N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 370
Raon looked at the dry-faced Adis Sepia, his lips pursed.
'This is why, huh.'
Adis's words were the opposite of what Wrath had said. Adis seemed to be calling him to his office to give him more support, not to get angry.
However, it didn't seem like he was willing to help unconditionally.
"What does it mean to invest in me?"
"It literally means that I am prepared to spend money on whatever Raon Zieghart wants."
Adis answered without hesitation, as if he had already prepared his answer.
Why!!?? There are many other investment opportunities. This guy is a money-eating shark!
'Shut up.'
Raon brushed Wrath aside like a fly and looked at Adis.
"Can I ask why?"
"It is only natural for a merchant to invest in someone who will become the future number one in the continent."
'It's not just that, I think.'
If it had only been about strength, Adis should have welcomed him from the beginning, but he hadn't shown such a friendly appearance.
There was clearly another reason.
"You're really not like your age. That's right. There is another reason."
"What is it...?"
"Because you are someone who can change people."
"Change?"
"That's right. There are many strong people in the continent, many geniuses, and even more wealthy people. There are so many talented people everywhere that you can't help but know their names, but among them, it is rare for someone to be able to naturally change others."
Adis continued, tapping the table with his fingers as usual.
"Dorian has changed into a man worthy of being a successor just by following you, and you has revived the Fallen Sword, which is a mockery of the meaning of a fallen sword."
"When I help Dorian, I had my intentions, but the Fallen Sword was just a fluke.".
"That's not something that anyone can do."
"Mark Gorton was considered a star that would illuminate the Warner Kingdom when he reached the master level at a young age, but he eventually became a mercenary with the stigma of a fallen sword after being consumed by himself."
"Even though he didn't improve his skills, many people tried to get him because he was a master, but no one could open his heart."
'But....'
The man in front of him was different.
Raon didn't even think about getting or awakening the Fallen Sword, but just swinging the sword honestly, it touched the heart of the loser who had not been able to look at the wall for a long time.
That was something that could not be done even knowing. It was something that only those who had a value beyond strength and talent could do.
"In order for the heart to move, there must be action. You are a person who can do that, not only for yourself, but also for others. That's why I said I want to invest."
"I see...."
Raon nodded heavily.
'He's a scary man.'
He wasn't going to invest in me because I had outstanding strength or because I had helped Dorian grow.
Adis Sepia, the head of the Sepia Merchants Association, invested because he had figured out what kind of human Raon Zieghart was.
"I have one question."
Adis stopped tapping the table with his fingers.
"Please ask."
"Do you have any plans to become the head of house Zieghart?"
His concise question left Raon speechless.
'Head of the family....'
I had thought about it before, and I had been asked a few times, but I had always said that I had no intention of doing so.
'That wasn't my goal.'
The most important goal I set for myself in my second life is to reveal the identity of Derus Robert and to destroy him.
Even if death comes again, I must achieve that.
'It would be convenient if I became the head of house.'
If I became the head of house and restrained Derus, I might be able to achieve my goal more easily.
'However....'
A tremendous number of lives will be lost.
If a battle between houses breaks out, countless innocent people will be killed.
I couldn't become the same person as Derus Robert just to get revenge on Derus Robert. I didn't want to see unnecessary sacrifices, even if it would be a difficult and lonely fight.
'The second goal will be meaningless as well.'
It would be possible to promote Sylvia to the direct line if I became the head of house, but it would be faster to promote Sylvia to the direct line by accumulate enough merit than become the head of house.
In other words, it was not necessary for either goal.
'I don't want to be the head of house. However....'
Unlike before, I felt affection for the house of Zieghart, and I wanted to be with the people of the house a little more, and I wanted to make the house even bigger and higher.
'I don't know my own mind either.'
I couldn't come up with a proper answer to Adis' question because I wanted to be the head of house and I didn't want to be one as well.
'I think the invest will be gone.'
Adis is a merchant. The fact that he offered his help means that he will definitely demand a reward.
However, that will be after I become the head of house, so he will cancel his investment proposal when he hears my answer.
'Still, it's easier to tell the truth.'
Adis is the father of my colleague and the owner of the Merchants Association, who is difficult to understand. There was no point in trying to deceive him in a sloppy way.
Really....
Wrath frowned at Raon.
I can't figure out your personality. Yesterday, you were a punk, and today, you're like a wise man. You're a crazy man.
'I don't know myself either.'
Raon took a deep breath and looked up at Adis.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Yes. Aside from whether I can become the head of house or not, I still don't know what I can do if I become the head of house. Therefore, I cannot answer the question of whether I will become the head of house at this time."
"Hmmm..."
Adis let out a sigh and frowned.
"I don't understand. You knew that an answer of 'I don't know' was not good, so why did you give that answer? Wouldn't it have been better to say that you would become the head of house, even if it was a lie?"
"That's right. That would have been better."
Raon smiled faintly and nodded.
"However, when I tried to lie, I remembered the words of the head of the association."
"What...?"
"Even if it's stolen goods, you should not put up goods with defects for sale to customers."
When he brought up the words he said to Jessir at the training hall, Adis' mouth opened wide.
"I'm not a merchant, but I'm like a product on this table. I didn't want to gamble with the head of the Association with a product riddled with lies."
"K...."
Adis stopped drumming his hands on the table. At the same time as his shoulders shook, a long smile flowed out of him.
"Khahahahhahaha!"
Adis laughed out loud, releasing his usual coldness and firmness. It was a laughter that was refreshing enough.
"I think I finally understand. Yes. That's it."
He looked at Raon with excited eyes. It was a kind-looking pair of eyes that gave a feeling similar to Dorian, unlike before.
"I told you at the beginning, didn't I? I'm confident in my eye."
"You said so."
"I guess my eyes are getting old."
"Yes?"
"I didn't think the man named Raon Zieghart could be like this."
Adis smiled. This seemed like his true self.
"I accept it."
He leaned back in his chair with a deeper smile.
"After hearing your answer, I am even more convinced. Sepia Merchants Association will invest in Raon Zieghart."
Adis extended his hand with a refreshing expression.
"I will follow you wherever you go. Just tell me what you want."
Huek!
Wrath, who had been silent until now, jumped up.
You shouldn't have said that! You idiot!
'Get out of the way.'
Raon brushed away the trembling cotton ball with the back of his hand and leaned forward.
"What I want right now is the expansion of Zieghart."
"Expansion?"
"Yes. Zieghart is located at the northern end, so it is the most closed off between the Six Kings."
"Indeed. Before the people heard about the Destructive King of North appearances in eden branch and the results of the duel held in Owen Kingdom, they thought it was time to exclude house Zieghart from the Six Kings."
Adis nodded in agreement.
"That's all because of the location. So I want to expand the infrastructure and road network there."
'This is something I've been thinking about before. In order to grow house Zieghart, people, roads, and money were all needed, so the power of a giant Merchant was needed.'
"I understand what you mean."
Adis, as the head of the Merchants Association, seemed to have understood his meaning at once.
"It will take a lot of money, time, and manpower."
"However, the rewards will be even greater than that. The head of house is a person who is sure to reward and punish. There are many places that want to hold hands with Zieghart right now, but there are no confirmed places."
"Then we have to move first."
He nodded, saying that he would quickly come up with a plan.
"Well, and next is the Light Wind squad..."
"Next?"
Adis' eyes widened twice at the word "next."
"You said to tell me what you want."
"Yes, that's right, but I didn't expect there to be more..."
Adis, who now felt something strange, trembled his lips.
"There's still a long way to go."
Raon smiled with a happy smile with his chin slightly raised.
"It's just the beginning now. Please listen carefully."
Shortly after, Adis regretted his decision.
* * *
House Zieghart's audience chamber.
In that place, which was as lofty as the top of Mount Bumangsan, with a cool cold air blowing, a bunch of children came in. The children looked around the audience chamber with blank eyes and wiggled their fingers.
"Phew."
Glenn Zieghart shot a sharp look at the ragged saint Frederick, who was standing at the forefront of the children standing awkwardly.
"What are these kids?"
"I told Rimmer, didn't you hear it?"
"I heard it, but I didn't know there were so many."
"I told him about the number too."
Frederick pointed to Rimmer, who was snickering at the children.
"Rimmer."
"Whoa!"
Rimer flinched and shook his shoulders at Glenn's sharp voice.
"I f, forgot."
Rimmer scratched the back of his head and laughed.
"......"
As Glenn glared at Rimmer as if to kill him, a bone-chilling chill filled the audience chamber.
"Ugh... ow..."
"W, why is it so cold all of a sudden?"
The children trembled all over, even though they were wearing thick fur coats.
"Glenn. There are children, you know."
"Hmmm..."
Glenn frowned at Frederick's call and withdrew all his aura. In fact, it seemed to have generated heat, and a warm feeling like a warm breeze blew through the audience chamber.
"Wow, that's too much, isn't it? He's making a show of his aura with children around?"
Rimmer had already approached Raon and started badmouthing Glenn.
"Hehehe."
Roenn smiled benevolently, as if the children were cute, with his hands behind his back.
"You can make a mistake with the number, you know. Trying to kill someone over that is just crazy."
"Hehehe."
Rimmer continued to talk about Glenn's behind, regardless of whether Roenn answered or not.
"Guh..."
Glenn let out a groan and turned his gaze to the children.
"These children were brainwashed, right?"
"That's right."
Frederick nodded, looking around at the children, who were shaking their eyes in fear.
Glenn looked over the children one by one. The eyes of the children, who were still in need of adult protection, were dark under their eyes. They didn't look bright, but they looked like adults who had been through life.
"Why did you bring them here?"
"Because the cold here can erase the remaining brainwashing and their bad memories."
"Hmm."
Glenn spread his aura to check not only the outside, but also the inside of the children. Because of the brainwashing, the mana in their bodies was sluggish, and the damage to their mana circuits was severe.
When he saw those children, he remembered Raon, who was carrying the curse of the extreme cold when he was young. When he thought about it, he couldn't refuse.
"Can you fix it?"
"These children can be cured."
Frederick smiled awkwardly, giving an ambiguous answer.
"Then..."
"You're not going to send the children back after they came all this way to this cold place, are you?"
When Glenn was about to nod to Frederick, Rimmer's voice came.
"Raon is doing well, so a lot of money is coming in these days, and it's not like we don't have bread to feed them."
"Hehehe."
"It's something a human can do, right? Isn't that right?"
"Hehehe."
"I accept."
Glenn nodded to Frederick.
"Send those children to the mansion near the annex building."
The warmest place in this family is the annex building where Sylvia is located. It seemed like it would be better to keep those children close to the annex building for treatment.
"Thank you. I knew I had a good friend."
Frederick smiled and bowed his head, then opened the door to the audience chamber.
"Then let's go."
At his gesture, the children filed out of the audience chamber one by one.
"Frederick."
Glenn stopped Frederick, who was about to leave.
"Did you ever ask Raon to laugh in front of me before?"
"Oh, I did. How was it? Did you like it?"
Frederick turned around and smiled.
"......"
Glenn didn't answer and bit his lip. The corners of his lips trembled like a leaf in the wind.
"Kekekekek! As expected."
Frederick laughed out loud and left the audience chamber, saying he would come back in the evening to have a drink.
"Roenn. Prepare plenty of side dishes. The ones that beggar likes."
"Understood."
Roenn smiled and nodded.
"And..."
"Aaaargh!"
At Glenn's gesture, Rimmer'sbody, who was about to follow Frederick, floated up.
Kwaang!
Roenn didn't miss the opportunity and closed the door to the audience chamber.
"R, Roenn?"
"Hehehe."
"Don't laugh and why did you close the door!"
"I told you."
Rimmer turned around at the cold voice. Glenn, who was sitting on the throne, stood up and snapped his fingers.
Kwajijijijik!
Red lightning spread like a spider web in the air, filling the ceiling of the audience chamber.
Kururryeong!
Rimmer trembled as he stared at the falling red lightning.
"A, again? Aaaargh!"
Rimmer's laughter echoed through the air along with the falling lightning.
"Hehehe."
* * *
Even though Raon had gotten what he wanted, he didn't leave Sepia Merchants Association for two weeks.
He was standing on the top of a rocky mountain, looking at the stars that filled the night sky, and then he lowered his gaze.
"Kyaaaaah!"
Mark Gorton was climbing the cliff with a roar. He was moving slowly, which was not what you would expect from a master, but he was moving one step at a time towards the top.
"Eheheheek...."
Dorian was next to Mark Gorton, panting like a dog with his tongue hanging out. His eyes were glazed over, but he was so strong that his speed itself was not bad.
'They're both doing pretty well.'
They had to climb the cliff with their physical strength alone, as their mana circuits were completely blocked, but after two weeks, their bodies had grown and they were both climbing the mountain faster and more concisely than before.
Today alone, they have climbed this cliff seven times, and their speed is much faster than when they first climbed the mountain.
They are talentless and clumsy, but they are definitely taking a step forward.
Wrath lifted the corners of his mouth slightly, saying that it was not bad.
This is not bad either.
'Yeah, they're getting better.'
Dorian is also growing, but the one who has changed the most is Mark Gorton. He climbed this cliff all day and restored his damaged body.
'Well, let's help them out a little?'
Raon smiled faintly and lightly rubbed the rock at the top.
You wouldn't...
'That's right.'
He smiled and punched the rock.
Kuwaaaaang!
As if the Destroyer title was activated, the rock cracked as expected and boulders poured down on Dorian and Mark Gorton's heads.
"Hurk!"
"Aaaaaaargh!"
Mark Gorton and Dorian screamed and bent over. The two of them were busy moving around to avoid the rocks as they watched the movement of the rocks. Their eyes were filled with a strong will to survive.
"You're good at dodging."
Raon kept dropping rocks in places where Mark Gorton and Dorian could run away, forcing them to keep thinking and moving.
'This is fun, though?'
I'll have to do this with the Light Wind squad when I get back.
Training on a cliff while dropping rocks helps todevelop body control, prediction, and agility. It was the best training.
The best training to hell! Just take them on the carriage to the underworld!
* * *
With Raon's continued interference, Dorian and Mark Gorton were able to reach the top of the rocky mountain only after the moon had risen to the center of the sky.
"Hiiiick, hiiiick!"
"Huuuk!"
Dorian lay down on his back, drooling, and Mark Gorton knelt down, gasping for breath.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Raon smiled as he looked at Mark Gorton, who did not fall down even in a tired state.
'He's really changed.'
If he was the same person as the rumors, he should have given up on this kind of training after a day. He was not a very patient person to begin with, and his personality would have been even more damaged by his mercenary life.
However, Mark Gorton climbed this rocky mountain from morning to night without missing a single day for two weeks.
His body had changed so much that it felt like a different person.
The fat from alcohol and side dishes disappeared, and firm muscles appeared, making him look like a warrior.
A change that feels like will.
'It feels like he's grabbing onto his last lifeline.'
Mark Gorton was working hard with all his might to grab the new opportunity that came to him.
Adis said it, and I can tell because I've seen it with my own eyes for two weeks. Mark Gorton's words that he wanted to follow me were sincere.
'However....'
There was one sticking point.
Raon approached Mark Gorton, who was kneeling.
"Mark Gorton."
"Yes!"
Mark Gorton answered with a loud voice that shook the mountain, even though he was gasping for breath.
"You said you would follow me, right? Is that thought still the same?"
"Yes!"
"Even if you can't raise your master level?"
The reason Mark Gorton's level stopped was not simply because of his martial arts or aura.
Probably a psychological problem. If he is trained like the Light Wind squad, there is a possibility of improvement, but it cannot be said for sure. This was something he had to know for sure.
"......"
Mark Gorton didn't answer right away for the first time, and closed his wavering eyes.
When he opened his eyes again after a while, his pupils were as deep as when he was training.
"It doesn't matter."
"Really?"
"I'm just satisfied to have a dream again. Of course, I'm expecting it, but even if I hit a wall again, I don't think I'll despair like before."
The wall of cultivation.
The first time he saw that wall, he was dismissive, the second time he saw it after 5 years, he was annoyed, and the third time he saw it after 10 years, he was despairing. After that, he was too afraid to face that wall again.
He had prepared his mind for a month while waiting for Raon, and he had trained his body for two weeks on this mountain. Now, he didn't think he would be afraid to see the wall again.
Raon nodded as he looked at Mark Gorton's determined eyes.
'He's definitely changed.'
He seemed to have changed from the mercenary Mark Gorton who had given up on his own skills to the knight Mark Gorton who had found a spark of hope.
"Dorian."
"Huh? Yes!"
Dorian got up, panting.
"What did you think?"
Because Dorian was the one who had been closest to Mark Gorton for two weeks, his opinion was also important.
"Umm...,"
Dorian looked at Mark Gorton and smiled brightly.
"He's a good uncle. He taught me some tricks, and most importantly, he works hard. I think it would be good to go together."
He added that it was clear that he was really going all out to climb from below.
"Is that so."
Raon nodded. Just as Dorian had seen from below, Mark Gorton was always sincere from above.
'I have to take him with me.'
And if he gives up after three days, what are you going to do?
When he had made up his mind, Wrath suddenly interjected.
'Then I'll make him give up every three days.'
What?
'I'll just wake him up every three days.'
How?
'With a fist. Or a sword. It's always said that when you don't listen, you need a beating.'
Who the hell said such a crazy thing!
'I did.'
Ugh….
Raon left Wrath, who was gaping, and held out his hand to Mark Gorton.
"Let's go together."
"Ah...,"
Mark Gorton stared blankly at Raon's hand, then tried to wipe his dirty hands on his pants.
"Those hands are worth holding."
"T, thank you."
Raon took Mark Gorton's hand, which was covered in dust. Mark Gorton bit his lip and lowered his head.
"That's great! Uncle is now also a member of the Light Wind squad..."
"Dorian."
Raon stopped Dorian, who was about to approach Mark Gorton.
"If you have time to take care of other people from below, it means that this training was too easy, right?"
"Yes? No, no! Absolutely not! I was ordered by the vice-leader to watch over him..."
"I understand. Let's keep that in mind for the next training."
"Oh, he's a devil. That man is a real devil!"
Raon laughed as he watched Dorian, who had collapsed on the ground and was pounding his fists.
'It's time to go back now.'
He had gotten what he needed from here, so it was time to go back to the family.
He was worried that Rimmer might have caused trouble, or that the other members might not be training properly.
"Let's go back..."
When Raon gestured to Mark Gorton and Dorian, a message appeared in front of his eyes.
[The Blade of Requiem has absorbed all of the dark mana.]
[A new trait is being generated.]
