The relationship between Go Yeon-Joo and An-Sol, which I'd glimpsed by chance in Mule, wasn't inherently problematic on its own. They didn't despise each other; it was just that one side was avoiding the other.
However, while it wasn't as deliberate as before, An-Sol still found Go Yeon-Joo intimidating.
Some clan members, myself included, tended to see An-Sol as a kid—honestly, most of us did. But she was a full-fledged 20-year-old adult. It was just a hunch, not a certainty, but digging into this issue might reveal why she acted so childishly.
I'd subtly brought it up with An-Hyun and An-Sol several times, but they clammed up as if they'd made a pact. These kids usually listened to me, so there seemed to be some unspoken issue. If it was tied to trauma, poking at it recklessly wasn't wise. That's why I hadn't pressed too hard until now.
But I couldn't let it slide forever. With the clan preparing for full-scale operations, leaving it unaddressed didn't sit right. My plan was to bring it up gradually. Ideally, I'd hear it from the parties involved, but their reactions suggested that was unlikely.
So, I decided to start by asking Go Yeon-Joo directly. She was busy gathering the information I'd requested, so rather than interrupting her now, I figured I'd ask when she reported back.
With that thought, I finished reviewing the clan's internal issues. Some remained unresolved, but they were the kind that needed time and observation.
Now, it was time to turn my attention outward.
The reason for coming to Babara was to observe Hall Plain's flow from its most sensitive hub. More specifically, I had two expectations. First was the clan promotion I'd entrusted to Mule's clan administration residents. Second was the Golden Lion Clan's conscription order.
On the promotion front, I wasn't too worried. It was progressing slower than expected, but by now, they'd likely heard about the Iron Mountains expedition's failure. That suggested the residents were probably waiting for the right moment.
From a broader perspective, the Golden Lion's failure was unfortunate. But for others, it was satisfying, and for a pioneer city like Mule, it could be an opportunity. By heavily promoting our achievements in Mule, we could lift the overall mood and draw player attention.
From my perspective, it wasn't a bad thing—hell, I welcomed it with open arms. In my first life, I spent most of my decade in the shadows. In this second life, I planned to step into the light. That meant some information would inevitably come out. The moment they timed their promotion, our exploits would stand out even more.
The next thing to watch was the Golden Lion Clan's conscription order. They'd long acted as the Northern Continent's de facto leader. It wasn't official, but with their unmatched strength, storied achievements, and long-standing tradition, they were implicitly acknowledged as such. Their lead in managing the Player Academy was evidence enough.
Plenty of clans were unhappy with their high-handed behavior, but since player conflicts were rare, it hadn't surfaced openly. The rift likely started when they announced the Vagrant Extermination Plan and the Iron Mountains expedition.
If they'd succeeded in breaching the Iron Mountains to reach Atlanta, the participating clans would've secured a rosy future. With the Northern Continent nearing saturation, a new continent full of opportunities would give priority to expedition clans.
They had to have known this, yet the Golden Lion filled the expedition's core with their allied clans. Before the plan was revealed, the confident buzz about success only fueled resentment among excluded clans.
But now, the tables have turned. Their sluggish response to the rescue requests from the few players who escaped the Iron Mountains likely stemmed from the same reason. The emotional rift had grown too deep to bridge.
This was exactly why I considered the conscription order a critical turning point. How it played out would determine whether the future followed the path I knew or veered in a new direction.
After the Iron Mountains expedition's failure was officially confirmed, the Golden Lion Clan, desperate to hold onto their dominance, issued a conscription order to rally city clans and boost morale. But less than half the clans responded.
They should've seen the writing on the wall by then. But their damn pride—did their past glory blind them? Despite losing a significant chunk of their elite forces, they issued a harsh warning to the non-compliant clans, a reckless move.
In short, the Golden Lion's heavy-handed warning became the spark that ignited the long-simmering discontent.
Naturally, the warned clans scoffed. In the past, they might've cowered, but now they openly expressed their grievances. Some, like the Reverse Clan, even mocked them outright.
As tensions deepened, the Vagrants finally made their move. Being based in the Northern Continent, they likely had a grasp of the internal situation. Backed by Western Continent players, they swept through western cities and marched on Babara.
Their target was the Golden Lion. Having suffered greatly from the Vagrant Extermination Plan, they burned with vengeance. The western city of Halo fell without much resistance, and riding that momentum, they invaded Babara.
Caught off guard, the Golden Lion Clan frantically requested aid. But most of their allied clans, having lost their leadership in the expedition, were in disarray. A proper muster was impossible. Instead, players were fleeing to other cities or outright deserting.
Clans at odds with the Golden Lion ignored their pleas. As if coordinated, they declared independence one by one, cutting off all warp gates to Babara—a drastic move to ensure the Golden Lion's downfall.
It's just my speculation, but the Vagrants likely understood the situation well. While not outright collusion, the independent clans watched the Golden Lion's collapse from the sidelines, like spectators across a river.
The Vagrants' thirst for revenge, the independent clans' resentment toward the Golden Lion, and their greed for Babara—these desires aligned perfectly. The Vagrants avoided targeting other cities, and the independent clans stayed out of it, forming an implicit agreement.
In the end, the Golden Lion Clan, left to resist in the city, was completely annihilated. If the warp gates had been open, some might've escaped, but the other cities, accepting Babara's fall as inevitable, shut them all down.
What followed was the growing ambition of Western Continent players, the fracturing of the Vagrants, and eventually the formation of a subjugation force—but that was still far off. For now, the conscription order was the turning point, and gauging the direction of the coming events was my top priority.
I let out a deep sigh, organizing the thoughts swirling in my head.
Four days had passed since the first rescue request came in. A rescue team was eventually dispatched, but it was more for show. The Golden Lion and their allies insisted there were survivors in the mountains and pushed for a proper rescue operation, but the proposal was flatly rejected. The spark had been lit.
The atmosphere in the great city now felt as if cold water had been dumped over it. Yet, within that gloom, a fire that would reshape the Northern Continent's future was slowly growing.
*
Go Yeon-Joo brought back information on the Iron Mountains expedition six days after we arrived in Babara. Even for someone as skilled at gathering intel as her, this request was a bit much. She'd had to break through the Golden Lion Clan's efforts to downplay the situation to scrape together what she could.
"Good work."
"Phew. No big deal. But these people don't make sense. It's all going to come out soon anyway, and the clans that sent rescue teams already have a rough idea of what's going on."
"It's their struggle to hold onto control."
"Tch tch."
As Go Yeon-Joo clicked her tongue, I lowered my gaze. In my hands were over ten pages of records written in elegant handwriting. I'd only asked for the major details, but she seemed to have dug into the finer points too.
Skimming the records, I shook my head slightly. There was too much. Reading it all carefully would take time to process. I wanted to let the Shadow Queen rest, but as I'd decided earlier, there was something I needed to ask about An-Sol. So, I set the records aside for later and looked up.
Go Yeon-Joo was daintily yawning, but when she caught me staring, she quickly covered her mouth. She shot me a resentful glance. I gave a wry smile and glanced around. It wasn't exactly an office, but I'd secured a private room for myself at the Morning Sunlight inn in Babara.
"Already done reading?"
"No, it'll take some time to go through. Before that, there's something I've been wanting to ask you. Oh, and it's not about your measurements."
"Tch."
Go Yeon-Joo pouted her lips. After briefly enjoying her uncharacteristically cute reaction, I continued calmly.
"Back at the Modest Lady inn, didn't Sol run away screaming when she saw you?"
"Oh, yeah. That happened. She screamed and bolted—it's hard to forget. I was kinda hurt, you know."
"Since then, Sol's been avoiding you. To be blunt, I want to know what happened between you two."
"Hmm…"
Go Yeon-Joo's reaction was unexpected. I was used to her breezy confidence, so seeing her look troubled felt novel.
"It's not a big deal, really…"
She smacked her lips, her eyes darting as if recalling the incident. Then she looked at me with a 'Do I really have to tell you?' expression. I shot back a firm 'Yes, I absolutely need to know' look.
Sensing my resolve, Go Yeon-Joo let out a deep sigh. Amid it, I caught a faint murmur: "She begged me not to tell anyone…" Reluctantly, she continued in a grudging tone.
"Fine. But you have to promise not to let that girl know. I'm the only one who knows."
I nodded, accepting her condition. Still, she seemed hesitant. What the hell happened between them to make her act like this? Curiosity quietly welled up inside me.
After a brief pause, Go Yeon-Joo's lips slowly parted.
.
.
.
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