C903
"The person joining us for this mission is..."
Raon swallowed hard when he met Karoon's cold gaze.
"Are you, Master of the Central Martial Palace?"
Although Glenn had promised to send a strong martial force, Raon hadn't expected it to be Karoon.
'I thought it would be something like the Void Sword Division.'
He had been preparing greetings for Serena, the leader of the Void Sword Division, but Karoon's sudden appearance almost stopped his heart.
"Father, are you really going?"
Burren, who seemed to have only just noticed, approached Karoon with wide eyes.
"Yes."
Karoon nodded calmly.
"The Head of House personally assigned me this mission."
He mentioned that Glenn approached him with the task while placing his hand on his sword hilt.
"Going on a mission with Dad! What an honor!"
Burren clenched his fist, seemingly thrilled at the prospect of going on a mission with his father, Karoon.
"Burren Zieghart."
Karoon frowned as he looked at the blushing Burren.
"Look, I'm not your father, but the Master of the Central Martial Palace. Keep that in mind."
"S-sorry..."
Realizing his mistake, Burren immediately bowed his head.
"That's enough."
Karoon coldly averted his gaze, as if satisfied that his advice had been heeded.
-Sigh...
Wrath shook his head as he observed Karoon and Burren.
-Why are everyone in this family the same, whether it's grandfather, father, or son?
He clicked his tongue and muttered that they all hide their true feelings.
"The Head of House personally..."
Raon briefly licked his lips as he looked towards the Lord's Mansion.
«He's more worried than I thought.»
Summoning high-level magicians from the Chamber and Balkar, and even calling upon Karoon, it seemed Glenn was determined to avoid casualties on this mission.
"You've brought quite interesting news, Master of the Light Wind Palace."
Karoon's piercing eyes narrowed further. It seemed he was about to question why he hadn't been told anything about the Black Tower.
"About that..."
"Well done."
Contrary to expectations, he nodded approvingly and said Raon had done well.
"Valuing family and maintaining confidentiality are entirely different matters. We can't be sure there aren't spies within Zieghart, so it's best not to discuss important matters where everyone can hear."
Karoon covered his lips with his index finger, indicating that secrets should also be kept in the future.
"...Thank you."
Raon accepted Karoon's praise with wide eyes. He felt a little dizzy; he hadn't expected those words from him.
- Are you all prepared then?
"Despite the time constraints, we have completed training and devised a general plan."
Karoon calmly rubbed his chin, as if saying there was no need to worry.
"A plan..."
"Don't worry. I understand that the Light Wind Palace is at the center of this mission."
He lowered his hand, indicating he wouldn't take the initiative unless absolutely necessary.
"This is unexpected."
Raon slightly lowered his brows as he looked at Karoon.
"I was sure he would take command..."
It was surprising that Karoon was willing to step back and let him lead, instead of taking control of the mission himself as Raon had expected.
"The Light Wind Palace hasn't completed its organization yet. How do you plan to operate?"
Karoon tilted his chin to the left, seemingly curious about this aspect.
"As you mentioned, since we haven't decided on our personnel yet, we plan to move in two groups as before: the Light Wind division and the Warring Steel Division."
It seemed the best approach for now was for him to coordinate the Light Wind division while Trevin handled the Warring Steel Division.
"That seems best."
Karoon nodded, as if he had no objections.
"It seems you've prepared well in such a short time. However..."
He frowned as he looked at Raon and the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
"Being late is unacceptable."
"Late...?"
Raon shook his head as he looked at the sky.
"We shouldn't have been late."
Although time had passed during his conversation with Karoon, they had reached the main gate five minutes before the appointed time.
"Ten minutes."
Karoon raised his hand, extending it widely in front of Raon's eyes.
"The basic rule is to arrive ten minutes before the appointed time."
He pinched the bridge of his nose, saying it was a matter of courtesy.
"While arriving early is undoubtedly a good habit, I think arriving five minutes early, as we did, is sufficient. In fact, I think as long as we don't arrive late, it's fine."
Since this wasn't a mission requiring immediate combat, but rather a meeting time, not being late should have been enough.
"No. The correct thing is to arrive ten minutes early to prepare."
"If we prepare in advance and depart, there will be no need to wait ten minutes."
"..."
"..."
Raon and Karoon looked at each other with their eyes narrowed and lips tightly pressed.
"Being so lax can lead to unexpected delays when unforeseen situations arise."
"As I mentioned, we completed our preparations at the Fifth Training Ground before coming here. We've already considered unexpected events."
"Even so, arriving early is..."
"If it were a mission that started immediately, it would be different, but..."
The two continued their strange argument about arrival times, each presenting their own principles, long after the departure time had passed.
'Those two...'
The external commander Illiune frowned as he paused to open the main gate.
'Why are they arguing here?'
He shook his head as he watched the staring contest between Raon and Karoon.
'Why put two completely incompatible people on the same mission?'
* * *
Raon spooned the meat stew, that night's dinner, in front of the gently burning bonfire. The savory chicken and smooth broth created a pleasant harmony in his mouth, providing a small sense of satisfaction.
-Mmm...
Wrath let out a deep sigh of satisfaction, holding his head.
-Sometimes, this kind of outdoor cooking is the best! You can taste nature itself!
He wrinkled the corners of his lips, saying this was happiness.
'So, from now on we'll only eat this?'
Raon shrugged as he took another spoonful of stew.
-Sometimes! I said sometimes! You ungrateful brat!
Wrath gritted his teeth and said he wanted to eat this occasionally when tired of home-cooked meals, not every day.
'Is that so?'
Raon chuckled as he picked up the bread that came with the stew.
-W-wait! That bread...
'Mmm.'
Ignoring Wrath's gesture to stop, Raon ate the bread. It must have been freshly baked, as it melted smoothly in his mouth.
-Oh...
Wrath finally lowered his round hands and let out a sigh of relief.
'What?'
-I thought it was Nadine's bread.
He sighed and said he had aged ten years from worry.
Why? Disappointed?
-Disappointed? I was scared!
-Well, there's nothing to worry about. We won't be eating that on this mission.
They were traveling on foot from the center of the continent, as it would be suspicious for a large group to suddenly disappear after using a Dimensional Gate to arrive near Montiro. The distance was considerable, so there was no need to hide their tracks yet.
'Should I try improving my Death Energy Detection skill while eating?'
Raon activated his newly acquired skill, <Death Energy Detection>. A sinister energy blooming from his chest harmonized with his aura and spread outwards.
'What? There's death energy here too?'
It felt as if very weak death energy was spreading around, even though there were no demonized monsters or humans present.
-Of course.
Wrath snorted as if Raon's question was ridiculous.
-Death energy, bloody energy, and demonic energy are part of the energies that make up the world. While not scattered across the continent like mana, small amounts are scattered wherever humans exist.
He shook his head and said it would be stranger if these negative energies weren't present where humans were.
-I see. I didn't know that.
Slowly lowering his hand, he felt the tingling of the minute particles of death energy. As Raon perceived the energy with his eyes closed, Karoon finished his meal first and personally cleaned his plate, handing it to the person on duty.
'Eh?'
Raon let out a surprised sigh as he watched Karoon drinking tea for dessert.
'He washes his own plate?'
-Even this king was surprised. I thought the cold-eyed one would just toss it aside...
Wrath nodded, indicating he had the same thought.
"Master of the Central Martial Palace, do you wash your own dishes?"
Raon blinked as he looked at Karoon sitting opposite him.
"Doing what one can do oneself. That's the natural attitude a Zieghart swordsman should have."
Karoon tilted his chin as if the question itself was strange.
"Has the Master of the Light Wind Palace been transferring his own duties to others?"
He frowned slightly, as if disappointed.
"I..."
"No, he hasn't!"
Burren interrupted before Raon could speak.
"Raon not only helps with cleaning up after meals but also participates in setting up tents and night watch duties."
Burren shook his head and said Raon had given many examples as the leader of the martial force.
"That's right. If anything, he interferes too much and leaves us with nothing to do."
Martha sighed and said he got involved to the point of being annoying.
"Yes, he's running around..."
Runaan raised his hand and said it was fun watching him move back and forth.
"I see. I apologize for the misunderstanding."
Karoon bowed his head slightly, admitting his mistake. Whether he had always been like this or had changed, it was surprising that he apologized so readily.
"Now, shall we discuss the mission?"
Karoon nodded slightly as he looked at Raon over the bonfire.
"I've heard a general description from the Head of House, but I'd like to hear the details from you, who experienced it firsthand."
He straightened his posture and asked Raon to explain everything from his conversation with Demonblade to the events that had occurred since then.
"We're curious too."
"That's right! We were only told it was a Black Tower search mission!"
"Do you want to hear..."
Burren, Martha, Runaan, and the other Light Wind Palace swordsmen nodded, saying they were also curious.
"Alright. Then..."
Raon created an aura barrier to prevent sound from escaping, then explained everything from hearing about the Black Tower from Demonblade to Chamber's visit.
"I see. So that's how it happened. There's a reason the Head of House praised you so much."
Karoon praised him and said obtaining information about the Black Tower wasn't just a matter of luck.
"So, what's your plan for the future?"
"We plan to infiltrate Montiro with small groups of people in succession to search each area."
"Small groups?"
"Yes. It's currently peak tourist season in the south. We'll split into groups posing as families, couples, and friends, and then enter the city to search buildings, objects, and people in order to find clues connecting Montiro to the Black Tower."
Raon recited the plan he had been thinking of carrying out.
"A typical plan. Neither bad nor especially good. However, given the limited information we have, it's probably the best option for now."
Karoon nodded, accepting that was the only option at the moment.
"But there's a problem."
"I think I know what it is."
Raon looked down, showing understanding.
"It's the detection of the Black Tower, isn't it?"
"Yes. If the Black Tower is truly hidden in Montiro, there are likely barriers or magical beasts around it that can detect people's auras and qualities."
Karoon continued, nodding.
"We might be able to avoid these barriers and magical beasts, but others are likely to be caught. It would be suspicious if several master-level martial artists suddenly entered disguised as tourists, mercenaries, or adventurers."
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Light Wind division.
"There might even be artifacts that can only detect powerful individuals like you, me, and the Warring Steel Leader. If we don't solve this problem, the search itself might become impossible."
Karoon pointed out the flaws in the plan with a cold tone.
"I'm aware of that, and that's why I've prepared something."
"You've prepared something?"
-Yes. We don't have it now, but at the meeting point...
"Ah, so that's how it is."
Karoon nodded calmly, as if he had understood without Raon finishing his sentence.
"Eh..."
Burren let out a surprised sigh as he watched Raon and Karoon conversing smoothly, as if they had been working together for a long time.
-What's going on? Why are father and Raon getting along so well?
Who put those two together?
* * *
On a golden beach that seemed to have melted the sunlight.
"Mmm."
A middle-aged man, burly with black hair, slumped onto the sand.
-Well, well, this isn't easy.
Roenn, disguised as a nouveau riche, let out an ironic chuckle as he massaged his shoulders.
'I've visited all the suspicious places, but there's nothing.'
Despite changing his disguise five times and staying in Montiro for a month, he couldn't find any magicians from the Black Tower, let alone anyone committing evil acts. At most, there were only people causing trouble after drinking at night.
'There are no traces of death energy or demonic energy either.'
However well hidden it was, he shouldn't have overlooked traces of negative energies like demonic energy and death energy. But during his stay in Montiro, he hadn't even seen a hint of those repugnant energies.
'Is the Black Tower really here?'
It wasn't that he didn't trust Raon. He trusted him more than Glenn, but seeing it firsthand, the place didn't seem suitable for the Black Tower.
"If anything, it's a place that makes you feel peaceful."
Perhaps because of its location in the far south, the townspeople were friendly, and the tourists were calm yet elegant. It seemed like the best place on the continent for a peaceful yet glamorous vacation.
'Sigh...'
He decided he should visit the underground casino at night. He hadn't been there yet, so he planned to drop by disguised as a rich man.
"Hmm?"
Just as Roenn was about to get up from the sand, briefly licking his lips, a huge wave surged from the sea. With a thunderous roar, the wave rose and almost blocked out the sun.
Behind the imposing wave emerged a giant tentacle with red suckers. It was a Kraken, one of the top-tier sea monsters. However, it only had seven tentacles instead of eight.
"Aaaah!"
"I-It's a Kraken!"
"Quick, get out!"
The tourists who were swimming or surfing panicked at the Kraken's sudden appearance and tried to swim to shore, but the current dragged them out to sea, making escape impossible.
"Mmm..."
Roenn frowned as he watched the Kraken try to devour the people. He wanted to help, but given his current identity, he couldn't move.
"Ah, that bastard's back again."
As he clicked his tongue in frustration, a slightly hoarse voice came from his left.
"Should we cut off two legs today?"
A young man with white hair, full of vitality, nodded as he rested a large sword on his shoulder. He smiled and then, creating a white wind, rushed forward and completely severed one of the Kraken's tentacles as it was about to grab the people. The Kraken let out a heart-rending scream and retreated as soon as its tentacle was cut off.
"Where do you think you're going?! I said two today!"
The white-haired young man stepped on the sea as if it were land and cut off another of the Kraken's tentacles that was trying to escape. The Kraken let out a cry of pain and quickly fled into the depths of the sea.
"Looks like we won't have to worry about octopus dishes for a while."
The white-haired young man dragged the Kraken's huge tentacles to the beach, slung over his shoulder, demonstrating not only swordsmanship but also incredible strength. The tourists and Montiro residents erupted in cheers, chanting Calob's name.
"Tonight we'll have an octopus feast. Everyone's invited."
Calob, as the white-haired young man was called, showed a refreshing smile and promised to serve Kraken tentacle dishes praised by gourmets.
"..."
Roenn narrowed his eyes as he observed Calob's large sword and well-trained physique.
"He's strong."
Even without fully revealing his power, the aura Calob emitted was heavy and pressed against the skin. If he used his full strength, he wouldn't lose even to the squad leaders of the Light Wind division.
«There were four young men like him, weren't there?»
While Montiro had a beautiful landscape due to its location in the southern corner, it was also frequently invaded by monsters. There were four martial forces that defended against these monsters, and Calob was one of the leaders of these forces.
It seemed strange that someone with so much power at such a young age would stay here instead of venturing out into the continent, so he investigated, but nothing unusual came up. Even the aura he possessed wasn't sinister like death energy or demonic energy, but rather a pure energy condensed from mana.
'Well, well, this is getting more puzzling.'
As Roenn sighed and shook his head, he heard small footsteps behind him.
"Sir!"
A boy of about twelve called out to him smiling. He was one of the child guides often found in tourist areas.
"It's time to eat!"
"Is that so?"
Roenn nodded slightly after looking at the sun, shining brightly as if announcing noon.
—Alright, Perin. Where did you say you'd take me today?
"There's a place that makes amazing chili crab!"
The child guide named Perin licked his lips and said the sauce was really delicious. Although he had already been there three times, Roenn nodded, pretending not to know.
"Alright then, let's go there."
Roenn smiled slightly as he patted Perin's head.
- Hey, old man, come to the beach tonight too. I'll treat you to something much better than that chili crab.
Calob, who seemed to have overheard the conversation with the child, gestured for Roenn to come to the beach in the evening.
"Kraken dishes... I should definitely participate, even if it's expensive."
Roenn nodded, saying he understood.
"Haha. No need for money."
Calob waved his hand, saying to come and then left the beach.
"Big brother Calob is really good at cooking, but he never accepts money! It's like he hates money, you know?"
Perin smiled as he watched Calob's back, seeming to admire him.
"Hates money, huh..."
Roenn nodded as if he somehow understood.
—Ah, let's go! We'll be late for the reservation!
Perin ran ahead, saying someone else would take his place if they didn't leave immediately.
"Take it easy."
Roenn waved his hand as he followed Perin. He let out a soft chuckle, not noticing the dark ripples in the eyes of Calob and Perin walking ahead of him.
-
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