N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 550
Raon not only swindled the inspectors of their gold coins, but also made them work as labor to repair the ruined garden before releasing them.
The inspectors ran away without looking back, their face pale as if they had seen a ghost. They looked like they would never set foot in the annex building again, just like Balder.
"Raon."
Sylvia approached Raon after watching the inspectors run away with their tail on fire.
"What on earth just happened?"
She shook her head as if she still didn't understand the situation.
"They say the palace master and the General Administrator are in a master-disciple relationship. Thanks to that, we were were able to avoid the inspection."
Raon pointed at the Gambling Monster and smiled.
"Ah!"
Sylvia exclaimed and widened her eyes. It seemed like she finally understood the relationship between the Gambling Monster and Balder.
"What master-disciple relationship! That bastard who never visited me after he climbing up to palace master, what kind of disciple is he!"
The Gambling Monster frowned as if he was still not satisfied after tormenting Balder all day.
"But you gave him sincere advice."
"I just didn't want to see the bastard who used to be under me being ignored by others."
"I see."
Raon laughed silently as he watched the Gambling Monster turn his head abruptly.
'He's a deep-hearted man.'
The Gambling Monster he had experienced so far was a ruthless man. Today, he advised Balder to take the right path, and a better path.
If Balder was wise, he would use the Gambling Monster's advice as a stepping stone and complete his special inspector duties brilliantly, However, it seemed unlikely to see him in that light.
"Raon."
Sylvia grabbed Raon's shoulder tightly and frowned.
"I understand everything, but why did you destroy the house?"
"What are you talking about? That was all the palace master’s doing."
Raon shrugged with an indifferent expression.
"Are you trying to deceive me now?"
Sylvia raised her chin as if challenging.
"Do you think I don't know your cheeky expression?"
She lifted the corners of Raon's lips with her fingers and smiled.
"Ugh..."
Raon stepped back and wrinkled his nose.
As expected of my mom!
Wrath's eyes twinkled as if he had caught a good fish.
Take this opportunity to defeat that damn weasel!
The guy cheered for Sylvia and waved his fist.
'She’s not your mom....'
Raon shook his head at Wrath and reached out to Dorian.
"Dorian."
"Yes!"
Dorian immediately understood the meaning of his hand gesture and took out the gold coins he had obtained from the annex building today from his belly pocket.
"I didn't like how narrow the left corridor was."
“Since the Special Inspection Unit has voluntarily donated, let's expand the annex building. It's getting cramped with the growing family."
“Vo-voluntarily donated? What does that even mean?"
Dorian, who had been watching the whole situation from behind, blinked his eyes as if he was dazed.
“You are really….”
Even Sylvia couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.
“Raon, you can’t extort other people’s money like this. With money you earned fairly….”
“Considering how the palace master has ignored and ridiculed us so far, this level of compensation is just a pittance. Besides, he’s the one who actually broke it.”
Raon pointed at the ruined house, blaming it on Balder.
"But if you still don't like it, there's nothing I can do. With this money, the maids can have individual rooms, and we can expand the garden too."
As he tried to take the gold coins back out of his pocket, Sylvia quickly ran over and stopped him.
"Hmm, if it's brother Balder, it might be okay as you say."
Sylvia tilted her head slightly and pocketed the gold coins.
"Considering his temper and the fact that the house needs fixing. Yeah, this makes sense."
She opened the pouch containing the gold, revealing a golden complexion.
Raon smiled faintly as he watched Sylvia count the gold coins.
‘It must be for the maids and the children.’
The number of maids had increased, and the children who lived in the Ragged Saint’s mansion often came to play, so the annex building was feeling cramped.
Sylvia was probably thinking to expand the annex building so that not only herself, but also the maids and children could live comfortably.
Observing Sylvia's radiant expression, Raon gained a deeper understanding of why providing for one's parents was considered the pinnacle of filial piety.
“Mother.”
Raon took a step closer to Sylvia, who was already planning the expansion. He erased the playfulness he had shown so far and asked with a serious look.
"What are your thoughts on returning to the direct lineage of Zieghart?"
“What…?”
Sylvia’s eyes hardened as she looked at the ruined annex building.
“What do you mean….”
"By next year, I plan to reinstate you as a direct line."
Raon declared in front of many people that he would reinstate Sylvia as a direct line in order to keep his promise to himself.
“I…Next year, as a direct line next year?”
“Isn’t it too hasty? If it fails….”
“Hmm….”
The maids' faces darkened as if worrying about potential problems.
"It's definitely not an easy task..."
Even the Gambling Monster, who didn't expect such a statement, furrowed his brows.
“Raon, I….”
“If you become a direct line, you will have to meet not only the True Martial Palace’s master, but also those who have insulted and ridiculed us so far.”
Raon nodded heavily as he took another step closer to Sylvia.
“You won’t be able to avoid or ignore them every time you meet them.”
“Hmm….”
“As you can see from today’s events, they are not as great as you think they are, just because they are direct line or executives. You know that better than anyone.”
Saying this, he lowered himself slightly, meeting Silvia's eyes with a serious gaze.
"In the future, whenever someone attempts to provoke you, envision them as Balder scampering away from our garden today, tail tucked between his legs. Channel that image and confront them with unwavering confidence."
“......”
Sylvia remained silent for a long time, her head bowed.
“My son has grown up so well. Thank you.”
She managed to lift her head, trembling lips forming words.
"There was a time when I had to lower my head to meet your eyes, but now it's you who has to lower yours."
Sylvia smiled brightly, as if this fact made her happier than anything else.
"It won't do!"
Sylvia turned around sharply. She shook her shoulders lightly and gestured to the maids. It seemed like she was trying her hardest to hold back tears.
"Let's have a party right away. Take out all the ingredients we have!"
“Yes!”
Helen and the maids also seemed to sense Sylvia's emotions and responded more cheerfully than usual before running to the annex building entrance.
As expected mom is the best!
Wrath nodded to Sylvia and headed to the annex building, riding on Yua's shoulders.
“......”
The Gambling Monster quietly turned around. As he was about to leave the annex building, Raon blocked his way.
“Where are you going, the main character of the day?”
“I'm bored.”
“Didn't I give you a present? I brought one of Ikar's silks...”
Raon showed a semblance of pouring alcohol into a cup.
"S-Sea relic, perhaps?"
“You know about it?”
"How could I not have known about it? I heard that Kaibar's rampage had reduced production, but you managed to acquire it?"
“Yes. There weren't many left. But I thought of you and brought them.”
“Ahem!”
The Gambling Monster coughed and turned around immediately.
"If you put so much effort into it, I can't refuse."
He walked to the annex building as if he had no choice.
Kukugugugugu!
As he was about to follow, the ground shook as if Mount Bukmangsan was about to collapse.
"Hmm?"
Raon smirked, glancing at Mount Bukmangsan.
“Is it an earthquake?”
* * *
Advance chapters: Tinyurl.com/Albnlfff
For Indonesian: Tinyurl.com/Aldbnlff
Underground cavern of mount Rushine.
A large magic circle was carved on the pebbled ground, and the children lying on it groaned softly with their eyes closed, as if having nightmares.
“......”
Derus Robert watched the sweating children outside the magic circle, but His eyes showed no trace of emotion.
He had an expressionless face, as if he was looking at a rock on the ground.
“You're here.”
An old man in a black robe stepped down from behind the magic circle. He bowed deeply, as if a priest were welcoming a god.
"How is the situation?"
"Through the research on the envoy, brainwashing has advanced to another level. It's faster than before, and the intensity has increased. It seems the consumption of materials will significantly decrease."
He spoke about the children as if they were commodities in a marketplace, revealing a chilling smile.
"Excellent."
For the first time, a faint light appeared in Derus' eyes.
"Keep up the good work."
"Of course."
The old man bowed politely and entered the interior of the magic circle again.
Derus watched the magic circle and the children for a while longer, then went up to the upper floor where he could overlook the entire common.
"My lord."
As he sat down in a seemingly dull chair and raised a glass of wine, Kubara, dressed in a black dress, appeared and bowed her waist.
"There is a problem."
A small shadow appeared on Kubara's brow. It was an unexpected sight for her, who always showed a calm reaction even in urgent situations.
"Problem?"
Derus, who had been looking down at the common, turned his gaze slowly.
"It's reported that Raon Zieghart is alive."
"......"
Derus quietly placed the glass he was holding on the table. He turned his gaze back and looked at the common.
"It is said that when he clashed with Orgos, the barrier broke and he was teleported to the Owen Kingdom. After that, he met the Pirate King and..."
Kubara recited to Derus the story that had been spread by the Black Market.
"...He defeated the Blue Dragon Kaibar and returned to Zieghart a few days ago."
"Yes. I knew he would be alive."
Derus smiled, as if he was excited, looking at the glove that was covering his hand.
"I told you. That guy is not one to die easily."
As if he had really anticipated this situation, he calmly sipped the wine in his glass.
"...Are you okay?"
Kubara narrowed her eyes as if to gauge Derus' true reaction.
"I'm fine. No, I feel good."
"Excuse me?"
"Now that we know who destroyed the Envoy factory, I can't help but feel good. There's no one else but him."
Derus finally laughed, shaking his head as if a riddle had been solved.
"Unfortunately, that's not the case."
Kubara shook her head firmly, even as she watched Derus' madness.
"What do you mean?"
Derus, with a twisted smile, looked at Kubara and tilted his chin.
"Raon Zieghart killed Kaibar after the Envoy factory was destroyed. It's impossible for him to reach there in time."
"No. I'm right."
Derus glared at Kubara and clenched his jaw.
"The factory was destroyed after I dispatched Siris and the Envoy to kill Raon Zieghart, and the individual presumed dead is actually alive. What else could this possibly imply?"
He raised his glass again and smiled, his eyes filled with twisted emotions.
"Siris told Raon Zieghart the location of the factory and then leaked information that he was somewhere else before attacking it. He is deeply connected to the Black Market, so it wouldn't be difficult for him to manipulate that kind of information. And the most important thing is..."
Derus took off his gloves. He let the blood, which flowed like honey, drip into the wine glass. The wine, which had been the color of sunset, turned a deep blood red.
"My instincts are screaming that it's his doing."
"Hmm….”
Kubara trembled her lips as she looked at Derus' eyes, which were filled with madness. He hated illogical arguments the most, but once he became involved with Raon Zieghart, he became the most illogical person of all.
"If Raon Zieghart is alive….”
Derus curled the corner of his mouth as he swallowed the blood-soaked wine.
"The youngest would like it."
* * *
Raon stood on the lake of the annex building with his eyes closed.
The wind of the approaching winter was blowing violently, but the surface of the lake remained still as if frozen.
This indicates that the proficiency in transforming mental images into reality has progressed further, signifying that this space is now under Raon's control.
Raon, who had been polishing his mind with meditation, opened his eyes calmly. He faced the world with a clear gaze and drew out Heavenly Drive.
Hwaaahhhhhhh!
Flames and frost simultaneously erupted from the white-hot blade.
The aura of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier, competing with each other in the midst of the wind's energy.
Raon raised Heavenly Drive, from which three streams of energy were pouring out, and brought it down vertically.
Even though an incredible amount of aura was condensed on the blade due to his control of the space with his will, the lake still remained unmoving.
"Hooo."
Raon only lowered Heavenly Drive after he had performed all of the basic swordsmanship, the first forms of the Fangs of Insanity and the Blizzard Sword Art.
'Not bad.'
He had become accustomed to creating his own space with his will and mental image. Now it was time to test the new trait he had gained from Wrath.
Spitting out a burst of intense energy cultivated through training, he tightly gripped Heavenly Drive with both hands.
Kugugugugugu!
Simultaneously, he manipulated the auras of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier, increasing the intensity of his soul.
Feeling a sensation as if his own existence was merging with the world, Raon accepted the wrath energy clinging to the end of his soul.
Jijijijijik!
An unpleasant sensation, as if another being was turning his skin inside out. When his vision began to darken and his thoughts felt like they were being cut off, he used the Wrath Unleashed.
Kwaaahhhhhhh!
As the narrowed vision brightened, his boiling brain cooled down.
In contrast to his calming mind, the wrath energy seeped into the auras of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier, causing a tremendous wave.
Raon felt the Demon King's energy as he gripped Heavenly Drive, swallowing a dry gulp.
'So, this is Wrath Unleashed.'
Unlike when he fought Syria, the energy of wrath did not dominate his mind and body, it merely granted him immense power.
'However....'
It's hard to keep it up for long.
Although the wrath energy was not consuming his mind as before, it was still unstable. It felt like his balance would collapse in an instant if he drew out more than 5% of the power.
‘Let's try it once more.’
Raon pulled back Heavenly Drive. He held his breath and fired the Ten Thousand Flame Cultivation, Flame Dragon Art infused with the wrath energy.
The red dragon roared, but instead of flames, it breathed out a breath of frost.
Even calling it the Ice Dragon's Breath would not be an exaggeration. The sword strokes soared like eagles, painting the sky around the annex building in vivid blue.
The power of the Ice Dragon's Breath was so strong that small snowflakes suddenly began to fall.
Raon frowned as he looked at the fluffy snow. The hand holding Heavenly Drive trembled uncontrollably.
‘It's indeed not easy.'
Enduring wrath and wielding it were entirely different matters. It seemed like a lot of practice would be necessary.
Of course it is!
Wrath nodded, his chin raised.
Does the King of Essence's energy seem like it belongs to those wishy-washy beings? You'll need millennia to reach the level fit for you!
He waved his hand, signaling Raon not to complain.
'I think so too.'
Raon smiled briefly and approached Wrath.
'It's really the power of the Demon King. I guess it's too early for a lowly servant like me to handle it.'
Hmph! Well, that's true.
Wrath's complexion brightened as he received a compliment for the first time in a long time.
‘How do you manage to control the energy of wrath so freely?’
It's simple. You must follow the flow of your emotions without being consumed by them. In short, you must firmly grasp the reins of what is called anger.
'If it's the reins....'
Try to swallow your anger with the fire and frost (cold) that are under your control. But it will be impossible for you.
Wrath chuckled, saying that it was a really difficult task.
'I see.'
Raon nodded slowly. It was a light piece of advice, but he knew exactly how he should train. Wrath's generous advice indicated that the Demon King's teaching was far from over.
'Shall we continue?'
When he raised Heavenly Drive to train again, a huge wave of mana erupted from the far end of the annex building.
The explosion and roar erupted, and black smoke covered the sky.
Raon ran towards the direction of the explosion.
As he was on guard, not knowing what was going on, Encia, her face covered in soot, walked out of the black smoke, grumbling.
"Lady Encia?"
"Sir Raon!"
Encia's tired expression suddenly came to life.
"I finally finished it!"
She raised her hand, saying that the artificial energy center for Sylvia was complete. A marble-sized bead was visible.
"Huh...."
Raon's eyes trembled as he looked at the bead.
'What a tremendous amount of mana.'
He could feel mana of Master, no, Grandmaster realm from that small bead.
Originally, the mana of the Dragon Heart was Transcendent or beyond, but maintaining it at Grandmaster within an artificial energy center bead was a remarkable feat.
‘With that, I might be able to raise mother’s realm in one fell swoop.’
If he used that artificial energy center, he thought he might be able to restore Sylvia’s energy center right away, without even needing to gather aura like Rimmer.
Of course, it would take her a while to return to her full strength, since she hadn’t held a sword in a long time.
“This is amazing. As expected of lady Encia… huh?”
Raon approached Encia but stopped in his tracks. On the surface of the bead, there was a face that seemed oddly familiar.
"Um, the face engraved on the artificial energy center bead there..."
"Ah, you recognized it! It's you, sir Raon I had a bit of trouble expressing your handsomeness!”
Encia smiled, claiming that it was to showcase his undeniable handsomeness.
“Ah.”
Raon opened his mouth wide.
‘What the hell….’
Encia had drawn his face on the surface of the artificial energy center. He couldn’t close his mouth, which had opened in disbelief.
“I was wondering what a perfect artificial energy center would be, and sir Raon’s face came to mind! You're the perfect handsome guy!”
Perfect handsome guy. Another new word had been created.
"In truth, I made this bead a while ago, but I wasn't satisfied with the face, so it took me a while."
Encia shook her head, saying that it had only taken her four days to make the face.
Clack.
Raon let out a short sigh he watched Encia proudly show off the face carved on the artificial energy center.
‘Why are there only crazy people around me?’
Probably because you're the craziest of them all?
‘…….’
