N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 624
Raon returned to the annex building before the party was over.
He wanted to enjoy the party with the Light Wind swordsmen to the end, but he knew he couldn't attend the executive conference in his current disheveled state, so he left early and took a shower.
As he was putting on his neatly pressed uniform, Wrath jumped up like a frog.
You liar! The King of Essence is not satisfied yet!
Wrath swung his fist as if he hadn't enjoyed the party enough.
'I can't help it.'
Raon shook his head, pushing away Wrath who was rushing towards him.
'I have a conference to attend, so I couldn’t stay there forever. Besides, I did eat enough, didn’t I?’
He had eaten everything at the party to avoid Wrath making a fuss, but Wrath still seemed unsatisfied.
It’s not just about the food. My subordinates were there, so I should have stayed at the party until the end!
Wrath waved his hands, insisting that as a king, he should always be with his subordinates. It seemed that he was more upset about not staying until the end than not eating all the food.
‘I thought you were just a simple glutton. Well, you are a glutton.’
Wrath always showed genuine concern for his subordinates, and it seemed he wanted to cherish the gathering time this time.
'I'll make sure to set up another gathering next time.'
Raon, feeling a bit regretful himself, pushed Wrath aside, promising to have another gathering in the future.
With his uniform neatly worn and Heavenly Drive at his waist, he left the room. As he was about to head out the front door, Sylvia and the maids were waiting by the door.
"Why are you here?"
“You’re going to your first executives conference. We wanted to cheer you on.”
Sylvia approached and straightened his slightly wrinkled collar.
"How did you know mother..."
“I have a friend in the Shadow Agents! I heard it from her!”
Encia smiled brightly, making a V sign with her fingers over her eyes.
"Oh..."
Not you again?
Lately, Sylvia and the maids seemed to know too much about his activities, and he found it curious. It turned out it was all thanks to Encia. She was indeed as quirky as Merlin.
"Are you well-prepared? The executives at the round table might see you a bit differently now…”
“What do you mean by differently?”
“The round table conference is like a small battlefield. Executives argue and even duel to secure missions with better achievements, more rewards, or easier tasks.”
Sylvia sighed, indicating her deep understanding of the executives conference.
“There might be some hazing, but you’ll learn a lot about Zieghart, so think of it as an opportunity.”
“You seem to know a lot about this.”
“I observed it when I was a direct line.”
Sylvia smiled faintly.
“Oh, I didn’t need to worry. Sir Rimmer will be going with you this time.”
"No."
Raon shook his head nonchalantly.
“That guy. He’s drunk and sleeping.”
Rimmer had declared he would drink all the alcohol at the party, then passed out. He was likely sprawled out in his quarters by now.
"Um, well..."
Sylvia blinked blankly and pursed her lips.
"I'm sure you'll do well, Sir Raon!"
Encia smiled, saying that everything will be fine.
"G-good luck!"
Siyan still stammered but spoke with more confidence than before. It seemed the Biography of Raon Zieghart was progressing well.
"..."
Judiel said nothing but nodded, her downcast eyes reflecting a belief that he would do well.
“I’ll be back.”
Raon waved to them all and headed to the main building. He walked to the circular building known as the executives conference hall or the round table hall and stood before the door.
"We greet the Light Wind division’s leader."
Two swordsmen standing guard placed their hands on their swords and bowed their heads.
"Please come in."
The swordsmen raised their heads and opened the door for him to enter.
Raon nodded to the swordsmen and stepped into the conference hall.
As he walked down a short corridor, he came across a massive round table that seemed to have enough space for dozens of people to sit down, bathed in a soft light.
The table was painted in a dark color as if it were shrouded in shadows, creating a strange harmony with the silver walls that were bathed in moonlight.
There were already a few leaders sitting at the table, and a middle-aged man sitting in the middle quickly stood up and waved his hand.
"Raon!"
It was Trevin, the leader of Warring Steel division, with a personality as bright as his short-cropped blond hair. He approached with a big smile.
"Leader of the Warring Steel division."
"It's good to finally see you."
Trevin patted Raon on the shoulder, saying it was good to see him.
“We’ve met before not too long ago.”
Although he spoke as if it had been a long time, they had met in the audience chamber after Raon’s return, and they had also conducted joint training with the Light Wind before that.
"Here, I mean this place."
He pointed to the black round table.
“I’ve been wanting to see you here at this round table conference.”
Trevin chuckled and raised his finger.
“I’m curious to see what kind of commotion you’ll cause here.”
He guided Raon to the end of the black round table while keeping a hand on his shoulder.
"Come this way. I'll guide you to the seat of the Light Wind division."
It seemed that each leader had a designated seat on this table. Following Trevin, he headed towards the right end of the table.
However, oddly enough, while the other executives' seats were all located closer to the center, the Light Wind division's leader seat was placed at the very end, lower than the platform.
"Why is the Light Wind division the only one separate?"
"That's..."
"Because he's not a regular."
Instead of Trevin, the red-haired woman sitting inside the round table answered the question.
It was Serena, the leader of the Void Sword division, with impressive deep blue eyes like a sunlit lake.
Serena, like Trevin, was also someone who always showed a friendly demeanor toward Raon.
"Leader of the Void Sword division."
Raon bowed his head to Serena.
“No need for greetings here. This isn’t a place where they’re necessary.”
Serena waved her hand, indicating Raon should be at ease.
"Excuse me, but what do you mean by not regular?"
“Exactly what I said. Your previous leader rarely showed up, so the Heavenly Blade's leader relegated the seat to the end.”
She clicked her tongue, saying that she hardly ever saw Rimmer in the round table conference.
“She’s right. I’ve hardly ever seen Rimmer here either.”
Trevin also shook his head, saying that he had never seen Rimmer here.
"...I see."
'That damned elf...'
Rimmer had always left the training ground early, claiming he was going to secure good missions. Now it seemed he had been spending that time at the gambling den instead.
“So, how did we end up with the missions we got?”
“They were the leftovers that no one else wanted.”
Serena chuckled.
"Hmm..."
Raon bit his lip thinly.
‘No wonder the missions always sucked.’
Thinking back on how perilous every mission had been, it was clear they had always received the ones others avoided.
"Phew..."
Raon sighed and sat down in the Light Wind division's seat. As he wiped the dust off the nameplate, he resolved to give Rimmer a hard time.
"So how do you feel? How does it feel to be a leader?"
Serena blinked one eye while sitting down.
“To be honest, it doesn’t feel very different. It’s like I’ve been playing the role of a leader for a long time already.”
He spoke his honest feelings.
"That's exactly the answer I expected. You're like a model student."
Serena smiled as if she had anticipated this response.
“I thought you were a leader from the first time I met you.”
Trevin chuckled and nodded.
“Really?”
Raon smiled faintly. For the first time, he chatted on equal terms with these two.
* * *
Glenn stood on the top floor of the lord's manor, which could easily be called an observatory, with his arms crossed. He nodded slightly, thinking of Raon who had entered the conference hall a moment ago.
'He's grown, albeit slightly.'
He could sense that Raon’s aura had increased, albeit a little. It seemed Raon had followed his advice and developed what he already knew rather than learning something new.
Although Glenn had thought Raon had neglected his own training to focus on the Light Wind swordsmen for the past three weeks, that wasn’t the case at all. The boy had managed to train himself while nurturing his subordinates.
‘He’s a child who deserves special attention.’
With his talent, personality, and perseverance, there was nothing about him to discard. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him the greatest masterpiece in the history of Zieghart.
"My lord."
Roenn approached him from the side as Glenn nodded in satisfaction.
“There’s no need to worry too much about the first round table conference. Sir Rimmer will be joining him soon.”
“…He won’t be coming. He’s passed out.”
The master of Shadow Agents, Chad, looked at Roenn and nodded his chin.
"Passed out?"
Glenn frowned at Chad.
"Did he get injured during training?"
"No, that’s not it. The leader of Light Wind threw a feast to celebrate the end of their training, and he passed out from drinking.”
Chad explained why Rimmer passed out, swallowing dry saliva.
Crackle!
Hearing Rimmer’s story, Glenn’s clenched fist sparked with lightning. If Rimmer had been there, the intense energy emanating from Glenn would have turned him to ash.
"Hmm..."
Roenn raised his finger, smacking his lips.
“With the Heavenly Blade leader absent, I could….”
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
Glenn shook his head at Roenn.
“Rimmer is more useful by not being here.”
He muttered that Rimmer wasn’t needed, just as he trusted Raon.
“Still, the executives seen in the audience chamber and those seen at the round table might be different….”
Chad also lowered his eyebrows, looking uneasy.
"It's fine."
Glenn turned around, calmly nodding his head. He curled his lips as if foreseeing the future.
"The dog... no, the shark has been let loose."
* * *
Raon narrowed his eyes, looking at the executives who had taken their seats at the round table.
'It's completely different from when I saw them before.'
They were the same people he had often seen in the audience chamber, but their aura was completely different here.
The oppressive aura they had when they were under the control of the Transcendent, Glenn Zieghart, had risen like wildfire, and they were showing their fangs at each other.
'So these are Zieghart's executives.'
Even the squad and division leader had a strong aura and eyes that were full of determination.
He was proud to know that such powerful people were part of Zieghart, whether he was close to them or not.
Kwoong!
As Raon smiled in satisfaction, the atmosphere shifted as a completely different presence filled the room when the door to the conference room opened.
It was Balder who came in with heavy footsteps. The round table conference is also called the executive conference or the division leader conference.
It is said that the palace master rarely participates, but Balder surprisingly participated right now.
"Sir Balder?"
"The palace master has come..."
"Something must be going on."
"But he doesn't come more often than the previous Light Wind division leader, does he?"
The other executives also sounded surprised, and murmurs could be heard here and there.
"Hmph."
Balder, after letting out a disdainful snort in Raon's direction from his corner, took his seat at the innermost part of the table.
This time, the door opened smoothly, as if it had been oiled.
The figure who had just entered carried an imposing yet refined demeanor, not overshadowed by Balder in the least. Denier, with his perfectly crafted demeanor as if draped in a cloak, approached with calm eyes.
Denier met the eyes of the round table executives and finally looked at Raon. He gave a gentle smile as if to say that he was glad to be here, and then sat down across from Balder.
[Does the master of the Wise Martial Palace also come here occasionally?]
Raon sent an aura message to Trevin, who was far away.
[No.]
Trevin shook his head.
[The master of the Wise Martial Palace participates in the round table conference every time unless he is on a mission. He is also popular with the executives because he often relinquishes good missions to others.]
He chuckled, saying that he was completely different from Balder.
Raon looked at the two palace masters sitting innermost.
Balder furrowed his brow as if he didn't like this situation, and Denier had the same calm look as always.
When everyone was silent under the heavy momentum of the two, the door opened for the last time, and Chad, the master of the Shadow Agents, came in.
"I seem to be the last one."
Chad bowed slightly, as if apologizing. He then moved to the innermost circle, standing between Denier and Balder, and took out some documents.
"Now that the time has come, let's begin the conference."
Chad nodded lightly as he opened the first document.
"First of all, let's talk about the state of the continent. Thanks to the efforts of the executives here, there have been no major problems within Zieghart's territory. In fact, there have been many cases where they have solved external incidents and raised their reputation."
His gaze shifted from the documents to Raon.
"However, just because Zieghart's territory is peaceful doesn't mean that the entire continent is peaceful."
The eyes of the master of the Shadow Agents flickered with a strange light.
"Eden attacked Seipia, a war broke out between Balkar Kingdom and the Black Tower, and the South-North Union destroyed the house Garam to occupy new land. The White Blood Religion also devoured the Kazan Religion, and the Holy Sword Alliance began its advance towards the world." (Holy Sword Union changed to Holy Sword Alliance)
He seemed to have investigated the movements of all Five Demons thoroughly and was well aware of their territories.
"Of course, that's not all. The Five Divine Orders are also moving meticulously. Even if Aris' forces are staying quiet, the remaining four are plotting something. Just like a wildfire starts from a small spark, nothing should be overlooked." (Five Divine Rulers changed to Five Divine Orders)
The master of the Shadow Agents recited the situation of the entire continent in a cold tone, unlike his usual nervousness in front of Glenn.
It seemed as if he was a completely different person. Just as Raon was thinking that he shouldn't easily underestimate him, his words continued.
"However, the one who is attracting the most attention right now is neither the Six Kings or the Five Demons nor the Five Divine Orders."
"Is it the Saber Sword Sovereign?"
Serena clicked her tongue briefly.
"Yes."
The master of the Shadow Agents nodded, meeting Serena's eyes.
"It is said that a map showing the location of the tomb of the Saber Sword Sovereign, who was named the strongest on the continent hundreds of years ago, has appeared. The current owner of the map is a killer named the White Snake."
He even knew the map owner, White Snake, using the intelligence network of the Shadow Agents.
Raon furrowed his brow at the name.
'White Snake...'
When Merlin told him, it seemed like a warrior named the Wandering Revenant had it, but it seemed like the owner had changed during his training.
"The Six Kings and the Five Demons are constantly colliding, and even the tomb of the Saber Sword Sovereign has been revealed. The continent is in such a state that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a powder keg."
Chad let out a short sigh.
"The executives going on missions should always be cautious, and please ensure proper control over your subordinates," he advised before lowering the first document.
"Now, let's proceed with assigning missions. If any executives have specific missions they wish to undertake, please raise your hand."
Chad raised the second document. It seemed that the missions were written on that document.
Raon surveyed the atmosphere at the round table, considering his options.
'If possible, I'd like to explore the Saber Sword Sovereign's tomb.'
Since Chad mentioned the Tomb of the Saber Sword Sovereign first, it must be included in the missions. It seemed like there would be more to gain from it than other missions, so he was drawn to it.
“As I mentioned earlier, the first mission is to scout Zieghart territory. The route extends from the North Sea to the end of the North Grave mountain, and despite appearances, it is a very important mission as it involves preparing for any potential abnormalities and attacks.”
Chad raised his voice and put down the document.
"Please raise your hand if you would like to take on the reconnaissance mission."
In response to his question, a few division leaders and Trevin raised their hands.
"Hmm, then this mission is the Warring Steel..."
"Wait."
Balder raised his hand as Chad was about to choose Trevin.
“Shouldn't these trivial missions typically be assigned to the youngest?”
He glanced at Raon, muttering that it was trivial, even though Chad had just said it was important.
"If it's the youngest..."
Chad tilted his head, looking at Balder.
“Over there. The kid who’s sitting at the round table for the first time today.”
Balder openly pointed in this direction. He seemed intent on causing trouble and didn’t even bother to use an intermediary, acting as he usually did.
“He’s just become a leader and is participating at the round table for the first time. Isn’t it proper for the youngest to take on the menial missions on behalf of the seniors?”
He furrowed his brows, complaining that the younger generation lacked manners.
"Hmm..."
Chad sighed as he adjusted the documents, furrowing his brow as he seemed to be contemplating how to stop Balder.
Raon chuckled at the sight.
'Just as expected.'
He had anticipated that Balder, who acted like a wild beast guided by his feelings, would pick a fight.
“I am aware that there are hierarchies among the executives.”
Raon gave a slight bow to Balder.
“But I believe that hierarchy exists out of mutual respect, not to push unwanted missions onto others.”
He offered this reasoning to Balder, who was frowning at him.
“As the leader of a military group, I should accept missions that I can fully commit to. Taking on unwanted missions just because I’m the youngest would be an insult to this round table.”
Raon finished speaking and sat down again.
“You, you insolent brat!”
Balder stood up, furrowing his brows.
"Just because you’ve achieved some merits, do you think you can act without regard for anything? Do you even know where you are? How dare you challenge me here!”
"This is the round table, isn't it? I think it was established to have discussions like this," Raon said, gesturing towards the round table in front of him.
“Hmph, fine. You’re right.”
Surprisingly, Balder acknowledged his mistake and sat down quietly.
“But this place isn’t just for discussions. If opinions clash, we can settle it by force.
”He clenched his fist as if he had caught something good.
"Today, I..."
Just as Balder was about to twist his lips, the conference room door burst open, and Aris entered.
Thwack!
She seemed to disappear into a flash of light, reappearing at the end of the round table to kick Balder in the face.
Boooom!
Caught off guard, Balder crashed into the wall, breaking his chair in the process.
"Huh?"
"Oh..."
"What, what is it?"
Everyone opened their mouths wide in surprise at the sudden turn of events.
“You old geezer.”
Aris frowned, stepping on Balder’s head as he lay on the floor.
“You pick a fight with a newly arrived executive instead of looking after them? It’s so petty it’s disgusting!”
“Ugh!”
Balder pushed Aris’ foot away and sprang to his feet.
"Elder sister! What are you doing!"
“I can’t stand your repulsive old-man behavior!”
Aris muttered about feeling nauseated as she sat in Balder’s seat.
“Ugh...”
Balder gritted his teeth, unable to do anything but bite his lip in frustration.
“What a waste of a lump of flesh, you punk.”
“Lump? What lump?”
“Fat, obviously!”
Aris frowned, looking at Balder’s bulging muscles.
“This isn’t fat, it’s muscle! Even if you’re my elder sister, that’s too much...”
“Really? Then I’ll call you a lump of muscle.”
“That’s better!”
Balder nodded in satisfaction, standing beside Aris.
Raon blinked as he watched them.
'Is he satisfied with that?'
Despite being hit, losing his seat, and being insulted, Balder seemed content with just being called a lump of muscle. It was both easy and difficult to understand.
"Chad?"
"Yes. Yes!"
Chad nodded his head, swallowing his dry saliva at Aris' call.
"Give it to me."
She forcibly snatched the document held in Chad's hand and raised it.
“You guys have no consideration. When someone new arrives, you should take care of them.”
Aris said this while raising the document towards Raon.
"My dear nephew, what do you want to do? It's your first mission, and your aunty will give it to you."
"Ah..."
Raon closed his eyes tightly, looking at Aris, who was rambling.
'Please stop...'
