Chapter 208: Parting and Meeting
Chapter 208: Parting and Meeting
There was much to think about on the way back. Ko Yeonju seemed to sense my mood, as she followed quietly behind me without her usual teasing. I was pondering how to handle things moving forward, and it was only when the Morning Sunlight Inn came into view that my thoughts finally turned to my clan members.
Just before entering the inn, I turned around. Ko Yeonju, with her usual languid expression, was staring at me with wide eyes.
“User Ko Yeonju.”
“Yes, Soohyun.”
“I told them to wait before I left, so they shouldn’t be asleep yet. Could you go in first and gather the party?”
“To the office… Ah, no. Should I call them to that room?”
“If by ‘that room’ you mean the one I use alone, then yes. I’ll be in after a smoke. Please tell Jung Hayeon to pack all her things and come.”
“Understood. Don’t worry too much, and take your time.”
Ko Yeonju replied in her gentle voice. Only after watching her open the door and go inside did I let out a short sigh.
Despite the late hour, I could sense a number of restless presences on the street in front of the inn. It seemed the city’s residents were also aware that the portal at the Inn of Beginnings would soon close and new Users would be arriving. Even for those not directly involved, the arrival of fresh, untainted faces was a rare spectacle.
The smooth, mild smoke filled my throat. I took a long drag from the cigarette between my lips and sank into deep thought.
The future had changed. No, the possibility of it changing had increased. The non-participating clans had answered the Golden Lion Clan’s Call to Arms and achieved their goals. Thanks to the Matriarch’s efforts, the conflicts that had been escalating for so long were largely resolved. Looking at that alone, it couldn’t be called a bad thing. Preventing their relationships from deteriorating to the absolute worst meant they wouldn’t cross the final Maginot Line they had so carefully maintained.
Thus, the Northern Continent was spared from unnecessary bloodshed. A world of conflict between clans, reminiscent of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States eras, would not come to pass. After the User Academy, life would continue as it had before—exploring outside the city, excavating ruins, and joining forces against the Vagabonds.
However, there were a few things that bothered me, things I couldn't so easily accept and move on from. The most puzzling were the Matriarch’s condition and the reactions of those around her. Son Bunrye’s body was on the verge of collapse. When Sung Yubin expressed concern over the Matriarch’s health, Park Hyunwoo had immediately shouted, cutting her off. It looked exactly like someone trying to hide something they didn’t want exposed. But why…?
“Ah.”
I felt a sudden warmth between the index and middle fingers holding my cigarette. I must have been too lost in thought; the cigarette had burned all the way down to my skin. After dropping it and grinding it out on the ground, I turned and pushed open the inn’s door. No matter how much I mulled it over, there were too many uncertainties to make any rash assumptions.
As I entered the inn, I saw the eyes of the Users occupying a few tables turn toward me. Ignoring their curious stares, I headed straight for the stairs. Soon after, I reached the third-floor hallway and opened the door to my room, where I found the party sitting in a circle next to the bed.
*
Atop a long, rectangular altar stood a massive, oval Warp Gate. I briefly watched the pale blue orbs drifting about in its wide-open center before lowering my gaze. In front of the gate, the Mercenary Clan members were all staring at me with sad expressions.
It felt like about three hours had passed since I returned to the inn. I had summarized everything, sticking to the key points as much as possible, but there was a lot to cover. The story about the Call to Arms was relatively simple, but explaining our future plans and actions inevitably took a long time, because I had to distinguish between what I could and could not tell them.
“Well then, please take good care of the clan while I’m gone.”
“Yes. But I don’t plan on being in charge for long, so you have to come back quickly.”
“Don’t worry. Don’t mind us; I just hope you take care of yourself, Soohyun.”
Ko Yeonju and Jung Hayeon replied in ways that revealed their individual personalities. After saying my goodbyes to each of the other clan members, I turned my gaze back to Ko Yeonju.
“Ko Yeonju. You remember what I told you, right?”
“Of course.”
“Your role is the most important. You’ll need to move quickly from now on.”
“I will do my best not to fall short of your expectations.”
Her confident declaration put my mind at ease a little. As I looked away, I saw Vivian behind her, sucking her thumb with a sullen look on her face. With Ko Yeonju and me gone, she could be considered the clan's strongest member in terms of raw power. So, I decided to give her a word of advice as well.
“Vivian.”
“Mm.”
“Ko Yeonju will be running around, and Jung Hayeon needs to manage things inside the clan. It’s unlikely to happen, but if something does come up, you’re the only one who can respond the fastest.”
“…Okay.”
Vivian replied a beat too late. Seeing her puffed-out cheeks and pouting lips, she seemed incredibly displeased about something. I had a rough idea why, so I just sighed and turned away. I didn’t have time to humor her right now.
“You should all head back now. I will come find you in three months.”
“Yes. Until the day we can see our Lord again…”
Although it was a temporary farewell, the clan members were strangely hesitant, just watching my reaction. The kids were especially so. Finally, Ko Yeonju, unable to watch any longer, stepped forward to accept my farewell.
“Waaaaah.”
Ahn Sol, who had been on the verge of tears ever since we left the Morning Sunlight Inn, finally burst out crying. As I saw her running toward me with short, quick steps, I was about to step aside, but what Ko Yeonju had told me flashed through my mind.
“Orabeoni!”
I froze without realizing it, and I ended up catching Ahn Sol as she threw herself into my arms. In my embrace, she looked up at me with tear-filled eyes and began to mumble incomprehensibly. I sighed inwardly and patted her on the back.
“Waaah… Don’t go… Orabeoni, don’t go… Waaah…”
“Sol. It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. It’s three months at most. You’re making things difficult for me when you act like this. Now, stop crying.”
“Nooo… You can’t stay here… Take me with you… Waaah…”
“I’ve already agreed to it, so there’s nothing I can do. Ahn Sol, if you keep…”
Her constant whining made me feel a surge of irritation. I was about to scold her when I felt a slight sense of unease at the last thing she said. You can’t stay here?
“Hey, kid. For the record, you have five seconds to get over here. It’s not like the Lord would let you stay here or come with us anyway. If you keep whining, you won’t like what happens.”
“Hey! Have some shame. You think you’re the only one who’s sad? He said he can’t help it. Stop being annoying and get over here.”
The sharp voices of Ko Yeonju and Lee Yoojung flew from across the way. As I tried to pull her away from me by force before the atmosphere soured, Ahn Sol spoke again, her voice choked with tears.
“That’s not it… Waaah… I feel… anxious… Waaah…”
“Anxious… you say?”
The moment I heard Ahn Sol’s words, I felt a chill run down my spine. Something had been bothering me ever since the call to arms. I had put it aside for the time being, just in case, but her words acted as a catalyst, and my suspicions suddenly began to snowball.
Just then, standing before the Warp Gate, I could feel a massive amount of mana stirring behind me. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt the shift.
“L-Leader. It seems the new Users are almost finished arriving. No… It looks like they’re already, already done.”
“I see. I should get going then.”
I replied to Shin Sangyong’s words, feeling uneasy. Ahn Sol was clinging to me tightly, refusing to let go. Just then.
“No, wait a moment.”
My mind snapped into focus. Thoughts about the various things I had experienced so far surfaced all at once. I gently wiped away the tears from Sol’s still-crying eyes and bent my knees slightly. After meeting her gaze, I spoke in a gentle voice.
“Sol.”
“Sniff… Yes… Waaah…”
“Alright. If you feel anxious, there’s a good chance something really is wrong. I don’t know what it is, but it seems difficult to reverse the decision now. But don’t worry. I won’t take your words lightly. I’ll always be careful and stay alert. Others might not, but Oppa believes you. You can trust Oppa too, right, Sol? If you can, I’d like you to stop crying now.”
“Sniff… sniff… But… but…”
“Ahn Sol! You’re making things difficult for Hyung. Ugh, what is with you today? Hyung, I’m sorry. I’ll take her myself.”
“Hic… sniff… sob…”
Finally, unable to watch any longer, Ahn Hyun strode forward. Through it all, Ahn Sol’s eyes, though filled with tears, were clear and bright. Looking at them now, it was hard to see them as the eyes of a child simply throwing a tantrum.
“Hyung. I’ll see you in three months. And I’m sorry.”
“Hic… Let go… let gooo… Waaaaah…!”
Ahn Sol burst into tears again, flailing her hands. But Ahn Hyun easily subdued her struggles and began to drag her away by force. Seeing the disapproving glares directed at her from behind, I let out a long breath through my nose.
For a moment, my resolve wavered. But I had things I absolutely had to do right now. No matter how accurate Ahn Sol’s intuition was, the matter had already been settled at the Call to Arms. Backing out and leaving Barbara was definitely not the right choice. Still, it seemed I needed to be on high alert.
“No, it’s fine. You have nothing to be sorry for. Don’t overdo it, listen to what you’re told, and take care of Sol too. Though I’m sure you’ll handle things well enough on your own.”
“Yes. Don’t you worry, Hyung. I’ll work hard.”
Even as she was being dragged away, Ahn Sol didn’t stop her hands, hitting Ahn Hyun repeatedly. If we stayed like this, we’d just be staring at each other forever, so I figured it was better for me to leave first. I picked up the magic backpack I had placed at my feet and raised my voice a little louder.
“I’ll be on my way now!”
“Soohyun! Take care of yourself!”
“Okay~. See you later~.”
“Kim Soohyun, you idiot! You dummy! You didn’t even spank me!”
“Oppa! You have to come back alone! Don’t you dare come back as two or three people!”
“L-Leader! We’ll be waiting! In the meantime, I’ll definitely…!”
The clan members waved at me, and I waved back before turning around immediately. I could feel their gazes on the back of my head, but I forced myself to ignore them and walked away more quickly.
*
It wasn’t a permanent farewell, just a temporary departure, so I didn’t feel particularly upset. To be honest, I even felt a little relieved. Back in the first playthrough, traveling alone was my daily routine. As such, I felt a sense of freedom, a taste of liberty I hadn’t had in a long time.
There was just one thing that weighed on my mind. Ahn Sol’s words from right before we parted kept echoing in my head. Of course, I couldn’t take them at face value. I acknowledged her Luck stat of 101, but it was an ability I couldn’t comprehend at all. I couldn’t get a handle on the anxiety she felt. Was it a sense of some kind of danger, the same anxiety she had felt when I spent my first night with Ko Yeonju, or something else I knew nothing about? In other words, her anxiety could point in far more directions than mine, so there was no guarantee it aligned with what I was worried about.
I had too little information. One piece was the Matriarch’s condition and Park Hyunwoo’s reaction at the Golden Lion Clan. The other was Ahn Sol’s sense of unease. The problem was that both were broad and non-specific. There were far too many uncertainties to form a plan based on these alone.
For now, I decided to think positively. There was no need to start trembling over an anxiety I couldn’t even identify. In fact, there had been times when I’d faced the anxieties she’d sensed and handled them smoothly.
But letting my guard down was out of the question. As I had promised Ahn Sol, I needed to be careful about something. As a last resort, I could always pull out quickly, but that was a last resort. Rather than sitting back idly, it would be better to find out what I could.
Keeping that resolve close to heart, I continued walking. As Shin Sangyong had said, the new Users should have entered the Inn of Beginnings by now. The Golden Lion Clan was supposed to guide them to the plaza first, and the other clans were to select the necessary personnel before the plaza speech ended. Although many high-year Users had died, the clans still had enough accumulated experience to handle the guidance and reception without any problems.
The distance from the Morning Sunlight Inn to the Inn of Beginnings was fairly long, but from the Warp Gate it was much closer.
As I crossed the empty plaza, I felt a little puzzled. I understood why there were no existing Users, as access was strictly forbidden for anyone other than officials during the new User guidance process. But I could only see three or four people controlling the plaza.
And that puzzle was solved the moment I arrived at the Inn of Beginnings.
“Fuck! Where is this! Where the hell am I! H-Hey? Let go of me! Let go!”
“Stay still! Please, just try to stay still!”
“Where is this place? Where am I! This isn’t Earth! You lied! Who… who are you!”
“What are you doing? Get them under control, now!”
A chaotic murmur.
To describe the Inn of Beginnings in one phrase, it was a complete mess. Shouts flew back and forth, and Users flailed in confusion. Golden Lion Clan members rushed around trying to control them. The new Users’ movements were filled with panic, and while the Discipline Instructors were running about busily, they looked somewhat clumsy.
They should have gone through the Rite of Passage and received a full explanation from the angels. Occasionally, there were some who still couldn’t accept reality despite all that. But, no matter how many people were entering, this was far too extreme. I clicked my tongue and was about to move on when the same coarse voice I had heard the moment I arrived struck my ears.