C790
The Thespian Emperor has arrived?
Raon frowned as he watched Dorian eating.
"That's right! I heard he just arrived at the main gate!"
Dorian nodded, commenting that all the swordsmen outside were talking about the Thespian Emperor.
"Well, finish your bread first."
Raon pointed to the bread crumbs hanging from Dorian's chin.
"Ah, yes!"
Dorian smiled sheepishly as he stuffed the remaining crumbs into his mouth.
-Whatever kind of bread it is, it looks delicious...
Wrath licked his lips, saying he was hungry for bread.
-Bring some bread for this king too! My head is spinning from hunger! Ahem!
'I only have Nadine's bread, if that's okay...'
-No, forget it! This king will keep quiet until dinner!
He shouted that he would refuse and retreated to the ice flower bracelet.
"Did the Thespian Emperor come alone?"
Raon let out a short sigh and looked at Dorian again.
"No. I heard he came with his subordinates this time."
Dorian shook his head, saying it wasn't like before when he came alone.
"What's the reason for requesting an audience with the Head of House?"
"I don't know."
He shrugged, saying he came immediately after hearing about the Thespian Emperor.
"The external commander sent a message to the Lord's Mansion, so they should be arriving soon."
Dorian pointed towards the main gate, muttering that the atmosphere wasn't bad.
"I guess so."
Although there had been minor issues with the Five Divine Orders, they weren't enemies, so there was no reason to refuse the visit.
"The Thespian Emperor..."
Rector stroked his chin as he directed his gaze towards Zieghart's main gate.
"Did something fortunate happen to him?"
He narrowed his eyes as if he had already felt the Thespian Emperor's aura.
"When you say something fortunate, surely you don't..."
Raon turned to Rector with wide eyes.
"Yes. Judging by his rapid growth, it seems he has obtained a great understanding."
Rector nodded, saying that the Thespian Emperor's aura had become immensely stronger.
"Can a Transcendent Warrior obtain understanding so easily?"
"The realm of Transcendence is mysterious. One might gain nothing in 10 years, or reach greater heights with an understanding obtained in 10 seconds."
He said it was a capricious and unfair world as he sketched a thin smile.
"But the reason why the Thespian Emperor came suddenly..."
"It's probably to find out how much the Five Divine Orders are worth."
Raon frowned with his hand on the hilt of his sword. He might not know how much stronger the Thespian Emperor had become, but he could guess why he came.
"Currently, the Five Kings and the Five Demons are engaged in battles all over the continent. Even among the smaller factions that follow them, wars are breaking out. In this situation..."
He let out a heavy sigh as he looked towards Zieghart's main gate, following Rector's gaze.
"The value of the Five Divine Orders, with their Transcendent Warrior and Grand Masters, is enormous. Depending on which side the Five Divine Orders support, it could change the course of the war."
"No doubt."
Rector rubbed his chin in agreement.
"Furthermore, the Five Divine Orders have lost much of their reputation and power due to the attack from the Holy Sword Alliance. They won't let this opportunity pass to increase their position."
"You seem to have read it all already."
He smiled gently, as if he was proud of his grandson.
"It's obvious."
Raon shook his head as he scratched the back of his head. Knowing what kind of person the Thespian Emperor Ariel was, it wasn't difficult to understand her psychology.
"Given the current situation, it would be right to accept the Thespian Emperor's proposal if it's not too burdensome. However..."
Raon looked at Rector and curved his lips upward.
"The situation has changed with this recent event. Nobody knows that Zieghart and the Holy Sword Alliance are now connected."
The Thespian Emperor would try to increase their value by walking the tightrope between the Five Kings and the Five Demons, and originally, they would have no choice but to accept that deal. But since Rector, the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance, was his grandfather, and they were only nominally affiliated with the Five Demons, their plan was nothing more than an illusion.
"That's right."
Rector also smiled as if he found the situation amusing.
"Of course, we shouldn't mention the grandfather's name here. An order of silence will probably be issued within the family."
Raon put a finger to his lips, saying it should never be revealed.
"Nobody outside knows either."
The Dragon Lord was too focused on his demonic energy to notice Rector, and The Fallen had died with his neck cut. Even if he came back to life, it would take time, so for a while, this information wouldn't be known to anyone else.
"If I'm going to follow your plan, I should also hide my presence."
Rector licked his lips as he drastically lowered his presence. Even though he was right in front of them, his presence was barely perceptible.
"Thank you for understanding."
Raon bowed his head to Rector.
"It's beneficial for everyone. And..."
Rector gently stroked Raon's head.
"There's no need for thanks between family."
He smiled as if telling Raon to get used to it.
"Yes..."
"Ah, what was it you wanted to ask before going to the Holy Sword Alliance?"
Rector raised his eyes as if he had remembered.
"I'll tell you after the Thespian Emperor leaves."
"Alright."
He said they would meet in the annex building and left the large training ground.
"Wow..."
Dorian exclaimed as he watched Rector's retreating figure.
"All the Division Leader's grandfathers are so cool."
"That's right."
Raon nodded in complete agreement with those words.
"They are people I can never reach."
Even if he one day equaled the martial prowess of Glenn and Rector, he felt he could never match their convictions and will.
* * *
Zieghart's main gate, which had become even thicker as if promising never to fall again, opened, and External Commander Illiune came out.
"Welcome to Zieghart."
Illiune bowed his head, speaking formally as if he had been instructed to treat the guest with respect.
"Thank you for receiving us."
The Thespian Emperor Ariel curtsied with a slight smile. As she slowly raised her head, her grace caused the eyes of the martial artists of the outer castle to blur.
"Ahem!"
When Illiune cleared his throat with a touch of aura, the stunned martial artists returned to reality and straightened their backs.
"We have been rude to our guest."
"It's alright."
Ariel waved her hand gently as if she was used to it.
"Please follow me. I will guide you to the main building."
"Thank you."
She thanked him and followed behind Illiune with her subordinates.
"It's a beautiful place."
Ariel smiled gently as she looked around the lush interior of Zieghart.
"It seems even more vibrant than before."
"Thank you for saying so."
Illiune only nodded slightly, showing little reaction despite the compliment. As Ariel engaged in light conversation with Illiune and approached the main building, a tall swordsman standing to her right caught her attention.
'Raon Zieghart?'
The cunning brat who had humiliated her twice was looking in her direction. His noble appearance, as if illuminated by a halo, remained the same, but there was something even more striking.
'Has he already reached the peak of Grand Master?'
While not quite on the threshold of Transcendence, he had clearly reached the peak of Grand Master.
'Impossible...'
Even she, who was said to have heavenly talent, was only a Master at that age. Raon's martial talent was terrifying enough to make her tremble.
'It reminds me of that image.'
She remembered the demonic image that was imprinted when she gathered the courage to draw Raon's celestial flow. She had closed the book immediately out of an incomprehensible fear, but now it seemed he had truly sold his soul to a demon.
'However...'
What was truly terrifying about Raon wasn't his sword, but his mind and his tongue. Having been tricked twice, she had no intention of falling for his game today.
"It's been a while, Leader of the Light Wind Division."
The Thespian Emperor looked at Raon with a welcoming smile.
"Yes."
Raon only nodded slightly as if he wasn't particularly interested. Even though irritation welled up inside him, she swallowed it down and maintained her smile.
"I heard you were seriously injured, I'm glad you're safe."
"Yes."
He gave another short answer, as if he had no intention of conversing.
"I have to meet with the Head of House, so I'll see you next time."
"..."
Raon simply nodded slightly without even responding this time. It was the epitome of insolence.
'I won't fall for it this time.'
The Thespian Emperor kept her smile even after seeing Raon's arrogant behavior. If she fell for that brat's mind games again after being tricked twice, she wouldn't be worthy of being the leader of the White Whale.
"Shall we?"
The Thespian Emperor approached Illiune, who was standing slightly distant, while maintaining her gentle expression.
"Ah, yes."
Illiune blinked as if he was more stunned, then resumed guiding.
'That's right...'
Ariel twisted her lips as she exhaled calmly.
'I shouldn't react at this level.'
Having been tricked by Raon many times, she felt a twinge in her heart without realizing it, but thanks to her prior preparation, she was able to endure it well. Satisfied with herself, she continued walking, and soon Zieghart's main building was before her eyes.
"The preparations are not yet complete, so please wait a moment."
Illiune guided them to a luxurious guest room and then left.
"Haa..."
Sakan, the leader of the Sword Examination Division, let out a long sigh as he sat down on a chair.
"It's no wonder they are the leaders of the North. Each of them radiates the aura of a lion..."
"Among them, that Raon Zieghart we saw earlier was exceptional. Not just his appearance, but the faint aura he emitted was enough to make my flesh tremble."
Beriol, the leader of the Magic Field Division, shook his head in disbelief.
"Raon Zieghart's real weapon is not his aura or his sword, but his tongue."
Ariel shook her head as she created an aura barrier to prevent sound from leaking outside the room.
"Never fall for his mind games. Just think of him as a barking dog and ignore him."
"But he seemed quite taciturn."
Beriol tilted his head, saying he was quite sparing with words.
"He's pretending to be taciturn. There are countless snakes in his belly."
Ariel bit her lip, warning them to never let their guard down.
"But I'm not sure if things will go as planned. My flesh trembles just being in Zieghart..."
"It has to work."
She shook her head as she crossed her long legs.
"Currently, not only Zieghart, but all of the Five Kings are suffering from a labor shortage. With fights breaking out everywhere, they can't send support. On the other hand, the Five Demons can create inhuman troops, so inevitably the losses on one side will accumulate."
Ariel smiled, saying it was like a game table where the opponent's hand was visible.
"In other words, we are destined to win this deal."
She clasped her hands together with an expression as if she had already won.
"Of course, that doesn't mean we should let our guard down. Keep thinking, all of you."
"Yes!"
As Ariel emphasized the points they needed to be cautious about to her subordinates, a soft knock was heard.
"Come in."
Upon inviting him in, an elderly but kind-smiling butler entered and bowed. It was Roenn, the assassin known as the King Assassin.
"The preparations are complete."
Roenn pointed outside while maintaining a careful bow.
"Let's go to the audience chamber."
"Understood."
Ariel adjusted her clothes and followed Roenn to stand in front of the audience chamber. The heavy doors of the audience chamber swung open with a bang at Roenn's slight gesture, revealing a blood-red carpet and a platform that rose like a mountain.
On the golden throne atop the platform was Glenn, looking as if he would never waver, while on either side, Zieghart's executives stood with their hands behind their backs, radiating a chilling aura.
Raon Zieghart, whom she had seen before, was also standing in front of the right pillar, looking straight ahead. Ariel smiled as she looked at Raon.
'Is that why he reacted like that?'
She had thought it was strange that he was so quiet, but it seemed he didn't want to provoke her since they would meet here anyway. He was still a cunning fellow, but today was different from before. The ones at a disadvantage weren't her or the Five Divine Orders, but Zieghart and the Five Kings.
"Greetings to the sky of the North."
Ariel walked towards the center of the audience chamber and bowed. Her eyes shone with a solemn color, contrary to her inner thoughts.
"Rise."
Glenn moved his hand slightly, as if excessive formalities were unnecessary.
"Thank you for your warm welcome despite our sudden visit."
Ariel bowed her head once more and looked towards Glenn.
"We are not enemies, so there is no reason not to welcome you. So..."
Glenn looked down at Ariel with his fist under his chin.
"What do you hope to gain by coming here?"
His scarlet eyes gleamed as if he knew everything.
"I hope to gain..."
Ariel curved her lips into a thin smile.
'As expected, he's not an ordinary person.'
Asking about her purpose so directly truly showed the attitude of a leader who had reached the peak of Zieghart. His willingness to not be swayed in any situation was palpable.
"Then, shall we get to the point?"
Ariel nodded as she lowered the hands she had held together in front of her.
"As you know better than I, large and small wars are currently being waged across the continent. At first, they were evenly matched, but gradually one side is being pushed back."
Even when mentioning that the Five Kings were at a disadvantage, Glenn's expression showed no change whatsoever.
"I understand that Zieghart has also suffered considerable damage. The same goes for the vassal families."
Ariel nodded with a slight smile.
"And?"
Glenn's right eyebrow twitched as if he felt uncomfortable hearing more.
"The Five Kings are strong. But they are not large enough to watch over the entire continent against the Five Demons. So..."
Ariel licked her lips as she observed his reaction. It was time to begin.
"We, the Five Divine Orders, will lend you our strength."
A spark of intelligence flashed in her eyes.
"What do you want?"
Glenn nodded as if he knew everything from the beginning.
'As expected...'
She had no choice but to accept. While she didn't know the exact situation, she had heard that House Arianne had completely collapsed recently. With the Warring Steel Division and several other martial divisions also having many casualties, they couldn't afford to refuse.
"We don't need financial compensation. As a martial artist, I'm not interested in such things."
Ariel smiled slightly as she spoke words that would elevate her.
"What I, no, what we of the Five Divine Orders want is recognition of our sphere of influence. Please give us the opportunity to expand our influence not only in the lands we currently possess, but also in the areas where we provide support."
She bowed as she said this.
‘You might think it's nothing significant…’
This is a huge reward. To form a faction, you need people, and to gain people, you need time and dedication.
It's natural for people to feel affection and follow those who help them when they are in danger or difficult situations. With a little manipulation of information, it would be a piece of cake to gain the favor of the entire region and break away from the Five Kings.
If everything goes according to plan, by the time the war is over, they could wield influence no less than that of the Five Kings.
"Hmm..."
Glenn narrowed his eyes with his chin resting on his fist, as if he was lost in deep thought.
"Just for your reference..."
Ariel raised a finger as she revealed a gaze as dark as a fish.
"The Five Demons sent a large proposal first, but I rejected it and came to see you, Head of House."
She clasped her hands together again as she said this.
'You have no choice but to accept.'
If they were to go with the Five Demons, the balance between the Five Kings and the Five Demons would collapse enormously. Zieghart would have to accept them even if it meant suffering a loss.
"That lady... Always so greedy."
While Ariel smiled in satisfaction, a thin voice was heard from behind.
"Haven't you learned anything even after being scammed like that?"
It was Raon Zieghart. He moved his chin as if he was looking at something pathetic.
"You're right. It's similar to when I was about to lose everything at the gambling table. The look of someone about to lose all their fortune."
Rimmer chuckled, saying it was exactly that expression.
"Ha..."
Ariel forcefully erased her contorted expression as she turned around.
"Leader of the Light Wind Division, are you not a child anymore? If you have something to say, why don't you say it properly?"
Raon always attacked with such mocking methods to disrupt one's psyche. She had no intention of falling for his game this time, so she calmed her mind and beckoned with her finger.
"Since you ask, I'll tell you clearly."
Raon tilted his head as he looked at Ariel.
"You spoke as if this war depended on the Five Divine Orders, but you only have two options."
A crimson flame that would never extinguish burned in his eyes.
"You either obey, or you die."
-
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