N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C264
"Um...."
Raon blinked and looked back at the lobby.
There she was, Encia Yonaan, the successor of the Yonaan family, renowned as a genius in artifact production, bowing her head while dressed in a maid's outfit.
"You're back!"
With a smile, Encia bowed her head, making Raon gulp nervously.
"W-Why is Encia here? I mean, in that outfit. Uh…
Raon's voice trembled.
To be honest, he was more flustered than when he met Grandmaster Roman.
"Why is she here like this?"
And earlier than the originally planned date, a whole month earlier, dressed as a maid, and she had no idea why she was in the annex building.
"Wow...."
Encia approached with both hands clasped together.
Her blue eyes began to faintly sparkle.
"You look just as handsome when you come back."
I'm so glad I saw you for the first time.
Haaa...."
She didn't answer the questions and continued to praise his handsomeness, blushing her cheeks.
-Rather, she's the one who makes you flustered.
Wrath laughed amusingly.
-The King probably wants to shout that too. So handsome!
"Noisy."
Raon pushed Wrath aside and looked at Encia again.
"Uh... Lady Encia?"
"Sir Raon, you're beautiful even without natural light. Your pupils twinkle like blood rubies."
Ignoring this side of the conversation, she continued to focus solely on his face, a peculiar taste indeed.
"Having seen Raon's handsomeness, we don't need side dishes for dinner tonight."
She was still spouting nonsense, but seeing Encia's eyes brighten little by little, it seemed like they could communicate now.
"Why is Lady Encia here? The date you said you'd come is still far away, right?"
"I came because I wanted to see you, sir Raon."
Encia smiled as if asking why that was even a question.
"Oh, I see. So, what about the training artifacts I asked for…?"
"I've completed them all."
"For the Light Wind Squad?"
Raon's mouth fell open.
He couldn't believe she had finished all the custom-made artifacts for the Light Wind Squad that quickly.
Each piece was handmade and tailored specifically for the squad.
It was hard to believe she had finished them all.
"I used the inspiration I saw on sir Raon's face. It made my work four times more efficient. My hands couldn't stop moving."
"I wonder what on earth you saw on my face…"
He couldn't comprehend how seeing something on his face could make her work four times faster.
He knew artisans were unique, but Encia was in a league of her own.
"It was a first-time experience for me. Handsome people really are the best. Ahh!"
Her eyes began to mist over again, so he quickly interrupted.
"Anyway, why are you staying in the annex? The guest quarters are in a different place."
"I wanted to meet your beautiful mother, who sent you out into the world. I grabbed the ankles of the guide and asked to meet her. I'm really glad I came. Sylvia-nim is also a beauty no less than Sir Raon. Yuah is cute too. This place is a volcano of inspiration."
Hearing praises from Encia, Raon felt good at first, but he had to ask one more thing.
"Finally, why are you wearing a maid outfit…?"
"I said I wanted to stay here instead of the guest quarters. Sylvia-nim agreed willingly, but I can't just eat and sleep without doing anything. I have to work."
Encia placed her hand on her waist and smiled slyly.
"Ha…"
Raon's mouth hung open in surprise.
"What an energy…"
It was unbelievable that one of the successors of the Yonaan family came to the annex and volunteered to work as a maid. It was something that no one would believe, no matter where it was told.
"Oh dear…"
"Oh? Sir Raon!"
While he was still perplexed, Yuah appeared from the right corridor, holding kitchen utensils.
"Not that! Handsome Sir Raon!"
Yuah bit her tongue slightly and blurted out Encia's unique language.
"Huh…?"
"That's it, right? Encia unni?"
"Yeah, that's it! Yuah!"
Encia patted Yuah's head and smiled warmly.
"Raon?"
"My lord!"
Hearing Yuah's voice, Sylvia and Helen hurriedly rushed downstairs.
"That's not it. Silvia-nim. Helen-nim."
"Oh, right! Handsome Raon is here?"
"Handsome young master Raon has come!"
Sylvia and Helen grinned at Raon.
"Oh my? Handsome young master!"
"It's going to take a bit until dinner. Go wash up first, handsome Raon."
Even the other maids, who were busy with other tasks, greeted him and called him handsome.
"I don't know about this…"
Raon was at a loss for words, surrounded by the enthusiastic attention.
"I've told you before, Raon's face is a gift from the gods! I've taught everyone how to express it."
Luckily or unluckily, Encia seemed to be on good terms not only with Sylvia but also with the other maids. It was like Dorian's affinity for making friends.
-Hahaha!
Wrath couldn't help but burst out laughing.
-That girl with the flick of her finger is your nemesis!
"Hoo...."
Raon closed his eyes tightly as she watched Encia smiling broadly and the maids calling him handsome.
"I feel tired."
Suddenly, he felt tired of this place.
********
Buren walked around the True Martial Palace training ground after a long time and savored the atmosphere.
"It's a bit awkward."
Although it used to be the place where he trained every day, it felt strange since he joined the Light Wind Squad.
"Is it because I've changed?"
The wall with sword marks and the trees that used to shade the sunlight were still in their places, but he felt somewhat disconnected from them.
"Does it bother you?"
Burren's second brother and the leader of the Thundersword Squad, Gelmeer, approached with a smile.
"Yeah. As you know, my dream was to earn Father's recognition and follow in his footsteps."
Memories of his childhood when his only goal was to become a martial arts warrior and earn his father's approval flashed in his mind.
Remembering the first and only praise he received from his father, as he gently patted Burren's head, brought a bitter smile to his face.
"But I'm okay now."
Burren removed his hand from the sword mark on the wall and smiled faintly.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Now that I have a place where I'm needed."
The Light Wind Squad. Even the regret of not staying here disappeared when he was with those guys who spent more time with him than his brothers. Now, it wasn't the True Martial Palace, but the Light Wind Squad's residence that felt like his real home.
"I'm glad you found your place."
Gelmeer patted Burren's shoulder and smiled gently.
"But Burren, what if you could come back here again?"
"Huh?"
Burren widened his eyes and turned to look at Gelmeer.
"What are you talking about?"
"If you can come back to the True Martial Palace, and if you have the authority to join any faction you want, what will you do?"
Gelmeer's eyes seemed serious. It didn't look like a joke or a prank.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm saying it won't be that difficult for you to be accepted back into the True Martial Palace if you do just two things. Then you can earn Father's recognition as you want."
Burren's heart started to race.
"What do you want me to do?"
"It's not that difficult of a request."
"What is it?"
"Even if you go to the Light Wind Squad, your goal of earning Father's recognition hasn't changed, right?"
"Yes."
"Then, if you do me a favor and another thing, I can put in a word for you to be accepted back into the True Martial Palace. Then you can get Father's approval as you wish."
At Gelmeer's words, Buren's heart surged.
"I guess you're not joking."
"It's not a big request, right?"
"What favor do you want?"
"What is it?"
"It's not that hard."
Burren bit his lips. His dream and goal were still to earn his father's approval.
Even after joining the Light Wind, that goal didn't change.
"It's not such a difficult request."
"What favor?"
"Tell me."
As it might be possible to come back later, Burren nodded his head, thinking that listening wouldn't hurt.
"Raon Zieghart's weakness."
"What?"
"You've been together since your trainee days, so you should know. What is his weakness?"
Gelmeer seemed calm even when asking about the weakness of Raon.
He had an air of confidence as if he was asking about his preferences to give him a gift.
"Strange?"
Gelmeer smirked.
"Burren, let me explain. Raon is a monster who grows at a speed that will be remembered in the continent's history. Are you going to leave him as he is?"
His pupils dilated like a snake's eyes in a diamond shape.
"If you don't take him down now, you'll spend your whole life only looking at his back. Everywhere, it will be the name 'Raon Zieghart' instead of your name. Do you want to live like that?"
"That's..."
Burren bit his lip.
'I know it better than anyone.'
More than anyone else.
His pride was hurt, but now the difference in power between him and Raon was too great, and he couldn't even mention catching up like in the past.
"Just tell me Raon's weakness quietly, and just bring him to the place I mentioned. I will handle it quietly and perfectly. Don't worry."
Gelmeer smiled coldly as if muttering that no one would know.
"You need time to think, right? I would train in two days, so until tomorrow evening..."
"No."
Burren gritted his teeth and shook his head.
"I won't do it."
He firmly refused and looked away.
'I can't do it.'
Regardless of whether he knew Raon's weakness or not, Raon was the one who awakened him from his twisted way of thinking and saved his life.
Even if it hurt his pride, he couldn't do such a thing.
"He has no weaknesses! And even if he does, I won't say it!"
Burren turned his head, frowning.
"You disappoint me, Brother. Don't contact me from now on... Ah."
As he turned back to give a final warning, Gelmeer had disappeared from the spot.
"What a bother."
"Ah..."
With Gelmeer's faint voice, Burren's vision was engulfed in darkness.
******
Raon, after asking everyone in the lobby not to call him "Sir Laon," followed Sylvia to her room.
"Come here."
Sylvia, sitting on the sofa, lightly tapped the table in front, gesturing for him to sit opposite her.
"Yes."
Raon nodded and took a seat across from Sylvia.
'It must be starting now.'
His body instinctively tensed, as he anticipated the reason for her summoning.
"Grandmaster Roman and the life-or-death battle in three years."
The words Sylvia uttered were exactly what he had been thinking. Her tone was gentle, yet it felt melancholic and made his mouth dry.
"I can't help but wonder if you made that reckless bet to save others."
He felt his body shrink inwardly, wondering how to ease her worries.
"Mother?"
"You have achieved and shown things that I can't possibly be unaware of."
Sylvia smiled with a bit more gentleness and held his hand.
"I haven't forgotten the words you said when you first held a sword."
"Um..."
As she said, the memory of when he first held a sword and expressed his desire to show his former Zieghart's warrior-like appearance, helping the weak and not backing down in front of the strong, still lingered in her heart.
"To be honest, I feel like I said that for no reason. Every time you go on a mission and something happens, my heart sinks."
Sylvia's eyes seemed to frown slightly.
"As someone who lived as a nomad, I know how amazing you are."
As the warmth from their joined hands seeped through, it felt like the various worries entangled in his heart were melting away.
"I thought I had gotten used to it to some extent, but this time, I feel very uneasy. Grandmaster Roman..."
Sylvia let out a deep sigh. It seemed like her heavy concerns were reflected in that sigh.
'It's understandable...'
Her son had just become a Master, and now he was saying that he would fight against a monster, and would become the Grand Master in three years. As a mother, it was only natural to worry.
"Don't worry. I won't die, I promise."
Raon smiled and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"In three years, even if I have to hold onto Roman's leg, I'll come back alive."
"What's that? You should say you'll become stronger and win!"
Sylvia giggled. She seemed to take his words not as a promise to win, but as a promise not to die, which made his feel relieved.
"Yeah. You should believe in that. Once you decide to believe, all you can do is watch."
She nodded with a slightly brighter expression.
"As long as you're okay, that's all that matters. Go and wash up. Dinner preparations will be done soon."
"Just a moment."
Raon grabbed Sylvia's wrist as she tried to get up.
"Aren't you considering getting up again and repairing your mana circuit and mana core?"
"Huh?"
"Don't you want to restore your mana circuit and mana core?"
Raon bit his slightly trembling lips.
'I wonder how she'll react...'
He had thought about this question a lot before bringing it up.
'Because she's precious to me.'
Since Sylvia was precious to him, he wished that she wouldn't restore her mana circuit and mana core but stay away from battles.
'But...'
It was like what his mother tried to do, to forcibly prevent him from becoming a trainee. Even if he offered help and advice, the choice had to be made by the person themselves.
"Hmm...."
Perhaps because it was a sudden question, Sylvia couldn't easily open her mouth.
"This is an artificial core that can replace the natural one, and this is an elixir called the Yeongryu Ryu Pill (Lingering Aura Balm) that can treat damage to the mana circuit."
Laon placed the artificial danjeon and the Yeongryu Pill on the table.
"It won't have any effect on a person with a completely severed mana circuit like you, but as a Saint, Grand Masters might be able to enhance the effect to the level of reconnecting the mana circuit."
"Um...."
"If you wish, I will find a way to restore the artificial core and circuit, no matter what."
With that statement, he closed his mouth and waited for Sylvia's response.
"Umm. Hmm! Ummhmmm!"
Sylvia grasped her hair and pondered for a while before she banged her head on the table.
"Um, Mum?"
"Do you remember what I said before?"
"What did you say before?"
"That I've never regretted giving birth to you."
"Ah...."
Raon nodded slightly.
'I can't forget.'
She had said that she never regretted meeting his father and giving birth to him. Even now, she told him how happy she was.
"My feelings haven't changed since then. It's fine just the way it is."
Sylvia slowly raised her head. She lightly patted her slightly reddened forehead and smiled.
"But..."
She raised a finger.
"If there's a chance, I want to take it. Not because I want to become stronger, but because I want to protect you and the people in this star pavilion."
"Yeah...."
Raon smiled faintly.
'She's just like me.'
Sylvia had the exact same thoughts as him. It was a simple yet consistent desire to protect this place.
"Wait for me."
Raon clenched his fists and stood up.
Because I will make you stand up.
After leaving Sylvia's room, Raon took Encia and went to the garden.
"It's a shame."
Encia pouted.
"I went through a lot of trouble explaining it."
"Only you could say such things"
"Huh? You say that and suddenly you're in a good mood?"
She giggled while covering both her cheeks
"Hmm...."
Laon finished his food. Conversations with this person always seemed to get tangled up.
"Why did she want to see us alone? I would welcome you anytime."
"I hope you'll see this."
He took out the artificial danjeon from his embrace and handed it to Enzia.
"Hmm?"
Encia's eyes, which had been fixed on Raon's face, suddenly flickered down.
"This... this is...."
"This is the artificial core I got from the dungeon."
"Artificial core...."
"If possible, can you replicate this artificial core?"
Encia was already examining the artificial core with her eyes, so she closed her ears.
"The pattern on this core. It's ancient characters. It's over a thousand years old. And the proportions follow the golden ratio. It was made to withstand any aura or mana. It has a noble appearance and beautiful performance."
Her eyes filled with astonishment and admiration stared at the artificial core for a long time.
"The creator of this danjeon) core must be a genius. It's hard for me to follow."
After scrutinizing the core for a long time, Encia let out a sigh. It was a serious expression that Raon hadn't seen in a while.
"So, is it difficult to replicate it?"
"Yes. Even if I disassemble this, I can't guarantee that I can make the same thing. There's a high chance that the core itself will be damaged."
"Then, what about Michelle, the Yonaan Head...?"
"She won't be able to do it either. Artifacts with ancient symbols like this are designed to break apart the moment they are opened."
"Ah...."
His impression became furrowed. He had heard that artifacts from the past were protected from replication, and once they were disassembled, they would break.
"But I might be able to make something similar...."
"Really?"
"It might be different in form and performance, but I think I can create an artificial corrupt."
"Really?"
"Yes. When I looked at your face and the golden ratio of this artificial core, an idea struck me."
She said that she thought it could be done and examined the artificial core with interest.
"Of course, it will take a long time and require many materials...."
"That doesn't matter!"
Raon approached Encia and took both of her hands.
"Ah...."
As Encia saw Raon's face up close, her face turned red in an instant.
"P-p-please! I can do it anytime!"
Encia trembled as she listened to Raon's resolute voice.
'He's so handsome.'
His skin was like porcelain, his eyes sparkling like precious gemstones, and his nose was as noble as the moon in the sky.
Even the word 'handsome' didn't do justice.
He was perfectly, impeccably handsome.
His face seemed to become more complete as time passed.
