C784
A silver frost enveloped Wrath, transforming into a fierce blizzard that swept through the basement.
—"Hmm?"
—"What's happening suddenly…"
Glenn and the Rector, sensing the sudden chill, moved to protect Edgar and Sylvia.
—"Come over here!"
—"Raon!"
Edgar approached Raon, while Sylvia, holding the still-unconscious Sia, urgently gestured for him to hurry. Worry clouded both their eyes.
—"It's alright."
Raon calmly shook his head at the four anxious pairs of eyes.
—"I don't think it's anything bad."
He reassured them as he watched Wrath enveloped in frost. No malevolent energy emanated from the silver frost. It seemed like a cold, pure, and majestic energy, similar to a force of nature.
'Wrath's cold energy is amplifying.'
Wrath's aura, which had been waning for some time, was steadily growing stronger. The frost seemed to be transferring power to him.
—"What exactly is happening?"
Glenn narrowed his eyes and silently demanded an explanation.
—"It seems my friend has gained something."
Raon looked up with a slight smile.
—"Please wait a moment."
After gesturing for silence, he surrounded Wrath with an aura barrier to prevent any disturbance.
'But…'
Raon pursed his lips as he watched the intensifying cold energy.
'Why is it getting stronger?'
He couldn't understand why Wrath was growing without experiencing intense rage. Moreover, the growth resembled that of a martial artist achieving enlightenment, which made even less sense.
'This might take a while.'
Raon nodded, indicating to Glenn and the Rector to take Sia and go upstairs first. But both men firmly shook their heads, indicating they would wait. Sylvia and Edgar also remained motionless in front of the bed, protecting Sia.
'Thank you.'
Understanding their intentions, Raon bowed again and sat down. As he silently observed Wrath, some of the silver frost enveloping him shifted towards Raon. The moment the frost touched his skin, Glacier naturally activated and began absorbing the cold energy.
'What is this…'
It was an even purer and more powerful energy than Wrath's cold energy. Not only did it instantly replenish his depleted energy, but it also began expanding the scale of Glacier. The Ring of Fire and the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation resonated, generating intense heat to protect his body from the suddenly strengthening cold energy.
Just as when he first learned Glacier, heat and cold clashed within his energy center.
«Perhaps it's a little risky, but…»
Raon licked his lips, feeling the competing flames and cold energy.
—"I need to make all this energy mine."
Although his soul had recovered from its wounds, his physical wounds still remained. He decided to take advantage of the sudden influx of cold and heat to replenish his depleted energy and erase his bodily wounds.
The Ring of Fire resonated at its peak. Eight thicker rings elevated his soul realm, suppressing the unruly flames and cold energy.
He directed the gradually settling energies in different directions to maximize his body's recovery. The wounds that had been red and gaping like a troll's blood healed themselves, and his energy center and mana circuits, which had expanded with his soul's growth, began to fill with pure aura.
—"Whew…"
Raon opened his eyes with a satisfied smile. Thanks to Murkada, he had expanded his soul realm, and now, thanks to Wrath, he had erased his physical wounds and recovered his aura. It was a series of fortunate encounters.
—"You really are the generous tree."
Wrath not only grew himself but also nurtured Raon. He was a Demon King who gave endlessly. As he nodded to Wrath in gratitude, the cold storm surrounding him subsided. The suddenly diminished ice storm was absorbed by Wrath, bursting with an intense glow.
After the bright light faded, what remained floating in the air was…
'A giant cotton candy?'
Wrath, who seemed to have gained weight, was waving his arms. He looked like a dog or cat that hadn't had a haircut in a long time.
—"Ehehehe!"
Wrath let out a refreshing laugh as he looked towards the ceiling.
—"Finally, enlightenment has come to this King!"
He nodded, proclaiming himself a great being.
—"Enlightenment? Did you really achieve enlightenment?"
Raon looked at Wrath, blinking. He had wondered, but it seemed Wrath had truly reached enlightenment.
—"Indeed. Don't you notice these magnificent arms?"
Wrath lifted his chubby arms, insisting Raon look at his spiritual body.
'One…'
Raon pursed his lips as he looked at Wrath, who had transformed to resemble a fluffy cat.
—"Well, your energy hasn't grown as much as that ice storm. But your presence, or should I say, your soul realm, seems to have increased."
—"Well observed! Through enlightenment, this King's soul has reached an even higher place. It's a growth greater than mere power. If I had ascended a little more, I might even have gotten rid of this spiritual body!"
Wrath frowned, saying that at his level, soul growth was more difficult than power growth.
—"To think something like this would happen in the human world. Not even this King could have foreseen it."
He smiled brightly, saying it was an unexpected event.
—"That reminds me, there's something I want to ask."
Raon narrowed his eyes at the smiling Wrath.
—"Where exactly did you obtain enlightenment? You're the Monarch of Wrath, aren't you?"
Although he teased him by calling him a glutton, Wrath was the Demon King of the Demon Realm and the Monarch of Wrath. Raon couldn't understand where he had obtained enlightenment, as he hadn't even had time to feel anger.
—"Not from anger. Ahem!"
Wrath calmly shook his head.
—"Those humans. The sincere gratitude of their family lifted this King's soul to a higher place."
—"Just from words of gratitude?"
—"The relationship between demons and humans is based on transactions. That's how you and this King started as well."
His gaze swept over Glenn, the Rector, Edgar, and Sylvia one by one.
—"But your family expressed their gratitude to this King without even sensing or seeing me. This unfamiliar emotion I felt for the first time is what made this King's soul grow."
Wrath closed his eyes, saying he himself hadn't expected such a change.
—"It's similar to how that old Nadine changed after learning about warm emotions."
He stared fixedly at Glenn, as if feeling a sense of kinship.
'Honestly, I can't understand how a demon grew through emotional exchange with humans.'
—"That's human prejudice. Demons aren't simply evil. Ahem."
Wrath lightly tapped his head and told Raon to think about Archangel Uriel.
—"That's true. Anyway, I'm glad."
Raon smiled slightly and nudged Wrath.
—"Glad about what?"
Wrath shook his head as if asking what Raon meant.
—"That you've gotten stronger."
—"What?"
—"You always complained that I was getting stronger. That bothered me quite a bit."
Although he was joking, it weighed on him that Wrath seemed to weaken as he got stronger. Hearing that Wrath had grown thanks to him and his family brought him a small sense of relief.
'Congratulations.'
—"Hehe! It's not at all appreciated that you're congratulating me now! You've taken much more than…" Ahem!
Wrath waved his hands with a flushed face and then cleared his throat.
«If you've grown, why are you still coughing?»
Raon tilted his head and looked at Wrath.
—"Just because I've grown doesn't mean my soul wounds are erased!"
He shook his head, telling Raon to regain his common sense.
'But I've already recovered?'
Raon blinked and pointed at himself. When he absorbed Murkada's ashes, his soul wounds had healed, and just now, thanks to Wrath, even his physical wounds had recovered.
—"Eek! That's because you're unusual!"
Wrath frowned, saying he never expected a Demon King to call a human unusual.
—"Anyway, there's nothing pleasant in… Hm?"
He glanced sideways and then lifted his head.
—"W-What? Why have you gotten even stronger in the meantime?"
Wrath widened his eyes, seeming to also sense Raon's growth.
'Ah, just now…'
Raon explained what had happened while Wrath was obtaining enlightenment.
—"This damn…!"
Wrath gnashed his teeth and lunged at Raon.
—"Why did you steal this King's fragments! If they had all entered me, I could have shattered even this spiritual body and escaped!"
'I didn't steal them, they simply fell off you and were absorbed by me.'
—"Then you should have returned them to this King instead of eating them!"
'Sigh…'
Raon shook his head and sighed. Although Wrath claimed his soul had grown, his mental age didn't seem to have changed. No, it might have gotten worse.
—"Don't sigh, give it back!"
Wrath grabbed Raon by the neck and shook him, demanding he spit out the cold energy. Truly, this Demon King's tantrum had nothing to do with the ice. He clearly wanted something else.
—"R-Raon, did something happen?"
Sylvia revealed a worried look as she watched Raon sigh.
—"No, everything's been solved well. Everyone's awake except Sia…"
Raon smiled and looked at Wrath.
—"Are we going to have a big feast today?"
As soon as he said that, Wrath lowered his hand from Raon's collar.
—"This King agrees! Immediately prepare a sumptuous banquet!"
Wrath grinned, brushing the dust off his neck as if he had been waiting for this.
—"Of course, there has to be pineapple pizza and mint chocolate ice cream, and don't forget to bring that new product the Glutton ate…"
'…'
Raon shook his head at Wrath, who seemed to feel rivalry towards Gluttony.
'Did he become Wrath out of anger because Gluttony took his gluttony…?'
* * *
At the Arianne family estate, now abandoned by both people and monsters, someone is walking a path of corpses, shrouded in a black robe. Eagles and hyenas, seemingly oblivious to the hooded figure's presence, focused solely on tearing apart the decaying corpses. The black-robed figure stopped in the center of the battlefield and lifted their head.
The blue eyes gleaming within the dark robe flashed with a solemn light, as if remembering the war that had taken place on this land.
"..."
The black-robed figure slowly moved towards the spot where Raon had defeated the Fallen.
—"Hahaha…"
The figure, who had remained motionless for a long time, as if their feet were frozen, abruptly opened their lips.
—"I wasn't wrong."
The peculiar voice, which sounded neither male nor female, was filled with certainty.
—"Clearly…"
The figure raised a pale white hand to caress the ground where Wrath's cold energy had once filled it, curving their lips.
—"It's Wrath."
* * *
—"This King was truly a being beyond demons. No one can match this noble soul… Hmm?"
Wrath, in the midst of his self-praise, suddenly rolled his eyes and shuddered.
'What's happening?'
Raon tilted his head and looked at Wrath, who had suddenly fallen silent after talking non-stop.
—"I-It doesn't feel right. It's like I feel a sudden chill… Ahem."
Wrath frowned and said it was an ominous feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.
'Can Demon Kings catch colds too?'
—"It's not that kind of illness! I feel like my weaknesses have been exposed…"
Wrath exhaled a turbid sigh, saying he felt something premonitory.
'Then I guess I'll receive a new reward, won't I?'
Raon smiled at Wrath. Whenever that guy felt uneasy, some benefit came his way, so he felt something would happen this time too.
—"Shut up! That won't happen again!"
Wrath abruptly turned his head, as if determined not to lose anything more.
—"That's not something you can decide."
—"Nnngh…"
The creature seemed to have nothing to say, as their lips trembled.
'Ah, speaking of which, let's check the rewards.'
As Raon was about to retrieve the messages he hadn't checked before, with a slight smile, someone knocked on the door.
—"Raon, come eat."
Sylvia opened the door and entered, gesturing for him to come to dinner.
—"Food! It's food… Ahem!"
Wrath, whose face had crumpled at the thought of checking messages, leaped like a frog.
—"Hurry and follow your mother! This King is hungry!"
Wrath scratched his back with his hands like a puppy or kitten, unable to wait any longer.
—"Alright, alright. Stop scratching."
Raon pushed Wrath and followed Sylvia.
—"Let's go quickly before it gets cold."
Sylvia smiled brightly as she entered the dining room first. Raon smiled slightly at the sight of her.
—"What a relief."
The thought that he might not have been able to see that smile made his heart sink even now. His mind was filled only with the determination to become stronger in the future. As Raon took a deep breath and was about to enter the dining room, he saw all the maids standing in the hallway. It was strange, as they usually ate together.
—"Helen, why are you here?"
—"We thought it would be good for you to have dinner alone with your family and catch up on conversations you couldn't have before."
Helen bowed her head and said that she and the other maids would wait with Sia.
—"…Thank you."
Raon smiled slightly at Helen and the maids. Understanding their intentions, all he could say was thank you.
—"Young Master."
As he was about to enter the dining room after making eye contact with the maids, Judiel stepped forward.
—"…It would be good if you chose wisely."
Judiel bowed her head, as if telling him to think carefully.
—"Choose? What choice…"
—"Hey!"
As Raon blinked in confusion, Wrath wobbled like a newly caught fish.
—"Hurry up and come in! The food is getting cold!"
Wrath drooled over his own head, saying he couldn't wait any longer.
—"You'll understand when you come in."
Judiel bowed her head, suggesting he see for himself.
—"Um, alright."
Raon gestured to Judiel and entered the dining room.
—"Kyaha!"
Wrath exclaimed at the sight of the delicious dishes filling the table.
—"All of this King's favorite dishes are here! Nothing is missing!"
He stroked both his cheeks, smiling radiantly.
—"Oh…"
But Raon didn't look at the food, but observed the people seated at the table. Sylvia and Edgar sat together in the center as a couple, while Glenn and the Rector sat on the left and right respectively, each leaving an empty seat beside them.
—"Raon, come here."
—"Raon, there's an empty seat here."
Glenn and the Rector simultaneously called Raon's name, pointing to the empty seats beside them.
"..."
Raon tightly closed his eyes as he watched Glenn and the Rector, who had begun to stare at each other.
'Ah…'
This choice?
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