Chapter 282: The Mercenary Clan Settles In
Chapter 282: The Mercenary Clan Settles In
There were three reasons I chose to lead an expedition to Magia. First, it was the most valuable of all the ruins near Monica. Second, it contained equipment and classes that would be helpful to our clan members. And third, the Istantel Low Clan had requested it.
And now, this expedition, where these three factors had aligned perfectly, was about to bear fruit.
Jung Hayeon and Vivian requested the rights to the Ordo of Order. I waited a little longer just in case, but no other clan members raised their hands. I could understand Shin Sangyong, who was watching with a faint smile, but Ahn Sol was a surprise. She had participated actively in the expedition, and the item description said it could be used by priests, so she was certainly a candidate. Yet, she just sat there, giggling happily with a bright, carefree expression.
I tapped my index finger against the innocent table before giving a slight nod. The two of them lowered their hands at the same time.
You shouldn't play games when distributing equipment. Not that I intended to, but ending this as cleanly as possible was the best approach. I had already explained the situation, so I figured it was better to be direct rather than beat around the bush.
I spoke in a low voice.
“Vivian la Classidus. State your reasons for wanting the Ordo of Order.”
The moment she heard my words, Vivian bit her lip. A look of ‘I knew it’ flashed across the other clan members' faces.
Personally, I thought the Ordo of Order was a better fit for Jung Hayeon. She was a skilled mage User. If you added her prospective Secret Class, 'Mage of the Blue Moon,' into the equation, she had the potential to become a powerhouse on par with the Ten Strong in two or three years.
I didn't show it, but my question had been an implicit endorsement of Jung Hayeon.
A brief silence followed. As I waited with my fingers interlaced, Vivian's lips slowly began to part.
“Of course, I know the Ordo of Order is a good fit for Hayeon. But I'm confident I can use it well, too.”
“Anyone can say that. That's not what I want to hear. I want to know what abilities you'll be able to display if you have it. Things like that. In other words, be more specific.”
Vivian closed her eyes. Seeing her, I suddenly found the situation quite interesting. She could be a total airhead, but the reason I kept her around was because she delivered when it mattered. She wasn't like the others. If I gave the order right now, she would carry out a massacre with a giggle and without a second thought. That was Vivian's true nature.
A moment later, Vivian's eyes flashed open, her pupils shining with a sharp light.
“Yesterday, I carefully examined the Ordo of Order using Goods Appraisal. There are four options that caught my eye: 150% output for all magic attributes, 100% magic power recovery, the No Incantation ability, and the Key of Magia.”
“Setting the Key of Magia aside... are the first three options related to your Chimera Magical Beasts?”
“Yeah. To be precise, they're beasts I've contracted with and enhanced myself. Honestly, even though I'm the ruler of the 66 Magical Beast Legions, I don't have perfect control over it. More importantly, my own abilities are lacking, so without the help of a magic circle, I can't even summon the highest-ranking beasts, let alone the entire legion. For example, the ones in the top four legions.”
“Hmm…”
I listened intently to Vivian. What I expected from her was a change in the atmosphere. Right now, almost all the clan members, myself included, were leaning toward Jung Hayeon. Vivian must have sensed this, as she cleared her throat before continuing. This was the main point, the most crucial part.
“But if I have the Ordo of Order, I can solve all those problems. The 150% output condition will make my summons much stronger, and while there's a seven-day condition, being able to recover 100% of my magic power would make it possible to summon an entire legion. And that's not all. If I master the No Incantation ability, I can compress all my spells except for the ones uniquely linked to the beasts. The summoning time itself will be drastically reduced. And this is just a guess, but if you're planning to rebuild the city of Magia, I'll be a great help.”
“Oh? I'd like to hear a little more about summoning that legion.”
“It'll take too long to explain in detail. But the bottom line is that the Ordo of Order can replace the magic circle. I could summon one of the highest-ranking legions. As for the lower-ranking ones... maybe even two legions. Anyway, I've said what I wanted to say. I'll stop here.”
Seeing my interest, Vivian concluded with a much more relaxed expression. I stroked my chin. To be honest, her words were starting to sway me. If she could really summon a legion as she claimed, it would be a huge asset to my future plans.
Do I fully support Jung Hayeon, or do I give some to Vivian and aim for their simultaneous growth?
In a way, it was a good problem to have. But rather than get lost in thought, it was time to hear from the other person. Only then could I make a final decision. I was just about to turn my head toward Jung Hayeon.
“I see.”
“User Jung Hayeon?”
“I've heard what Vivian had to say. Clan Lord, I will forfeit my claim to the Ordo of Order.”
“?”
She gave up so easily. But in that fleeting moment, I noticed her gaze brush past the blue-covered book. Even Vivian shot her a bewildered look. Hayeon let out a short sigh, then spoke with a bright smile.
“If what you said is true, then I think it's more fitting for you to have it than me, Vivian. That's just how I feel. It's certainly a shame, but I don't want to be too greedy.”
“R-Really? Can I really have it?”
“If Soohyun allows it.”
“Wow!”
I could hear Vivian practically jumping for joy, but my gaze remained fixed on Jung Hayeon. Sensing my stare, she gave a slight shake of her head, the smile never leaving her face.
“Jung Hayeon! Thank you! Thank you so much!”
“Don't mention it. You are….”
Jung Hayeon paused. After a brief hesitation, she continued in a low voice.
“…a skilled alchemist, after all.”
I suddenly wondered if Jung Hayeon had changed her words mid-sentence. Come to think of it, she had lost her sister, Jung Jiyeon, because of Vivian. Their relationship should have been quite uncomfortable, but from our time in Mule until now, she hadn't shown the slightest hint of it. No, while they weren't exactly close, she maintained a normal relationship with her as a fellow clan member.
Perhaps she read my mind. And so...
Whatever the truth was, Jung Hayeon's attitude was admirable, and I even felt a sense of gratitude. It reaffirmed my belief that recruiting her back in Mule had been an excellent decision.
In any case, with Jung Hayeon's declaration, the scales had tipped decisively. I turned my head and saw Vivian waiting for my word with bated breath, fidgeting like an anxious puppy. I decided to settle the matter of the Ordo of Order here and now.
“Then I will grant the Ordo of Order to Vivian. In the event that she fails the Master Ritual, the rights will be transferred to Jung Hayeon.”
“That won't happen, so don't you worry!”
Vivian flinched for a second before shouting back.
*
And so, the Ordo of Order went to Vivian. Thanks to Jung Hayeon's concession, we were able to move past what I'd considered the most difficult part (?) in a heartwarming way. With that settled, we were over the hump. The rest of the distribution process went smoothly. The potential owners for most of the remaining equipment had already been narrowed down.
First, the Paradisus Plate Mail and the Legend of Hoplon were allocated to Baek Hangyul. Everyone agreed that his unique ability, 'Reflection,' was a perfect match for the two pieces of armor. I asked Ahn Hyun just in case, but he firmly shook his head. He probably thought The Great Sun was a better fit for him.
Of course, Baek Hangyul would need to raise his stats to use them properly. Although the items came with the condition that he'd have to wait until then, he accepted them with a grateful expression.
Mavolo's Research Records went to Vivian without question, and the Secret Class, Mage of the Blue Moon, naturally went to Jung Hayeon. She seemed to have given up the Ordo of Order without any lingering feelings, as she showed no sign of disappointment. In fact, she looked quite satisfied, hugging the blue book I handed her.
The Rare Class, Dawn Gladiator, and the Moon Spirit went to Lee Yoojung. I had already been considering her for Dawn Gladiator, and the Moon Spirit, being a dagger, was her main weapon. Lee Yoojung's expression was quite composed as she received the old sword and the silver-white dagger.
No, she was pretending to be composed. Her eyes were trembling, and her lips kept twitching. Her hands and legs were also shaking uncontrollably. Having finally achieved the class succession she had longed for, I could guess what she was feeling inside.
Tyrfing was a bit tricky to assign. Looking at the blade, it was a little too long to be called a dagger, but too short to be a longsword. If I had to classify it, it was closer to a dagger. But that was a secondary issue; the fact that it was a demonic sword made the situation even more ambiguous.
But in the end, it found its owner. Or rather, it was fair to say it had been decided from the start. The moment I gave up my claim to Tyrfing, Ko Yeonju was the only User who could handle it. It also seemed to be a good match for her Chaos alignment, so the decision was made for Tyrfing to go to her.
That left two items: the Headband of Purity and the Magic Power Elixir. No one requested ownership of these two. It wasn't that they didn't want them, but they seemed to be holding back out of consideration for others.
This was especially true for the Magic Power Elixir. The clan members who had already received items probably felt bad taking more, and among those who hadn't, the only ones who could really use it were Ahn Sol and Shin Sangyong. The problem was that neither of them was brazen enough to snatch up the elixir.
Ultimately, the choice for these two items fell to me. As the Clan Lord, it was my duty to handle this appropriately. I stared silently at the two items in front of me before slowly raising my head. All the clan members' eyes were on me.
Jung Hayeon's magic power will increase when she awakens to her Secret Class... so I have to give it to either Ahn Sol or Shin Sangyong... Why are they both acting like this?
Shin Sangyong was so frustratingly humble that he kept shaking his head and waving his hands dismissively whenever I thought about calling on him. Ahn Sol was the same; she had been avoiding my gaze this whole time. It would have been better if they fought over it. This back-and-forth of them trying to yield to each other was just making things more difficult.
I let out a deep sigh and picked up the Headband of Purity, tucking it away. I had decided on the headband, but the Magic Power Elixir required a little more thought. Of course, that thought wouldn't take long. The more I dragged it out, the more likely the decision would become muddled, so I planned to deal with it before this meeting was over.
Still, now that the decision was mine, I needed some time to think.
“Whew, alright. I will handle these two items at my discretion. But before that.”
I paused, looking around at the clan members. Ko Yeonju, Vivian, Jung Hayeon, and Lee Yoojung were each fondly stroking the equipment they had received.
Seeing them, I continued with a faint smile.
“Why don't we take a short break and watch the class succession and Master Rituals?”
*
The sun was high in the sky, shining brightly. It was lunchtime, and the inside of the Love House was deserted. The Flowers of the Night were all asleep, and every table on the first floor was empty except for one. Business was so slow that the madam running the place was chatting with the User sitting at the table.
“Where is everyone else?”
“Mm~. Sangyong-oppa is still talking with Orabeoni~. Ahn Hyun-oppa went out because he had something to check~. The other unnis are probably all in their rooms, busy looking at their equipment.”
“Aha. I see. But what about you, Sol? You must be disappointed.”
“Gulp. Huh? About what?”
Ahn Sol took a sip of the drink Lim Hanna had brought her and asked.
“You didn't get anything this time, right?”
“Ah~. Hehe. It's okay. I've already received a lot~ of things. And I'm still a Year 0 User, so I have lots of room to grow, but Sangyong-oppa is almost at his limit, you know? So I actually wanted him to get it.”
“I see. You're so sweet, Sol.”
“Hehe.”
Ahn Sol held up a white orb and a ring, beaming. Lim Hanna watched her with a fond smile, then gently turned her head as she sensed someone coming down. It was Shin Sangyong, descending the stairs with a weary look on his face.
Shin Sangyong stumbled down the stairs, and upon seeing the two, he bowed his head.
“Ah, hello.”
“Hello. Are you finished talking with Mercenary Lord-nim?”
“H-Haha. Yes, we just finished. Haaah…”
Shin Sangyong glanced at the wooden box in his hand, sighed, and shook his head. He then opened the box and picked up its contents. Soon, a fragrant black orb was resting between his thumb and index finger.
“Heeey. Congratulations.”
“Congratulations. I'm so jealous.”
Despite the two women's congratulations, Shin Sangyong could only manage a bitter smile. Seeing this, Ahn Sol stomped her foot and urged him on.
“Hurry up and eat it. Hurry!”
“Haha. Yes, I will.”
He said he would, but his hand didn't move. Instead, he began to approach the table, closing the distance one step at a time.
“I believed this elixir should have rightfully gone to you, Miss Ahn Sol. I never expected him to give it to me. I was very conflicted, but he told me to follow my heart. So, I intend to follow the Clan Lord's words. I ask for your understanding, Miss Ahn Sol.”
“I'm really okay. You don't have to think that way.”
“I'm just grateful that you say so. Ah, but Miss Ahn Sol?”
Having reached the table, Shin Sangyong called out to Ahn Sol with a gentle smile. As Lim Hanna watched them with interest, Ahn Sol opened her mouth wide and yawned. It seemed she was sleepy from waking up early this morning.
“Hwaaam. So sleepy. Eh?”
And as he watched her, a strange light flashed in Shin Sangyong's eyes. He immediately pointed toward the door.
“Oh, someone's calling for you outside, Miss Ahn Sol.”
“Hwaam. Huh? Who is it?”
Ahn Sol turned her head toward the entrance, but there was no one there.
Question marks practically floated above Ahn Sol's head. At the same time, her mouth kept opening as another yawn escaped.
“Haaam. Who iis iit…?”
Ahn Sol turned her head back, yawning again. And in the instant she turned back, mumbling, her mouth still mid-yawn, Shin Sangyong's hand shot out like lightning toward her still-open mouth.
“Mmph!”
Gulp.