Tangled Threads (5)

"Then I leave it in your hands, Miss Jung Yun. Or rather... Baroness Jung Yun."

"Th-that's not the wrong title, but... it's a little embarrassing, Lord Jeong Hoon."

After finishing roll call and dismissing the residents, I brought the officers and Jung Yun back to the office. Once I'd added her to the party, I asked her to open the guild messaging function.

Jung Yun didn't hesitate. She tapped the message system in the guild menu, and a list of available recipients for composing and sending messages unfolded at once. That was when we all froze — there were far more registered guild names than any of us had expected. Guild names in every language imaginable, no less.

"W-woooow... so many people really did survive. There's a number at the top of the list... 1,452? Wow... that's incredible..."

Jung Yun breathed out her awe as she pulled up the list herself, and even I felt a strange swell of pride at a number so much larger than I'd imagined. So this was the brighter side of the human survival instinct.

Fortunately, a country filter existed. We selected the Republic of Korea — and even then, a considerable number of guilds remained.

Among them, I spotted a familiar name: Hope's Wings. I selected it.

The night was deep, and sleep would have been the sensible choice, but I couldn't afford to hesitate. I wanted to turn the will to send a message into reality before the day was gone.

More than anything else—

—I wanted to call Seo Hyejin in, hand her the defense of the territory, and then go find wherever this newly spawned dungeon was and pay it a visit.

"H-how should I... write the contents?"

"Leave that to me."

Kim Seyeon stepped up beside Jung Yun and dictated what to put in the message. The substance itself was nothing elaborate.

It's been a while. Including a cipher only we would understand. Sending this through the guild of someone named Jung Yun. How are things in XX-gu? If you're not too busy, I have a proposal. We're planning a dungeon raid and are having trouble with territory defense. Can you help? Let's meet face to face first.

Something along those lines. We sent it.

"You've worked hard today, Baroness Jung Yun. Tomorrow I would like a brief discussion on the direction your guild should take. Will you come to the office in the morning? I would appreciate your presence at the officers' meeting."

"H-huh...? D-don't tell me... I-I get the same... treatment as all of you!?"

Jung Yun was so startled she nearly jumped out of her skin.

What's with this woman? Did she not hear a word when she was up on the platform with us earlier?

"Miss Jung Yun. You didn't read the contract, did you! I wrote it very clearly. Party B, having entered into a vassal contract, shall receive treatment equal to that of Party A's officers — Kim Seyeon, Han Sora, Park Seeun, and Yun Mina. It's right there in writing! And don't forget — from now on, you'll be lodging and dining with us. Understood?"

"W-woooow... i-it's really true...!"

The moment Kim Seyeon mentioned the contract, Jung Yun whipped it out and stared with her mouth hanging open. Yun Mina looked ready to burst a gut, clutching her stomach and barely holding back her laughter.

"Se-Seyeon unnie—pffft...! She's totally like a mom... khup...!"

Ah. So this time it was Kim Seyeon who nearly killed her with secondhand embarrassment.

"Wooow... room and board, and on top of that I can claim additional rewards every time I complete a quest... I-I truly... I truly thank yo—huh?"

Jung Yun, who had been pouring gratitude on us with shining eyes, suddenly tilted her head.

What now? The answer came immediately.

"A-a reply... just came in? Fr-from Hope's Wings... from Miss Seo Hyejin."

What?

That fast?

In an instant, every gaze in the office locked onto Jung Yun, the newly minted guild leader.

"...Open it. So that we may all see."

"Y-yes...!"

Seo Hyejin's reply was every bit as long as the message ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠we'd sent. A lengthy wall of text unfurled in midair.

And what followed painted a reality bleaker than any of us had anticipated.

"Th-this is..."

"Human greed is... just completely...!"

"Good heavens...!"

"...Wooow..."

Those were the reactions from Han Sora, Park Seeun, Kim Seyeon, and Yun Mina, respectively. I alone read the message from start to finish in silence.

The gist was this. The Clean Zone had vanished, but monsters hadn't increased. Instead, something else had moved in — other humans. Survivor groups. People who had somehow raised their Lord Level to 10 had formed guilds and poured into XX-gu.

Naturally, it was a mix of those who'd come seeking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the original Clean Zone designation and the packs that had already been camping right outside its borders. They walked into XX-gu like they owned the place. Seo Hyejin's guild had tried to avoid contact and grow on their own, but—

That was where the ugly side of the human survival instinct erupted in full force.

The uninvited guests who'd entered XX-gu started picking fights with Seo Hyejin's guild — a group composed mainly of women, children, and the elderly. Some even made advances, citing how many beauties were among them. In response, Seo Hyejin locked down her guild territory completely against outside intrusion.

Then the real backlash hit.

"Those thieving bastards...! We worked our asses off for that Clean Zone, and what? 'What's the harm in sharing?' Of course there's harm, you sons of bitches! Hyejin unnie and the others are too kind-hearted to push back properly, and these assholes are exploiting that!?"

Park Seeun exploded, and the others nodded grimly in agreement.

Apparently, monsters and zombies had thinned out noticeably across southern Gyeonggi — specifically the areas near Gangnam in Seoul. And XX-gu most of all; it was practically no different from when it had still been a Clean Zone. All of that was the fruit of Hyejin's people and me sweeping hundreds of them day after day.

And now outsiders were free-riding on those benefits without a shred of shame. Anyone who wouldn't be furious at that wasn't human. Especially when five of the people who'd busted their backs creating those benefits were sitting right here. If your teeth weren't grinding, something was wrong with you.

Still, remarkably, Seo Hyejin's group had endured even that injustice. Guild territory couldn't be entered freely by outsiders, and even if someone got in, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they couldn't interfere with a single thing — just like a mobile game where you can't touch any guild features or benefits until your join request is approved.

The problem was the comrades who'd been enjoying those benefits. The quasi-guild members living in the old men's dormitory where Seo Hyejin stayed, and in the mixed-use complex at the foot of the hill — every last one of them sided with the uninvited guests. The complex only needed a quasi-guild member's permission to enter, and there happened to be plenty of empty rooms.

So hundreds of survivors poured into the land of milk and honey that Seo Hyejin and the rest of us had built, gorged themselves on the benefits, and then had the gall to "threaten" her under the banner of "cooperation."

Some of the more aggressive members of Hyejin's guild argued they should just force the issue, but the moment someone mentioned the demerits of PK, every mouth snapped shut. Fighting monsters was familiar. Fighting humans was not. Gauging that kind of fight was no easy thing.

Me? When I dealt with those thieves, my body handled the gauging on its own. For once, I was grateful for Lawful Good.

...That was Lawful Good stepping in, right?

"That standoff has dragged on for nearly a week... and even during that time, they've kept piling on every kind of dirty trick to pressure Hyejin's people. Unbelievable... how can people be this shameless."

"Look at this... they straight-up occupied the road at the bottom of the hill with people so they couldn't even go hunting. Lying down in the street, even... do they think this is some righteous protest for their legitimate rights? This is absurd!"

Kim Seyeon and Park Seeun were fully immersed, holding nothing back in their outrage. Both of them were close with Seo Hyejin, so it was only natural. Even Han Sora, who had always been wary of her, looked like she was swallowing a considerable amount of anger.

"Wooow... these people are twisted in a completely different direction from Han Daegeon. Human greed is really something... wanting to just gobble up the peace someone else suffered for? Not that I have much room to talk."

"It is... a bit much."

Even Yun Mina and Jung Yun, who were closer to third parties, felt compelled to say something. The situation facing Seo Hyejin's guild was that bitterly bleak.

Those bastards... if I'd been there, they'd have gotten beaten just short of death and kicked out on their asses.

"The real problem is... the moment Hyejin's people saw this message, they decided to leave. What do we do? Should we... tell them to come to Yeouido?"

Kim Seyeon looked at me after reading the most worrying — and most critical — part. Seo Hyejin had written this at the end:

The message ended on sentences heavy with exhaustion. Even though I hadn't seen her face in quite some time, I couldn't possibly ignore a comrade who had once shared life and death with me, reaching out for help while suffering like this.

"I wish to accept them. However — as allies, not as vassals. Of course, if Seo Hyejin herself desires a vassal relationship, that is her choice. We can provide one of Yeouido's department stores on a lease arrangement. What do you all think?"

"I agree."

"Me too, Hoonie oppa!"

"I'm not particularly close with those people, but... if Orabeoni wants to extend that much generosity to them, I have no desire to oppose it."

"Uh, I... don't really need to weigh in, right? Honestly, my conscience is already stinging..."

Kim Seyeon and Park Seeun's approval was a given, and Yun Mina trusted my judgment. Jung Yun had sharper instincts than I'd given her credit for — for someone so clueless about her own crises.

"...T-taking them in... doesn't seem like a bad idea. More than anything, the other people there are too good ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to waste. T-to think they're stuck in such an... unfair situation...!"

And Han Sora, contrary to my expectations, also voiced her support. Though she added a condition.

"B-but... rather than just letting them settle down in Yeouido like this... I-I'd like us to go back to XX-gu someday and take it back into our hands. Th-the peace we suffered for... I really hate just handing it over to someone else...!"

Honestly...

Han Sora's incredible growth had me on the verge of tears.

"Of course, Sora. Baroness Jung Yun. Send this: we welcome Seo Hyejin's guild at any time."

"Ah, yes! I'll send it right away!"

And so our first use of the messaging system produced nothing but fresh worries from the very start.

As the night of May 2nd faded and the dawn of May 3rd approached...

"..."

I sat on the roof of our lodging, unable to sleep, staring up at the sky.

It was astonishingly clear. With the city's lights almost entirely gone, gazing at the constellations was no difficulty at all.

And yet, even in that fantastical atmosphere, I couldn't stop myself from muttering a single resentful line.

"Lawful Good."

Miraculously, the words carrying my true feelings left my mouth without the slightest resistance.

"I moved as you wished, but look at the result... Is this truly what you desire? A sucker who pours blood and sweat into something only to have it snatched away wholesale by others. Is that the face of the order and justice you want?"

Lawful Good had permitted my genuine criticism to escape my lips.

"..."

As if acknowledging that it stood in a position to receive such censure without protest.

And even after reclaiming freedom of speech for the first time in so very long—

I couldn't feel the slightest joy.

The next day. May 3rd.

From a mid-floor balcony of a place called P Building, I received my marching orders from Han Sora and Park Seeun.

"O-oppa... Seyeun and I will keep watch, so... g-go do something else."

"She's right, Hoonie oppa. Your body is swamped right now, isn't it? In more ways than one."

"...Understood."

P Building was the tallest structure near the National Assembly Building. After thoroughly securing its interior, we used a mid-level balcony to monitor the main road coming in from Yeouido's southwest.

All because of the message Jung Yun had brought the moment she woke up at dawn.

The moment we confirmed that message, our top priority became receiving Seo Hyejin's party. Naturally, I asked Han Sora to keep watch from high ground.

"A-alright. Oppa... but in exchange..."

In return for agreeing, Han Sora proposed that she and Park Seeun would stand watch together, and the moment the two vans Seo Hyejin's group had mentioned came into view, she'd send Seeun to notify me. The rationality of the proposal — and the maturity it showed — left me no choice but to nod.

"I'm counting on you."

"G-go on. Jeong Hoon oppa... you're not just our leader anymore, are you?"

...Is that really the same Han Sora who used to radiate shut-in energy nonstop? My heart swells with pride... though the shut-in vibe hasn't completely vanished. At least not from her speech patterns.

"Unnie. You've been putting on such a mature act in front of oppa lately. Feeling threatened by someone, right? Especially that Jung Yun unnie who's been around lately—"

"W-what are you talking about, Seeun! O-oppa hasn't left yet!"

I deliberately ignored the comedy routine unfolding behind me and took the stairs down through the building.

P Building was the tallest among those closest to my territory. More importantly, it offered an excellent view of the main road entering from Yeouido's southwestern tip.

Especially today — clear weather with barely any fog — we'd be able to see even farther.

...Hmm. Going through all these conditions one by one just to feel reassured. I guess I care more deeply about this Seo Hyejin person than I realized.

She's quite the beauty herself. And her looks only improved further as her level rose. It's been over two weeks since we parted... I'm a little curious how she's changed.

Well. Seo Hyejin's arrival was in Han Sora's hands now...

"I should pay a visit to the Thief Guild."

After that, assuming nothing came up, I needed to stop by the residential quarters with Kim Seyeon to check on conditions and hear people's grievances.

Being a lord was exhausting. How could there be this much to do? Develop the territory, assign work to the residents, level up, maintain facilities or bring in new ones... aigoo!

In moments like these, I felt the tiniest flicker of regret for having activated the territory system.