N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 654
“You must reveal the wrongs you committed at the annex building and seek forgiveness.”
Raon stepped aside to allow the vice head to face the maids. It was not Raon who had suffered at his hands, but Sylvia and the maids.
Is that all you wish for?
Wrath exhaled sharply, not understanding.
There are so many other things! Why just an apology?
‘Just watch for now.’
Raon tapped Wrath’s head as he whined and turned back to the vice head.
The vice head, too, seemed surprised by the seemingly minor wish. However, he appeared reluctant to admit his wrongdoings, clutching his severed wrist to stall for time.
“Hmmm…”
With all eyes on him, Sylvia groaned and began to wake.
“Hoo…”
The vice head let out a heavy breath, appearing to resolve himself, and nodded.
“I falsified a report of witnessing illegal activities to unjustly investigate and torment the annex building.”
“What was your reason?”
Raon’s cold gaze fixed on him as he tilted his chin.
“To keep you in check. I thought I could control you by leveraging the annex building as your weakness.”
Realizing he could no longer deceive anyone, the vice head confessed his actions and motives honestly.
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”
He knelt and bowed his head to Sylvia and the maids.
“Sob…”
“It’s okay.”
The maids bit their lips and sobbed while Sylvia weakly patted their backs.
“Ahem…”
The vice head cleared his throat and averted his eyes. As he attempted to leave the training ground, holding his severed wrist, Raon grabbed him by the ankle and dragged him back.
“What… What now?”
The vice head’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I admitted my wrongdoings and apologized as you asked!”
“I told you to reveal your wrongs and seek forgiveness.”
“What’s the difference…”
“Apologizing is your action, forgiveness is theirs.”
Raon pointed a finger at Sylvia and the maids.
“Ah…”
The vice head’s trembling eyes turned to Sylvia, realizing what Raon meant.
It wasn’t just him. Every gaze in the great training ground was now on Sylvia.
“The annex building…”
Sylvia met eyes with Raon, the vice head, and Glenn on the platform, biting her lip.
“I won’t accept your apology.”
She shook her head slowly, refusing to forgive.
“Why… why not…”
“If I were the only one who suffered, I might have forgiven you. I would have quietly urged Raon to let it go. But you hurt my children.”
Sylvia furrowed her brow, looking at the maids.
"You took advantage of their desire not to cause trouble for Raon, starving them and depriving them of sleep. If I were to simply accept an apology and end it here, the same thing would happen again. To ensure this never happens again, I will not accept your apology."
She clenched her weak hand into a fist, implying that this was not the end.
“So it is.”
Raon smiled faintly at Sylvia.
‘You made a good choice.’
Sylvia, who usually disliked conflict, would have typically accepted the vice head’s apology and moved on. But today, she broke out of her shell, declaring she wouldn’t accept the apology to protect the annex building and the maids. She had grown stronger, not just physically but mentally.
As expected of mom!
‘Indeed, though she’s not your mom!’
Raon brushed off Wrath, who tried to embrace Sylvia, and looked at the vice head.
"Since that's the case, I'll have to make another wish."
“What… what do you mean!”
The vice head shook his head in disbelief.
“This isn’t right!”
He looked to the host for help.
“No, Sir Raon is correct.”
The host nodded calmly.
"Sir Raon asked you to seek forgiveness. Lady Sylvia has not accepted your apology, vice head. Therefore, the wish has not yet been fulfilled."
He lowered his hand coldly.
“Fine, then. Make another wish.”
The vice head bit his lip, reluctantly conceding.
“Reconstruct the annex building and the garden. Using your funds, not the senate’s.”
“Ha…”
The vice head sighed in relief, having expected this.
“Understood. How much…”
“Ten thousand gold coins.”
“What…?”
The vice head’s eyes widened as Raon stated the amount.
“What nonsense is this!”
He bared his teeth in disbelief.
“Why would a small annex building cost as much as the main building! Nonsense!”
“I planted the seeds of the legendary ocean soul flower (changed from sea spirit flower) in the garden you destroyed.”
“Lies! The ocean soul flower is a mythical herb! You wouldn’t plant its seeds in such a garden…”
“See for yourself.”
Raon showed the vice head a remaining leaf of ocean soul flower.
“Gasp!”
“A leaf as transparent as water…”
“It’s real! It’s ocean soul flower!”
The spectators gasped at the sight of the leaf shining in the sunlight.
“Ah…”
Seeing the ocean soul flower leaf in person, the vice head’s lips trembled, unable to find words.
“Moreover, I had buried a Dragon Heart in the back of the annex building to build a small magic tower, but that was destroyed too.”
“Th-this is a lie! A Dragon Heart! I never saw such a thing!”
“Is it?”
Aris stood up from her seat, shaking her head.
“The Dragon Heart came from Kaibar’s body. I gave it to Raon.”
“Ugh…”
The vice head’s eyes started to quiver.
‘Got him.’
Raon smirked, watching the vice head’s nervous twitching.
‘He can’t help but believe it.’
With the ocean soul flower leaf right before his eyes and Aris, who fought alongside Raon against the dragon, confirming the Dragon Heart, the vice head had no choice but to believe it, despite thinking it was absurd.
Especially since few knew that Sylvia’s energy center was made from a Dragon Heart, it was natural for him to be deceived.
“An ocean soul flower seed and a Dragon Heart…”
“Ten thousand gold coins doesn’t sound unreasonable…”
“Actually, it might be too little. The Dragon Heart of a blue dragon alone could fetch that price.”
“If the ocean soul flower blooms properly, it would be worth that much too.”
The spectators nodded, agreeing that ten thousand gold coins might even be a bargain.
“Sniff…”
Balder wiped away tears welling up in his eyes.
“Why are you crying all of a sudden?”
Aris blinked in confusion, while everyone on the stage turned their heads towards Balder, puzzled.
“I got scammed too…”
“Scammed?”
“Because of that bastard, the budget for True Martial Palace… Ugh!”
Balder choked up, his eyes reddening as he pressed his lips together. The furrow in his brow showed just how difficult his time had been.
Grit.
The vice head clenched his molars. Despite the absurd situation, the undeniable evidence left him at a loss.
“With both witness and evidence, there’s no choice.”
The host, taking a deep breath, nodded slowly.
“Ten thousand gold coins seems roughly right.”
"W-Wait! Even if it's me, I don't have ten thousand gold coins! There's no way I could have that much!"
The vice head lowered his chin, saying that even if he combined the annual budget of the senators, it wouldn't be 10,000 gold coins.
“So you’re saying you can’t pay?”
Raon smirked at him.
“It’s not that I can’t pay, my entire wealth doesn’t even reach five thousand gold coins!”
“Then we’ll seize all your assets and move to the next wish.”
“N-next wish?”
The vice head trembled, not understanding.
“I said from the beginning, didn’t I? The winner of this sword duel gets their every wish granted. That means it’s not just one wish, but two if I want.”
“Th-that’s ridiculous!”
The vice head shook his head vehemently in refusal.
“Hmm…”
The host looked up at the platform, unsure of how to proceed.
Glenn nodded briefly and raised one finger.
“The lord has approved. You may make exactly one more wish.”
The host raised a finger, conveying Glenn’s decision.
“M-my lord!”
The vice head screamed towards the platform, but Glenn remained silent, his empty gaze fixed on the training ground.
“Just one, huh? Fine, then. I’ll make just one more wish.”
Raon licked his lips and nodded.
“Killuan. From now on, you and your subordinates will no longer be part of the senate but will serve as servants of the annex building.”
“…What?”
The vice head swallowed dry saliva as he looked up at Raon.
“D-do you really think such a ridiculous thing can happen!”
He shook his head vigorously in denial.
"Is that possible? Is that really a wish that can be granted?"
“Can that really be a wish?”
"But they did set the condition of 'anything'."
“That’s true. But making the vice head a servant seems extreme.”
"That's for the person making the wish to decide."
The spectators debated whether the wish was even possible.
“You tell me! Does this make any sense?”
“Hmm…”
The host, flustered by the vice head’s outburst, looked up at the platform again.
“What were the conditions of the sword duel?”
Glenn straightened from his golden throne and asked.
“The conditions were that the loser must grant any wish of the winner.”
The host repeated the original agreement between Raon and the vice head.
“Any wish…”
Glenn pondered the term slowly before opening his eyes.
“Even if the vice head is guilty, reducing him to a servant is impossible. However…”
His red eyes, full of authority, fixed on the vice head.
“I accepted the conditions of this sword duel between the two by being here. If the condition is to grant any wish the winner desires, then there's no choice but to strip the vice head of his position and make him a servant."
“L-lord!”
The vice head cried out, blood rushing to his face.
"How can you do this! Even if you're the head of house, you can't interfere in the personnel affairs of the senators!"
"This is not about deciding the personnel affairs of the senators."
Glenn calmly shook his head.
"I'm just stating the results of the sword duel you agreed to. Isn't that right? head of the senators?"
“That is correct.”
A middle-aged noblewoman with a delicate smile appeared behind Glenn. She covered her nose and mouth with a fan, embodying elegance itself.
“If these were the conditions of the sword duel you both agreed upon, then even the senate cannot intervene.”
As she closed her fan, a graceful and alluring fragrance wafted around her.
“Huh?”
Raon’s lips trembled as he looked at the noblewoman.
‘That’s the head of the senators?’
The middle-aged woman Glenn addressed as the head of the senators was Siran, the leader of Dazzling Radiance, who had tailored the Light Wind swordsmen and Raon’s uniform back in the days of the Light Wind squad. Raon knew she was part of the senate but had no idea she was the head of the senators. (Yes, the same name as Siran of the South-North Union. She first appeared in chapter 167, and this is her second appearance)
“Much must have happened while I was away.”
“H-head of the senators…”
Siran smiled gently, causing the vice head’s jaw to tremble.
“Yo-you said it would take at least a year, but why so soon…”
“Thanks to someone resolving various issues, I could return sooner.”
She glanced briefly in Raon’s direction before lightly waving her fan. It seemed the vice head of the senators had taken advantage of the head of the senators absence to target the annex building.
"Let's talk about my story later. Vice head."
Siran raised her hand with a faint smile.
“Using the senate’s power and your authority is fine. However…”
A chilling glint appeared between her crescent-shaped eyes.
“You should have done it properly. Despite having immense power, you accomplished nothing.”
Siran seemed to be criticizing the vice head’s failure to achieve his goals, rather than his evil deeds.
“H-head of the senators! Please!”
“This will be the last time I address you as the vice head of the senators.”
Siran waved her hand with a bright smile.
“The senate acknowledges today’s sword duel results and accepts the conditions set by the winner, the Light Wind division leader.”
With those words, she stepped back.
“Head of the senators! How could you…”
Raon approached the vice head and slapped him on the back of the head.
“Ugh!”
With a cracking sound, the vice head’s face hit the ground, blood flowing from his nose.
"How dare a servant speak to the head of the senators like that."
Raon grabbed Killuan by the scruff of his neck, lifted him up, and forced him to bow to the head of the santors.
"I apologize. He's not fully trained yet."
“It’s alright.”
Siran chuckled, shaking her head.
“Grrrr…”
The vice head groaned, biting his lips in frustration.
“What is this?”
“I don’t know…”
“I can’t keep up with the situation.”
“That always happens when the Light Wind division leader is involved…”
The spectators was bewildered by the sudden turn of events.
“Yayyyyy!”
Rimmer raised his arms, shouting.
“I’m rich! This time, I won’t lose…”
KABOOM!
Before he could finish his shout, lightning struck, engulfing the entire ‘gambling den’. Knowing where the lightning came from, no one dared to look in that direction.
“Whew…”
Raon shook his head, looking down at the vice head.
“Who are you?”
“……”
“I’ll ask again. Who are you?”
“Ugh…”
The vice head’s hands trembled as he bowed his head.
“A-a servant of the annex building…”
“A servant?”
“…I am.”
“Good.”
Raon smirked, placing his hand on the vice head’s abdomen.
Crackle!
With the fire of Ten Thosand Flames Cultivation, Glacier’s cold, and wrath energy, Raon sealed the vice head’s energy center. Unless Raon allowed it, he would never use aura again.
“Urghhh… cough!”
The vice head coughed up black blood and collapsed. As he looked up at Raon with trembling eyes, Raon wiggled his finger.
“Welcome to the annex building.”
Raon grinned menacingly at the vice head.
It’s not the annex building, it’s hell….
Wrath shook his head, never thinking he’d feel pity for the old man.
***
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The next day.
Raon stood in front of the annex building with Killuan and his subordinates.
Thanks to Federick’s treatment, Killuan’s wrist was reattached, but the vice head’s energy center remained closed, leaving him pale.
"See that?"
"What do you... mean Sir?"
After a night of training, Killuan had learned to use respectful language.
“The garden and house you destroyed.”
Raon pointed to the garden, looking bombed-out, and the annex building’s outer parts, completely collapsed.
“It wasn’t this bad when we were here…”
Krisen, his jaw wrapped in bandages, trembled.
“Are you saying I did this?”
“N-no!”
As Raon clicked his tongue coldly, Killuan quickly shook his head.
You did do it, though!
Wrath shouted.
You destroyed everything last night, so stop pretending otherwise!
'Quiet.'
Raon dismissed Wrath, who was pointing out the truth, and nodded toward Killuan and the swordsmen who had once served the vice head.
“Fix all of it, now.”
“Huh…”
“Just us?”
“Who else?”
Raon frowned, causing Killuan and the swordsmen to drop their heads.
“Dorian over there will provide the materials and tools.”
He pointed to Dorian on the right.
“Come on, over here! Let's go!”
Dorian snarled, pulling shovels and picks from his belly pocket.
“And those women over there will supervise you to make sure you work properly.”
Raon pointed to Helen and the maids on the opposite side.
“Ugh…”
“Ah…”
The swordsmen, realizing they were to be watched by Helen and the maids they had previously tormented, trembled as they picked up the shovels.
“Please take care of it.”
Raon bowed slightly to the Gambling Monster, who was reclining in a chair.
“Don’t worry, just go.”
The Gambling Monster waved his hand dismissively, assuring Raon.
"Heh, what a delicious expression. I want to keep ordering this appetizer."
He enjoyed Killuan’s twisted expression, opening a bottle of liquor with his teeth and drinking deeply.
Raon chuckled and left the annex building, but instead of leaving completely, he climbed a tree to observe Killuan and the swordsmen.
Killuan, with his energy center sealed and under watch, began digging the garden following the maids’ instructions. His face showed utter misery, but his hands worked quickly.
Watching Killuan and the swordsmen shovel, Raon’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.
‘Serves them right.’
Seeing them suffer the same way they had inflicted suffering on others was cathartic.
Finally satisfied? Even the Demon King can't handle your rotten and crazy personality!
Wrath shook his head, exasperated.
‘It’s not that bad…’
Raon was shaking his head when a cat approached Killuan, who was shoveling.
“Shoo!”
Killuan waved his hand, trying to drive it away, but the cat lifted its tail and rubbed against him affectionately.
“Hm…”
Having been tormented by Raon all night, Killuan sighed at the cat’s affection.
As he bent down to pet it, the cat suddenly jumped up, clawing his face and biting his barely healed wrist.
“Aaaahhhh!”
Killuan flailed his arms in panic, but with his energy center blocked and his injuries, the cat easily evaded his attacks before retreating.
“Damn cat!”
“Hey!”
As Killuan lunged for the cat, Helen stepped in and blocked his path.
"Stop messing around and come this way!"
Helen quickly tended to Killuan’s wounds before putting him back to work. It was unclear if she was being kind or strict.
“Grr…”
Grinding his teeth, Killuan returned to the garden, shoveling with a pained expression, sweat pouring down his face.
“What’s going on here?”
Raon muttered, baffled by the strange situation.
‘Is that a wildcat, not a regular cat?’
A wildcat?
‘It looks like a cat but is much fiercer and stronger.’
That wildcat or whatever is coming this way.
‘No way.’
Raon shook his head, but it did seem like the wildcat was approaching. He held his breath and stayed still so as not to be noticed.
‘It’s gone…huh?’
Just as Raon thought it had disappeared into the bushes on the other side, he suddenly felt its presence below.
“Didn’t I do well?”
Raon raised his hand to block the wildcat’s sharp claws, but it leapt up the tree and grinned.
Ack!
“Aah!”
Both Grandmaster and Demon King fell from the tree.
