『…Given these points, there’s no doubt that user Kim Suhyun loved all sixteen of his wives equally.
But while it looked peaceful on the surface, the fierce, behind-the-scenes battle over “Who is the true wife?” never ceased.
Take, for example, Jegal Haesol, leader of W.E.F (We Even Fivesome), which includes the Swordmaster, the Mercenary Queen, and the Divine Spear. His claim that “a hero can have up to three official wives” was quite a constructive idea, effectively tripling the number of recognized primary wives.
His plan was to divide the three seats among his own W.E.F, the Shadow Queen’s S.F (Someday Fivesome), and the Goddess Alliance.
This strategy even hinted at a tripartite division of power across the realm.
However, what nearly succeeded has now completely failed.
Why? Because of four women who built overwhelming independent power: Vivian, Seraph, An Sol, and Han Soyoung.
Perhaps Jegal Haesol underestimated these four.
As the war resets to square one, ever since the angel Seraph joined the mercenary clan, who will ultimately emerge victorious in this long, drawn-out conflict?
The historian comments:
It’s hard to say for sure since the battle over the true wife hasn’t ended yet, but I dare say one of the three seats has already been decided…』
— From The Legend of the War God, Central Library of Atlanta Mercenary Castle
It’s a well-known fact, but aside from Kim Suhyun, the male users in the mercenary clan hold surprisingly little influence.
Not every day, but often enough that they have to tread carefully.
There’s Baek Hangyeol, the Shield of the Gods; Seon Yuun, the Celestial Archer; Shin Sangyong, the Chimera Alchemist; Shin Jaeryong, the Holy Warrior; Woo Jungmin, the Red Fang; Jin Suhyun, the Spell Sniper; Ha Seungwoo, the Cloner; Heo Junyoung, the Silent Executor, and so on.
Looking at the lineup, it’s undeniably a dazzling array of talent.
The problem is, even judging by class alone, the women clearly have the upper hand.
It’s a bit ridiculous to divide by gender and talk about who’s stronger or weaker, but what can you do?
It’s an undeniable fact.
“Heheheh~.”
On a bright morning, a cheerful song accompanied the footsteps of a man walking down the first-floor corridor. That man was An Hyun.
Naturally bright and well-rested, his face was radiant.
Perhaps because he was on his way to a delicious breakfast, his steps were light and lively.
“Good morning, everyone! Wishing you a strong and wonderful day!”
He reached the dining hall and threw open the doors with a hearty greeting.
“If you ask who I am, well, I am—”
But just as he took a confident step inside, his legs froze.
More precisely, his body stiffened completely.
Still smiling.
Despite the early hour, nearly twenty users were already seated and eating.
At the left table sat Ko Yeonju, Kim Hanbyul, Im Hanna, and Jung Hayun.
On the right, Nam Daeun, Lee Yujeong, Jegal Haesol, and Cha Sorim held court.
In the corner, a cluster of men sat silently, as quiet as mice.
Even more striking, Excalibur—the very sword Kim Suhyun once wielded—was propped up at a slant against the opposite wall.
At the center table sat two figures: Kim Yuhyun and Seraph.
While the trio whispering intensely nearby—Geunwon, Vivian, and Baek Hangyeol—could be excused, the overall scene was far from normal.
The heavy atmosphere in the dining hall, combined with the prickly aura radiating from Excalibur, made the air feel suffocating.
Suddenly, An Hyun had the uneasy feeling that a spy was among them.
But above all, one thought dominated his mind.
‘Ah.’
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
Then—
“Heh heh… Well, well, isn’t this An Hyun? What are you doing standing outside instead of coming in?”
Before he knew it, Shin Jaeryong appeared, chuckling as he lightly tapped An Hyun’s back and passed by.
They had arrived at the dining hall around the same time.
“Heh heh heh.”
Before An Hyun could react, Shin Jaeryong strode inside.
“Heh? Heh heh heh heh heh.”
True to his experience, before taking two steps, he spun around and smoothly made a U-turn back outside.
The movement was fluid and natural.
At the same time, the men trapped inside the dining hall began to move quickly.
“Oh, user Shin Jaeryong. Long time no see.”
“Ah! You must be that Qi Gong Spear user, An Hyun?”
Woo Jungmin, Seon Yuun, Heo Junyoung, Ha Seungwoo, and others suddenly acted friendly and slipped away.
The sight of these tough, dark-clad men scattering like startled birds was truly a spectacle.
With the men gone, only eight women, one man, and one angel remained in the dining hall.
“Hmm.”
Kim Yuhyun, nibbling on his chopsticks with a book in one hand, cleared his throat softly.
Ko Yeonju caught the signal and glanced sideways; Im Hanna quickly checked her communication orb and sent an “OK” sign.
It was time to begin.
“Are you sure? What’s he doing right now?”
Ko Yeonju double-checked cautiously.
Im Hanna nodded confidently.
“Don’t worry. Suhyun is completely smitten with Suna right now… Oh? He even got a pacifier? How cute.”
“Hanna?”
“Ah, sorry. Anyway, I think it’s safe to start.”
“Keep watching. If this gets found out…”
Ko Yeonju tried to stall, but no one objected.
That showed just how important this confirmation was.
Kim Suhyun cherished his wives dearly but never compromised on two things: his children and avoiding discord.
Of course, no one here intended to harm Seraph, but as the saying goes, bad timing can cause suspicion.
Better to complain directly to Suhyun than to risk unknowingly antagonizing Seraph.
If it came to light that Seraph was being mistreated, a severe reprimand was inevitable.
Given that Suhyun had once coldly dismissed An Hyun, caution was necessary.
Though he had changed a lot, his core nature remained.
Seraph wasn’t a fool either.
She fully understood why she had been summoned here.
If it were just adding another woman, this wouldn’t be necessary.
The key was that Seraph was an angel.
“It’s been a while, user Kim Yuhyun.”
So Seraph greeted first, bowing politely.
“Ahem, ahem!”
Caught off guard, Kim Yuhyun coughed repeatedly, showing discomfort.
But it was brief.
He soon regained composure, one eyebrow arching slightly.
“Well… good to see you. You asked to meet early this morning, so if it was inconvenient, I apologize in advance.”
His words were polite, but his tone was anything but gentle.
Most tellingly, Kim Yuhyun still avoided looking directly at Seraph.
Seraph slowly shook her head and met his gaze with calm resolve.
“I’ve heard the gist. Suhyun was excitedly talking about it yesterday.”
Kim Yuhyun’s eyes, fixed on his book, narrowed to thin slits.
His gaze was so sharp and serious it could make even an angel nervous.
After all, this was no opponent to underestimate.
Kim Yuhyun was the one person who could outmaneuver Suhyun in ‘words’—the man who had even outwitted Gabriel, leader of the Archangels.
One wrong move could be disastrous.
“Time has dragged on longer than expected, so I’ll be blunt. I still dislike angels.”
Kim Yuhyun continued without hesitation.
“You may be disappointed, but it can’t be helped. As users, our grudges against angels won’t easily fade. Maybe never.”
Seraph wanted to say she understood but swallowed the words.
Kim Yuhyun was a user who knew the truth almost as well as Suhyun.
How he’d receive a clumsy apology from someone who had been used so thoroughly was obvious.
So she remained silent.
“Of course, after everything, I don’t lump all angels together. I know you’re different.”
“……”
“Fine. Let’s say the angel Seraph truly cared for Suhyun and meant well. Thanks to your plan, Suhyun has improved a lot. You did well. At least for that, I’m genuinely grateful. Credit where credit’s due.”
“……”
“Frankly… if you weren’t here right now, I’d remember Seraph the angel fondly.”
“……”
Harsh words, but perhaps that’s the terrifying nature of the Sovereign.
Even after five years in the modern world, Kim Yuhyun remained a user.
“I’m uneasy. Truly uneasy. The fact that an angel clings to Suhyun is unbearable.”
“User Kim Yuhyun.”
“So when I heard yesterday, the first thing I wanted to ask was—”
“?”
With a soft snap, the book closed.
Moments later, Kim Yuhyun finally looked Seraph in the eye.
“The angel Seraph—”
Their gazes locked in midair.
“Why are you sitting here right now?”
His low voice cut through the room like a cold dagger.
All noise in the dining hall fell away, and sixteen eyes—eight pairs—pierced through her like blades.
At the center of it all, the angel took a slow, deep breath.
And so, the seraph’s rite of passage began.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I wanted to keep things light and sweet, but somehow it keeps turning out heavy… ^^;
I’ll update the side stories as soon as they’re finished.
Wishing all my readers a peaceful night. (__)