N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 375
Raon approached the gate of the mansion. As he got closer, he was more sure. The people inside the mansion were the maids of the annex building, including Sylvia and Helen.
However, there were also people who were hoping to come to this place inside.
'I should go in and see.'
If they were asleep, he wouldn't enter. He decided to go in because they were all awake.
Creaked.
He opened the door to the mansion's entrance. The warmth that felt like entering the annex building, along with the soft lighting that soothed his eyes, poured in.
The touch of the annex building maids was felt in the neatly arranged lobby.
'They're all over there.'
The movement of the people inside the mansion was felt in the largest room on the right. He opened the door carefully so as not to make any noise and went inside.
Unlike the lobby, the light in the room was only coming down on the stage.
Yua, Helen, and the other maids were moving the dolls behind the black desk on the stage, and the children below the stage were staring intently at the front with their backs only visible.
Those children!
Wrath flew forward and confirmed the faces of the children, shouting with joy.
They were all alive! Thank goodness!
He smiled brightly, saying that young people should live long. It was really a warm word that couldn't be called by a demon king.
But what are your maids doing now?
'It looks like they're putting on a puppet show.'
Yua moved the doll that looked like a blonde knight, and the other maids were manipulating the soldier and monster dolls.
"The monsters' attacks became more and more intense. Eventually, the walls were broken and the soldiers fell down from the castle."
Sylvia was reading a script or something a little away from the stage, as if she was narrating.
"At the critical moment when the fallen soldiers were approached by the ferocious monsters!"
With Sylvia's explanation, Yua moved her hand to lower the blonde doll down from the wall.
"The hero Raon Zieghart jumped down from the wall and stood in front of the soldiers."
She smiled brightly and continued in a soft voice.
"In front of Raon Zieghart's outstanding swordsmanship, the monsters were defeated and."
"Aaaaaaargh!"
The maids who were manipulating the monsters screamed and threw the monster dolls to the ground.
"Grrraaaaaargh!"
Surprisingly, Judiel was doing a realistic performance as if he had really been hit by a sword, and he knocked down the monster doll.
"Raon Zieghart did not back down, and protected the people under the wall until the red moonlight set and the golden sun rose."
With Sylvia's voice filled with power, the maids all tilted the monster dolls.
Yulius crawled to the desk and pulled out the moon model and hung the sun model.
"The cold walls of the Frost Plateau can be protected not by a knight's sword, but by..."
Yua began to sing while moving Raon's doll. Her clear and clear voice drew all the attention in the room.
Raon smiled as he tapped his fingers to the beat of the song.
'She's grown again.'
Yua's voice and singing sense had improved even more than before. Now she seemed to have become a singer who could literally captivate people.
Pineapple girl! Pineapple girl!
Wrath shook his round fist wildly at Yua. Starlight sparkled from his fist as it bloomed with frost.
"Raon."
When Raon was smiling as he listened to Yua's song, Federick, dressed as a beggar, approached him. He knew he was there, of course, but he didn't talk to him because he was concentrating on watching.
"It's been a while, saint."
"How does it feel to hear about your accomplishments?"
"It's embarrassing."
He scratched his cheek and shook his head.
"It's said to be true, so what's embarrassing about it?"
"It seems to be a bit exaggerated."
"Is that story 100% true?"
Federick chuckled kindly as he watched Yua controlling the Raon Zieghart puppet.
'It's definitely written by Yua.'
The only one who could really know the story was Yua, so it was natural for her to write the script.
Raon, while watching the focused Yua under the stage, turned to Federick.
"Thank you for granting my request."
He bowed to Federick, maintaining his posture.
"No need for formalities."
Federick extended his hand lightly like an approaching wave.
"Even if it wasn't your request, it was something that needed to be done, so don't worry about it."
He smiled, considering it his duty as a human.
"But..."
Raon asked as the ongoing puppet show continued.
"Why are you doing a puppet show at this hour?"
While children might enjoy puppet shows, it didn't make sense to do them at bedtime.
"Because for these children, the night is a time of fear."
"Ah..."
"They say they received assassin training at night. They were tortured at bedtime and learned how to kill, so naturally, nights are terrifying for them." (fu** you Derus)
Federick's tone was solemn, but his hand trembled visibly with anger.
"So, these children can't sleep at night. Even if they fall asleep, they wake up with nightmares and sometimes even strangle themselves."
"I see..."
Raon bit her lip.
"Just as I expected."
Having experienced it in his previous life as Raon, he couldn't be unaware. The night was hell, the most dreadful time.
"This puppet show is a psychological therapy to turn the children's fear of the night into joy. I thought it would be tough, but everyone's willingly helped."
Federick smiled sincerely as he watched Sylvia and the maids perform the puppet show with dedication.
"Is it effective?"
"It's late in the morning, but they're now sleeping peacefully until the sun rises."
"Then, can it also undo the brainwashing?"
"Yes."
Federick nodded without hesitation.
"We rescued the children before the brainwashing was completed, so it's possible to treat them."
"Thank you."
Raon wiped his eyes with his lowered gaze. He had been worrying whether it would work or not, but hearing Federick's confirmation put his heart at ease.
Phew!
It seemed Wrath also felt relieved as he let out a long sigh.
That's a relief! No matter the race, we must cherish the young ones!
Once again, he made uncharacteristic sounds, puffing out air.
"What are your plans for these children after their treatment?"
"I want to let them do what they want."
Raon expressed his honest intentions as he looked at the children. He wanted to give them the ordinary life that both his previous self and the already departed No. 9 couldn't have.
"Asking was unnecessary, as expected."
Federick patted his shoulder as if encouraging him.
"Anyone would do the same. It's nothing special."
Saying it was nothing extraordinary, he extended his hand. Federick looked at his hand, then wiped away the smile that had formed on his lips.
"I'm sorry to ruin the mood, but I also have some bad news."
"Bad news?"
"I don't think we can save anyone who has been completely brainwashed, except for these children."
Federick bit his lip as he looked up at the dark void.
"The brainwashing on the children is done by wrapping hundreds of meters of wire around the brain to create an unbreakable fence. Once it's complete, it's almost impossible to undo. It will never come undone unless you receive a wound that is close to death and your survival instinct takes over your body."
"A wound that could kill you..."
So that's why I was able to break the brainwashing.
Thanks to the fact that I was in danger of dying while on a mission, the thread of brainwashing loosened, and in the meantime, I was able to learn the ring of fire.
It seemed that I was able to break free from Derus' brainwashing thanks to a combination of luck and luck.
"Even if we catch the human who created this brainwashing, there is no guarantee that it will be released. If you meet people who are brainwashed, the best way to send them off peacefully seems to be... ."
Federick bowed his head, apologizing for not being able to help.
"No. The ones who put on the brainwashing are just trash."
Raon sighed. In the end, it seemed that the only way to end this hellish battle was to kill Derus.
'I have to grow faster.'
Even though I am growing stronger than anyone else now, I wanted to grow faster and end his time.
"Now that I've told you the bad news, I'll give you some good news."
Federick pointed to his heart with his finger.
"I couldn't undo the brainwashing, but it seems I might be able to deal with the Rage Worm."
"Really?"
"It will take some time, but it seems that a way to remove the worm that is embedded in the heart will be created."
If he said that, it meant that he was almost certain.
Those who have the Rage Worm embedded in them are Derus's subordinates. If I could only open their mouths, it would not be impossible to find Derus's weakness.
"I don't care how much money it costs. I ask you to help me."
"I see you've made some money outside."
"Yes. Somehow..."
Raon nodded lightly and told him that he had sought the cooperation of the Sepia Merchants Association.
"Huh! Sepia Merchants Association?"
Federick opened his mouth wide as if he didn't expect the Sepia Merchants Association to side with the Zieghart. At his cry, the puppet show stopped, and everyone looked back.
"Saint. Suddenly... Oh, Raon!"
"Young master?"
"When did you come!"
"The young master is here!"
Sylvia, Helen, and the other maids jumped off the stage, turning on the lights.
"Kids! That's Mr. Raon! Raon Zieghart!"
Yua used her aura to tell the children Raon's name.
"Raon?"
"A real hero?"
"Raon! Raon! Raon!"
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
The children who were sitting in their chairs even jumped up and ran like a swarm of bees.
"Did you really fight for a week and save people?"
"Did you really defeat the demon king?"
"Did you catch the dragon?"
I don't know where Yua's script went, but even the words of the demon king and the dragon came out.
"That's not it... Ah."
Raon was at a loss for words as he was surrounded by children.
"Raon..."
He hesitated, meeting the gaze of the young girl who had introduced herself as Pine.
In the depths of those eyes, which had been immersed in darkness, there was hope and light. She held hands with the friends who had once held knives to each other's throats underground.
Seeing their bright faces, which were beyond comparison to before, something deep within Raon's soul melted away. It could have been regret from his previous life, hope, or even resentment left by No. 9.
"Yes."
Raon nodded to the children, setting aside the ambiguous emotions.
"I caught the Demon King."
"Really?"
"You really caught the Demon King?"
"Yes, I did. A foolish Demon King named Wrath."
"Wowwww!"
The children raised their hands and cheered.
"A Demon King named Wrath..."
Wrath, who initially didn't understand what was being said, suddenly ignited with a fiery anger in his eyes.
Hey, you brat!
* * *
The next day, at noon.
After leisurely finishing lunch, Raon headed towards the cliffs of Mount Bukmang.
Since he had informed them in advance, all the members of the Light Wind squad had gathered below the cliffs and were warming up. Unlike the previous day, they had refreshed and cool expressions as they exercised beneath the cliffs.
"Raon."
Runaan was the first to rush over and nodded.
"You're finally here?"
Burren followed closely behind and smiled.
"If it were like the old days, you would have been here since dawn. You've gotten lazy."
Martha clicked her tongue as if she found it pathetic.
"I just wanted to have some home-cooked meals for once."
Yesterday, the sulking Wrath had insisted on eating lunch and leaving, so he had no choice but to eat breakfast and lunch in the annex building.
I am satisfied.
Wrath, who had improved his mood, was now floating in the air as if he were swimming.
Raon approached Gambling Monster, leaning against the cliffs.
"Sir General Administrator, you've worked hard all this time."
"I crawled over here only because it was a hassle. I thought I might die of boredom."
"Despite your complaints, the squad members have made a lot of progress."
"I couldn't just leave them alone because I was bored."
"Thank you."
The Gambling Monster turned his head with a furrowed brow. He offered a nod with a hint of gratitude for Raon's words, knowing that the progress of the Light Wind squad members was thanks to his training.
"Are we going cliff climbing again today?"
"Isn't yesterday enough?"
"I fell nearly ten times..."
The Light Wind squad members sighed at the thought of him doing it again.
"Ugh, fine. Hello there."
A groan was heard, and when they looked to the side, they saw Dorian covered in bandages from head to toe. If it weren't for his belly pouch, they might not have recognized him.
"Why are you in that state?"
"It's all because of you, vice-leader!"
"Me? Why?"
Dorian and Wrath' interactions often involved arguments and misunderstandings.
"Yesterday, you left me in charge of throwing stones, and people thought I was the one who threw them from the beginning!"
Dorian pointed to the members of the Light Wind squad, demanding that he reveals the truth.
"Oh...,"
Raon laughed at Dorian and the Light Wind squad members.
'That's how it turned out.'
Now I understand why he was in that state. It was clear that Dorian had been caught and beaten by Burren, Martha, and Runaan after not leaving when he should have.
"I told you to only do it once and then leave."
Raon waved his hand as if he knew nothing.
"Vice-leader, when did you ever...?"
Dorian's mouth opened wide enough for a frog to fit inside.
"No, it was definitely..."
"That's right!"
"That bastard!"
"You're dead later!"
The Light Wind squad members glared at Dorian with reddened eyes, and Dorian trembled his pale lips.
"Are they all here?"
A weak voice was heard from the right. When Raon turned around, Rimmer was there, his red hair blackened and his eyes bruised blue.
"Why do you look like that, squad leader?"
"I don't know. Man, let's just start."
Rimmer leaned against the cliff and muttered that life was too hard.
'It's a really strange group.'
Raon laughed and stood in front of the members.
"Line up."
The Light Wind squad members, who had been scattered and unable to concentrate, gathered in an instant and formed a formation when he gave the order to line up for the first time in a while. Their eyes were also flashing fiercely enough to fight a battle immediately.
"First of all, let me introduce you. Sir Mark."
When he called his name, Mark Gorton, who was behind, came forward.
"Have you met each other?"
"Of course, we have. It's a problem that our first meeting was a rescue, but..."
Burren shook his head in disbelief as he looked at Mark Gorton.
"He looks like he's good at it. Who is he?"
Martha rolled her black pearl-like eyes, feeling a sense of superiority.
"Catch well."
Runaan nodded his head, saying that the landing was comfortable.
"His name is Mark Gorton. He is a knight-turned-traveler who is not yet a member of the Light Wind squad, but we will be working together a lot, so it would be good to get along."
If Mark Gorton wanted to join the Light Wind squad, he would put him in, but he wanted to stay as Raon's vassal, so he put him in charge of the annex building for now.
"......"
Runaan looked at Mark Gorton blankly, not interested in his name or status.
"I haven't heard of him."
Martha didn't know about him and muttered Mark Gorton's name a few times.
"Mark Gorton? Could it be... Ack!"
Burren closed his mouth after saying his nickname, Falling Flower Sword.
"That's right."
Mark Gorton stepped forward and nodded his head.
"I am Mark Gorton, who is called Falling Flower Sword, which means a fallen warrior."
He smiled brightly, revealing the meaning of his nickname.
"Even lower than rock bottom, but thanks to Raon, I could gain enlightenment. I look forward to working with you."
Mark Gorton bowed his head to the Light Wind squad members, who were much younger than him, in a polite manner.
"Welcome!"
Burren was the first to clap and laugh brightly, as if he felt a sense of kinship.
"Let's have a match later!"
"Do you like pearl ice cream?"
"I look forward to working with you in the future!"
"Waaaa!"
Martha and Runaan each said their own unique things, and the other Light Wind squad members also cheered and laughed.
Bang!
When Mark Gorton finished greeting the Light Wind squad members, Raon clapped his hands loudly. The Light Wind squad members turned their eyes with a serious expression as if they had been waiting for it.
"The introductions are over, so let's continue the training of climbing the cliff that we started yesterday. Everyone, take your positions."
As he moved among the members, he suppressed their mana circuits.
"Well, I think you guys need to suffer a bit... huh?"
When he blocked Rimmerr's neck and mana circuit, who was laughing, he turned around with wide eyes.
"Ra, Raon? I think you made a mistake? My aura also...blocked...?"
"It's not a mistake. The leader also has to do it."
"Shush! I'm the leader...."
"You said you would leave the training to me until your power is restored."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Rimmer.
"Even so, I can't train with those kids at this level!"
"Squad leader. I can see fat on your belly. You only did aura training, so you skipped physical training, didn't you?"
"Ugh, that's... that's..."
Rimmer twitched his shoulders and lowered his gaze.
"I'll let you off if you can reach the top even once."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Raon nodded and looked down at the entire Light Wind squad.
"You guys are the same. If you can reach the top once, I'll let you off this training."
"Oh!"
"Great!"
"I'm used to it now! Let's finish it today!"
The Light Wind squad members looked at each other and shouted that they could do it.
Raon bowed his head to Gambling Monster, who was standing next to him, as he listened to the members' cheers.
"General. Thank you for your help."
"You really do all sorts of things for me."
He sighed with disbelief and walked towards the cliff. Gambling Monster was the safety officer for today because Mark Gorton also had to train.
"I'll see you later then."
Raon waved his hand lightly and climbed to the top of the cliff in one breath. After reaching the top of the cliff, he shouted down.
"Training start!"
"Go!"
"This damn training is over today!"
"Aaaaaa!"
As soon as he shouted the start of the training, the Light Wind squad members jumped like grasshoppers and stuck to the cliff. The speed of their ascent was twice as fast as yesterday because the sun was up and they had already made several round trips.
"It's fast. But even so...."
Raon shook his head as he looked at the Light Wind squad members who were climbing up the cliff with all their might.
"I'm going to make you suffer a lot more."
He muttered to himself as he watched them climb.
Raon smiled and took out a wooden piece in the shape of a dagger. He held the wooden piece between his index and middle fingers and fired it down.
Piiiiiiiiiiing!
The wooden dagger, fired with a powerful sonic boom, hit the cheekbone of Krein, who was climbing up in front.
“Kweeek! Why am I falling again?!”
Krein screamed and fell down. Gambling Monster sighed and moved to catch him.
“This isn’t it.”
Raon clicked his tongue and took out a book from his arms. It was the martial arts book of Haknyuebido, which he had received yesterday.
“Ah, my hand shape was a little wrong.”
No, are you trying to practice throwing daggers with those guys?
Wrath asked Raon, his lips trembling.
“That’s right.”
Raon nodded confidently.
“I can’t just leave such a good target alone, can I?”
The most important thing when practicing flying dagger techniques is to hit a moving target. Thanks to learning flying dagger techniques in his previous life, he decided to start targeting moving targets instead of stationary objects.
“They’re training their senses and reflexes, and I’m training my aim. It’s a win-win situation, isn’t it?”
What kind of crazy guy is this…
Wrath shook his head in disbelief, saying that he had really become a lunatic.
“This is what I call cost-effective training.”
Raon smiled and threw the second dagger. The dagger, which flew faster than before, hit the armpit of a Light Wind squad member. The member, who was attacked in a vital spot, screamed and fell off.
“It’s still a bit lacking.”
This time, the accuracy improved, but the speed was a bit lacking. He injected more aura into the wooden dagger and fired it at the Light Wind squad members climbing up.
Pew-pew-pew-pew!
With the help of the martial arts book and the ring of fire, the daggers became faster and more accurate, and began to bombard the Light Wind squad members.
“Yee-haaaaah!”
As he was happily knocking down the Light Wind squad members, Rimmer was already halfway up the cliff. He was using the wind around him instead of his internal aura to increase his speed.
“This is cheating.”
Raon shook his head and fired a dagger filled with aura at Rimmer. The dagger, which fell like lightning, was about to hit his forehead when a green wind arose and changed the dagger’s direction and reduced its power.
“Raon! You’re still young!”
Rimmer laughed, saying that this was the adult’s reaction speed.
“Hmmm…”
Raon threw more daggers, but Rimmer used the wind to reduce the power of the daggers and climbed up the cliff like a grasshopper.
“No choice.”
Raon did not panic and drew his sword. He created a tornado with the blade.
What…?
Wrath was speechless when he saw that.
No, are you trying to…
“That’s right.”
Raon smiled and fired a fireball at Rimmer, using the sword’s spinning blade.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaa!
The blade, spinning like a circular saw, completely destroyed the corner of the cliff that Rimmer was climbing.
“Grrr!”
When the wall he was holding onto with his hands and feet fell away, Rimmer’s eyes bulged as if they were about to burst.
“I never said I wouldn’t use a sword.”
“Raon! You crazy bastard!”
Rimmer also couldn’t use aura, so he started to fall down the cliff with it.
“Uh…”
“Why did that bastard become more crazy?”
“Dorian! Why is he like that?”
“He’s always been like that!”
Dorian shook his head at Martha.
“This is cheating.”
Raon smiled and put away his sword. When he was about to throw another dagger, someone walked up from behind with a rustling sound.
“Vice-leader. It’s been a while.”
When he turned around, Chad, the Master of Shadow Agents, holding a large box, bowed his head.
Paaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
Raon hit Dorian’s forehead with the dagger he was holding, and then bowed to him.
“What brings you here?”
“I came here in person to bring you good news.”
Chad smiled as he put down the box he was holding.
“A gift arrived from the Beast Alliance.”
“A gift from the Beast Alliance…”
Raon looked at the box Chad had put down and the Light Wind squad members who were climbing the cliff hard, and smiled with excitement.
‘If I have this, I can increase the intensity of the training.’
...Are you really trying to kill the kids?
