Chapter 372: 372
After leaving the office, the Yi siblings quietly trudged through the hallway .
Being pushed around left and right, they obviously weren’t pleased with the situation .
“Noona . ”
While silently walking, Yi Sungjin spoke all of a sudden .
“I… really want to help Mom heal . ”
A strong determination could be felt from his voice .
“So don’t hate me too much . ”
Yi Seol-Ah turned her head at his out-of-the-blue words .
“Sungjin?”
However, Yi Sungjin didn’t say anything else and walked to his room . Putting on his armor and shield, he left the building immediately .
Yi Seol-Ah put on her own armor and quickly chased after her younger brother .
They arrived at the pub .
Three people were waiting for the siblings .
“You couldn’t bring anyone?”
“No, everyone was busy . ”
Sergei Romanchev furrowed his brows . He seemed nervous like something happened in the meanwhile .
“Shit, I was betting on you guys…”
“We’ll work hard . You can use us as porters if you’d like . ”
“Our team doesn’t need porters . We’re busy feeding our own mouths…”
“You don’t have to give us a share either . Just let us follow you around . ”
“Huh? Aren’t you guys from Valhalla? I don’t want any problems later . ”
The burly man looked back at his companions with a dumbfounded expression .
“…Why don’t we just bring them along?”
The scrawny man fiddling with a dagger gave his opinion .
“We discussed it before, didn’t we? That we should go by ourselves if we can’t recruit a High Ranker . They’re Level 3s, so they should at least carry their own weight . Plus…”
Trailing off, the scrawny man carefully scanned his surroundings .
Sergei Romanchev spat on the floor .
“Damn it, I shouldn’t have brought it up before . ”
“That was your fault for being careless . It’s not these kids’ fault . ”
“I know . ”
“Anyway, it’s not like they’re asking for a share of the loot . It looks like other teams have caught on and are on the move . Shouldn’t we get going as quickly as possible?”
Sergei Romanchev repeatedly squeezed and opened his hand at his companion’s urging .
He stared at the brother and sister pair, who clearly looked like newbies and then slicked his hair back .
“Fine . You said it . That you don’t need a share of the loot . You better not go back on your words . ”
“Of course . ”
“We don’t care that you’re from Valhalla . If we decide you’re a hindrance to our expedition, we’re going to leave you behind on the spot . If you still want to go, come to the eastern gate by six . ”
“I already have all my stuff . You just have to give me your stuff . ”
“Hah, you sound like a High Ranker . Here . ”
The burly man snorted and looked back at Yi Seol-Ah .
“You coming too? You should leave now if you’re not coming . ”
“Y-Yes? Ah, I’ll come . ”
Yi Seol-Ah agreed without realizing it and looked back at her younger brother .
Yi Sungjin was slinging a backpack over his shoulder with an expressionless face .
Soon, Sergei Romanchev got up grumbling .
The pub owner, who was wiping down a cup with a cloth, stole a glance at the five people leaving the pub .
*
It wasn’t until five days later that the pub owner saw the five people again .
Four people followed after a burly man covered in a cloud of dust .
“Owner, bring us some drinks and meat!”
“Hey, isn’t Sungjin a minor?”
“Who cares? This is Paradise . Plus, it’s totally fine for high schoolers to drink alcohol! Heck, I did it when I was in middle school!”
Seeing how they were laughing and giggling to themselves, their expedition seemed to have been a success .
As the owner brought them food and alcohol, he noticed that the atmosphere was mostly good .
Of course, when something was mostly good, that naturally meant that some part was bad .
While the Warrior and the Assassin were smiling at the teenage boy, the female Archer had her mouth shut and the teenage girl seemed anxious .
“Now, now, let’s all drink . Sungjin! You have a cup too . ”
“No, I’m fine—”
“Come on . You don’t want a drink I’m offering? This hyung will give you this as well, so cheer up . ”
Sergei Romanchev cut the juiciest bit of the meat and put it on Yi Sungjin’s plate . He had a completely different attitude than five days ago .
“Tonight’s tab is on me . You can order to your heart’s content!”
He even sat down next to Yi Sungjin and put his arm around his shoulder .
“Do forgive this hyung for ignoring you at first . I was overly sensitive at the time in fear of someone snatching our chance . Who would have thought someone with no experience would perform so well?”
“You sure got that right . You would have died if it wasn’t for Sungjin . ”
The scrawny black man said with a chuckle, and the burly man shivered .
“Don’t make me remember . I still get chills . You ever experience time slowing down to a crawl?”
“That’s usually what happens when you get poisoned . ”
“Anyway, I barely managed to kill the monster in front of me, but then I felt a chill run down my back . So I turned around, and lo and behold, I saw another one holding its vicious claws right in front of my eyes . I thought, Ah, this is it for me… Then boom!”
Sergei Romanchev shot up from his seat .
He picked up Yi Sungjin’s shield and then ran forward while shouting, ‘Watch out!’
“He suddenly cut in between us and pushed me back . Kyaa! I fell in love with him on the spot!”
He smacked Yi Sungjin’s back a few times while guffawing .
The pub owner smiled as he watched the teenage boy chewing on a chunk of meat with furrowed brows . From the sound of it, this youth seemed to have saved the burly man’s life .
It was then .
Ring .
“Welco…”
The pub owner paused as the sound of someone entering was heard .
“Alright, eat, eat . This is part of the expedition . What’s the fun in saying goodbye as soon as the job’s over? Merrily celebrating is vital for building a good relationship . ”
On the other hand, Sergei Romanchev sat back down and gulped down the drink in his hand .
He wiped his lips and looked at the teenage boy intently .
“Sungjin . ”
Then, he began to speak suggestively .
“Do you wanna maybe tag along with us for a while?”
“Pardon?”
“I know that you’re a member of Valhalla . But you said yourself, didn’t you? That you need experience . ”
“Ah, yes . ”
“As you know, I’m a Barbarian Warrior . ”
The burly man thumped his chest .
“I couldn’t show my real abilities because I had to protect these guys . I really felt this time that I’d be able to relax and go wild with a Guard in the team . So in other words, you and I have great synergy . ”
“I’d be happy to, but… can I?”
“Of course! If it’s you, we welcome you with open arms!”
Sergei Romanchev spread his arms out, then looked back at his companions .
“You guys don’t have any complaints, right?”
“Of course, not . This is the Guard that was trained by Paradise’s legendary trainer . He’d surely protect us well . ”
The scrawny man endorsed the idea right away . Then, he glanced at the female Archer .
“What do you think?”
“…Hm, it’s not a bad idea . ”
The female Archer tilted her chin back while breathing through her nose .
“But, there’s a catch . ”
“Catch?”
“Yep . I’m fine with him . I agree that having a Guard is nice . But next time, make him come alone . ”
The female Archer pointed at Yi Seol-Ah .
“Don’t bring her along . ”
The atmosphere instantly turned heavy .
Yi Seol-Ah shut her eyes .
She foresaw this coming for a while now . Unlike her brother, she received a poor evaluation in this exploration .
Sergei Romanchev looked back and forth between the two siblings before speaking with a troubled voice .
“Mm… but they’re siblings . Can’t you compromise?”
“What does that have to do with anything? She has an organization behind her . Anyway, I’m not going anywhere with her . ”
The female Archer said firmly and spat out her grievances .
“She can’t even hold a lot of stuff as a porter, and she cuts in willy-nilly in the middle of fights . I mean, I wouldn’t be saying this if she did it right . There’s an unmarked one running in, so why shoot the one that the Warrior is holding back? And you even flipped shit, thinking I was the one who fired that arrow . ”
“I said I was sorry . I didn’t know that . ”
Sergei Romanchev apologized again .
However, the female Archer was only just getting started .
“Never mind her combat ability, she doesn’t even know how to fight! So then, does she know how to feel presences or read tracks? No . Is she really a Tracker? And she just keeps asking question after question like this is kindergarten or something . I wasn’t sure if I went out to explore or to look after a child in a daycare . ”
Harsh criticism came out .
Yi Seol-Ah dropped her head in a hurry .
“S-Sorry, I’m still new to all this . ”
“Then you shouldn’t have come . Or stay quiet and pick up things on your own . Do you know how many things a header needs to look out for? Do you think they have time to be answering every little question?”
It was as the female Archer said . Every class had a role in an expedition .
A Warrior’s job was simple — serving as a meatshield in most situations, but an Archer’s job was much more complex .
This was especially so for a header .
Yi Seol-Ah did not do a single thing right .
Although she went on a few expeditions before as a member of White Rose, back then, her teammates had purposely looked out for her .
But this time, she was met with a cold reality after setting out by herself for the first time .
In the end, she was only a promising Earthling . While her physical level increased, her attainment as an Archer was no different than when she was a Level 2 .
“I’ll be more careful from now on . ”
“No, you don’t need to come next time . It’s either you or both of you . ”
Yi Seol-Ah’s head dropped even further as the female Archer spoke resolutely .
She didn’t cry . She was used to being yelled at . It was just that she felt bitter, receiving such a different evaluation than her younger brother .
“So? What’s your answer?”
The female Archer spoke with a frown as if she hadn’t vented enough . Yi Seol-Ah’s silence seemed to be making her angrier .
“You kept blabbering Valhalla this, Valhalla that . They must not be anything special if they’re holding onto someone like y—”
The female Archer suddenly paused, her eyes widening .
It was because she felt an arm gently wrapping around her neck from behind .
“Sounds like a fun topic . ”
The face of a red-haired beauty cut in next to the female Archer’s face .
“You mind if I join?”
“W-Who are you?”
“Me? I’m Phi Sora . ”
“Phi Sora?”
The female Archer, who was about to angrily shake off the arm, froze .
Phi Sora, the old White Rose’s scumbag and the vanguard of Valhalla .
She had heard of the name .
It was the same for her companions .
Sergei Romanchev hiccuped, and the scrawny black man loosened his grip on his dagger .
Phi Sora exchanged looks with the startled Yi siblings before raising her upper body back up .
“I overheard you talking about Valhalla, you see . ”
“N-No, that’s not what I meant…”
The female Archer stammered .
“My apologies . We didn’t mean to criticize Valhalla . ”
Sergei Romanchev apologized sincerely .
“Oh, I must have misheard then . ”
Phi Sora didn’t seem to mind all that much as she glossed over the issue .
“Anyway, looks like you’re interested in one of our members . ”
“Ah, yes, he’s been a huge help . So if it’s alright…”
“Sure, you guys look like a decent team . I’d be grateful if you take him along . ”
“Haha, we should be the one to be grateful . ”
Sergei Romanchev spoke joyfully on the outside but was sighing a breath of relief on the inside .
Judging by the way Phi Sora talked, she must have been listening in on their conversation from the beginning .
“Now…”
Phi Sora’s gaze turned to Yi Seol-Ah .
“You get up . ”
“Pardon?”
“Get up, I said . I’m going to take her back, so please take good care of Sungjin . You better do well too, Sungjin . ”
The female Archer raised her gaze slightly . She looked at Yi Seol-Ah with a furtive sneer .
“Of course, of course . ”
Sergei Romanchev replied right away . He had no reason to refuse when Phi Sora was arranging the situation to his advantage .
“Follow me . ”
Phi Sora turned around .
Yi Seol-Ah hesitated before reluctantly getting up . She knew that staying and clinging on would only make her look ugly .
*
“Don’t I get even a thank you?”
Phi Sora said on the way back to Valhalla .
“I got you out of that sticky situation . I know you don’t like me, but I thought you’d at least say thanks . ”
Yi Seol-Ah stared at Phi Sora’s back with an enervated gaze .
“…How…”
“How did I know? Yi Sungjin called me . He said the expedition ended, and that he’d come back after stopping by the pub . ”
“Ah…”
“It’s hilarious, really . I specifically told you two to report to me before leaving, but you do it after it all ends? You guys must think I’m a joke . Anyway, I got tired of gritting my teeth and waiting for you two to come back, so I went to the pub . Then I watched you guys for a bit because things seemed a little unusual . ”
That was to say, she was watching from the very beginning .
What would she have felt seeing me getting yelled at? She must have laughed for sure .
A dumbstruck laugh escaped Yi Seol-Ah’s mouth .
“How did it feel?”
“?”
“Going on an expedition, I mean . It’s pretty obvious that you screwed up big, thinking it would be like the expeditions you went on when you were in White Rose . ”
Yi Seol-Ah didn’t reply .
Half of her had already given up on herself .
“You chose the wrong team, to begin with . It’s obvious that they’re a tightly-knit, family-like team . They might not be the most skilled, but they’re usually not fond of newcomers . To join a team like that, you either have to do one of two things — be able to perform a role that they cannot in their team or show exceptional ability that goes beyond having overlapping roles . ”
They arrived at Valhalla while talking . Phi Sora climbed up the stairs, entered the Team 1 office, and then sat down .
“What are you doing? Come in . ”
Yi Seol-Ah walked in quietly and sat down .
“What do you think this is?”
Phi Sora slipped a paper in front of Yi Seol-Ah .
After reading it, Yi Seol-Ah bit her lip . It was from the intelligence team, and it detailed what the siblings did after going to Team 2 .
The last line of the report politely asked that this does not happen again .
“To be honest, I’ve got a lot of things I want to say . ”
Yi Seol-Ah expected to be chewed out, but Phi Sora sounded nonchalant .
“Didn’t I tell you to let me know if you need anything? At the very least, talk to your own team leader . Why go to that bitch Oh Rahee’s team? Representative put me in this position to hold the other teams in check, yet you make me get a warning like this? Did you want to frustrate me to death?”
Phi Sora said as she put her interlocked fingers behind her head .
“But what use is there in me talking, right? I know what you think about me, so it’s not like I don’t understand . ”
Yi Seol-Ah looked at Phi Sora in a renewed way as she listened quietly .
Phi Sora seemed different than when she was in White Rose .
“You must be curious why I put you and your brother in Team 1 . ”
“…Yes . ”
“I’ll say this now . Let’s forget about the past and start over . I’m trying to look after you two to make up for what happened in the past . But I won’t do you two a favor ever again . Because I never did the two of you any wrong . ”
“… . ”
“I brought you guys into my team despite all of that because of three reasons . ”
Phi Sora raised three fingers .
“The first was because I was sorry . ”
“Eh?”
“Not to you, but to Representative Seol . Well, he was the one who asked me to be in charge of Team 1, but since I took the Archer of Steel and Valhalla’s only Priest, I judged that I should take you two to make it fair to the other teams . ”
Phi Sora folded her ring finger .
“The second was because taking you two was at least better than raising complete newbies from scratch . And the third was because Team 1’s say in Valhalla will get stronger if you two can carry your own weights in the organization . ”
“Say?”
“Don’t misunderstand . I’m not doing this for myself . As I said before, Representative Seol asked me to take on this role . I’m talking from the team’s perspective . You might be too young to understand, but the reason Representative Seol made me the leader of Team 1 was to create a force that would support and back up the main team . ”
Phi Sora lowered her hand and then crossed her arms .
“Well, I won’t make it any more complicated than it already is . All you need to know now is that you need to grow . You’re no good as things are right now . Strictly speaking, right now, Team 1 has less say in the organization than the intelligence team and has a weaker line-up than Team 2 . Though, there’s going to be another team forming session tomorrow . ”
Yi Seol-Ah tilted her head . She looked like she didn’t understand anything that Phi Sora just said .
But, she could tell that Phi Sora wasn’t trying to help her out of goodwill .
“So I want you two to at least hit Level 4 on your own… Thankfully, it looks like Sungjin’s found his path . The problem is you . ”
Phi Sora said bluntly .
“I’ll be straight with you . You understand your current position, right? That you’re just leeching off of your past connection with the representative . ”
“…Yes . ”
“Don’t you want to stop walking on eggshells every time you’re with someone? Strictly speaking, you’ve been a member even before me . You hold seniority to everyone other than the original members of Carpe Diem . Don’t you want to hold your chest up high and say, ‘I’m a founding member’!?”
Yi Seol-Ah would have said no if it was in the past .
But starting from the time she went to Team 2 to the recent expedition, she had gone through much and had grown weary .
Because of it, what Phi Sora said sounded much more enticing than it would normally have .
“…Yes . ”
And so, she quietly returned an affirmative reply .
“I don’t want to be ignored . ”
The corner of Phi Sora’s mouth curled up .
As the saying went, even a mute person would bark if driven to a corner . The girl, who sheepishly said yes every time, had finally revealed her true feelings .
“That’s only natural . Alright then, do you want to try doing what I recommend?”
“What do you want me to do?”
“First, spit it out . ”
“Huh?”
“When Little Chick first hatched, you were the only one who could understand his chirping . What did Lust Unni say when she pulled you outside to talk?”
“Ah, that…”
Yi Seol-Ah explained hesitantly .
Once Yi Seol-Ah finished, Phi Sora nodded her head . It was as if she was saying that she expected as much .
“Okay, then go to the Federation . ”
Phi Sora said flatly .
“You have the jack-of-all-trades aptitude and potential spirit affinity as well . An Archer contracted to a Spirit sounds nice . You haven’t given it any thought?”
Yi Seol-Ah was surprised . It wasn’t that she never thought about it . It was just that she gave up because there wasn’t any way around it .
“But the Federation—”
“It might have been a hopeless proposition in the past, but now it’s different . ”
Phi Sora put her hand on the communication crystal on her desk .
“Mister Ghio? It’s me . Yes, come to the office . ”
Soon, Marcel Ghionea opened the door and walked in .
“I’m sorry to call you before you leave, but I need you to help me with something . ”
“Go ahead . ”
“Can you take Seol-Ah and go to the Federation?”
“The Federation…?”
“To Tigol Fortress, I mean . Seol-Ah says she has a spirit affinity . Maybe you’ve guessed as much already, Ghio . ”
Marcel Ghionea nodded .
“It’s Ghionea . Anyway, I did think it was strange that she could understand Little Chick’s chirping . ”
“Great, looks like we’re on the same page . I’ll contact the Eva Royal Palace and tell them to let the Federation know, so help her contract a Spirit . I can go too, but I think it would be better if you go . ”
“That makes sense . Can I set out today?”
“Sure . ”
“Got it . ”
Marcel Ghionea turned back . Then, he spoke to Yi Seol-Ah, who was dazedly sitting on her seat .
“Get ready and come out . ”
*
That night .
Yi Seol-Ah left Eva with Marcel Ghionea .
To Tigol Fortress .
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