Chapter 476: On Second Thought, One Bushel Isn’t Enough. I Think I’ll Take Ten
Chapter 476: On Second Thought, One Bushel Isn’t Enough. I Think I’ll Take Ten
“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”
As I finished speaking and turned, I saw Jo Seungwoo with a faint smile on his face. At first, I thought he was more nervous than I’d expected, but after a few days, he seemed to have adapted quite well. In fact, even now, I didn’t feel a significant void compared to when Hayeon was here. It was partly due to his own abilities, but it also reminded me that humans are animals that adapt to their environment.
“Haha, Clan Lord. It’s been so hard to see your face lately.”
So he even knew how to make jokes like this. Ah, or was it not a joke?
It was true that I’d been running all over the place lately. But what could I do? It wasn’t like I was just out having fun; I was busy with things that needed to be done.
“The clan members’ complaints have turned into an uproar. It seems they’re eager to see the results as soon as possible. Hahaha.”
“Hmm, what to do. I don’t think I’ll have any time to spare until this is over. If they’re that anxious, tell them to go ahead and unveil it themselves.”
“Come on. How could they do that without the Clan Lord present?”
“Then they can wait a little longer. In any case, I’ll send a message through the crystal ball when I’m about to finish.”
Jo Seungwoo, still smiling, bowed his head deeply. After a simple nod in return, I turned and walked out of the first-floor entrance.
The sunlit sky was so clear there wasn’t a single cloud in sight.
The employees, who had been gathered in small groups in the garden chatting away, scattered like lightning the moment they saw me. They immediately started tending to the garden with diligence, trimming the grass or changing the water in the pond.
I walked through them without a word. My relationship with the employees was nothing more or less than a contract, and I had no desire to crack down on them for slacking off for a moment. If it got out of hand, other clan members would manage it.
With that thought, I left the main gate and entered the street. Then, I began walking briskly toward the Warp Gate.
My destination today was the great city of Barbara. Specifically, a representative organization of the Northern Continent called the Central Administration, which was established two years ago for a specific purpose. In other words, if a representative clan managed a city, the Central Administration was a massive joint organization that managed the entire Northern Continent.
While it was launched with such a grand-sounding justification, if you looked at the inside story, it was a slightly—no, a considerably—ridiculous institution.
After the war and the restoration efforts ended, the most important topic of discussion was Barbara. Following the fall of the Golden Lion, a heated debate erupted over who would take control of the now-vacant city. I had observed the situation carefully at the time.
It had been similar in the first playthrough. The struggle over the ownership of Barbara was the catalyst for the coming of a Spring and Autumn Warring States Period. Therefore, depending on how that situation unfolded, I needed to make my own preparations.
However, the outcome of the situation unexpectedly flowed in a different direction from the first playthrough. It was the same up to the point where they failed to find a compromise, but in the end, they reached an agreement in a strange way.
To cut to the chase, Barbara became a jointly managed city. The rationale was that, with the Inn of Beginnings and the User Academy located there, the focus would be on helping new Users adapt and get started. Furthermore, in preparation for another event similar to the war, the renowned clans of the Northern Continent would manage it jointly. There was other talk about mediating unnecessary disputes and so on, but in any case, the justification was sound.
The reason I found it ridiculous was the distribution of clans dispatched to the Central Administration. A look at its composition showed that members from Eastern clans made up half of it. The other half was amicably (?) divided among the West, South, and North. In other words, the clans that could exert the most influence in Barbara were from the East.
I once had a thought.
The future has changed. But it has not changed.
It’s just my personal opinion, but I believe this principle applied equally to that situation.
At the time, it seemed like things would just blow over. But once some time had passed and the chaos subsided into stability, the South began to openly express their dissatisfaction with the East’s handling of the situation. If it had been an exact fifty-fifty split, that would have been one thing. But they couldn’t stand being treated the same as the West or the North when they had participated in the war alongside the East from the very beginning.
However, the East was not without its own arguments. It was the East that had suffered the most damage in the war, and it was also the East that had achieved the most. They argued that the personnel were organized with that in mind, and besides, what was there to complain about when they weren't taking over Barbara completely? In the end, a difference in perspective had emerged here as well.
It was a good thing that, just as the East claimed, they had handled matters fairly so far and no major incidents had occurred. If not, a Spring and Autumn Warring States Period might have truly begun. That was how bad the relationship between the East and the South currently was. They just didn't show it openly.
“Where will you be going?”
Lost in thought, I had arrived at the Warp Gate before I knew it.
“Barbara.”
“That’ll be 2 Gold~.”
After paying the fee to the User who held out his hand with a beaming smile, I stood before the Warp Gate. The moment the portal activated, I threw myself in without hesitation.
*
After arriving in Barbara, I made my way to the former Golden Lion Clan House, where the current Central Administration was located. As an organization representing the Northern Continent, it wasn't a place just anyone could enter, but I was an exception. I had built up a reputation and had already scheduled an appointment. As such, I was able to enter the building right after a simple identity check.
However, the moment I opened the door and entered the room, and the moment I saw the User waiting for me, I couldn't help but freeze for a second.
“Welcome, Mercenary Lord.”
Contrary to her intelligent and mature appearance, a thin, sharp voice like a child’s greeted me.
“First time in this place, right? Huhu.”
“…You.”
The woman waving at me from a plush sofa was none other than Lee Hyoeul. I couldn't help but feel dumbfounded. I had never imagined that Lee Hyoeul would be in this building, in this room.
Lee Hyoeul was the Guardian of the Northern Continent. In other words, she was in a position where her identity must not be revealed. It would be one thing if she were a low-level employee like at the User Academy. Moreover, this room was located on the top floor of the building. For a User who had built up no reputation (due to hiding her identity until now) to be in such a large organization was clearly strange to anyone.
No, wait a minute. If this is the case…
“Did you quit? Being a Guardian.”
“That’s right! I knew you’d guess it the moment you saw me! Bwahaha!”
Lee Hyoeul stood up from the sofa, threw her arms up, and laughed joyfully. I stared at her for a moment before speaking quietly.
“This isn’t something to laugh about. Any User who knows the situation might realize you were the Guardian, right? Like with the Matriarch incident.”
At that, Lee Hyoeul’s laughter abruptly stopped, and she collapsed back into her seat. With an elegant gesture, she picked up a teacup and offered a gentle smile. I clicked my tongue. I knew she was prone to mood swings, but for a moment, I thought she seemed like a psychopath.
“I know, I know. That’s why I’m here.”
“What do you mean, ‘that’s why’?”
“It’s very simple. Now that I’ve quit being a Guardian, you could say I’ve lost my value. But I’m not completely useless. Just as you said, an incident like the one with the Matriarch could happen, so they need a shield like me… Ah, but don’t call me stupid for it. This was part of the conditions for quitting in the first place.”
“Stu… Hmm. I knew it. I told you again and again, didn’t I? Don’t trust the angels.”
“Aah. I don’t know, I don’t know. I’m just going to find meaning in the fact that I quit. Anyway, enough of this boring talk. What brings you here today? The hottest Mercenary Lord around.”
“Hmph. I’m not the hottest. In fact, there was a big incident recently.”
Lee Hyoeul waved her hands dismissively and pointed to the sofa across from her. It seemed she meant to get to the main point, so I willingly settled my butt onto the sofa.
Lee Hyoeul spoke.
“A big incident recently… Ah, the Sleeping Dragon Mountains? Ohoho.”
“Yes.”
“You handled that cleanly, didn’t you? You solved the request, completed the assault, rescued the Users, and you must have reaped some hefty rewards, right? Ah, a cup of tea?”
“I’m fine.”
“Okay. Oh, oh. Speaking of rewards, it reminded me of something. You were pretty cool, you know? I read the records a while ago. You decided to return the equipment of the deceased Users for free, right? In cooperation with the Coran Alliance, no less. Do you know how surprised I was when I read that? For someone like you, who’s the epitome of selfishness…”
“Enough, enough!”
Was she that thrilled about quitting her Guardian duties? Listening to her chatter nonstop was making my head spin. I felt like I was facing a baby bird chirping for food. When I stared at her steadily, I saw an embarrassed Lee Hyoeul sticking her tongue out slightly.
I massaged my forehead for a moment before taking out the crystal ball I had carefully stored in my coat. I tossed it forward, and Lee Hyoeul let out a little ‘hyap!’ as she caught it deftly. She turned it over and over before speaking with a curious expression.
“This is… a video recording crystal ball? No, is it? The color seems a little different.”
“No. You’re right.”
“Aha. Did you give this to me to watch?”
“Be my guest.”
I replied, calmly crossing my legs. Lee Hyoeul immediately placed her fingertips on its surface. Soon, as if she had infused it with magic, a clear light emanated from the crystal ball, and a video began to play. I watched her face with interest.
(Hmm… It looks like everyone’s gathered. How about we get started?)
(Right. Very smart. By the way, you all knew, didn’t you? That’s right. I was the one who orchestrated the Mercenary incident.)
As the video played, Lee Hyoeul’s expression changed. Her face, which had been ecstatic just moments before, became endlessly somber and serious. Yes, just like her old Guardian self. Thinking that we could finally have a proper conversation, I rested my clasped hands on my knees.
After a long while, the light from the crystal ball finally faded. At the same time, Lee Hyoeul lifted her head and let out a deep sigh.
“Hoo.”
“So? I’m curious to hear your thoughts on that.”
“…First, I take back what I said earlier. About you being pretty cool.”
“Hm?”
“They’re crazy, but you’re really something else. Was this your plan all along? To get revenge?”
“Haha. Revenge for something so trivial? Don’t be silly. Anyway, that’s not what’s important right now, is it? If you commit a crime, you must be punished.”
Lee Hyoeul stared at me with a dazed look. She seemed shocked by my words, “something so trivial.”
Her reaction wasn’t to my liking, but she was something else, too. She had accurately grasped my intentions after watching just one video. However, as I just said, that incident couldn't be the main course of my revenge. It was merely an appetizer. In fact, my visit here today was part of the plan to prepare the main dish.
“Damn it. I thought things were finally quieting down… For this to happen now… Ah, shit…”
Lee Hyoeul muttered to herself for a while. Then she suddenly looked at me and pleaded in a voice bordering on a beg.
“Mercenary Lord. This… you don’t have any intention of just letting this go, do you?”
“Why should I?”
“Well… nothing good will come of this for either side, right? And fighting is bad.”
“That’s right. Fighting is bad. But I’m not one to back down from a fight that’s brought to me.”
Lee Hyoeul wore a look that said, I should have known, and covered her face with both hands. A slightly muffled voice came from behind them.
“Mercenary Lord. I understand you’re pissed… but to be honest, you probably won’t get the effect you’re hoping for even if you expose this. Of course, the Alliance’s image will be tarnished, and they’ll get a ton of flak. Those involved will find it hard to escape punishment. But that’s all it will be.”
“Why do you think so?”
“The Coran Alliance is formidable. It’s not just one or two clans; it’s a massive coalition of eight large clans. If you include their subordinate clans, their scale is truly enormous. One of the reasons the East can’t carelessly mess with the South right now isn’t because of the Blue Wolf. It’s because of the Coran Alliance. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Ah, yes. I understand. But you don’t have to worry about that.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Because I have no intention of stopping at just tarnishing the Alliance’s image and making them take some flak.”
This was, in fact, what I had wanted to say today.
And at that moment.
Thud!
The hands covering her face dropped onto the desk with a loud noise. Lee Hyoeul’s eyes, now revealed, were wide as saucers. A look of disbelief was etched in them. Having said this much, it seemed she had finally caught on to my true intentions.
“You… don’t tell me…”
“That’s right.”
After a quiet affirmation, I spoke in a low voice.
“I—no, the Mercenary Clan—intends to go all the way.”