On the way back to the hideout.
I was planning to point out the problems with today's leadership and highlight why Se-hee needed to take command moving forward.
"You want me to take charge again?"
"Yes. While it's helpful for me to hear your feedback and improve, that approach won't work right now."
"So what's your plan?"
"I'll negotiate with the team."
"...Negotiate?"
"Yes."
What was she thinking? I glanced at her gemstone, growing slightly uneasy.
"Hehehe, I'll make them see reason. They won't be able to refuse me."
Se-hee chuckled darkly.
'...This will be fine, right?'
I didn't know anymore.
'But it should be okay.'
I had my own backup plan.
I left the care of Kang Do-hee and the other team members to Soup.
By now, they were probably all raring to go with a "Let's do better tomorrow!" or "Let's give her one more chance!" kind of mindset.
That would help Se-hee regain her confidence and lead effectively.
Yeah, I believe in you, Soup!
.
.
.
Back at the hideout.
"Yuha! Be our commander again!"
At the forefront of the passionate cries for leadership change stood none other than Yoo-ri.
'...Seriously, Yoo-ri?'
.
.
.
.
The next day.
As I set out with the party members to tackle the Rage Howlers, I couldn't help but glance at them warily.
After being betrayed by Soup, whom I had trusted the day before, Before I could say anything, Shin Se-hee had stepped in.
-"Jin Yuha, could you do some scouting for a moment?"
"I just finished scouting, though…"
-"We have something to discuss among ourselves. It won't take long."
Her voice, cold and sharp like frost, left me no choice. As soon as I returned to the hideout, I was sent out again, wandering alone for scouting.
Then, after coming back and dozing off due to the mental backlash of using Muah, I woke up to find myself here.
'Hmm, are these guys really okay?'
I looked at the party members with skeptical eyes.
The previous day, I couldn't point out Shin Se-hee's shortcomings.
The party members were likely still dissatisfied with her leadership. Would things really improve if we tried again today?
Honestly, I wasn't sure.
Regardless, the battle had begun.
Since Shin Se-hee had asked me to observe the other party members instead of stepping in myself,
I decided to follow her suggestion and watch them fight.
Confronting the Rage Howler pack again—
Boom!
Soup swung her shield wide, driving the Rage Howlers back.
This created an opening for Kang Do-hee and Alice to slip in.
Swish—
Amidst it all, Ichika's shadow rose, obscuring the Rage Howlers' vision.
"Haah! Accelerate!"
With the acceleration boost from Senior Ga-eul, Kang Do-hee and Alice dove in aggressively, slaughtering the Rage Howlers.
Crack! Crack! Boom!
Screech! Squeal!
Meanwhile, Sophia's golden arrows arched through the air, landing precisely to support the two attackers.
'Oh, what's this?'
I watched the party's battle, my eyes widening.
'This isn't… Shin Se-hee's solo direction, is it?'
The start was noticeably different from the meticulous, flawless planning of the day before.
'Hmm… Sophia's healing timing is definitely Shin Se-hee's doing.'
The arrows landed at just the right moments, aiding party members who had taken damage.
But other aspects seemed to involve significant individual decision-making.
'Not bad…'
It felt far smoother than the previous day.
'What on earth did they talk about to end up like this?'
I found myself marveling at the party's distinct improvement.
Crack! Crack!
Before I knew it, the battle was wrapping up.
'Hmm, but are they not going to give me any orders?'
I had been observing as requested, but my patience was wearing thin.
-"Jin Yuha."
At that moment, Shin Se-hee's voice reached my ears.
"Oh, finally. Is it my turn?"
-"Yes, there's a pack of about 200 Rage Howlers ahead. Hmm, and it seems there's a demon mixed in as well. Can you handle them all alone using Muah?"
"...Muah?"
-"Yes."
"I mean, I can use it, but why so suddenly?"
-"Because everyone needs to see. To see how much you've changed compared to before using Muah. I'm truly sorry for asking you to sacrifice yourself."
'Sacrifice? What does she mean by that?'
Tilting my head in confusion, I stepped forward.
.
.
.
-"No."
When the party members suggested handing the leadership back to Jin Yuha the previous day, Shin Se-hee firmly rejected it.
"I won't follow your commands."
Kang Do-hee, in a heated tone that made the other party members nervous, retorted, but Shin Se-hee simply snorted dismissively.
-"It's not happening."
Frustrated, Kang Do-hee swore.
"Fine, damn it. Do whatever you want. No matter how much you talk, I'll never follow your orders."
-"You have to."
It was a standoff, with one side insisting on following orders and the other refusing outright.
Their argument dragged on endlessly, like talking to a brick wall.
Eventually, after who knows how long, Shin Se-hee spoke in a slightly lowered voice.
-"After reflecting on today's battle, I understand your thoughts. You likely want to prioritize your own judgment over detailed instructions."
"…"
The party members nodded slightly in agreement.
-"However, I still don't think I'm wrong. My direction was stable, and the strategy was efficient.
I believe my orders are more accurate and yield better results than your half-baked decisions."
"You mean to say—!"
Just as Kang Do-hee was about to snap,
-"But I'll yield."
"...What?"
The party members were stunned into silence. None of them had expected Shin Se-hee to say such a thing.
She had maintained her pride up until moments ago, insisting she wasn't wrong.
-"If I don't yield here, we'll end up holding Jin Yuha back again. Of course, this doesn't mean
I'll completely give up on giving orders. Let's find a suitable compromise."
Among everything she said, one sentence struck the party members deeply.
"We're holding Jin Yuha back…?"
It wasn't the first time they'd heard this.
Jin Yuha's mentor, Baek Seol-hee, had mentioned it before.
But hearing it from Shin Se-hee ignited their anger even more.
Since that criticism, the party members had worked harder.
They moved more flexibly, reduced their reliance on Jin Yuha's orders, and adapted to their surroundings.
And yet, it wasn't enough?
-"No, it's not enough. If Jin Yuha has to take care of you even a little, he can't fully unleash his true abilities."
Afterward, Shin Se-hee listened to the party members' grievances.
She decided to allow more autonomy while only intervening at critical moments.
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