The castle was quiet and cold in the early morning. Perhaps because dawn had only just broken, the morning frost still clung to the air. The garden was shrouded in a thick, milky fog, lending an eerie atmosphere to the place.
A few days ago, thanks to the thornwood coffin incident, Mar had undergone a sort of transformation. Now, she walked lightly through the castle corridors—not toddling like a baby anymore, but with the graceful steps of a lovely young girl.
Her face bloomed like a freshly opened flower, radiant with excitement. Like a child eagerly unwrapping a gift, her anticipation grew with every step up the stairs and down the hall, her pace quickening.
“Dad! I’m coming in!”
Without knocking, Mar pushed open the door as soon as she reached her destination. Such behavior was hardly befitting a queen’s dignity, but Nimué simply smiled softly and followed behind. She knew just how long Mar had been waiting for this moment—more precisely, for her father’s summons.
Mar stepped onto the crimson carpet embroidered with gold thread and came to a slow stop.
“I heard you called for me.”
“Hmm.”
Kim Soo-hyun’s voice came calmly from the other side. He was seated at his desk, though turned away toward the terrace, so his face remained hidden. When Mar tilted her head in curiosity, he spoke again.
“I heard you want to be an official clan member.”
Kim Soo-hyun swiveled his chair slightly, reached out, and picked up a document from the desk, reading aloud.
“Clan member registration, equipment withdrawal permission, summons seat arrangement… There are quite a few requests regarding you.”
Mar blushed and smiled shyly. Since Kim Soo-hyun still faced the terrace, Nimué couldn’t see his expression clearly, but she sensed his tone was less than enthusiastic.
“Yes… I want permission.”
“Well.”
Though Mar’s voice was earnest, Kim Soo-hyun’s response was ambiguous.
In truth, Mar’s position had become complicated recently. She had quickly risen from a ‘non-combat user’—someone to be protected—to a ‘combat user.’ The gap between being a mere toddler of barely two years and having awakened into a full-fledged clan member was significant.
This was a matter that had to be addressed sooner or later.
If it were just exploration or expeditions, it wouldn’t be an issue. But with a massive continental war looming, Kim Soo-hyun’s concerns deepened. Ko Yeon-ju had already pointed this out.
Should they continue to protect her as before, or let her participate in the bloody conflict?
Of course, Mar herself wanted to be active as a user—and she had more than enough power. In fact, she was overflowing with it. But there were always those who thought otherwise, and Kim Soo-hyun was the biggest obstacle.
“Your ambition is admirable, but this father still thinks it’s too soon.”
“…Too soon?”
Mar’s question came a beat late.
“Nimué.”
Kim Soo-hyun suddenly turned his attention.
“What level do you think Mar’s power is at right now?”
The question came out of nowhere. Nimué felt as if he already knew the answer but asked anyway. She answered earnestly.
“I only served the previous queen briefly, but I sensed a strength in Mar unlike any fairy I’ve ever encountered.”
“I see.”
Kim Soo-hyun nodded briefly, then asked again.
“And what about experience?”
At that moment, Nimué realized why Kim Soo-hyun was so reluctant and what exactly worried him. Watching Mar fidget nervously, she continued quietly.
“I explained this during the wing transplantation briefing.”
“You mean the wings carry not only power and knowledge but also experience—including combat experience?”
“Yes. Of course, she’ll need time to get used to it.”
“You don’t believe that.”
Before Nimué could elaborate, Kim Soo-hyun cut her off firmly. At the same time, a flicker of something passed through Mar’s eyes.
“A child barely two years old wants to be active as a user?”
Mar wasn’t foolish. She was clever and smart enough to vaguely understand why Kim Soo-hyun was acting this way.
On the surface, mercenary clan members were elite among elites. Even in the whole of the Hole Plain, mercenaries were synonymous with a select few. There was a joke that a regular mercenary clan member was equivalent to a high-ranking officer in other clans.
And the results spoke for themselves. Just looking at the major achievements: the ancient magic city of Magia, the dragon’s slumbering mountain range, Steel Mountain regions 2, 3, and 4, the tomb of the barbarian king, the glacial snowfields, and more.
Kim Soo-hyun’s combat users had fought through countless battles—land, air, urban warfare—and had gained experience steadily through missions, continuing to do so.
Given all this, there was no way Mar could suddenly stand on equal footing with them, even if she had awakened.
However, if she could prove herself, everything would change. If she could demonstrate her skills in a way everyone could accept.
“So, what do I have to do to earn your trust…?”
Her voice betrayed a hint of hurt.
“Prove it.”
A chill swept through the office.
“Prove it…?”
“Yes. Show me whether you truly know how to use your power, or if you’re just a pearl necklace on a pig’s neck.”
His voice was low and cold, yet carried the ominous weight of a storm about to break.
Surprisingly, Mar’s expression remained calm. She stood quietly, accepting Kim Soo-hyun’s challenge without flinching.
Finally, she said simply,
“Alright. I accept.”
“On one condition—you must promise to grant me permission if I convince you.”
“Hoh.”
A sound escaped Kim Soo-hyun’s lips—whether a sigh or a scoff, it was hard to tell. From his perspective, it was a bold demand. After all, he was a man at the very top of the world’s food chain.
Slowly, his chair spun around, and he rose.
“Then…”
At that moment, Mar and Nimué both instinctively took a step back.
“You’ll accept the opposite outcome as well, won’t you?”
Kim Soo-hyun’s face finally came into view—so expressionless it was chilling. Though he usually wore a warm smile for Mar, today was different. His eyes, glowing red and piercing, were almost frightening.
But the two fairies didn’t recoil just because of that.
What caught their attention first were the four swords hanging at his waist and ears. Then the Shirt of Hope, the Armor of the Heavenly King Chiwoo, the TOPG, Obelo Knight Boots, the Red Moon Cloak, the Blessing of Rasillasi, and the Lucky Four-Leaf Clover…
“D-Dad…”
Kim Soo-hyun was fully armed.
Clad in jet-black armor and a blood-red cloak, he looked truly fearsome. The faint, creeping aura of “Lord, command us” pressed heavily on the two fairies. Since he hadn’t gone on an expedition recently, the atmosphere felt even more unfamiliar.
‘So this is…’
Nimué’s eyes narrowed as she studied him carefully.
‘His true form…?’
Suddenly, a memory flashed through Nimué’s mind—the conversation she had with Mar before her awakening.
“I want to help Dad.”
“Yes. Dad is a really good person.”
“But…”
“Sometimes… just sometimes…”
“He can be very scary.”
“I want to save Dad from the ‘false reality’ I feel.”
Meanwhile.
“Go to the southern continent? No, no, there’s no reason to go yet.”
“Damn it.”
At the highest point of the independent space called ‘Heavenly Realm,’ Gabriel was fidgeting irritably. To an outsider, it might look like a woman with flowers in her hair wildly waving her hands. To put it more gently, it was as if she were playing an invisible piano in midair.
“First, gather information. That much you can do, right?”
“Damn it.”
Harsh curses spilled from her beautiful lips one after another.
“I keep saying, gather accurate information. Including the eastern, western, and southern continents.”
“Goddamn it.”
Gabriel’s eyebrows were raised high, her expression fierce. The murderous glare from her eyes blazed so intensely it seemed to reach the ceiling of the Heavenly Realm. Even the surrounding angels shrank their shoulders in fear.
“Until then, don’t even dream of Soo-hyun calling. We’ll decide what to do.”
“Ahhhhh! Whyyyyyy!”
Finally, Gabriel exploded. She flung her arms out and then slammed them down with force. Something wasn’t going her way. It was like a child throwing a tantrum when things don’t go as planned.
How much time had passed?
“Phew…”
Gabriel pressed a hand to her forehead, staring wearily into the void.
“Why can’t the connection be restored?”
Her voice was weak, but her face had grown serious. She glared at the empty air as if she truly couldn’t understand.
“No matter how great a demon, or even Satan himself… would they interfere on such a massive scale?”
Of course, glaring wouldn’t solve anything.
“I don’t know.”
Finally, she muttered bitterly and collapsed midair. A long sigh escaped her lips.
Then, at that moment…
“Um… Gabriel.”
A cautious angel approached Gabriel, who was staring blankly.
“What is it?”
“There’s something urgent you need to see.”
“What is it?”
“It’s the current situation in the Western Continent.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I already checked that. It was a bit chaotic before, but recently it’s been quiet, hasn’t it?”
“Well…”
“Well?”
“……”
Gabriel grew impatient with the angel’s hesitation, standing up in frustration. The moment he glanced at the report the angel brought,
“……”
His eyes darkened instantly.
“What is this…?”
That question carried only one meaning.
“…What happened?”
At last, angel and demon—
“Tell me what’s going on!”
—and human and human’s war announced its opening act.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Dear readers,
I have an important appointment today (May 7), so I won’t be able to post tomorrow (May 8).
It’s a family event, and I expect to get home quite late.
I’ll resume the serialization on May 9 (Saturday), so I hope you’ll kindly understand. (__)
And…
To those who called me Ungnyeo yesterday,
I will never forget. s(￣へ￣ )z
See you in the Third Great War. Heh heh. (?)