Don’t Yield
“Then, I’ll see you at the meeting. Kiyoung oppa, Hayan-ssi.”
I felt a slight resentment towards Lee Jihye for leaving in such a heavy atmosphere. Jung Hayan didn’t look all that good.
Fortunately, she didn’t seem like she was in the mood to kill anyone, but the look of defeat on her face didn’t seem like it would go away anytime soon.
“The trimming’s c-crooked, oppa…”
‘It’s not crooked.’
“Ah… I think it’s fine.”
“No. It’s crooked. 1-I’ll fix it.”
“Ah… Yeah… Thank you, Hayan.”
She had just now realized the difference between Lee Jihye and herself.
Unlike she, who had come just to show off how she looked, Lee Jihye had made sure to take care of me, so she must be feeling inferior.
Of course, I was not a child, and I didn’t find any reason for women to act as pure housewives.
If Kim Hyunsung were the one to stand on the podium today, it would have been me who’d be fussing over him to make sure he looked good. I certainly wouldn’t put makeup on him, but I would definitely make sure he had on the right clothes and the correct disposition.
As she the representative agent among the representatives, Lee Jihye’s behavior was quite normal. The problem was Jung Hayan, who had no choice but to accept all of this. Lee Jihye’s snide remarks all throughout must have gotten to her.
‘Because it’s true…’
At this point, she’d forgotten all about Lee Jihye saving my life, for the nervousness was evident on her face.=
“T-there’s some dust here.”
“Ah. Thank you, Hayan.”
“There is something on your head, o-oppa…”
Perhaps she was more affected than I thought, as she continued to smother me. Seeing her tear-filled eyes, I felt a sense of discomfort, as I knew she was on the verge of crying.
Jung Hayan was blaming herself. It shouldn’t have been Lee Jihye who could take care of me, but her, who came from the same guild as I did. I personally would prefer Jihye handling things over her, but I, of course, wouldn’t tell her that.
“I’ve been b-busy since morning. I was also preparing… I would take care of you if I had the time. Because of what you told me to do, I f-forgot…”
‘It’s okay. You don’t have to explain, Hayan…’
“No. It’s okay. I can see how hard you’ve worked. Seeing how pretty you look makes me happy too.”
If Jung Hayan knew everything that Lee Jihye had handled, she would bow her head in shame.
Unlike Jung Hayan, who only ran a very simple errand, Lee Jihye was not only manipulating the masses in Lindel, manipulating the media, and managing a personal network within the castle, she was also defending me.
However, what I wanted from Jung Hayan was not Lee Jihye’s role.
Each one of them had their own role to do.
“Jung Hayan is doing well. You don’t have to worry about too many things.”
She only needed to be patient as she was now, and to grow up as she had done so until now.
This was not yet the stage for the out-of-standard great mage.
“O-oppa…”
‘This is the stage for my soulmate and !
As I snuck outside, I saw Victor Hart and some of his knights, whom I had recently met. They were my guards for the day, to protect me from any potential killer.
“Hello, Victor Hart.”
“You’re a little late, young man.”
“Thank you for taking care of all this.”
“I thought it wasn’t dangerous enough to call out this resting old man… You’re more chicken-hearted than I thought.”
“There is nothing wrong with being careful.”
“Hee-ra said she would be waiting at the entrance. Then, will you go slowly?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I’m just asking just in case…”
“I understand.”
“A citizen of Celia has been killed, after all.”
“Of course not, Victor Hart. I am only a victim of murder threats. Juliana was just doing something her job to protect me.”
“Right.”
“Aren’t you familiar too, Victor Hart? It is only because Ito Souta is collaborating with the Pope’s side and putting pressure on us by accusing me of being a suspect. Everything has been a calculated move. It would be retaliation from when we, the Blue, announced that the Yamato Guild was the main culprit in the Lindel terrorist incident. He is either trying to assassinate me or show me off as a murderer to conceal the truth.”
“Is that it?”
“Yes. Isn’t it a little more intriguing that he couldn’t stop Juliana in the first place? What do you think, Victor Hart?”
“I don’t know what you’re asking, exactly.”
“If we assume that my sword was hurting someone around here, would Victor Hart be able to block it?”
“Ito Souta also has the ability to stop Juliana. Most of the invited guests here are probably able to stop Juliana. It is not true that I killed him on purpose.”
“But, you’ve been labeled a suspect.”
“That’s because the world doesn’t necessarily work with the truth. This is already not a simple murder case. It has become a little more political. Political battles within the Holy Empire were divided into the Emperor’s and the Pope’s. It’s a fight for interests that has spread to Lindel and Celia.”
“So that’s why they’ve spread strange rumors over in Lindel.”
I knew he was an armed man, but it seemed he had a logical mindset, too. I had to hold my breath, seeing him in such a bad mood.
“I’ve seen a lot of young people like you. The ones with snake tongues.”
And that’s why I don’t like quick-witted old men like you.’
As an old man who had gone through with all kinds of things, he was not just an ordinary fighter. This was a man who hadn’t aged for nothing.
Before I could organize my thoughts, he spoke once more.
“Usually, those kinds of people have sacrificed countless people to protect their own peace of mind, and they always don’t end well. They destroy the people around them, as well as themselves in the end.”
“What are you talking about…?”
“Tut-tut. Don’t pretend like you don’t know. I’ve heard a lot of things. Aren’t all of the provocations against Celia taking place at Linde all your doing?”
The old man’s eyes appraising me quietly were making me nervous.
Even if I kept playing innocent, I felt like there will be no results. I had no choice but to answer.
“About half is correct.”
“I don’t know why you don’t like this, but it was an unavoidable choice for me. If I must exaggerate a little, I wouldn’t be attending this meeting in Lindel; instead, I would have been in court. Being caught up in Ito Souta’s and Pope’s traps, I don’t know much, but I know I would suffer a lot of damage.”
“You wouldn’t die.”
“Of course, because I am a lover that the Mercenary Queen cares about, and I am a client of the Yozora Guild’s Shaman. But what do you think? If I were an ordinary person who didn’t have any connections, are you sure I wouldn’t get my throat cut in this situation?”
“Well…”
“It would be difficult. A concession is a word suitable for people like you. Let’s suppose I gave them a hundred concessions to minimize conflict. I mean to say, old man, that I’m only human. It’s so simple that if the favor continues, they’ll think it’s a right. Then you’ll have to yield, and if you yield this time, chances are you’ll have to yield the next.”
“Among the many free people, do you know why I can talk to you here in less than a year after coming from the tutorial dungeon? How could an idiot with no talent or special talent be here? It is not because I’m the one that mercenary queen loves. It’s not because I’m the shaman’s client.”
“It’s because I didn’t yield; thus, I’ve reached this point.”
“Tut…”
“Because I didn’t yield, I’m being protected by the best-unmanned man in the Holy Empire. Because I didn’t yield, I can be in a party venue and not in the courtroom, and because I didn’t yield, I’m still alive. Special people will not understand. Those who stand in a position that can concede don’t understand guys like me.”
“That’s a unique way to think.”
“Anyone can think like this. The answer comes when you think about why the Emperor of the Holy Empire gets conscious of the Pope’s side. You’ve probably been making concessions for centuries. It’s because you kept yielding that it has become this way. Humans or groups who avoid conflict cannot speak out. I can understand you. Of course, I understand your love for the empire. But that’s possible because you are in a position of power. There are so many guys like me in the world – those who ravenously eat the ones that yield and the ones who have fallen to the ground. In extreme terms, it’s like you raised them.”
“That’s sophistry. All you say is sophistry.”
“I hear that often. Still, there must be something you agree with. If I had swung my sword, had I coveted what was mine without conceding, what would’ve happened?”
“There must have been a fight and a quarrel. There must have been a lot of blood on my hands, and I must have lived a life stained with regret because of
it.”
“Instead, the Emperor and his descendants, whom you love, would have lived a happy life. Of course, I understand that harmony is important. I am not telling you to defeat the Pope’s side right away. They are already part of this Holy Empire. Still, to protect your rights, you must not yield.”
“I am not trying to start a war. I just choose not to give in to their own selfish desires.”
“If…”
“Yes?”
“What would you do if the ones you were talking about also don’t yield?”
“I don’t know. I want to avoid war, too. One thing I can tell you for sure is that I don’t mean to cause conflict. Stepping aside is something the other person should do. I threw the card, and whether to take it or avoid it is in their hands.”
“If they do not avoid it…”
“I told you, I already threw it.”
“You’re scarier than I thought… And also excellent… I can see why Hee-ra likes you.”
“I will take that as a compliment, old man.”
“Tut. Do you even like Heera?”
‘Subtlety is not your strong suit, Victor.’
As we continued to walk, Jung Hayan stared up at me, almost as if waiting for my answer. Of course, there wasn’t a right answer for this, but I had long since prepared an answer for such a situation.
“About half.”
“That’s a relief.”
“It looks like you care about her a lot.”
“Of course. It may sound funny, but Hee-ra is like a daughter to me.”
I didn’t answer after that. I saw Cha Hee-ra waiting once we arrived at the entrance hall. Her figure had been clad up in a red dress, alongside her red hair and bright, red lips.
“Victor, honey, what did you two talk about?”
“Nothing much.”
“I’m happy to see the two people I like arriving side by side. Secondly… You look a little pretty. You’ll make a good impression wherever you go. What do you think, honey? It’s been a while since I wore something like this. Do I look good?”
It wasn’t about looking good or not.
I could see the numerous wounds that the revealing dress exposed, the wounds that showed the struggles Cha Hee-ra had faced. Although we chose different paths, I could see that she had lived a life similar to mine.
Until she got to her current position, she never looked back.
Cha Heera was fire – a blazing, unquenchable fire. She wore a confident expression and an unrelenting attitude, unashamed to show off the wounds on her body.
“You look beautiful.”
Upon hearing my words, Cha Hee-ra’s face turned red, and Jung Hayan’s hand squeezed mine painfully.
And then…
“Guild Master Mercenary Queen Cha Hee-ra of the Red Mercenary Guild and Victor Hart-nim, Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights. Lee Kiyoung of the Blue Guild and Jung Hayan, also of the Blue Guild, are entering.”
I heard a booming voice announcing our entry.