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Chapter 562: Spreading Seeds (2)

Events like that were common in small and medium-sized guilds or parties. Even if there was no particular conflict or discord, some groups naturally dismantled after some time.

In some cases, when a key member of the guild withdrew from the guild or each of the members’ goals differed, even close relationships grew steadily farther apart, lost contact, and broke up. Of course, that didn’t happen as often as it had before, considering communication systems had been developed. Still, I started to worry whether the Blue Guild was heading toward a similar path.

What Lee Kiyoung meant to the Blue Guild was obvious.

Technically speaking, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that my significance in the guild was higher than Kim Hyunsung’s.

It wasn’t only Jung Hayan, but Park Deokgu, Sun Hee-young, Elena, blacksmith Yoo Ah-young, and Ahn Ki-mo were all recruited by me, not by Kim Hyunsung. I didn’t know about Yoo Ah-young and Ahn Kim-mo, but it wouldn’t be too much to say either that the first four people I just mentioned would follow me if I left the Blue Guild.

Hence, I wasn’t so pleased about Elena’s sudden decision.

Of course, I agreed after hearing her reason.

“I think I’ll have to go back to the kingdom for a while.”

“…”

“I have to tell my father something about the World Tree and the troop dispatch. Above all, I think it will be more helpful for me to be there…”

“Ah, that’s right. There’s a big difference between being near the world tree for sure…”

“Even Elune-nim has indirectly hinted that she wouldn’t be able to overcome the incoming threat. If you have stayed in the Blue Guild, I would have forced myself to stay, but since you’re leaving the guild to manage the continent, I have decided that it would be better for me to stay near the World Tree and build my strength. That will also help gather extra support for the kingdom…”

“Yes, Elena-nim. You are right.”

“I’m not leaving the guild because I know you will come back someday. Still, it’s hard to go even though I’m not going to leave right now… I don’t know why I’m tearing up when it’s not like I’m never going to see you again.”

“…”

“Thank you, Lee Kiyoung-nim. For your kindness.”

“When exactly are you leaving?”

“Soon, most likely. With Ah-young-ssi too.”

“Ah…”

“Yes, she thought it would be helpful for her to go to the Dwarf workshop. Since we are going in the same direction…”

‘It’s not entirely a bad choice.’

“I didn’t want to move so early, but I think it will be sad for me to stay in the Blue Guild without you… I’ll make sure to go to the top when everything is over.”

“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”

‘I was going to send Yoo Ah-young to the Dwarves, anyway.’

She must’ve thought hard about it and concluded that that was the best decision. She didn’t even need to explain whether staying there or going to the Elven world was more efficient…

Although she had been abandoned, Elena was still the daughter of Elune, so it was more effective to increase her divine power there. And it was an obvious choice for Yoo Ahyoung, who handled minerals, to join the dwarves and hammer materials with them.

Since we had to supply high-quality weapons throughout the continent, we needed larger-scale factories than the ones we had at the moment. No matter how much money we had poured over Yoo Ah-young’s workshop in the Blue Guild, it was incomparable to the infrastructure that the Dwarves had spent an immeasurable time on.

For Yoo Ah-young to grow and spread her wings as fast as possible, she had to go there.

Although it was a little surprising because they were leaving after Park Deok-gu and Ahn Kim-had left the guild, Elena and Yoo Ahyoung were also right in their choices to join unions of minority groups to increase their strengths.

‘Certainly…’

“The guild feels much emptier. Even Deokgu and Ki-mo just left the guild…”

“Ah, I’m sorry about this. I should have kept my seat at least…”

“No, it’s alright. Team leader Kim Mi-young is taking care of all the internal affairs anyway. In the joint training’s case, Hyejin is working hard on it, so I think it’s better for you to go back to your kingdom. I know you’ll feel bad about it, but… that’s better for you.”

“If you had asked me to come with you to the North, I would have followed you… That’s too bad.”

“Well, it’s because it’s an important job.”

“Ha. Don’t worry. I know.”

Elena slightly rose the heels of her feet off the ground. After I felt a soft touch on my lips, she smiled.

That was in stark contrast to Jung Hayan, who cried at our farewell. However, even she couldn’t hold back her tears and wiped her eyes with her fingers in a hurry.

“W-Well, I’ll go in first. You don’t have to see me off. No, I don’t want you to do that at all. I really don’t think I can leave this place if I see you do that…”

“Yes, Elena-nim, I’ll try to contact you from time to time.”

“Me, too… I’ll try to contact you.”

Like that, both Elena and Yoo Ahyoung left the Blue Guild for a brief period.

‘This is getting a little bit uncomfortable. No… so chaotic.’

When Kim Hyunsung and Cho Hyejin left the Blue Guild for the joint continental training, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal altogether.

In fact, I didn’t even feel a big vacancy. After all, Kim Hyunsung had been sending me letters every day. Even Cho Hyejin, who seemed to have felt an urgent need for training and become obsessed with it, sent me news from time to time.

Perhaps…

‘Maybe I just didn’t notice it before…’

I had also been busy with multiple matters. I hadn’t been taking notice of my surroundings. However, the moment I sat down and stopped for a while, I realized how empty the seats around me were. I kept having thoughts like…

‘The guild is so quiet.’

And…

‘I haven’t even seen them that much these days.’

Of course, Park Deokgu’s departure was a major reason why the guild had grown so quiet…

‘And Jung Hayan’s now in the Magic Tower…’

Even Cha Heera, an outsider that went in and out of the guild like it was her own, had locked herself in a cave, saying that she had to do some enclosed training.

That was like her, but I was surprised when I heard the news.

‘So, who’s left in the guild?’

Since Kim Ye-ri and Kim Chang-ryul were always outside, the only person I could think of was Sun Hee-young. However, even she was…

‘Busy doing her own job, too.’

To be honest, I didn’t think I would be worried about it. No matter where I went, I wasn’t the type to feel a great sense of belongingness or companionship to something.

However, the moment I was left in that situation, I realized how great my sense of belongingness in the Blue Guild was. Before worrying about the guild’s power decreasing, I worried that its members would become permanently separated.

‘This is weird.’

Perhaps it was because we had risked our lives together and survived.

I thought about that, but maybe it was also because I had become quite attached to the members. I had also spent a long time with them…

If I were to act based on my emotions more, maybe I would have tried to prevent the dispersal of the Blue Guild members as much as possible.

However, it was necessary.

The places that each person could grow in were different.

As I recalled earlier, the guild members weren’t stupid.

Park Deokgu judged that it would no longer be helpful for him to continue spending time in the arms of the Blue Guild, and Ahn Ki-Mo thought that it would be best for him to follow Park Deokgu.

Although he was a priest, since he was the safe-guarding type, he would have something to learn from Park Deokgu.

Elena would’ve wanted to build her strength under the protection of the World Tree, while Yoo Ah-young would have thought that she needed to spend some time with the dwarves. It was the same for Jung Hayan. Right at that moment, she wasn’t able to decide by herself, but before, she would have definitely gone to the Magic Tower.

They all must’ve been aware of that and thought that the timing was right to make such a choice.

It wasn’t as if they could’ve provided extra help to what was happening on the continent, such as the joint continental training, construction of the northern forward base, or the Continental Protection and Management Committee.

Elena must’ve made her decision to return to the kingdom given that political reasoning.

‘I should be happy.’

I had to feel good. Such occurrences were also part of growing and starting new beginnings. After sending Elena away, I also began to prepare for departure.

I wanted to focus on my work before my head became filled with more thoughts.

Before leaving, I spent some time with Sun Hee-young and Hwang Jeong-yeon. The people who left with me to head north were Lee Kiyoung’s personal guard, Park Li-ahn, and a few other people.

Of course, everyone who was going to the North together with me had also withdrawn from the Blue Guild.

I thought it would be better to just go alone, but of course, the guild refused to allow it.

Kim Hyunsung forced some people out, including Park Li-ahn, the twin-blades user, and I had no choice but to accept them. I thought it was fine since I didn’t know what would happen, and it was good to have them with me for extra insurance.

Just as I went out, I saw an unexpected face.

“Are you going north?”

“Yes, I’m getting ready in advance. I thought you said you were too busy, Nuna. Whenever I tried to visit, you pretended not to know me… I thought you didn’t even have time to eat because of the inauguration of the committee?”

“Still, shouldn’t I at least see your face once before you leave?”

“It’s not like you won’t see me again. Aren’t you coming to the north anyway?”

“It’ll probably take me three months. Maybe even longer… There should be someone in charge here too. Kim Mi-young is here, but she’s also busy with other things these days.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“Things are progressing faster than I expected. Is it because of Hayan?”

“No, no, no. That’s a different matter. Still, I don’t have a good feeling about it.”

“Didn’t you say that you had a lot of time?”

“That’s what I think for now.”

“Well, the sooner you prepare, the better it will be. By the way, you must be lonely. A large guild like the Black Swan won’t notice a difference if some people went missing, but even if only a few people had left the Blue Guild, the guild would still look completely empty…”

“Well, everyone is just a bit far away. I can contact them anytime I want.”

“Reading letters or seeing you in videos won’t be like seeing you in real life. I guess I’m taking up too much of your time. You can go now.”

“…”

“…”

“But before that, this is my gift. You’ll probably have the Warmth Spell on you at all times anyway, but I heard that it’s cold in the north. See you later, partner.”

“Thank you, partner.”

‘I felt a little weird.’

I felt exactly like that. I couldn’t figure out the right words to express it.

‘This feels really weird.’

I must’ve grown attached to them.

‘Will Hayan be all right?’

Just like that, a year passed.