N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 450
Raon led the Light Wind and the Warring Steel into the lord's manor. The imposing iron door of the audience chamber was unusually wide open.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Roenn, who was standing at the door, bowed his head with his hand on his chest.
"You did well. You never betray our trust."
Sheryl, who was leaning against the wall, smiled faintly and raised her hand.
"Please come in. The head of house is waiting for you."
The two of them smiled more than usual, as if they were proud of them, and pointed to the inside of the audience chamber.
"Thank you."
Raon greeted Sheryl and Roenn, and then entered the audience chamber.
He walked towards the platform, stepping on the neatly laid carpet.
Because of Five Demons and Five Divine Rulers, the entire continent was noisy, so there was not a single former leader, and the number of leaders and commanders was also smaller than before.
Perhaps because the whole continent was in chaos due to Five Demons and Five Divine Rulers, there was no one to be seen in the audience chamber, and the numbers of the division leaders and squad leaders were lower than before.
Huh?
Wrath frowned as he looked around the audience chamber.
This isn't a party, is it? You liar!
'I told you. It's a party, but you won't have anything to eat.'
Raon shrugged at Wrath.
Damn it! The King of Essence thought he wouldn't have to choose the Bead Ice Cream Set again, but now he has to choose all over again!
He started grumbling about having to choose the flavors of the Bead Ice Cream Set.
"Anyway."
Raon pushed Wrath away and stood in front of the platform, raising his head.
Glenn was sitting on the throne with a cold look in his eyes.
Although it looked the same as usual, a faint light flashed in Glennn's red eyes. It seemed that it was a happy thing for him to return after saving the Warring Steel division.
"I have come to see the head of house."
"I have come to see the head of house!"
Raon lowered his head and bowed his knees, speaking in a calm voice. A powerful shout from the Light Wind members and the Warring Steel members could be heard from behind.
"The search mission of the Warring Steel division by the Light Wind division has been completed and we have returned."
He raised his head and reported the completion of the mission. Glennn's lips, which were tightly closed, seemed to be trembling slightly.
"Everyone, stand up."
Glenn nodded calmly, as if the trembling he had felt a moment ago was an illusion.
He looked at Trevin and the Warring Steel members, who were slowly getting up, and lowered his eyebrows slightly.
"Warring Steel division leader."
"Yes, head of house."
Trevin stepped forward and bowed his head.
"What happened after the extermination mission?"
Because they had not reported and returned immediately, not only Glennn, but also other executives looked at Trevin with curiosity.
"After reporting the completion of the mission, on our way back to the house, we encountered people who had fallen into a frozen lake. They were individuals unfamiliar with martial arts, so we rushed to rescue them. Suddenly, a dark current erupted from the icy surface and transported all of us into a different place composed of dark magic. After that..."
Trevin calmly told how he fell into the trap of the Black Tower's magicians and how desperately he fought inside the barrier.
"You've done well."
Glen nodded while meeting Trevin's gaze filled with resentment.
"I'm sorry!"
Trevin exclaimed, apologizing loudly as he bowed.
"I was weak and lost many members. I am ashamed to be the leader of the Warring Steel division!"
He bit his lips until he bled, dropping tears that he had been holding back one by one.
"Once you've taken up the sword, weakness is a sin in this world."
Glenn lowered his left hand, which he had been propping up his chin, and looked at Trevin with sunken eyes.
"However, if you realize your own weakness, it's a path to becoming stronger."
He glanced at Trevin, whose face was flushed, and the Warring Steel members one by one, then raised his chin.
"Get stronger. Hone your strength and spirit even more, if not for yourselves, then for the fallen comrades who died because of your weakness. That's the path and comfort for lions."
"Yes!"
"We will do that!"
"We will get stronger!"
The Warring Steel members responded with such fervor that the entire chamber seemed to shake.
"I've already informed the master of the Shadow Agents to take care of the fallen members on behalf of the Warring Steel division leader."
"Understood."
Trevin nodded as he wiped a tear from his eye with his sleeve and bowed. He had released the emotions he had been holding back with a short sigh and stepped back.
"Raon Zieghart."
Glen stroked his beard and called Raon's name.
"Yes."
Raon responded calmly and stepped forward.
"How did you discover that the magicians set up the barrier on the inner side of the icy surface?"
"Because the last traces of the Iron Vanguard were between the two lakes, I thought we should start searching from there. While searching, I sensed activity coming from the frozen lake, so we went to investigate and found the White Whale's warriors hiding there. We subdued them, gathered information, and found traces of magic within the ice..."
Raon explained what had happened and how he had fought inside the barrier, intentionally omitting the details about his true method of discovering the barrier through the "Divinity that Bloomed from the Darkness."
"....After coming out of the barrier, White Wolf came up to me and started a fight, so I defeated him and subdued him along with the warriors of the White Whale."
He pointed to Blood Cloud Blade and White Wolf, who were tied up by the Light Wind membersin the back.
"White Wolf..."
Glenn's gaze shifted towards White Wolf.
“You're being arrogant."
"Urgh..."
Although it was just a disdainful look, both White Wolf and Blood Cloud Blade whimpered as if they were about to suffocate.
"White Whale? Those crazies..."
"How dare they do such dirty things in our territory…"
"My Lord! We must not leave them like this!"
"Yes! We must go and deal with them immediately!"
The executives were incensed, as they felt that Zieghart's honor had been insulted.
Seeing their fiery resolve, The White Whale's warriors who were tied up in the background, trembled all over.
"Enough."
Glenn made a light gesture, and the executives who had been riled up gradually calmed down and stepped back.
He turned his gaze back to Raon and tapped his chin.
"So, you defeated floor masters Maryun and Binghyang and even managed to subdue White Wolf over there?"
"I was fortunate."
Raon replied with composure, bowing his head.
"Fortunate? One might say that for one victory, but defeating three master level individuals consecutively is not merely a matter of luck."
Glenn's voice was dry, as if he were reading a book. It felt like he was speaking sincerely, not just offering praise.
"I merely followed what I had learned."
Raon looked at Glenn and bowed his head. His greeting conveyed the message that, thanks to the teachings of both Glenn and Rekhtar, he had been able to win without much difficulty.
"Is that so."
Glenn nodded slowly, as if he understood the meaning behind the greeting.
"Maryun, Binghyang, and even White Wolf... impressive."
"that too Maryun and Binghyang defeated within the barrier filled with magic."
"Ah, I see. Even so, I think I would lose if I were to fight with those three consecutively..."
"Now I can't call him anything but a monster."
"Twenty years old and peak master level? I can't believe it..."
"We should have brought him to our division during the selection process!"
The attention of the executives, which had been directed at the White Whale's warriors, turned back to Raon.
With the exception of a few direct line members, most of the executives cheered for Raon's great achievement or gave him a thumbs-up.
"That's right. It's not easy to fight the magicians of the Black Tower in a barrier made of magic."
Glenn nodded lightly after hearing the stories of the executives.
"The Light Wind division members also worked hard."
"Thank you!"
Raon and the Light Wind members bowed deeply. Perhaps because they had been praised by Glenn, the faces of the swordsmen turned red with embarrassment.
"Bringing back the Warring Steel division and the hostages is certainly a great achievement. However."
Glenn looked down at Raon with cold eyes.
"I recall the Light Wind vice division leader saying that it was only natural to save their comrades, and therefore, there was no need for a reward."
"What?"
"He said something like that?"
"That guy is really..."
Trevin and the Warring Steel members were taken aback by Raon's statement that he didn't need any rewards, causing a mixture of confusion and delight in their eyes.
"Is that still your thought?
"Yes."
Raon nodded. He would have liked to receive a reward, but he didn't care because he really wanted to save Trevin and the Warring Steel members.
Jewel ice cream!
Wrath, who had been disappointed that there was no party and had been stretching out, jumped up like a frog.
Tell him to fill the annex building with jewel ice cream!
'Be quiet.'
He brushed aside Wrath, who was demanding a mountain of ice cream with his hands and feet like a kitten, and closed his mouth.
"You may say you're fine with it, but the world doesn't work that way."
Glenn shook his head slowly, as if he was bored.
"If no reward is given to those who have saved their comrades from danger, the world will curse Zieghart."
"That's right."
Sheryl leaned in and smiled slightly.
"I agree too."
"More than fifty people were rescued, not just the Warring Steel division members."
"Not only the Warring Steel division, but they also saved the hostages and captured the trash from the White Whale."
The other executives also raised their hands in agreement. Perhaps because of Trevin, the direct line members were also quietly listening without even complaining.
"Indeed."
Glenn snapped his fingers, and Roenn, who had been waiting behind, walked onto the stage with a large plate.
"I award the Light Wind vice division leader Raon Zieghart, who saved the Warring Steel division and the hostages, a golden plate, and the Light Wind division members a silver medal."
He gestured to Raon to come up first.
"Yes."
Raon saw the gesture and walked up to the stage and stood in front of Glenn.
"You have proven yourself that the choice to send you was the right one. Well done."
Glenn, who was happy to see the Warring Steel return, personally handed Raon the golden plate and told him to work hard.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed deeply to Glenn as he received the golden plate. Unlike before, he didn't receive any additional rewards.
'It can't be helped.'
Those were his own words, and he hadn't expected much in terms of rewards, so he smiled and descended from the stage.
"Next, 1st Squad Captain Martha Zieghart."
Glenn gave medals to all the captains and members, starting with Raon, and then stood up from the throne.
The warm atmosphere melted away, and a terrifyingly huge and noble aura rose up.
"As you all know, four of the Five Demons have started to move.The last one will soon open its doors and move."
He gazed with icy determination, making it clear that there was no need for diplomacy with the Five Demons and that other Zieghart's swordsmen were still outside fighting the Five Demons, and his eyes shone coldly.
"There's no more need for patience. When encountering the Five Demons, cut their throats without mercy. Especially for Black Tower and Eden, pursue them to the ends of the earth and exterminate them. I permit it."
Glenn ordered them to kill the Five Demons without any further discussion.
"Yes, my lord!"
The executives knelt down and beat their chests, where the Zieghart symbol was engraved. A sharp aura like a blade forged by a craftsman rose above their shoulders.
"Everyone, go back."
"You are dismissed."
Glenn waved his hand and sat back on the throne, saying that today's event was over.
"Thank you!"
The executives left the audience chamber with a polite bow, but Raon did not leave and stood there.
"Do you have something to say?"
"May I interrogate those two?"
Raon pointed to Blood Cloud Blade and White Wolf.
"I would like to conduct the interrogation personally since I captured them."
"Are you confident?"
Glenn narrowed his eyes as if asking if Raon could indeed do it.
"Yes. Please trust me."
If he used what he had learned from his previous life as an assassin, it would be simple to open the mouths of those two.
"Very well. You're a member of Zieghart, after all, and not everything you do must be noble."
Glenn nodded at Raon.
"Starting tomorrow," he continued, "try your hand at it."
"Thank you."
Raon bowed deeply and left the audience chamber.
Kukukukugung!
Glenn leaned back on the throne with a low sigh as soon as the door to the audience chamber closed.
"That's impressive."
Sheryl, the leader of the Heavenly Blade division, looked up at Glenn and smiled.
"Taking down Maryun, Binghyang, and that While Wolf. They were all tough opponents. Raon's progress is beyond our expectations."
Sheryl was aware of Raon's talent, but she was still surprised by his rapid growth.
"Huhuhuhu, I didn't think you would reach that level either. You haven't even reached the wall of grandmaster yet... "
Roenn also looked at the place where Raon was standing and let out a sigh.
"It seems that the effect of being taught directly by the lord is working."
"It's not that I'm an excellent teacher. It's that he's an exceptional student.
Sheryl nodded with a faint smile.
"Cough!"
Glenn cleared his throat and shook his head.
"It's not that the teacher is great, it's that the student is great!"
He shook his head, saying that it wasn't because he and Rekhtar taught him well, but because Raon learned well.
"Huhuhuhu."
"Is that so?"
Roenn and Sheryl smiled softly as they looked at Glenn, who was rolling his eyes.
"But..."
Sheryl narrowed her eyes and frowned.
"A golden plate alone won't be the end of the rewards for Raon, will it?"
"......"
Glenn didn't respond. However, his lips quivered slightly, or rather, they began to tremble.
