Chapter 61

So, it seems Song In-woo put quite a bit of effort into promoting the clan and recruiting, and while they weren’t top-tier talents, a few people started joining the administrative team.

Of course, it’s only natural that I had a hand in this too.

Because, you know, I can see other people’s status windows.

In the end, we recruited the administrative team through an interview process, and I personally conducted the final interviews to select the members.

“Phew… I think I can finally breathe now.”

Naturally, with more people hired, my workload decreased. Lately, it hasn’t been as hectic as before.

The hiring costs were covered by a large amount of gold that Yoo Ju somehow managed to get her hands on, along with the clan’s funds.

“Definitely… having a Returner around makes things so much easier.”

I don’t know how she does it, but whenever the clan needs something, Yoo Ju always manages to get it.

And there’s another reason I’ve been able to catch a break lately.

Wi Ho-yeon seems to be quite skilled in administrative tasks. While not as fast as me, she definitely handles things quicker than Yoo Ju or Ho-won.

“You’re quite capable.”

“…Is there something you need?”

“…No, it’s just that you seem very familiar with the work.”

I accidentally let my thoughts slip out loud. Thankfully, I spoke softly, so she didn’t catch it properly.

“Thank you, Lee Yun-seong. By the way, feel free to speak casually. You don’t need to use formal language with me.”

“…I prefer using formal language. Casual speech is a bit…”

“If formal language is more comfortable for you, then… understood.”

‘She’s so stiff.’

I’m not exactly the most laid-back person either, but this woman takes it to another level.

‘Sigh… being called “Lee Yun-seong-nim” is so awkward it’s killing me.’

Even though we’re both regular clan members, the extreme formality from Wi Ho-yeon is making me uncomfortable to the point of madness.

I decided to ask her something I was curious about.

“Wi Ho-yeon… how did you end up joining our clan?”

From what I had investigated, Song In-woo wasn’t widely known on this continent, but she was different.

Wi Ho-yeon was a famous player known as the “Sword Monarch” among players. In fact, her joining our clan had become a hot topic in Baronia.

I wondered why such a famous player would join a declining clan like Eternity instead of other well-established clans.

“The Clan Master offered me a recruitment proposal.”

“Hmm… what I mean is, our clan is already on the decline, isn’t it?”

“…..”

“You could have easily joined other good clans, so I’m curious why you chose ours.”

“…I owe a debt of gratitude to the Clan Master.”

‘A debt of gratitude… Did Yoo Ju help Wi Ho-yeon in some way?’

Given that Wi Ho-yeon was likely Yoo Ju’s ally in the first round, it seems Yoo Ju must have done something for her.

“I see. If you don’t mind me asking, are you from the Eastern Alliance?”

“…Yes. I’m currently staying in Baronia, but… I am from the Eastern Alliance.”

From her title, I had a feeling she might be from the Eastern Alliance, and my guess was correct.

“So, did you recently move from the Eastern Alliance to Baronia?”

“No. Although I’m from the Eastern Alliance, I’ve been in Baronia for a few months now.”

Come to think of it, it wouldn’t make sense for Yoo Ju to have traveled to the Eastern Alliance and back in just two weeks.

“I see. I apologize if my questions made you uncomfortable. Thank you for answering.”

“Not at all. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.”

‘…This is weird. It’s not like she’s some subordinate who does whatever she’s told… What kind of help did Yoo Ju give her to make her attitude so humble?’

I wanted to ask for more details, but it felt too intrusive, so I held back. My gut told me it wasn’t a pleasant story.

“Anyway, there’s not much work left, and it’s dinner time. How about we grab a meal together?”

“…Alright.”

There’s no better place to get to know each other and build camaraderie than over a meal.

As Wi Ho-yeon and I headed to the clan dining hall, we ran into Yoo Ju and Song In-woo, who were also about to eat.

“Ah! Yun-seong, Ho-yeon. Are you here for dinner?”

“Yes, Yoo Ju. There’s not much work left, and I was feeling a bit hungry…”

“Then let’s eat together. In-woo and I were just about to have dinner too.”

Since Song In-woo hadn’t been in the clan for long, Yoo Ju seemed to be taking him around and teaching him about the clan.

I sat down at the table and struck up a conversation with Song In-woo.

“So, how are you finding life in the clan, In-woo?”

“Ah… yes. Haha… thankfully, the Clan Master has been teaching me a lot, so I’m doing well.”

“That’s good to hear. If there’s anything uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to let us know.”

“No, not at all. I feel like I’m being treated more than well enough.”

I hadn’t fully figured out Song In-woo yet, but he seemed like a decent person.

‘Of course, his timid personality can make conversations a bit frustrating at times…’

But overall, he doesn’t seem greedy, and he has good judgment.

From the perspective of Wi Ho-yeon and Song In-woo, we’re the newbies, and they’re the veterans on this continent. Even though Yoo Ju is temporarily acting as the Clan Master, they don’t show any signs of dissatisfaction or mockery.

‘I like them.’

Since Yoo Ju brought them in without consulting me, I was worried there might be issues, but thankfully, they seem like good people.

In fact, the positive evaluations of Song In-woo and Wi Ho-yeon within the clan are proof that they’re decent individuals.

I decided to ask Song In-woo something I was curious about.

“Hmm… this might be a bit intrusive, but how did you end up joining our clan?”

“Ah, well…”

“If it’s uncomfortable to talk about, you don’t have to. It’s just curiosity.”

“No, it’s fine… I was just thinking about how to phrase it. It’s not a big deal, really…”

“….”

“I was running a small potion shop in a city called Tslora. But things weren’t going so well…”

“Like most alchemists, I was in a situation where I earned just enough to get by day by day.”

“Hmm… I see.”

“While living like that, the Clan Master came to recruit me, and that’s how it all started. Actually… I refused at first. It felt like too much of an honor for someone like me…”

“…..”

“But after the Clan Master came to see me multiple times and acknowledged my worth, I accepted the offer.”

“So that’s how it happened. I understand.”

“Yes… Haha… Honestly, I still can’t believe it. It feels like luck suddenly came my way… Even though I don’t think I deserve such treatment, the conditions were just too good…”

“…You’re undervaluing yourself too much. The fact that Yoo Ju recruited you means you have something valuable to offer. There’s no need to put yourself down so much.”

Perhaps moved by my words, Song In-woo kept his lips tightly shut for a while before answering in a trembling voice.

“….Thank you.”

Seo Yoo-ju was looking at us with a warm smile.

Wi Ho-yeon, who had been sitting quietly beside me and listening to the conversation, finally spoke up.

“….Yun-seong, you’re quite skilled at conversation.”

“I don’t know what to say when you compliment me like that. Haha… By the way, Ho-yeon and In-woo, have you two known each other for a while?”

Just a simple curiosity. Since Seo Yoo-ju brought both of them together, it was a natural assumption.

Wi Ho-yeon answered my question.

“No. I just met Song In-woo for the first time this time.”

“Ah… I see. Since Yoo-ju recruited both of you, I thought you two might have known each other.”

“Hahaha… I can see why you’d think that. But Ho-yeon and I are meeting for the first time.”

‘Well… It doesn’t seem like their personalities would mesh well anyway…’

Anyway, with my curiosity satisfied and having broken the ice with both of them, I turned to Seo Yoo-ju. With the team somewhat assembled, I was curious about the future plans.

“Yoo-ju. Can I hear what you’re planning to do next?”

“Ah… I’m thinking of going on an expedition soon.”

“An expedition… So, like last time, are you planning to buy a dungeon to explore?”

“No. We’re planning to find a dungeon on our own.”

‘So, she’s thinking of moving the clan as a Returner.’

She probably plans to head to dungeons she knew from her first run. She must know about many dungeons that haven’t been discovered yet.

The Eternity Clan is already the center of attention. Having fallen from one of the top three clans to a small clan, and then recruiting the Sword Monarch has caused quite a stir.

‘If this expedition is successful, the clan’s standing will skyrocket.’

Expeditions are high risk, high return. Succeed, and you gain a lot; fail, and you lose a lot. But with Seo Yoo-ju in our clan, the risk of failure is practically nonexistent.

‘Yoo-ju, I’m counting on you.’

I just need to trust Seo Yoo-ju.

“Hmm… How do you usually find dungeons?”

“Mostly by exploring uncharted territories and stumbling upon dungeons.”

“Uncharted territories, you say?”

“Yes. While most lands have been explored by players, there are still many uncharted areas left. Usually, these areas have undiscovered dungeons or monsters…”

‘Uncharted territories…’

“Many of the dungeons that clans have conquered were initially uncharted territories. It varies by country, but in neutral countries like Baronia, there are still plenty of uncharted areas left. That’s good for us.”

“If it varies by country…”

This time, Song In-woo answered.

“Hmm… I’ve heard that the Eastern Alliance is saturated.”

“Saturated, you say?”

“Yes, there are almost no uncharted territories left. Players there don’t have enough dungeons to conquer anymore.”

“Then, doesn’t that mean players can’t grow anymore?”

“Exactly. It’s not that they can’t grow at all, but most of the ways to grow have disappeared.”

‘Isn’t that pretty serious?’

If what Song In-woo says is true, players in the Eastern Alliance have almost no means to acquire new equipment or gain experience.

In other words, their path to growth is blocked.

‘It seems like the current chaos in the Eastern Alliance is related to this.’

It’s highly likely. If it’s saturated, even if new players join, there’s no way to help them grow.

As I fell silent, Wi Ho-yeon spoke up.

“Actually, in the Eastern Alliance, because of that situation, there have been numerous problems like purges, civil wars, and new players not being protected. Of course, it’s not the only reason, but…”

“Hmm… Is there a chance Baronia could end up like that later?”

If Baronia follows the same path as the Eastern Alliance, we’d need to prepare in advance.

Fortunately, Seo Yoo-ju’s answer reassured me.

“No, Yoon-seong. I don’t think Baronia will end up like that.”

“Can you tell me why?”

“Hmm… The country’s situation is quite different, and the Eastern Alliance’s problems are largely due to the poor mental state of its players and their entanglement with outlaws.”

“I see.”

“Yes. So there’s no need to worry.”

That’s a relief. If such a situation were to arise, it would be too much to handle with just personal strength or wisdom.