Memorize Chapter 234

The auditorium erupted into a festive atmosphere in no time. The joy of finally completing the academy was palpable, and Park Hwan-Hee’s speech had everyone in high spirits, creating an uproar that was anything but subdued. The Golden Lion and their allied clans didn’t bother to rein in the exuberant new players. In fact, some even joined in, celebrating alongside them.

When I glanced toward the southeastern instructors, I saw a stark contrast to the scene I’d just witnessed. They too were surrounded by new players, but their numbers were only in the dozens. Catching my eye briefly, Seo Jin-Woo began leading his clan members out, likely to rendezvous with those from the Golden Lion who were set to defect.

I felt the urge to follow, but first, I needed to see Baek Hangeol’s resolution through.

“How’s that, Hwan-Hee oppa? I told you, didn’t I? Our Hangeol would come back,” Cha Yuna said excitedly.

“Yeah, thanks so much. To you, Yuna, and to Hangeol too. Haha!” Park Hwan-Hee laughed.

“…”

Park Hwan-Hee and Cha Yuna shared a warm reunion, while Baek Hangeol watched them silently. I recalled my meeting with him last night. Despite his escapist tendencies and dependent personality, his actions so far had been within the realm of normal.

When Park Hwan-Hee beamed at him, Baek Hangeol abruptly extended his hand. They shook hands, and Cha Yuna looked on with a fond smile. After the handshake, Baek Hangeol spoke for the first time.

“Hyung, that was a moving speech.”

“Oh, you’re finally calling me hyung again.”

“Yeah. And congrats.”

“Congrats? Haha, thanks. I’m glad you trusted me again and came back. We may have parted ways briefly, but I won’t let you go now. Thanks for the congrats.”

“Huh? That’s not what I meant by congrats.”

In a fleeting moment, the smile vanished from Park Hwan-Hee’s face. The auditorium was still buzzing with noise. As he leaned in, unable to hear clearly, Baek Hangeol shouted, his voice a raw outpouring of all the pent-up resentment he’d held back.

“Congrats on dating Yuna noona!”

His voice was loud but drowned out by the auditorium’s clamor. Still, it reached those nearby, and a sudden silence fell over Park Hwan-Hee’s group. His eyes widened, but he quickly composed himself and spoke.

“Hangeol, what are you talking about? Yuna’s your girlfriend. Why would I—”

“Let’s be clear. Cha Yuna’s my ex-girlfriend. And now she’s your girlfriend.”

“Y-Yuna’s my girlfriend? What’s this out of nowhere? We’re not like that!”

“Oh? Then why did you two sleep together?”

It was an abrupt, baseless accusation, but its timing—delivered in that silent moment—was devastatingly effective. A quiet murmur rippled through the crowd, though it was confined to those nearby.

Curious about Cha Yuna’s reaction, I looked closely. Her face shifted rapidly—first a look of shock, as if her heart had stopped, then a pale, wide-eyed expression as she opened her mouth. But Baek Hangeol wasn’t done.

“I followed her once when she left the dorm. That night, in the bushes, I saw you and her… having sex.”

“Baek Hangeol! Stop spouting nonsense!” Park Hwan-Hee snapped.

“Hangeol! No! It’s a misunderstanding!” Cha Yuna cried.

Murmur, murmur.

“What’s that kid saying?”

“Isn’t that the clingy guy? The one always waiting for his girlfriend outside the dorm?”

“What? So it’s true?”

“No way, Hwan-Hee wouldn’t do that.”

Thanks to Park Hwan-Hee’s solid reputation, the crowd didn’t immediately buy into the accusations. As he and Cha Yuna vehemently denied it, the mood shifted toward dismissing Baek Hangeol’s claims as nonsense. Glaring at Park Hwan-Hee with murderous intent, Baek Hangeol then turned to Cha Yuna.

“I thought about you a lot, noona.”

“Hangeol, our Hangeol. Calm down, okay? Listen to me. It’s noona—I can explain everything.”

“At first, I thought it was all my fault. I tortured myself over it. You’re noona—you wouldn’t abandon me. Even if you did, I must’ve done something wrong.”

“Hangeol, please, just listen to me—”

“But someone told me to stop thinking from your perspective and consider my own. To face reality head-on, to see things as they are. So I did.”

Baek Hangeol paused, closing his eyes. His trembling eyelids showed he hadn’t fully processed his emotions. But the moment was brief. Opening his eyes wide, he spoke in a venomous tone.

“I hated you. I started to hate you, noona. I felt such loathing for you and Park Hwan-Hee, such resentment. I didn’t do anything wrong. This is all your fault.”

“Hate? How could you say that to me…!” Cha Yuna sobbed.

“Baek Hangeol, this is your last warning. Keep spouting nonsense, and I won’t stay quiet,” Park Hwan-Hee said, dropping his gentle tone.

The surrounding players began berating Baek Hangeol, urging him to stop. But he didn’t back down.

“A misunderstanding? A misunderstanding? Don’t lie! If you’d just admit you left me because you didn’t like me, I’d get it. But that’s not it, is it? You used me while hooking up with him!”

“No! It’s not true!” Cha Yuna wailed.

“You’re still lying. Answer me then. Didn’t you tell Park Hwan-Hee you loved him while you were in his arms, panting, promising to bring me along, whispering, ‘I love you, Hwan-Hee oppa’?”

“No! I never said I loved Hwan-Hee oppa! I was only doing it for you—!”

“Cha Yuna!” Park Hwan-Hee’s sharp voice cut her off.

But it was too late. I never said I loved him. That slip confirmed something else entirely. If Baek Hangeol had planned this, it was brilliant. I was genuinely impressed.

With that, a heavy silence descended again, this time spreading across the entire auditorium. All eyes were on the three of them. Park Hwan-Hee’s face contorted, and Cha Yuna, stunned, covered her mouth, looking back and forth between him and Baek Hangeol in panic.

Having said his piece, Baek Hangeol took a deep breath and exhaled, speaking with a tone of relief.

“Don’t say it was for me. That’s disgusting. Anyway, I said what I needed to. It feels good. Oh, wait—one more thing.”

“…”

“I’m done here. So, live well.”

“Hangeol! Wait! Hangeol!” Cha Yuna screamed, lunging at him like a madwoman.

But he calmly extended his hand. A shimmering barrier flashed before him.

“Aaah!”

Crash!

Cha Yuna, charging with ferocity, slammed into the barrier and was flung back. An SSUN clan member, rushing to intervene, froze in shock. No preparation, no incantation—yet a new player had cast a high-level reflection spell. The crowd was stunned.

It was time for me to step in. I decided to end my spectating.

“Hangeol.”

“Hyung, I—”

“It’s okay. Don’t say anything now. You’ve done well, and you’ve worked hard. But this is a public setting. Call me Clan Lord, not hyung.”

“Yes, Clan Lord!” 

Baek Hangeol gave me a faint, somewhat sad smile. I patted his head gently and glanced at Park Hwan-Hee, whose face was twisted beyond recognition. I’d planned to thank him for taking out the “trash,” but there was no need now.

The once-lively auditorium was now filled with uneasy murmurs. Park Hwan-Hee hadn’t revealed Baek Hangeol’s strength, likely fearing that disclosing his Secret Class status would divert attention from himself. He’d probably intended to keep Hangeol under wraps until he was fully under his control.

Moreover, the academy didn’t teach reflection spells. If it came out that Park Hwan-Hee had deliberately hidden this, he’d be in serious trouble.

“Damn… that stupid bitch…” Park Hwan-Hee muttered under his breath.

“Huh?”

“Gather everyone now. We’re leaving.”

“Uh, okay.”

Realizing the situation was turning against him, Park Hwan-Hee growled. The new players followed him reluctantly, their faces uneasy.

“Hwan-Hee oppa? No, Hangeol?” Cha Yuna called out, confused.

“Shall we go too?” I asked.

“Yes, Clan Lord.”

Grabbing Hangeol’s hand, I turned to leave. Cha Yuna’s voice, calling out to both of them, echoed behind us. But neither Park Hwan-Hee, walking away, nor Baek Hangeol, by my side, looked back.

Left in the dust, I thought, clicking my tongue.

Hangeol’s steps quickened, as if he couldn’t stand hearing her voice. Matching his pace, I headed toward the auditorium’s entrance. One scene was over, but another awaited, and I felt a sense of urgency.

As we reached the entrance, a piercing wail echoed from behind.

*

The second scene wasn’t hard to find. As I left the auditorium and headed toward the main gate, I spotted two groups facing off in a tense standoff. One side vastly outnumbered the other, but the air crackled with a fierce intensity neither side would yield.

Among the Golden Lion clan members, I caught sight of Kim Han-Byeol’s back. Facing her were the southeastern clan members, led by Jo Sung-Ho. Behind them stood several players in Golden Lion uniforms—nearly twenty by my rough count.

Having been delayed by the first scene, I arrived to find Do Young-Rok and Jo Sung-Ho already locked in a heated verbal exchange.

“I’m sick of your antics. No wonder you’ve barely recruited any new players this time—another one of your dirty tricks,” Jo Sung-Ho said.

“What nonsense are you spouting? These new players acted of their own will. They want to operate independently. What can we do but respect their decision?” Do Young-Rok retorted.

“You’ve got quite a way with words. It’s clear who’s behind the Golden Lion’s propaganda. You talk about respecting their will, but what about these people? They’re leaving because they see your actions as wrong. What’s your take on that?”

“Laughable. That’s the real trickery, as you put it. Bark all you want—I’m not fazed.”

Baek Hangeol, startled by the volatile scene, stuck close behind me. As we neared, a Golden Lion member stepped forward.

“Player Do Young-Rok, we can’t trust you anymore. The reckless expedition was bad enough, but you’ve only disappointed us since. I’m starting to doubt you genuinely mourn the godmother’s death. Wouldn’t it be better to admit everything and come clean?” The member said.

“You look like one of us, but I don’t recall you. Got a script from someone? Pathetic. You leeches clung to us when we were thriving, but now that things are tough, you’re jumping ship. That’s your true motive, isn’t it?” Do Young-Rok sneered.

“You keep disappointing us. The sexual exploitation scandal was the last straw—I have no regrets leaving.”

“You believe that nonsense? I don’t need to listen to spineless cowards like you. We don’t need players like you in our clan. I’m glad you’re leaving—I won’t stop you. Just don’t loiter here.”

“Fine. As of this moment, I and nineteen others are leaving the Golden Lion.”

“Do whatever you want. I don’t care. But don’t even think about crawling back.”

Do Young-Rok’s words clearly stung, as the group behind him began stripping off their clan uniforms, visibly upset. At the same time, Han-Byeol, who’d been standing quietly, joined them in removing her Golden Lion robe. As it fell limply to the ground, she stepped out and walked toward the other side.

Her movement drew the eyes of many players. Moments later, Seong Yu-Bin’s stunned voice rang out.

“Kim Han-Byeol! What are you doing?”

“I’m leaving the Golden Lion too. For the record, I’m one of those nineteen.”

“What? Are you insane? Is this a joke? Get back here!”

“It’s not a joke. Check the list.”

Han-Byeol replied coldly, not breaking her stride. As I passed by the Golden Lion group to join her, Seong Yu-Bin’s voice stopped me.

“Mercenary Lord!”

“Yes?”

“What’s going on? Where are you going?”

“Huh?”

I feigned confusion, and her eyes flashed. Shrugging, I continued, “The ceremony just ended, and they told us to leave. Heard it over the amplifier. Oh, but I did scout one person. Haha.”

I raised Hangeol’s hand with a grin. Seong Yu-Bin’s face flickered with a mix of emotions. Sharp as she was, she likely grasped the situation instantly.

“Hah… Haha… Hahaha! Kim Han-Byeol, you backstabbing bitch! You can’t do this to us, huh?” She spat.

“Backstabbing? That’s harsh. What’s wrong with this?” Han-Byeol shot back.

“Shut your mouth before I rip it open! You dare mock me? Black Lions, grab her now!”

Seong Yu-Bin, seething, pointed at Han-Byeol and screamed. As the Black Lions in dark armor moved forward, two southeastern players—Seo Jin-Woo and Yeon Hye-Rim—stepped out to intercept Han-Byeol. The Black Lions hesitated, glancing at Seong Yu-Bin, who stomped in frustration as Han-Byeol slipped through.

“Kim Han-Byeol! You haven’t forgotten the contract you signed when you joined, have you?”

“Don’t worry. Send the bill.”

“What?”

“I’ll pay it all. I’m not trying to dodge anything.”

“Oh, how pathetic. Making someone sign a contract to join a clan?” Na Seung-Hye sneered, seizing the moment. She’d been put on hold as a top candidate before and seemed to have harbored a grudge.

“Enough!” Do Young-Rok bellowed, glaring at Seong Yu-Bin before turning to Han-Byeol. “You think you’ll get away with this?”

“I just want to leave quietly. Please let me go.”

“No way. You’re different.”

“Hold on. You were fine letting others go, so why the sudden change with player Kim Han-Byeol?” Sung Hyun-Min interjected, stepping forward. Do Young-Rok signaled him to back off, but Sung Hyun-Min scoffed. As I joined them, he looked at me and continued, “You’re not stopping the others, so why single out player Kim Han-Byeol? Mercenary Lord, do you know why?”

“Hmm, I can’t quite recall. But…” I paused, glancing at the Black Lions. “If they take one more step, I might remember.”

Laughter erupted among the players. Do Young-Rok, fuming at the mockery, snorted heavily.

The standoff continued. Do Young-Rok’s expression shifted as he scanned us.

After a tense pause, his voice, laced with anger, broke the silence. “Take your pathetic group and get lost.”

“Pfft. Crawling back into your hole, huh?” Jo Sung-Ho taunted.

“I said get out now. And don’t even think about setting foot in Babara again. You’re banned as of today.”

“Heh, no plans anyway, so don’t worry.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Stay healthy until we meet again. As you wish, we’ll leave now. Let’s get out of this stench.”

Jo Sung-Ho didn’t push further. Whether he felt it was enough or sensed it was time to retreat, his parting words left a lingering impact.

The standoff dissolved, and we turned toward the academy’s main gate. A loud slap echoed behind us—someone getting hit—but I deliberately didn’t look back.

The gate was closed. As we approached, An-Sol’s old words flashed through my mind: “No… we can’t stay here… come with me… sob…” and “I heard there are quite a few same-sex couples among the Vagrants.”

I didn’t know what would become of Park Hwan-Hee, but if he headed west, I silently wished his rear end luck. Stepping through the gate, I felt the liberating breeze envelop me.

*

As soon as Han-Byeol stepped out, she was swarmed by a crowd—mostly scouts. Even in the chaos, she didn’t forget to thank those who’d helped her.

Everything was over. I said my goodbyes to those I’d grown close to. Sung Hyun-Min and others seemed eager to talk more, but when I mentioned I’d been away from my clan too long, they nodded reluctantly. Promising to visit their city later, I quickly left.

Despite my calm exterior, Baek Hangeol’s eyes betrayed complex emotions. He occasionally mumbled, as if wanting to say something, only to sigh instead. I decided to give him time to sort through his feelings.

Walking through the plaza and down the street, the warp gate came into view. Lost in thought, I glanced at Hangeol diligently following me, which brought my clan members to mind. The thought of seeing them soon brought a faint smile.

“Clan Lord!” Hangeol’s sudden call stopped me as I approached the warp gate. He was pointing behind us. “Since the plaza, that scary noona’s been following us.”

“Scary noona? Who—pfft.”

I knew since the plaza.

Turning slowly, I saw Han-Byeol watching me from a distance. I waited, and she began closing the gap.

“Um…”

“You’re late.”

“I-I was saying some goodbyes.”

“Come to say goodbye to me too?”

Teasing her, I watched her hesitate, scraping the ground with her foot. Nodding slightly, I stepped into the warp gate. She seemed startled at first but soon noticed my deliberately slow pace and caught up.

“O-Oppa.”

“Monica, southern city. Three people.”

“Oppa…!”

“Let’s go in first. We’ll talk inside.”

With that, I said no more, wrapping my arms around both their shoulders. We stepped into the activated portal, the cool flow of mana enveloping us. A sudden thought hit me: Oh, right. Yeon Hye-Rim asked to come along.