Chapter 1160
'I'll just act like I don't notice.'
Despite the gasps of amazement and the shouting erupting around him, Raon kept his eyelids firmly shut.
'I'm going to drift off just like this.'
The foundation of his progress since arriving at this training site was fundamentally different than his previous experiences. It wasn't centered on brutal physical conditioning or profound meditation on the blade, but rather on gaining strength through the experience of a normal human existence. Thus, attempting to nap during training hours—just as Runaan often did—felt like a challenge truly worth pursuing.
-Hey! You!
Wrath began drumming on his skull with relentless rhythm.
-Have you completely lost your mind? Did a hole open up in your brain?
He bellowed, discarding the regal dialect he typically maintained.
-Has some spirit taken hold of you? Don't tell me it's Sloth? Must this Great King expel him from your body?
Wrath swung his fists in a frenzy, baffled by Raon's choice.
"Raon!"
"Y-y-you've actually gone insane!"
"Ah, I'm definitely wide awake now..."
Burren shouted "Raon" instead of using his title of Palace Master, Martha’s voice tripped over itself, and Runaan clutched her own head, claiming the shock had cured her sleepiness.
"Incredible, the sun is going to rise in the west tomorrow! That guy is actually being a slacker?"
"B-but that is definitely Master Raon, isn't it? I'm positive!"
"Huuuuu..."
Krein let out a series of stunned exhales, Dorian strained his Mind's Eye so fiercely his pupils turned crimson, and Mark Goetun found himself rendered entirely speechless.
'Ah, what a racket...'
Raon bit down on his lip.
'The environment is too loud for me to actually drift off.'
He had hoped they would settle down if he ignored them, but instead, a crowd formed, their chatter intensifying as if his nap were a world-altering event.
"R-Raon? Are you feeling ill?"
"Wow! I've never actually seen Raon close his eyes like this!"
Even Sylvia and Sia had wandered over to observe the spectacle.
'This isn't working.'
Raon let out an internal moan.
'I have to shut out the world.'
Since he couldn't find peace—let alone learn the secrets of life through rest—he utilized his aura to create a barrier against external noise. The crowd remained, but their voices were silenced.
'Now, to sleep...'
-Respond to me!
Wrath screamed at the top of his lungs. Because of their spiritual bond, Raon could still hear the demon's voice clearly despite the silence of the physical world.
-Open your eyes to reality! You've clearly contracted some bizarre ailment!
Wrath gnashed his teeth, convinced Raon was no longer in his right mind.
'Haaa...'
Raon’s fingers twitched.
'It’s nice that he’s concerned, but this is just ridiculous...'
While he appreciated the rare display of worry from Wrath, the constant, nonsensical babbling was becoming a nuisance.
'I am perfectly healthy. Please be silent.'
Raon finally lost his patience and projected his thoughts back at Wrath.
-Then explain it!
Wrath’s voice grew even louder.
-Why are you suddenly causing such a scene about taking a nap!
'I've explained it to you. At this moment, experiencing life as a human is more vital to me than any sword style or martial art.'
Raon sent the thought back, reiterating his desire to exist as a person rather than just a combatant for a time.
-Huh...
Wrath tilted his head, seemingly unable to process the logic.
'I'll ensure you get a magnificent feast for dinner. Now, be quiet.'
-Seeing as you're resorting to your usual food-based coercion, I suppose you haven't been possessed...
He let out a series of rhythmic, hollow breaths, finding the whole ordeal strangely intriguing.
'I mean it, no food if you keep talking.'
-Heuup!
The moment Raon mentioned the meal, Wrath clamped his mouth shut. However, his wary eyes stayed locked on Raon’s face.
'He isn't the only distraction.'
Raon could feel the weight of the many eyes upon him and pressed his lips together.
'The crowd is growing.'
Even without the sound, he could sense more people gathering like they were at a public fair, mesmerized by the simple fact that he was trying to rest.
'I'll dull my senses.'
He retreated deep into his own mind, severing his connection to his physical perceptions to prepare for sleep.
'Finally, some peace.'
He no longer felt the stares or sensed the movement. It seemed he could finally find rest.
'Time to sleep.'
Pleased with the stillness, Raon let his muscles go limp.
'...'
Yet, even as time ticked by, unconsciousness eluded him.
'What is happening?'
Why wouldn't it work? He had blocked out the world, and Wrath was silent. It was the perfect setting for a nap, yet his mind remained stubbornly active. In fact, he felt more awake than ever.
'Now that I think about it...'
Raon swallowed hard.
'I don't believe I've ever taken a nap in my entire life.'
In his previous existence, after being taken by Derus and molded into a killer, there was never a moment for rest. In his current life, he had practiced the Ring of Fire since he was a baby, and as he grew, his dedication to training left no room for mid-day breaks.
'No, it's more than that...'
Raon felt a wave of realization hit him.
'How does one actually fall asleep on purpose?'
As a high-level Transcendent, he rarely needed sleep to recover from exhaustion. Since sleep was a concept he had prioritized the least, a sudden shiver of anxiety ran through him.
'This...'
Raon forced his eyes to stay closed even as they fought to open, taking a ragged breath.
'This might actually be more difficult than battling an Archangel.'
"What is so fascinating about a man taking a nap that everyone has to congregate like this?"
Balder scowled, grumbling his confusion.
"Don't you think it's absurd?"
He gestured toward Karoon, who stood beside him, looking for validation.
"I do not."
Karoon shook his head curtly.
"What? What do you mean..."
Balder looked at him with wide, shocked eyes.
"To my knowledge, the Light Wind Palace Master has never once indulged in a nap."
Karoon nodded, explaining that the commotion was justified because this was a first for Raon.
"H-he's never napped? Ever?"
Balder’s jaw hung open.
"Truly? What sort of freak is he!"
He stammered, appearing more shaken by this revelation than he was when Raon first reached the stage of Transcendence.
"Correct. He has likely never closed his eyes except when he was forced into unconsciousness."
Karoon spoke with absolute confidence.
"That is madness. I suppose it makes sense why they are all staring."
Balder exhaled a breath of disbelief, finally understanding the gravity of the situation.
"Our nephew has never felt the requirement for rest."
Alice smiled as she slipped between Karoon and Balder.
"But how are you so well-informed? Even I wasn't aware that Raon avoided naps entirely."
Her gaze turned sharp and probing.
"Because I performed an investigation."
Karoon met her look calmly.
"I was searching for any vulnerability to bring about the end of the Light Wind Palace Master."
He admitted it without hesitation, acknowledging he had studied everything about Raon in hopes of destroying him.
"Eh? Eeek!"
Balder’s mouth fell open again.
"I-I never actually contemplated killing my own nephew!"
He shook his massive hands, insisting that even when his own son lost an arm, he never desired Raon’s death.
"Ugh..."
Balder took a cautious step back, waiting to see how Alice—who was famously protective of Raon—would react to Karoon’s cold admission.
"..."
Karoon simply looked down, offering no further defense.
"Hmm."
Alice’s lips curled as she studied the composed Karoon.
"Since you are willing to admit to such disgraceful behavior so openly, it appears you have truly changed your ways."
Slap! Rather than a strike of fury, she delivered a heavy, playful blow to Karoon’s back.
"I'll consider the matter settled with that."
Alice gave a small grin, shaking out the hand she had used to hit him.
"I think I can finally view you as a true younger brother now."
She waved him off, telling him to leave such schemes in the past, and strolled toward Raon.
"Wow..."
Balder continued to stare at Karoon in awe.
"You really have transformed, brother. For her to say something like that to you."
He tilted his head, amazed at such a radical shift in personality.
"I didn't choose to change on my own."
Karoon let out a soft, dry chuckle as he watched Raon’s shoulders move slightly, noticing the boy's struggle to fall asleep.
"There was someone who forced that change upon me."
A gentle smile touched his face, as if he had finally shed the weight of his past grudges.
"That persistent fool."
'Ah, this is useless...'
Raon clenched his teeth and felt his frustration mounting.
'I can't do it!'
Despite his best efforts to drift off, three hours had passed and he was still fully conscious. Having spent his entire life being active during the day, his body seemed to be in active rebellion against the idea of mid-day rest.
'I'm just wasting daylight.'
Raon sighed and allowed his eyes to open slowly.
'The crowd is gone.'
Because he hadn't moved or reacted for so long, the spectators had eventually grown bored and returned to their own drills.
'I should ask Runaan for a... Ugh!'
As he turned his head to find Runaan, he discovered someone entirely unexpected clinging to his arm.
"Are you finished with your nap?"
It was Evelyn. She was supposed to be resting back at the annex, yet here she was, smiling brightly and tightening her grip on his arm. Because he had suppressed his senses so thoroughly, he hadn't even sensed her approach.
"W-why are you here!"
Raon recoiled, his entire body tensing as he pulled away.
"I came to watch! I wanted to spend time with you, your Mother, and the Young Lady!"
Evelyn closed the distance he had just created, her eyes curving into joyful crescents.
"Ugh..."
Raon looked down at his arm and swallowed hard.
'Wrath! Why didn't you warn me Evelyn was here!'
-You threatened to starve me if I spoke!
Wrath scowled, looking as though he had been holding back his own panicked shouts with great effort.
'Haa...'
Raon rubbed his temples, feeling a sudden surge of genuine exhaustion.
'Ah, is it happening now?'
The headache made him feel like sleep might finally be possible, so he shut his eyes again. But, as before, the sensation of sleep only teased him before vanishing.
'This is a lost cause.'
Raon opened his eyes once more.
"Back with us?"
Evelyn was now leaning in, watching his face intently from a short distance. She looked genuinely happy just to be near him.
"I am unable to sleep."
Raon shook his head, his brow furrowed in annoyance.
"It seems I have lost the ability to fall asleep entirely."
He let out a weary breath and looked to his left. Runaan was slumped against a wall, snoring loudly like someone without a care in the world. It was clear Evelyn had likely moved her there.
"I need to consult Runaan."
But as Raon moved to wake her.
"Would you like me to show you how to drift off?"
Evelyn stepped into his path, puffing out her chest confidently.
"You?"
Raon looked at her skeptically.
"Aren't you also someone who rarely rests?"
Evelyn had spent years running from pursuers, and he had almost never seen her truly asleep. The fact that she was offering lessons in napping was surprising.
"Actually, I am a far greater expert at sleeping than she is."
Evelyn lifted her chin, boasting her superiority over Runaan.
"Hmm..."
Raon considered it.
'Well, I suppose it can't hurt.'
If her advice failed, he could always go back to Runaan. There was no real risk.
"Very well, tell me."
Raon gave her a nod.
"You won't be disappointed. First, take a seat."
Evelyn sat down on the ground and patted the space beside her.
"Simple enough, right?"
Raon followed suit and sat cross-legged on the floor.
"Now, let every muscle go limp. It isn't just about your body; you have to let go of your mental guards so your internal energy can settle."
Evelyn demonstrated by rolling her shoulders loosely.
"Understood."
Mimicking her, Raon moved his joints and focused on letting the tension drain out of his mind and frame.
"This next part is the most important. You have to trust me."
Evelyn’s eyes sparkled with an intensity that suggested this was the pivotal moment.
"Trust you..."
Raon met her gaze steadily.
"I already do."
He nodded, knowing that Evelyn would never intentionally harm him.
"Truly?"
A flush of red crept up Evelyn’s neck, clearly delighted by his admission.
-S-something feels wrong about this!
Wrath’s shoulders shook with visible trepidation.
"Yes. I will follow your lead."
Ignoring the demon’s warnings, Raon rested his hands on his knees, awaiting the final step.
"Now, close your eyes."
Evelyn pointed at his face, her voice soft.
"Well, that is usually required for sleep."
Raon rubbed his chin and pulled his eyelids down.
"Finally, take three long, deep breaths."
"Mm."
As Raon followed the instruction, by the second breath, a strange heaviness began to settle over him. A peculiar warmth filled his chest.
'Third breath.'
Just as he reached the peak of that final inhale, wanting to feel that warmth more clearly.
"Drowsy Knight of the Field. Fall into slumber."
As Evelyn whispered her magical command, a surge of mana designed to sever conscious thought slammed into his mind. Under normal circumstances, his aura would have swatted the spell aside instantly, but because he had followed her instructions to drop his guard, he was completely defenseless.
'T-this isn't right.'
Raon tried to force his eyes open, but Evelyn had poured an immense amount of power into the sleep magic, making it impossible to fight.
'Sleeping this way achieves nothing for my training!'
"Ohohohoho!"
But his training was the least of his worries. Evelyn’s triumphant, slightly unnerving laughter was the last thing he heard as she finally got what she wanted.
'Damn it...'
"Ugh..."
Raon’s eyes flickered open. The sun had long since dipped behind the peaks of North Grave Mountain, and the training ground was now bathed in artificial light.
'How long was I out?'
Evelyn was gone. Looking at the soldiers packing up their gear, it was clear that the dinner hour had already passed.
"Blast it!"
Raon bit his lip as he checked his condition.
'Just as I feared, there is no mental growth.'
There was no progress because he hadn't achieved sleep through his own willpower, but through a forced magical state. The only upside was that he felt physically refreshed.
-Ugh...
Wrath was standing nearby, his chin trembling as he looked at Raon.
'What is it? What did she do while I was out?'
Raon looked at him with confusion.
-Y-you are better off staying ignorant.
Wrath kept his mouth shut tight, shaking his head as if the memory of what Evelyn had done was too much to bear.
'Hmm...'
He was curious, but Wrath’s genuine fear made him hesitate to press further. Regardless, there were more pressing concerns.
"Runaan."
Raon reached out and shook Runaan, who was still snoozing in the exact same spot.
"Huh...?"
Runaan blinked sleepily and sat up, looking confused.
"I worked hard today..."
She muttered the blatant lie that she had been training, even though she had been out cold for hours.
"That's a terrible lie... but forget that for a second."
Raon waved off her excuse.
"Teach me your secret for falling asleep so easily."
He put his hands together in a plea, recognizing that she was the true master of this particular craft.
"Ah, I see..."
Runaan’s lips twitched in a tiny smirk, as if acknowledging he had finally sought out a true professional.
"Pay close attention."
She told him to watch her technique and then closed her eyes.
Three seconds passed.
A loud snore erupted as Runaan’s head slumped forward, instantly deep in sleep.
"R-Runaan?"
He called her name, but she was completely unresponsive, having drifted off in a heartbeat.
"Runaan!"
Raon finally had to physically shake her to bring her back.
"Huh..."
Runaan blinked at him.
"Did you catch that...?"
She nodded, implying that he simply needed to replicate what she had just done.
"What? What was I supposed to see?"
Raon’s jaw dropped in sheer bewilderment.
"Huh...?"
Runaan looked away, seemingly just as confused by his question.
"You didn't show me a technique! You just fell asleep!"
Raon let out a hollow, frustrated laugh at her blank expression.
"Fine, I will demonstrate once more..."
Runaan gestured for him to watch more intently this time and closed her eyes.
Once again, exactly three seconds passed.
She was snoring again.
"Ha..."
Raon slapped his own forehead with his palm as he watched her instant transition to slumber.
"Is this really just a natural gift?"
-Now you understand how everyone else feels!
Wrath began to giggle, his tail wagging with delight.
-When you tell people that swinging a piece of metal is 'simple,' they look at you with the exact same expression you're making right now!
He grinned, suggesting that Raon was finally experiencing what it was like to be a normal human.
"No way..."
Raon punched the dirt.
"I can never copy that."
He never expected to feel a lack of talent in something as basic as sleeping. Runaan’s innate ability to nap far exceeded any martial talent he had spent two lifetimes honing.
'Maybe I should just give up...'
As Raon sat there with his head in his hands.
-In that case...
Wrath crept closer and patted his shoulder.
-How about you learn from the Great King?
'From you? You're a demon lord, not a person.'
-As I have stated many times, I am far more human than you are!
He shook his head, insisting that he possessed a much deeper understanding of humanity than Raon.
'Well, you certainly are good at sleeping.'
Raon conceded, looking at the small demon.
-No, not sleep.
Wrath wagged a chubby finger back and forth.
'Then what?'
-The pillars of human life are clothing, sustenance, and shelter. This Great King can...
He licked his lips in anticipation, as if he had been preparing for this pitch.
-I shall instruct you in the true joys of gastronomy!
'Ah...'
Raon stared at him with flat, unimpressed eyes.
-What! It’s a valid path! You claimed you wanted to live as a human! Appreciating fine food is a core part of that!
Wrath waved his arms, frustrated that Raon wasn't jumping at the idea.
'You just want an excuse to eat... Hm?'
Raon was about to dismiss him with a sigh, but then he paused.
'Perhaps he isn't entirely wrong.'
Rather than torturing himself with a sleep that refused to come, focusing on the pleasure of food—something he actually enjoyed—might be a more productive way to explore his humanity.
'Very well.'
Raon looked at Wrath and gave a slow nod.
'Let's hear what you have in mind.'
-Hehehehe!
Wrath let out a devious chuckle, puffing out his chest in triumph.
-I have been waiting for you to say those words!
