C901
"That's..."
Raon's lips trembled as he observed the flicker in Denier's eyes.
"What kind of smile is that?"
The smile Denier displayed was unlike anything Raon had seen in his past or present life. It seemed full of anticipation, as if the moment had finally arrived, but it also seemed mocking and even conveyed a sense of emptiness, as if a doll were imitating human emotions.
"Light Wind Palace Master?"
As Raon bit his lip, the voice of Chad, the leader of the Shadow Agents, reached his ears.
"Yes?"
Raon quickly turned his gaze toward Chad.
"It's time for you to come down now."
Following Chad's gesture, Raon realized that the Light Wind swordsmen had returned to their original positions. Only he and Glenn remained on the platform.
"...My apologies."
Raon bowed to Glenn and Chad before descending from the platform.
"Even our Palace Master gets distracted sometimes? Were you reminiscing about the past?"
Dorian smiled, seemingly pleased to have found something to tease him about.
"Disconnecting is the best..."
Runaan patted Raon's arm gently and told him he had done well.
"From now on, you won't be Division Leader, but Palace Master. We should start using the new title."
Burren nodded and told Raon to use the higher title.
"..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Dorian, Runaan, and Burren.
'Did no one else see it?'
Seeing all the Light Wind Division swordsmen smiling, it seemed he was the only one who had noticed Denier's strange expression.
'Wrath.'
Raon called out to Wrath with only his eyes.
-Of course, I saw it.
Wrath, without betraying Raon's expectations, nodded slowly.
-It was a mixture of desire, relief, and emptiness. Even I can't comprehend the true nature of that human being.
He frowned and said that even thinking about Denier gave him a headache.
Did only you and I see it?
-The smile lasted a very short time, and everyone present was focused on your sword ceremony. It's likely no one else saw that expression.
Wrath nodded, saying it was natural that others hadn't seen it.
'I see.'
It was the moment Raon was expressing his thoughts about becoming Palace Master and performing the sword ceremony, so he was probably the only one looking at Denier.
“With this, we conclude the ascension ceremony.”
Glenn personally concluded the ceremony and turned around. Light Wind! Light Wind! Raon! Raon! Raon! The Zieghart swordsmen and the audience applauded and cheered once more for Raon and the Light Wind Division.
"Light Wind Palace Master."
Glenn gestured to call Raon as the applause began to subside.
"Now that the Light Wind Division has become the Light Wind Palace, we will need to build a building and a training ground befitting its status. Do you have any ideas in mind?"
He nodded, indicating that any vacant area could be used.
"Would it be alright to develop the path leading from the Fifth Training Ground to North Grave Mountain?"
The path from the Fifth Training Ground to North Grave Mountain was wide, so developing that area would allow for new buildings and training grounds.
"Are you suggesting demolishing the Fifth Training Ground?"
"No. I would like to keep the Fifth Training Ground as it is."
Raon firmly shook his head.
"I want to preserve it, whether we use it or not."
Rimmer cherished that place and its memories so much that he used the Fifth Training Ground as the password for his safe.
Raon wanted to preserve the Fifth Training Ground until the day Zieghart disappeared.
"Leader of the Shadow Agents. Is it possible?"
Glenn nodded slightly and called out to Chad.
"I already figured the Light Wind Palace Master would say this, so I've already investigated. It seems there's enough space for both the old and new training grounds."
Chad said there was plenty of space available, with a slight smile on his face.
"You investigated beforehand?"
—Yes. Because the Palace Lord values memories.
He said he expected it, bowing slightly.
"...Thank you."
Raon returned Chad's bow.
-Not at all. This is part of our duty.
Chad waved his hand dismissively, and his expression was calm.
"Then I'll take my leave now. I have many places to get design blueprints from."
He promised to create the best possible building before departing from both of them.
"He might be a bit carefree, but he's reliable when it comes to getting things done. There's a reason the previous leader of the Shadow Agents retired confidently in him."
Glenn nodded and said it would be good for young people to build friendships.
"Yes, I felt that too."
Raon nodded as he watched Chad's figure walk away.
'At first, I thought he was Karoon's spy, but he wasn't.'
Chad's behavior had been so kind and cautious that Raon initially thought he was Karoon's spy trying to extract information. However, he was completely neutral, not on Karoon's side, and had been doing his best as the leader of the Shadow Agents to the point where Raon felt regret for doubting him. He felt he should apologize soon.
"Congratulations once more."
Glenn said Raon had worked hard all this time and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed to Glenn and turned around. As he was about to turn around at the sound of Glenn's apologetic voice, he heard hurried footsteps approaching from the front.
—Raon!
"Son!"
"Nephew!"
Sylvia and Edgar came running with open arms, and Alice shouted "nephew" with a bright expression that hadn't been seen in a long time.
"Brother!"
Sia waved both hands, shouting "brother" as if imitating Alice's "nephew."
"One at a time... ugh!"
Although Raon said to come one at a time, all four embraced him simultaneously, as if surrounding a criminal.
"Young Master!"
"Congratulations."
"We knew you could do it!"
Helen, Judiel, and the other maids congratulated him with tears in their eyes.
"Thank you. It's all thanks to everyone's help."
Raon bowed to his family and the maids who had cared for him since childhood, making his current self possible.
"You did it on your own."
"That's right. What did we...?"
Although Sylvia and Helen shook their heads, saying it wasn't them, Raon didn't retract his bow.
"Yua and Julius also did well."
Sylvia hugged Yua and Julius, who were behind Raon, sobbing.
"That's right. It must have been hard training while working in the annex..."
"You really worked hard."
The maids also hugged Yua and Julius with tears in their eyes.
"We were able to achieve it because everyone helped us."
Julius shook his head, and his nose turned red.
—Yes! I'm really amazing!
On the contrary, Yua put her hands on her hips and confidently lifted her chin. The opposing reactions of the two children brought wide smiles to the faces of the annex staff.
—As expected of the pineapple girl!
Wrath nodded approvingly.
—A subordinate of mine must have such a daring attitude! It's no fun if you're always humble like you!
He smiled and said there was a reason he liked Yua.
"It's nice to see."
Raon pushed away Wrath, who was muttering about raising Yua himself, and looked at the other Light Wind Division swordsmen.
"I'm a Palace Squad Leader now..."
Runaan bowed deeply and said she had become a Light Wind Palace Squad Leader.
"If you've gone from Division Squad Leader to Palace Squad Leader, doesn't that mean you've been demoted...?"
Rokan, Runaan's father and head of the Sullion family, frowned and asked if that was really correct.
"Just say it's good!"
Clara, Runaan's mother, patted Rokan on the back.
"..."
"..."
Karoon and Burren stared at each other without saying a word.
"Now that the Light Wind Division has become a Palace, you'll probably become the Vice Palace Master."
Karoon narrowed his eyes and spoke first.
"What? Me, the Vice Palace Master?"
Burren opened his mouth roundly, as if unable to understand.
"It's not because you're exceptional, but because there's no one else."
Karoon raised his hand to point at Martha and Runaan.
"Ah..."
Burren looked once at the foolish Runaan and the fierce Martha, then swallowed hard.
"The Vice Palace Master isn't a position to laze around behind the Palace Master. Rather, there will be many times when you'll have to take on problematic and difficult tasks instead of the Palace Master, so you must thoroughly prepare yourself."
"Yes..."
He responded, but wrinkled his nose as if unsure how to prepare.
"Follow me. I won't teach you, but you'll observe and learn by yourself."
Karoon clicked his tongue briefly and turned his back.
"Ah, yes!"
Burren followed Karoon with a smile even brighter than when he was promoted.
"You'll also reach some leadership position now."
Gambling Monster, his face red as if he'd drunk a cup, gestured toward Mark Goetun.
"If that happens, I intend to decline."
Mark Goetun firmly shook his head.
"You'll refuse?"
"Yes. I've never led anyone before. Even in the Light Wind Division, I wasn't part of a squad, so I think it would be better for me to become a guardian."
He clenched his fist and said he wanted to fight from an independent position as he does now.
—Well, it's not a bad idea. But you know a guardian needs to have even more confidence in their martial prowess than a division leader or a palace master, right?
Gambling Monster briefly shook his head and lowered his hand.
"Yes. That's why I plan to focus solely on training for a while."
Mark Goetun nodded and said he was well aware of that.
"Your eyes look better. Good. Follow me. I'll help you develop skills worthy of the name of guardian of the Light Wind Palace."
"Sir..."
"If I'm not satisfied, I'll kill you immediately, so be prepared."
Gambling Monster entrusted his liquor bottle to Mark Goetun and left the Fifth Training Ground.
"Of course."
Mark Goetun followed him, carefully holding the liquor bottle.
"Oh, thank you!"
"A gift? This is from southern supplies, isn't it?"
"Ah, I didn't do anything! It was all our Palace Master!"
True to his sociable nature, Dorian was surrounded by many people, receiving gifts and congratulations. Besides them, most of the Light Wind swordsmen were spending happy moments receiving congratulations from family or friends.
'There...'
Raon turned his gaze toward the two people wearing the warmest smiles among them.
"From now on, call me Division Leader! Your daughter is also a Division Leader now, Father!"
Martha lifted her chin proudly in front of Denier.
"Of course! Not just Division Leader, but I should call you esteemed Division Leader!"
Denier nodded and said he would even use an honorific title.
"At first, I hoped you would join our Sage Martial Palace, but now I can only say your choice was correct."
He smiled with eyes that had erased any regret and were filled only with joy.
"The truth is, there were many days I wanted to give up, but it was possible thanks to the people of the Light Wind Division and you, Father. Thank you."
Martha bowed her head, showing a gentler look than her usual rough appearance.
-No, I've always been happy thanks to you.
Denier reached out and gently embraced Martha. He gave her a gentle smile that, unlike the one he had shown Raon, was the very image of a kind father.
"Congratulations."
Denier looked Raon in the eyes and quietly congratulated him. Although his tone was calm, for some reason, a chill ran down Raon's spine.
-This, this is getting a little scary...
Even Wrath let out a sigh of disbelief.
'I don't know.'
Neither Raon's life as an assassin nor his life as Raon Zieghart could read Denier's intentions and thoughts. There seemed to be something there, but it was frustrating that he couldn't openly suspect or question him.
"Because he's actually never done anything suspicious or been caught."
Denier had shown incompetence on occasion, but he had never acted suspiciously. He had even passed the audit conducted by Glenn himself, and as he was an executive with better public opinion than Raon, it was impossible to openly suspect him.
As Raon bit his lip, a clear breeze flowed from the Blade of Requiem and enveloped him. It seemed to be telling him not to worry too much.
'...That's right.'
Raon nodded, feeling the cool yet gentle breeze.
'I must prevent anything like what happened to the Master from happening again.'
Raon clenched his fist and vowed not to lose anyone again.
* * *
In a tavern in the back alleys of Cameloon, bustling with life even though the sun hadn't yet set, Raon's name echoed from the end of the tavern, which buzzed with numerous rumors from all over the continent.
Did you hear that story?
A middle-aged man, with thick caterpillar-like eyebrows and black hair, tilted his chin as he put down his beer mug.
"What story? There are countless stories circulating in Cameloon."
A muscular middle-aged man with loose red hair, resembling seaweed, frowned.
—Not those trivial rumors! I'm talking about Raon Zieghart!
The middle-aged man with black hair slammed his beer mug down hard. When he mentioned Raon's name, the noise in the tavern quieted for a moment.
"Ah, you mean he killed Demonblade? I've heard it, but it's hard to believe..."
The middle-aged red-haired man shook his head as he popped a peanut into his mouth.
"Everyone knows that the King Slayer Raon Zieghart is strong, but Demonblade is different. He's been an unbreakable wall for decades. Are you asking me to believe that a kid who isn't even thirty caught him?"
He shook his head as if it were nonsense.
"Demonblade will probably show up soon and shout that it's not true."
"It's not strange to think that way. I thought similarly. However..."
The middle-aged man with black hair leaned forward and shook his head.
"Evidence is starting to emerge one by one."
"Evidence?"
"Yes. Raon Zieghart, who returned with his family, has been promoted from Division Leader to Palace Master. Someone as cold as the Northern Destructive King wouldn't give a Palace Master reward for a false achievement, right?"
He lowered his eyebrows and asked if the other man didn't know Glenn's personality well.
"Well, that's true..."
The red-haired man nodded.
"There's more. The movements of the Dark Black Lotus, where Demonblade was the leader, have completely stopped. They're not even collecting taxes, as far as I understand."
"Seriously?"
"Yes. I heard those guys who were preparing for some outside activities completely closed their doors and won't come out at all. There's no reason for that unless their leader is dead, right?"
"Mmm..."
He blinked as if hypnotized by the words of the middle-aged man with black hair.
"The last reason is Demonblade and the Dark Black Lotus itself."
"Demonblade and the Dark Black Lotus?"
"Yes. Even among the Five Kings and Five Demons, Demonblade and Dark Black Lotus were very sensitive to rumors about themselves. There were many cases where they personally went and beheaded people who spread false rumors. But..."
The middle-aged man with black hair shook his head as he took a bite of a cold sausage.
"They're not responding at all to this incident. Why do you think they're staying silent while their reputation plummets to the ends of the earth?"
"...Because it's true?"
"Exactly! Demonblade really died at the hands of Raon Zieghart, so they can't respond!"
He nodded, saying it was certain that Raon had killed Demonblade.
"Also, I've heard about the battle between Raon Zieghart and Demonblade."
"How, how did you hear about that?"
The middle-aged red-haired man's eyes widened.
"The goods I brought this time are from Zieghart territory. The rumors have already spread there."
The middle-aged man with black hair slowly licked his lips.
"The story goes like this..."
As he was about to recount the battle between Raon and Demonblade, he turned his gaze. The tavern, which had been as noisy as a marketplace, had fallen silent as a library, and everyone's gaze turned toward them.
“Ahem! My throat's a little dry.”
The middle-aged man with black hair cleared his throat and gently shook his empty beer mug. As someone who loved gossip and rumors, he knew this was a chance to gain a lot.
"Innkeeper!"
"Two more beers over here!"
"Two more for me too!"
"Bring some side dishes as well! Put it on my tab!"
"I'll pay! Start the story already!"
The tavern drinkers ordered beer and side dishes with their own money to hear the story from the middle-aged man with black hair. Some even threw money at him.
"Hmm! Then, shall we begin again?"
The middle-aged man with black hair drank the newly brought beer in one gulp and smiled.
"Yes, I'm curious. Hurry up and tell us!"
The middle-aged red-haired man's legs trembled as if his curiosity had reached its peak.
"Actually, to strengthen his lost arm and his morale, Demonblade..."
The inside of the tavern was so focused on his story that not even the sound of an ant crawling could be heard. However, this situation wasn't only happening in this tavern. The stories Roenn had spread while moving south were passed from mouth to mouth, naturally spreading Raon's story throughout the continent.
* * *
[The continent is amazed by your achievement.]
[All skills increase by 10 points.]
[The level of the <Flame Overcoming Death> trait has increased.]
[The level of the <Blade of Death> trait has increased.]
[The level of the <Death Energy Detection> trait has increased.]
'Huh?'
Raon stopped mid-stroke and opened his eyes in incomprehension.
'What is this?'
He had been training in the large training ground when reward messages suddenly appeared.
—What?! What is this?
Wrath, who had been happily napping after eating beaded ice cream for dessert, suddenly sat up.
—Why did the rewards suddenly appear?
Wrath's jaw trembled, unable to comprehend.
'The continent is amazed by my achievement...'
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the first message.
'It seems like a reward for the rumor of having killed Demonblade that spread throughout the continent?'
Indeed, even he himself found it hard to believe, so it wasn't strange that the whole continent was surprised. Of course, he hadn't expected to receive such a reward.
—Argh!
Wrath groaned, clutching his head.
—This damn system! It seems like it only thinks about tormenting me!
He shook his head, saying he was about to lose his temper.
"Mmm..."
After briefly examining the rewards, Raon picked up the Heavenly Drive again and began performing the swordsmanship of the Heavenly Thunder Arts.
—Huh?
Wrath frowned as he watched Raon.
—Aren't you happy?
'I am happy.'
There was no way he wouldn't be happy to receive such rewards for free.
«But even with such rewards, I still need to become stronger on my own.»
It was true that he was getting stronger due to the system's rewards, but if his own martial prowess remained stagnant, it would be meaningless. To protect everyone in future battles, he needed to develop enough martial prowess to face any of the Five Divine Orders, including the Thespian Emperor. Just as Raon was wielding his sword using the lightning aura of the Heavenly Thunder Arts, the door to the large training ground opened, and Chad, the leader of the Shadow Agents, entered.
"Light Wind Palace Master."
Chad bowed to Raon, still not quite used to the new title.
"Leader of the Shadow Agents."
Raon lowered the Heavenly Drive, which was still crackling with the aura of lightning, and nodded toward Chad.
"What brings you here?"
"The Head of House has summoned you."
Chad lifted his head. His eyes were filled with worry.
"It's about the Black Tower."
-
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