C1011
"Nephew!"
Balder spread his arms and raised his hand, as big as a pot lid.
"Don't keep us in suspense, tell us! We're curious!"
He stomped the ground hard, saying he knew the outcome, but not the process at all.
"I'm curious too."
Alice turned to look at Raon.
"What trick did you use to catch The Fallen this time, lucky little devil?"
She laughed heartily, urging Raon to tell the heroic tale of how he killed The Fallen and forced the Heavenly Demon to retreat.
"Master of the Light Wind Palace."
The Leader of the Heavenly Sword Division, Sheryl, tilted her chin slightly.
"The executives gathered here are curious about your story. Please explain in detail, step by step."
She encouraged Raon while speaking formally, as it was an official occasion.
"Ho ho ho."
Roenn nodded with his usual jovial laugh.
"Master of the Palace! We're curious too!"
"Tell us what you've been up to without us!"
Burren and Martha frowned as they shouted for him to speak. It seemed that the two regretted not being able to participate in this war.
"Raon the handsome."
Runaan simply gave a thumbs up as if to say he had done well.
"Hmm..."
"It's a remarkable achievement."
Karoon stroked his chin silently, while Denier looked at Raon with warm eyes, as if he was proud of his nephew.
"Phew..."
Raon exhaled briefly and approached the platform. Denier may not have known it, but it seemed that the people here had gathered not because of Glenn's summons, but because they genuinely wanted to hear about his battle.
"Then I'll explain. First, I was in a relationship exchanging information with Merlin, who belonged to The Fallen. No, we were friends. She sent a letter hinting at Eden's location and her imminent death, so to find Merlin..."
Starting with why he went to look for Merlin, he explained to the executives gathered in the audience chamber about how he broke through Eden's celestial net, defeated the Demon Slaying Spear, cut down The Fallen, and then the appearance of the Heavenly Demon and how he cut the soul of The Fallen that the Heavenly Demon was protecting. He explained everything except the circumstances of Evelyn.
As it was such a great and arduous event, people listened intently to his story with eyes full of interest, even though he spoke for a long time.
"...After that, I lost consciousness as soon as the Heavenly Demon left."
Raon lowered his head after saying he didn't know much about what happened after the Heavenly Demon left.
"Incredible! There's not a single achievement that isn't amazing!"
Balder clapped with both hands, saying that he was truly his nephew.
"But I wanted to catch that Demon Slaying Spear myself! I wanted to break its spear in half!"
He frowned, saying that he wished he had been able to face the Demon Slaying Spear himself.
"Shut up. Not ten of you could beat it."
Alice shook her head as she patted Balder on the back of the head.
"You've gone through more than I thought. I've been training day and night to catch up to you, but I didn't know the gap would widen even further. A Soul Weapon, it's incredible."
She let out a sigh, saying it was something she couldn't imagine.
"It's not that great. I didn't use it only with my power, it was so weak that it couldn't even kill a single ordinary person."
Raon shook his head as he touched the Blade of Requiem hanging behind his waist.
"I could only cut him down because a single strand of The Fallen's soul remained."
He briefly licked his lips, saying it wasn't a true Soul Weapon.
"Whether you borrowed the power of the equipment or are too weak to kill a single person. A Soul Weapon is a Soul Weapon."
Karoon spoke for the first time. He acknowledged that even his own weak sword was a Soul Weapon.
"Congratulations on reaching a new level."
Karoon congratulated him on his growth with serene eyes, without jealousy or false emotions.
"...Thank you."
Raon blinked blankly before bowing his head.
- This guy has changed a lot.
Wrath let out a hollow laugh as if he was surprised.
'It's beyond explanation to say he has changed.'
It was surprising that someone who used to hate him and despise him and Sylvia could now give such pure praise. Also, the previous Karoon would have gotten angry just by the fact that Evelyn was on this earth, but he didn't say anything about it either.
'It's said that people die when they change... hmm!'
Raon raised his head and looked at Karoon before letting out a low sigh.
'He didn't just flatter me.'
The emotion in Karoon's eyes wasn't jealousy, envy, or hatred, but confidence. He had given the compliment with the belief that he could reach him.
'Come to think of it, the aura I feel has clearly changed.'
It was evident that, while he was growing, Karoon had also been training with all his might. A smile unconsciously formed on his face at the inexplicable sense of kinship.
"Even before the Soul Weapon, taking down The Fallen is impressive. That monster doesn't die even when you kill him."
The Leader of the Heavenly Sword Division, Sheryl, nodded as if she was impressed.
"I think I saw him die about three times too."
Roenn laughed, saying it was impressive to finish off the parasite that was The Fallen.
"That wasn't just my power. I could only cut his neck because Evelyn broke The Fallen's magic."
Raon shook his head firmly. He spoke honestly because if Evelyn hadn't been there when he took down The Fallen, he would have died instead.
"Ah! This is frustrating!"
Martha frowned and jumped forward.
"Whether Merlin helped or you used the Blade of Requiem, it's your strength and your achievement. Just accept it with pride!"
She gritted her teeth, urging him to acknowledge it as a true Master of the Wind Palace.
"If it had been the master who taught us, he would have claimed even things he didn't do as his achievements, right?"
Burren smiled as he remembered Rimmer, who created the name of his palace.
"Yes. Be confident. You look handsome today!"
Runaan nodded, saying that his slightly haggard face today was the best.
"It's not that I lack confidence. It's just that..."
Raon smiled faintly as he looked at Burren, Martha, and Runaan, his subordinates and friends.
"I don't want to claim that I did things I didn't do."
It's not that he lacked confidence and was passing on the credit. He was simply being honest about the circumstances because he didn't want to deceive the people who trusted him.
"You've worked hard."
Glenn nodded as he covered his mouth with his hand. His entire face was flushed as he trembled like someone who urgently needed to go to the bathroom. A massive vibration occurred, enough to distort the audience chamber, no, the entire Zieghart.
- As expected, that old codger who pampers.
Wrath shook his head, saying he was like a dog drooling at the sight of food.
"However, there is one more thing that the Master of the Wind Palace didn't mention."
Glenn briefly raised his reddened finger.
"The Master of the Wind Palace was recognized for his talent and martial prowess by that Heavenly Demon. He said he's closer to being the leader of the Five Demons right now."
Glenn seemed to think it was a compliment to be recognized by such a massive entity as the Heavenly Demon, even if it was an enemy.
"He, he didn't say that...?"
Raon tried to recall the Heavenly Demon's words, but he couldn't remember hearing anything about being close to the leader of the Five Demons.
"Um..."
He raised his hand to clarify the misunderstanding, but the audience chamber was already in an uproar, and his words couldn't cut through the noise.
"That Heavenly Demon?"
"The leader of Eden. No, it's not an exaggeration to say he's the leader of the Five Demons, and that monster realized it."
"To think that he would be recognized by a martial artist who even endured the Soul Weapon of the Head of House..."
"As expected, the Master of the Wind Palace is different..."
"It's said that you have to be a genius and it's not enough. You're simply the one and only true Emperor of the Sword!"
Zieghart's executives looked at Raon with eyes full of envy and pride.
"There's really no need to say it, everyone will recognize the achievements of the Master of the Wind Palace, so I can't help but respond to that."
As Glenn snapped his fingers, Roenn stepped onto the platform with a golden tablet and two wooden boxes.
"To the Master of the Wind Palace who killed the Demon Slaying Spear and The Fallen, and took down Eden, I bestow upon you this golden tablet and two top-grade elixirs."
He nodded, saying they were elixirs for recovering from injuries and for future growth.
"Thank you."
Raon stepped onto the platform, received the golden tablet and elixirs, then bowed his head.
"Afterwards, Mark Goetun, protector of the Wind Palace, step forward."
Glenn also called Mark Goetun to the platform, not just him.
"For dedicating your life to paving the way for your Master of the Palace, and protecting him to the very end, I highly recognize your passion and bestow upon you a golden tablet and a high-grade elixir."
He patted Mark Goetun on the shoulder directly, saying he had worked hard.
"Thank you!"
Mark Goetun received the golden tablet and elixir with trembling hands, then bowed deeply to Glenn.
"I wanted to give a proper reward to Merlin, no, to Evelyn too, but she didn't come..."
Glenn narrowed his eyes as if he was disappointed.
"She was a bit tired, so I told her to rest."
Raon replied as he lowered his gaze slightly.
'Because I don't know what I could say if I bring her here.'
He had left her tied up in the annex building because he couldn't handle it if he let out what he had told Sylvia here.
"There's one thing that intrigues me."
Karoon raised his hand as he looked at Raon.
"What kind of person is the Heavenly Demon?"
He narrowed his eyes as if that was what interested him the most.
"To describe his appearance, he wore a red dragon helmet with ten horns protruding from his face. He was taller than me or the Head of House, and his physique was massive and solid like a rock. He had the body of a fist user, not a swordsman, and he did indeed use his fists."
Raon briefly closed his eyes as he recalled the Heavenly Demon he had seen in person.
"However, what matters isn't the Heavenly Demon's appearance or fists. He has such a massive presence that you can tell he's the Heavenly Demon just by looking at him. He emits a terrifying aura that seems like he stands alone even among thousands, no, tens of thousands of people."
He shook his head as he let out a troubled breath.
"Hmm..."
"To think that such a being exists..."
"It can't even be described as a monster..."
"So the name 'Demon who ascended to heaven' is literal."
The executives pressed their lips tightly together as if they were crushed by the name of the Heavenly Demon. He hadn't meant to scare them, but explaining what he saw led to this outcome.
"But..."
Just as Raon was about to open his mouth again to lighten the heavy atmosphere, a trembling shout came from behind him.
"There's no need to worry!"
Dorian stepped forward and raised his head.
"According to the Master of the Wind Palace's words, our Head of House is stronger than the Heavenly Demon. We don't need to fear someone like the Heavenly Demon because we have our Head of House!"
He nodded vigorously as if he was telling himself it was okay.
"That's right!"
"Head of House!"
"We trust you!"
The executives bowed their heads towards Glenn, raising their fists to their chests as if swearing eternal loyalty.
"The Wind Palace division hasn't fully healed, so let's end it here for today."
Glenn closed his eyes, saying they should return now.
"Understood."
The executives bowed their heads happily and stepped back. Just as they were about to leave the audience chamber, a maid with flowing purple hair burst through the half-open door.
"Huh?"
Raon held his breath as he saw the maid's face.
'Evelyn?'
Evelyn, whom he had left tied up in the annex building, had somehow escaped and arrived here.
"Wait a moment!"
Evelyn shook her head as she stretched out her hand.
"There's something I haven't said yet! Me and Raon, calling each other's names during the night..."
"No!"
Raon rushed in panic and covered Evelyn's mouth.
"Mmph!"
"It's true, but it doesn't mean that."
He shook his head vigorously, shouting that Cela's advice on assertiveness wasn't meant for this.
"Please stop!"
***
"Phew..."
Raon sat on the bed, holding his completely full stomach.
"Even eating isn't easy."
He felt like his stomach was about to explode from eating all the dishes Wrath wanted. If he hadn't adjusted with aura in the middle, he might have passed out while eating.
- You're exaggerating with just one meal! This king could eat ten meals without even sleeping!
Wrath clicked his tongue, saying that kids these days are weak.
- Anyway, get the bead ice cream out now!
'Exaggerating? I ate for 4 hours straight!'
Raon grabbed Wrath's tail and shook it up and down. He had rewarded Wrath with a 4-hour meal for helping in this war, but hearing such words made his stomach churn.
'Should I make you eat Nadine's bread for the rest of your life? Huh?'
- No, that's...
Wrath shuddered at the threat of Nadine's bread and shook his head.
'Then shut up.'
Raon gave Wrath a smack on the forehead and opened the bead ice cream box.
'I'm too full to eat it all, so just pick one.'
He showed the four types of ice cream to Wrath, telling him to pick one.
- Nngh...
The creature narrowed his eyes deeply as if he had met Pride, emitting a low groan.
- I, want to eat them all, but I have no choice. This king chooses chocolate mint!
"..."
- I said chocolate mint!
Although Wrath kept shouting, Raon was looking out the window with wide eyes.
"Grandpa?"
Glenn, whom he had seen at the Lord's Mansion in the afternoon, was standing outside the annex building window, looking at him.
"What brings you here?"
Raon put down the ice cream box and opened the window.
"I remembered something I didn't give you at the Lord's Mansion. Can you come out for a moment?"
Glenn nodded with serene eyes.
"Alright."
"When you come out..."
As Raon was about to turn around, Glenn's words continued.
"Bring the Blade of Requiem."
Glenn pointed his finger towards the Blade of Requiem lying on the table.
"I want to see your Soul Weapon properly."
"Ah..."
Raon swallowed as he looked into Glenn's serene eyes.
'Is he going to teach me?'
It was evident that Glenn intended to teach him about the Soul Weapon.
"Understood."
Raon grabbed the Blade of Requiem and immediately went out, feeling his heart start to beat rapidly.
- Hey, you! Where are you going!
Wrath shouted as he looked at the open ice cream box.
- At least eat one before you go! Or at least close the lid! It's all going to melt!
-
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