Chapter 85

“Wow… bro, the vibe here is nice. Is it because it’s a professional restaurant?”

“Well, it’s a bit pricey, so it’s only natural.”

“Aha.”

Hyeon-jin, who was visiting such a restaurant for the first time, seemed curious, looking around with his eyes darting back and forth.

“…Hey, don’t react like a country bumpkin. You’re acting like someone who just came up from the countryside.”

“Come on, can’t I look around a bit? Isn’t this your first time here too, noona?”

While Hyeon-jin and Kang I-seo were chatting, Seo Yoo-ju opened her mouth.

“Let’s sit down first. Everyone, please take a seat wherever you’re comfortable.”

Except for Lee Jae-hyo and a few administrative staff left at the Clan House, everyone had gathered.

“Um… but what’s the reason we’re all gathered here today…?”

“Ah, there’s no special reason, In-woo. It’s just that everyone’s been so busy lately, right? I thought it’d be nice to have a meal together and take a break.”

“I see.”

“Originally, it would’ve been nice if Jae-hyo could join us, but… we need some key personnel to stay at the Clan House… He told us not to worry about him and to enjoy ourselves.”

‘Damn, I feel kinda bad…’

If you were to pick the busiest person among the clan members lately, it would undoubtedly be Lee Jae-hyo. As one of Eternity’s founding members and with his experience on the continent, it’s only natural that Jae-hyo is swamped with work.

“Jae-hyo must be going through a lot.”

“Yes, Yoon Seong. I think it’d be good to pack some food for him when we head back.”

“That’s a good idea, Yoo-ju.”

Of course, it’s the least we can do to show some consideration for Jae-hyo, who’s working harder than any of us. It’s only right to take care of someone as talented as him.

‘…Honestly, where else would you find someone like him?’

Despite his experience and abilities, Jae-hyo isn’t greedy.

He’s not arrogant, and he doesn’t dismiss our opinions just because we’re newbies. He’s practically the epitome of a decent human being.

He has no lust for power and acknowledges and accepts others’ abilities. In fact, Jae-hyo even handed over the Clan Master position to Seo Yoo-ju and, although I was just a regular clan member, he let me get heavily involved in important clan matters while keeping an eye on me.

From what I could tell, at that time, Jae-hyo wasn’t so much acknowledging me as he was gauging whether I could handle the clan’s important tasks.

After seeing the success of the expedition, the sale of rare items, the recruitment of the PR team, and the alliance with the Myth Clan, he began to acknowledge me, which shows he’s open-minded.

Now I understand why Gu Yeon-jeong trusted him so much.

‘I should do something extra for him later.’

It’s unlikely, but if Jae-hyo ever decided to leave the clan, I’d have to grab onto his coattails to stop him. Considering the amount of work he handles, if he were gone, I’d be the one getting worked to the bone.

“Ah, Yoon Seong oppa. Speaking of which, where do you think our clan stands now? We used to be one of the top three clans, but… after falling, we’ve regained quite a bit of reputation.”

At Yoo-rim’s question, the clan members’ attention focused.

‘Eternity’s position, huh…’

Honestly, it’s not even something to ponder. With Seo Yoo-ju, who’s far from a beginner, the Sword Monarch, and Jae-hyo’s presence, along with the talented newcomers and substantial financial resources…

“We do have the drawback of lacking numbers, but… I’d say we’re on par with a mid-tier clan? And of course, we’re below the large clans. But that’s just my opinion.”

“Wow… that much?”

“Hmm… Yoo-ju alone has already surpassed beginner-level military power, and Jae-hyo or Ho-yeon could easily lead a clan. Plus, our finances are stable now, and we’ve formed an alliance with the Myth Clan…”

Honestly, our clan members might not realize it because we’ve been on such a smooth path, but Jae-hyo and the Sword Monarch are incredibly valuable assets.

Jae-hyo could easily serve as a master or vice-master of a large clan, and considering the Sword Monarch’s growth isn’t complete yet, once he fully matures, he’ll likely possess military power comparable to the top three clan masters.

“Yoon Seong is right, Yoo-rim. It’s true that Eternity fell from the top three clans, but with the success of the expedition, our financial strength, and most importantly, former Clan Master Gu Yeon-jeong and the Myth Clan’s master aside, Jae-hyo is undeniably one of the top players on this continent. Especially since we’ve also recruited Ho-yeon, our standing is better than most mid-tier clans.”

As Seo Yoo-ju finished speaking, Song In-woo seemed to have something to add.

“That’s correct. Um… I don’t mean to disregard any of you, but many of you haven’t even been here for a year, so it’s understandable. In Eras, when you mention Eternity Clan’s Lee Jae-hyo, most people have heard of him. He’s a well-known name, a famous player. Particularly, Jae-hyo is widely recognized as a player who rose to the top ranks as a spearman, a common class.”

In Eras, having a special class carries significant weight.

Given that most top-tier players possess special classes, the fact that Jae-hyo, with just the common spearman class, advanced to a high-level spearman and made a name for himself among the top players proves he’s an incredibly hard worker.

“Moreover… as far as I know, even after Eternity Clan’s downfall, Jae-hyo didn’t leave the clan… If he ever decided to join another clan, any clan would welcome him with open arms.”

“…..”

“And the Sword Monarch, Wi Ho-yeon, is also a top-tier player. Honestly, I was quite surprised when she joined Eternity Clan. Not just me, but many were shocked that we managed to recruit the Sword Monarch.”

As Song In-woo said, Jae-hyo could have easily transferred to another clan but chose not to. It’s a testament to how attached he is to Eternity Clan.

“Uh… In-woo hyung. So, does that mean our clan is gradually returning to its former glory…?”



“Are we not on our way to finding our place?”

“That’s right. Of course, we’re still far from the top three clans, but it’s true that we’re gradually regaining our former glory.”

As Song In-woo finished speaking, the ordered dishes began to arrive.

“Alright, let’s all eat first and then talk. We should eat before the food gets cold.”

“Wow… this is delicious. There’s a reason why expensive places are expensive.”

“…Hey, Kang I-seo. Eat a bit slower. No one’s going to steal it from you.”

“Ah, what’s with the fuss over eating now? It’s fine!”

“Ugh… it’s not like there’s a beggar in your stomach…”

“Hey, by the way, you do remember, right?”

“What?”

“Did you forget? We agreed to treat each other to a meal once.”

“Ah…”

Kang I-seo’s words reminded me of the forgotten promise.

“Now that you mention it, I suddenly feel like I should treat you to something really expensive.”

‘Oh no…’

For some reason, I felt nervous that Kang I-seo might suggest going to a ridiculously expensive place.

“Wait a minute, Yoon Seong. You said you were going to treat Lee Seo to a meal?”

As soon as Kang I-seo spoke, Yoo Ju immediately questioned me.

‘Damn it…’

It felt like getting caught cheating, even though Yoo Ju and I aren’t in a relationship. The situation was just awkward.

“It’s just a simple meal promise…”

“A simple meal promise? Just the two of you?”

Before I could answer Yoo Ju’s probing, Kang I-seo blurted out.

“Wait a minute. Whether Jae and I have a meal promise or not, it’s none of Yoo Ju’s business, right?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, it’s weird that Yoo Ju is reacting like this just because Jae and I have a meal promise.”

“Well, what’s wrong with that? As the Clan Master, I can just ask, right?”

“Ha… what… you should make sense. What’s the reason? It’s just about getting a meal.”

“Well…”

“And as far as I know, Yoo Ju also had a meal gathering, right? You even came back to the Clan House drunk and had to be helped back.”

“Ah… that, that was…”

Before the conversation could go further off track, Ho-won spoke up.

“Ahem… by the way… can I ask about the clan’s upcoming schedule?”

“Ah, yes… um… this might be sudden, but have you heard rumors about a new type of drug being circulated in a city called Silan, which is a bit far from here?”

“Drugs?”

“Yes, unlike the Eastern Alliance, Baronia, a neutral country, is famous for strictly prohibiting drug circulation. But recently, rumors have started spreading that drugs are being circulated.”

‘Suddenly talking about drugs…’

I was momentarily taken aback by the sudden mention of drugs, but when I thought about it, it’s not like there couldn’t be drugs in Eras. Where there are people, there are similar issues.

“I see…”

“Not long ago, the Baronia Kingdom sent out requests to several clans. Of course, it’s not a mandatory request, but they promised a big reward if anyone catches the distributors.”

“Ah… so there’s no obligation to complete the request?”

“Yes, that’s right. So most clans who received the request aren’t paying much attention to it. The royal palace didn’t have high expectations when they sent out the requests either. They’re probably conducting their own investigation.”

“…So, Yoo Ju, are you thinking of taking on this request?”

“Yes.”

‘…Does she know who the distributor is?’

It seemed like Yoo Ju knew the identity of the distributor. Otherwise, there would be no reason to take on a request related to drugs.

“Um… Yoo Ju unnie. Isn’t a request related to drugs dangerous?”

“It is. That’s why I plan to select specific members to handle it.”

‘That’s a good idea.’

Naturally, since it involves drugs, there’s a chance of clashing with underworld forces. It’s better to have only those who can handle themselves or have military power to perform the task rather than dragging the entire clan into it.

‘Honestly, it seems like a dangerous request for our clan to take on…’

Given that Eternity is mostly made up of inexperienced members, it’s better to avoid such missions. But since Yoo Ju is a Returner, we trust and follow her.

‘And… since it’s a request directly from the royal palace, completing it could create connections with the king or at least the higher-ups in the country.’

In other words, while there are significant risks, the potential rewards are substantial. For our clan, which doesn’t have connections with the royal palace, this is a tempting reward.

Sure enough, Yoo Ju began explaining this point.

“Some of you might be wondering why I want to take on this request. The first reason is the reward directly from the royal palace, and the second reason is that it’s a good opportunity to build connections with the royal palace.”

Looking around, everyone seemed to understand Yoo Ju’s explanation.

“Yoo Ju, how do you plan to select the members?”

“I’ve thought about it separately… but let’s eat first. We’ve talked too much about work during the meal.”

“Ah, right. The food will get cold. Let’s all eat.”

As we ate, my thoughts deepened.

‘Drugs, huh…’