C823
"Did you see a Soul Crystal?"
Alice snorted as she looked at Lawaine.
"What could you see with one eye?"
"This is false!"
Lawaine frowned as he removed the fake eye patch.
"You forced me to wear it even though I didn't want to!"
"But you still can't see properly."
Alice tilted her chin, pointing out that it was impossible to see correctly with the eye patch on.
"Actually..."
Lawaine licked his lips as he lifted the eye patch.
"I poked a small hole in it..."
He looked down, seemingly embarrassed to admit he had made a hole in the eye patch.
"No one adheres to the concept properly."
Alice sighed and touched the letter.
—Anyway, you saw it clearly, didn’t you? Since the old man sent the same letter twice, it must be a matter of great importance.
She lowered her eyebrows and asked if he was really sure.
"I know. As it's a letter sent directly by the Head of House, it must be important. But I definitely saw it."
Lawaine nodded with serious eyes.
"The sun and moon were closer to each other, and... I don't know. Anyway, where did you see the Soul Crystal?"
"Do you remember when we had just set sail and you made a fuss about catching a whale with a fishing rod?"
He lowered his hand and asked if he remembered.
"I remember. We didn't catch a whale, but we did catch the White Blood Religion."
Alice smiled, remembering it all.
"Yes. You started the trouble, but we were the ones who had to fight."
Lawaine frowned and asked if she didn't remember going directly to the ship because it was annoying.
"That was rough..."
"There were too many of them."
The middle-aged bald man and the woman with the eye patch also shook their heads, seemingly remembering that day.
-Don't I remember? Didn't I catch them all?
Alice straightened up confidently, even though she didn't remember.
"Sigh, whatever."
Lawaine let out a long sigh and looked up.
"It was then that I saw the Soul Crystal."
He narrowed his eyes as he pointed to the sun in the sky.
"The sun and moon were very close together, as if they had become shadows of each other, and a strange light flickered around them. The moment they passed each other like a parting couple, a rainbow light shone from the stone I was standing on."
Lawaine clasped his hands together and said it was an unforgettable memory.
"Idiot! If you saw something like that, you should have picked it up immediately!"
Alice pounded her chest, expressing her frustration.
"I was fighting for you!"
Lawaine waved his hand widely as if he were wielding a sword.
“I saw it because I was knocked down by an apostle and fell alone!”
He gritted his teeth as if the anger from that time had resurfaced.
"So, do you remember the location?"
Alice asked about the location of the Soul Crystal, ignoring Lawaine's anger.
—Uh, I remember now. It's a rocky islet a little distance from Sevilla Island. But...
Lawaine rolled his eyes slightly.
"There are many rocks on that rocky islet. Too much time has passed..."
"We can search for it even if it takes time."
Alice tilted her head as if wondering what the problem was.
"She says that because it won't be her searching anyway..."
Lawaine bit his lip while turning his head.
"What did you say?"
-Ah, nothing!
He shouted that it was just a mutter to himself, straightening his shoulders.
"We should send a reply first, right?"
"We should."
Lawaine nodded.
—Then why are you just standing there?
"Huh? Me?"
Who else would?!
Alice threw the crumpled letter from her arms.
"Ugh..."
Lawaine received the letter and entered the captain's cabin, biting his lips.
"Today's kids need everything explained to them... huh?"
Just as Alice was shaking her head, a letter with the Zieghart emblem fell on her head.
"What is this? He sent another one in the meantime? What the hell is going on?"
Alice looked at the letter with sunken eyes, feeling that this was no ordinary matter.
"He's sending Raon, so we're searching for the Soul Crystal together?"
She quickly erased her serious expression and drew a cheerful smile.
—Then we should go greet our nephew, shouldn’t we?
* * *
Raon placed his hand on the sheath of the Heavenly Drive sword. The sword unsheathed itself and floated in the air.
"It's improved quite a bit now."
Previously, due to the weak achievement in Sword Control, there had been a sharp friction sound when drawing the sword, but now he could control it as delicately as if drawing it with his hand.
'All of this is...'
Raon clenched his fist as he looked at his chest.
'Thanks to the Fire Ring.'
Thanks to the synergistic effect of the Fire Ring, the power of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and his swordsmanship level had increased, and even the Sword Control achievement had improved rapidly. It felt as if a seal that had been restricting him had been lifted. A confidence that he could do anything welled up.
'Is that why he said it was an important time?'
Glenn had advised him to use this time efficiently, as if he understood everything about him. As he said, his martial arts realm was rapidly ascending to the point where time felt precious. At this rate, it seemed he could reach transcendence in a few years without experiencing any major events or realizations.
'Should I push forward?'
Raon deployed the Fangs of Madness with the Heavenly Drive floating in the air. The sensory swordsmanship, free from the restrictions of human hands, generated extreme freedom as it mercilessly cut through the sky.
'Could the swordsman who created the Fangs of Madness use Sword Control?'
When he used the Fangs of Madness with Sword Control, the parts that had been a little clumsy became as smooth as silk. It seemed the creator of the Fangs of Madness had created the technique with Sword Control in mind.
"Ha..."
Martha exhaled as she watched the Heavenly Drive floating in the air.
When did it become so natural?
She shook her head in disbelief.
"It's definitely different."
Burren stroked his chin hard.
"The previous Sword Control was full of power on its own, but now it's starting to have subtlety in sword handling."
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said that Raon's talent was terrifying.
"If that's the case, could he really make a martial arts manual for sword control that we could use?"
Martha licked her lips as if excited by the prospect.
"There's a possibility. That guy does what he says he's going to do."
Burren smiled gently as he watched Raon concentrating on Sword Control.
"A flying sword..."
Runaan revealed dreamy eyes as she looked at the sharpness emanating from the Heavenly Drive.
-I told you, that's not possible.
Martha shook her head as she looked at Runaan.
"Taking a nap while riding a sword? Not even the Head of House can do that!"
She snorted, telling him to wake up from his dream.
"I can."
Runaan narrowed her eyes and said she could move even in his dreams.
-I'm telling you, you can't.
"I can."
As Martha and Runaan argued with their foreheads together, the training ground door opened, and Roenn entered.
"Lord Roenn?"
When Raon turned his head, the Heavenly Drive gently descended and entered its sheath.
“Ho, ho, ho.”
Roenn drew a benevolent smile as he watched the Heavenly Drive move on its own.
"That's clean sword control. I don't think I can compete with you right now."
He nodded widely, seemingly genuinely impressed.
"I still have a long way to go."
Raon shook his head with a smile.
-Then you still have a long way to go!
Wrath agreed, extending both hands.
-You're still a newbie! You have a long way to go!
He wrinkled his nose, telling him not to be complacent.
'I know.'
Raon chuckled as he stepped down from the platform and stood before Roenn.
"What brings you here?"
"The Head of House has summoned the Division Leader."
Roenn tilted his head and said it was an important matter.
"An important matter..."
If it was an important matter now, it could only be about the Soul Crystal to save Sia. It seemed contact had been made with Alice.
"Then for a moment..."
-Don't worry and go.
When Raon was about to give instructions for autonomous training to the Light Wind division, Rimmer, who was lying under the platform, waved his hand.
"I'll take care of it."
Rimmer said to leave it to him and then yawned widely like a sloth.
"Hmm."
Normally, he would have entrusted it to the squad leaders due to a lack of trust in Rimmer, but seeing the kind of heart he had, he nodded.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
-Alright, leave it to me.
Raon nodded to Rimmer and then followed Roenn out of the training ground.
"Ahem."
After Raon left the training ground, Rimmer climbed onto the platform with slow steps.
"Alright, attention everyone."
At his gesture, the Light Wind division stopped their training and gathered in front of the platform.
"Well, today..."
"Today's regular training is sword penetration."
Burren, thinking that Rimmer didn't know what training to do, immediately informed him of the schedule.
"Alright. Sword penetration training is good, but I have something to say today."
Rimmer shrugged as he looked at the Light Wind division.
"I knew it. He's trying to slack off again."
Martha frowned and said she could see through him.
"Is it nap time?"
Runaan's eyes gleamed as if she were excited.
"Unfortunately, it's not nap time."
Rimmer shook his head with a gentle smile.
“Today, I want to talk about the Light Wind division.”
He massaged his nape while making eye contact with each of the Light Wind division swordsmen.
"Including myself, you all probably hold gratitude towards Raon in your hearts, even if you don't show it outwardly."
Rimmer's eyes shone silently as if containing the sunrise.
"So you probably all know. Raon has circumstances he can't talk about."
He drew a kind smile and said everyone knew that, didn’t they?
"Hmm..."
"That's right."
The Light Wind division nodded slightly, as if they had noticed but couldn't hastily ask.
"Even if he doesn't say it, Raon has always had his eyes set on one place. The reason he trains day and night is probably because of those circumstances."
Rimmer briefly licked his lips as he looked towards the platform where Raon had been training moments ago.
"In the meantime, Raon has created martial arts for you, helped you with your training, and even saved your lives. I, too, have received much help from that guy."
He nodded, remembering the artificial energy center he had received from Raon.
"Raon is going through a difficult time. It's time to repay that debt."
Rimmer straightened his back while holding his sheath.
"We know very well, but how?"
Martha bit her lip as she looked at Rimmer.
"It's very simple."
Rimmer raised his hand slightly.
"Become stronger and rise to higher places."
His eyes flickered with a colder light than anyone's sword.
"Higher places?"
"As you all know, the Light Wind division is strong. Not only the squad leaders, but even the squad members would become unit leaders or deputy division leaders if they went to other units or divisions."
Rimmer nodded and said that the Light Wind division had become the strongest force except for the palace.
"We can't stay in this Light Wind division forever. Whether by our own will or that of others, sooner or later we will be separated, so until then, grow as much as you can and become the leaders of other divisions and units."
"Um, that, that's..."
Kerin's lips trembled as if he had thought of something unpleasant.
"It's not rebellion or revolution."
Rimmer shook his head slightly.
"The reason Raon can't talk about his circumstances is to prevent harm to us or the family. I am telling you to build a solid foundation and martial prowess so that we can help even if he goes alone."
He pounded his chest with his fist as he told everyone in the Light Wind division to become leaders of the martial forces.
"Can you do it?"
"..."
The Light Wind division didn't answer, but they nodded with burning eyes.
"Umm, excuse me..."
Dorian approached the front of the platform, extending his trembling hand forward.
"Can't we not separate?"
"We might not separate, but as the war intensifies and manpower becomes scarce, we will end up separated."
Rimmer shook his head and said that the current Light Wind division had become too strong.
"I understand what you're saying. I know it's right."
Martha let out a long sigh.
"It's strange to hear those words from your mouth. Do you have a terminal illness?"
She looked at Rimmer with worry in her eyes like black pearls.
"Yes. It's strange..."
Runaan also bit her lip, feeling that something was wrong with Rimmer.
"Am I not an elf? Even if I have a terminal illness, I will live longer than you."
Rimmer shook his head and told them not to worry.
"Thank you for worrying. Martha, Runaan. I really have no one else but you two."
"Who's worried?!"
Martha snorted and said absolutely not.
—I said it, but you don't need to risk your lives for Raon out of gratitude. Always put yourselves first.
Rimmer gestured dismissively after saying that in the end, they should think of themselves. He moved his lips silently so that no one could hear him.
"For that, one is enough."
* * *
"He received a reply from Alice."
As soon as he saw Raon, Glenn pulled out a crumpled letter that seemed to have been stored in some corner. It was hard to believe that this was a letter that had just arrived.
"She says she has been trapped in an unknown dungeon until now."
"That's a relief."
Raon let out a slight sigh. He had been worried that something had happened to Alice, but he was relieved to hear that she had been trapped somewhere.
"And..."
Glenn took a deep breath as he unfolded Alice's letter.
"She says she saw the Soul Crystal."
"What?"
Raon lifted his chin and opened his eyes wide.
"The Soul Crystal?"
He had been thinking about where to start searching, so he never imagined that someone had seen the Soul Crystal. He was so surprised that he could hear his own heartbeat.
"It was a long time ago, but Lawaine says he saw it."
Glenn shook his head and said that there was no guarantee they could find it even if they went.
"But still..."
"Yes. We have to go."
Raon nodded firmly.
"We have to do something."
Sylvia, Edgar, and Glenn's complexions were growing darker day by day. For the sake of these three, and especially for Sia, he had to find the Soul Crystal.
"If it's Lawaine, he's reliable."
If Alice had seen it, he might not have believed it, but since Lawaine said so, the credibility was high.
"Then I'll give a mission to the Light Wind division."
Glenn lowered his hand with a serious expression.
"The Light Wind division will join the Azure Wind Division, find the Soul Crystal, and return."
He was giving the mission as the head of the house, but his eyes contained the affection of a grandfather.
"I will obey your orders."
Raon bowed his head with his hand on his chest.
—Then, when do you plan to depart?
"We need to prepare, so I plan to depart tomorrow at dawn."
"I see. Be careful."
Glenn handed him Alice's letter, his trembling voice very faintly audible.
"Yes."
Raon bowed deeply to Glenn and left the audience chamber.
"Lady Alice and Lord Raon..."
Roenn nodded with a gentle smile.
"It seems no one should be able to defeat them."
He drew a calm smile, saying it seemed like good news would return.
"Both Raon and Alice caught a dragon and returned when they were weaker than now."
Glenn said he looked forward to it, but he couldn't erase the worried look in his eyes.
* * *
Raon returned to the fifth training ground to tell everyone about the mission.
As he climbed onto the platform and looked at everyone, strangely, the atmosphere was different from before.
'What is this?'
Even under normal circumstances, the swordsmen trained hard, but now there was a sense of desperation, as if they were risking their lives. It was like seeing Rimmer in the head of the house's training ground earlier.
"Hmm..."
Raon swallowed dryly and clapped his hands.
"A new mission has arrived."
The Light Wind division stopped their training and gathered in front of the platform. He wasn't mistaken. Everyone's eyes were sharp as blades.
-Well, it's a mission, but it's also a personal matter for me.
Raon nodded as he looked at the Light Wind division.
"As you know, my sister Sia Zieghart still hasn't woken up, and they say they've discovered a Soul Crystal that can wake her. This mission is to find it and return."
He felt a little embarrassed to call it a mission when it seemed like a personal matter.
"Then..."
"Yes!"
When he was about to add some explanation, all the swordsmen of the Light Wind division erupted in a response that sounded like a war cry. Their eyes shone with a deeper color than when they were training.
"We, we will depart tomorrow at dawn Since we’re already at the end of C823, I'll continue the story from there. I'll maintain the same style and character voices as before.
"Since we’re going by ship, prepare yourselves well."
"Understood!"
The Light Wind division gave no disheartened replies nor showed any worry, but nodded with firm eyes and left the training ground.
"What did you say during training?"
Raon lowered his eyebrows as he looked at Rimmer.
"I didn't say much. Just mentioned a bit about mental discipline."
Rimmer shrugged and said it was nothing.
"Then should I go prepare as well?"
He lightly patted Raon on the arm and disappeared with staggering steps.
"What just happened?"
Raon blinked in incomprehension.
-That's why...
Wrath clicked his tongue briefly.
-This king says you're senseless!
* * *
At dawn the next day, Raon left the annex building early and headed to Sia's hospital room. As always, Sylvia and Edgar were sitting in front of Sia's bed, staying with their daughter who couldn't wake up.
—Raon, be careful. Don't forget that you are the most important.
Sylvia sighed as she held Raon's hand, seeming worried.
"You're also important, but you're a division leader now, so you must take care of your subordinates first. It's good to think of your subordinates as your own life. Actually, I shouldn't be the one saying this. Even if there were various reasons, I abandoned my subordinates in the Holy Sword Alliance..."
"Enough already!"
Sylvia covered Edgar's mouth as he was about to continue rambling.
—Raon, be careful and take good care of the children.
"Yes, I will."
Raon greeted Sylvia and Edgar and approached Sia's bedside.
'Wait a little longer.'
As he held Sia's hand, promising to save her, a sound was heard. The door to Federick's mansion burst open as if it were about to break, accompanied by rough footsteps.
'What!'
As Raon opened his eyes wide and came out, Alice stood there with her red hair billowing, hands on her hips, and chin raised.
"Aunt?"
Raon gaped at the sight of Alice smiling brightly.
"How did you get here...?"
"I came to greet you since you said you'd be coming."
Alice smiled and said she came because she wanted to see him quickly.
"Greet-greeting...?"
He had only just learned that greeting meant entering someone's house.
-Now that I think about it...
Wrath narrowed his eyes as he looked at Alice.
-Doesn't there seem to be any normal woman around you?
-
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