Chapter 345: The Choice Is Barbara
Chapter 345: The Choice Is Barbara
“User Shin Sangyong. User Lee Manseong. User Baek Hangyul.”
The moment I called out the three names, I could see a few people flinch. At the same time, a tension unlike any before began to flow through the clan members.
In the Hall Plain, the word ‘war’ was never something to be taken lightly. This was on a completely different level from a simple expedition or exploration. It was a large-scale battle where a single mistake could lead directly to death, with the highest probability of casualties.
I could certainly understand how the clan members felt, but that didn't mean I could just do what they wanted. Sometimes, you have to do things you don’t want to do. I had a strong feeling that if we declared we wouldn't participate in the war, this would be the end for the Mercenary Clan.
In any case, one thing was certain: now was the time to act.
I paused for a moment before speaking, my voice firm.
“With the exception of the three I just named, everyone will participate in the war. This concludes the personnel announcement. That is all.”
“What...?!”
It was a very simple announcement. And the first response to it, unexpectedly, came from Shin Sangyong.
I calmly turned my head in the direction of the voice and saw Shin Sangyong sitting at the far left end of the table. At first glance, he seemed startled, but a closer look revealed a faint frown creasing his face. It was a rare show of emotion from him, so I couldn't help but tilt my head in confusion.
What’s with him?
It wasn’t as if the others were any different, but I had judged that Baek Hangyul was still too inexperienced to participate in a war. As for the old man, he wasn't brought in as a combatant in the first place.
I had agonized over whether to include Shin Sangyong, but I had finally made my decision last night. It wasn't because of his tendency to seek safety. Unlike Vivian, Shin Sangyong was a User whose skills leaned more toward ‘alchemy’ than ‘summoning.’ And strictly speaking, ‘alchemy’ was a specialty that was difficult to classify as combat-oriented.
“If anyone has an objection to this decision, I will grant you the right to speak now.”
“…”
“User Shin Sangyong?”
“Ah, n-no, sir.”
When I asked again, Shin Sangyong seemed to fluster for a moment before quietly bowing his head. I waited a little longer, but he showed no further reaction. He just seemed lost in thought, his lips pressed firmly together.
“I will now explain the Mercenary Clan’s position regarding this war.”
I let out a light breath and looked around at everyone.
The meeting room had grown so quiet that not a single person stirred. Everyone was holding their breath, focusing on my words. I had been a little worried at first, but it occurred to me that this wasn't entirely a bad thing. This attitude was, in its own way, proof that they were taking the war seriously.
“As free mercenaries, the Mercenary Clan will undertake this war in the form of a commission. Of course, this is merely a formality to maintain our clan’s identity.”
Just then, I saw Jung Hayeon cautiously raise her hand.
“Does that mean… there’s a clan that has commissioned the Mercenary Clan?”
“Yes. There is. In fact, there are two.”
Anyone with a quick mind would have probably realized there was something strange about what I had just said. I decided to cut to the chase and get straight to the conclusion.
“For this war, the Mercenary Clan has decided to accept the commission from the East. Accordingly, we will move to Prinsica in the near future and, under the command of the Eastern Alliance, assist in the recapture of Barbara.”
“What…? Not Istantel Low Clan? Wait a moment. A commission from the East… Then what about the South…?”
Just as I expected. Jung Hayeon’s expression began to change subtly, as if she felt something wasn't adding up.
It was still technically a secret, but it was bound to be revealed soon enough. I figured I could just make sure they all kept their mouths shut until then, so I continued speaking.
“Now, I will begin the explanation of the operation established by the Northern Continent: Operation New World.”
*
(So you’ve decided to come to our side after all?)
“That’s right. Attacking the western city isn’t a bad option, but I thought recapturing Barbara would be good, too.”
(Sigh… The Istantel Low Clan didn’t try to keep you?)
“I’m not sure. She seemed a little disappointed, but that’s just my impression. She was respectful of my decision, though.”
For a moment, my brother’s face in the crystal ball looked rather bitter. He seemed quite displeased that I was going to the East; he’d had that expression on his face ever since I brought it up.
Soon, my brother smacked his lips and spoke with a wry smile.
(If that’s what you’ve decided, there’s nothing to be done. So, when are you coming over?)
“When are you all setting out?”
(Soon. I don’t know about the South, but you could say the East’s preparations are almost complete. Something happened recently that made us speed things up a bit… Anyway, since you’ve made up your mind, wouldn’t it be best to come as soon as possible? To get used to the atmosphere here, you know.)
When he said something ‘happened,’ he must have been referring to the incident where Barbara severed its own Warp Gate. I could guess that the incident had forced them to move up their departure date.
“Got it. I’ve already notified the clan members, so we should be able to head over in three or four days.”
(Alright. I’ll let them know, so you just focus on wrapping things up.)
“I can’t do that. There are still minimum procedures to follow. It’s just one dispatch, so don’t worry about it.”
I shook my head firmly. I considered it unsightly to not follow the procedures I myself valued so highly.
(Understood. Anyway, there’s a lot I want to say about the formation and the war, but let’s talk when we meet. I think that would be better.)
“Yeah. I’ll visit the Haemil Clan first when I get to Prinsica. I’m hanging up now.”
(Ah. It’d be great if you could contact me before you come.)
That was a given, so I nodded emphatically to show him he didn’t need to worry.
After a brief farewell, I cut the flow of magic to the crystal ball. Pushing the now-darkened orb to one side, I turned my gaze to the office table.
Ahn Sol was there, scribbling a dispatch to be sent to the Eastern clan. The occasional whimper suggested she was really racking her brain.
“Ahn Sol? Let’s do a mid-progress check. Bring me what you’ve written so far.”
“Eek! O-Orabeoni! C-Could you give me a little more time?”
“No, I said I’m doing a mid-progress check. And the dispatch has to be sent out today. I can’t give you any more time.”
Ahn Sol pouted and whimpered. But when I pressed her with a stern voice, she quickly stood up, hesitantly approached, and handed me the document. I began to look it over carefully.
『Hello. This is Kim Soohyun, Lord of the Mercenary Clan. The reason I am sending this message is…』
As I read through the document, I abruptly held out my right hand.
“Quill pen.”
Perhaps because I had scolded her several times before, the quill pen was swiftly placed in my hand. I immediately began revising the content, striking through unnecessary parts and adding what was needed.
“Orabeoni. How is it…?”
“It’s not bad. It’s better than your first attempt.”
I glanced up to answer, and I could see Ahn Sol’s face brighten, likely because it had been a while since she’d received a compliment.
To be honest, I still wasn't satisfied with it, but it really was an improvement compared to her first try. Her first draft felt like I was reading a letter from a kindergartener to a soldier.
“But there are still some shortcomings. It’s true the Lord of the Goryeo Clan is more famous than I am, but we are still both clan lords. There’s no need to be this excessively deferential. And there’s too much flowery language.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“And the biggest problem is, you’re too slow. Jung Hayeon or Lee Yoojung would have had this done in ten minutes.”
“Ah, I’ll try harder in the future!”
Trying harder. Compared to how she had cried when I scolded her on her first day as an attendant, this was a huge improvement.
In any case, I decided to be satisfied with this for today and quickly finished the dispatch. I handed the revised version back to Ahn Sol, along with a fresh sheet of parchment.
“Copy this onto the new sheet exactly as it is. And as soon as you’re done, send it as a dispatch. You know where to send it, right?”
“Um… To the Goryeo Clan in Prinsica.”
“Right. And after you send it, post a notice on the first-floor lobby bulletin board. Tell everyone we’ll be conducting a final inspection in two days, so they should have their gear in order by then.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Ahn Sol answered obediently. After hearing her confirmation, I calmly rose to my feet.
“I’m counting on you, then. I’m going to step out for a bit. I expect you to have everything completed by the time I get back.”
“Ah. Orabeoni! Wait a moment!”
It was then. Just as I was about to leave the desk, Ahn Sol’s delicate voice caught my sleeve.
“What is it?”
“There’s something I need to tell you… It’s about one of the clan members, so I was hesitant to say anything, but I thought it would be better if you knew…”
I never expected Ahn Sol to bring something like this up, so I nodded, half impressed and half pleased.
“If it’s about a clan member, then I should know. Go on.”
Seeming relieved, Ahn Sol slowly parted her lips.
“It was last night. I woke up because I had to pee… Ah, no, I mean, I woke up because I needed to use the restroom.”
Noticing my narrowed eyes, Ahn Sol hastily corrected her choice of words. Honestly, I didn't want to meddle with her way of speaking, but it was a necessary choice, as her speech had many issues for a twenty-year-old woman.
“I suddenly couldn’t get back to sleep, and my mind was restless. So I went out to the garden for a walk…”
“And?”
“Orabeoni Sangyong was sitting beside the pond. Completely alone.”
Shin Sangyong?
At first, it sounded like nothing, but Shin Sangyong’s reaction during the meeting yesterday had been strange. I had a feeling that I couldn’t just let this go; something unknown was nagging at me.
“Did you sense anything strange?”
At my question, Ahn Sol fell silent and thought for a moment.
After a short while, she slowly continued.
*
The Mercenary Clan House. Vivian’s third-floor workshop.
Inside the workshop, illuminated by a pumpkin-colored light, were a man and a woman. They were in the middle of a serious conversation.
“Do you really have to go that far? It’s not like you asked to be left out. Kim Soohyun made the decision to exclude you himself.”
The woman was Vivian. She sat with her legs crossed and scratched her head as she spoke. Her usually languid eyes were slightly raised, betraying her complicated mood.
In response to Vivian’s words, the man’s reply followed.
“O-Of course, that’s true. But… this is a decision I’ve made after much thought and consideration.”
“Then think it over again. I lived through several wars a century ago, you know? I did not fight in them myself—I experienced them as a civilian—but war is nothing like the easy thing you seem to imagine. And there is no need to burden yourself with that cheap guilt. You are not the only one staying behind.”
“It’s not guilt! A-And my situation is completely different from theirs. In any case, I feel that being left out this time is somehow not right.”
Vivian continued in an earnest tone, trying to persuade him, but the man’s reply was unyielding.
“Sigh… I get what you’re thinking… but wait a minute. If you were going to do what you want anyway, why did you even come to talk to me?”
“Ha, haha. Well, you’re the only person I can consult with, Master…”
Vivian pouted and grumbled, unable to understand Shin Sangyong’s awkward laugh.
“Yeah, yeah. Do whatever you want. But as your master, I advise you to reconsider it at least one more time. You. You know what Kim Soohyun is like, right? You know he gets really scary once he’s made up his mind, don’t you? Huh?”
“O-Of course. I am prepared for that much.”
“Tsk. So… if it’s really a burden, I can talk to him for you.”
“No. It’s alright. I will tell him myself.”
His firm reply came once again. At that, Vivian shrugged as if she had no choice and flopped onto her desk.
“Good grief, good grief. ‘I’ll do this, I’ll do that.’ I’m washing my hands of this. Kim Soohyun will figure something out, I guess.”
Watching Vivian, Shin Sangyong let out a gentle smile.