Memorize Chapter 244

“Isn’t it strange? If they were in dire straits, wouldn’t ‘Help us’ or ‘Save our lives’ be more natural than ‘Save us’?”

“So… are you saying, Clan Lord, that they might still be isolated and alive?”

“At the time, yes. That’s likely why the two clans friendly with the Riverside clan sent a rescue team. But now, so much time has passed, and there’s been no contact at all.”

I lowered the Sun-Moon Divine Sword from the map, and Go Yeon-Joo nodded with a look that said it made sense. The younger members still looked puzzled, but a few others seemed to catch on. Glancing at Ha-Yeong, who was carefully reviewing the records, I continued in a low voice.

“IstanTel Law initially tried to dissuade Riverside from their expedition to the Gorge of Hallucination. But despite the leading clan’s warnings, they went ahead anyway.”

“Did they catch wind of something?”

“Maybe. We’ll only know once we go in, but I think it’s likely. Following their trail should give us some answers.”

“What a mess. They make a mess, and we’re stuck cleaning it up. Tch.”

Vivienne grumbled with a dissatisfied expression. Already busy with her new research, she clearly wasn’t thrilled about losing time to this expedition. I wanted to say, “But it’s a well-paying cleanup job. And who knows, we might find a pearl in the mess.” But seeing Ha-Yeong cover her mouth with a queasy look across the table, I held back.

'Time to talk about the expedition team… Tch, we only have one priest.'

Tapping the sheath against my left palm, I scanned the clan members and clicked my tongue when my eyes landed on Sol. Despite all our preparations, once we entered, unpredictable variables could arise. And considering the field effects, Sol was the most vulnerable to those variables.

Deciding we’d have to be as cautious as possible, I announced the lineup I’d planned.

“As I mentioned yesterday, we can’t take everyone on this expedition. Once we accept this request and leave the city, we’ll start the groundwork for the clan house immediately. Oh, and the construction costs will be paid on credit with IstanTel Law’s guarantee.”

“Groundwork, you say…”

“No need to worry. We’ve decided to mostly preserve the building’s structure, and cleaning will be the priority. They’re sending a representative, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“I see. Looks like I’m stuck playing supervisor…”

Ha-Yeong, sharp as a tack when it came to her expertise, seemed a bit unsure about construction. Reassuring her, I turned my gaze to Vivienne.

“While we’ve made various preparations, the Plateau of Delusion and Gorge of Hallucination require mobility. As such, I plan to exclude most of our mages, who make up the majority of our clan’s classes. So… Player Jung Ha-Yeong.”

“Yes, understood.”

Perhaps because we’d discussed it beforehand, Ha-Yeong nodded readily with a crisp response. I nodded back and immediately called the next person to be excluded.

“Vivienne La Clacidas.”

“Huh? Me too?”

“Yeah. I think you’ll be a bit overwhelmed with the unicorn horn this time. So you don’t need to join the expedition. Stay here and focus on your research.”

“Ugh… Okay, but… the scale of this project is so big, it’s a bit tough to handle alone.”

Of course. Ha-Yeong had the clan house construction, and Vivienne had her elixir research. Dividing the work like this was fine, but both tasks could be overwhelming for one person, so we needed someone to assist both. The most suitable person for this was…

“Player Shin Sang-Yong.”

“Y-Yes, am I being excluded too?”

“That’s right. But you’ll need to assist both Jung Ha-Yeong and Vivienne with their tasks.”

“Oh… Understood.”

Shin Sang-Yong was close with Ha-Yeong and played a central role in Vivienne’s research. If he were belligerent, he might’ve been upset about being left out, but given his preference for stability, he wouldn’t complain much. After checking his expression, I spoke with conviction.

“That’s all for exclusions. The expedition team will consist of me, Player Go Yeon-Joo, An-Hyun, An-Sol, Lee Yun-Jung, Kim Han-Byeol, and Baek Hangeol. That’s seven of us.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the selected members began exchanging surprised glances. Excluding me and Go Yeon-Joo, the three could be considered the core of the Mercenary Clan. However, our squad wasn’t yet deep or well-balanced. Taking more or leaving others behind wasn’t feasible, so considering all factors, this lineup felt just right.

“I’ll go over a few more details and then wrap up the meeting.”

“…”

Silence. No one spoke. They all looked at me with nods of agreement. I took a deep breath to steady myself. Having covered the key points, it was time to conclude.

“Player Kim Han-Byeol, Baek Hangeol.”

“Yes.”

“Yes!”

“I’ll open the storage. Pick out gems that match Baek Hangeol’s wavelength. And starting today, you two should begin practicing to sync your abilities. And… An-Hyun? After the meeting, take them to the equipment room.”

An-Hyun responded, “Understood.” But he smacked his lips, looking reluctant, as if the gems were too precious to part with.

“An-Sol, Lee Yun-Jung. You two are in charge of gathering supplies for the expedition. I’ll provide the list.”

“Okay!”

“Got it, Oppa.”

Both responded readily. Lee Yun-Jung’s formal tone felt a bit odd, but on reflection, it seemed fine in its own way.

“Player Go Yeon-Joo, send a messenger to IstanTel Law to confirm we’re accepting the request.”

“Understood, Clan Lord.”

With Go Yeon-Joo bowing slightly in acknowledgment, I addressed everyone again.

“If anyone has other opinions, speak now.”

“…”

“No one? For reference, the expedition is set to depart in three days. Please complete your assigned tasks within two days if possible. Now…”

Pausing briefly, I let the Sun-Moon Divine Sword drop from my hands. The thud of the sheath hitting the floor drew everyone’s attention to me.

“With that, the meeting is concluded.”

*

The sky was brilliantly clear. Leaning against the entrance and looking up, I saw a pristine sky without a single cloud.

None of the clan members had come down yet. While waiting, I pulled a cigarette from my pocket. I might not get to smoke much during the expedition, so I planned to indulge now.

Just as I was about to light it, I heard the clack-clack of someone descending the first-floor stairs.

“Oh.”

“Uh.”

Turning with the cigarette in my mouth, I saw Im Hanna staring at me with wide eyes. Feeling awkward, I pulled the cigarette out. She approached with a bright smile.

“It’s fine. You can smoke.”

“Hm, isn’t smoking banned in Love House?”

“Some sneak smokes in their rooms, so it’s really okay.”

“Well, still…”

As I hesitated, Im Hanna grabbed my hand, holding the cigarette, and guided it to my lips. Her warm touch struck me as oddly comforting.

Chik, chik.

Unable to refuse her kindness as she lit it for me, I took a deep drag. Exhaling a long plume of smoke with satisfaction, I heard her gentle voice again.

“It looked busy upstairs. Are you heading out of the city today?”

“Didn’t the clan members tell you?”

“We haven’t talked much lately. Everyone’s been super busy since you arrived, Mercenary Lord.”

“I see… Yes, we’re heading out on an expedition today. It’s a bit of a trek, so it’ll take some time. But not everyone’s going—some are staying behind, so no need to worry too much.”

“Oh, come on, I said it’s fine.”

Im Hanna waved her hand dismissively, smiling faintly. My gaze involuntarily drifted to her slightly swaying chest before I deliberately shifted it to the stairs. Fortunately, a couple of clan members were starting to come down. But the moment I saw who they were, I had to retract my relief.

The two approached where Im Hanna and I stood, then stopped and began whispering to each other.

“As expected…”

“No, no way… Su-Hyeon wouldn’t… It must be Hanna making a move…”

“Su-Hyeon might have feelings too… If they both do, then…”

“Definitely a possibility… Maybe we’re already too late…”

They were clearly whispering, but their words were loud enough to overhear—obviously intentional. I let out a sharp puff of smoke through my nose in disbelief, while Im Hanna, flustered, waved her hands frantically.

“Hey, Unnies, it’s not like that!”

Despite her explanation, their suspicious glares didn’t relent. As their eyes turned to me, I quickly pulled the cigarette from my mouth and turned away—not because their stares were too much, but to toss the cigarette outside.

I could only turn back once the rest of the prepared clan members started descending the stairs.

Leading the group were An-Hyun and Baek Hangeol. Baek Hangeol was no longer in his Player Academy uniform. He wasn’t decked out in fancy gear either—just basic shop-bought leather armor. But the black glove on one hand and the Hoplon Shield in both hands stood out.

“Hyung, thanks.”

“Thanks for what? Heh, you little punk. Don’t lose that Glove of Reduction—it’s really rare. I’m only lending it to you for now.”

“Hehe, got it. I won’t lose it. But are you sure you’re okay? I heard the spear is really heavy.”

“Huh? Oh, I’m fine. I’ve trained a lot, and I can wield it with both hands.”

An-Hyun, eager to show off his strength, swung his Raven spear in the narrow staircase. A clang rang out, followed by a faint yelp from behind.

A white shimmering barrier flickered briefly. An-Hyun had carelessly swung his spear and nearly hit Sol, but fortunately, Improved Model: Shield of Defend popped up just in time to block it. Sol, looking like she’d aged ten years, stammered before shrieking at An-Hyun. Seeing him hurriedly bow in apology, I let out a sigh.

“Oppa, we’re ready! Everyone’s down~.”

“Pick one way to talk, will you?”

“Heehee, it’s hard to change all at once.”

“Just separate formal and informal speech. Anyway, line up the clan members outside. I’ll follow soon.”

“Yep! I mean, yes!”

Yun-Jung, idly stroking her water-blue earrings, gave an awkward smile before darting out like she was flying. Watching her for a moment, I felt a wave of nostalgia. When we first left Mule for Vivienne’s Dungeon, we were a ragtag bunch. Now, anyone could see we were a capable expedition team.

Those leaving left, and those staying stayed. The clan members heading out for the expedition exited, and I turned to the four remaining inside: Ha-Yeong at the forefront, followed by Vivienne, Shin Sang-Yong, and Im Hanna, all looking at me.

“Su-Hyeon, you have to come back. Don’t worry about us.”

“Kim Su-Hyeon! If you find any good materials, bring them back!”

“L-Leader, I’m sorry for staying behind. I’ll make sure everything’s handled properly.”

“Mercenary Lord, stay safe…”

I nodded through Shin Sang-Yong’s words but paused at Im Hanna’s. Though she wasn’t part of our clan, her speaking among them didn’t feel out of place. Tilting my head slightly, I nodded and replied calmly.

“Yes, there shouldn’t be any major issues. It’ll take about three weeks, so please hold down the fort.”

Glancing outside, I saw Go Yeon-Joo organizing the clan members. I turned and descended the stairs.

The sky remained brilliantly clear. Personally, it felt like the perfect day for an expedition. The thought of some action after so long made my heart race faintly.

With a refreshed feeling, I stepped down and moved to the front of the lined-up clan members.

“Let’s move out.”

“Hyung, which gate are we taking?”

“No need to detour. Let’s head to the east gate.”

An-Hyun, our tank, stood beside me, eagerly adjusting his spear like he couldn’t wait to get moving. Matching his enthusiasm, I strode toward the east gate. Soon, the sound of footsteps echoed behind me. With those footsteps, we set off toward the Plateau of Delusion—or rather, the place later known as the city of betrayers, marking the start of our expedition.