The sky, which had been clear and cloudless just that morning, gradually deepened into a rich crimson twilight as time passed.
Leaning against the terrace railing, bathed in the glow of the sunset, I stared intently at the sky. Then, drawn by a noise from below, I lowered my gaze.
Even though the sun was slowly setting, the castle’s garden was bustling with restless footsteps. Normally, this time of day would be quiet and calm, but today, for some reason, the commotion hadn’t ceased.
No, to be precise, it had been like this for the past four days.
Suddenly, I caught sight of Nam Da-eun deep in conversation with a man beneath the terrace. More specifically, every time Nam Da-eun spoke coldly, the man bowed repeatedly with a look of deep respect. Maybe I should listen a little closer.
“Time.”
“Yes, yes. The gathering time is around dawn…”
“Location.”
“Yes, yes. The meeting place is the west city’s main gate…”
Judging by this, it seems like a user from Haemil who came to request mercenaries after receiving records from the secret library. Nam Da-eun’s attitude is a bit arrogant, but I have no intention of interfering with personal style or character. Ironically, the man seems to find her demeanor trustworthy, judging by his expression. Well, he is a Sword Marquis after all.
Putting aside personal impressions, the man’s shabby appearance is a stark contrast to Nam Da-eun’s translucent, sensuous ice armor. At best, he looks like the leader of a small caravan scraping by day to day. In any case, he doesn’t seem to have the means to hire a mercenary leader or an S-rank clan member.
At least, that used to be the case.
But now, it’s possible. I made it possible.
The hint came from Lee Yoo-jung. She rapidly climbed the ranks by completing an enormous number of requests in a short time. The reason she could take on so many was that users who were originally around B-rank dropped to F-rank, attracting those who prioritized cost-effectiveness.
Taking that into account, I ordered all clan members’ ranks to be adjusted between a minimum of F-rank and a maximum of C-rank—though only for mercenary fees, not their actual rank.
My brother insisted on focusing entirely on mercenaries for this operation, and indeed, countless users have come over the past four days. But considering that the fees might be a burden, I took special measures to attract more clients.
The clan members didn’t complain much. The difference between the usual fees and the discounted ones would be covered by the clan’s finances.
In any case, the fee reduction policy has clearly worked. Just looking around the castle now, you can feel the busy energy everywhere. Not only Nam Da-eun, but also Cha So-rim politely seeing off clients, Woo Jung-min quietly listening to explanations, and the Ha Seung-woo and Ha Seung-yoon siblings confidently pounding their chests—all clan members are actively moving.
From my perspective, it’s the best choice. The more requests we take, the greater the rewards upon success, including equipment. In other words, it raises the level of the Northern Continent while simultaneously strengthening the mercenary clan—a win-win situation.
“I never thought it would turn out like this…”
I muttered to myself, though no one was listening, and looked back up at the sky.
I pondered this phenomenon for a long time. In a way, the stage we’re on now is like an advance draft.
Originally, the secret library, which would be revealed years from now, was to be discovered and opened early, allowing us to quickly conquer the ruins of Atlanta. And when Atlanta inevitably reached saturation like the old Northern Continent…
“At that time…”
…Ah, has it gotten this late already?
The sun, which had been dipping slowly, now blazed brightly like a candle about to be snuffed out, dyeing the entire world in violet. It seemed the garden, which had been bustling moments ago, was gradually quieting down, as if no one wanted to stay until nightfall.
Still, I didn’t leave immediately. I stood there, gazing endlessly at the garden as dusk deepened and the castle grew silent.
Meanwhile, Same Time: Seven
Elsewhere, at the same time.
“So…”
Lucifer looked down coolly at the large demon kneeling before him and spoke with a detached tone.
“Does that mean it was a success?”
A question from the Great Demon. Normally, any demon below the 14 Demon Lords—or even a mere creature of the demon race—would answer immediately.
But for some reason, the demon hesitated. He briefly lifted his head but then lowered it again, his face conflicted and uncertain.
Lucifer showed a hint of frustration but wasn’t the type to get angry over such things. Rare for a Great Demon.
“It means it succeeded, right?”
“W-well…”
The demon squinted briefly before lowering his eyes and continuing.
“As you know, the seal is extremely strong… We can’t get detailed information… We can only confirm from the outside…”
“So the information is cut off. Then it’s a failure, isn’t it?”
“N-no, that’s not the case. The usual phenomena that occur upon failure haven’t been observed. In fact, it’s very stable, like with Belial.”
“……”
Ambiguous and inconclusive. Lucifer sighed, pressing his fingers to his forehead, and the demon immediately bowed his head.
To be honest, Lucifer wouldn’t have been lying if he said he wasn’t waiting for this news. But it wasn’t a hopeful kind of waiting. Not quite fear, but an endless anxiety and nervousness—like holding a lottery ticket, knowing you probably won’t win, yet still hoping.
He wanted nothing more than to give up and walk away. But in the end, Lucifer rose from his throne.
“…Everyone’s gathered.”
“Yes, yes! All five, except for you, Lucifer…”
“Show me.”
“Understood!”
The demon hurriedly rose, as if afraid Lucifer might change his mind.
“Phew…”
Following the cautious demon, Lucifer let out a long sigh. As they walked, he closed his shadowed eyes and slowly drifted into thought.
‘After that meeting ended…’
< Reminiscence >
“Satan! Satan!”
If the 14 Demon Lords or any lesser demons had seen this, they would have been shocked. Lucifer, known for his calm and composed demeanor, was running down the stairs, out of breath. If his direct subordinates had witnessed this, they might have doubted whether he was truly their creator.
But Lucifer paid no mind to such things, focusing solely on descending the stairs, as if chasing after a lover who had just broken up with him.
A moment later, he caught up to Satan at the bottom. Satan, who had been walking slowly, sensed his presence and slowed down.
“Sa-taaan!”
Lucifer shouted like a thunderclap, startling Satan into turning around.
“Hmm. Isn’t it your rule not to raise your voice in the presence of your master, Lucifer?”
Satan spoke calmly, but Lucifer’s intensity didn’t wane. Instead, he glared fiercely, trying to compose himself. It wasn’t that he had nothing to say—he had too much and didn’t know where to start. Finally, he settled on the most concise question.
“What… happened?”
“Hmm?”
“The recent meeting. Why was the decision made to proceed?”
“……?”
His voice rose again at the end, but Satan genuinely looked puzzled. When Lucifer fell silent, Satan spoke quietly.
“It’s strange. We convened because we faced a dangerous situation, and the vote favored proceeding. Only you and I voted to withdraw.”
“But you opposed proceeding as well, Satan. And regardless of the vote, the final decision was yours.”
“That’s true. So, do you have a problem with my decision?”
“If I do, what will you do about it?”
Lucifer’s eyes glowed a pale blue, and his tone was quite challenging. But Satan smiled, amused.
“Nothing bad. A challenge from a fallen angel sounds like fun. But given the circumstances, I hope you’ll hold back on power struggles for now.”
Lucifer was stunned by Satan’s eerily calm response. Seeing this, Satan chuckled.
“I’m joking.”
“Satan. Oh, please…”
Lucifer opened his mouth but felt awkward. He sensed an unfamiliar vitality from the usually dark and secretive Satan. Watching closely, he shuddered.
It was only a guess, but…
It felt familiar.
Since the prophecy of the Great Plan was delivered, Lucifer had taken a neutral stance, deciding not to get involved.
But as the situation worsened, he felt the need to clarify his position. His cold logic demanded a decision based on more solid information rather than blindly proceeding. So he orchestrated an incident, wasting the precious resource of the 14 Demon Lords—and failed spectacularly.
Though he gained some information and leaned toward withdrawal, the loss of Pluto and Proserpina was a devastating blow.
Still, Lucifer considered that event an investment and found some enjoyment in the process of maneuvering.
Now, he felt that Satan’s current demeanor was similar to his own back then.
Yes, Satan was clearly enjoying this.
At that moment, a thought flashed through Lucifer’s mind: ‘This must be stopped.’ Because once Satan sets his mind to something, no one knows what he might do.
“Satan, we need to think this through rationally. They don’t have the slightest clue about the current situation. But you’re not like them, right? Didn’t you verify everything with me?”
“That’s right.”
“Hwajeong and Geophwa have joined forces. Just one of them would be terrifying, but both together? Even the mighty Baal couldn’t utter a sound and ended up sacrificing a precious life.”
“Exactly.”
“And that’s not all. Though it’s just speculation, I’m certain—somehow, that bastard Kim Suhyun knows about us. Now I understand why he predicted the downfall of the Great Plan. While we were basking in arrogance and complacency, he was quietly eliminating our pawns and growing his power. Maybe in the Demon Realm it’s different, but here on the Whole Plain, we can no longer guarantee anything.”
“Hmm. That’s very likely.”
“To put it bluntly, we have no allies. Even time itself seems to be aiding him. Frankly, if he gathers enough strength in Atlanta and marches toward Terra, what do you plan to do then?”
“Ha ha.”
Lucifer, who had been speaking at length, looked at Satan with a troubled expression. Despite his detailed explanation, Satan didn’t question a single point—he accepted everything. That confident attitude cooled Lucifer’s racing mind.
After a moment to collect his thoughts, Lucifer spoke again, his voice now much calmer.
“I know that after the Great Demon Summoning, all the archdemons except me abandoned the Northern Continent. And I’m aware that you’re watching the Southern Continent.”
“Watching? No, I’ve already made my move.”
Satan corrected him with a sly smile, never losing his composure.
“Anyway, fine. So, do you have a plan? Some kind of countermeasure?”
“A plan?”
“Any idea, any strategy—anything. Do you have the confidence to turn this situation around? To win?”
“Hmm…”
Satan hummed thoughtfully, slowly stroking his chin.
“I know it’s rude, but I want to hear it. No, I need to hear it.”
Lucifer stared back with a resolute expression, unwilling to concede an inch.
Then Satan let out a short laugh. He took a deep breath and slowly tilted his head back.
“No.”
Lucifer’s brow furrowed.
“…Excuse me?”
“Well… I just can’t think of anything.”
“Satan.”
“Even if we take control of the Southern Continent… honestly, the odds of winning aren’t great. It’s better than the Eastern Continent, sure, but there’s still a gap. I can’t help but wonder if the Northern Continent guys, like us, will get complacent after a few years in Atlanta and just settle down… That’s all I can think.”
“What are you saying…?”
“Well, in any case, it means the prophecy of the Great Plan was right.”
With that, Satan suddenly bowed his head and locked eyes with Lucifer.
“Yeah… Lucifer.”
Startled by the sudden gaze, Lucifer flinched as Satan’s crimson pupils dilated, glowing with a faint, eerie light.
“We’ve already lost. Haven’t we?”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
The beginning of the incident.
Episode 7 starts now.