C726
"Did you find it?"
Raon knelt down to look into the eyes of the frog where Merlin and Flumen resided.
"Yes. Under the Lable River..."
"Now I speak."
Merlin interrupted as Flumen tried to explain.
"Raon, where are you looking instead of at me?"
Merlin's voice sank ominously, as if coming from beneath the earth.
- Eeeeeeeeek!
Wrath tilted his head, clutching his neck as if terrified.
"If you ignore me..."
"Merlin! Wait!"
Raon raised his hand toward the purple eyes of the frog.
"I'll listen to everything you want to say after I speak with Flumen first."
He swallowed hard, pleading for her to wait.
"Really?"
Light filtered into Merlin's voice.
"Yes. I promise."
Raon nodded, indicating he was sincere.
"Alright!"
When Merlin stepped back with a smile, the chilling purple faded from the frog's eyes.
"R-Raon is having a hard time too, huh?"
When the frog opened its mouth, Flumen's voice flowed out again, elongating the end of his words as if feeling pity.
"...That doesn't matter."
Raon covered his flushed face in embarrassment and placed the frog in his palm.
"Who did you find? Tell me their description first."
He had asked Flumen to search for the corpse of one of the Five Demons that might be under the river upon returning to Zieghart, and it seemed he had found one of them.
"It's not a person, but a weapon."
Flumen shook his head and spoke in a calm voice.
"A weapon?"
"Yes. It’s the sword of the red-haired man who suddenly joined the battlefield and challenged your grandfather."
He smiled, saying he had found the black sword embedded at the bottom of the river.
"The Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance..."
The only crazy person with red hair who had challenged Glenn was the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance.
"Were there no corpses?"
"No. There was nothing around it."
Flumen shook his head, saying that only the sword was stuck there.
"What is the condition of the black sword?"
"The blade is cracked but not broken. I wonder if it can be used if repaired."
"Hmm..."
Raon bit his lip as he looked into the frog's black pearl-like eyes.
'Is he really dead...?'
The Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance was an unbalanced man who pushed the leaders of the Five Demons aside because he wanted to experience Glenn's sword. He was exceptionally mad even among the sword fanatics of the Holy Sword Alliance, so it didn't seem likely that he would disappear, leaving his sword behind.
'Moreover, he faced the Soul Sword of the Head of House head-on.'
When the other leaders of the Five Demons fled to avoid Glenn's Soul Sword, the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance jumped forward to observe the swordsmanship closely. No matter how you look at it, it wasn't a situation where he could survive.
'However...'
The fact that the sword of the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance wasn't broken troubled him. Since the sword was only cracked and not shattered, he thought there was a chance that the man was still alive.
'I must report this.'
The Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance had declared through this war that his path was different from that of the Five Demons. Even if he was alive, he probably wouldn't mix with the Five Demons, but Raon felt he needed to inform Glenn.
"Thank you, Flumen."
Raon smiled weakly and patted the frog's head.
"Y-Yes! We're friends!"
Flumen laughed shyly as if it were nothing.
"But Raon."
He suddenly lowered his voice after laughing.
"Shouldn't the masked woman be sealed?"
Flumen swallowed hard, saying that the world could be in danger if Merlin was left free.
- Flumen knows well!
Wrath climbed onto the bracelet and nodded vigorously.
- That crazy woman must not be left unleashed without a leash!
He trembled, saying she shouldn't be released under any circumstances.
"What are you doing?"
Merlin's voice erupted again from the mouth of the frog where Flumen resided.
"I'm s-sorry! The talk about sealing was just a joke..."
"Why are you receiving Raon's touch all by yourself?"
Along with a jealous voice, the frog's eyes flickered purple again.
"Hah..."
Raon sighed heavily as he looked at the smiling frog.
'Is this more important than sealing?'
Merlin was angry for not receiving a petting, regardless of Flumen's thoughts about sealing her. It really wasn't normal.
"Move quickly!"
"Okay..."
One could hear the sound of Merlin pushing Flumen away from her.
"Merlin."
Raon sighed and raised his finger toward the frog's eyes.
"Flumen is our savior who saved both you and me. I would like you to treat him with respect..."
"I understand!"
Merlin nodded before Raon could finish speaking.
"Lord Flumen. This girl was too impudent. I will be careful from now on."
A polite voice from Merlin flowed from the mouth of the frog. It was a measured tone and a voice that could only be heard in a royal court.
"N-No."
Flumen's voice trembled.
"Lord Flumen. It is right to repay a debt of life with life. If there is someone you wish dead, just tell me. I will cut their throat immediately..."
"There's no one! Don't do it! Aaaaah!"
He screamed and vanished as if he were more scared of Merlin.
"Merlin. Stop tormenting Flumen and come here."
"I'm not tormenting him; I'm sincere."
Merlin shook her head and smiled weakly.
"How are your wounds? Are they all healed?"
"My chest hurt a little, but when I read your love letter, the pain disappeared."
He waved his hand, saying the letter had become a panacea.
"How is that a love letter...?"
He didn't understand how a normal letter thanking him for saving him and saying that he would support her from now on turned into a love letter. He felt more tired than when he was talking to Glenn.
"What will you do now? I think you should travel..."
"Being by your side is the journey. A journey of love."
Merlin shook her head, saying there was no need to go far.
- Aaaaaaaaah!!!
Wrath finally couldn't take it anymore and rolled his eyes with a choking sound.
"But there is something I need to verify before I meet with you."
Merlin's voice sank calmly.
"Something to verify?"
"Yes. I want to know about the movements of the Five Demons and the Dragons."
He nodded calmly, seeming to have heard about Flumen's war situation.
"You are no longer part of the Five Demons. They will attack you as soon as you reveal yourself."
"I know. I will be careful, so don't worry."
Merlin smiled, saying she would move disguised as an animal as she was now.
"Still..."
"The Heavenly Demon could move."
She mentioned the name of the Heavenly Demon just as he was about to protest again.
"The Heavenly Demon...?"
"Yes. The Fallen said that the Heavenly Demon would move soon. Has he been raising a disciple for a while?"
Merlin bit her thin lip.
"The Heavenly Demon and the Fallen aim for restoration. To return the continent to the time it was a paradise for monsters and to resurrect the Demon Dragon. But their purposes after that differ."
She narrowed her eyes, saying that he should find out the Heavenly Demon's purpose.
"Even if you had the chance to come to Zieghart now?"
"Yes. I still can't go. Because you are more important to me than I am."
Merlin gently moved her hand, saying it was useless to stop her. More than feeling chills, his heart swelled at her words that he was more important than she was.
"Then I guess there's no other option..."
Raon sighed as he looked into Merlin's eyes.
"Just be careful. I still have a debt to repay you."
"You don't need to repay such a thing."
Merlin shook her head as if telling him not to worry about that.
"Then it's time to tell you this child's request."
"Hmm..."
Raon swallowed hard and nodded.
"He says he woke up from hibernation and wants you to make him a bedroom. Somewhere warm, soft, spacious, and quiet."
"No, how can I suddenly find a place like that...?"
"Please!"
As soon as Merlin waved her hand, the frog's purple eyes turned black. The frog moved its hind legs as if it were pleading for a bedroom to be found quickly.
"Sigh..."
Raon sighed and pointed to the ground near the lake.
"What about here?"
The frog turned its head, expressing mysteriously that it was too wet.
'What kind of frog worries about humidity!'
Raon frowned and moved closer to the flower bed.
"What about here?"
The frog shook its head as if there were too many roots near the flower bed. It was an incredibly demanding amphibian. The frog stuck out its long tongue as if attracted to North Grave Mountain.
"Alright. Let's go..."
Raon took a deep breath and climbed North Grave Mountain. When he returned to the annex building, the night had completely passed.
* * *
"Mmm..."
Glenn slowly lifted his eyelids. He could see the pale purple sky of dawn filtering through the window.
"Did you cough?"
Roenn smiled weakly as he placed a towel beside Glenn's bed.
"It's been a while since I've seen the Head of House sleep so much."
Sheryl smiled, raising a finger as she leaned against the wall.
"What happened?"
Glenn frowned and lifted his body.
"Did you lose your memory?"
Sheryl approached Glenn with wide eyes.
"Head of House. You almost ascended in the banquet hall!"
"In the banquet hall? Did I ascend?"
Glenn touched his temples and lowered his gaze.
'I feel like something extremely joyful happened...'
Perhaps because he had slept too much. He couldn't remember what Sheryl was talking about.
"It seems your memory was wiped away by too much joy."
Sheryl let out an empty laugh as if she were stunned.
"Given that you waited over 20 years..."
Roenn chuckled, saying it was understandable.
"Stop beating around the bush and tell me. What happened yesterday?"
Glenn frowned as he looked at Sheryl and Roenn.
"Head of House. Raon finally called you grandpa!"
Sheryl twirled her finger in the air.
"Hehehe, Lady Sylvia called you father."
Roenn laughed as he stood next to Sheryl.
"G-Grandpa!"
Glenn's chin trembled. Hearing Sheryl and Roenn's words, memories of yesterday came rushing back clearly.
[Mom should greet grandpa first. Since you've become part of the direct line again, calling 'father' 'grandpa' should be the first thing, right?]
Recalling Raon's words, his lips curled naturally, his heart beat as if it would burst, and strength drained from his arms and legs. Boom! Glenn collapsed under the bed with his eyes closed.
'Now I have no more regrets...'
His body began to glow faintly again, as if he were about to release his soul.
"Oh no! It's starting again!"
"Quick! We must grab him!"
Sheryl and Roenn ran toward Glenn and administered CPR.
"Cough!"
Glenn coughed violently, and color returned to his body.
"Please come back to your senses! Why are you trying to ascend all of a sudden?"
"Hehehe..."
Sheryl shouted while Roenn wiped the sweat flowing down his forehead as if he were terrified.
"Ahem!"
Glenn cleared his throat and leaned back against the bed.
"It seems I waited too long, as you said. Just hearing Raon call me grandpa made me feel like I had fulfilled my duty."
He moved his hand, saying he probably wouldn't have felt strange even if he had departed like that.
"I was especially moved when Sylvia and Raon called me together."
Glenn nodded, saying he felt that his most desperate wish had been fulfilled.
"Both have grown well, unlike this incompetent."
He closed his eyes. A faint smile formed as he remembered Raon and Sylvia, whom he had seen in the banquet hall.
'Ah...'
Just imagining that situation made him feel like his soul was melting. If he had been alone, he might have really ascended. Glenn deeply engraved the admirable images of his youngest daughter and grandson in his mind before opening his eyes.
'My body feels light.'
How long had it been since he slept so deeply? Thanks to Raon and Sylvia, he had a good rest for the first time in a long time. He felt as if even the remaining internal wounds had been washed away.
"More reason for you not to ascend here."
Sheryl shook her head firmly.
"You must see the children get married!"
"The Leader of the Heavenly Blade is right. Didn't you say you still had much to teach?"
Roenn also lowered his hand as if asking him to hold on.
"You're right. That's true."
Glenn nodded with a laugh.
'I can't leave yet.'
Although he had dealt significant blows to the leaders of the Five Demons, this peace wouldn't last long. He needed to pass on the teachings he had personally experienced and felt to everyone in Zieghart.
'Raon, Sylvia.'
Glenn clenched his fist as he looked at the golden sky that reminded him of his daughter and grandson.
'I will protect you both no matter what.'
He rose with a resolve stronger than ever.
* * *
Raon found himself alone in the large training field, simultaneously employing the Ring of Fire and Wrath. Boom! The Ring of Fire swirling in his heart and the Wrath surging from the depths of his soul clashed violently in his Middle Dantian as if they were considered enemies.
He tried to unite Wrath and the Ring of Fire while enduring the pain resonating in his chest, but the two energies refused to mix like oil and water.
"Tsk."
Raon clicked his tongue and lowered his hand.
'It's really not easy.'
- Fool! Why are you taking such a complicated path?
Wrath waved his hand as if he were exasperated.
- Just show that guy with the lizard helmet's hand, and you'll be able to reveal his identity immediately!
He frowned, saying he should just tear off his glove.
- Even if he has regenerative abilities on par with Angels or Demons, the scar on his hand should not have disappeared.
It seemed that Wrath had seen Derus' hand during that complex battle, as could be expected from a demon king.
'He's not an easy opponent.'
Raon shook his head calmly.
'He's the type that builds a new bridge instead of hitting one made of stone.'
Derus must have noticed the scar on his hand. He would appear after erasing that scar in a way that I don't know.
'So I need to prepare a way to break his tricks as well.'
He needed to create a method to expose Derus' identity no matter how he appeared.
- Humans are truly problematic!
Wrath murmured that they should just cut off his neck and be done with it.
'Should we try again?'
Raon exhaled slowly and extended his hands. As he tried to harmonize the energy of the Ring of Fire and Wrath once more, they still did not mix.
'Is it really impossible to make the Ring of Fire and Wrath become a perfect unit?'
Observing this state, it seemed that they would not be able to achieve a perfect unit even if he reached transcendence in the future.
- If it doesn't work with your hands, why not bring a container and mix them?
Wrath laughed mockingly.
'A container?'
- That's it! If it doesn't work with your hands, just put it in a container!
He clicked his tongue as if he were making fun of Raon rather than giving sincere advice. But a light seemed to shine through that mockery.
'Right. I just need to make a container.'
Raon nodded quickly and closed his eyes.
'The container must come first, not the ingredients.'
Without extracting either the Ring of Fire or Wrath, he summoned the trait <Blade of Death>.
Whoosh! He poured the energy of the Ring and the emotion of Wrath into the white stream that burned in his hand.
Unlike when the Ring of Fire and Wrath fought and dispersed, the red energy of the Ring and the blue emotion of Wrath filtered into the Blade of Death, emitting a warm light.
[You have created a new flow.]
[All skill scores increase by 10 points.]
[The grade of the trait <Blade of Death> increases.]
As if they had been waiting, messages of skill and trait score increases appeared.
Eh? Uh...?
Wrath's lips trembled as he saw the messages.
'Thank you, Wrath. As expected, your advice is never wrong.'
- What advice?! This king didn't give any advice!
'I told you to mix them in a container. It worked when I made a container.'
Raon smiled as he raised the Blade of Death where the Ring of Fire and Wrath were intertwined.
'You really are the generous tree.'
- Damn it! I just wanted to make fun of you!
Wrath shouted at the sky, having turned into strawberry-flavored cotton candy.
'Finally, it's time.'
Raon looked toward the Lord's Mansion as a brilliant white light shone in his hand. A sharp blue light flickered over his red eyes.
'It's time to mention the name of Derus Robert.'
