C938
“Head of House...?”
Raon exhaled sharply as he examined Glenn's wrinkled eyes.
“What happened to you?”
Glenn Zieghart was the coldest and most rational person Raon knew. Even if he had been worried about losing contact with Montiro, Raon never expected such an intense reaction. His head, which had been spinning from the shock, cleared momentarily.
“Just by looking at you, I can tell how dangerous the war was here.”
Glenn bit his lip lightly and tightened his arms around Raon.
“Thank you for holding on until the end, Raon.”
He repeated his thanks, patting Raon’s back with trembling hands.
“Grandpa...”
Glenn’s words of gratitude resonated strangely in Raon’s heart, causing him to unconsciously utter the word “grandpa.”
- Has the old man finally gone crazy?
Wrath gasped, unable to comprehend Glenn's behavior.
'It's not senility; he seems overwhelmed with emotion.'
Raon had always known that Glenn cared more about him than others. However, he had always maintained a cold attitude in public, so Raon never expected him to show affection in front of everyone.
'It's not just emotion; he seems exhausted.'
Glenn had been panting since he arrived, and his eyes were filled with fatigue as if he hadn’t slept for days. Since a Transcendent wouldn't simply tire from traveling here, it seemed he had been through a great battle.
'It's strange. Grandpa seems a bit... blurry. Is it because I'm tired?'
Glenn was emanating a more majestic aura than when he sat on the Zieghart throne, but he also looked hazy, like morning fog dispersing before the sun. The conflicting sensations were confusing.
- No, you’re seeing it correctly.
Wrath squinted, confirming that Raon’s perception was accurate.
'What do you mean...'
Just as Raon was about to interrogate Wrath, he heard the sound of the ground crumbling, and people began to gather around the source.
“Is the Head of House here?”
“How is the Head of House here?”
“Eh...?”
Burren, Martha, and Runaan opened their eyes in astonishment at the sight of Glenn hugging Raon.
“Come here, all of you.”
Glenn slightly lifted his head and gestured to Burren, Martha, and Runaan.
“What? Ah...”
“Us too?”
“Mm!”
While Burren and Martha stood still in shock, Runaan approached without hesitation and stood next to Raon.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
Glenn gently hugged Runaan, just as he had done with Raon.
“It’s okay...”
Runaan said that it was okay while patting Glenn’s back in return.
“Eh!”
“Oh...?”
As soon as Burren and Martha saw Glenn hugging Runaan, they rushed over, cracking the ground beneath their feet.
“Thank you all for getting through such a difficult battle.”
Glenn nodded as he embraced Burren, Martha, and Runaan at once.
“Hm...”
Raon let out a low groan as he observed Glenn’s slightly trembling voice.
'What could have happened to him?'
He seemed to have become a different person, expressing his emotions not only to Raon but to everyone.
“Raon, can you tell me about the battle that took place here?”
“Well, since you already know the strategy, I'll start from what happened after that.”
Raon briefly informed Glenn about the war with the Black Tower, while Glenn continued to console the three squad leaders.
“F-Father?”
Just as Raon was finishing his account of the war, Karoon emerged from the infirmary after having his wounds treated. He was so surprised to see Glenn hugging Burren, Martha, and Runaan that he blurted out “Father” instead of “Head of House.”
“…What’s going on here?”
“Ah, well…”
Glenn, realizing he had been too careless with the eyes around him, let out a low groan and released his arms from around the children, standing up.
“How did you get here and why are you hugging the kids...?”
Karoon's eyes trembled like a sailboat buffeted by waves, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed.
“You played an important role. Well done.”
Glenn slowly walked towards Karoon. He closed his eyes briefly as if he were thinking, then opened them and gave Karoon a light hug.
“F-Father?”
Karoon’s entire body trembled, unable to even move his eyes. He was more surprised than when the Master of the Black Tower had broken through the ceiling.
'Father is hugging and praising me?'
Despite having accomplished many feats as the son of Glenn Zieghart, this was the first time he received such praise. The surprise and shock hit him simultaneously, leaving him dazed.
“Head of House.”
Raon called out to Glenn while gripping his throbbing temple.
“I’ve been informed that all communications between the Five Kings have been cut off. It must be the work of the Five Demons, so we need to act quickly...”
“Alright.”
Glenn turned and calmly shook his head.
“Owen was attacked, but the other places are safe.”
“Hm...”
Raon frowned as he looked at the Third Prince Greer, who was watching them from afar. As expected, it seemed that while they were attacking the Black Tower, the Five Demons had attacked Owen.
“The one who attacked Owen...”
“Yes, it was Derus Robert.”
Glenn nodded, indicating that he had fought with Derus Robert.
“He’s become much stronger. I doubt there are many among the Five Kings and the Five Demons who can face him now.”
He frowned, affirming that Derus's martial prowess was now at the top of the Five Kings and the Five Demons.
'So that’s why he looked so exhausted.'
Now Raon understood why Glenn appeared so tired. It seemed he had spent a lot of energy stopping Derus in Owen before flying here.
'But has he become even stronger?'
Had he received the power of an Angel? Derus hadn’t been gone long. It was hard to comprehend how he could have become so strong in such a short time that even Glenn would acknowledge him.
“Um, then what about my father...?”
Unable to contain himself any longer, the Third Prince Greer ran and stood in front of Glenn.
“He’s injured but safe. He’s a naturally strong person, so don’t worry.”
Glenn nodded, assuring him that King Lecross would recover sufficiently.
“Hah...”
The Third Prince collapsed on the spot, as if all the tension had suddenly left his body.
'That’s a relief.'
Raon let out a sigh of relief as he looked at the Third Prince.
'We can’t afford to lose anyone else now.'
To win the war against the Five Demons, they could not afford to lose more forces. Hearing that Lecross had survived and that the other Five Kings were safe made Raon feel his unease lessen a bit.
“But it’s strange. That Derus only attacked Owen and left the other places alone...”
Raon frowned as he recalled Derus Robert’s nauseating face.
“If they had moved after hearing about our surprise attack, they could have easily attacked the magic tower, Balkar, or the Beast Union too.”
Of course, they had made other preparations, but if the White Blood Religion and Eden had joined the attack, the entire continent would have turned into a battlefield. It was suspicious that they hadn’t aimed for that.
“We should carry out further investigations just in case...”
“With no information, it’s useless to try to guess their intentions. For now...”
Glenn slowly shook his head and hugged Raon again.
“Rest.”
“What? But... Ah.”
As Glenn stroked his back, fatigue washed over Raon like a wave, draining the strength from his entire body. Glenn’s gentle touch induced a warm drowsiness, reminiscent of falling asleep while practicing the Fire Ring as a child.
'Not yet...'
For the first time in a long time, Raon fell asleep as if he were beside Sylvia.
* * *
The cracked door of the infirmary creaked as Glenn entered. He nodded at the adorable-looking girl sucking on a candy in front of him.
“I’m glad you’re awake.”
“Someone must have caused a huge commotion outside. It woke me up.”
Chamber squinted her eyes as she bit into her candy.
“What happened to the old ice-cold man who wouldn’t even smile at his family? Hugging the kids in front of everyone.”
She shook her head, as if unable to comprehend.
“How do you feel?”
“Thanks to the Saint of Suphren, all my external wounds have healed.”
Chamber nodded, saying that Saint Olga had paid surprisingly close attention to her external injuries.
“However, the condition of my upper dantian is not good.”
She touched her forehead, indicating that it had been dangerous.
“Upper dantian...”
Glenn let out a low groan as he examined Chamber’s head. Even without a deep look, he could tell that her mind had suffered significant shock.
“This injury is something only I can heal. It’s going to take quite some time.”
Chamber sighed briefly, saying it would probably be a boring time.
“But don’t worry. I will definitely recover.”
She waved the hand holding the candy, assuring him that she would be able to participate in the next battle.
“Of course, I believe you.”
Glenn nodded calmly.
“What’s this? Why are you so nice today?”
Chamber murmured that it was strange while rubbing her goosebump-covered arms.
“Earlier, you asked what wind had blown for me to hug the kids.”
Glenn opened his lips while looking at Chamber's squinted eyes.
“Before coming here, I encountered Derus Robert.”
“What...?”
Chamber’s eyes widened as if she hadn’t heard this.
“So he finally came! Where was he!”
“Owen. King Lecross was defeated.”
“He’s not dead, right?”
She sat up, pulling the blanket upon hearing the news of Lecross's defeat.
“He’s much better than you, so don’t worry. His external and internal injuries are serious, but his energy center is intact.”
Glenn told her to worry about herself as he laid Chamber back down in bed.
“Hah...”
Chamber let out a long breath, apparently relieved that Lecross was safe.
“Wait! So Lecross was defeated by Derus? What a pathetic guy!”
“He was strong.”
Glenn shook his head at Chamber's angry outburst.
“Even if you and Lecross had attacked together, it wouldn’t have been easy.”
“…So strong?”
“Yes.”
He nodded firmly as if he were sure.
“Wait, did you use the Soul Weapon again?”
Chamber frowned, as if she had just noticed Glenn's change.
“Yes.”
Glenn exhaled briefly while looking out the window.
“When all contact with Montiro was cut off and we couldn’t receive any news, Derus Robert told me that Raon and Karoon were dead.”
“Hmm…”
Chamber ground her molars while observing Glenn's downcast eyes.
“As you know, the Soul Weapon is a martial art that transcends even the limit of Transcendence. I could have killed Derus or the Angel beside him. But when I heard that Raon and Karoon were dead, I couldn’t swing that sword at its maximum power.”
Glenn's wrinkled hands trembled as if he were still conflicted about it.
“But thanks to that, I realized how much I value Raon, Karoon, and the children of our house. Funny, right? That I only realized this because of an enemy's lie?”
He curved his lips upward as if mocking himself.
“Ascension is the dream and ideal of all martial artists. It was something I longed for even in my dreams, but now I don’t want to leave. I want to stay in this land and see Raon and the others grow.”
Glenn lowered his head firmly, saying he would rather become weaker if it meant he could remain on this continent.
“So that’s why you hugged Raon and the kids in front of the square. Now I understand.”
Chamber smiled slightly, saying that she finally understood.
“You’ve also grown old. In your youth, you ignored even your own flesh and blood and caused bloodshed, but in your twilight years, you’ve become a simple loving grandfather.”
“Well, I have no words to refute that…”
Glenn lowered his eyebrows as if lamenting those youthful days.
“But in my opinion, you could live to see Raon’s grandchildren.”
Chamber shook her head, as if telling him not to worry.
“What do you mean?”
“To ascend, one must rid themselves of all human desires and emotions. They say you have to become a being different from humans, but in reality, you’ve become more human, haven’t you?”
She waved her hand as if suggesting he think about it.
“Hmm…”
“And don’t just do this for today. Keep treating the kids with affection from now on.”
Chamber smiled brightly, telling him not to change just for one day but to maintain this heart going forward.
“The kids need constant praise, after all.”
* * *
“Mmm…”
Raon opened his eyes with difficulty. Seeing the sea through the window, it seemed he was still in Montiro.
'Well, that’s for the best.'
The medical skills and holy power of Saint Olga were not far off from those of the Ripped Saint, Federick. Since she remained in Montiro, it made sense to continue receiving treatment here.
- You’ve finally awakened.
Wrath huffed, as if finding him pathetic.
'How long have I been asleep?'
- Two days.
The demon pointed to the dark window outside, frowning.
- To think you would sleep for two whole days after reaching that level. My meals have been delayed by twelve portions!
'Why twelve portions?'
Raon looked at Wrath with incredulous eyes.
- Three basic meals and three snacks for this king. Aren’t six meals a day correct?
'......'
He used to say four meals a day, but now it had become six. Raon was increasingly uncertain whether this was a Demon King or a glutton.
'Still, that’s a relief.'
Raon chuckled softly as he watched Wrath shouting about being hungry.
- A relief? What do you mean?
'Every time we’ve been in such dangerous wars, you’ve manifested or exerted your power, coughing afterward. But you’re not doing that now.'
Thanks to Wrath intervening every time they encountered Transcendents or Demon Kings, Raon had survived. But each time, Wrath had used a power that defied causality, causing a great shock to his soul. However, this time, Raon and Chamber had fought until the end to capture the Master of the Black Tower, and with the help of Lust and Gluttony, they had managed to repel Greed as well.
Seeing Wrath in good condition even after such an important battle made Raon feel good.
- W-Well…
Wrath let out a low groan, as if he hadn’t expected Raon to think of him that way.
- T-This king is the ruler of the Devildom! Don’t worry about someone like me!
He turned his head sharply, saying not to worry about him, his face turning red. Although his words sounded unpleasant, he seemed embarrassed.
'Yes, yes.'
Raon chuckled softly and patted Wrath on the head.
'Where are Lust and Gluttony now?'
- Lust is...
Wrath shivered all over as he looked up at the empty air.
- Even now, she’s watching you in her mist form. It’s so scary and boring that I feel like I’m really going to die...
He snorted, unable to even look at the ceiling.
'Ah, I see...'
Raon exhaled sharply upon noticing the faintly glowing pink current in the air. He could feel that Lust was watching him at that moment.
- Gluttony is wandering around this city eating all the food! If you don’t wake up soon, we’ll run out of supplies!
'I guess he had money after all.'
Gluttony had said he came because he was out of money, but as expected, it seemed he had come to help Raon. As he experienced more and more, Angels and Demons were quite different from the myths passed down on this continent.
- Weren’t you worried about him before you fainted? Are you okay now?
'Derus? Of course, I’m still worried.'
It was true that Raon was still concerned about why Derus had attacked Owen and why the other Five Demons hadn’t moved. Knowing him, he must have some intention. But whether Raon understood his reasons or not, all he could do now was recover and become stronger.
'I need to strengthen myself.'
As Raon clenched his fist, determined to reach even greater heights, the door of the infirmary opened, and Olga entered, carrying bandages and medicine.
“Are you awake already? What kind of body do you have, made of steel?”
Olga shook her head. Unlike Wrath, she was surprised that Raon had woken up after only two days.
“It’s not that my injuries were that severe.”
Raon shook his head as he examined his body wrapped in bandages.
“Your physical injuries weren’t that severe, but the mental shock was significant. Although not as severe as Chamber's, your upper dantian was also on the verge of collapsing.”
Olga frowned, asking what the hell he had done.
“I just fought hard. How’s the situation outside?”
Raon changed the subject, gesturing to Olga with his chin.
“It has been resolved to some extent. Owen's knights left first, and the remaining people are preparing to return, leaving this place as the rear. Now that you’re awake, Zieghart will also leave.”
Olga shook her head.
“And you?”
Raon squinted his eyes upon noticing that Olga's tattoos had darkened.
“We also need to return. A king cannot be away from the kingdom for too long, right?”
Olga lowered her hand, saying that they would stay a little longer before returning.
“Then send the king back and come with me.”
“What? What do you mean...?”
“That constitution of yours.”
Raon nodded calmly as he looked at the black tattoos covering Olga's arms and legs.
“I can fix it now.”
-
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