N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 605
Aris stood right in front of the platform and raised her hand.
"Everyone must be busy, so let me explain quickly..."
"Aris."
Glenn's cold gaze fell directly on Aris.
"We are not the only ones here. Keep your mouth shut."
"Urggh..."
Aris glanced at the elves standing behind Raon and stepped back to the side of the platform.
"Welcome, envoys from Seipia."
Glenn nodded at the elves standing behind Raon. He showed courtesy to the guests.
"Thank you for welcoming us."
Siyan, the leader of the envoys, stepped forward and stood next to Raon. She took off the hood she was wearing and bowed.
"Siyan of the Silver Branch tribe greets the Destructive King of the North."
"Uh..."
"Huh..."
"Hmm..."
Except for Glenn, all the executives forgot their words for a moment as they looked at Siyan's face. Many couldn't take their eyes off her, seemingly entranced.
"I've heard high elves are beautiful, but..."
"Yeah. I didn't know it would be this much."
"I'd believe it even if you said she was a goddess."
"Snap out of it. We're in front of the head of house."
While some were mesmerized, most quickly regained their composure and averted their gaze.
"Hmm."
Glenn seemed to be more concerned with Siyan's words than her appearance, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"If you're the Silver Branch tribe..."
"Yes."
Siyan looked back at Rimmer and smiled faintly.
"The Light Wind Division leader is my big brother."
"Heh!"
Rimmer chuckled, seemingly proud of his sister, as he nudged his chin and hummed a tune.
"I see."
Glenn nodded calmly, as if he had expected it to some extent.
However, not everyone among the executives agreed. Faint whispers about one side being unattractive could be heard.
"I know you must be tired, but I would appreciate it if you could wait a while."
Glenn glanced at Siyan and nodded briefly.
"Since those present here are unaware of what happened in Seipia, we need to hear the situation first."
"Of course."
Siyan agreed to wait and stepped back.
"Raon Zieghart."
At Glenn's call, Raon stepped forward.
"Yes."
"Report everything that happened in Sepia. Leave nothing out."
“I understand. The reason we went to Seipia was to return the division leader's sword. We entered without any major problems and were able to meet Sterin, the current Protector, without much difficulty. However, when the elves performed their ritual..."
Raon finished explaining everything that had happened in Seipia and took a breath.
"Eden! Those crazy bastards went all the way there!"
"He, he slashed the one wearing the helmet of the Fire Spirit King?"
"Are you saying he defeated a growing opponent who was getting stronger by absorbing the World Tree’s energy?"
"I can't believe he got the World Tree's fruit. I heard that even the High Elves couldn't get it."
"It's an unbelievable story."
The executives couldn't hide their surprise and let out empty laughter.
The direct line executives tried to find fault with it, but their voices were not very loud, perhaps because Karoon was not present.
"I don't know about anything else, but it seems like he really ate the World Tree's fruit..."
"His aura has become even more solid. It's hard to believe that he could grow so much in such a short period of time. It must be a powerful elixir."
"So it's true that he won against a monster that's getting stronger and stronger."
The executives' lips trembled at the oppressive aura that naturally emanated from Raon.
"Ahem!"
Glenn watched the executives gossip without stopping them and just let out a small cough. The corners of his mouth trembled like thin leaves fluttering in the wind.
"I have one question, did the World Tree's fruit taste good?"
Aris raised her hand eagerly.
"That..."
"Aris."
Glenn frowned at Aris.
"Argh…"
Aris pouted and returned to her seat.
"What happened after that?"
Glenn snapped his fingers as if telling him to explain why they were late now.
"I ran into a strange incident on our way back to Zieghart."
"A strange incident?"
"Yes, the elves were wearing hoods, but some thugs recognized their identity. I thought that was strange, so..."
Raon continued the story of saving the elves at the sea market after the incident in Seipia.
"...So the three-moves duel ended, and to avoid potential pursuit by enemies, we returned while concealing our identities."
"Huh!"
Balder let out a sound of disbelief.
"You killed Siran? The head of the senators of the South-North Union?"
"I was lucky."
Raon nodded calmly. It was true that luck played a part.
If Siran had come prepared, he could have ended up at the bottom of the sea.
"This is insane..."
"How long has it been since he became Grandmaster..."
"Siran must have aged, so he might not be as formidable as before. But even so, it's unbelievable."
The executives couldn't close their mouths in astonishment.
"Top of Form
I find it astonishing that he managed to trace your way to the sea market based on a small hint from a restaurant. Your intuition is extraordinary."
"And what about the there-moves duel with the Axe King Roman? Each of his achievements is remarkable."
The direct line kept their mouths shut while the executives who favored Raon kept expressing their amazement.
"Ahem!"
Glenn raised his left hand and covered the corners of his mouth, which had started to tremble like a spasm. It seemed like his hands were trembling instead of his mouth.
"Is that all?"
"Yes."
"Y-Your highness."
When Raon answered like that, Siyan, who had been standing back, approached with trembling fingertips.
"What is it?"
Glenn nodded his chin as if to tell her to speak.
"We, the elves of Seipia, have come to regard Sir Raon as a benefactor of our race for his feat of protecting the World Tree, or rather, Seipia, and for saving our people at the sea market."
Siyan bowed her head, meeting Glenn's eyes, which were burning with heat.
"We also extend our gratitude to house Zieghart, where Sir Raon belongs."
"Is that the will of the Protector?"
"It is not only the will of the Protector, but also the will of our entire tribe."
She closed her eyes, saying that it was the will of all elves.
"Keuhum! I see."
Glenn's cheeks flushed red. Despite the apparent heat, he never lowered the hand covering his mouth.
"A-And..."
Siyan stepped forward, her hands clasped together in front of her chest, as if she had made up her mind.
"There's something else Sir Raon hasn't mentioned."
"Hmm?"
Raon narrowed his eyes, puzzled.
'What could it be?'
He didn't have anything to hide, so he couldn't understand what Siyan meant by saying that he had something he couldn't tell him.
“What is it?”
“Sir Raon has become the big brother of the Fire Spirit King!”
The entire audience chamber fell into silence at those words.
“Huh?”
"He's not only a contractor of the Fire Spirit King, but also his big brother?"
“What did I just hear? The big brother of the Fire Spirit King?”
"Even if that's the case, big brother...?"
Not only the executives, but also Glenn and Roenn, who had heard a report about Raon being the contractor of the Fire Spirit King, opened their eyes wide.
"It was thanks to Sir Raon that I had the fortune of forming a contract with the Water Spirit King. The Water Spirit King told me that Sir Raon had become the big brother of the Fire Spirit King."
Even the executives who had doubts because Siyan's voice and expression were so serious closed their mouths.
"Ugh!"
Raon groaned and lifted his head.
'Why would you say that!'
He glared at Siyan as if he was about to hit her, but she twisted her body as if to say she did a good job. He hit his chest in frustration.
"Vice division leader of Light Wind."
"Yes...."
At Glenn's call, he swallowed a sigh and stepped forward.
"Is that really true?"
"...It is."
Since it wasn't a lie, he nodded briefly.
"No, you expect us to believe that..."
"Are you not going to believe it? It was said by a High Elf of Seipia."
"She's also the contractor of the Water Spirit King."
"I know that, but it doesn't make sense..."
The executives also started arguing, as if this was the one thing they couldn't believe.
"But that's not all."
Siyan's lips twitched again, as if she was enjoying the reaction of the executives discussing Raon's name.
"It's what happened at the sea market. When the warriors of the South-North Union threatened us, claiming that neither Zieghart nor Seipia owned the Peren River, Sir Raon said something."
She clenched her fists, feeling like she had to say it.
"Wherever I am, that is Zieghart."
At her words, everyone in the audience chamber gasped.
"Cough..."
Glenn leaned his back against the backrest of the throne as if he was being pushed out, and tilted his neck back. His Adam's apple trembled as if it were about to come out.
What, what's going on? Why is she saying that?'
As Raon blinked at Glenn's strange appearance, the executives on the left and right opened their mouths one by one.
"Wherever I am that is Zieghart? Isn't that a bit arrogant?"
"That's right. He's not even the head of house..."
"That's right. It was something he shouldn't have said..."
"Something he shouldn't have said?"
Aris raised her foot and stomped it heavily on the floor of the audience chamber.
Kwaaaang!
As she stepped over the shattered debris, she furrowed her brow.
"That's the right thing to say!"
Aris continued, pointing at Raon.
"It's not arrogance, but it's the mindset that everyone should have if they go out as swordsman of Zieghart!"
She clenched her fist, asserting that Raon's confidence was only natural.
"I agree with my sister."
Perhaps because of the absence of Karoon, Balder, who had been quiet, nodded his head.
"If you’re going out as a Zieghart’s swordsman, you should at least have the confidence that the entire continent is our land. Good job!"
Balder looked at Raon and gave him a thumbs up.
Raon gave Balder a wry smile.
'Anyway...'
Although he would probably curse him later, for now, it seemed like genuine praise. He was a simple and strange man.
"I agree."
Denier looked at Raon with a faint smile.
"It's not arrogance, but it's a good way to show what will happen if you touch our Zieghart. I think it deserves praise."
He followed Balder’s lead and even applauded.
“......”
Aris looked at Denier with a frown, seeming to dislike his attitude.
"Cough!"
At the sound of a small cough, she looked up at the platform.
Glenn's cheeks and forehead were flushed as if they were burning in fire. His skin seemed to be getting redder and redder.
"There's more. When the head of the senators of the South-North Union came..."
"Lady Siyan."
Raon shook his head, grabbing Siyan's sleeve.
"That's enough for now..."
"Wait a minute."
Just as he was about to tell her to stop because Glenn appeared increasingly unusual, Glenn himself raised his hand.
"We need to know what you did in order to deal with the aftermath."
He nodded to Siyan as if telling her to continue.
"Go on."
"Ah, yes!"
Siyan regained her confidence thanks to Glenn and began reciting the contents she had written down in her notebook.
"When Sir Raon met the head of the senators, he said he would send him to his grandson's side..."
Raon looked at Siyan, who was speaking as if reciting a poem, and lowered his gaze with a sigh.
'When did she become so confident?....'
Please spare me....
* * *
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Siyan finally stepped back after telling all the stories of what Raon had done. It was astonishing how someone who had been so timid and embarrassed had changed.
Glenn, who had been leaning his head back for a while, lowered his gaze again.
His gaze was the same as usual, but he still covered his mouth with his hand, and that hand trembled as if there was an earthquake.
Glenn nodded gently at Siyan.
"Thank you for telling us the truth."
"Ah, no."
Siyan, now seemingly back to her senses, blushed deeply and shook her head.
"We, we received a lot of help from Sir Raon, so we, Seipia, would like to maintain a good relationship with Zieghart as well."
She pulled out a letter from the Protector Sterin from her pocket.
Woo-oo-oom!
As Glenn gestured lightly, the letter in Siyan's hand floated up on its own and flew into his hand.
"Hmm..."
Glenn read the entire letter and nodded.
"An alliance..."
"It's not exactly an alliance. It's just a willingness to start a dialogue between us."
"I see. I'll keep it positive for now."
He folded the letter neatly and put it in his pocket.
"Thank you."
Siyan bowed her head and stepped back.
"Then..."
Glenn's gaze turned to Raon. His pupils were slightly sunken, unlike usual.
"Vice division leader of Light Wind."
"Yes, my lord."
"You've done well."
"...No, not at all."
Raon shook his head with a faint smile. Hearing words of praise from the person he respected most made him feel like all the fatigue he had accumulated had disappeared in an instant.
"I've told you before, excessive humility isn't good."
Glenn shook his head.
"It is right to receive due value for one's achievements."
"Vice division leader of Light Wind, come up on the platform."
"Yes."
Raon took a deep breath and climbed onto the platform to stand before Glenn.
"I commend you for protecting the World Tree and rescuing the elves. I hereby bestow upon the vice division leader of Light Wind a golden plate, a top-grade artifact, and an elixir."
Glenn took out a golden plate, a pair of luxurious leather gloves, and a vial of elixir from the tray Roenn was holding and handed them over.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed deeply as he received the gifts from Glenn.
"Next, Dorian Sephia."
"Y, yes, head of house!"
Dorian, as if he hadn't expected his name to be called, climbed onto the platform with his tongue hanging out.
"I've heard you also assisted in protecting Seipia."
"I, I really didn't do much."
"I will give you a silver plate, a martial arts manual, and an elixir."
"Th, thank you! Ugh!"
Dorian's voice cracked as he thanked him, and his face flushed red.
After that, Yua was called out.
"Even though your skills are still immature, you fought without fear, which is enough to acknowledge your contribution. I'll bestow upon you a named sword and elixirs."
"Thank you!"
Unlike Dorian, Yua shouted her thanks in a clear voice.
Glenn watched Yua step down from the platform and turned his gaze to Siyan.
"I'm sure you're tired from coming all this way, so I think it would be better to discuss about the relationship between Zieghart and Seipia two days from now."
"Thank you for your consideration."
Siyan bowed modestly.
"Everyone, you may leave now."
Glenn waved his hand, saying that today's meeting was over. The door to the audience chamber opened, and the executives began to leave.
"Hey, wait a minute!"
Rimmer came forward, blinking his eyes.
"I did it! I did everything too, so why am I not getting anything?"
He shouted, demanding his own reward, but no one paid any attention, perhaps because there had been too many shocking events today.
"Listen to me! I also contributed!"
* * *
As soon as the executives left, Glenn lowered his hand that had been covering his mouth. The corners of his mouth lifted high towards the sky, an angle so exaggerated it seemed he might cramp from smiling.
"Did you all hear that?"
"Yes."
Roenn took out a notebook from his arms. He also began to read with a big smile on his lips.
"Wherever I am, that is Zieghart."
"Kuh-huh!"
Glenn couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"I was surprised too when I heard those words."
Rimmer recalled what had happened at the auction house and giggled.
"Even though the situation was dire, I felt a surge of energy throughout my body as soon as I heard Raon's words."
He clenched his fist, saying it was touching.
"It seems that he has grown not only in terms of his physical abilities but also in his mental strength."
Roenn smiled gently as if he was proud of Raon.
"That's right. Now that guy must be feeling Zieghart approaching him too."
Rimmer nodded with a faint smile.
"I'm more amazed at Raon's confrontation with the Axe King."
Aris smirked, pushing herself off the pillar.
"To have the audacity to say he'd slit his throat if the axe wasn't heavy, is it even possible to have such courage at that age?"
She genuinely laughed at how impressive Raon was.
"Father."
Aris smacked her lips and looked up at Glenn.
"Now that he seems to be qualified both physically and mentally, what do you think?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You know what I'm talking about, so why are you asking?"
She smiled, squinting her eyes.
"Successor."
Aris looked at Glenn and touched her chin.
"Don't you have any plans to make Raon a candidate for successor?"
Glenn looked at Aris, calmly lowered his eyes, and then raised them again. His lips were slightly curled up.
