"Harder."
"You'll hurt your hair."
Despite my concern, Han So-Young kept her eyes tightly shut and didn't respond. Her glossy hair was so close to my chest, almost touching. If she leaned in just a bit more, or if I took one step closer, we'd definitely make contact. But I didn't have the courage to act first. I could only wait.
"…"
Maybe I was breathing too heavily. Perhaps it was nerves, but my breath slightly ruffled the hair on top of her head. I picked up the comb and gently smoothed out the disheveled strands. With each stroke, I could see her slender, pale neck tremble slightly. Her face showed no change at first glance, but upon closer inspection, a faint, pleased expression surfaced.
"How've you been lately?"
After a while of combing, her soft voice drifted out. I continued brushing her hair, replying in a calm tone.
"Same as usual."
"I wish you'd step into the light already."
"I'm fine where I am."
"…"
It was a question I'd heard several times before, and my answer was just as rehearsed. Han So-Young let out a faint sigh and tilted her head back slightly. Feeling her hair finally touch my chest, a balloon of joy swelled inside me.
"For some reason, when I'm with you like this, when you brush my hair, my mind goes blank. I feel at ease, and all the words I've kept bottled up just spill out. Why is that?"
"Don't ask me."
"Heh. Fair enough. Maybe it's because we share similar pain."
She laughed. Her smile, which I hadn't seen in a while, was so pure and radiant. Caught up in her fragrance filling my lungs and her dazzling smile, I felt a dizzying rush for a moment.
I reached out gently and covered her smooth forehead with my hand. She opened her eyes slightly to look up at me, then closed them again. I carefully brushed her hair back, wishing this blissful moment could last forever.
*
I wasn't expecting anything particularly special. The contents of the summons request from the Golden Lion Clan reeked of being copied and pasted. Of course, they'd tweaked the basics—like addressing it to "Mercenary Clan Lord Kim Su-Hyeon" or "We respectfully request the accompaniment of Shadow Queen Go Yeon-Joo," and so on.
I'd anticipated the request for Go Yeon-Joo's presence, but the line at the end of the document made me chuckle: "Given the current turbulent situation, we ask that you minimize the number of accompanying members." After skimming the contents, I tossed the letter onto the table. The kids, eyes sparkling, rushed to grab it, immediately bickering over who'd read it first.
"What does it say?"
"Player Go Yeon-Joo was right. It's a summons request."
"I see. Anything unusual?"
"They're rushing it, not giving us much time to think. They want us to gather at the Golden Lion's Clan House, Geumho Hall, before evening. Other than that, it's just a request for your accompaniment."
I deliberately left out the part about minimizing the number of companions. It didn't matter much to me. The most important person was the Clan Lord, after all. Accompanying members, aside from serving as escorts, were mostly for show. With Go Yeon-Joo alone, that purpose was more than fulfilled. Clans without a Top 10 member might grimace a bit, though.
"A request for my accompaniment, huh? I had a feeling. Any mention of the Beech Clan incident?"
At that, the clan members' mood quieted. Even Shin Sang-Yong, calmly sipping tea, and Vivienne and An-Sol, craning their necks to peek at the letter Yun-Jung had snatched, all turned their eyes toward me. I let out a small sigh and shook my head.
"No mention of that incident."
"I see. How unusually clever of them. Not that mentioning it would've mattered."
"The Beech Clan doesn't seem to carry much weight. They're probably struggling to manage the cascade of events right now. That's not bad for us."
"Exactly. Still, the fact that we got a summons request is highly unusual. I personally recommend attending."
Go Yeon-Joo urged me to participate again. I sank into the cushy chair and closed my eyes. The Golden Lion Clan's summons—I'd only known of clans rejecting such calls before. But with the Inn of Beginnings portal opening, it had become a variable, twisting the future in unpredictable ways. I'd been thinking of observing the summons from the sidelines, never imagining we'd be included. That made it hard to decide on the spot.
Go Yeon-Joo had said most clans would likely respond to the summons, and her words carried weight. But their reasons for attending wouldn't be about the Golden Lion's expedition—it'd be about the Inn of Beginnings. In other words, they'd come to the summons bearing the growing tensions.
After mulling it over, I finally made up my mind. I'd come to Babara to gauge the flow of Hall Plain in the first place. Things had veered off course quite a bit, but it was too early to call it good or bad. The events sparked by this summons were untested but undoubtedly a new opportunity.
"Alright. I'll respond to the summons."
"Excellent choice. Don't worry—as long as I'm with you, no player will dare disrespect the Clan Lord."
As I spoke with a gleam in my eyes, Go Yeon-Joo responded with a radiant smile, nodding once or twice. Suddenly, my thoughts drifted to two players. Hyung was unlikely to have received the summons. By now, he'd probably be making a dazzling name for himself in the east, but his clan's establishment was still a ways off. Of course, if the Golden Lion Clan showed a bit more flexibility, it might be possible, but the sheer number of clans summoned already felt like a massive concession.
Han So-Young, however, was different. She led a prominent representative clan in the southern city of Monica. Since the summons was sent to all city-representing clans, her participation was highly likely. Thinking of her brought a mix of excitement and a faint ache in a corner of my heart.
After losing Hyung, I'd become a blood-soaked madman, plain and simple. If I'd stayed that way, I'd have died one way or another. It was Han So-Young who extended a hand of salvation to me once more. And then…
"…"
"Su-Hyeon-ssi? Su-Hyeon-ssi!"
"Huh? Yeah."
"What were you thinking about? I called you several times, and you didn't respond."
At Ha-Yeong's question, I only gave a faint smile, avoiding a detailed answer. Having made up my mind, I was about to stand when a sudden thought crossed my mind. I turned to Ha-Yeong and spoke.
"Player Jung Ha-Yeong."
"Yes?"
"I have a favor to ask."
"Don't worry about the other clan members. We'll wait at the Morning Sunshine inn."
Ha-Yeong answered promptly, but that wasn't what I meant.
"Oh, of course, I'd appreciate that too. But… Do you happen to have a comb?"
"A comb?"
"Yeah, a comb for brushing hair."
"Uh, no, I don't have one. Why do you suddenly need one?"
My question must have seemed out of the blue, as Ha-Yeong looked puzzled. I didn't answer this time either. Han So-Young's lustrous, jet-black hair cascading down flashed before my eyes. Shaking off the thought, I stood up. It was just past noon.
There was still some time, but it wouldn't hurt to prepare early.
"By now, most players have probably cleared out. Let's head back to the inn. There's some stuff to prepare."
Naturally, that preparation included buying a comb.
*
"What, you're saying the Golden Lion is bending over for some newborn clan?"
"Watch your mouth. Who's bending over for anyone?"
"Then why the hell aren't you issuing a warrant? They're no better than vagrants who committed crimes in Mule, and now they're strutting around in Babara… Urgh!"
Unable to hold back, a middle-aged man with a stylish mustache stomped his foot hard. With a thud, the young man standing across from him tumbled to the floor.
"Mind your tongue. Committed crimes? According to the ranger you brought, there were traces of mutual combat. And it's likely the Beech Clan struck first. Don't spread baseless rumors."
"Damn it! I can't believe it. Hyun-Ah, Hyun-Ah would never…"
"Let's hear them out first. We can judge after that."
"Hah. What's the point of just listening to them? Do you even know what state the Beech Clan Lord is in right now?"
The man sprawled on the floor, despite being struck, raised his head with blazing eyes. But the response he received was laced with cold indifference.
"I heard. It's unfortunate, but there's nothing we can do. We didn't have high expectations for her to begin with."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
The man on the floor shot to his feet. His eyes burned with intensity at the mustached man's words.
"Tch, tch. Get a grip, my friend. Did you really think we'd actually hand over a representative clan to them?"
"B-But the transfer was clearly…"
"That was just a formality. We planned to take it back as soon as the expedition was over."
"What…!"
"Shin Tae-Seung."
As the young man opened his mouth to retort, the middle-aged man's sharp voice cut him off.
"Look at the situation objectively. The expedition failed, the portal's open, and we've issued a summons. We've got more problems than we can handle. There are plenty of groups baring their teeth at us. And you think we have the luxury to care about a mere skirmish between clan members when their Clan Lord isn't even dead?"
"I'll handle it! That's why I asked for permission to use the Crystal of Truth!"
"Talk sense! The situation's unclear, and above all, the Shadow Queen is involved. Not to mention two Secret Classes and three Rare Classes! Other clans are already salivating over them. Do you want to mess this up from the start?"
"Ugh…"
"I understand your personal feelings, but keep business and personal matters separate."
The player named Shin Tae-Seung gritted his teeth. He glared at the middle-aged man with hatred before storming out, slamming the door behind him. The older man watched his retreating figure for a moment, then let out a long sigh. Without turning around, he spoke.
"Phew. That was an ugly scene."
"…"
"It's not your concern, but don't spread word of what just happened."
"Understood."
A cold voice echoed through the room. A female mage, who had been quietly observing the entire exchange, stood demurely by the desk.
"Good. You can go now. Several clans will be arriving soon, so make sure preparations are flawless. Though I'm sure the officers will handle things well."
"Yes."
"Oh, wait a second. I heard from Seong Yu-Bin that you know that man—the Clan Lord of the newly formed Mercenary Clan."
The footsteps heading toward the door stopped. The feet that had been turned outward pivoted back into the room.
"…Yes."
"Kim Su-Hyeon, was it? That man's value is immense. Do your best to follow the orders from above."
"…I'll take my leave now."
"Go on, then. You must be busy."
The middle-aged man stretched with a weary expression.
The footsteps that had paused at the door began moving again. But there was an unmistakable heaviness in them, a force only she could sense. The female mage, stepping firmly on the marble floor, clenched her fist tightly.
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