N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 307
Raon closed his eyes as he looked at the distant walls of Zieghart Castle.
"We've finally arrived."
Gazing at the walls that had withstood countless years, memories of the looks he had received from people upon his return flooded his mind.
"Awe."
Unlike before this incident, people now looked at Zieghart with eyes filled with respect and admiration.
Though Zieghart already belonged to the prestigious Six kings family, he had not received such high regard within that family.
"Sinking ship."
"Forgotten loser."
"Ruined fortress."
"Sword corroded by rust."
For a long time, those phrases that could have been applied to a declining clan had been associated with the name Zieghart.
But everything changed after this incident.
"Everyone is looking now."
The people he had met upon his return to his family cheered his name, proclaiming that he was the most powerful family and looking at him with eyes full of reverence.
Among the Six kings, the major power factions on the continent, Zieghart was now considered the summit.
"All of this..."
As he watched Glenn's back at the forefront conversing with others, Raon gritted his teeth.
"Thanks to His Highness."
There was no other reason. Zieghart's fame had soared to the heavens due to the sole presence of a Transcendent who had defeated the leader of the White Blood religion and the Eden.
"It's truly different."
Having the power to shake the entire continent with personal might was astonishing. At this moment, even Raon couldn't touch the hem of Glenn's coat.
-Tsk tsk.
Wrath moistened his lips and made a sound from his ice flower bracelet.
"You're not just thinking about becoming like that guy, are you? You're merely admiring him."
"I'm not just admiring him."
"What?"
"I'm looking at his back so I can reach him."
Glenn was an elevated figure, but Raon didn't intend to just stand there and watch.
"I have to reach out."
Because I'm changing too.
Having firmly reached the Intermediate Master level, he had made significant advancements in swordsmanship and aura control, and his physical prowess was considerably stronger than before.
"I also obtained clues about the Spirit of the Sword."
He had gained hints about the Spirit of the Sword by entering the mental world directly.
Though there were many challenging moments, the rewards far outweighed the hardships, leaving him ultimately satisfied.
"Though there's still some regret."
After his body recovered, he wanted to train and fight, but Glenn's watchful eye prevented him from moving freely. It was regrettable not having the chance to spar and train for so long.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
Lost in thought, he realized he had arrived at the main gate. The gatekeepers opened the door with a rough voice.
Following Glen, he entered the gate and saw some familiar figures to his left.
"Raon..."
"Young Master!"
Silvya, Helen, and the maidens were waiting within the castle walls. They all had red eyes, as if tears were about to spill at any moment.
"Tsk."
Gambling Monster was also standing there, his tongue curling as he clicked his lips, as if he was greeting.
"Um..."
Seeing their faces, his heart raced. He wanted to run towards them, but his return wasn't complete yet, so he couldn't move recklessly.
"Everyone worked hard."
Glenn looked at Sylvia for a moment, then turned his head with a cold gaze.
"Withdraw."
He made a slight gesture with his hand and headed towards the main building.
"Thank you for your hard work!"
The guards bowed to Glenn after lowering their voices.
Raon also nodded to Glenn and then ran towards Sylvia and the maidens.
"Young Master, we missed you!"
"Young Master!"
"Young Master..."
Before they even finished speaking, they all rushed towards him.
"Raon. Raon. Raon..."
Sylvia kept calling his name as she embraced him. Her hands were trembling violently.
"I'm so relieved! Truly relieved!"
Helen tightly grasped his hand and cried ceaselessly. It was as if she had never seen her cry like that before.
"Euaaah! Young Master Raon!"
She was wailing as she clung to his pants, and Yulius, though quiet, kept his mouth tightly shut as he stuck out the tip of his tongue.
"Young Master, are you okay?"
"Does anything hurt?"
"Euaaah!"
"Uhuhuhu!"
The maidens also crowded around and cried non-stop. It felt like all their tears were soaking his clothes.
"...."
Judiel l was the only one not crying, standing quietly in the background.
"What, what is this..."
-Tsk!
While Raon was bewildered, Wrath snorted and looked up into the air.
"What's all this about? It's a sin to make people worry!"
Wrath said something uncharacteristic of a demon lord and frowned.
"From now on, do well for them! They're the only ones who care about you without expecting any gains."
"I know."
Raon clenched his lips.
"I was so foolish."
Having returned alive, he had only thought everyone would be pleased. But they were all worrying about him more than he expected.
The pent-up worries burst forth, and they themselves couldn't control their emotions.
"You came back so late."
Raon closed his eyes while hugging Sylvia, Helen, and the maids. He expressed his genuine feelings that had burst from his restless heart.
"I'm sorry for worrying you."
"...So, thanks to His Highness, I was able to come back alive."
Raon held Sylvia's hand in her bedroom and told her about the events that had transpired.
"Th-thank goodness."
Tears of relief welled up in Sylvia's eyes as if she still had more tears to shed.
"I should go and thank Father."
Sylvia wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and giggled.
"Thank him?"
"Both your father and my sister I haven't been forgotten yet. If you had been taken away by Eden on top of that, I wouldn't have had the will to live either."
"Don't say that."
Her words were like a blade piercing his heart. He understood a bit now how it would have felt when everyone was worrying about him.
"I understand."
Sylvia patted the back of his hand, smiling with a knowing look.
"But...?"
"Yeah?"
"What kind of person was my father?"
He hadn't asked before because he wasn't interested, but through this incident, he had become curious about what the family was and what his father was like.
"Your father was a fool."
"A fool?"
"He had nothing going for him. Oh, he was tall. He was taller than you are now. He was practically like a pillar."
Sylvia looked up at the ceiling, a faint smile on her lips.
"His swordsmanship, if you only looked at his skill, was impressive. His talent in aura was practically non-existent though."
"Then why..."
"why did you marry him?"
No matter how much she was ostracized within the family, Sylvia was a direct descendant, a genius swordsman, and had a beautiful appearance. It was hard to understand how someone who was only exceptional in swordsmanship had captured her heart.
"He was cool. He didn't stop striving even knowing his own limits. He wielded his sword not for himself, but for others."
"Hmm..."
"Even though he hardly earned any money and was always in the red, he didn't lose his smile. He was an interesting person."
Vitality and longing filled Sylvia's voice simultaneously.
"In a way, he's a lot like you now. If your father was strong, he would have turned out just like you."
A tremor transmitted from the hand that was holding hers.
"I wished for you to become someone who understands the pain of others, just like him, and to live a life befitting of a Zieghart swordsmen. But when I heard that you were kidnapped, I didn't know how much I regretted those words."
Sylvia said apologetically, exhaling a soft breath.
"I'm a really guilty mother to you..."
"No."
Raon raised his head and tightly held Sylvia's trembling hand.
"Thanks to those words, I was able to survive."
Those words from Sylvia were the greatest help in making him a true person. Without hearing that story, he might have lived a lonely life, like in his past life, knowing only himself.
Her words that he should live as a human, as a swordsman, had transformed him from a hound with a loosened noose into someone who could feel emotions.
"Thank you."
Raon gently patted Sylvia's shoulder. She didn't answer. It seemed like her tension had released and she had fallen asleep.
After covering Sylvia with a blanket and leaving her bedroom, he felt a sense of satisfaction for reasons he couldn't explain as he returned to his room.
Perhaps because he had rejected death, it felt like he was returning to his room after several years.
"But..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the ice flower bracelet on his wrist.
"Why are you so quiet?"
Normally, the guy would have been clamoring for food, but now he was silent, and that was perplexing.
-The King knows when to interfere, even though it's not often. I am a magnificent and beautiful Lord of Wrath.
Wrath frowned as he appeared on the bracelet.
"Since you haven't ruined the atmosphere, you can have whatever you want for dinner tonight."
Despite his appearance as cotton candy, Wrath's dignified demeanor made Raon chuckle. But it was true that he was grateful.
Knock, knock, knock.
Raon chuckled softly as he removed his coat, hearing three knocks on the door. It was Judiel's signal, something he hadn't heard in a long time.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Judiel entered with her usual expression.
"Dinner preparation will be ready soon."
"I understand."
"Lady Sylvia must be sleeping."
"How did you know?"
"Ever since news of your abduction spread, Lady Sylvia has barely slept. Not just her, everyone in the annex building."
It seemed she was including herself in her words. While he felt sorry for her, there was also a strange, slight pleasure.
"And also..."
Judiel handed him a paper.
"What's this?"
"A letter left by Lady Encia."
"She left it?"
"She left before news of your abduction arrived."
"I see..."
He nodded. He had thought the annex building was strangely quiet, and that was because Encia wasn't here.
"Perhaps he's used to it now."
He chuckled as he opened the envelope. There were three sheets of paper inside.
[To the handsome Sir Raon. It's a shame I won't be able to see that handsome face before I leave. If I see you again, I'll show an expression of...]
"Oh, seriously."
Most of the first page was about his appearance. He moved on to the next page.
[I've made significant progress on designing the artificial field for Lady Sylvia. There's a problem, though – I'll need some valuable materials. The heart of a dragon...]
"Dragon heart?"
He was taken aback by the unexpected material.
"...is very difficult to acquire. So, we'll need the heart of a drake and the heart of a sea serpent. If we combine them, we could create a field generator that even the Grandmaster aura could handle."
The second letter ended with her intention to improve the design and gather the materials.
"I'm sorry to have to leave. I would have liked to see that angry expression on Sir Raon's face again..."
The third page also revolved around his appearance. Only the second letter contained relevant content.
"Classic Encia."
He chuckled as he put the letters back into the envelope.
"Heart of a drake and heart of a sea serpent..."
Both were high-ranking monsters referred to as dragons and sea serpents, respectively, which bore a mana heart on their necks. They were strong and rare creatures, but they weren't unseen.
"But this is feasible."
The thought of making Sylvia's dream field generator (energy center/mana core) a reality filled him with determination.
"I'll also report on the division leaders meeting."
Judiel knelt down and lowered his head.
"Division leader Karoon has returned, but he hasn't shown any special movements. He seems to be monitoring His Highness's situation."
"Likely."
In the raid on the Eden branch, the swordsmen of the central martial palace, which was inactive, was also moved.
They were the ones who had to break the suspension period anyway, so they probably didn't have the energy to resort to tricks.
"Starting today, you'll closely track their movements."
"Yes. Good job."
"Yes. Then..."
"One moment."
He called Judiel, who was about to leave.
"There's something I want to ask of you."
"Please, go ahead."
She rigidly nodded her head, like an emotionless doll.
"I will receive information about the Five demons leaders from the black market soon. Analyze what's necessary and what's not."
"Information from the black market?"
"Yes. This time..."
Raon explained to Judiel how he had used the black market leader to obtain information and how he had promised to find her brother.
"Oh, winning against the black market leader in a fight..."
"It's not that impressive. She ignored me there. And..."
He said with a mischievous gesture.
"I will also tell the black market leader about your brother."
"My brother?"
Judiel's eyes widened significantly.
"Why suddenly..."
"I promised to find your brother, by asking Roselin to find someone using the black market."
He sat on the bed and smiled.
"I haven't forgotten that promise."
Since he had obtained the assurance of the black market leader, at the least, he would be able to know the general situation.
"Ah..."
Judiel looked at Raon and his jaw trembled.
'He really meant it?'
He believed in Raon, but as time passed, there was no sign that he would actually help find his brother.
Knowing that finding his brother was difficult to begin with, he had almost given up. He never imagined he would have the opportunity to ask the black market leader for help.
"He, are you really allowed to do that? That person is..."
"Promises must be kept."
"Ugh..."
Seeing Raon's sincere expression, Judiel's mind went blank and his head spun. Her vision blurred and she couldn't see properly.
"It's alright, just tell me about your brother."
"My, my brother's name is Juibel. He's now 21 years old. He's from Entingka Village, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a small scar on his forehead. He was sold to the Faction with me, and since then, I haven't seen him... much."
"I see."
Committing Juibel's information to memory, Raon nodded. Understanding how precious family was, he had wanted to start by finding her brother if the opportunity arose, and now that he had the chance, he felt sorry for not keeping the promise sooner.
"Thank you. Really..."
With a pale complexion, Judiel lowered her head. For the first time in a long while, she revealed her true emotions, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"We'll be able to find him."
Raon gave her a gentle smile and patted her shoulder.
Sigh!
While the two were in an affectionate moment, Wrath sighed deeply.
Aren't you going to eat?
Wrath swirled through the air and puffed up in size. Transforming into a large cotton candy-like form, he shouted.
I'll eat everything!
* * *
A week later.
Raon had finally come out to the fifth training ground. Even though his rest period hadn't ended, there was no one in the training ground. It seemed like it had been cleaned yesterday, and everything was neatly organized.
He stretched his body slowly. His body felt light. Now, without needing to worry about Rimmer's or Sylvia's watchful eyes, his body was fully recovered.
"Phew."
Taking even breaths, he unsheathed his Heavenly Drive sword.
Schiiing!
The clear ring of the sword echoed in his heart. As he manipulated the flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, the Aura of Ignition rushed out like an erupting wildfire.
Uuuuung!
As the edge of the Heavenly Drive sword gleamed, crimson flames emerged. The natural flow of power, like water streaming, formed an elegant momentum. Its beautiful form was towering like a ray of sunlight dancing.
"It's definitely changed."
Not just his swordsmanship, but his entire martial arts had improved. Not only did his swordsmanship advance, but his proficiency in using Aura had also increased significantly. Everything, from power and durability to endurance, had undergone a profound transformation from before.
"The amount of Aura in the Heavenly Drive sword has changed too."
The size of the energy center had grown larger, likely indicating that the absorbed mana from Rockta and Lava Crocodile King's spirits had been fully assimilated. Both Glacier and the flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation were significantly larger within it compared to before.
Schiiing!
Stepping his left foot forward, Raon extended his Blade of Requiem. The fierce energy it exuded was like a hungry beast sinking its fangs into its prey.
Uuuuuung!
Continuing with a sweeping motion from the left, his blade cleaved through the air, its sharpness capable of slicing even the atmosphere.
Every strike he executed with his Blade of Requiem seemed to breathe, full of vitality. He could clearly sense the significant growth in his skills.
"But..."
It's going to take quite a while to regain my sense in real combat.
Not just his swordsmanship, but his entire martial arts had improved. Although his skills and abilities had grown, he hadn't engaged in real combat and swung his sword at someone for a long time.
To fully adapt to his enhanced abilities and the elevated level of martial arts, he needed a lot of practical experience.
"I wonder if anyone's available."
While Raon was musing, spreading his wings and practicing his martial arts, the door to the training ground swung open.
"Of course you're here."
Rimmer greeted Raon with a wry smile as he entered the training ground.
"You naughty brat. I figured you'd be here."
"Master. Welcome."
Raon greeted him with a smile, bowing his head.
"Huh? You're grinning like that. Why do I feel uneasy?"
Narrowing his eyes, Rimmer stepped back slightly. He was quick on the uptake at times like this.
"Would you spar with me?"
"S-spar?"
"I haven't swung my sword for a long time, so I want to improve my senses a bit. Are you up for it?"
"Up for it? What kind of gangster talk is that?"
His expression was one of disbelief.
"Just humor me. It's getting boring to face only the top dogs. If I end up losing to you as well, I won't be able to keep my sanity."
Rimmer shook his head, saying it was still difficult for him.
"I'm a patient, after all..."
"It's alright."
Raon grinned and swung his sword.
"Just lightly. Very lightly."
"Maybe it's light for you, but it's heavy for others!"
Rimmer grumbled. He'd be damned if he was going to fight that guy as right now, after seeing the Light Wind squad get beaten up.
"Wait!!"
"You don't need to spar with him."
A deep voice resounded from the direction of the door, Gambling Monster entered the training ground with deliberate steps.
"Don't worry. There's a place for you with a bunch of substitutes for your sparring partner"
"Really?"
"The Six Kings Assembly." (or the six house assembly)
"The Six Kings Assembly is about to commence."
(Welp, a tournament arc next?)
