N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Ayad looked at Raon with his lips trembling.
'What the heck is going on with that guy?'
Even if Raon had come into the audience chamber, Ayad never expected him to interrupt during the report.
Just a few days ago, this monster displayed confidence and a presence that rivaled his own, underscoring the importance of how Zieghart's swordsmen should be treated. Who could have imagined that he would suddenly act so childishly, like a five-year-old who had their snacks stolen by a sibling and was reporting to their parents?
'Did he suddenly regress into a child.'
A man who had spent his entire life on the battlefield, who had been calm and composed, suddenly regressed to a five-year-old, as if reporting to his parents that his younger brother had taken his snacks, Ayad couldn't comprehend it.
'Damn it....'
If Raon had intervened after the report, he might have had a reasonable excuse and somehow find a way to escape, but because the guy's snitching happened during the report, he was so flustered that his head wasn't working properly.
The foundations he had prepared melted like water.
'No, the weirdest thing is...'
'Those two.'
Ayad raised his gaze to the throne on the side. He bit his molars as he looked at Glenn and Sheryl's eerie eyes.
'Why didn't they stop him?'
It's a matter of rudeness to interrupt someone who is reporting to Glenn, who is no different from the king of Zigghart.
Even the direct line members could be punished in this situation, but Glenn and Sheryl didn't even think of stopping him, and even closed their mouths as if they wanted him to say more.
It was a situation he had never seen before, and no matter how he thought about it, it made no sense.
"White Lotus division leader."
A bone-chillingly dry voice emanated from Glenn's lips.
"Yes."
Ayad felt goosebumps rising and quickly nodded his head.
"Is what the vice division leader said true?"
"Th, that's...."
It was all true, but he couldn't answer that.
"It seems there's a bit of a misunderstanding."
He wanted to say that it was all a lie, but because Raon had spread his voice through the barrier, there were too many witnesses.
If he lied clumsily, it would be even more dangerous.
"The tree where I hid my body was the largest one in the area. The location was not good, but I thought I could make a sure counterattack in case another enemy appeared....”
"Something was off from the start.
Sheryl interrupted Ayad's words and turned her chin to the side.
"Even though the White Lotus division had been carrying out missions continuously, the casualties have been too high. Especially the members who were injured barely made it to the next mission."
She twisted her lips and glared at Ayad.
"Is it because you killed the weak members and wanted to recruit more talented ones?"
"Absolutely not!"
Ayad shook his head firmly.
"White Lotus division and I have been working tirelessly for the sake of Zieghart. This incident is just a slight misunderstanding arising from a difference of opinion with the Light Wind vice division leader!"
Ayad pounded the floor with his head and shouted, "Please believe me!"
Unlike this mission, Sheryl's words held no evidence. He needed to stick to his story and not give in to the atmosphere.
'I must never admit it.'
* * *
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Raon watched Ayad, who was banging his head and begging to be believed, with a sneer on his face.
'He's good at acting.'
Despite having only worked together on one mission, he could see it.
Ayad was using the house Zieghart's swordsmen as stepping stones for himself to climb higher.
In his eyes, people would only be divided into those who were helpful and those who were not.
'That kind of guy is everywhere.'
He naturally felt anger rise up as he was reminded of Derus Robert.
'I can't just let this go.'
Raon raised his finger slightly and pointed to the White Lotus division members kneeling behind Ayad.
"Hmm..."
Sheryl seemed to understand the meaning of that finger and nodded slightly.
"Then let's ask the White Lotus division members."
She cast her gaze over Ayad's shoulder and continued.
"What do you guys think? Did it ever occur to you that the White Lotus division leader sees you as expendable?"
"No! Never!"
"There has never been such a thing."
"The leader would never do such a thing."
Ayad's confidants, the squad leaders and vice squad leaders, shook their heads and said no.
However, the ordinary members behind them did not answer immediately and hesitated.
"The ones in the back."
Sheryl seemed to sense something strange in their behavior and pointed her finger at the members at the very back.
"You tell me. Have you ever seen Ayad purposely pushing the members into danger?"
"......"
The White Lotus division members remained silent for a long time before raising their heads as if they had made up their minds.
"Yes, the division leader once told us to leave a wounded comrade behind even though we had time to rescue him."
"My junior and I were directly hit by a magic and suffered serious injuries. I was lucky to survive, but he was left behind and eventually..."
"I had a similar experience last year..."
Once they started speaking, it was as if a dam had burst, and the misconducts that Ayad had committed poured out.
Raon clenched his fists as he watched the swordsmen venting their anger.
'It seems that breaking the barrier was effective.'
It appeared that the fact he had spread the sound by breaking through the barrier when Ayad revealed his true intentions had a significant impact.
The swordsmen who had been shocked and had their eyes shaken at the time began to tell their stories.
"Ah..."
Ayad seemed to be unable to believe that his subordinates would actually speak up.
"This... This is not right! There must have been some misunderstanding..."
"Shut up."
Sheryl frowned as she stroked her sword sheath.
"Unredeemable trash."
She seemed like she wanted to draw her sword right away.
"It's a misunderstanding!"
Ayad bowed his head while kneeling.
"It's impossible to protect everyone during a mission..."
"Ayad."
As he was about to say that it was not so, Glenn detached himself from the throne and spoke in a cold voice.
"Yes!"
When his real name was called instead of the White Lotus division Leader, Ayad trembled and bit his lip.
"The swordsmen of the house are not steps for you to climb."
Glenn's voice was as dry as a drought. The entire vast audience chamber felt like it was freezing cold.
"Guh..."
Ayad was crushed by Glenn's overwhelming aura and clutched his neck with his eyes bloodshot.
Tuk tuk.
Glenn, with his eyes as cold as ice, stared down at Ayad and tapped the throne with his finger.
"Effective immediately, the White Lotus division is suspended. The Heavenly Blade division leader will investigate all the events that have occurred in the White Lotus division and report back. I will decide the punishment after that."
"Yes!”
Sheryl nodded her head, rolling up her sleeves as if to say just leave it to her.
“L-lord Glenn ! I just wanted to follow the cold path you walked! Just to stand behind you…”
Ayad called Glenn's name without feeling ashmed.
However, Glenn did not generate a ferocious momentum like before, but closed his eyes with his mouth tightly shut.
'Is it bothering him about what happened in the past?'
Raon had heard from Sylvia and Judiel that Glenn had once pursued power and didn't care about the deaths of others.
Right now, he seemed to be lost in thought about that time.
'But why do I feel uneasy?'
Perhaps it was because he hadn't witnessed Glenn's composed demeanor himself. Maybe it was due to the recent help he had received.
Ayad's mention of following Glenn irritated him.
"When everything is over, may I also speak?"
Raon slowly raised his hand, and the gazes of everyone in the audience chamber turned toward him.
"Since I was the one who caused this incident, I want to take responsibility for the end."
"What?"
Sheryl shook her head as if she didn't understand what he was saying.
"How will you take responsibility?"
"Even if the White Lotus leader is punished, he will not be demoted from his position as the division leader because of his outstanding achievements over the years."
Sheryl and Glenn didn't say anything to confirm or deny the statement.
"In that case, the swordsmen who exposed the White Lotus division leader sins could be subjected to injustice."
Raon pointed to the White Lotus swordsman who had reported Ayad's wrongdoing.
"So I want to have a sword duel with the White Lotus division leader and expel him out of the White Lotus altogether."
"Hmmm..."
"Oh?"
Glenn's eyes widened and Sheryl's mouth dropped open at those words.
Even if Glenn and Sheryl were to take action, Ayad wouldn't step down from his position as the leader. A few years of suspension or disciplinary actions like probation wouldn't be satisfying, and it might harm other members later. Raon wanted to bring him down to the ground.
'He reminds me of Derus.'
Ayad was similar to Derus Robert, who used people as if they were objects, so Raon wanted to handle him decisively.
'Moreover…'
He was also a good training target. Ayad is a peak master. It's at the point of touching the wall of the grandmaster. He was a peak master level who could become a grandmaster if he took one more step, so he was a good training partner.
"But if it's a sword duel, you also have to offer something, right?"
Sheryl said that sword duels usually involve both parties setting conditions.
"I'll bet the same thing. If I lose, I'll step down from my position as vice division leader and leave the Light Wind division."
Raon nodded calmly.
"In addition, I will also pay two golden plate to pay for Ayad's sins."
"Raon?"
Sheryl looked surprised and opened her eyes wide, but Glenn turned his gaze to Ayad.
"Ayad. What will you do?"
"I, I accept!"
Ayad nodded immediately, as if there was nothing to think about.
"You need to recover from your injuries, so let's hold the sword duel a month from now."
Glenn ordered that the investigation be carried out, but the punishment be postponed until after the sword duel.
"That's how we'll proceed."
Sheryl smiled faintly at Raon, as if she believed him.
"Follow me everyone."
She left the audience chamber, gesturing to the White Lotus members with her hand.
"Kuh..."
Ayad with an intense and bloodthirsty glare, followed Sheryl, his eyes fixed on Raon, as if saying "We'll see about that."
'Everything went as planned.'
While he felt a bit awkward interrupting the report in front of Glenn and Sheryl, he was relieved that things were unfolding as he had envisioned.
'Phew.'
He let out a short sigh and straightened his posture. When he was about to bid farewell to Glenn to leave the audience chamber, Glenn's voice reached his ears.
"Do you have confidence in defeating Ayad?"
Raising his gaze, Raon met Glenn's slightly unfocused eyes. It was difficult to discern his emotions.
"Yes."
Raon nodded calmly, looking into Glenn's eyes.
"I've learned the sword from the strongest continent's swordsman. I won't lose to such a fake martial artist."
"Cough."
As soon as Glenn heard the reply, he coughed into his hand.
"You certainly have confidence."
He clenched his jaw, and a faint blush seemed to appear on his cheeks.
Glenn turned his gaze and continued.
“Have you interrogated those you captured?”
“I am about to start now.”
“Alright. I'll wait wait.”
Glen waved his hand as if to say, "Carry on."
“Very well.”
Raon bowed politely to Glenn and left the audience chamber.
Kuuuung.
Glenn looked at the closed door and then turned to Roenn.
“Did you hear?”
“Yes?”
"Raon referred to me as the continent's strongest swordsman. He said he learned from me, so he can't lose! His confidence is admirable!"
He raised the corners of his mouth to the ceiling as he continued.
"Besides, that kid has talents beyond just martial arts. He properly understands what others are thinking and how they move."
“Heh heh heh.”
“That child has the talent to stand above others. Rimmer. That idiot was right.”
“I think so too.”
Roen smiled faintly and nodded. However, he refrained from mentioning that Raon had learned from someone other than Glenn, who could also be considered the strongest swordsman.
"But I'm not sure if young master Raon can defeat the leader of the White Lotus division. There's a slight gap in skill..."
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
Glenn shook his head. He drew a different smile from usual, as if he believed in something.
“Rather, I don’t think he can do a proper interrogation.”
“Yes.”
Roenn nodded firmly.
"Interrogation is different from training or combat. It requires a certain mindset."
He looked at the pillar where Raon had been standing and licked his lips.
"Both White Wolf and Blood Cloud Blade are filled with poisonous intent, so they won't open up easily."
“I think the same way.”
Glenn nodded, as if he expected that.
“You watch over him and you can step in when necessary."
“Understood.”
* * *
After leaving the lord's manor , Raon headed straight to the underground prison.
It seemed that there had been prior communication, as the guards at the prison opened the door and escorted him to the isolation cells where Blood Cloud Blade and White Wolf were held.
He dragged the paralyzed Blood Cloud Blade and White Wolf to the interrogation room.
"You both seem to be in good health, judging by your complexion."
Raon smiled faintly as he released Blood Cloud Blade and White Wolf from their paralysis.
Even though they could move their bodies now, they didn't attack and simply furrowed their brows.
"No matter what you do to us, it won't work."
"Right. We have nothing to say, and nothing to tell you!"
White Wolf and Blood Cloud Blade remained tight-lipped, seemingly determined to withstand the interrogation.
“That’s fine.”
Raon chuckled lightly and paralyzed the two once more.
"Don't speak. I won't be listening anyway."
He wrapped the heat of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the cold of Glacier around his fingertips and inserted them into the mana circuits of White Wolf and Blood Cloud Blade.
Puddudduk!
The sound of bones and muscles twisting echoed, and White Wolf and Blood Cloud Blade collapsed to the ground, convulsing.
“Guhhrghh….”
“Kukrrghh….”
Unlike their confident declarations just a while ago, they were now writhing in pain, their eyes rolling back in their heads.
‘It still works well.’
What he used now is a torture method that he improved in his own way based on the Shadow's interrogation techniques.
It not only causes pain that twists bones and muscles, but also causes an itching sensation like thousands of ants biting the flesh, so even the strongest mind cannot withstand it.
‘And thanks to Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier, they feel the cold and heat as well.’
That was not a level of torture that humans could withstand, as it was a combination of pain, itching, and heat and cold.
Raon really didn't ask them anything. He began to slowly read the martial arts book of Sky Sword that he received from Glenn, humming a tune.
Inside the interrogation room, only the groans of White Wolf and Blood Cloud Blade and the sound of turning pages could be heard.
* * *
Raon spent the time reading the martial arts book of Sky Sword until the sun that had set rose again.
"The more I read, the more I discover."
Sky Sword contained the highest level of martial arts that he had obtained so far, it revealed new paths each time he read it.
It seemed that he should not burn it all like other martial arts books, but read it consistently.
“Guhrghh….”
“Ahkhhhrgh….”
He turned his head to the left at the groan he heard. White Wolf and Blood Cloud Blade were trembling all over, their prison clothes soaked with cold sweat.
“Hah….”
“Ugh….”
Both of them had bloodshot eyes and were rolling their pupils rapidly. Their current condition was vastly different from when they confidently declared that they wouldn't speak.
'They can't withstand it after all.'
Although they would have adapted to pain because they were warriors, it seemed that the itching sensation, which felt like ants biting their flesh, seemed to be too much for them.
'Now they've become weaker.'
Raon nodded as he looked at White Wolf and Blood Cloud Blade, who had clearly given up, nodded his head.
‘And this side too…’
He sighed and looked at his right shoulder.
Ugh…
Wrath was hanging on his shoulder like melted ice cream in the sun.
The King of Essence wants to eat ice cream. How much longer are you going to make him wait!
‘You haven't even chosen a flavor yet.’
That’s true, but it’s different when you get there! Let’s go for now!
Wrath was whining to leave them and go to eat ice cream soon.
‘It won’t be long now.’
Raon closed the martial arts book of Sky Sword, stood up, and approached White Wolf and Blood Cloud Blade. He bent down and looked them in the eye.
“Hargh….”
“Arghh….”
Blood Cloud Blade and even White Wolf, who seemed to be fed up with the pain, had bloodshot eyes and trembling pupils. Both of them had expressions that begged for someone to ask anything.
Raon first loosened Blood Cloud Blade's locked jaw.
“Kuuhhuaaaghh…!”
He let out a loud scream and raised his eyes.
“P-please a-ask me anything. Anything….”
Blood Cloud Blade lowered his head, as if to say that he would answer anything.
"Why did Heukgeumje (White Whale's head) send you to that lake?"
"Heukgeumje instructed us to monitor the state of the Black Tower's magicians when they emerged from the frozen lake. To see how long the hostages can survive and to check the size of the mana clump..."
He paused for a moment and explained the orders he had received from Heukgeumje
"How did Heukgeumje know that the Black Tower's magicians and the Warring Steel division were at that lake?"
"I, I don't know that either. I'm just carrying out my assigned mission..."
"So does Heukgeumje have a connection to the Black Tower?"
"I, I don't know that either."
Blood Cloud Blade shook his head, saying that he was only taking orders from Heukgeumje. His eyes showed that he was not lying and remained humble, suggesting he might not be aware of any deeper connections.
"I see."
It seemed that he did not know that much because of his low rank.
Raon took a short breath and released White Wolf's restraint.
"Huuaaaaak..."
White Wolf was shaking his jaw and drooling like a person who had come back from the dead.
"Why did you come to the lake?"
"She, she ordered me to go because she thought there might be a problem going to happen..."
"Heukgeumje?"
"Y, yes."
He said that Heukgeumje had ordered him to return with Blood Cloud Blade because she thought something strange was going to happen.
"How did Heukgeumje know something was going to happen?"
"She, She reads the sky. There is nothing she doesn't know..."
He was still using honorifics. It seemed that White Wolf still had respect for Heukgeumje, even in this situation.
'Can he really read the sky?'
Believing that a human could predict the movements of the sky seemed far-fetched, but it appeared Heukgeumje possessed some unique ability.
"So what is the relationship between Heukgeumje and Black Tower?"
"...There is none."
Unlike Blood Cloud Blade, White Wolf said with certainty that there was no connection with Black Tower.
However, his tone suggested that there might be more to it.
"What about the other Five Demons?"
Raon looked White Wolf in the eye. His pupils twitched slightly.
"...There is none of that either."
White Wolf closed his mouth tightly and shook his head.
"You still haven't come to your senses."
Raon smiled wryly and raised his finger. The heat and cold that had trapped the two men in hell began to rise.
"This time it's two days. I'll come back the day after tomorrow."
"Wait a minute!"
Just as he was about to start the torture again, White Wolf shook his head violently.
"I, I don't know if it's related, but I saw something."
"What?"
"I saw her with a, a man wearing a helmet!"
"A helmet? What kind of helmet?"
White Wolf bit his lip and raised his eyes, bloodshot.
"A dragon. It was a helmet in the shape of a dragon."
