C788
"Runaan."
Raon looked at Runaan as they walked down the main road leading to the Sullion family's estate.
"Why do you want to train in front of your mother and father?"
While he had agreed because it wasn't a difficult request, Raon couldn't understand why she wanted to train at her own home, the Sullion estate.
"There's something I want to show Mom and Dad."
Runaan lowered her left hand and gripped the hilt of the Snow Flower hanging from her waist.
"What do you want to show them?"
"That I've changed."
She said that was all, revealing a serious look in her eyes. Runaan exuded a noble and sharp aura, as if she was about to engage in a life-or-death battle.
"Mmm..."
Raon narrowed his eyes, watching Runaan's solemn demeanor.
'Is this because of what happened with Syria?'
Since Runaan normally didn't talk much, it seemed he would have to finish the training match to understand her intentions.
- What are you doing!
As Raon suppressed his curiosity and followed Runaan, Wrath suddenly jumped up.
- You're not training yet, so eat the bead ice cream first!
Wrath shouted, quickly taking out the bead ice cream, saying he couldn't wait.
'Wouldn't it bother Runaan if I eat it now?'
Raon pointed at Runaan, who was already increasing her concentration as if the match had begun.
- Eh?
"Can I really eat it? Wouldn't it bother the ice cream girl? Are you sure it's okay?"
Raon tapped Wrath on the shoulder with his own, curving his lips.
- Nnngh...
Wrath let out a whimper of pain as he looked at Runaan.
- B-well, I guess it can't be helped. Eat it right after the match is over!
The little one turned his head and said he would give in for the sake of the ice cream girl.
'I see.'
Raon smiled, watching Wrath's flushed face.
"You're very kind, after all."
Usually, Wrath would have made a fuss, saying it didn't matter about others and to eat the ice cream quickly, but with Runaan involved, he closed his mouth immediately. Raon still couldn't believe that this cotton candy, who even repressed his own desires, was a demon king.
'Someday I'd like to visit the Devildom you talked about.'
Raon smiled, stroking Wrath's shrunken fluff.
- E-Really?
Wrath raised his head, his eyes wide and round.
—Yes. I'm curious about what the place you rule, the Devildom, is like.
Raon wanted to see the subordinates Wrath cherished and was curious about the world the little one ruled.
- That's a great idea! Those Devildom bastards need to be bitten by a rabid dog like you to get their heads straight!
Wrath revealed a mischievous smile, as if he was already excited at the prospect.
- If you do what I tell you, you'll be able to go to the Devildom. Of course, it will require a lot of effort and preparation, but for someone like you, it's definitely possible.
'Not now.'
Raon shook his head, pushing away Wrath, who was panting and looking like an excited puppy.
"I'll go if I survive after everything is over."
The dark clouds over the continent still lingered, and he hadn't even finished his revenge against Derus. He couldn't give an answer now because he didn't know if he would even be alive after resolving all his grudges and hatreds.
- Don't talk nonsense! An idiot like you will surely live longer than this king!
- I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult, but thanks anyway.
As Raon smiled and patted Wrath's head, Runaan's footsteps stopped.
"We're here."
At Runaan's words, Raon looked up to see the Sullion family mansion. It was his first visit since the incident with Syria, but there didn't seem to be any major changes.
"Miss, you returned quickly."
A middle-aged swordsman guarding the main gate of the Sullion family bowed his head to Runaan.
"Yes."
When Runaan nodded, the middle-aged swordsman smiled and opened the main gate.
"Master Raon has also come."
The middle-aged swordsman also bowed politely to Raon.
"I apologize for the sudden visit."
—Not at all. Master Raon will always be welcome.
He greeted Raon warmly with a smile, as if to say he would be welcome anytime.
"Thank you."
Raon returned the greeting to the middle-aged swordsman and entered the Sullion estate.
"This way."
Runaan didn't walk towards the central mansion but towards the garden on the left. As Raon followed her, tilting his head curiously, he saw her father and mother, Rokan and Clara. The two were sitting at a table in the garden, talking.
"Runaan! You're very late! I was dying to see you... eh?"
Rokan, who was running towards Runaan, stopped abruptly when he saw Raon.
"R-Raon Zieghart? How are you here...?"
His chin trembled, seemingly very nervous.
"That's rude to our benefactor."
Clara patted Rokan on the back and approached Raon.
"It's been a while. Welcome."
She gave him a polite greeting, gently grasping the hem of her skirt.
"It's been a long time since I saw you both."
Raon placed his hand over his chest and bowed to Rokan and Clara.
"Ahem, I'm glad to see you. I raised my voice because I was surprised. Please understand."
Rokan scratched the back of his neck in apology. Seeing him on guard because Raon had come with Runaan, it seemed he was still overprotective of his daughter.
"We met at the ice cream parlor."
Runaan nodded, saying she had brought Raon from there.
"Ah, having refreshments together? How nice!"
Clara clapped softly, saying it was a good idea.
"No."
Runaan shook her head firmly, gripping the hilt of the Snow Flower.
"I came to show you a training match."
She pursed her lips tightly, saying she had called Raon for a training match, not to have refreshments.
"What? A training match?"
"W-Why so suddenly?"
Both Rokan and Clara widened their eyes, as if they hadn't expected to see a training match at all.
"For now, just watch."
Runaan exhaled calmly and stood facing Raon.
"You don't have to give it your all, but don't hold back like you do in the training field."
"...Understood."
Runaan's usually expressionless eyes shone with seriousness. Seeing her sincerity, Raon adjusted his aura to the level of a Grand Master in his early stages.
- Control your strength well. Your initial Grand Master level is above the lower level of others.
'I know.'
Raon nodded and held the Heavenly Drive at a medium level. Runaan also seemed to gather her courage as she unsheathed the Snow Flower without hesitation. The two touched their swords as they would in the training field, then stepped back two paces each. A sharp, resonant sound filled the air.
Runaan stomped the ground hard and thrust Snow Flower forward. A blade of frost bloomed on the silver sword and headed towards Raon's chest.
With a loud metallic clang, Raon deflected Runaan's sword strike using the Fangs of Madness, narrowing his eyes.
'Has she grown that much in the meantime?'
Runaan's sword was sharp, as if she had shed all her past weaknesses. It seemed she had grown significantly, making the battlefield experiences her own. Without backing down after her first failed attack, Runaan launched a second offensive.
The frost shards she raised fell like snow, manifesting as Astral Energy.
Raon executed the Blizzard Sword Art, imbued with the essence of the severing sword. The blades of icy wind shattered all the falling frost shards. As soon as the frost storm subsided, Raon stepped on the Steps of Supreme Harmony. A sharp sound echoed.
He ran towards Runaan's left side and thrust the Heavenly Drive towards her waist.
"Mmm."
Runaan raised the wind of the Gale Wind style and launched herself into her own space. It was a mysterious move that combined evasion and attack.
"Good move, but... it's still lacking!"
Raon took a step back and launched the Crimson Slash in the direction of Runaan's charge. Runaan, as if determined to fight to the end, blocked the Crimson Slash with the blade of her sword burning with blue frost. Due to the significant difference in the aura imbued in their swords, Runaan was violently thrown backward and rolled on the ground.
"Puaj..."
Despite feeling pain as if her arm was being torn off, Runaan got back on her feet and attacked. Raon, with a cold gaze, pushed the flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation towards Runaan's opening. The bright red flames enveloped Runaan's frost and struck her chest.
A powerful shockwave erupted, and Runaan rolled on the ground once more.
Her hair was disheveled, and blood dripped from her forehead.
"Ru-Runaan...?"
"What in the world..."
Clara and Rokan trembled, seemingly unable to imagine such a fierce training match taking place.
"Not yet."
Runaan got up without hesitation, as if she was immune to pain. Despite her wounds, her sword swings became sharper and sharper. It felt like witnessing a sword pushed to its limit. Raon, honoring Runaan's request, destroyed her sword strike without reducing his aura.
With a loud bang, Runaan crashed into the garden lawn, staining the green grass black.
"Runaan!"
"Stop this!"
Clara and Rokan rushed to stop Runaan.
"...No."
Runaan rejected their hands and stood up alone, facing Raon.
"I can still continue."
She gripped Snow Flower tightly, as if to say
- This isn't enough!
Wrath frowned, as if telling Raon to take it easy.
'Look at her eyes.'
Raon raised the Heavenly Sword and pointed at Runaan's eyes. Her normally expressionless eyes were now burning with determination.
"Hahaha!"
Runaan attacked with a clear battle cry. Even though her limbs probably didn't move well, her movements were as fast as a tiger in flight. With a loud metallic clang, Raon pushed Runaan's sword forcefully, with no intention of being lenient on her even if she was exhausted.
But for the first time, Runaan didn't roll on the ground but was pushed backward with one knee touching the ground.
'Hmm?'
As Raon frowned, sensing something strange, Runaan lunged to the left with her upper body deeply bent.
'Coming like that is too slow.'
While it was a sudden move, it wasn't beyond his perception. To finish it this time, he swung the Heavenly Drive diagonally downward. At that moment, Runaan's eyes shone. As if she had been aiming for this moment from the beginning, she turned the Snow Flower sword sideways. A sharp metallic sound rang out.
Runaan deflected the Heavenly Drive with her frost-covered sword, turning her defensive stance into a counterattack.
In an instant, the Snow Flower sword was at his throat. It was an unconventional sword technique that Raon couldn't believe Runaan had used.
"Hah!"
Raon let out an exclamation of admiration as he twisted his wrist. He forcefully lifted the tilted Heavenly Drive to strike Runaan's sword that was pointed at his throat. With a loud metallic clang, Snow Flower was deflected into the air, and Runaan collapsed on the spot as if all her strength had left her. Red blood flowed from her mouth.
"Runaan!"
Unable to contain himself, Rokan rushed over and grabbed Runaan.
"Stop this!"
Clara also hugged Runaan and told them to stop.
"I saw Raon save his family..."
Runaan got up on her own strength and bit her lip as she looked at Rokan and Clara.
"But my brother couldn't return like that."
"Runaan..."
Rokan's eyes widened, as if he hadn't expected Runaan to say those things.
"That's why I have to end this. I can only achieve this if I stay in the Light Wind division."
Runaan bowed her head and asked them not to tell her to leave the Light Wind division.
"Mmm..."
"Runaan."
Rokan and Clara bit their lips, seemingly feeling Runaan's growth, who they had only seen as a child.
'Now I understand.'
Raon nodded silently, watching Runaan's family hold hands.
'They had suggested that Runaan leave the Light Wind division.'
It seemed that Rokan had suggested that Runaan leave the Light Wind division and become a Sullion swordsman, sensing the increasingly dangerous situation on the continent.
'Runaan rejected that proposal with this training match.'
It was clear that Runaan had requested this training match today to demonstrate her determination to survive in the Light Wind division and stop Syria.
- Yes, she's definitely changed.
The girl who loved bead ice cream and was clumsy at expressing her emotions was no longer there. The swordsman standing before him was a true martial artist with the will to become stronger for her family. Raon took out the box of ice cream he had bought earlier and placed it on the table.
He silently left the Sullion family mansion so as not to disturb the time Runaan, Rokan, and Clara spent together.
- You've finally developed some tact.
Wrath nodded approvingly.
'Thanks to you.'
- Heh! I don't need any flattery!
Despite saying he didn't need flattery, the little one smiled broadly.
- To think the ice cream parlor has grown so much deeply touches this king!
Wrath nodded, saying it was nice to see a child's growth.
- Since I'm in a good mood, let's eat ice cream too!
The little one waved his round hands, urging Raon to take out the chocolate mint ice cream.
Chocolate mint? We just gave it away a moment ago.
- Eh...? D-Didn't you buy two?
"There wasn't time to buy more."
Raon shrugged, saying he only had one.
- Go back and get it right now!
Wrath shook his head, insisting that Raon should go.
"How can I go there? They're probably having a tearful conversation right now."
- Can't you see the tears flowing from this king's eyes?!
The little one shouted, grabbing his head.
- Tactless brat!
* * *
Pressed by Wrath, Raon went back to buy chocolate mint ice cream and returned to the annex. As he was about to eat one in the garden before entering, Merlin came out of the annex and approached the garden.
- Smell...
Wrath, who had been dancing at the thought of eating ice cream, immediately hid behind Raon's back when he saw Merlin.
- D-Don't talk to her, just let her go!
The little one pulled on Raon's collar, telling him to ignore Merlin.
'How can I do that?'
Raon shook his head and approached Merlin.
"Where are you going?"
"Grandpa called me."
Merlin smiled broadly, saying it seemed they had already recognized her.
"W-What recognition?"
"I mean, between us."
She intertwined her fingers, as if to say, "Don't you know?"
"Oh..."
Hearing that nonsense, Raon's head was filled with the thought that he should have ignored her as Wrath suggested.
"Mother and father are there too, they say. Let's go together, Raon."
Merlin grabbed his wrist and guided him. Looking at the direction, she was heading towards Frederick's mansion.
'Hmm? Why here...?'
Currently, the only remaining patient in Federick's mansion was Sia. Realizing that Merlin had been called to where Sia was, an ominous feeling ran down Raon's spine.
"We're here!"
Merlin confidently opened the door and waved her hand as she entered.
"Come this way."
Glenn nodded with a heavy look.
"......"
Sensing the somber atmosphere, Raon silently entered the hospital room where Glenn and the others were. Sia was lying in bed, and other people surrounded her.
"What's going on?"
Raon swallowed and looked at Glenn.
"We found it strange that Sia wasn't waking up, so we checked in various ways..."
Federick stroked Sia's head and let out a deep sigh.
“It seems she's in a state where she can't wake up.”
"What do you mean..."
"The gap between her adult body and her young soul has become too great. Her soul and body aren't connecting."
He bit his lip and said that this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.
"Compared to her developed upper dantian, the energy she contains is extremely low. At this rate, she may not be able to wake up."
Federick massaged his temples and said he never thought he would feel so helpless.
"That's..."
Raon bit his lip and looked back. Sylvia and Edgar were already trembling, seemingly having heard the news before.
"Is there any way to treat her?"
"I don't know. We have to start investigating now."
Federick shook his head and said he didn't know either.
"Then it seems it's my turn to step forward."
Merlin stood in front of Sia, her hands on her hips.
"I'm going to take a look."
She smiled softly, as if to tell him not to worry, and placed her hand on Sia's forehead. A serene but sacred blue light enveloped Merlin and Sia simultaneously. It seemed as if a world just for the two of them had opened in that hospital room.
After a silence that seemed like an hour had passed in just a minute, Merlin's eyelids slowly opened.
"That's right."
Merlin turned and frowned.
"The Green King helped the young girl's soul grow, but since she didn't wake up on her own, the connection is unstable."
She shook her head, saying Sia couldn't wake up alone in that state.
-It's the situation this king suspected.
Wrath let out a low sigh.
-Just as this king would go mad due to the gap between soul and body if he entered her body, that girl has developed a problem where she can't wake up.
The little one clicked his tongue, saying it wasn't something that could be easily solved.
"Is there any way to wake Sia up?"
Glenn looked at Merlin with desperate eyes.
"It's difficult."
Merlin looked down and clasped her hands in front of her.
"Puaj..."
Edgar bit his lip until it bled as he looked at Sia. He seemed to be blaming himself again.
"Yes!"
Sylvia knelt down and took Sia's hand. Her eyes reddened, seemingly desperate at the news that the daughter she had just met might not wake up.
"Damn it..."
The Rector clenched his fist, his hand unable to even touch Sia. He squeezed it so hard that blood dripped from his palm.
"......"
Raon gritted his teeth. Just when the family had finally reunited, another problem arose, causing a tightness in his chest that made him want to vomit.
-Merlin. Is there really no way?
He approached Merlin, who seemed lost in thought, biting his lip.
"There is."
"If you could tell us a method... eh?"
Raon stared at Merlin, his mouth agape.
"What..."
"What is it that you..."
The Rector and Sylvia also jumped, seemingly surprised.
"I said it was difficult. I didn't say it was impossible to wake her."
Merlin looked at Sia with sympathetic eyes, her lips trembling.
"...There definitely is a way."
-
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