Memorize

"Humans living in this Hall Plain can be broadly categorized into two groups. First, there are the residents who originally lived in the Hall Plain. Then there are the players who came through the angels. However, it's a misconception to think that all players are the same."

"Are you saying they aren't the same players?"

At Han-Byeol's question, Hyun-Woo nodded.

"There are players who are trying to return to Earth, and there are those who have settled down and are living in the Hall Plain. In other words, they are people who have transitioned into residents of the Hall Plain. Well… calling it a transition sounds a bit strange. To put it simply, they are people who refuse to return to Earth."

He seemed to be getting thirsty, swallowing once before continuing. I was becoming increasingly eager to hear what he would say next.

"The members of the Golden Lion Clan, just like you all, probably share the same desire to return to Earth. We are all actively working hard to gather clues for our return. However, players who have settled in the Hall Plain are different. They want to live in the Hall Plain forever."

"Then why not just leave those people alone and gather together the players who want to return?"

That was a reasonable argument, but unfortunately, reality isn't that simple. Hyun-Woo shook his head at Han-Byeol's counterpoint.

"Reality cannot be so easily categorized. The Hall Plain is not a game. It is a very real reality and world. Various interests are intricately intertwined, and that leads to conflicts. They are doing their utmost to sabotage our plans so that we cannot find a way back to Earth."

Is he referring to the vagrants? For example, there is a clan called the Murder Brigade. Although it hasn't been officially established yet, it's one of the representative clans formed by the players Hyun-Woo mentioned. With around ten members, it consists of a group of psychos who derive pleasure from killing people. I remembered that their establishment would likely occur after the upcoming First Alliance War.

As a side note, their end was quite intense. When the Northern Continent crossed the Iron Mountain Range and entered Atlanta (although calling it an entry might not be entirely accurate), they continued their activities but accidentally touched one of the players from the Crimson Canine Clan, which owns the major city. Furious under the leadership of Wu Jung-Min and Seon Wu-Yun, they were all exterminated without a single survivor.

"They don't hesitate to kill fellow players if it serves their purpose. Of course, there are many players who quietly settle down in the Hall Plain, but there are also dangerous factions like that."

A heavy silence descended over the plaza. For most, they had likely thought of humans as allies, never considering that they could also become enemies. There might be players like Park Dong-Gul, who wore a disinterested expression, but those who had already experienced killing or had reasons to do so for some rite of passage…

"Right now, they are operating in the shadows to avoid detection. However, their power cannot be underestimated. They are always looking for any opportunity to strike when they can. The player who asked the question is inquiring about the true purpose of the Academy, correct? Here is our answer."

He stared intensely at Han-Byeol for a moment before continuing.

"New players who have just arrived are typically their targets. They can be turned into allies or used to satisfy their own desires. The Player Academy protects and teaches new players from their grasp. It is a foundation for cultivating talents who can stand against them by joining forces with us. That is why the angels and we encourage entering the Academy early on. For new players, there is absolutely no disadvantage in doing so."

The essence of Hyun-Woo's words was ultimately to encourage mutual cooperation. Existing players would protect the new players from danger and help them adapt to the Hall Plain. Then, based on that foundation, new players would grow into capable individuals. As these players grew stronger, they would become valuable assets for the city and the continent.

Han-Byeol sat down with a look of understanding. Seeing that everyone around also seemed to agree with Hyun-Woo's words, I realized they were all in sync with him. Except for one person—me. Of course, what he said was all true, and he hadn't misrepresented anything. Entering the Academy early on was something I had wanted in the first place, so I had no complaints. However, he hadn't told the whole truth.

If we were to find out why the First Alliance War broke out, his words omitted some crucial points. It was frustrating to hear a member of the Golden Lion Clan, who had contributed to the war's inception, speak like that.

He was skillfully criticizing the vagrants operating in the shadows while subtly downplaying the situation. Vagrants aren't vagrants for no reason. The worst of them have wanted posters hanging up in various cities, becoming outcasts everywhere they go. At least within the Northern Continent.

Then I wanted to ask: Aren't you ultimately the same kind of people? I wasn't siding with the vagrants, but I believed that existing players trying to maintain their vested interests and seize power were not that different.

In fact, there had been a time during my first time in the Hall Plain when we barely survived and crossed the Iron Mountain Range to capture Atlanta. However, we were blindsided by a coalition of other clans and support from other continents, losing the very city we had just captured. (We managed to reclaim it afterward through the Ragnarok Siege, which was considered one of the worst battles in history, culminating in the Atlanta Recapture Battle.)

There's a saying in the Hall Plain: players who understand each other's interests form clans. And clans with a common enemy come together to form alliances. In other words, whether clans or vagrants, they are all just a bunch of people willing to draw swords if needed. But hearing him cleverly package his words like that boiled my blood. No matter how unnecessary or unreasonable it seemed to tell this to new players, as someone who had experienced it firsthand, it felt utterly ridiculous.

As I barely calmed my racing heart and collected my thoughts, I noticed Han-Byeol sitting back down. It seemed she had somewhat accepted his words. It was inevitable. Unless one had experienced what the Hall Plain would be like in the future, Hyun-Woo's words held validity. Turning my gaze back to the central stage, I saw that he appeared relieved, perhaps not expecting the questions to stretch on for so long.

"I didn't expect the questions to take this long. I can see that some of you are quite tired… I think it would be best to end things here for today. I recommend you get a good night's sleep since training starts right away tomorrow. Now, please follow the guides to your accommodations."

He then said, "Yu-Bin. Cancel the voice amplification magic." After that, he directed the players waiting nearby. As they approached us, Hyun-Woo stepped down from the stage.

Just before he fully descended the stairs, he turned his head, and his gaze fell upon the players gathered on the steps. Though it was just a fleeting moment, I could see that he was looking at Han-Byeol. There seemed to be a deep interest in his eyes regarding her. I quickly glanced back at Han-Byeol, and she was also exchanging glances with him. At that moment, I felt an unsettling sensation in my chest.

In the case of well-established large clans, there are many players wishing to join, but sometimes they merge with smaller clans or try to secure promising new players for themselves. This is one of the privileges of representing a major city, making it a delicate matter to approach.

I wondered if Hyun-Woo's gaze on Han-Byeol stemmed from such interests. And for some reason, I had a strong premonition that Han-Byeol would receive an offer from the Golden Lion Clan.

*

By the time we arrived at the academy's dormitory, it was already dark, bordering on night. The accommodations were divided into rooms of eight, based on the initial classification. The observant An-Hyun subtly broke away from the line to join me, allowing both him and me to share the same room.

The sleeping arrangements were nothing special, just a mattress and two blankets. In some ways, it could be described as quite shabby. First-timers complained a bit, but the players who looked like veterans quietly entered and tried to sleep. The player academy had facilities that were quite reminiscent of the military.

The training instructor had a sly grin as he mentioned that today would offer a certain degree of freedom. (I requested some cigarettes as soon as I heard that. He simply pulled out a few he had without any hesitation.) Despite hearing those words, everyone seemed tired; all the players, except me, quickly fell asleep.

An-Hyun snuggled up next to me and fell asleep, which honestly felt a bit burdensome. As I looked at his face, I noticed he was smacking his lips as if dreaming about food. Is he dreaming about eating? I thought to myself how carefree he seemed, and I couldn't help but smile.

The player academy in the northern continent was notoriously famous for its rigorous training, known throughout the entire continent. It featured numerous training exercises beyond imagination. The training would last a total of 13 weeks, and as time went on, the challenges would become increasingly unconventional. I worried if the kids would be able to endure it.

"...."

My chest felt tight. I had been sighing deeply for a while now. I pondered why that was, and soon discovered a single thought occupying my mind. I couldn't shake off the image of Hyun-Woo and Han-Byeol looking at each other.

The harder I tried to brush it off and sleep, the more complicated my thoughts seemed to become. After tossing and turning for a while, I finally sat up. I slipped on a random slipper lying on the floor and opened the tightly shut dormitory door. As I stepped into the dark hallway, I felt a refreshing chill wash over me. While savoring the cold air for a moment, I rummaged through my pockets to find a cigarette I had obtained from the instructor and put it in my mouth.

After sensing my surroundings and confirming that no one was around, I conjured a faint amount of magical power and slowly sent it through my fingertips. With a faint whoosh, the flame ignited, accompanied by the sound of crackling, burning the tip of the cigarette before disappearing. I took a deep drag.

"Ah~."

The accommodations for male and female players were in separate buildings. She was unexpectedly classified as a magical talent, which made sense since her magical power was the highest. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret, as the clan lord I had previously served was combat-oriented.

At first, I treated An-Hyun and his group merely as tools to achieve my goals. My ultimate objective remained unchanged. However, my thoughts had shifted. I acknowledged that Han-Byeol had something special that set her apart from other players, but honestly, I hadn't anticipated that it would affect me this much.

Could it be that I had developed some affection for her? Or perhaps romantic feelings? Dismissing such ridiculous notions, I shook my head, causing the glowing ashes to scatter in the air.

No one knows me better than I do. I know myself well. Given my dry personality, forming an emotional connection with someone I had only met for a week was completely nonsensical. At that moment, I realized something: why had I felt regret when she was classified as a magical talent?

From our first meeting and throughout the rite of passage, every time I saw her, I was reminded of 'her' from my past. She was one of the players I had sincerely followed during my first round. Perhaps all along, I had been projecting her image onto Kim Han-Byeol. As that thought crossed my mind, a bitter feeling swelled within me. It felt absurd to be troubled over something so trivial.

I dropped the cigarette, crushed it, and turned away. I had much to do and countless thoughts to sort through. I wanted to refrain from getting caught up in unproductive worries.

Sleep still eluded me. Yet, I was determined to force myself to sleep. If necessary, I was even willing to knock myself out. I quietly opened the door and stepped back into the room.

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