Memorize Chapter 237

The smell of a traitor. Yun-Jung’s words struck like a dagger, and I could see Han-Byeol’s face turn pale. Though she seemed to have braced herself before coming here, being hit with such a direct jab in front of everyone was clearly overwhelming.

The air around the table grew cold. Clan members unaware of the context widened their eyes, while others seemed to catch on. A heavy silence settled, and I felt a stifling frustration.

“Phew.”

Unable to bear the tension, I let out a long sigh, drawing everyone’s attention. Honestly, I wasn’t thrilled. I could almost understand how Park Hwan-Hee felt when the festive mood crashed at the auditorium.

I shifted my gaze from Yun-Jung. As I’d said before, this wasn’t a private setting but a gathering of the whole clan. Openly taking sides here would look bad. I needed to address this tactfully. Turning to Go Yeon-Joo, who’d been quietly observing, I spoke.

“Go Yeon-Joo, I don’t think we need a separate progress report.”

“Huh?”

“Judging by the kids’ actions and words, I think I already get the picture.”

“…I’m sorry.”

I wasn’t directly scolding Yun-Jung, but my words carried layers of meaning. It might feel unfair to Go Yeon-Joo, but it was the best way to convey my intent. The clan members, picking up on it, looked between me and her with flustered expressions.

As everyone gauged each other’s reactions, Han-Byeol’s subdued voice broke through. “I’m Kim Han-Byeol. I’m twenty-two years old. I’m a Secret Class Jewel Mage… and I was part of the Golden Lion Clan. I’ll work hard in the Mercenary Clan from now on.”

“Good job. You can sit now. Next… Hangeol?”

Han-Byeol sank into her seat, drained. Clicking my tongue, I passed the baton to the next person, eager to move past the introductions.

“Uh, hello. I’m Baek Hangeol,” He said, standing cautiously, swallowing hard as he sensed the awkward atmosphere.

“I’m eighteen years old… uh…”

“You’re a new player, right?” Jung Ha-Yeong interjected.

“Yes, yes.”

“Can you tell us about your class?”

Hangeol hesitated, glancing at me before speaking. “Actually, hyung—er, Clan Lord, I have something to confess. I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. I already had a hunch. I saw it at the auditorium today.”

“Huh? Then why didn’t you—”

“I figured you had your reasons. I was waiting for you to tell me yourself.”

‘I’ve known for a while, though.’

Hangeol sighed in relief, likely having been anxious about hiding it (though he hadn’t really fooled me). I gave a faint smile, setting the stage for him.

“Still, I’d like to hear the details. Show us your power in front of everyone.”

“Yes, just a moment.”

With all eyes on him, Hangeol raised his right hand. No incantation, no preparation. A faint flow of mana pulsed, and a white light formed around his hand, shaping into a small barrier.

“My class… it’s listed as Divine Shield in my Player information.”

“Divine Shield? Sounds impressive. What’s the prefix? Normal, Rare, or Secret?”

“It’s Secret. But not just Secret—it’s Arousal Secret.”

Gasps rippled through the room at his words.

“Divine Shield? Secret Class? Arousal? What’s that?” Someone asked.

“Arousal means to awaken, stimulate, or inspire,” Another explained.

“So, an Awakened Secret Class… it feels like a defensive type.”

“Can you tell us about its abilities?”

Questions bombarded Hangeol, who looked overwhelmed and turned to me for help. I raised a hand, meeting his expectations. “Enough.”

“But where did you find a Secret Class—”

“That’s something I’m curious about too. Hangeol, how did you inherit a Secret Class?”

“Uh…”

This section was crucial, so it was necessary to address it thoroughly. Baek Hangeol tilted his head with an ambiguous expression.

I sincerely hoped that, aside from what I already knew, some other clue would emerge. However, Baek Hangeol’s response that followed disappointed my expectations.

“I’m sorry. I don’t remember clearly. It just felt like an unknown energy suddenly surged within me, and then everything went white. The situation was so urgent that I can’t recall it well.”

“Oh… I see.”

“S-Sorry…”

I gave a reassuring look and sat the fidgeting Baek Hangeol down. But inwardly, I felt a strong sense of regret. I glanced at An-Sol, who was staring at Baek Hangeol with a shocked expression.

An-Sol had a similar experience during the Rite of Passage. While I was luring the Deadmen, it was she who saved the kids being tormented by the Wraiths. The reason I considered this important was because I wondered if that incident might be connected to An-Sol awakening a Secret Class.

The clan members were all talking about Baek Hangeol with surprised expressions. There weren’t any negative comments; the atmosphere was welcoming. Compared to the starkly different reaction during Kim Han-Byeol’s introduction, I felt a bittersweet pang. Just then, Shin Sang-Yong, who had been quietly observing, suddenly spoke up.

“So, um, does that mean, Leader—oops, I keep slipping up. Does that mean both of the new members brought by the Clan Lord are Secret Class holders? Jewel Mage Kim Han-Byeol and Divine Shield Baek Hangeol?”

“Right? That makes four Secret Class holders in our clan.”

“That’s, that’s incredible. Haha!”

“Hehe. I’ve personally been very interested in the Jewel Mage. As fellow mages, I hope we can get along well.”

As the two spoke, the other clan members burst into laughter and joined in. I suddenly felt glad about recruiting Shin Sang-Yong and Jung Ha-Yeong. I personally believe a Clan Lord should always remain neutral in official settings. The moment you show bias toward one side, it risks sparking internal conflict. Seeing these two naturally maintain balance without my intervention made me feel deeply grateful.

“Let’s wrap up the introductions here. I know you’re all curious about the new clan members, but please hold off for now. I’ll arrange a separate time later, so let’s continue the meeting for now.”

“Understood.”

Go Yeon-Joo responded in a low voice, and the intermittent local broadcast completely cut off. She had been silent ever since I pointed something out to her. I looked at her briefly and gave a faint smile.

‘You’ve already heard about the kids a few times on the way to the Academy, right? You know how I feel. Sorry.’

Her gaze, conveying I understand. Don’t worry, just take care of business, allowed me to finally open my mouth slowly. The matter I had asked her to keep secret wasn’t something to bring up in such a public setting.

“We’ll hear Go Yeon-Joo’s report later when we have time. Now, Player Jung Ha-Yeong?”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

“How’s the clan house matter progressing?”

“In brief, we’ve shortlisted two locations. However, we haven’t reached final approval yet. There’s something important I need to report regarding that, but it’s not something to discuss here…”

“Got it. I’ll visit both locations today, so we’ll go over the details then.”

Jung Ha-Yeong nodded once. Next, I turned to Vivienne and Shin Sang-Yong.

“Vivienne La Clacidas, how’s the elixir project going?”

“The formula is complete, and the equipment is all selected. But there are two issues.”

“Tell me.”

“The Demon’s Heart and Horrence’s Magic Stone are too heavily weighted toward one side. Even with the Harmonious Magic Squares, my purified elixir alone isn’t enough. So, we have two options.”

“Either boost one side’s power or reduce the other’s.”

Vivienne nodded in agreement. I thought for a moment, but this too seemed to require a detailed discussion.

“Alright. What’s the other issue?”

“It’s related to the clan house. I’ll come along when you visit the clan house today.”

“Do that.”

I nodded readily. It seemed everyone had made progress on their tasks but was stuck at the final stage. In other words, each faced an issue they couldn’t decide on their own.

‘I’ll need to hear the details, but it’s not bad.’

At this rate, we’d likely meet the minimum requirements. With that thought, I slowly scanned the room. The clan members my gaze landed on showed a mix of tension and excitement. I could tell they wanted to boast about their progress. I knew they all had a lot to say, but addressing each one would take forever. So, I decided to ask only about what I was personally curious about.

“Player An-Hyun.”

“Yes? Yes!”

An-Hyun responded in a startled voice. His wide eyes suggested the term player felt unfamiliar.

“What happened with the Legend of Hoplon?”

“Uh… I failed.”

“Why?”

“I still haven’t mastered the spear, and trying to handle a shield was too ambitious. I wanted to make use of the reflection effect, but it ended up being neither here nor there. I got a lot of complaints during the hunt… I’m sorry.”

“I see. Then we’ll consider the Legend of Hoplon returned.”

I had anticipated a high chance of failure. It seemed he had tried to mimic the Phalanx, which he must have seen somewhere, but that’s a tactic specialized for group battles, not individual combat. The original goal was to give An-Hyun various experiences. He looked disappointed, but whether it worked out or not wasn’t a big deal.

I decided to wrap things up here. I wanted to sit down with each clan member and hear their detailed stories, but that could be done alongside future tasks. Avoiding the eager gazes of the members wanting my attention, I continued speaking.

“There are a few more matters, but the important ones are just awaiting my approval. We’ll need to go over the details, but for now, I understand. The issue is our next steps…”

I paused briefly and slowly raised my right hand. Initially, all fingers were extended, but I folded my thumb and pinky, raising my voice slightly.

“Three days. We’ll resolve the current issues within three days. After that, I’ll announce a new plan, so if any clan members are working on personal matters, please wrap them up within this timeframe.”

“Three days?”

“Of course, we’ll need to hear Go Yeon-Joo’s report to confirm, but I don’t expect much change. We’ll do a detailed briefing in three days.”

At my firm statement, I saw Go Yeon-Joo and Jung Ha-Yeong’s faces stiffen slightly. They likely caught the gist from the word ‘briefing.’ They looked like they were dying to say something, but since I had already spoken, they kept their mouths shut.

“Let’s conclude the meeting here. Shin Sang-Yong, could you assign lodgings to the new members and have a meal with them? It’d be a good chance to tell them about the clan.”

“I’ll do that. But wouldn’t it be better if the Clan Lord joined us for the meal?”

“I’m fine. I have things to do.”

“Oppa, let’s at least eat together. I have so much to talk about…”

“We’ll eat together tonight. I’ll listen then.”

An-Sol looked disappointed, but I wasn’t about to let the atmosphere loosen just because I was back. Mercenary is now a clan fully in the spotlight. As I’ve said before, now that we’ve left Mule, I have no intention of taking it easy. I plan to create a tense atmosphere as quickly as possible to prepare for what’s coming.

“Everyone, head out. Ha-Yeong, could you wait outside the inn for a bit? I’ll follow shortly.”

“What about me?”

“Oh, you said you’re coming too. Wait with her. Everyone else, go handle your tasks. I’ll probably be back around the afternoon.”

At my dismissal, the clan members began to rise one by one. I was a bit worried about whether they’d adjust to the sudden rush right after my return, but oddly, some members had faint smiles on their faces. It was as if they felt reassured.

I tilted my head briefly but then saw Shin Sang-Yong approaching Kim Han-Byeol and Baek Hangeol, so I let the thought go. As Yun-Jung was about to put away her chair, I spoke up.

“Player Lee Yun-Jung.”

“Huh? Y-Yes!”

“Stay for a bit. I have something to discuss.”

At my words, Yun-Jung’s shoulders slumped, and she lowered her head.