**Turning Point**

The next day, the clan house was bustling from the early morning.

The Istantel Low Clan and a priestess had requested a visit. In other words, the representative clan and the Temple of Monica were coming. The fact that they were arriving together suggested this was no ordinary visit.

However, not everyone was displeased. Jung Ha-yeon, who had a penchant for tidiness, seemed to thrive on the news. She didn’t expect many guests, so she thought hosting them in the fourth-floor VIP room would suffice. Yet, she took the lead in opening up the long-closed conference room and orchestrated a thorough cleaning. As a result, the staff, only two days into their employment, found themselves busily at work.

By the time preparations were complete, the sun was already high in the sky. But even as it began its descent, casting a deep twilight over the garden, there was still no sign of the visitors.

The staff had already left for the day. A few perceptive night workers offered to stay if needed, but honestly, it was more helpful without them. Even though we were told they might be late, it was hard to shake off the feeling of anticlimax.

Sinking into a plush sofa, I slowly surveyed the VIP room. The high ceiling adorned with beautiful patterns and the lavish interior decorations exuded an air of luxury. In the center of the room was a pretty round table, surrounded by three sofas arranged in a circle.

Some seemed quite satisfied with the day’s cleaning, but I felt like the day had been wasted. Despite being in the VIP room, I was tempted to light a cigarette. After a brief hesitation, I pulled one out. The room was enchanted with a spell to purify the air, so I figured it would be fine as long as no one else was around. Just as I was about to light it, there was a sudden commotion.

Crash! Bang! Slam!

“Brother! Something’s happened!”

“Ugh! Cough, cough!”

‘It always happens like this.’

Even back in the modern world, whenever I grabbed a snack at a bus stop, the bus I was waiting for would arrive. I coughed hard to expel the smoke caught in my throat. Looking towards the now wide-open door, I saw Lee Yoo-jung, her face urgent as if she had run up in a hurry.

“What’s the emergency? Catch your breath first.”

“No, brother! The people who were supposed to come yesterday are here! But there’s a fight with Yeon-joo!”

“What? A fight?”

“Hurry! It’s really tense! It’s chaos down there!”

I quickly got up and dashed into the hallway. There was no room for other thoughts. I just needed to get to the first floor as fast as possible. As I descended the stairs from the fourth to the third, then the second floor, I could feel a palpable tension in the air. The intensity suggested a confrontation between two highly skilled users.

Thanks to my sprint, I covered the stairs in no time. But as I reached the last flight, I had to pause.

On the first floor, several users were gathered. In the center, two women stood so close they could feel each other’s breath. The source of the tension was clear: Go Yeon-joo and Yeon Hye-rim.

“Ah, I thought I smelled something rotten. The princess of rags has arrived.”

Whether she knew I was there or not, Go Yeon-joo, arms crossed, pinched her nose with a mocking expression. Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

“Isn’t that the smell from your shadow? And calling me the princess of rags… not something the queen of harlots should say.”

Yeon Hye-rim, hands on her hips, retorted sharply.

The two exchanged a subtle smile. Though their laughter sounded like tinkling jewels, their eyes were locked in a deadly stare. It seemed the tension that had been simmering during the summons and user academy days had finally boiled over.

If left unchecked, this would undoubtedly escalate into a major incident. I resumed my descent, but then—

“Yeon Hye-rim!”

A sharp, cold voice, yet somehow familiar, echoed through the lobby. As I descended further, I could finally see the source. At the entrance stood Han So-young and a female priestess I vaguely remembered.

“Step outside for a moment.”

“Clan Lord.”

“I won’t say it twice. Wait outside or head back.”

“…….”

Before I could intervene, someone else had already stepped in to defuse the situation. Han So-young’s ‘command’ carried an undeniable authority. Though Yeon Hye-rim bit her lip in frustration, she eventually stepped back, shooting a sharp glare at Go Yeon-joo. As Yeon Hye-rim turned to leave, Go Yeon-joo attempted a mocking farewell.

“Hoho. Goodbye, little one….”

“User Go Yeon-joo.”

“Clan Lord?”

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Realizing my presence, Go Yeon-joo turned around, flustered.

As I slowly approached the center, I spoke softly.

“Return to your quarters.”

“…Understood.”

Perhaps because Yeon Hye-rim had already retreated, Go Yeon-joo complied more quietly than expected.

The lobby was filled with an awkward silence. I turned my attention to Han So-young. Given the circumstances, I decided to personally escort them.

*

In the end, I personally guided Han So-young and the female priestess to the VIP room, temporarily calming the situation. It could have spiraled out of control, but thanks to Han So-young’s swift intervention and my timely arrival, we managed to contain it. Of course, it wasn’t entirely resolved.

“I’m sorry. I sincerely apologize for the disturbance at the Mercenary Clan House.”

“It’s alright. It seems there are some issues between User Go Yeon-joo and Yeon Hye-rim.”

“You noticed right away. I shouldn’t have brought Hye-rim along…. I’ll make sure to address today’s incident, so I hope you’ll let it slide.”

“It’s really fine. I’ll also make sure to speak with Go Yeon-joo.”

Han So-young’s appropriate response and her preemptive apology were commendable, especially considering her status as the representative clan’s leader. I had no intention of escalating the matter, so I readily accepted her apology. Now that the apologies were exchanged, it was time to get to the main point.

“I was surprised when I first received your message. I didn’t expect both of you to visit together.”

“We intended to come earlier, but we were delayed by other stops.”

“I see. So, may I ask the reason for your visit?”

“Of course.”

Han So-young replied courteously and turned her head. Following her gaze, I saw the female priestess quietly sipping her tea. Though she maintained a neutral expression, her fingers trembled slightly, likely still affected by the intense aura from earlier.

After taking a deep breath, the priestess began to speak.

The priestess’s story was, to be honest, within my expectations.

The investigation team had confirmed the achievements of the Mercenary Clan, and as a result, our clan rank would be elevated. They had also discovered evidence suggesting a possible ‘herding’ tactic and found traces of vagrants near the Delirium Mountain.

One intriguing detail was that they hadn’t found any signs of the vagrants returning to Monica.

“So, they weren’t vagrants disguised as users, but genuine vagrants?”

“No. Before the investigation team set out, I requested they check if any vagrants had followed the Mercenary Clan from the city. They couldn’t track them due to the sheer number of traces, but it’s possible they entered through another gate.”

“So, they left the city but didn’t return… is that what you’re saying?”

“While it’s not certain, I personally believe that’s the most likely scenario.”

The priestess took another sip of tea, perhaps to soothe her throat after the lengthy explanation.

I pondered quietly. Rationally, there was no need to be overly concerned. Vagrants, whether disguised or not, were known to wander. However, something about this situation felt unsettling.

‘The chances of them still waiting are slim…. I need to consider various possibilities.’

Regardless, this was a significant discovery, so I nodded calmly.

“Thank you for looking into this, despite the investigation team’s workload. But you didn’t have to come all this way…. I could have visited you instead.”

“Ah, there’s one more thing I need to tell you. Actually….”

“?”

“Herce. Just a moment.”

Was her name Herse, the female priest? Han So-young had been mostly silent, only occasionally adding a word or two. But when she finally spoke up, Herse’s eyes lit up with a mix of intensity and an inexplicable urgency.

Han So-young took a deep breath, as if gathering her thoughts, then looked directly at me and began to speak. The atmosphere suggested that the previous discussions were merely a prelude, and now we were getting to the heart of the matter.

“Mercenary Lord, I’ll take it from here.”

“I’m all ears.”

“I’ll get straight to the point. Does the Mercenary Clan have any elixirs in its possession?”

“What…?”

The suddenness of her question made me furrow my brow in confusion. When I asked for clarification, Han So-young seemed to interpret my reaction as a negative and looked disappointed.

“So, you don’t have any… I see. Sorry about that.”

“Wait a moment. Why are you suddenly asking about elixirs?”

Han So-young’s face quickly showed signs of fatigue. I wondered if she’d been running around different clans all day in search of an elixir. She shook her head apologetically in response to my question.

“I find myself apologizing a lot today. I’m sorry, Mercenary Lord. I wish I could explain, but there are complicated circumstances that prevent me from going into detail.”

“The Mercenary Clan might be able to help. Is there an injured member in the current expedition to Istantel Low?”

“No, the expedition was successful. The request isn’t from Istantel Low; it’s from the eastern city. There’s someone in the Eastern Clan whose life is in grave danger, and they need an elixir. I know this person well.”

“I see. Is there really nothing more you can tell me?”

Han So-young paused, contemplating, before speaking quietly.

“There’s a newly established clan called the Haemil Clan. They need the elixir. That’s all I can share…”

“The Haemil Clan?”

At that moment, my heart sank.

*

Night had fallen. I lay in bed in my personal quarters on the fourth floor of the main building, trying to sleep, but it eluded me.

Elixirs. The Mercenary Clan currently had three bottles. We originally had two, but used one on Vivian, and later acquired two more from the Chaos Mimic. Their uses were already decided: one for me, one for Kim Yoo-hyun, and one for Han So-young.

If Han So-young’s life were in danger, I wouldn’t hesitate to give her one. But she wasn’t the one in need. After our conversation, my mind was a tangled mess. I closed my eyes tightly, replaying our exchange in my head.

“The Haemil Clan.”

“Kim Yoo-hyun? Are you acquainted with the leader of the Haemil Clan?”

“No. The person in need isn’t Kim Yoo-hyun.”

“The user was attacked by a Banshee, and the only way to save them is with an elixir. They have less than two weeks left…”

When I first heard about the Haemil Clan, my brother Kim Yoo-hyun immediately came to mind. I quickly asked, and was relieved to hear it wasn’t him. But that didn’t clear up the confusion.

In my first life, I was just an ordinary user at this time, scraping by with day jobs from the plaza. It was much later that I met my brother by chance and joined the Haemil Clan.

I do remember the general trajectory of my brother’s career. The Haemil Clan would thrive and become one of the top clans in a few years. But I didn’t know the intricate details of its early days. This meant I had no idea who in the Haemil Clan needed the elixir.

“Why won’t she tell me who it is…?”

The more I thought about it, the more awake I felt. After tossing and turning for a while, I gave up on sleep and sat up. Maybe a good sweat session in the underground training hall would help.

Just as I got out of bed and reached for my sword, the Ilwol Shingeom, I heard the door creak open cautiously.

—————————= Author’s Note —————————=

Hello, this is Ro Yujin.

I have something to share with my readers today. I heard from a fellow author at lunch that some Noblesse users might be misunderstanding something, so I wanted to clear it up here in the afterword. 🙂

On Joara, there’s a distinction between ‘content’ and ‘afterword.’

The ‘content’ section is for the serialized story, while the ‘afterword’ is for the author’s notes. The content in the afterword does not count towards the word count. This means it doesn’t directly affect the best index calculation.

I once inquired about this with Joara, and here’s the response I received:

Hello, Ro Yujin.

This is ‘Blue’ from Joara Customer Service.

The afterword section is not treated as serialized content.

If you write a reply in the serialized section, it counts as serialized content, which can be problematic, but the afterword section is not an issue.

Thank you for using Joara.

Have a great day.

As far as I know, Joara gives the highest best index for chapters over 10K. There’s a penalty for anything under 9K, but whether you post 12K or 16K, you get the same score as 10K. I’ve been updating with a pure serialized content of 11K (10K in Notepad).

So, please don’t misunderstand that I’m lengthening the afterword to increase the word count. 🙂

I’ll be taking a break from replies today. (I’ll combine this comment with the next chapter’s.)

Thank you for reading. Have a peaceful day. 😀

PS. The next chapter contains some mature content. If you prefer not to read it, feel free to skip those parts!