N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 517
"That Aris Zieghart?"
Aris Zieghart glared at Raon and pointed at him with her chin.
“What have you heard about me that makes you say 'that Aris Zieghart'?”
She frowned and curled her lips. It was a face that a back-alley thug might make when robbed a child of their money.
"Hmm..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Aris' face.
‘She does look like my mother'.
While Aris's features were larger and more refreshing, the overall vibe of their faces was similar.
Since she appeared to be in her thirties, he would have thought that they were much more similar if her skin hadn't been tanned.
"Hey, answer me."
Aris approached, flicking her finger right in front of Raon's nose. The tone seemed threatening with a vulgar attitude.
"What nonsense did you hear about me from that damned family?"
"I haven't met you in person since I was born, so I was just wondering if you were a real person."
"Really? No one else said anything?"
"Occasionally, I've heard that you were an impressive person."
Raon nodded with a calm expression.
"Well, if those bastards didn't want to die, they wouldn't have spoken ill of me."
Aris Zieghart laughed with a cheerful look on her face and shook her hands.
‘She's free-spirited.’
Not only was her face refreshing, but the personality was so lively that it was hard to believe she belonged to Zieghart family.
Huh?
Wrath scratched his chin as he looked at Aris.
She's supposed to be Mom's sister?
‘Not your mom.’
I can see the resemblance in her personality.
He examined Aris' face.
But why is she here?
‘I don't know.’
Raon shook his head slightly and looked back at Aris' face.
"Lady Aris."
"What?"
"Why am I here?"
"I told you. I kidnapped you."
Aris gestured with a dumbfounded expression, as if asking why the same question was being asked again.
"Was that serious?"
"Yeah. You were dying in the alley, so I kidnapped you here.”
"Ah..."
Raon let out a low sigh.
"So you saved me, not kidnapped me."
Now he understood what had happened. It seemed that she had found him collapsed in the alley and provided medical treatment.
He bowed his head and thanked Aris.
However, he still had a few questions left.
"Can I ask why you were in the alley at that time?"
"That's my fault."
This time, it was not Aris, but Kuberad who stepped forward.
"I was picking up equipment from my old workshop, and when I was running late, this one felt a strange energy and dragged me along."
Kuberad laughed and said, "I didn't expect you to be there.”
"I see."
After hearing that, he understood how they met. It seems that she felt the large mana fluctuation when Wrath disappeared.
'It's not a strange thing.'
Aris is a martial artist who has reached Transcendence. It was clear that she would have felt that much mana even from a long distance.
"But why am I here?"
"That's the third question. I said I kidnapped you!"
"No, I mean why...?"
Even though it was the third question, he had to ask. If it was an injury, it would have been enough to leave it to the kingdom's treatment center, so he couldn't understand why he had been brought along all the way here.
"Just for fun."
Aris scratched her ear with her little finger and answered dryly.
"Uh...?"
A bewildered breeze blew through because it was so unexpected.
"Just for fun?"
"Yeah. Just for fun."
There was a deep well of mischief in Aris' cheeks. She seemed to enjoying this, situation.
"No...."
“I've never seen someone who gets more childish as she gets older.”
Kuberad sighed sighed and threw the two swords he was holding in his hand to Raon.
"Ah!"
Raon took the two swords and smiled faintly. They were Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem. The scabbards were polished as if they had been repaired.
"Thank you."
"Don't mind it."
Kuberad's personality was still the same. He waved his hand as if it was really nothing and leaned against the door of the cabin.
"The reason she brought you here is nothing special either. She said you had a head injury and needed to be treated quickly."
When he heard that, He thought of the hole that had appeared in the mental world. The blue energy (mana) that prevented the hole from spreading further was similar to the aura of Aris in front of him.
That's right.
Wrath nodded to Aris.
That woman prevented the hole that had been opened in your mental world from spreading further.
'Yes. I felt it too.'
Raon took a deep breath and bowed his head to Aris.
"Thank you. Lady Aris."
"Is repeating the same words your hobby?"
Aris wrinkled her nose, questioning why he had to thank her multiple times.
"And I've received my share too."
"Yes?"
"I ate the food that was at the place where you fainted. They were all delicious."
She laughed, saying that he had bought all the delicious things.
This is ridiculous!
Wrath jumped and ran towards Aris.
Damn it!
His blue eyes rolled back. His entire eyeball was filled with madness.
You dared to steal all of the King of Essence's food, he will never forgive you!
Wrath declared, vowing never to forget this even after a millennium.
"It's okay. I'm glad someone ate it. It would have gone to waste otherwise."
Raon ignored the ranting Wrath and smiled lightly.
Waste? Waste? I'm the one who's wasted! How dare you say that my food is wasted?
"Oh, there was one thing that wasn't great. Strange ice cream with chocolate chips stuck in a green background. That was quite terrible, I must say.”
Aris shook her head, saying that mint chocolate was disgusting.
"Yes, that's right. It's not good."
Raon laughed and said she had good taste.
You ate it for free and even criticized the King of Essence's taste? You're really crazy! You'll regret it! Summon the King of Essence again right now! He will teach this fool the true taste of mint chocolate.
Wrath flailed his arms and generated his intense wrath.
'Hmm...'
Raon swallowed a moan and trembled his fingertips.
'This has changed too.'
Perhaps due to receiving a large amount of Wrath's energy (wrath points), his heart ached as Wrath spread his energy. It felt like going back to the days of childhood when he had a competition with Wrath to resist his takeover.
Whoossh!
After using the Ring of Fire, the uneasiness in his chest subsided.
'Just stay still.'
He pushed Wrath, who was venting his anger, and looked at Aris.
"Can I ask you one last question?"
"Go ahead."
"By any chance..."
Raon looked at Aris, the crew on the deck engaged in their tasks, the sails fluttering, and continued.
"Is Lady Aris the Pirate King?"
Seeing the transcendent strength, the slightly cute skull motif painted on the sail, and the appearance of the crew, only one person came to mind.
The Pirate King of the Five Divine Rulers. With her Transcendent strengh, It couldn't be anyone else to have such force. Although he asked it as a question, he was quite sure
"No."
However, Aris emphatically shook his head. Pointing his finger, she indicated the right side.
"He is."
Following Aris' long, slender finger, he turned his gaze to the right.
A middle-aged man with a bald head, an eye patch on his left eye, a beard down to his neck, and a large sword. Anyone who saw him would say, “he’s a pirate." He trembled his shoulders.
"Yes?"
Raon opened her mouth wide.
'That person is the Pirate King?'
At least in appearance, he looked like a Pirate King, and his strength seemed like at novice Grandmaster level.
It was a high realm, but it was impossible to occupy one of the seats of the Five Divine Rulers with that kind of realm.
"He is the Pirate King. Ask him."
Aris Zieghart threw a candy from her pocket to Raon as if to say, "Do your best," and climbed onto the hammock strung between the masts.
"Um, there..."
Raon rubbed the candy and turned his gaze.
"For now, I am the Pirate King. It's a title I reluctantly took on..."
The man who became a self-proclaimed Pirate King introduced himself cautiously.
"My name is Labawin."
"Were you from Zighart by any chance?”
His tone was different from the others. It made him wonder if, like Aris, he also came from Zieghart.
"That's right. I was the leader of the Blue Wave squad belonging to the Holy Martial Palace.”
The Holy Martial Palace was a palace that no longer exists and it was where Aris held the position of the master.
"Then please speak informally. I am your junior..."
"Aren't you the nephew of Lady Aris? I'm more comfortable with this."
Labawin politely raised his voice and smiled faintly. He seemed to be respecting Aris very much and using honorifics to himself as well. He was a kind person who did not fit the title of Pirate King.
"But why did you become the Pirate King, Labawin-nim?"
"To protect the surrounding regions."
"The surrounding regions...?"
"Even after we went around the sea and dealt with the real pirates and the South-North Union, some small fry who kept picking on the coastal cities and villages kept coming out. I am protecting that region in the name of the Pirate King."
"Oh...,"
Raon looked back and forth between Labawin and Aris and licked his lips.
'Now I understand.'
The first time I heard about the Pirate King was from Judiel's information.
He thought it was strange that there was a man who called himself a Pirate King, and that was Labawin. He spread the name of the Pirate King in order to protect the coastal villages.
'And Heukgeumje didn't explicitly say the Pirate King was a man.’
When Heukgeumje spoke of the Pirate King, she never referred to the Pirate King as a he or she. She always used "that person" or simply "Pirate King," avoiding gender-specific terms.
It was clear that she knew that the real Pirate King was Aris, not Labawin.
'So this is how it went.'
Through my conversation with Labawin, he realized how the situation was going.
Aris seemed to have decided to protect the surrounding regions, not just drive out the pirates and the South-North Union.
"I understand now. But why didn't Lady Aris do it and...,"
"She found it bothersome."
"Well, I see."
Raon chuckled lightly, looking at the swaying hammock. He now had a better understanding of who Ari was.
"It must have been hard."
"Thank you for understanding. Actually..."
Labawin sighed, lifting his eyepatch, revealing his left eye intact.
"This is also a concept. They forced me to say that a Pirate King must be a one-eyed man."
"Huh...,"
Raon let out a sigh and looked at the slightly swaying hammock.
It seemed like he had to cancel his thoughts a while ago. It seemed he still didn't fully grasp who Aris was.
"Maybe the hair is also...,"
"Ah, that's..."
Labawin didn't provide an answer.
* * *
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Sylvia swallowed dry saliva, raising her gaze. The iron door of the audience chamber, which was high enough to make her neck ache. She took a deep breath as she looked at the terrifying door that made her heart beat every time she saw it.
It was a door she didn't want to knock on, but now was not the time to think about that.
Knock knock!
After knocking loudly and waiting, the door opened with a heavy sound and Roenn came out.
"Sylvia-nim, it's you.”
He smiled faintly and bowed his head.
"I would like to see the lord."
Sylvia returned the greeting to Roenn and requested an audience.
"I understand."
Roenn opened the door immediately, as if he had already received Glenn's permission.
Sylvia closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and stepped inside.
The sun, as if to announce noon, poured through the window, filling the audience chamber with golden light. She walked through the space that seemed to be wrapped in the word "grand" and knelt down.
"I greet the lord."
"Get up."
Glenn ordered Sylvia to get up as soon as she knelt down.
"Yes."
Sylvia straightened her back and raised her gaze. She looked at Glenn on the throne with trembling but determined eyes.
His eyes were the same as usual. No, they were a little different today. His eyes, filled with emptiness, were shaking slightly.
'Why is he like that?'
While thinking it was strange, Glenn's lips moved.
"What's the matter?"
"Ah...,"
Sylvia balled her fists and leaned forward.
"It's about Raon. I want to know where that child is and why he hasn't returned."
"Didn't I tell you? He's receiving treatment with the other Light Wind members in the Owen Kingdom."
"I'm not foolish. I know Raon isn't there."
There was a strange power in Sylvia's voice, which was not very loud.
"Hmm..."
Glenn frowned and pounded his fists heavily on the armrest of the throne.
"I'm his mother. Please tell me at least what condition Raon is in and where he is!"
"It's true that he's injured, but he's fine now. And he'll be back soon."
"Didn't you say that before! I want the exact...!"
"Aris."
At the mention of Aris, Sylvia's movements stopped.
"That child took Raon."
"What? What's going on...?"
"They met by chance, but she said she treated Raon's injuries. She said he woke up today, so he'll be back in a short time."
"Ah..."
Sylvia stroked her fingertips.
'Aris, my sister?'
There was a significant age difference between Aris and herself. They hadn't met many times, considering that both she and Ari often roamed outside on missions. It was a vague relationship—neither close nor distant.
However, she would sometimes give her cookies or sweet snacks like candy when she saw her, and hit her on the head once. So, it was strange to hear that her sister had saved Raon.
"She said she'll send him back after the treatment is over, so don't worry. That's right. He'll be fine."
Glenn's words seemed to be directed not to Sylvia, but to himself. It seemed that he was also worried about Raon.
"Hmm..."
Sylvia looked at Glenn and let out a low sigh.
'Is he really okay?'
* * *
Raon followed Kuberad into his workshop.
Unlike his forge in the back alley of the Cameloon workshop district, it was filled with tools covered in grease.
"Thank you for fixing my swords."
Raon bowed his head, tapping the scabbards of Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem, which he had received from Kuberad.
"You're too polite. It's nothing."
Kuberad waved his hand as if he had just wiped the blood off, but you could tell from the look of the swords. He even polished the two swords. This kind of courtesy was definitely not excessive.
"But why are you on this ship, sir Kuberad?"
The ship was not ordinary, it was a pirate ship, he couldn't understand why a retired continent blacksmith like him would be here.
"I'm here to help with that fellow's business.”
"Who are you referring to, Lady Aris?"
"Yes. She kept begging me, so I had no choice but to come."
Kuberad sighed and slumped down in a worn-out chair.
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the iron weapons lined up in various places in the workshop.
'He had no choice, huh....'
Contrary to his words, the weapons in Kuberad's workshop were all masterpieces.
However, the weapons were not the size of humans. There were rows of huge harpoons or hooks that could be thrown at large monsters.
"Are you here to catch monsters?"
There's no way a blacksmith with a personality like Kuberad's would be drawn here for no reason. It seemed like there must be some special circumstances.
"How's your body?"
Before he could inquire about the situation, Kuberad asked about his well-being first.
"Thanks to you. I'm feeling better now."
"It wasn't me."
Kuberad extended his head.
"Aris kept touching your head every time. Despite all her blabbering, she surprisingly cares quite a bit," he frowned, expressing surprise, even though they were blood relatives.
"I know."
Raon nodded.
“I should properly thank her as well.”
Thanks to Aris, the scope of the hole that opened in the mental world was narrowed. It was a debt of gratitude that had to be repaid for the rest of his life, so he was determined to repay her.
"Really?"
While he was thinking about how to repay her, a rough voice came from outside the workshop.
Bang!
The workshop door opened with a loud noise, and Aris, with her hands on her hips, walked in.
"Is that true?"
"Yes?"
Raon blinked at Aris.
"You said you would properly thank me? Then help me with my work."
Aris, without waiting for a refusal, flicked her fingers.
"I'd like to help with anything, but I have some matters to attend to first."
Raon politely refused.
‘He wants to help in any way he can, but he has things to take care of first.’
He needed to find out about the state of the Light Wind members, whether Glenn's fight had concluded, and also destroy Derus' factory where corpse assassins were raised.
"The Light Wind kids? They're all safe. I reported that you woke up to the family."
Aris smiled as if she knew what he was thinking, and continued speaking.
"Moreover, this work might be helpful for you too."
Aris tapped her own temple.
"It could accelerate the recovery of your upper energy center from the abdominal injury.”
"Hmm, can I ask what kind of work it is?"
Aris nodded with a faint smile.
"We're going to hunt a lizard. A mad, rampaging hatchling."
Her eyes flickered with a eerie light, and at the same time, Wrath jumped.
Whole Grilled Dragon?
