Late afternoon.
“Has it finally quieted down a bit?”
I muttered to myself as I stood on the terrace, gazing out over the city. The sun had already set, and the twilight sky was slowly bleeding into a wash of dark ink. Streetlights flickered on one by one, casting their glow over the shadowed cityscape.
Though it was still hours before bedtime, the city of Meonbit was unusually calm—far from the usual bustle. The occasional noise drifted like gentle ripples on a pond, fading quickly into silence. Just a few days ago, the city had been noisy from dawn till dusk. Maybe things had finally settled down. That would be proof that the angel had done a good job persuading everyone.
But it was only a lull, not true peace. If I listened closely, there were moments when the fading sounds abruptly stopped. In those brief instants, the silence felt unbearably cold and eerie, as if even the air itself was holding its breath.
Yet, strangely, it wasn’t unfamiliar. Having experienced this many times before, it felt almost like an old companion. Yes, the city was thick with the tension of impending war.
Looking back, I hardly knew how the past few days had slipped away. In the chaos of preparations, the departure date suddenly loomed right in front of me. The only bright spot was the modest celebration we managed to hold at dinner.
Thanks to the angel, preparations had gone quickly, but not everything had been smooth. There had been minor issues when announcing the internal lineup. Jegal Haesol and Cha Heeyoung didn’t meet the participation requirements, but as clan leaders, we had the authority to include them anyway. A kind of flexibility, you might say.
The real problem was Mar. We hadn’t set any restrictions on residents, but this was a different matter. Regardless of skill, it felt inappropriate to bring someone with no experience in war or expeditions. At first, I was against it.
But Mar was adamant about joining, and since Nimu also volunteered to go along, I eventually relented. I agonized over it, but I couldn’t break Mar’s resolve. Honestly, I was secretly hopeful, too. I didn’t know how it would turn out, but having those two fairies join was an unexpected bonus.
Anyway, I’m not sure if everything is perfect, but I think we’ve done all we can to prepare. Now, all that’s left is to gather tomorrow and set off.
I wonder what the clan members are up to. If they have any sense, they’ve probably gone to rest early, or if they’re restless, they’re likely checking their gear. And me…
My heart feels strangely calm. Facing the final war, I’m oddly composed. After all this waiting, why is that?
It’s still early. Standing here spacing out like this, should I go find Hyung, or Seraph? Maybe head down to the first floor, or check in with Lee Hyo-eul to see if the defense preparations are going well.
A flood of thoughts rushes through my mind. But I shake my head, light a cigarette, and take a drag. Everyone has their own tasks; there’s no need to disturb them.
So, for today at least, enjoying this tense calm alone seems like the right choice.
The quiet dawn passed, and finally, the day of departure arrived.
It was a clear, bright morning with white clouds drifting lazily across the sky. But the castle was bustling with preparations. When I came downstairs wearing the gear I’d polished last night, the clan members were already gathered in the courtyard.
One odd thing caught my eye: Jeong Ha-yeon was scolding four people standing before her.
“I really can’t live with you guys. How can you just do whatever you want?”
The four being reprimanded were Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, Jin Su-hyun, and Lee Yoo-jung. Whatever trouble they’d caused, they all hung their heads, mumbling apologies.
“What’s going on?”
“Oh! Su-hyun?”
Jeong Ha-yeon turned to me, surprised. Her sharp tone instantly softened.
“Hoo.”
She shot a sharp glance at the four, sighed, and slowly raised her right arm.
“This is why.”
In her hand was a small, pretty bag studded with jewels—the baby Chaos Mimic.
“As you know, Su-hyun, the Chaos Mimic’s storage space is enormous, right?”
“Yes. But?”
“Well, we had all the camping gear neatly packed inside, but they went and took things out and put other stuff in without permission.”
“So what about the camping gear?”
“I checked—they put it all in another backpack. But why add more luggage? One bag would have been enough, but now they have to carry three more.”
“…Seriously?”
I glanced at the four, and they all looked away at the same time. It was true. I’d told them to have everything ready so we could leave immediately, but this was holding things up.
“How’s the current assembly status?”
“I just got word! Istantel Row has already arrived in Dana, and Haemil stopped by Halo briefly. The rest seem to be heading to the warp gate.”
I looked around and heard Ko Yeon-ju’s lazy voice answering from somewhere nearby.
The first assembly point was Dana, a small city on the old northern continent. Located southeast, it was the perfect starting point for heading to the eastern continent.
I was impressed by Han So-young’s speed, but I couldn’t just stand around. If we got delayed, what a disgrace that would be. We could sort out the luggage later; for now, it was best to move out immediately.
“You four.”
I spoke quietly, and the four flinched. Their eyes, wide with fear, reluctantly met mine. Though they were linked arm-in-arm with Jeong Ha-yeon, their expressions were complicated.
“Since you did this on your own, you’ll have to carry the backpacks yourselves, right?”
At that, their faces brightened instantly.
“Yes!”
“Of course!”
A loud chorus of agreement followed. This was better. They’d already been scolded once, and since we hadn’t even left yet, no need to kill their morale.
I nodded, and the four, as if nothing had happened, smiled and grabbed their backpacks. The troublesome baby Chaos Mimic was carried by Ahn Sol, who muttered:
“Hehe. I hope we meet the enemy soon.”
Though it was a quiet comment, I had to double-check my ears. Was that really the Ahn Sol I knew? But he’d already turned away, busy preparing, leaving me to wonder what he was up to.
Well, I’d ask on the way. For now, the important thing was not to be late.
“Once you’re ready, gather at the main gate. We need to leave immediately.”
This wasn’t really a siege or an expedition. Though the mission message had come through, the fact remained: we were going to war. The clan members knew this.
Still, the mood was much like any other time. Everyone prepared with bright faces, as if setting out on an adventure. Whether intentional or not, I felt grateful.
So I acted the same.
Just like always.
Right before departure, someone approached slowly.
“User Jo Seung-woo?”
“Clan Lord.”
Jo Seung-woo spoke awkwardly, scratching his head. His eyes trembled quietly, and his lips moved as if trying to say something. He wasn’t part of the combat lineup, having joined as a non-combat user, so he shouldn’t have been so nervous.
I stared at him silently, and he suddenly took a deep breath and gave an awkward smile.
“I’m doing my best to keep the clan safe.”
“I trust you to handle things well.”
“Oh, and!”
“…?”
Just as he turned to leave, a hurried voice stopped me.
“I believe this time we can see you again without worry.”
“This time?”
“Last time, we thought you’d died once. So this mission, please come back clean. Haha.”
“Ah, yes. Of course.”
I was curious what he meant but just smiled faintly and nodded. We weren’t parting forever, and we’d already exchanged farewells at yesterday’s celebration.
I looked toward the wide-open main gate and said,
“Then, let’s depart.”
With the remaining clan members seeing me off, I passed through the gate. Walking at a pace close to a forced march, I arrived at the destination in no time.
Buzzing voices.
At the southern city’s warp gate, many users had already gathered, forming a cloud-like crowd. The area around was packed, but the path to the warp gate itself was clear. They were probably busy with the western continent defense but had taken a moment to come watch.
I heard murmurs and occasional cheers, but I cut through the crowd quickly. Without hesitation, I climbed the gray steps and stopped before the blue portal. Then—
“!”
Just as I was about to step in without a second thought, I suddenly froze and turned around. It was almost a reflex. I thought I’d heard someone call my name.
But no matter how I looked around, I found no one. Only clan members stared at me intently.
“Surely…”
Strange. Why did I suddenly feel so empty? Like I’d forgotten something important…
“Su-hyun? What’s wrong?”
Ko Yeon-ju, standing right behind me, tilted her head.
“Ah…”
“Su-hyun?”
I checked all around once more, then shook my head.
“No, it’s nothing.”
“…Are you really okay?”
Worried, Ko Yeon-ju fiddled with the necklace around her neck. It seemed meaningless, but for some reason, it caught my eye. It was the necklace I’d given her a few months ago when we went to the night market.
But why was she wearing it now? She wasn’t the type to carry something cumbersome, and I knew it had no combat benefits.
I stared at the black diamond reflecting a faint light, then looked straight ahead. Slowly, I stepped into the shimmering portal.
After a moment, my vision was completely washed out in white.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I was reading the comments yesterday and actually burst out laughing for the first time in a while.
The way Lee Yoo-jung acted last chapter is basically like your partner swiping your credit card without asking.
Personally, I think that’s a pretty clever comparison. Haha. :)
That said, somehow a few of you shared stories that made it hard to just laugh it off… ;ㅅ;
P.S. To that person: Sorry this is a day late. Wishing you a very happy birthday! :D