When I was a child, my dream was to discover the “Promise of the Gods.”
Of course, that dream still drives me today.
Back then, people around me just laughed it off, but even as an adult, clinging to that dream made them scold me.
They told me to be reasonable.
They asked if I was still chasing after such a ridiculous fantasy.
Well, I can’t blame them.
After all, it was nothing more than a baseless rumor, passed down quietly from some unknown place—neither myth nor legend.
It’s no wonder they were frustrated.
I, too, spent over ten years searching, and there were countless moments when I wanted to give up.
Yet, I never did.
Perhaps it was because I couldn’t resist the allure of a promise that claimed to offer everything in this world—something anyone might dream of at least once.
They say the heavens are moved by sincere devotion.
On the fifteenth, then the twentieth year of my quest, I finally found a clue.
Granted, it was just a few lines carved into a weathered stone tablet, but it was enough to prove my efforts hadn’t been in vain.
However…
It didn’t take long for me to realize that this clue wasn’t a reward for my hardships.
Rather, it was a message from the heavens, pitying me, telling me to give up.
It was a bitter pill to swallow.
The feeling when I first read the words on that stone—“Return”—is indescribable, even now after all these years.
It was truly, truly shocking.
But still, I didn’t give up.
I doubled down, investing twice as much time and patience to meet the so-called “qualifications.”
Fifty years later, I earned the lofty titles of Grand Mage and Grand Sage of the kingdom.
Yet, I made no progress on the “Promise of the Gods.”
No, I did come to one realization.
Lately, my perspective has shifted.
Maybe, just maybe, I was trying to achieve something impossible from the start.
For decades, I thought the “Promise of the Gods” was rejecting me.
In a way, that’s not entirely wrong.
But I am certain of two things:
The “Promise of the Gods” truly exists in this world.
It’s not some unreachable realm beyond human grasp, but a place anyone can reach if they set their mind to it.
If these two statements hold true…
Then that promise isn’t meant for me.
It’s waiting for someone else—someone more desperate, more earnest—in the distant future, already destined to receive it.
In other words, it’s not a blind rejection.
It’s a refusal with reason, known only to the promise itself.
—From “The Day the Promise Was Forgotten,” Ragnarok Central Library
Wooooooosh!
As the sound of surging magical energy filled the air, the restless crowd quickly fell silent. Beyond the white steps at the center of the plaza, the space shimmered and rippled, soon bursting into a swirling orb of sea-colored light that steadily grew larger. I stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette and fixed my gaze ahead.
This morning, my older brother had contacted me to say the warp gate’s location was being moved. Not for any urgent reason, just to a place with better accessibility. Since he was the leader of the Hamill Expedition, it wasn’t my place to argue.
Anyway, the newly formed portal meant the relocation was complete and the connection stable. I watched the portal take shape, then slowly scanned the surroundings.
The plaza was packed shoulder to shoulder with thousands of users participating in the expedition.
The Southern City Expedition was the smallest of the four, with only 4,500 members, but that didn’t mean our strength was lacking. Our Mercenaries alone were formidable, and with powerful clans like Reverse and the Tower of Magic present, confidence was high everywhere you looked.
“Completed!”
A user standing atop the steps raised their hand and called out. My heart suddenly thumped hard, then settled.
Moments later, I returned the gesture with a light raise of my hand.
“I’m going in.”
I spoke quietly and was the first to ascend the steps. As always, our Mercenaries led the way.
Reaching the top, the shimmering blue light filled my vision.
What more needed to be said at this point? Yet with every step forward, as the light grew nearer, an inexplicable excitement stirred within me. Not as intense as before, but my heart kept beating faster.
Why, I wondered?
Of course, I knew this wasn’t the end. I was fully aware of the route, what to do, and what awaited us. I wasn’t hoping for any special event.
Still, stepping into the portal brought a surprising sense of relief.
Unable to resist the relentless rays of light, I closed my eyes gently.
When the light faded, the sky above was the opposite of the clear Atlanta sky we’d left behind.
The place we arrived at was a dense thicket, branches stretching like a net, blocking out the sky. The foliage was a steel-dark blue, with flashes of red that gave off a sinister, oppressive atmosphere.
“Oh? Where are we now?”
“Ugh, I can’t get used to this.”
Suddenly, I heard Anhyun’s exclamation and Yujeong’s grumbling behind me. The sudden change in scenery felt awkward, but I hurried forward. Users were pouring out of the portal like a flood, and hesitation would only cause chaos.
But contrary to my worries, there was plenty of space. Perhaps the warp gate relocation was meant to secure a proper exit point. After only a few steps, a wide clearing opened before us. Only then did I notice dozens, maybe hundreds, of pairs of eyes watching us.
A man with a badly mangled right shoulder, a woman in a filthy white robe stained with blood, a one-eyed man sitting slumped and watching us, a woman shouting at him to return to the infirmary—all of them looked rough, battle-worn.
Yet, rather than despair, the mood was surprisingly warm. One woman, despite severe injuries, smiled brightly at us. Maybe because their mission was over and they could finally rest, their welcome felt almost overly enthusiastic.
“Tch. Look at them, celebrating like it’s all over. What fools.”
“Hey! Please, just be quiet. Or at least know what you’re saying. It’s embarrassing.”
“Why? What’s wrong with what I said? I’ve been saying that since middle school.”
“Yujeong, seriously, I’m asking. Did you often gamble or something back then?”
Jinsu-hyun and Ha-yeon took turns teasing her, but Yujeong just snorted in annoyance.
Still, there was no reason to blame the Hamill Expedition’s attitude. They’d done their assigned tasks well, and the expeditions were rotated precisely to maintain effectiveness.
“Wow, they came straight through as soon as the warp gate was activated?”
Just then, a familiar voice caught my attention. My brother was pushing through the thick bushes toward me. I smiled.
“They looked exhausted. I came over right away to relieve them.”
“Ah, so that’s why the mood suddenly lifted.”
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
At that moment, as my brother finished speaking, the bushes trembled violently, and someone emerged with a slightly grim expression. Seeing the petite girl, I couldn’t help but smile.
“Geunwon?”
When I called her name, Geunwon immediately returned to her usual expressionless face and bowed slightly. I felt sorry for her—she always had to follow every expedition alone because she was the only one who could activate the warp gate.
“You did well. Was it tough?”
“Negative.”
“Huh?”
“The mission itself was not difficult at all. In fact, I would say it was enjoyable.”
I thought she was being sincere, but Geunwon denied it without hesitation. And she even said it was fun—unexpected. Had she ever said that before? She always just spoke whatever was on her mind.
“Fun… you said?”
“Yes. Especially when I participated in the Istantel Row Expedition, it was the most—ah.”
She suddenly stopped, eyes wide, and looked at my brother. Then, blinking a couple of times with a “What should I do?” expression, she turned back to me.
“Now that I think about it, I enjoyed being with the Hamill Expedition the most. Istantel Row was okay, but…”
“Enjoyed it?”
“Yes. Absolutely. Especially since Kim Yuhyun, the Hamill Lord and elder brother of the Mercenary Lord, treated me very well. It’s not even comparable to Han Soyoung, the Istantel Row Lord.”
“…I see.”
She sounded like an unknown actor hastily reading from a revised script, but I shrugged it off.
My brother nodded with a satisfied look, then quickly composed himself when he saw me.
“So, what now? Leaving today?”
I’ve felt this before, but when it comes to smoothly changing the subject, my brother is definitely a step ahead of me.
“Of course. First, we’ll finish getting everyone over here, then once the headcount’s done, we’ll leave right away.”
“Still, why not stay for a day? You just came straight from the city to the target area—it’s only natural to feel out of place. You could get a feel for the atmosphere here, too.”
“No way. We’ve been building up momentum to hit today hard. If we rest, morale will dull. It’s better to just go straight there.”
“…Well, I’m sure you know what you’re doing. Just don’t rush too much, okay?”
It seemed like he didn’t expect me to listen, because he gave up easily and backed off.
We exchanged a few more words about the expedition, but nothing noteworthy came up. Most of it had already been covered in dozens of previous communications, and the situation with the demons was still a complete mystery.
When our conversation ended, I looked around and noticed the area had gotten quite noisy. By rough estimate, about a fifth of the expedition members had arrived. I kept switching between checking the headcount and taking in the surroundings, all while calculating the days.
Of course, I won’t know for sure until we get there, but I’m guessing we’ll be out of this creepy forest within a day or two.
Once we’re out of this forest, another region will be waiting for us. That’s the zone the mercenary expedition has to pass through. And once we clear that area, the ‘Temple of Promise’—the place we’re sworn to protect—should be just around the corner.
“Ten pages.”
“Huh? Ten pages? Seriously?”
I was a bit surprised. Given my brother’s cautious nature, I didn’t expect we’d have made much progress, but it seems we’re further along than I thought.
“The Istantel Low Road offered me five pages of magical records I didn’t know about in exchange for using me. The Hamill Road said they’d give twice that amount, so exactly ten pages.”
“Still, ten pages is way too much.”
“Are you saying they’re going back on their promise?”
“No, that’s not it. You’re the one who didn’t fully meet the original conditions.”
While I was finishing my mental calculations, Geunwon and my brother had been quietly whispering to each other for a while.
“They said that although a user named Han So-young was tough on me and made things difficult, a user named Kim Yoo-hyun treated me really well. They wanted me to say that.”
“I’d already received two pages as an advance payment, so I couldn’t bring myself to say that…”
My brother is really something. Considering Geunwon’s indifferent personality, it must have been hard to get close.
“Well, I get it. But now you see why ten pages is too much, right? How about we just settle on six pages?”
“…Accept.”
I’m not entirely sure what they’re saying, but it seems like they’re even teaching the concept of negotiation.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
We’ll probably reach the region with the Temple of Promise near the end of the next chapter.
Right now, I’m deliberately keeping the expedition scenes—like battles with monsters and camping—to a minimum.
I mentioned before that there won’t be any more dungeon-crawling style content, and the events during the expedition don’t really fit the main structure of Episode 2.
That’s what I tell myself as I write, but I can’t help but wonder if the pacing feels too fast, too slow, or just right.
If any readers have thoughts on this, I’d really appreciate hearing them—it would help me with future writing.
I hope this isn’t too much to ask. For now, this fierce wild male bear who’s been rampaging through the early morning will go into hibernation.
Wishing all my readers a wonderful day!
Kuuoooooo!