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"Really?"
Raon looked at Merlin with trembling eyes.
"Is there really a way to wake her up?"
He had almost lost hope when even the ragged Saint Federico said he didn't know how to awaken Sia. His heart began to race, not expecting Merlin to provide a definitive answer.
"Please, I beg you!"
Sylvia approached Merlin and took her hands.
"Tell us how to wake Sia!"
She knelt down and said she would do anything.
"Your word must be true."
Edgar nodded as he moved alongside Sylvia.
"I ask you too. Please help us awaken Sia."
He also knelt before Merlin, just like Sylvia. The couple, believing they had lost their daughter, now seemed unafraid of anything.
"Just tell us the method."
Glenn stood in front of Merlin, looking her straight in the eye.
"She has been asleep for 20 years. We can't leave her like this."
He clenched his fist with trembling hands, saying he would pay any price.
"I feel the same."
The Rector bit his lip as he listened to Sia's faint breathing.
"I can't go anywhere without seeing my granddaughter wake up."
He too bowed his head to Merlin, saying he would ask for her help.
"Esmerejón."
Raon approached Merlin and clasped his hands in front of him.
"Please, tell us the method."
He bent at the waist and spoke sincerely. It wasn't just for his two grandparents, his mother and father. He wanted to break the Fallen's hold over her soul and give her freedom because he saw his past life in Sia's life.
"Why is everyone making this so heavy?"
Despite her words about feeling overwhelmed, Merlin stepped forward with a bright smile.
-Don't worry, we can surely wake her up.
As she said this, she squeezed Sylvia's hand tighter.
"Is... is that really true?"
Sylvia, believing in her words, let her tears fall freely.
"Of course, but it won't be easy. It's not something we can do immediately."
Merlin clicked her tongue briefly as if she were disappointed.
-Why can't we do it now?
Raon tilted his head while looking at Merlin.
"Can't we just enter the mental world like we did before?"
"The situation is different from then."
Merlin firmly shook her head.
"At that time, the young girl's mental world was opened by the Green King, but now she is alone. If either of us used that magic to enter now, her soul could suffer a great shock. If that happens..."
She abruptly bent her own finger.
“There’s a high chance she may never wake up.”
"Then how..."
"We need an ingredient that allows us to confront the soul safely."
"What is this ingredient?"
"An soul crystal."
Merlin raised her hand as if that were the main point. A mirror with a rainbow-colored glow appeared above her palm.
"It's an object that allows one to confront a soul without any burden."
"Are you referring to that mirror?"
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at the shiny mirror in Merlin's hand.
"The one I know is this mirror, but there could be other forms."
Merlin sighed deeply and said it wouldn't be easy to find.
"Where is that mirror?"
Glenn squinted as he looked at the mirror Merlin was showing.
"It is one of the artifacts of the Fallen."
Merlin frowned as she made the mirror float in the air.
"It's an object used to make special helmets or masks. They always carry it with them, so we can't find it now because we don't know if they are alive or dead."
She clicked her tongue and said it was a pity.
"You said there were other forms, right? Where are they?"
Raon clenched his teeth as he observed the mirror gradually fading.
"I don't know either."
Merlin shook her head slowly.
"No one knows what forms they take or where they are."
"What do you mean?"
"Soul crystals are not something you can find even if you want to. They appear by chance."
"By chance?"
He asked again, not understanding what she meant.
"Once every few decades. When the sun and moon are closest, the path in the sky briefly closes and, if there is a lost soul nearby, it may inhabit a nearby object. It is then that a Soul Crystal with a rainbow glow is created."
Merlin created a rainbow over her palm, characteristic of Soul Crystals.
"We call them soul crystals, but since they are created by chance, they may not actually be 'crystals.' They could be dead trees, plants, or even man-made objects. Even I couldn't find one after searching the entire continent through the eyes of animals."
"Mmm..."
"They don't emit any mana or special aura, and this vivid light only flashes for a moment when the Soul Crystal is created, so very few people know they exist."
She said they would have to start searching now while calming the light flickering in her palm.
"Then how can we recognize a Soul Crystal?"
"Someone like you or the Transcendent Warriors should be able to tell just by touching it. Soul Crystals contain another person's mental world."
Merlin sighed briefly and said that even Grand Masters could do it.
"Tell me more details."
Glenn moved closer to Merlin as if he wanted to remember everything clearly.
"Of course."
Merlin nodded and summarized everything she had told them so far.
-So she was talking about a lost soul.
Wrath nodded as if he finally understood.
'You know about them too?'
-This king saw one only once in the Devildom. I threw it away immediately because it had no flavor or meaning.
He clicked his tongue, saying it was a pity he had thrown it away.
"Mmm..."
"Soul crystal..."
"It won't be easy."
The expressions of the others darkened as if it were the first time they had heard about Soul Crystals. It was natural for everyone to feel despair, given that these objects were created by chance, had no distinctive characteristics when created, and required at least a Grand Master to sense them.
"Sia..."
Sylvia finally couldn't contain herself and began to sob as she held Sia's hand. Seeing her cry again after smiling carefree not long ago made her feel as if the world was imposing a penance on her.
"There is one thing I want to ask you."
Raon turned his gaze to Merlin, unable to look at Sylvia.
—What problems will arise if Sia... I mean, if my sister doesn't wake up for a while?
"At this moment, her state is similar to that of sleep. We just need to provide her with adequate nutrition."
Merlin winked and told him not to worry, that time was not pressing.
"That's right. Sia's body is currently in a state similar to sleep."
When Federick confirmed it, everything felt a bit more reassuring.
"Of course, if she remains in this state for several years, the gap between her soul and body could widen even further."
Merlin shook her head, saying they shouldn't prolong this anyway.
"Roenn."
At Glenn's call, Roenn appeared out of nowhere where there had been nothing before.
"Yes, Head of House."
Roenn bowed his head with a solemn look, seeming to understand the gravity of the situation.
"Communicate with the Black Market and with all branches, vassal families, and allied forces. Without exception."
Glenn exited the hospital room, removing the robe covering his shoulders as if he planned to personally relocate.
"I should investigate if there are other methods as well."
Federick also headed to his office, saying he would contact other doctors and priests.
"Sylvia, let’s return to today’s matters. It will be more difficult for Sia."
Edgar took Sylvia, who was crying as if she were about to faint, back to the annex building.
"…"
The Rector bit his lip and followed behind Edgar, unable to touch his granddaughter today.
Merlin, there’s one thing I want to ask you.
Raon approached Merlin only after they were left alone in the hospital room.
"What is it?"
Merlin tilted her chin as if to say, "ask whatever you want."
"If we bring a Soul Crystal, everything will be resolved, right? Without any problems?"
"...Of course."
She nodded after briefly pronouncing her words, almost imperceptibly.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Just trust me."
Merlin smiled and said she would definitely wake the young girl.
"I'm not referring to my sister; I'm referring to whether there will be problems for you."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked into Merlin's eyes. Since it involved magic related to souls, he needed to confirm that it wouldn’t harm Merlin either.
"Are you worried about me in this situation? As expected, there is no one like Raon!"
Merlin exhaled forcefully and lunged towards Raon.
"Puaj..."
Raon quickly stepped back five steps using footwork.
"No need to go that far."
Merlin clicked her tongue for a long time, disappointed.
"Just answer the question. Are you really okay?"
"Of course. It's no different from entering a helmet."
She waved her hand, saying there was no need to worry since they had the Soul Crystal as a medium.
"Hmm, that may be true... Anyway, if there is any problem, make sure to tell me clearly."
"Yes!"
Merlin placed her hand over her head as if saluting.
"You must have a lot of people to contact. You should leave now."
She lightly tapped her wrist as if asking if she wasn't busy.
"That's right..."
Raon nodded as he looked at Sia. Even excluding the Black Market that Glenn would contact, there were many people he needed to reach out to, so he had to act quickly.
"Thank you."
He bowed his head to Merlin and exited the hospital room.
"Those words are unnecessary between us."
Merlin waved her hand lightly as she bid farewell to Raon.
"Haha..."
She exhaled slowly as she watched Raon's back.
"It won't be easy in any case."
Merlin sat in the chair in front of the bed, revealing a vacant look. She stroked Sia's hair with a somewhat sad smile.
"Perhaps it's inappropriate to say, but I envy you, young lady..."
* * *
A pirate ship floated majestically over violently churning waves, as if it were a child’s drawing.
"Water is leaking! Get the water out quickly!"
"Get it out of here! We're going to capsize!"
"Is Lady Alice in charge? Why is she trembling so much?"
Unlike the elegant pirate ship that swayed, the crew on deck moved as if they had two bodies while struggling against the waves.
"Ah, how annoying..."
Alice, who had only been blinking at the bow of the ship, placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. The moment her hand drew the silver blade, the dark clouds and tidal waves pushing against the pirate ship split in two.
A spatial rift opened, dividing the sky and the earth. The coal-black storm calmed as if frightened, and the sun that appeared between the dark clouds poured its warm heat over the pirate ship as if blessing it.
"Haha..."
Alice sighed deeply as she looked at the sea where the waves had calmed.
"Did I neglect it too much?"
She scratched her head as she turned to look at the false captain Lawaine, who had approached without her noticing.
"I raised him with some strictness, but I didn't think he would leave without having any contact with us like this."
Alice frowned, saying she should have been friendlier.
"If you had been friendlier, you would have died before the young master left."
Lawaine let out a hollow laugh as he met Alice's somber gaze.
"I'm also curious about the young master's news, but there shouldn't be any major problems. As you always say, he isn’t the type to get beaten anywhere."
He shook his head, saying they shouldn't worry.
"Unlike Raon, he was calm but had a certain desire for power. So I thought we would hear news on our own, but I didn't expect it to be so quiet."
"In my opinion, he seems to be hiding his identity. Thanks to the recent wars erupting here and there, we are hearing about the fame of new powerful figures, and he could be one of them."
"Hiding his identity... That could be. That fool isn’t interested in fame at all."
Alice clicked her tongue briefly as she looked at the gentle waves.
"Sigh, thinking of my son when I look at Raon, I'm failing as a mother."
She shook her head in regret.
"Unlike the young master, Raon is clumsy, so it's understandable."
Lawaine smiled slightly as if he understood what she meant.
"The young master was capable of everything: talent in martial arts, relationships, tactics, and strategy. There was nothing he couldn't do. Of course, Raon has even greater talent, but oddly enough, he was clumsier than a child when it came to relationships."
—True. I’ve never seen a child who struggled so much to call me aunt.
Alice chuckled as she recalled Raon's awkward expression.
"He finally called me aunt after joining the Direct Lineage. It was both refreshing and ridiculous at the same time."
She nodded, saying it was very amusing when they competed for the titles of grandfather and aunt.
"As you said, our son was also very clever in that regard, so it wasn't that interesting. But hearing Raon suddenly call me aunt made me miss him."
Alice clicked her tongue as she tossed her red hair back.
"I will also gather information on the swordsmen who have recently become famous. The young master might be hiding his identity."
"Don't just look for swordsmen; look for all martial artists. That boy might suddenly start fighting with his fists as well."
"Understood."
Just as Lawaine was about to withdraw with a slight smile, a white seagull flew in and landed in front of Alice. The bird lifted its leg with the paper tied to it, as if telling her to hurry up and take it.
—What a cheeky bird. What could it have written? Huh?
Alice chuckled as she untied the paper from the seagull's leg. As soon as she confirmed the contents, she exhaled forcefully.
"What’s wrong?"
"Two years ago..."
Alice checked the content of the note twice and trembled.
Did someone see my son?
* * *
"Haha..."
Raon exhaled weakly on the platform of the fifth training field.
'No contact.'
Four days had passed since he shared the information about the Soul Crystal, but there had been no contact from any side. Seeing that not even Glenn had said anything, it seemed he hadn’t found anything through Zieghart's reports or connections.
-Well, they said it would be difficult to find.
Even Merlin, who provided information about the Soul Crystals, said it would be hard to find, so it would be strange if they discovered one immediately.
-To be honest, it's surprising that humans can discover such an object.
Wrath frowned, saying it couldn't be helped.
—Wrath. Didn't you say there was a way for me to go to the Demon Realm?
-You want to go to the Devildom for that? What nonsense! It’s impossible for you now and would take you too long!
He shook his head, saying it was too indirect of a method.
-Ja, I suppose so.
Raon ran his hand through his hair as he gazed at the sky.
'I guess I'll have to focus on other areas for now.'
The only positive point was that there were no major issues with Sia's current condition. Since Federick also said he would look for ways to treat her medically, Raon felt he should also consider various methods. After organizing his thoughts, he lowered his gaze to observe the training of the Light Wind division.
'They have already gotten accustomed to the Master level.'
Although Yua and Julius still needed time, all the other swordsmen had become familiar with using astral energy. It seemed that the practical experience from the recent war had been of great help.
'And...'
He watched the squad leaders guiding the swordsmen and conducting their own training. As seen recently, Runaan continued to grow, while Martha and Burren also wielded their swords with desperate eyes, as if they didn’t want to be left behind. The three were about to break through.
«Experience really is important».
Raon stood up with a slight smile. Just as he was about to start his own training, the door to the large training ground opened, and the Rector entered.
"Ah."
Raon immediately descended from the platform and approached the Rector.
"...Grandpa?"
"It seems I have interrupted your training."
"Not at all."
He shook his head, saying he was about to begin.
"Since there’s nothing I can do here, I plan to return to the Holy Sword Alliance."
The Rector nodded, saying he would directly search for the Soul Crystal at the Holy Sword Alliance.
"What will you do?"
"Mmm..."
Raon exhaled softly as he looked directly into the Rector's eyes.
"When are you leaving?"
"I plan to go tomorrow."
The Rector responded without hesitation, as if he had already made a decision.
"I will go with you."
Raon nodded. He thought it would be better to follow the Rector and prepare to seize opportunities, as nothing would change if he stayed there.
"And there is one thing I would like to ask you."
"A request?"
"Yes. When we go to the Holy Sword Alliance this time..."
Just when Raon was about to make his request to the Rector, the door to the large training ground swung open abruptly, and Dorian entered with crumbs on his lips.
—Division Leader! Have you heard the news?
Dorian shook his chubby head as if he were glad to have found him.
"Thespian Emperor has arrived at the main gate and has requested an audience with the Head of House!"
-
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