N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 389
The Lake of Bicorn, located between house Zieghart and the Arian family.
It was a tourist destination known for its charming silver lake, though not as large as Porvan.
The Light Wind squad entered a restaurant built at the end of Lake Bicorn for lunch.
"Wow...,"
Burren let out a sigh of admiration as he looked at the sparkling Lake Bicorn in the sunlight.
"I heard it was beautiful, but I didn't think it would be such a beautiful lake."
He smiled softly, unable to take his eyes off the lake.
"It's just a lake, even if it's a beautiful lake."
Martha looked away from the lake as if bored and handed the menu to Burren.
"Order some food and look around!"
She shouted to not bother the waiter and to order first.
"Hmm...,"
Runaan opened her mouth in a daze as she looked at the lake.
"I feel like it would be nice to sleep there."
She said she wanted to lie down in the center of the lake where the warm sunlight was pouring down, and she started to blink her eyes as if she was sleepy just thinking about it.
"Even though it looks warm, it will be cold if you go in."
Krein shook his head, saying that it was still a cold season.
"Well, we won't be easily pulled in because of our training."
He smiled with a confident jaw gesture.
"Hmm?"
Raon stopped looking at the menu and looked up at Krein.
What are you doing! Ordering food is a sacred task! Focus on the order first, as the beef girl said!
Wrath looked at the menu in a reverent manner as if praying to a god.
The King of Essence wants to eat roasted whole pork jelly and grilled eggplant lamb!
'The names are a bit worrying, roasted pork jelly and grilled eggplant lamb...'
Original dishes are meant to be a new experience. The King of essence will expand your horizons, so let's place the order quickly!"
'Ugh...'
Raon ordered the food that Wrath said because it seemed like he would keep whining if he didn't.
When the three waiters received all of the Light Wind squad's orders and left, he waved to Krein.
"Krein."
"Yes?"
"You said you wouldn't easily fall into the water earlier, right?"
"Yes? Ha, I did say that, but...,"
Krein nodded his head with his lips trembling, as if he felt a sense of foreboding.
"Your confidence is good."
Raon stood up with a cheerful smile. He approached Krein and grabbed his shoulder.
"V-vice-squad leader?"
Krein raised his gaze and bit his nails.
"They said it would take a while for the food to come out. Let's practice for a while, shall we?"
"Yes?"
"If you can hold still on the surface of the lake for 30 seconds, I won't train you until we get to the Arian family."
"Huh!"
"No training?"
"Are you sure?"
Not only Krein but the entire Light Wind squad had their eyes wide open. They had been training consistently even on their way to this lake.
"Instead, if you can't hold on, we'll all practice in that lake until tonight."
Raon smiled and nodded.
"30 seconds...,"
"That should be easily doable!"
The Light Wind squad claimed that 30 seconds would be a breeze while giving Krein a piercing look.
"Ugh…"
Krein trembled, intimidated by the mad gaze of the Light Wind squad
You fools!
Wrath stuck his head out and shouted at the Light Wind squad.
This guy is a 100-year-old serpent! Don't be fooled! There is clearly another motive!
He pushed Wrath away, who was shouting that it was a lie, and looked down at Krein.
"Are you going to do it?"
"I will. Just let me prepare for a moment...
"No preparation is needed."
Raon smiled coldly and put his hand on Krein's shoulder.
"Okay, just a moment...
"I'm looking forward to it."
He lifted Krein up and threw him out the window. Using his superhuman strength, he flew like a ball and fell into the center of the lake.
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"
Krein screamed, but as a swordsman, he maintained his balance in the air and landed on the lake with his feet.
Splash!
However, due to Raon's ridiculous strength, his lower body was submerged, and he was unable to use the swimming technique he had learned so far and sank immediately.
"Keee! I'm drowning! I'm going to die of cold!"
Krein screamed and flailed his arms.
"That's a failure."
Raon turned around. He smiled colder than the lake and looked down at the Light Wind squad members.
"Wait, you didn't say you were going to throw us!"
"If you suddenly throw us with your ridiculous strength, anyone would be unable to withstand it!"
"Raon, you're a cheater."
Burren, Martha, and Runaan all frowned, saying that it was unfair.
"Are you going to say it's unfair even in a real battlefield?"
"Ugh...
"That's...
"......"
When the word "real battlefield" came out, the three captains all shut up.
"Besides, I never said I wouldn't throw."
As he said that, he grabbed Dorian's neck, who was sitting next to Krein.
"Eek? I'm still not ready...
"I'll throw you when I say one, two, three."
"Ugh...
"Three."
Just when Dorian was catching his breath, he only shouted "three" and threw him out the window.
"Kyaa! I'm drowning!"
Dorian screamed as he managed to flip over and fall into the lake. However, as he was a peak expert level, he only sank up to his ankles, unlike Krein.
"Ugh! I'm freezing!"
"Even though you're used to the water, it's still difficult to withstand external forces."
Raon clapped his hands as he listened to Dorian's screams.
"In other words, your training is still lacking. Start practicing on your own before I throw you."
"Throw me too!"
Mark Gorton came running, asking to be thrown like Krein and Dorian.
'That's why I like him.'
He had never taken his training for granted since he said he would follow hin. He was a man who deserved to go to a higher place.
"Okay."
Raon nodded and threw Mark Gorton with all his strength. Even though there was tremendous power in it, he controlled his body in the air like a master and fell to the lake with his feet.
Boom!
He landed safely on the water, unlike Krein and Dorian, despite the splash of water.
"Go! Go!"
"Aaaaaaargh!"
"Damn Light Wind squad...!"
"Damn it!"
The Light Wind squad members shouted as they ran towards the lake, not wanting to be thrown like Mark Gorton.
"Let's go too!"
"Ugh..."
Yua and Yulius also jumped into the lake through the window.
All ten tables of the Light Wind squad had jumped into the lake, leaving only Raon.
The people in the restaurant stared at the Light Wind squad, who had jumped into the lake and started walking or running.
"What are they doing?"
"It's crazy to go into the lake in this weather."
"Who the hell is doing such a crazy thing...?"
"You're right."
When the people were surprised, a middle-aged man who seemed to be the owner of the restaurant nodded with a wry smile.
"They are the Mad Dog squad of house Zieghart."
"Mad Dog?"
"There was such a squad in house Zieghart?"
"Oh! That's right! I heard they call the Light Wind squad the Mad Dog squad!"
"That's right."
The owner nodded, looking at Raon's back.
"People call them Mad Dog, not Light Wind, because of the fierce madness they showed at the duel tournament in Owen Kingdom and the crazy training they do."
"That fits well, whoever decided it."
"I know. The word 'mad dog' fits perfectly."
The people nodded in agreement.
"Which bastard said I was a mad dog!"
Martha, who seemed to have heard the people's words, glared at the restaurant and shouted.
"So that woman is the mad woman?"
"Yeah. It's just that. Her eyes are full of madness...."
"Mad woman. The name itself is...."
"It's not mad woman, it's mad sword!"
Martha rolled her feet as if she was about to chase them, causing a huge wave.
The rumor that they're a mad dog have spread here too! Stop tormenting the children.
'I can't help it.'
Raon looked at the Light Wind squad, who were trying to hold on even in the cold water, and twisted his lips.
'I have to do it.'
It was the minimum safety device to be able to control their body in dangerous situations, as he did not know what would happen in the Swamp of Death.
'Besides, the situation there is not very good either.'
The Arian family is in a state of laziness, forgetting their former glory.
He wanted them to perfect the technique of floating in the swamp so that they would not show any weaknesses to Arian family.
Raon turned around and waved to the waiter who was at a loss.
"I'm sorry, but can you bring the food in an hour?"
"Yes, sir!"
The waiter quickly nodded and went into the kitchen.
Ha, an hour later?
Wrath ran up with his jaw shaking.
Stop tormenting the King of Essence!
* * *
Thanks to their consistent training, the Light Wind squad was able to learn a footwork that could float on water before arriving at the Arian family.
It was impossible to float still, but if they stepped on the footwork, they could last for quite a long time without sinking.
Raon frowned as he looked at the muddy swamp that had filled the road, even though he had not yet arrived at the Arian family.
'Of course it came up this way too.'
When he heard that the water level of the Swamp of Death had risen, he thought that the other places would have also risen in height, and as expected, it was.
"What, what is it! There's no path!"
Burren opened his mouth wide as he looked at the place filled with swamp without a path.
"I didn't hear that it was a swamp from here?"
Martha also narrowed her eyes in surprise.
"I wonder if it's soft?"
Runaan tilted her head as if she thought of the swamp as a bed.
"So from now on, we have to walk through this swamp?"
"Yes, the path is gone."
"Yes."
The three of them stepped onto the swamp with a calm expression on their faces, as they had already adapted to the footwork that walked on water.
"This is easy."
"I know."
"We practiced in the water, so this swamp is simple."
"Kugh, I'm glad I trained. My heart is soaring."
The members of the Light Wind squad also followed Burren, Martha, and Runaan's footsteps and stepped on the swamp. They smiled in admiration at the sight of themselves floating on the swamp without difficulty.
"I'm still having a hard time."
"Ugh..."
With Mark Gorton's help, Yua and Yulius were able to barely stand on the swamp.
Raon stepped forward and turned around. He met the eyes of the Light Wind squad and curled his lips.
"Do you know who made it possible for you to stand on the swamp? I told you I'd help you all."
At that word, the eyes of the Light Wind squad glowed with a bright yellow madness.
"Kugh!"
"I really went through hell..."
"I'm angry. I'm even more angry that I can't say anything!"
"That annoying bastard..."
The Light Wind squad members bit their lips at the memory of being repeatedly defeated by Raon, but they swallowed their anger at the fact that his words were not wrong.
"Let's go."
Raon smiled wryly and gestured to the west.
"The Arian family will come to meet us, but there's no need to wait."
Following his gesture, the Light Wind squad members began to move towards the Arian family.
Unlike their hearts that were filled with heat for Raon, the Light Wind squad's footsteps walking on the swamp were as smooth as walking on flat ground.
* * *
Arian's family audience chamber.
A yellow-uniformed female knight entered a crimson-colored room that was even more luxurious than Zieghart. She knelt down.
"My lord, a support team that departed from house Zieghart has entered the family's territory,"
The female knight reported while looking sharply at the platform.
"Please allow me to send the rangers to meet them."
"......"
There was no answer from the platform, only cold eyes.
"Since you are the one called them, why don't you do it yourself?"
"My lord..."
"The rising water level of the swamp and the increase in the number of monsters are common occurrences! Why bother calling house Zieghart?"
A voice filled with anger erupted from the platform.
"If nothing happens, that's fine, but if something unfortunate happens, it will cause great damage to the people. I just wanted to prevent the problem in advance."
"I am the one who knows this family and the swamp best! You can just swing your sword outside, but I have to welcome them! Do you think it's easy to sweet-talk those youngsters?"
"I'm sorry."
"Tsk."
The man on the platform clicked his tongue and waved his hand.
"I didn't start it, but I have to finish it, right? Take the rangers and the carriage to meet the Zieghart's swordsmen."
"Thank you."
The female knight bowed her head. She got up and was about to leave the audience chamber when she heard small voices behind her.
"I really don't understand why she's causing such a nuisance."
"I know, right? It is already annoying..."
"How much does she know about this swamp?"
"Wendy has always loved to make trouble."
The female knight pretended not to hear and bit her lip as she left the audience chamber. When she went outside, two rangers were waiting.
"Prika."
"Yes."
The ranger with the red hair bowed her head at her call.
"Please. Bring them back safely."
"Don't worry."
Prika, as she was called, nodded with a faint smile.
"Wellis, don't play around."
"How can I play with the people from house Zieghart? I don't know how many of them will miss the natural initiation ceremony..."
Wellis, the ranger with black hair, laughed.
"Don't do that."
"They'll figure it out even if I don't touch them?"
"Prika. I'll only trust you."
"Don't worry."
Prika bowed her head and led Wellis and the rangers to the eastern gate.
Their feet were followed by horses with webbed feet.
"Let's go!"
The rangers loaded their large luggage onto a carriage pulled by horses and left the Arian family.
"Phew..."
The female knight sighed as she watched the rangers leave.
When Wellis had that expression, a few people would always arrived here covered in mud.
From their faces, it looked like they were planning to play a prank as a part of the initiation ceremony again
'I'll have to put a stop to it at some point.'
* * *
Prika frowned as she looked at the swamp that had risen to the floor.
"The water level of the swamp has risen here too."
"They must be stuck."
Wellis nodded and waved his hand behind him. The rangers who were following him on horseback sped up.
"Who do you think will come?"
Prika pushed aside the bushes that reached her forehead and looked to the side.
"I don't know. House Zieghart wouldn't think much of us, so one of their squads would come, right?"
Although the Arian family is a vassal family of house Zieghart, they don't interact with each other very often, and since nothing big has happened here, it didn't seem like very important people would come.
"Even so, with how much tribute we send, they'll send someone important. What if the famous Light Wind squad coming?"
"They wouldn't send such precious people to this insignificant place. They would have sent a suitable squad."
"You never know. Well, whoever comes will have a hard time."
Wellis scratched his cheek and smiled.
"That's true."
Prika nodded.
'This is different from the center of the continent.'
The Arian family is surrounded by swamps. Now that the water level has risen, even rangers who have lived here for a long time have a hard time moving without swamp boots.
Literally a natural initiation ceremony. Even if they were martial artists from house Zieghart, it was almost impossible to move in this place now.
"Increase your speed a little more. We'll get out of the eastern swamp by today."
"Yes!"
Under Prika's instructions, Wellis and the rangers ran non-stop to the end of the east.
As the afternoon drew to a close and it was about to be evening, a large number of figures appeared in front of them.
"Halt!"
Wellis, who was running ahead, raised his hand to stop everyone.
"What is it?"
Prika narrowed her eyes as she looked ahead.
'Were there any other scouting parties out besides us?'
No, that couldn't be it.
There are only three scouting parties in the Arian family. Since they hadn't heard any news of the other two going out, there was no way they were scouting parties.
"They're not merchants either."
Wellis shook his head, saying that there were no merchants who would move in this situation.
"Be on guard and wait."
Prika took a deep breath as she raised the bow she was carrying on her back.
At first, she thought they might be swordsmen from house Zieghart, but from the way they were walking lightly through the swamp, it was clear that they were people who knew this place well.
As the rangers lowered their bodies and stood guard, the fog cleared and the people's faces were revealed.
The person in front was a stunningly handsome man with blond hair and red eyes (Encia approved this), but he didn't seem like a human, and no energy could be felt from him.
As she thought he was a ghost, she lowered her gaze and saw the flaming sword pattern on his chest.
'Zieghart?'
Then that person is...
She immediately thought of it. It was clearly the White Sword Dragon Raon Zieghart, one of the most famous young martial artists on the continent, and the Light Wind squad.
'But why....'
Raon Zieghart would have no problem walking through here, as he is a master level, but the other members behind him were walking through the swamp naturally like it was flat ground.
The two children looked a little tired, but all of the Light Wind squad walked through the swamp more calmly than they did with their special boots on.
"Uh...."
"W-What's going on?"
"They're walking through the swamp like it's nothing?"
"What in the world..."
Wellis and the rangers were equally surprised, their mouths hanging open in astonishment.
"Wow!"
Prika lowered her hand holding the bow and swallowed hard.
"What on earth are these people..."
