—the stat point increases only take a few seconds. But classes were a different matter. Inheriting a class required continuous effort afterward, so the longer I delayed, the more I felt I was losing out. And since I’d been putting it off for so long, this time I wanted to handle it properly, no matter what.
Click.
Just then—
“Daadddy~!”
Suddenly, the door slid open, and someone called out to me adorably as they ran in. Hastily, I stubbed out my cigarette and turned around to find Mar, her thirteen pairs of wings fluttering as she threw herself into my arms. Wow, she’s gotten heavier. Has she grown again already?
“Mar’s here?”
“Yeah!”
Was something exciting going on? I patted her back and asked, and she nodded brightly. Then she glanced around before pointing at the desk with sparkling eyes.
“Daddy, what’s that?”
“Hm?”
“That thing, that pretty box.”
“Pretty box?”
Not the crystals or the fan?
I swallowed the rest of my thought and looked where she was pointing.
“Oh, that?”
Six boxes were neatly stacked there.
They were the ‘Monster Summoning Box 4’—all six of them—purchased for a whopping one million GP.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
┏━┛┗━┓ I gladly respond to readers,
┗━┓┏━┛ And repay teasing with interviews.