My brother’s words hit the nail on the head about what the “users” truly want. It was as if he knew exactly what they desired and how we should respond.
But he didn’t stop at words—he backed it up with action. Hamill emphasized that he was merely a proxy for the Mercenary Clan and said that if everything was properly prepared, they were welcome to come to the clan house right away. With that, he stepped down from the podium. The official announcement from the Hamill Clan ended amid thunderous cheers.
After pushing through the excited crowd, I barely made it back to the castle.
“So,” I said, settling into my office chair, “isn’t it about time you laid out the plan clearly? You’ve played along so well.”
Stretching out, my brother sank into the sofa with a smile. After a hearty laugh, he shook his head slowly.
“This isn’t really a plan. More like… a kind of show. Anyway, it’s only a part of the whole.”
He slipped his hands into his pockets and started rummaging around. Calling it a “show” and saying it was only a fraction of the plan—those words made me look at him intently.
I’d felt it before during the Steel Mountain campaign: his strength lay in being slow. If Han So-young was quick to make decisive judgments and bold moves, my brother was the opposite—meticulously setting the stage in advance, then slowly gathering pieces one by one. So, I took it to mean that this was just the beginning.
“First, start with this.”
After a moment, he placed two thick envelopes on the desk. I peeked inside one—it was stuffed with old, densely packed records.
“There were three libraries in the secret archive back then, right?”
“Yeah.”
“These came from the central library you told me to keep. I swear I haven’t read any of the records. I just took them all out, mixed them up, and divided them into three equal parts. It matched perfectly.”
“You can take whatever you want.”
I chuckled softly, guarding the two envelopes. Hamill must have already taken his share. One of these was for us, the other for Istantel Row.
“And… this.”
He glanced around before adding a much larger envelope. It thudded heavily on the desk—at least twice as thick as the others.
“What’s this?”
“I took an entire library.”
“Looks like it. But why give it to me?”
“Because you have to distribute it.”
He spoke quietly. Surely he wasn’t asking me to do it all alone. When I gestured for him to continue, he propped his chin on his clasped hands.
“Do you like twenty questions?”
“I really don’t.”
“Ha, just hear me out. Starting tomorrow, our Hamill Clan is going to be very busy. The place will be packed with users coming to claim records, right?”
“Of course.”
“Let’s group all those who come as a collective called ‘users.’ Now, if we break that group down into units?”
“Units? Like large clans, mid-sized clans, small clans, caravans, individuals… something like that?”
“Good. Now here’s a question: aside from mid-sized clans and above, do you think small clans or smaller groups have the capacity to handle these records?”
“…”
I paused, thinking deeply. His question was sharp. It was the one part of the official announcement I hadn’t fully understood.
He’d promised to distribute everything fairly, without discrimination. It sounded great on the surface, but in reality, it meant taking a big risk. For example, even our Mercenary Clan barely managed to conquer the ‘Tomb of the Barbarian King.’ Could a small clan or smaller expedition really handle such challenges?
“Hmm. Yeah, I guess some cases will be tough…”
“Exactly. I know the value of each record. That’s why our clan members are still painstakingly copying them by hand, and we’ve chosen ones that are close by and seem easier. We’re trying to avoid wasting anything.”
“Copying? That sounds exhausting… Wait, you mean you’ve already touched them?”
“The ones we’re going to distribute.”
I was startled, but he nodded calmly. Suddenly, my head was spinning. If he’d targeted only mid-sized clans and above, I could at least understand the reasoning. But including records that are close by and seemingly easy…?
“Brother?”
“Right. I’m mainly planning to give these to small clans and below, not mid-sized clans or larger.”
Damn. I’d braced myself, but it seemed he had planned this far more complicated than I imagined. I tried to stay calm and sort it out.
“Why?”
“Think about it. The records aren’t infinite. If we try to split everything evenly, the established powers—the ones with vested interests—will end up taking it all. And I bet that won’t go over well. We’d get criticized even after handing them out.”
“Then why make the announcement in the first place? And even if you do it your way, how will you handle the backlash from mid-sized clans and above?”
“That’s your job to smooth over.”
The moment I questioned him, he placed his hand on one of the thick envelopes as if he’d been waiting for this.
“Of course, I won’t just coldly refuse. I’ll soften the blow, maybe mention the Mercenary Clan subtly.”
“So that’s why you handed this to me? To give out when they come looking?”
“You can do that, or you can go to them directly.”
“Brother, I’m sorry, but I don’t get it. Why make things so complicated? You could just hand them out and be done.”
He was silent for a moment, then nodded calmly.
“Yeah. It’d be easier to just scatter them around without thinking. But listen, it’s not like I enjoy making things complicated.”
“Th-That’s not what I meant…”
“Suhyun, I plan to bring you into this as much as possible.”
“…?”
I tilted my head, confused.
“This isn’t some simple, dumb ‘the Mercenary Clan is doing you a favor, so be grateful’ kind of thing. No matter what, I’m going to link every situation that arises to the Mercenary Clan.”
He turned slightly, looking toward the terrace, and continued slowly as he walked.
“I believe a king needs at least three things: first, military power; second, legitimacy; and third, the support of the people.”
“A king?”
That was a sudden, unexpected word. But he looked more serious than ever.
“Let me be honest. Sure, some users like us, but you have to admit, the Mercenary Clan isn’t exactly viewed with pure goodwill.”
That was true. Though the Steel Mountain campaign had softened things, deep-rooted prejudices from the Northern Continent days still lingered. They just weren’t as visible.
“But what if I put my name on the line and fully support small clans and below? Wouldn’t that help change the Mercenary Clan’s image?”
“Okay, fine. Let’s say that’s possible. What else?”
“Listen. The big events on the Whole Plain—wars with the Western Continent, the Steel Mountain campaign—were all led by large clans and involved mid-sized clans or above, right?”
“Yeah.”
“But going forward, when we fight demons, the strength of those groups will be indispensable. You won’t be fighting alone, so it’s best to use this opportunity.”
“So… you want me to meet those groups directly and build relationships?”
“Exactly. Users always seek profit. While it’s impossible to control the Whole Plain, at least you can count on their support when needed.”
I let out a bitter laugh. Now I understood what he was trying to do. Simply put, he’d get the people’s support, and I was supposed to create legitimacy.
It’s true that users chase their own interests. But on this point, I thought he was mistaken.
“I think you’re underestimating how hard this is.”
“Huh?”
Just look at the official announcement. Even if we give things away for free, there were still voices of suspicion.
Large clans especially are sensitive to cost-benefit calculations and don’t really need anything. Do you think they’d respond with, ‘Oh my, thank you so much for taking care of us. We pledge our loyalty to the Mercenary Clan forever’ just because we hand over a few records?
No. No sane person would. I can say that with certainty.
When I voiced my thoughts, he smiled wryly. I thought I’d hit a weak spot, but he seemed unfazed, as if he expected me to say that.
“What if there’s a way?”
“What?”
“What if there’s a way to gain their solid support, using the method I mentioned? Mercenary Lord.”
“W-What…?”
Hearing “Mercenary Lord” felt strangely unfamiliar. He wasn’t looking at me anymore. Standing near the entrance, he gazed calmly beyond the terrace, avoiding eye contact. It felt like he didn’t want to meet my eyes.
“Suhyun.”
After staring outside for a while, he called me in a softer voice.
“You know there’s no guardian in the Northern Continent right now, don’t you?”
“Of course I do…”
That was obvious. Since Maeng Ara was killed by a vagabond, the Northern Continent has been…?
Wait, why bring this up all of a sudden?
“Don’t tell me…”
“Yes.”
He nodded slowly.
“You should become the guardian of the Northern Continent.”
He said something so shocking with such calmness.
For a moment, my vision spun. Without realizing it, I pressed my hand to my forehead. I tried hard to make sense of my brother’s words, but a dull haze kept creeping over me.
No, if I think about it rationally, it’s not entirely impossible. Just look at the current head of the central governing body.
Among the users I know, the “Guardian” is generally treated with respect. Most of the major currents in the Whole Plane have passed through the hands of previous Guardians, and their purpose—to lead the Northern Continent in the right direction—gives them a solid justification. In fact, quite a few clans have benefited from Lee Hyo-eul’s influence.
Yeah. I can’t think of a better alternative either.
But still.
“…”
It’s something I’ve never even considered before.
“You want me… to become the Guardian of the Northern Continent?”
“Hmm.”
“Are you serious?”
“As serious as it gets.”
Suddenly, a breeze swept through the room, cool and refreshing, stirring every corner. Amid the strands of hair fluttering in the wind, a pair of calm, steady eyes finally met mine.
“Why?”
The thought that I must sound stupid flashed through my mind, but the question slipped out reflexively.
“Why…?”
My brother sighed deeply all of a sudden.
Then, with a look that said he was truly sorry but felt there was no other way, he spoke.
“If we don’t do this…”
He seemed resigned, as if this was the only option he could think of.
“It would be like all the meaning of skipping the Warring States period was lost.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Ah, we’re finally nearing the end of this episode. Honestly, there were so many deep layers to explore that I struggled quite a bit, but somehow, I’m proud we’ve made it this far. (Pat pat)
Anyway, the next chapter—or maybe the one after that—will wrap up Episode Eight, and with it, the story of the Northern Continent will take a temporary pause. From Episode Seven down to Episode Five, the focus will shift mainly to the demons and the Southern Continent.
I’m a bit worried because the protagonist’s appearances drop off sharply in Episodes Seven through Five, but for now, I’ve decided to push forward quickly, focusing on the key events.
For now, I’ll finish Episode Eight first, and once I dive into Episode Seven, I’ll share more details.
Wishing all my readers a wonderful day. :)