N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 681
Kugugugugu.
Raon entered the audience chamber, feeling the warmth of the setting sun on his skin.
He exchanged glances with Sheryl, Serena, and Trevin as he walked toward the platform, noticing that the master of True Martial Palace Balder winked his left eye.
'What's that about...?'
Raon let out a breath and quickly looked away.
'Why does he keep doing that?'
Even during the executive conference, he couldn’t understand why Balder would wink at him every chance he got.
Wanting no part of it, Raon ignored Balder's gaze and stood before the platform.
“I greet the lord!”
Raon confirmed that the Light Wind swordsmen stood behind him and knelt before Glenn.
The Light Wind swordsmen also took the same posture, bowing their heads.
“Rise, all of you.”
Raon lifted his gaze at Glenn's dry words. Glenn, as usual, rested his chin on his fist, revealing his empty eyes.
Raon slightly nodded, understanding why Glenn had such a vacant look.
'Now I understand why the lord's eyes look like that.'
Seeing how Glenn's eyes sank deeper when he looked at Sylvia, it was clear. He was living in the past, regretting what had happened.
‘I understand. I, too, was regretting the past… Hmm?’
Raon sighed briefly and then halted abruptly.
'But...'
Something seemed different today.
Glenn's lips, which usually drooped like weights, were slightly raised, and his eyes seemed less dull than usual.
"Light Wind division leader."
Before he could ponder the reason, Glenn's voice called out.
"Yes, my lord."
Raon answered, bowing his head.
"How did the Light Wind division, who set out on a monster subjugation mission, return as national guests of the Holy Kingdom of Schper?"
"National guests?"
The term "national guests" was unfamiliar, and he narrowed his eyes.
"A letter came from the Holy Kingdom of Schper."
Glenn shook a white envelope resting on the armrest of his throne.
"It states that the Light Wind division leader and the Light Wind division are designated as national guests of Schper and that the price of holy water supplied to Zieghart will be halved."
"National guests? The entire Light Wind division?"
"Not just one, but over 30? All of them?"
"Being national guests isn't the important part! If the price of holy water is halved, it's practically free!"
"That's right. The holy water from the Holy Kingdom of Schper is one of the best on the continent!"
The executives looked at Raon and the Light Wind swordsmen with bewildered eyes.
Glenn nodded, signaling Raon to explain what had happened.
The other executives also looked at him with curiosity, their eyes shining with a faint light.
"When we arrived at Dibarun mountain, we found Sir Hopen and the holy knights being chased by monsters. We rescued them and then climbed to the summit...."
Raon recounted everything that had happened to Glenn and the executives, omitting details like the Demon King’s Descent and the appearance of Greed.
"Whoa..."
"That's insane..."
"Now I get why they called you heroes of Schper."
"I thought the rumors about capturing demons in the Holy Kingdom were nonsense, but I can't deny it now."
"Now I understand the commotion..."
The executives expressed their amazement with hollow laughs.
"But doesn't it seem a bit strange?"
"Yeah, how could they find the demon faster than the priests of the Holy Kingdom...?"
"And how did he manage to fight alone when even the saintess, the knights, and Rimmer were unconscious?"
The direct line executives, unable to resort to their usual displays of force, tried to pick a fight with petty words.
"That is..."
"Won't you shut up?"
Just as Raon was about to respond with a sneer, Balder stomped his right foot and raised his fist.
"How dare you make noise in this place!"
"Pa-palace master?"
"Palace master or whatever, just shut up! We're in front of the lord!"
Balder twisted his lips, and the direct-line executives quickly averted their gazes with pained expressions.
'You're cursing in front of the lord...'
Raon blinked and looked at Balder. He winked again with one eye, as if to say, 'I did well, didn't I?'
What was even more amusing was Glenn. Unlike usual, he didn't restrain Balder and instead slightly nodded as if he approved.
'Really, what is this...'
Finding it absurd, Raon laughed in disbelief, and Glenn lowered the hand that was supporting his chin.
"Light Wind division leader."
"Yes."
"Excellent."
Without any further preamble, Glenn declared Raon's actions as excellent. The other executives widened their eyes in surprise.
"Finding the demons and defeating the demon-possessed king Baurun isn’t particularly impressive. However…"
He raised his index finger. An absolute wave of energy emanated from his slender finger, suppressing the surroundings.
"Ugh..."
"Ugh..."
The executives in front of the pillars couldn't withstand Glenn's energy and either retreated or knelt.
"Fighting a demon that overwhelms even a Grandmaster head-on is no easy feat."
Glenn looked down at the direct-line executives who had doubted Raon's achievements with a chilling gaze.
"Ugh..."
"Ugh..."
The direct-line executives could not even lift their waists under Glenn's energy, their hands trembling.
"Even if Rimmer and the saintess were exhausted, if the demon possessed enough demonic energy to make it difficult for them to stand, it must have been at least a mid-level or high-level demon. Defeating such a high-ranking demon is a feat worthy of praise, regardless of your age."
Glenn, as the head of a prestigious house of swordsmen, valued defeating a demon with a sword more than saving the Holy Kingdom of Schper.
"The same goes for you."
Glenn's gaze shifted to the Light Wind swordsmen standing behind Raon.
"Even if they were lower-tier, it would be nearly impossible for you to defeat demons and Hellhounds at your current level. You've accomplished a great feat."
"The, the Division leader taught us a new martial art, which helped a lot."
"If it weren't for the Light Wind Style, we couldn't have caught that bastard!"
Burren and Martha credited Raon, bowing their heads. Their faces were flushed, likely due to receiving praise from Glenn himself.
"Handsome Raon."
Even in this situation, Runaan muttered 'handsome' and blinked. Raon's face reddened.
“W, wait, isn’t the Light Wind Style a martial art the Light Wind division leader created recently?”
“Yeah. To think it was strong enough to kill demons…”
"The rumors that it's a supreme martial art were true?"
"It's crazy, no other words fit..."
The executives trembled in amazement at the words of the Light Wind swordsmen.
"Ahem!"
"Hmm hmm."
Dorian and Krein, seeing the executives’ astonishment, straightened their backs and stood tall, their pride apparent.
"Well done!"
Balder grinned, giving a thumbs up. His incessant winking with one eye still gave Raon the chills, making it hard to understand his intentions.
"Ahem!"
Glenn cleared his throat loudly, covering his chin and mouth with his right hand. His fingertips seemed to tremble slightly.
"While defeating the demon is the greatest feat, you also deserve praise for minimizing casualties by locating it first and returning as national guests of the Holy Kingdom of Schper."
Glenn's voice wavered slightly, despite his attempt to maintain a composed expression.
"I will bestow golden tablets to all members of the Light Wind division and grant them the authority to select an advanced equipment."
The executives' mouths dropped open at his declaration.
"Al-all of them get golden tablets? And advanced equipment?"
"Opening the vault for them?"
"Not just a few, but all of them? This is..."
"I think it’s fine. They saved a kingdom."
"Yes. Now that they’re national guests, coordination will be easier, and the discount on holy water is a huge benefit."
Some executives frowned, thinking it was too much, but others, especially Balder, silenced them with stern expressions.
"And."
Glenn beckoned Raon with his finger, as if he wasn't done speaking yet.
“The Light Wind division leader, who led the Light Wind division, will be granted the right to choose two equipments.”
* * *
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Snap!
After bestowing golden tablets to all members of the Light Wind division, Glenn snapped his fingers.
A dazzling golden light, like the dawn, spread throughout the audience chamber, and countless weapons, armors, and accessories emerged, tearing through dimensions.
"Wow..."
"This is..."
"Each of these is advanced equipment. It's hard to take my eyes off them."
The Light Wind swordsmen and the executives gulped, their eyes glued to the equipment that exuded their unique colors.
“I have summoned the equipments from Zieghart’s vault.”
Glenn waved his hand lightly as if it was no big deal.
“The Light Wind division members can pick whichever they want.”
He nodded, indicating he didn't mind what they chose.
“Th-thank you my lord!”
The Light Wind swordsmen couldn't take their eyes off the equipment, yet they first shouted their thanks to Glenn.
However, there was one person who stood out from the rest.
“I was broke, but now I have something to sell... ack!”
Rimmer ran toward the weapons without even greeting, only to be struck by a red lightning bolt and fall.
That idiot...
Wrath shook his plump chin from side to side.
The King of Essence thought he had improved a bit, but he's still the same. Cough!
Wrath frowned, remembering Rimmer, who had blocked Gluttony’s overwhelming presence and told Raon to run.
‘Well…’
Raon faintly smiled as he recalled the conversation he had with Rimmer by the campfire.
“Wow, this is insane. Look at this sword! The blade is serrated like a saw! It's terrifying!”
“This armor ripples like liquid!”
“Earrings that amplify aura? Ah, but no matter how much, earrings are a bit…”
The Light Wind swordsmen scattered around the audience chamber, examining the equipment. They all had wide smiles on their faces, clearly enjoying themselves.
“I've finally found a sword to replace my Dark Phoenix! From today, your name is Chaos Storm!”
“Hmph. Can it match my Green Wave ver.2?”
“Super Hakssar, I'm sorry. Destiny of Fate is calling me!”
Some swordsmen had already chosen their weapons and named them. Raon had goosebumps hearing those names during their Light Wind squad days, and their naming sense hadn't changed a bit.
Raon sighed deeply and headed toward the right side, where there were no weapons.
‘I don't need a sword.’
He already had Heavenly Drive, the Blade of Requiem, and the Heaven Slaying dagger (The throwing daggers from dwarf Borgos), so he didn't need any more weapons.
‘Then what should I… hmm?’
While looking around at the armor, he noticed a thin piece of clothing that didn't seem to belong in that place.
‘Why is there an undergarment here?’
Thinking it strange, he touched it, feeling the texture of steel rather than fabric.
However, the inside that touched the skin was as soft as a cotton t-shirt.
“It's a steel garment.”
Rimmer approached with his arms crossed.
“A steel garment?”
“It looks like an ordinary piece of clothing, but it's an artifact that absorbs shocks. It's solid and might save your life once.”
He nodded, recommending that Raon choose the steel garment.
“It's not bad.”
It was light and soft, so it didn’t feel uncomfortable. It wasn’t just solid, it also had shock absorption capabilities, making it perfect for wearing inside a uniform.
Raon took the steel garment and walked toward the side where the accessories were.
‘There are so many that I don’t know what to choose… oh?’
While examining the various unknown accessories, his eyes widened.
‘This is…’
* * *
“No way…”
Sheryl smiled faintly, looking up at the platform.
"I didn't expect the lord to bring out the entire vault of Zieghart. This is the second time, isn't it?"
“It's the third time.”
Roenn chuckled and shook his head.
“The first young master received it first.”
“Ah!”
Sheryl clapped her hands as if she remembered.
“Well, considering how absurd that incident was, I understand.”
She smacked her lips as if she agreed.
“This means the achievement of the Light Wind division is comparable to that incident.”
Roenn nodded while looking up at Glenn.
“Ahem, maybe it's not as grand, but it was still impressive.”
Glenn cleared his throat and turned his head. His trembling lips began to curve up like a crescent moon.
Sheryl and Roenn smiled faintly as they watched Glenn’s gradually rising smile.
“This is killing me…”
Rimmer rubbed his neck and shook his head.
“My throat is sore from explaining the equipment.”
He complained that he was exhausted from helping the entire Light Wind division choose their weapons and brushed back the hair stuck to his forehead.
“What are you plotting?”
Sheryl narrowed her eyes and stared at Rimmer.
“What?”
"Normally, you would just pick your own stuff and run to the pawnshop, wouldn't you? Why did you help the kids?"
“I’m the vice leader. I should at least do this much.”
“You didn’t even do this when you were the leader.”
"I've changed my mind a bit."
Rimmer shrugged.
"Changed your mind? What does that mean?"
Sheryl glared at Rimmer with narrowed eyes.
“……”
Rimmer didn't answer, just drew a faint smile and then turned his gaze to Glenn.
“My lord. What’s the second item that Raon picked? I’ve never seen it before either.”
“It’s something that has been in that place since before I became the head of house.”
A faint golden light shone in Glenn’s red eyes.
“No, it’s been there for much longer.”
“Much longer…?”
"I wonder if there really is such a thing as destiny."
* * *
“This is tiring…”
Raon sighed as he sat on the bed.
After Glenn, he had to explain what had happened to the people in the annex building, and his throat was sore.
It was especially tough because of Encia, who immediately started writing her new book after hearing his story.
Keurhk!
Wrath, floating in the air, let out a small burp.
Indeed, home-cooked meals are the best. Cough!
Wrath shook his head, saying that no matter what food he ate, nothing could compare to home-cooked meals.
Hey.
‘What?’
Eat the bead ice cream now.
Wrath pointed to the bead ice cream that Sylvia had prepared and grinned.
‘Why did mother prepare something like this…’
Sylvia seemed to think he liked bead ice cream, so she had gotten five sets of it.
The thought of eating all of it made his head ache.
Indeed, mom is the best!
Wrath laughed, gesturing with his hand for Raon to quickly open the box.
‘Sigh…’
Raon sighed and opened the frozen box containing the bead ice cream. With white smoke, five mint chocolate bead ice creams were revealed.
Mom!
Wrath clasped his hands together and shouted, “I love you!”
Although he didn't really want to eat it, Raon put the mint chocolate bead ice cream in his mouth because of the things Wrath had done for him and Sylvia's effort.
Keeeuh.
Wrath let out a deep groan.
This is it! The sweet coolness spreading inside! It's cleansing my stuffy mouth perfectly!
‘You can just brush your teeth.’
That’s different!
‘Sigh…’
After eating all the bead ice cream in the box, Raon lowered his hand.
The King of Essence is so happy. Cough!
Wrath, floating in the air, flipped over in joy.
‘Then, should I fill my stomach too?’
Raon took out his spatial pocket.
Fill your stomach?
‘Gluttony hasn't activated yet.’
Wrath's eyes showed a frightened look as Raon took out the nadine bread.
You idiot.
Wrath sneered and shook his head.
You don’t even know your own trait.
‘What do you mean?’
Your Gluttony, unlike Gluttony’s, is only triggered when you find something delicious. Just filling your stomach won’t do it!
He chuckled, saying that Raon wouldn’t be able to eat nadine bread anymore.
‘Hmm…’
Raon glanced at Wrath and then put the nadine bread into his mouth.
Hey! You!
Ignoring whatever Wrath said, he chewed and swallowed the bread.
As expected, in an instant, the nadine bread filled him up to the point where he felt like his stomach might burst.
N-no way…
Wrath grabbed his head and let out a scream.
I-it tastes like rubber! The happiness that the bead ice cream provided is turning black and burning away!
He tried to wipe the rubber taste off his tongue with his round fingers.
“This is good.”
Raon nodded with a satisfied expression after eating all the nadine bread.
Cough! The King of Essence told you! Gluttony won't activate, you'll just ruin your taste buds...
It was at that moment Wrath was about to complain.
[The trait <Gluttony> has been activated.]
A message that Gluttony had activated appeared, along with a message that his stats and soul level had slightly increased.
What…?
Wrath opened his eyes wide in disbelief.
Why…?
He stared at Raon with a blank look.
D-do you really find this rubber bread delicious?
‘Yeah. It’s okay.’
Raon nodded calmly. In his previous life, he had survived by eating weeds, so nadine bread was a decent food to him.
What kind of lunatic are you! Show me your tongue! It must be smeared with dog poop! Otherwise, this doesn’t make sense!
Wrath shouted in disbelief.
W-wait! So from now on…
After checking his pink tongue, Wrath shook his head.
‘I'll have to eat Nadine bread every day.’
Noooooo!
‘Nice scream.’
Raon listened to Wrath’s scream as he laid back on the bed.
"From the pocket of his top, a sword-shaped tassel made of a harmonious blend of red and gold threads fell out."
Hmm…
Wrath, who had been howling, narrowed his eyes as he looked at the thread.
Come to think of it, why did you pick that? The King of Essence doesn’t sense anything from it.
He shook his head, not understanding.
“Because it’s valuable.”
Valuable?
“Yes.”
Raon nodded as he gently stroked the tassel.
“This belonged to the first head of house Zieghart.”
