C798
Raon swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on Lawrence's pale, moist lips.
'The white blood of a member of the White Blood Religion...'
As the blood demons of the White Blood Religion cultivate their blood techniques, their blood turns white.
At that level, he must be an apostle. He clearly seemed to possess blood energy rivaling that of the tenth apostle.
However, it wasn't just the color of his blood that made Raon associate Lawrence with the leader of the White Blood Religion.
'Temperament.'
The temperament and spiritual aura a person should possess as a human being. Everything Raon perceived from Lawrence now resembled the leader of the White Blood Religion.
"He was definitely an ordinary person before..."
How could he have changed so much? Raon knew because he trained with Lawrence every day. He was someone with a gentle personality, just overly sleepy and lazy. But now the aura emanating from him was cold and gloomy.
An intense killing intent shone in his golden eyes, which had always held a solemn gaze.
"Why did you suddenly mention the leader of the White Blood Religion's name? Do you know her?"
Lawrence threw the question back at Raon. His shoulders trembled slightly, as if he was having trouble controlling his overflowing blood energy.
"Yes, I've seen her several times."
Raon replied while placing his hand on the Heavenly Drive. He debated whether he should open his sword domain to subdue Lawrence if he wasn't in his right mind.
"How strange that someone as talented as you could encounter that woman and still be alive."
Hearing Lawrence speak, it truly seemed like he was connected to the leader of the White Blood Religion. Raon became even more curious about his true identity.
"Rage..."
Despite his surging blood energy, Lawrence leaned against the cave wall as if he had no intention of fighting.
"The current leader of the White Blood Religion must be in the form of a woman with black hair and eyes, right?"
"That's correct."
Raon nodded without lowering his guard.
"Then perhaps there's still some time left."
"What do you mean?"
"Shedding."
Lawrence smiled wryly as he looked at the cave floor.
"The moment that damned monster gets rid of her body and transforms into another."
"Mmm..."
Raon frowned as he looked at Lawrence.
—How do you know that, Lawrence?
If he knew even about the body change, he truly shouldn't be a stranger to the White Blood Religion. Raon gripped his sword hilt tighter, ready to unsheathe at any moment.
"Don't be so tense. I'm not a member of the White Blood Religion."
Lawrence shook his head slightly as if telling Raon to relax.
"I've never belonged to that miserable place, nor have I learned their blood techniques. It might be hard to believe me in this state, but..."
He let out a hollow laugh as if he himself found it unbelievable.
"...If you say so, I understand."
Raon nodded and lowered his hand from the sword hilt.
"What...?"
Lawrence widened his eyes as if he didn't expect Raon to believe him.
"Are you saying you believe me? In this situation?"
"Yes."
Raon nodded once more as he looked at Lawrence's wavering eyes.
"You said you met the leader of the White Blood Religion! How can you believe me after seeing this white blood and this energy?"
He demanded an explanation as if he couldn't understand.
"The short time we spent together was enough to know what kind of person you are."
Despite Lawrence's laziness, he had never used assassination techniques or attacked with enough force to leave lasting injuries. That grasshopper-looking man didn't have the personality to harm others recklessly.
"Besides, the Alliance Leader said he trusts you."
The Rector had told Raon that Lawrence was a lonely person and to keep visiting him. He must know about Lawrence's current state.
"You really are a peculiar person."
Lawrence looked at Raon and smiled.
"I thought you'd draw your sword and attack me without hesitation, given your reckless personality..."
"I don't have that kind of personality. There are few people calmer than me..."
Raon shook his head calmly.
—What?
"Eh?"
Wrath and Lawrence opened their eyes at the same time. Both seemed dumbfounded, their mouths agape.
- What nonsense are you saying! You're the craziest person this king has ever seen among humans and demons!
Wrath sharply turned his head, telling Raon not to say nonsense.
"So you're also someone who lacks self-awareness."
Lawrence frowned deeply.
"I only helped with your training because I thought I was repaying a debt to your grandfather. Of course, your obsession also influenced..."
He laughed as if he still found it unbelievable.
- So you knew.
Raon grabbed his right wrist with his left hand. As he had expected, Lawrence seemed to know that Rector was his grandfather.
- I'm similar. I trust you a little more because my grandfather trusts you.
"I see. Ugh..."
Lawrence nodded, but then grabbed his chest again. The blood energy emanating from his entire body began to grow stronger.
"Are you alright?"
"I should have prepared better, but it's not easy..."
Lawrence shook his head, indicating that he wasn't in good condition.
—J-just go. I appreciate your concern, but this isn't a trivial matter that I can discuss with a stranger.
He lowered his hand with difficulty, signaling Raon to quickly leave the mountain.
"I..."
"It's alright to tell Raon."
When Raon was about to say that wasn't the problem, he heard a familiar voice behind him. When he turned around, Rector was standing in front of the cave with a kind smile.
"Grandpa?"
"I came because I saw that there was a full moon today, and as expected..."
The Rector nodded slightly and approached Lawrence.
"Ugh, Alliance Leader..."
He placed his hand on Lawrence's back, who was biting his lip, and released a powerful aura. When a magnificent light flashed from the Rector's hand, the blood energy that was tormenting Lawrence began to slowly subside.
After a while, the blood energy calmed down to a level that Lawrence could control, and the white light in his eyes faded.
"You got a little stronger and started acting arrogant, but look at you now."
The Rector clicked his tongue as he withdrew his hand from Lawrence's back, which had regained its color.
"T-this is all your grandson's fault! That brat ruined all my routines and plans!"
Lawrence shook his chin with a flushed face.
"Well done."
The Rector ignored Lawrence's words and patted Raon on the shoulder.
"That guy needed to wake up a little."
"Well done, you say! Your grandson is an incarnate devil! He shouldn't be running around in society!"
Lawrence shouted that Raon should be put in prison.
- A devil, you say!
Wrath shouted at Lawrence, offended.
- Not even in the demon realm are there bastards like that! Don't try to pass it off on us!
He shook his head and said that humans should stay with him.
"It seems you've recovered some strength."
The Rector leaned against the opposite wall with his arms crossed.
- I'm fine now, thanks to you. But...
Lawrence narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Rector.
"How is it alright to tell Raon?"
"That means he's not a stranger."
The Rector nodded slightly as he looked at Raon.
—Raon, first explain your situation.
He smiled softly as if to say everything was alright.
"...Understood."
Raon stepped forward and stood in front of Rector and Lawrence.
"First, let me introduce myself again. I am Raon Zieghart, grandson of the current Head of House Zieghart."
"Raon. Right. Zieghar... Zieghart?"
Lawrence sat down in shock.
"The Head of House Zieghart... Do you mean the God of Lightning? Glenn Zieghart?"
"That's right."
—But didn't you say he was your grandfather? What's going...?
He looked at the Rector with trembling lips.
"You're both right."
The Rector nodded briefly.
"He's the grandson of the Head of the Zieghart family and the grandson of the leader of the Holy Sword Alliance."
He let out a hollow laugh as if he himself found it unbelievable.
"What kind of madness is this...?"
Lawrence blinked as if he still couldn't understand.
"Let me continue. The first time I met the leader of the White Blood Religion was during my training days in Zieghart..."
Raon recounted everything, from his first encounter with the White Blood Religion alongside the third prince, to almost being kidnapped by the tenth Apostle, and even the recent war involving the White Blood Religion.
"Now that I think about it, it's quite a lot. Well, I rushed into the headquarters of the White Blood Religion to save Ogram."
"Now that I hear it, I remember. The elders said there was a young monster in Zieghart..."
Lawrence nodded incomprehensively, as if he had just remembered the information about Raon.
"I thought he was another genius who always appears, but to think he was a madman..."
He swallowed dryly, expressing both admiration and shock.
"Hearing all this, I guess you're not a relative either. That woman must still be chasing you."
Lawrence clicked his tongue and said it was obvious.
"That's not all."
Raon shook his head heavily.
"How is that not all?"
"Before I say this, there's something I need to hear first..."
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Lawrence.
"Lawrence, you're a relative of the leader of the White Blood Religion, aren't you?"
"...Yes."
Lawrence hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"It's deeper than you think."
"Then I'll tell you. The current body of the leader of the White Blood Religion..."
Raon closed his eyes and opened them again before continuing.
"Is my companion's mother."
"Eh...?"
Lawrence stood up as if he had heard something incredible.
"R-really?"
—Yes. Doesn't she resemble the black-haired, black-eyed girl who came with me?
"I... haven't seen the current body of the leader of the White Blood Religion. I escaped long before that."
He bit his lip as he spoke, implying that he had fled from the White Blood Religion.
"Who exactly are you…?"
Raon frowned as he looked at Lawrence. The more he listened, the harder it became to predict his identity.
"Now that you've told me so much, I can't keep my mouth shut either."
Lawrence nodded weakly.
"I..."
* * *
I was different from others from the moment I was born.
My height and weight were double that of others, and I could think rationally from the moment I opened my eyes to the world.
Some might call it grotesque, others might call it special, but my mother was disappointed in me.
Is this all you're capable of?
The eyes of the woman, more beautiful than moonlight, were clouded with disdain.
[In this sense, no progress has been made either. I'll have to end the experiment here.]
My mother left the room without even telling me my name, as if she wasn't interested. The young man following her looked at me with an inscrutable and calm gaze before disappearing.
After that, a young nanny came to take care of me. I was satisfied that my mother hadn't abandoned me, even though she was disappointed in me.
The nanny brought several books and told me that I had to become an excellent person to earn my mother's approval. My mother was like a unique jewel to me.
To gain her approval, I read all the books the nanny brought and even finished all the numerous books left in the house. If the content was too difficult to understand, I memorized it all.
At night I read books, and during the day I observed the martial artists training in the courtyard visible from the window. Perhaps due to my innate eyes, I naturally understood the movements of the martial artists and the flow of their blood energy. Although I had no name and couldn't leave this house, I was simply happy thinking that someday I would please my mother.
As time passed reading books, observing the martial arts of others, and thinking alone, my heart suddenly started beating as if it were going to burst, and my blood energy awakened. The blood energy that everyone else had except me finally appeared within me. And not through training, but as an innate power.
Something that others had but I didn't. Realizing that this blood energy was what had disappointed my mother, I ignored the nanny's warnings and went straight to look for her. I wanted her approval.
I wanted to show the most beautiful mother in the world that I was a necessary person and that she loved me. I was confident. I thought she had kept me alive until now for this day. But it was all an illusion.
[Are you still alive?]
The woman I thought was my mother scoffed at my innate blood energy, calling it crude, and shook her head.
[It's disgusting. Get rid of it.]
At her cold command, devoid of all emotion, I was thrown into a dark prison without even being able to say the word "mother". Only then did I realize. The reason I had survived wasn't because of my mother, but because of the consideration of the apostle who had taken care of me in the end, and the nanny was also someone he had sent.
I despaired, cursed everything, and screamed until my throat hurt.
While I was rotting in the underground prison where no one visited me, the nanny arrived. She hugged me with a smile, despite being covered in wounds.
[I'm glad you're safe.]
Seeing her worry about me first when she herself wasn't safe, I couldn't open my mouth. The nanny fought against the apostle after helping me escape through a path she had prepared beforehand. Even when she died at the hands of the apostle, she didn't lose her smile.
[Lawrence, that's your name. Live with kindness and gentleness.]
My mother wasn't the distant, shining moon, but had been by my side all along.
* * *
"After that, I was discovered by the Alliance Leader who was traveling. You probably understand why I'm here, given your grandfather's personality."
Lawrence shook his head calmly and said that was all.
"I see..."
Raon bit his lip as he looked at Lawrence.
'This is worse than...'
Born as the child of the leader of the White Blood Religion, yet his existence ignored, it was a life worse than the worst-case scenario Raon could imagine. It reminded him of his hellish past life.
"No need for such a gloomy expression."
Lawrence waved his hand lightly and smiled calmly.
"It's an old story. I've forgotten about it."
Contrary to his words, sadness still flowed in his eyes.
"The atmosphere has become too heavy. Shall we change the subject?"
Lawrence extended his hand as if to get to the main point.
"What you're curious about is how to extract the soul of the leader of the White Blood Religion, right?"
"...That's right."
"The method is..."
He paused for a moment and let out a long sigh.
"There isn't one."
-
More Ch4pters on KoreanPlayer
↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓
Thanks for the support
