"There's a report about a somewhat unusual player from Hall 5."
"Then tell us what's so unusual. Stop being frustrating."
Seong Yu-Bin frowned, sharply pressing the female instructor. Startled by her tone, the instructor continued in a subdued voice.
"Well…"
The female instructor's explanation was certainly intriguing. She said that nearly fifty players had poured out of Hall 5 at once, but unlike the other halls, the new players there were remarkably calm and composed. The scene from when Hall 5 opened, just before I came to the plaza, flashed through my mind.
She described the situation in detail, adding that the instructors assigned to Hall 5 had been able to guide the players easily because of this.
"Then why are you pointing at those new players?"
"Well, according to the instructor in charge of Hall 5, do you see that black-haired man sitting in the center?"
"There's more than one or two black-haired guys. Geez, you're so vague."
"Oh, s-sorry. The magic talent class, third tier. He's the fifth from the left."
Following the female instructor's directions, my gaze landed on a man with a neat appearance. His face was strikingly handsome, and his physical condition seemed excellent. Most notably, his expression was exceptionally relaxed and composed, standing out distinctly from the anxious players around him.
Looking at him, I felt my eyes sharpen instinctively. A subtle sense of unease crept in. I tried to recall if he was a player who had been prominent in the first life, but no one came to mind.
Scanning the new players more broadly for familiar faces, I found none. I'd need to look closer to be sure, but it seemed likely that this batch consisted entirely of new players.
I turned back to him, smacking my lips in curiosity about who he could be. The female instructor's voice continued beside me.
"They say that man was at the center of the Hall 5 group. He even helped the instructors trying to control the situation…"
"Definitely an unusual guy."
"Maybe, Hyun-Woo oppa, he's just someone who's naturally carefree? There are people like that sometimes."
"Could be. Still, don't just brush it off—look into him closely. By the way, shouldn't we start soon? Haven't the other clans arrived yet?"
Seong Yu-Bin nodded and raised both hands, likely preparing to cast a voice amplification spell. Seizing the brief moment, I quickly activated my Third Eye. The thought that he could be another regressor crossed my mind, but I immediately shook my head. With only one Zero Code, that possibility was effectively zero. Rather than overthinking, checking his player information directly would be better.
As I looked at the man again with my activated Third Eye, a series of messages began floating up in the air.
(Player Status)
Name: Park Hwan-Hee (Year 0)
Class: Normal Mage Beginner
Nation: -
Clan: -
True Name · Nationality: Discord Between Outer and Inner Self · Republic of Korea
Sex: Male (26)
Height · Weight: 185.5 cm · 80.5 kg
Alignment: Neutral · Chaos
[Strength 36] [Resistance 30] [Agility 42] [Vitality 40] [Magic 52] [Luck 62]
(No stat points remaining.)
Unique Ability (1/1)
Charisma (Rank: D -)
"Hmm."
Seeing the player information, I couldn't help but tilt my head. This player certainly had inner potential for growth, and his current demeanor showed an exceptional ability to adapt to Hall Plain, standing out among the rest.
However, judging solely by the stats seen through my Third Eye, he was merely above average. He wasn't a Secret or Rare class either. In other words, he wasn't someone I'd think, "This guy's so incredible I must recruit him, or he's such a threat I need to eliminate him later." At best, it was more like, "He'll pull his weight," or "He has the potential to become a high-tier player."
But when I turned my attention to other details, my perspective shifted slightly. His True Name, Alignment, and Unique Ability—these three pieces clicked together like puzzle pieces in my mind. At the same time, I began to understand why this new player had caught my attention. It wasn't exactly the same, but perhaps I felt a sense of kinship, like seeing someone similar to myself.
Deactivating my Third Eye and looking at him again, he started to appear in a different light. He was still calm, relaxed, occasionally smiling while comforting the trembling players beside him. But there was something artificial about him, a strong whiff of pretense.
The female instructor's words were true. I had thought the control in Hall 5 was handled skillfully, but it was likely thanks to this new player, Park Hwan-Hee. The players in Hall 5 probably survived the Rite of Passage with him as their center, which explained why they followed his lead during the control process.
This gave me a valuable piece of information: this man was definitely not one of the two who cleared the Rite of Passage in five days. Still, I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the thought of discovering an interesting guy.
That's when it happened.
"I'm pleased to meet those who survived the Rite of Passage and proved their qualifications as players."
"Su-Hyeon! Su-Hyeon!"
Park Hyun-Woo's voice, amplified by magic, echoed across the plaza. At the same time, I felt someone suddenly link arms with me. Turning, I saw Seong Yu-Bin wrapping both her hands around my arm, gently pulling me. I quickly grasped the situation and let her guide me. Together, we stepped toward the back of the stage. It was time for Park Hyun-Woo's speech.
"The speech will take a while. Let's stay cozy back here in the meantime. Oh, sorry, I made a slip addressing the Mercenary Clan Lord."
Seong Yu-Bin feigned an 'oops' expression, subtly pulling my arm closer to her chest. A soft, yielding sensation pressed against me. It was hard to believe this was the same person who had been so harsh with the female instructor earlier—she was now practically flirting with me.
Her coy smile stirred all sorts of thoughts. I understood why she was acting this way. Honestly, it was quite irritating, and I wanted to brusquely pull my arm away. But she held a significant position in the Golden Lion Clan.
For the next three months at least, we'd have to deal with each other, for better or worse. Rather than creating an awkward relationship, I figured it was better to play along and keep her on my side. She wasn't to my taste, but she was someone worth using.
"I'm sorry to say, but we're not the ones who can send you back home. At present, we have neither the means nor the ability to do so."
Hearing the murmurs, I tuned into Park Hyun-Woo's speech, which was just beginning. Compared to when I arrived, his words were noticeably softer. Taking advantage of Seong Yu-Bin turning her head toward the noise, I quickly soften my hardened expression. With a faint smile, I waited for her gaze to return.
"A slip? Not at all. Actually, 'Mercenary Clan Lord' was feeling a bit stiff. Haha."
"Wow! So I can keep calling you Su-Hyeon from now on?"
"Of course. I'm delighted when someone like you, Yu-Bin, calls me that."
"Oh my, I'm so happy~!"
Despite my slight change in address, Seong Yu-Bin responded with an almost childlike smile, as if she genuinely wanted to show her joy. I smiled back, but inwardly, I scoffed.
We moved to a secluded spot behind the stage, standing close together as we watched Park Hyun-Woo's back. To be precise, it was more like she was clinging to me.
While listening to his speech, Seong Yu-Bin's voice came again.
"I heard from the instructors. You arrived first and calmed the commotion. Thank you so much."
"No need for thanks. I just did what needed to be done. It's a bit embarrassing."
"Still, I think you're really amazing. Haha. Oh? Are you nervous right now? Your body and arm seem a bit tense~."
"Well, who wouldn't be? When a man's alone with a beauty in a dark place like this, tension's only natural."
I deliberately tensed my arm to feign nervousness, but I kept that to myself, responding smoothly to keep her in good spirits. At my words, Seong Yu-Bin's eyes widened, and she stifled a laugh. Then, with a shy expression, she pressed herself closer to me.
"Oh, come on~ You're so different from when we met earlier. So bold!"
"That 'earlier' was just a few hours ago."
"I don't know, really. But it feels nice. Hehe."
Blushing and lowering her eyes, she looked like a genuinely shy girl. Yet, the soft pressure from her chest against my arm grew stronger. Her face was pretty enough, but her overly slender frame wasn't my type. Still, her chest, compared to her body, was quite ample. (Of course, it paled in comparison to Jung Ha-Yeong, and it'd be an insult to compare it to Go Yeon-Joo.)
Go Yeon-Joo:-
I can say with certainty: Seong Yu-Bin knew how to charm men. If she set her mind to it, she could probably have her way with plenty of them. I mentally cursed her as a seductress but then recalled her alignment, which left me speechless.
As Park Hyun-Woo's resonant speech continued, Seong Yu-Bin and I kept talking. Neither of us brought up anything significant. She was cunning, and approaching her recklessly might tip her off to my intentions. So, we stuck to light, casual conversation, building rapport.
Some time passed.
"With that, I'll conclude the basic explanation. I know you still have many questions, but it's getting late, so let's move to the lodging for now."
Park Hyun-Woo's speech was nearing its end. His voice sounded hoarse, suggesting he was quite tired. Seong Yu-Bin, who had been giggling beside me, let go of my arm with a reluctant expression.
"I should get going. We need to guide the new players to the Academy lodging soon."
"I see. Alright."
"By the way, the other clans haven't arrived yet… I'll head out first. I need to cancel the magic and give some instructions."
"Sure. Is there anything I can help with?"
"No, it's fine! Just come to the Academy with us later. Oh, when the instructors from the other clans arrive, please gather with them. We need to settle some details that weren't decided at the summons."
Seong Yu-Bin shook her head gently and winked. With a graceful stride, she moved forward. Watching her quickly disappear into the distance, I calmly pulled a cigarette from my pocket and lit it.
My right arm, where she had clung and pressed her chest, still held a lingering warmth. I took a deep drag of the cigarette and shook my right arm vigorously with my left hand, as if to shake off her touch.
*
"The influx of new players has been dwindling sharply over the past one or two years, so I was a bit worried. But seeing it pick up again this time puts my mind at ease."
"I see. So there were more in the past?"
"Yes. I'm in my fourth year now. Over the last two years, the portal's opening life stretched to a year, and the number of incoming players dropped drastically. Four years ago, when I first arrived, life was much shorter, and far more players came through—nothing like now."
I nodded as I listened. In the first life, for a few years after I arrived, the situation was similar. But toward the later stages, life became irregular, and the number of players fluctuated wildly. I didn't know how the portal would change going forward, but I didn't want to dampen his optimism with unnecessary comments.
Park Hyun-Woo gazed at the long line of new players with a weary, shadowed expression, clearly in a foul mood. It was likely because the personnel from the other clans were late. Besides me, the first clan to arrive was High Wind, and they showed up just as the plaza speech ended and preparations to move to the Academy began. It made sense that Park Hyun-Woo's mood was sour. After handling the tedious tasks of guiding, speaking, and preparing to escort the players to the lodging, their late arrival must have felt like a cheap move.
But they could argue that selecting personnel wasn't a trivial matter and took time, leaving little room for criticism. I could see the frustration burning inside him.
"By the way, Mercenary Clan Lord."
"Yes?"
After walking silently toward the Academy for a while, Park Hyun-Woo addressed me. I looked up, and he continued.
"Now that I think about it, you're participating alone from your clan, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"In that case, there's something I'd like to help with—or rather, a proposal."
Help, or rather, a proposal? Curious about what he meant, I nodded to hear him out.
Seeing my positive response, a bit of life returned to his tired eyes. He continued promptly.
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