Chapter 281: The Mercenary Clan Settles In
Chapter 281: The Mercenary Clan Settles In
『Headband of Purity』
(Description: One of the items symbolizing the Elf Queen Margarita. It was a gift from a skilled Dwarf blacksmith who had fallen for her beauty, and it is said the queen was very fond of it. The innocence here does not refer to a woman's virginity, but to a heart clean and free of impurities like selfish desires and wicked thoughts.)
『Severed Wings of the Elf Queen (12 pairs)』
(Description: The one and only set of 12 pairs of wings permitted to the queen upon her ascension to the throne. They were forcibly torn by an evil mage, rendering them useless. However, they still contain divine power, and if they can be combined with something else, it is not impossible for them to regain their former strength.)
『Moon Spirit (蟾魄)』
(Description: A katana favored by Oboana Alcatraz of the Moonlight Cats, a famous female warrior of the ancient Hall Plain. It was called ‘Moon Spirit,’ another name for the moon, because it was said to leave a trail of moonlight with every swing. It has no magical effects, but its cutting power and durability are exceptional.)
『Tyrfing』
(Description: The demonic sword Tyrfing, which, once drawn, cannot return to its scabbard until it has tasted blood. As a ferocious demonic sword, it is extremely picky about its master. If it dislikes its owner in the slightest, it is a terrifying weapon that will bring about their ruin. Conversely, if Tyrfing takes a liking to its master, the wielder will gain the sword's incredibly destructive demonic power.)
『Mage of the Blue Moon (Book, Secret Class)』
(Description: These are individuals who wish to pioneer their own creative path, rather than follow the well-trodden roads of magic. In fact, all ancient magic was created and developed by such people. They are those who always pursue creation and change, walking the solitary path of magic. Those who do not bend their beliefs and do not compromise with reality. They are the ‘Magicians of the Blue Moon.’)
『Dawn Gladiator (Sword, Rare Class)』
(Description: In the ancient Hall Plain, various beastfolk existed, among whom the Cat Tribe was an exceedingly belligerent race that enjoyed combat. In the past, when gladiatorial games swept across the Hall Plain, the warriors of the Cat Tribe became mercenaries and participated in the matches. Once a member of the Cat Tribe entered a match, they would fight through the night, and when day broke, the last gladiator standing was always a Cat Tribe mercenary. They would always roar in victory, bathed in the light of dawn. People came to call these Cat Tribe warriors by the title, ‘Dawn Gladiator.’)
『Tears of the Elf Queen』
(Description: Tears containing the true emotions of the Elf Queen Margarita. Corrupted by an evil mage, she poured all her emotions into her tears at the very last moment. Consuming them will generate 2 new stat points. These additional stat points can be allocated as the user wishes.)
“Hoo.”
I let out a long breath at the countless messages that had appeared, filling the empty air. After catching my breath, I examined the rest of the spoils. The Elf Queen’s Egg, Mavolo’s Preservation Orb, potions of various colors, a Magic Power Elixir (increases Magic Power by 2 points if below 95), and the Rotten Fruit of Yggdrasil. And on top of that, all the equipment we’d gotten from Mule. Mercifully, there were no elixirs in sight. It seemed Ko Yeonju had at least put some thought into it.
After staring at the items for a moment, I looked around.
The clan members were swallowing hard. And surrounding us were the flowers of the night. The emotions in their eyes were truly complex and subtle. Envy, jealousy, covetousness, greed, self-pity, and more.
Monica was one of the safest cities on the Northern Continent. But these were items we would inevitably wear, so they were bound to be revealed eventually.
We had a legitimate right to these things, and no one could openly threaten us to take them away. But if an open approach was difficult, there could always be secret movements beneath the surface. Of course, as the Shadow Queen, she must have had something she was counting on, but even considering that, I felt her actions this time were rash. We might get away with it this time, thanks to the expedition promotion and the unicorn, but this was something we absolutely had to be careful about from now on.
The clan members were still shrieking and completely absorbed in looking at the equipment.
They’re too excited.
Far too worked up. A moderate amount of excitement can make for a pleasant atmosphere, but this felt excessive. Plus, I didn't like the surrounding situation one bit.
After reading all the information with my Third Eye, I remained silent. As I stood there without a word, a few of the quicker-witted clan members began to quiet down. Just as the commotion started to subside, Jung Hayeon and Kim Hanbyul, having finished appraising the goods, wiped the sweat from their brows and stood up.
“Jung Hayeon, Kim Hanbyul. Good work.”
“Not at all.”
“You two can rest now.”
“What?” Jung Hayeon asked, her eyes wide. Kim Hanbyul also had a blank expression. It was understandable they’d find it strange, being told to rest when the most important part—the final accounting—was still left. When everyone’s attention was finally on me, I spoke in a low voice.
“As you can see, we’ve gained a great deal this time. And there are quite a few overlapping items.”
For a split second, a subtle look flickered across the clan members’ faces. They must have felt it themselves. As people, no, as Users, it was impossible not to desire good equipment. But if one person got the equipment they wanted, another would have to give up. It was necessary to manage the distribution as carefully as possible to avoid any discord in the process.
“We will not be settling the accounts today. We will postpone it until tomorrow morning.”
“…”
“I will give you time to think. Or you can talk it over with those you’re close to. Think it over carefully tonight, and tell me your thoughts at the meeting tomorrow morning. I’ll listen, and if your reasoning is sound, I’ll grant your request.”
Ordo of Order will be the biggest issue.
It would have been cleaner if it had a single class restriction. But with Mage, Alchemist, and Priest all listed, the situation had become quite ambiguous.
As soon as I finished speaking, some of the clan members began to glance around furtively. But I decided to trust them. Since they were all aware of their own situations, they would prioritize discussion over unnecessary conflict. For a moment, I imagined Ahn Sol, Jung Hayeon, and Vivian pulling each other’s hair and screaming at the top of their lungs.
That would be pretty funny in its own way.
Chuckling to myself, I turned to Ko Yeonju, who had been watching me expectantly.
“Ko Yeonju. You are responsible for bringing the equipment laid out on the first floor upstairs. You must pay close attention to its management from now on.”
“I will obey the Clan Lord’s command.”
“Then I will see you all tomorrow morning. I’ll be heading up first.”
Ko Yeonju accepted my instructions with almost excessive politeness. Passing by her, I immediately went up the stairs to the second floor.
*
The next morning. For the first time in a while, I felt a sense of bewilderment. I had gone to bed early to rest my body, but I was naturally an early riser. I got out of bed, placed the purring baby unicorn on my head, and stepped out of my room.
As I headed down the stairs, patting my stiff body, I saw that every single clan member was already awake. They had all finished breakfast and were apparently waiting for me to wake up.
And that wasn't all. By the time I had washed up and finished my own breakfast, my office was already filled with equipment. Most of them were craning their necks, looking as if they had been waiting for me to arrive.
“It would be great if you were always like this.”
I threw out a light joke to ease the slightly tense atmosphere from yesterday, and I saw a few people let out short laughs. They probably found it funny themselves. Gently stroking the head of the unicorn whining in my arms, I sat down in the head seat.
“Well then, shall we start with the accounting… User Jung Hayeon.”
“Yes.”
“Please state the Mercenary Clan’s current funds. Separate the gold coins and jewels.”
“When we first arrived in Monica, we had about 88,000 gold. We had over 1,000 jewels. During this expedition, we secured about 7,000 gold, and the jewels we removed from the ornaments total over 300. The currently confirmed expenditure is for the tools and materials Vivian-ssi ordered, which will be about 10,000 gold. Excluding that, we still possess over 80,000 gold and more than 1,000 jewels.”
As if she had anticipated my question, Jung Hayeon answered as if reciting from memory. The 7,000 gold must have been from Mavolo’s laboratory. Even after subtracting living expenses, having over 80,000 gold left was certainly encouraging. Of course, there would be quite a few expenses in the future.
“User Ahn Hyun.”
“Ye-yes! Yes, Hyung! Ah, Clan Lord!”
Startled that I had called his name, Ahn Hyun shot his head up and answered. To be honest, I had been relying too much on Ko Yeonju and Jung Hayeon for the clan’s internal affairs. From now on, I needed to gradually get the others involved as well. I decided to start with Ahn Hyun.
“There should be some unowned equipment we acquired from the expedition.”
“Th-that’s right. Yes, there is.”
“What happened to it?”
“It’s all been safely stored in the warehouse, every last piece.”
“Do you have a rough idea of what equipment there is?”
“W-well, about that…”
Ahn Hyun scratched his head, his voice trailing off. Just as Jung Hayeon was about to answer for him, I gently raised my hand to stop her.
“Find out by this evening and report back to me.”
“Yes, I understand. I’m sorry.”
Ahn Hyun’s face turned red after being called out, but it wasn't from embarrassment. He seemed genuinely happy that I had singled him out, his face flushed with excitement. I found it truly mysterious.
In any case, the next item on the agenda was finally the equipment. The user who would know the most about this was…
“User Ko Yeonju.”
“Yes, Clan Lord.”
“There seems to be less equipment here than yesterday.”
“Yes. Based on my own judgment, I’ve left the equipment that I believed couldn't have a designated owner in the warehouse. In other words, they’re on hold.”
“Well done. Then could you tell me the list of reserved items?”
She should have done this from the start. I let out a short breath and nodded lightly, and Ko Yeonju also answered smoothly without hesitation.
The list of reserved items was quite long. Three elixirs, Twilight Medium, the Evil-Banishing Bow, Pegasus's Egg, the Elf Queen’s Egg, the Severed Wings of the Elf Queen, Mavolo’s Preservation Orb, Vivian's potion pouch, the potions discovered in Mavolo's laboratory, the Rotten Fruit of Yggdrasil, Brilliant Flash: Laura Phyllis, the Garment Woven from Yggdrasil Leaves, and the Rhiza Boots.
Laura Phyllis was one thing, but it was quite surprising that the clothes and the Rhiza Boots were on the reserved list.
“You’ve put the Garment Woven from Yggdrasil Leaves and the Rhiza Boots on hold as well?”
“Yes. For now, all of the Elf Queen’s equipment has been put on hold. The two items you mentioned could be used by other classes, but they have a strong feel of being for archers.”
“Hmm. Were there no clan members who wanted them?”
“No one wanted the leaf clothes, and everyone agreed to leave the Rhiza Boots with the rest of the Elf Queen’s equipment. If you would like them, Clan Lord, I can bring them immediately.”
So that was it. I had a slight suspicion they were just being mindful of Ko Yeonju, but I decided to let it go for now. They were just on hold, so if a clan member requested to use them, we could give them out at any time.
Finally, I looked at the items and equipment displayed inside the room. There was a formidable amount here as well.
Caligo Abraxas, Paradisus Plate Mail, Orthros Long Boots, Ordo of Order, Headband of Purity, Mage of the Blue Moon, Dawn Gladiator, Moon Spirit (蟾魄), Tyrfing, Tears of the Elf Queen, Legend of Hoplon, Mavolo’s Research Records, and the Magic Power Elixir.
Most of the items here would find new owners today. After deliberating on what to start with, I finally made a decision. It was best to tackle the most controversial item first, like ripping off a band-aid, so I figured it would be better to start with Ordo of Order. Just then.
“Clan Lord. One moment. I’d like to request permission to speak.”
“?”
Ko Yeonju requested the floor. I wasn't sure what she wanted to talk about now, but since she had made a formal request, it seemed important. Her expression was serious, too. I gave a nod, and she turned to all the clan members and continued.
“Actually, after you went up first yesterday, Clan Lord, we all had a discussion among ourselves.”
“Yes.”
“While it’s good that you’re distributing the items to us, we felt it was only right to give you the first choice, Clan Lord. After discussing it, we all agreed not to claim any rights to Caligo Abraxas, Paradisus Plate Mail, Orthros Long Boots, Tyrfing, and the Tears of the Elf Queen.”
“Haha…”
“Please, we hope you will accept our request.”
At Ko Yeonju’s words, the other clan members all nodded in agreement. I couldn't suppress the laughter that burst out at their reaction.
They were offering me five out of the twelve items. In other words, I would take five first, and then have priority choice among the remaining seven. The reason Ko Yeonju was being so polite was because I was the number one contributor to this expedition. I was the one who had accepted the request, discovered the ruins, and defeated Mavolo. The next in line would probably be Ko Yeonju, Baek Hangyul, and Kim Hanbyul.
In any case, I wasn't displeased by this show of sincerity. I smiled faintly and replied in a soft voice.
“I will accept the rights to Caligo Abraxas, the Orthros Long Boots, and the Tears of the Elf Queen. In return, I will give back the Paradisus Plate Mail and Tyrfing, and I will waive my priority choice.”
“But…”
“I will not accept any further objections.”
When I cut her off, Ko Yeonju fell silent.
I already had more than enough swords, and I didn't particularly need a breastplate. No matter how much of a right I had, it wouldn't look good for me to monopolize that much. And even setting that aside, since we were all clan members, wasn't it better for the items to go to the Users who needed them? The reserved equipment was all under my authority anyway, so I already had more than enough.
“Well then…”
It was time to begin the real accounting. Reading my expression, I could hear people swallowing nervously here and there.
“I’m sure you all had your own thoughts or discussions last night.”
“…”
“I won’t say much more. I’ll trust that you did and begin. The first item is Ordo of Order. Any clan member who wants this item is permitted to speak freely. If two or more people want it, we will resolve it through amicable discussion as much as possible.”
The moment I finished speaking, a dead silence fell. It was so quiet I could hear the breathing of the unicorn sleeping in my lap.
But it was only for a moment. Soon, slowly, very slowly, I saw hands rising into the air. A total of two hands went up.
“Although I didn't go on the expedition, I’m shamelessly raising my hand. I hope you’ll understand.”
One of them was, as expected, Jung Hayeon. As a mage, she couldn't help but covet Ordo of Order. And the other person was…
“Sorry, but I didn't go on the expedition either. It's still okay if I raise my hand, right? You won't say anything, will you?”
It was Vivian.