Chapter 39: Make an Offer |
"The humans living in Hall Plain can be broadly divided into two categories: the original residents who lived here, and the users who entered through the angels. However, it would be a mistake to think all users are the same."
"Not all users are the same?"
Hyeon-woo nodded at Han-byeol's question.
"There are users who strive to return to Earth, and there are users who have simply settled down to live in Hall Plain. In other words, they are people who have converted to being residents of Hall Plain. Hmm... 'converted' sounds a bit strange. To put it simply, you can think of them as people who refuse to return to Earth."
He swallowed, as if his throat was constantly dry, and continued speaking. I found myself growing more and more expectant of what he was about to say.
"The members of the Golden Lion Clan, and all of you, likely share the same desire to return to Earth. We are still working hard, gathering clues for our return. But the users who have settled in Hall Plain are different. They want to live here forever."
"Then couldn't the users who want to return just band together and leave those people behind?"
It was a logical point, but unfortunately, reality isn't so simple. Hyeon-woo shook his head at Han-byeol's counter-question.
"Reality can't be divided so simply. Hall Plain is not a game. It is a tangible reality, a world in its own right. Various interests are complexly intertwined, leading to just as many conflicts. They do everything in their power to obstruct our plans, case by case, to prevent us from finding a way back to Earth."
As a side note, their end was quite dramatic. Even when the Northern Continent crossed the Steel Mountains and entered Atlanta (though 'entered' might not be the right word), they continued their activities. But they made the mistake of messing with a user from the Red Fang Clan, which owned a major city. Enraged, Woo Jeong-min and Seon Yu-un hunted them down until not a single one was left.
"For their goals, they don't hesitate to kill fellow users. Of course, there are many who simply live peacefully in Hall Plain, but what I'm saying is that dangerous types like them also exist."
A heavy silence fell over the square. It seemed most of them had considered other humans to be on their side and had never imagined they could be enemies. Of course, there might be users like Park Dong-geol, who wore an indifferent expression. Perhaps they had killed before, or had done so for some reason during the Rite of Passage...
"Right now, they operate in the shadows, avoiding the light. But their power is by no means negligible. They are watching for any opportunity, any opening, to burst out into the world. The user who just asked questioned the true purpose of the Academy, correct? Our answer to that is this."
He stared intently at Han-byeol for a moment before continuing.
"Newly arrived users are bound to become their targets. They might try to recruit them as allies, or simply use them to satisfy their own desires. The User Academy protects and teaches new users, shielding them from their grasp. It is the cornerstone for cultivating talent that can join forces with us to stand against them. That is why the angels, and we, recommend entering it early on. From the new users' perspective, there is absolutely no downside."
The gist of Hyeon-woo's speech was mutual benefit. Existing users protect new users from early dangers and help them adapt to Hall Plain. In turn, the new users grow based on that support and become capable individuals. Then, those developed users become a valuable asset to their city and their continent.
Han-byeol sat down with a look of understanding. Seeing everyone around her nodding in agreement, it seemed they all sympathized with Hyeon-woo's words. Everyone, that is, except for one person. Me. Of course, everything he said was true, and he hadn't explained anything incorrectly. And since I had wanted to enter the Academy from the start, I had no complaints. But he hadn't told the whole truth.
If you trace the cause of the First Alliance War, you'd find that his speech conveniently omitted the most crucial parts. It was incredibly grating to hear a member of the Golden Lion Clan—the very clan that caused the war in the first place—spout such nonsense.
He was diligently criticizing the Vagrants who operated in the shadows, beating around the bush. The Vagrants weren't called that for nothing. The worst of them had wanted posters in every city and were complete outcasts, welcomed nowhere. At least, within this Northern Continent.
In that case, I wanted to ask back: aren't you guys ultimately the same? Of course, I wasn't siding with the Vagrants. But I believe the actions of the established users—trying to protect their vested interests and seize more—were no different.
In my first life in Hall Plain, I had once overcome a near-death crisis, crossed the Steel Mountains, and captured Atlanta. However, I was backstabbed when a coalition of other clans, backed by support from another continent, took advantage of the opportunity and snatched the newly captured Atlanta from us. (After that, we gritted our teeth and eventually reclaimed it through the Battle to Retake Atlanta, a fight considered one of the worst in history, alongside the Ragnarok Annihilation Siege.)
There's a saying in Hall Plain: Users with common interests gather to form clans. And clans with a common enemy gather to form alliances. In other words, whether they're clans or Vagrants, they're all the same damn kind of people who will draw their swords when necessary. Seeing him package his words so cleverly made my blood boil. Even if there was no need or reason to tell the new users such things now, to me, who had experienced it firsthand, his words were utterly absurd.
By the time I managed to calm my anger and compose myself, I saw Han-byeol sit back down. It seemed she had accepted his words to some extent. It couldn't be helped. Without having experienced which direction Hall Plain would take, Hyeon-woo's speech was plausible. When I turned my gaze back to the central stage, he was letting out a sigh of relief, as if he hadn't expected to receive such a question.
"I didn't expect a few questions to take this long. I see some of you look tired... It seems best to end it here for today. For now, I recommend you get a good night's sleep. Training begins tomorrow. Now, please follow the instructors' directions and move to your lodgings."
He said, "Yu-bin. Cancel the voice amplification magic," and then gave instructions to the users waiting nearby. As the users who received his orders began walking toward us, Hyeon-woo descended from the stage.
Just before he stepped off the last stair, he turned his head, and his gaze swept over the users gathered by the stage. It was only for a fleeting moment, but I saw Hyeon-woo looking at Han-byeol. A deep interest in her seemed to be settled in his eyes. I quickly glanced at Han-byeol and saw that she was also exchanging a look with him. For a moment, I felt a sense of unease.
Large, established clans often have many users hoping to join, but they also merge with smaller clans or preemptively recruit promising new users. It was one of the privileges of a clan representing a major city, making it a difficult issue to touch.
I had a thought that Hyeon-woo's gaze toward Han-byeol might stem from that kind of interest. And for some reason, I had a strong feeling that Han-byeol would receive an offer from the Golden Lion Clan.
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By the time we arrived at the dorms inside the Academy, dusk had long given way to night. The dorm assignments followed the initial groupings, with eight people to a room. The quick-witted An Hyeon slipped out of line to join my side, so he and I ended up in the same room.
The sleeping arrangements weren't anything special—just a single mattress and two blankets. In a way, they were shabby enough to be considered quite poor. Those seeing it for the first time grumbled, but the users who looked like military reservists went inside without complaint to sleep. The User Academy's facilities were that similar to the military.
The training instructor said with a sly smile that we would have some freedom for the day. (The moment I heard that, I asked for a cigarette. He silently pulled out a few from his own pack and gave them to me.) Despite his words, everyone except me seemed exhausted and immediately fell fast asleep.
An Hyeon had fallen asleep stuck right next to me, which was honestly a bit burdensome. As I stared at his face, I saw him smacking his lips as if he were dreaming of something. Was he dreaming of food? Thinking how carefree he was, I let out a small laugh.
The User Academy of the Northern Continent is infamous throughout all the continents for its notoriously difficult training. A significant portion of the drills are beyond imagination. The training lasts for a total of thirteen weeks, and as it progresses, the drills become increasingly unconventional. I worried if the others would be able to endure it.
"..."
My chest felt heavy. I had been letting out deep sighs for a while now. Pondering why, I soon discovered a single thought that filled my mind. The scene of Hyeon-woo and Han-byeol looking at each other kept replaying in my head.
The more I tried to shake it off and sleep, the more complicated my thoughts became. After tossing and turning for a while, I finally sat up. I slipped on a pair of slippers strewn on the floor and opened the tightly shut door of the room. As I stepped into the dark hallway, a cold chill seemed to cool my body. Savoring the cold air for a moment, I fumbled in my pocket, pulled out one of the cigarettes I'd gotten from the instructor, and placed it in my mouth.
I scanned my surroundings and confirmed no one was there. I summoned a faint trace of mana and slowly sent it to my fingertip. *Flicker.* With the sound of a small flame, a spark ignited, lit the tip of the cigarette, and vanished. I immediately took a deep drag.
"Hoo..."
The dorms for male and female users are in separate buildings. She was surprisingly classified into the mana talent category, which was understandable since her mana stat was the highest. The Clan Lord I served before was in the combat category. I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment.
At first, I treated An Hyeon's group merely as a means to an end. And even now, my ultimate goal hasn't changed. Only my thoughts have shifted. I admit that Han-byeol has something special, different from an ordinary user, but honestly, even I hadn't expected to be this shaken.
Could it be that I've grown attached to her? Or romantic feelings? Shaking my head at the ridiculous thought, I immediately dismissed it. The glowing ash at the tip of the cigarette scattered into the air.
The person who knows me best is myself. I know myself well. Given my dry personality, the idea of forming an attachment with someone I've known for only a week was nonsense not even worth considering. At that moment, I realized something. Why was I disappointed when she was classified into the mana talent category?
From our first meeting, and throughout the Rite of Passage, whenever I looked at her, I was reminded of another woman. That woman was one of the users I had sincerely followed in my first life. Perhaps, all this time, I had been seeing Han So-young in Kim Han-byeol. As I thought that, a bitter feeling filled my heart. It was because I found my own state—agonizing over something so trivial—laughable.
I dropped the cigarette and crushed it with my foot, then turned to leave. I had many things to do and a mountain of things to think about. I wanted to avoid dwelling on unproductive worries.
Sleep still wouldn't come. But I was determined to sleep, even if I had to force it. I was even prepared to knock myself out if necessary. I quietly opened the door and went back inside the room.