Come to think of it, I hadn't really been thinking about Yun-Jung. In the past, I might have just brushed it off, thinking she could handle things on her own. But honestly, even I had to admit that I'd been focusing more on An-Hyun.
Of course, An-Sol was an exception since she was my apprentice, but when comparing the other two, it was natural that I gravitate more toward An-Hyun. His style suited my preferences better, which led to this situation.
That hasn't changed even now. An-Hyun had more potential from the start, and inheriting a rare class had widened that gap even further. I was also aware that Yun-Jung, who saw An-Hyun as her rival, wouldn't be entirely comfortable with this reality.
That said, it wasn't like Yun-Jung was someone to be discarded. She had more than enough potential to rise as a top-tier player. Since I personally selected and brought her in, her future success would depend on how she was trained and how she grew.
In short, it was just a difference in potential.
For now, it was better if I didn't guide An-Hyun directly. Leaving aside the difference between sword and spear, reading that book and internalizing its teachings was a necessary step. I could only act as an advisor—if I tried to teach him carelessly, I might end up ruining the efficiency of the Energy Spearman's techniques.
After tapping my fingers on the table to gather my thoughts, I looked at Yun-Jung, who was pouting, and finally spoke.
"Yun-Jung, it'd be better if I trained you."
An-Hyun and An-Sol's eyes widened in surprise. Even Yun-Jung, who had been pouting just a moment ago, quickly pulled her lips back in. Seeing that reaction, I couldn't help but find it a little cute.
"O-Oppa, you're going to train me? Aren't you busy?"
"I am, but… I have to admit I've been neglecting you a bit. If I manage my time right, I should be able to squeeze in enough for at least one person. I won't be able to train you all day, but I'll do my best. Besides, in some ways, a sword can be seen as an extension of a dagger, so it makes sense for me to teach you."
"A-Ah… but still… this is so sudden…"
Watching Yun-Jung fidget with her fingers—something she normally wouldn't do—I smiled slightly.
"What? You don't want to?"
"N-No! No way! I'd love it!"
She shook her head so hard it looked excessive, then beamed with a wide smile.
Meanwhile, beside her, An-Hyun grumbled, "Hyung, how could you do this to me?" while An-Sol looked half-jealous, half-sulky. I ignored them both, simply turning my head away as my response.
After that, I spent about thirty minutes laying out all the goals to be achieved during this training period.
To sum everything up:
First, Shin Sang-Yong would focus on receiving guidance from Vivienne. Like the others, he wouldn't be called upon unless it was something important. He was already a second-year player, so expecting rapid growth like the others was unrealistic. However, as long as there was even a sliver of potential left, it was worth trying to develop it.
Next, Ha-Yeong would be given free rein. "Free" in this case meant that she had the freedom to act independently. Of course, since I had asked An-Sol to guide her, it wasn't absolute freedom. However, Ha-Yeong understood my reasoning and agreed to follow my orders without complaint.
Giving her this level of freedom was a symbolic gesture—something only a few would recognize. Now that we had officially formed a caravan and set up a basic structure, granting someone "free" status was a way of expressing trust. Besides, she was more than capable of handling herself, so there was no need for me to interfere unnecessarily.
That being said, being in a small city wasn't without its challenges. One of the major concerns was finding a proper training space for the others. Going outside the city would solve the issue, but we had no plans for monster hunting this week. Up until now, our main focus had been sensory training, which could be done indoors. However, moving forward, physical conditioning would play a significant role in our training.
No matter how spacious our special inn room was, practicing combat techniques inside it would be ridiculous.
But there was no clear solution. This was just a frontier city, and development was slow due to the ongoing campaign into the Iron Mountain Range. (Even the city's leading clan was fully focused on that expedition.) Choosing the small city of Mule as our base meant accepting these kinds of limitations. That didn't mean I regretted the decision—considering the benefits and progress we had made so far, this level of inconvenience was manageable.
With that, I wrapped up most of my explanations. Preparations for the next expedition and the clan's establishment were things I would handle myself, so there was no need to explain every detail. Of course, there were still a few points to go over.
I turned my gaze toward the two mage players, who had been quietly listening.
"I have something to discuss with you both later this evening. After today's training… hmm, come to the far-left room on the third floor after dinner. It's important."
Since I had already brought up the topic of forming a clan, they had likely guessed what this was about. Ha-Yeong and Shin Sang-Yong nodded calmly.
I added one more thing.
"Oh, and just so you know… the far-left room I just mentioned will now serve as my personal office. If you need to speak with me, that's where you'll find me.
…Vivienne?"
"Huh?"
For once, Vivienne was actually paying attention without getting distracted. That was how it was supposed to be, of course, but I couldn't help but find it a little admirable.
"You should get a separate room too." I said.
"Oh? I mean, that sounds nice, but… why?"
"I need an alchemist's skills. Can you set up a workshop in one of the rooms? It doesn't have to be anything elaborate—just something functional."
At the mention of a workshop, Vivienne's eyes narrowed slightly. She tilted her head, rolling her eyes in thought, before finally speaking with an uncertain expression.
"Hmm… If it doesn't have to be anything too flashy, I think it's possible. But I'd like to hear more details."
"Now's not the best time to get into it. I'll explain later when we have a moment. For now, I'll let the innkeeper know. Go upstairs and check out the room. You'll probably need a few things for setting up the workshop…"
"A lot of things, actually," She said with a smirk. "But hey, I've got no complaints. Can I head up now?"
"Of course. Even if it ends up being temporary, that's fine. I'll make sure you have plenty of resources, so don't worry about money. Just take a good look at what you'll need."
As I gave a nod, Vivienne sprang to her feet with enthusiasm. At the same time, I noticed Shin Sang-Yong looking at me with a desperate expression. With a sigh, I gave him a reluctant nod as well. Instantly, both of them brightened up and practically flew up the stairs.
"...."
Watching them disappear onto the upper floor, I turned to the rest of the group, who were still lingering around with blank expressions.
"Alright, that concludes today's schedule briefing. Go upstairs and get ready. An-Hyun, drop by Vivienne's room tomorrow—I'll let her know in advance. And… Ha-Yeong, stay behind for a moment. I need to talk to you."
"Okay." She answered simply.
The others sluggishly got to their feet, following my orders. Yun-Jung hesitated, hovering around me as if looking for an excuse to stay. But when I met her gaze with a steady stare, she quickly turned and walked toward the stairs.
As I watched the three of them disappear upstairs, my expression softened. Then, I shifted my gaze to Ha-Yeong, who stood quietly in front of me, waiting for my words with a composed demeanor.
"Ha-Yeong, how's your body holding up?"
"I'm fine… Sorry. I didn't want to show it, but I guess I couldn't help it."
At my concern, Ha-Yeong responded with a faint smile. With that, a brief but awkward silence settled between us. Despite this, she continued to look at me with unwavering, clear eyes.
Meeting her gaze for a moment, I reached into my coat, feeling around for a particular item.
Soon, my fingers found what I was looking for. Without hesitation, I pulled it out and placed it on the table.
Ha-Yeong's eyes widened slightly as she pursed her lips. The item I had just placed before her was the Glory Necklace—a relic we had obtained from the Ruined Laboratory.
"This is…."
"I didn't get the chance to give it to you back then. But now, it's time for it to find its rightful owner."
"Su-Hyeon…"
"I've already appraised it. It's a necklace that was once called the Glory Necklace, just as you described. Your assessment was mostly correct. However, take note—any stored magic resets at the end of each day."
Though the Glory Necklace appeared simple at first glance, the longer one looked at it, the more its charm became apparent.
Ha-Yeong silently stared at the necklace, its beautiful surface glinting under the light. She was so absorbed in it that she didn't move, only gazing at it with a distant expression.
When I urged her again, she finally, hesitantly, reached out and picked it up with careful hands.
As soon as Ha-Yeong fastened the necklace around her neck, a crisp clang echoed softly through the air. She gently touched the pendant for a moment before speaking in a quiet voice.
"Su-Hyeon… This necklace feels like too much for me. But I'll accept it, considering your sincerity. And… honestly, no one else in our group could make better use of it than I can."
Normally, Ha-Yeong always met my gaze head-on when she spoke. But this time, she avoided my eyes, glancing here and there as she spoke in a slightly hesitant manner. Sensing something, I let a small smile play on my lips.
"Heh. You do like it, though."
Teasing her with a lighthearted remark, I watched as she smiled as well. But I also noticed—her earlobes had turned just the faintest shade of red.
"Fufu. Fine, I admit it. I am happy. I'm happy to receive this necklace, and I'm happy that you've given me free rein. And also…"
She trailed off, as if about to say something more, but then she stopped herself. Instead, she gave me a soft, affectionate look and wrapped up her words.
"I'll treasure it. Oh, and… would it be alright if I took the rest of the day off? My body still feels awful. Of course, yesterday was… uh, well… anyway, I'm just really not in great shape right now."
Recovery is important. That's why I nodded without hesitation.
Given what I knew about Ha-Yeong, if she was saying she wasn't feeling well, it meant she really wasn't feeling well. She wasn't the type to push through exhaustion just for the sake of it, unlike me. So, I decided to respect her wish to be in her best condition before taking on any orders.
And…
"From now on, you're on free status, Ha-Yeong. Don't push yourself. If you need to rest, rest. No one's going to say anything about it."
"That's exactly what I want to say to you, Su-Hyeon. Stop trying to handle everything alone—learn to share the burden a little."
I had no real response to that, so I could only pull a reluctant expression. Ha-Yeong chuckled at my reaction, then gestured toward the upper floor.
"Still, I'll help guide An-Sol. Since we're sharing a room anyway, I might as well…"
"Hmm…"
Sharing a room, huh? That might be a bit uncomfortable. Should I arrange for Ha-Yeong to have her own room instead?
She must have noticed my hesitation, because she spoke up again in a bright voice.
"Don't worry too much. They're good kids at heart. They just… like you a lot. Whatever extreme scenarios you're imagining, they're not going to happen."
"I know. I trust them. But if anything does get too difficult, tell me right away. I'll step in and set things straight."
I meant it as reassurance, but Ha-Yeong gently shook her head.
"Absolutely not."
"But—"
"Su-Hyeon, you really don't understand women at all, do you?"
I blinked at the unexpected remark, and she let out a soft sigh before continuing.
"Women have their own world, their own ways of dealing with things. And this… this is something I have to handle myself. It's my issue to manage, not yours. So, trust me a little more, okay? That would actually help me."
Her voice was calm, yet firm.
Hearing her say it so definitively, I couldn't find anything to argue back with. Feeling a bit awkward, I scratched my head before giving her a small nod.
She had a point.
An-Sol wasn't the type to cause trouble.
Yun-Jung was a bit of a concern, but things between them had been fine at the start. And since Ha-Yeong was the oldest among them, they wouldn't treat her as carelessly as they did with Vivienne.
"Phew. If you insist, then fine. Let's wrap this up for now. And be sure to come to my office tonight."
"Of course. I'm already looking forward to it."
Before, I would have assumed she meant she was excited to hear more about the clan I was forming.
But after what had happened between us… for just a brief moment, my mind took her words in a completely different direction.
Letting out a quiet sigh to myself, I stood up and stepped closer to her, offering my arm.
"If you're still feeling unwell, let me help you. We can go up together."
Ha-Yeong gave a soft nod and carefully took my outstretched hand.
And like that, leaning slightly against each other, we made our way up the stairs.
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