Chapter 45: Preparations for Flight
Chapter 45: Preparations for Flight
With a gentle touch, the woman set down the meal and retreated with demure steps. Her movements were now distinctly different from before. The food laid out on the table consisted only of a vegetable salad, toasted bread, cream stew, and a meat pie. I had ordered Course A, but it could hardly be called a course meal. Still, I remembered it being cheaper than the other dishes and tasting quite decent.
The atmosphere was clearly not one for cheerful chatter. Nevertheless, perhaps because hunger is the best spice, Ahn Hyun, who had been licking his lips in anticipation, was the first to pick up his spoon. I, too, scooped up a large spoonful of the cream stew, from which white steam was rising, and put it in my mouth. A savory and delicate flavor spread throughout my mouth, and I soon felt it melting smoothly on my tongue.
“Oh… this is really good! It feels like it’s melting in my mouth.”
As Ahn Hyun made a fuss, Ahn Sol also picked up a piece of bread and cautiously took a bite. A moment later, her eyes widened in surprise, and she began to chew more quickly. Watching them both eat so earnestly, I felt a sense of satisfaction. However, one person had yet to even touch her food.
Lee Yoojung was not usually a huge eater—alcohol aside—but neither was she someone who merely picked at her food. Now she listlessly stirred it with her chopsticks and barely ate. Her dazed eyes and unfocused gaze showed that she had taken a severe emotional blow. As the direct target of Mana Release filled with killing intent, and at such close range, she must have experienced something on an entirely different level from the others.
I had gone through something similar before, so I could understand Lee Yoojung to some extent. Humiliation. Contempt. Self-loathing. Helplessness. A filthy feeling known only to those who had experienced it. I felt a little sorry because I had partly intended this situation. Being overpowered through mana was proof that one’s skill was below the opponent’s.
But it was a necessary process they had to go through. I believed all these experiences would become valuable lessons for them. No one knew how many similar situations they would face in the future.
We were now full-fledged Users who had stepped into the vast world of the Hall Plain. We would compete not only with other new Users but with countless experienced ones. Seen that way, the kids were still chicks—newly hatched ones at that.
They didn't yet know what it meant to be hungry. They didn't know how to be cautious, nor could they distinguish between when to step forward and when to hold back. To put it simply, they lacked a sense of desperation. Of course, I knew this was partly my fault. Ever since the Rite of Passage, they had been playing freely within my protective fence.
They might have been lucky so far, but could they survive in the Hall Plain for what might be more than ten years if they kept this attitude? I would have answered no with ninety-nine percent certainty. Even I, who had always tried to act cautiously and avoid standing out, had crossed the line of death countless times.
Right now, we were at the Maginot Line, so to speak. Murder between Users—PK—was the final line being held. In the Northern Continent, there was still a tendency, albeit an unspoken one, to be reluctant to kill other existing Users. For now, at least. That was why Vagabonds were currently ostracized by everyone.
But once the First Alliance War broke out, the situation would reverse completely. In its later stages, people would not necessarily kill indiscriminately, but the boundary between ally and enemy would become absolute. Yesterday’s enemy would often become today’s ally, and yesterday’s ally today’s enemy. The kids had to survive in that turbulent Hall Plain.
I intended to teach the kids the skills required to survive, and first I needed to tighten their lax attitudes. That was why I had brought them to The Demure Lady, the Mule inn where I believed they could learn a great deal.
After finishing our meal, I rented two double rooms. Counting my remaining gold, I had a total of 6 gold and 40 silver (+1000 gold) when combined with the weekly pay I had received. The meal and a week's lodging cost 20 silver per room, so I paid a total of 40 silver.
After sending them to their assigned rooms to unpack, I immediately gathered everyone in the room Ahn Hyun and I shared. Ahn Hyun kept clenching and unclenching his fists, his face so full of anticipation that he seemed desperate to leave the city. Lee Yoojung remained subdued, while Ahn Sol cautiously watched Yoojung-unni.
The oblivious Ahn Hyun swung his arms as he spoke.
“Hyung. So, the four of us will be moving around together in Mule from now on, right? We'll hunt monsters, explore dungeons and caves, and find treasures.”
I sighed inwardly. Why had I been sighing so much since meeting these kids? I stared intently at Ahn Hyun, who was as excited as if he were going on a picnic. I had no intention of leaving right away. But before that, it was clear that Ahn Hyun was also in desperate need of some stern mental training. Despite my unusual reaction, Ahn Hyun didn't stop talking.
“Then let's start by making a clan. What are you going to name it? Honestly, a name like Golden Lion is so lame…”
“We can't.”
“Something else… huh? You're not going to make one? Why?”
“I'm not saying we won't, I'm saying we can't.”
I put a hand to my forehead and sighed, this time openly. While Ahn Hyun was enthusiastic about combat training, he could often be seen dozing off during lessons about the Hall Plain's history or lore. If he knew any of that, he wouldn't be suggesting we make a clan now. Only then did Ahn Hyun look at my face and shut his mouth.
After a short pause, I began to speak in a low voice.
“The four of us currently lack the conditions to create an official clan.”
“Conditions? I thought I heard you only need one person to make a clan.”
The condition wasn’t the number of people. He’d only memorized the easy parts. I clicked my tongue inwardly and continued. I intended to address everything that needed addressing now. If he behaved this way after becoming a reasonably experienced User, I would not be nearly so lenient.
A clan can be simply defined as a gathering of Users with similar goals.
Furthermore, an official clan wasn't something just anyone could create. In each city, Residents who had received an oracle from the angels managed all clan-related matters at the Clan Registration Office. As such, the process was fair, but it could also be seen as strict.
That meant there was only one path available to us right now. We had no choice but to build a track record. Of course, earning Achievements would be even better, but that was a distant goal for now, as it involved affecting the main stream of the Hall Plain.
Unlike Achievements, the scope of what constituted a track record was incredibly broad.
Caravans and expedition teams were required to submit a performance report after completing any mission. This report was a process of detailing the mission at the temple located in each city. After a temple official reviewed the report, if they deemed it important, they would either form an inspection team on their own or request a representative clan to verify the facts.
Every single one of those processes could be considered part of a track record. Details about what monsters appeared in which location, the discovery of a dungeon or cave, the contents of an exploration—every trivial matter had the potential to contribute to one's track record.
Once a group believed it had accumulated a sufficient record, it could apply to become an official clan, which inevitably involved screening. Countless applications were submitted every day, yet the number approved each month could be counted on one hand. That alone showed how strict the process was—and why the power of officially recognized clans could not be underestimated.
“Ohh…”
As I calmly explained, Ahn Hyun muttered “Ohh…” with a fascinated expression. What was that supposed to mean? Ahn Sol already seemed to know all of this. When he nodded as if he understood, I stepped in front of them. Once all three pairs of eyes were on me, I turned to Lee Yoojung.
“So, how does it feel to take your first step into the Hall Plain?”
“It’s… not very pleasant,” Lee Yoojung answered in a subdued voice. I nodded once or twice and continued.
“Are you frustrated?”
“I’m humiliated. And frustrated.”
Lee Yoojung answered immediately, showing how keenly she understood her helplessness. Admittedly, her opponent would one day become strong enough to rival my current self, so the comparison was hardly fair. Still, convinced that the lesson had worked, I put more force into my voice.
“I've always told you, haven't I? The Hall Plain is a world full of variables. You never know what might happen or where. What do you think would have happened if that woman just now had been a Vagabond?”
My blunt words rendered them all speechless. But I wasn't finished.
“Stay alert. Too much tension is poisonous, but in the Hall Plain you must always keep your guard up. We aren’t here for a picnic or a treasure hunt. We’re here to survive and return to Earth. Does everyone understand?”
A solemn silence settled around Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, and Lee Yoojung. Ahn Hyun lowered his head guiltily, while Lee Yoojung and Ahn Sol looked dejected.
“It’s good that you’re frustrated, but you have no grounds to feel wronged. It only means you’re that weak. If you hate that feeling, train and grow stronger. If you don’t want to suffer that humiliation again, grit your teeth and steel yourself.”
I looked at each of their faces for a moment. By now, it seemed they had all begun to realize their current standing, at least a little. And that meant the time had come to unveil the first part of my plan to make them grow.
I opened my mouth, my voice a little softer now.