Chapter 1259
"S-Sir Raon is the acting patriarch?"
Dorian was the first to react to Illiune’s revelation, lunging forward in surprise.
"It has changed already?"
He blinked rapidly, as if the transition had occurred far sooner than he anticipated.
"It wasn't exactly 'already'."
Trevin slowly unfolded his arms.
"Has it not been two months since the Palace Master went into isolation with the head of house? It is high time for a transition."
He gave a firm nod, noting that Raon’s emergence seemed perfectly timed.
"I am curious to see how much he has evolved..."
Mark Goetun wore a thin smirk, clearly anticipating Raon’s transformed presence.
"Ugh, why does it have to be now..."
Krein’s jaw quivered as he clutched his head, appearing terrified at the prospect of facing Raon in the role of the patriarch.
"Raon as the head of the house..."
"The inevitable has finally happened."
"I feel a mix of joy and pure dread."
The warriors of the Light Wind Palace experienced a simultaneous surge of excitement and anxiety, many biting their parched lips in nervous contemplation.
However, the expressions on the faces of Burren, Martha, and Runaan told a different story.
"Raon, of all people..."
Burren let out a weary sigh, already bracing himself for the lecture Raon would surely deliver.
"In terms of the mission results, we did well. But I have a feeling I’m going to be nagged until my ears bleed."
While no member of the Light Wind Palace had perished, Runaan had ascended to Transcendence, and they had eliminated Syria Sullion along with Eden’s spectral forces. Despite these successes, the path to victory had been riddled with errors, making a reprimand from Raon seem unavoidable.
"Without a doubt! We are going to be screamed at for at least an hour!"
Martha ground her teeth while still positioned on Runaan’s back, feeling as though they had been caught red-handed.
"He is definitely going to throw a fit and force us into a week of specialized focus training!"
Cold sweat beaded on her forehead at the mere memory of Raon’s brutal training regimens.
"......"
Finally, Runaan possessed the most tranquil gaze of the group. She appeared remarkably at peace, perhaps because she was fully aware of the gravity of her own lapses.
"You look surprisingly composed."
Martha’s lips curled into a grin upon seeing that Runaan wasn't her usual slumped self, but rather possessed a sense of serenity.
"I was prepared to give you a piece of my mind if you were acting all gloomy again."
She wagged a finger, clearly satisfied with Runaan’s current demeanor.
"I am no longer a child..."
Runaan nodded with deliberate slowness, as if the recent ordeal had granted her profound clarity.
"Excellent! Then let us move! We are all going to face the music together regardless!"
Martha slapped Runaan’s back, urging them to proceed.
"Yes..."
Runaan clicked her tongue softly and walked toward the primary gates of Zieghart that Illiune had unbolted.
"True. If we must be scolded, we should face it as a unit."
Burren chuckled softly, trailing behind Runaan.
"Let’s hurry! I want to see what Raon looks like sitting upon that throne!"
"I’m worried I might burst out laughing without meaning to."
"Precisely. We all remember what the Palace Master was like as a boy."
The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace passed through the main gate of Zieghart, fueled by the curiosity of seeing Raon occupying the seat of the patriarch.
"Their reactions are far more entertaining than I imagined."
Illiune smirked, glad he had shared the news of Raon’s temporary promotion.
"But laughter..."
He snorted as he watched the Light Wind warriors chatting amongst themselves, the mirth quickly vanishing from his own expression.
"Will they actually find the courage to laugh?"
"Ugh..."
Burren’s lips shook as he stared at the crimson carpet of the audience hall, not daring to lift his chin.
'T-This is different...'
The air was so heavy it was difficult to draw breath.
The figure seated upon the throne, looking down at them, was indeed Raon Zieghart.
Having known him since they were children, Burren thought the sight would feel familiar even with the new title, but he had been gravely mistaken.
At this moment, Raon radiated a pressure as dense as Glenn, the true patriarch, even eclipsing the presence of his own father, Karoon.
"Ugh!"
Martha likewise could not summon the nerve to meet Raon’s eyes, clenching her jaw so tightly it felt as though her teeth might shatter.
'What did he do in that isolation? Or is there a power within that throne itself?'
She had anticipated Raon would be furious or critical, but she hadn't expected to be pinned down by such a monstrous force. The sheer disparity in their power made it agonizing just to twitch a finger.
"Hup..."
"Argh!"
The lesser warriors of the Light Wind Palace, far below Burren and Martha in strength, turned ghostly pale, looking as if they might lose consciousness.
"Speak."
Just as the warriors felt they might suffocate or collapse, Raon’s voice broke the silence.
"Report on the mission and everything that transpired."
He withdrew the crushing aura that filled the chamber and lowered his eyes with a quiet intensity.
"Hah..."
Burren exhaled sharply, looking into Raon’s deep, sunken eyes.
'So he already knew?'
Based on Raon’s demeanor, it was clear he was already privy to the details of the mission. Burren had never intended to lie, but now that the truth was laid bare, he knew he had to be entirely transparent.
"Mmgh."
Martha squinted, her shoulders still trembling under the weight of Raon’s presence.
'It is better if I am the one to talk.'
It would be painful for Runaan to recount her own failings, and Burren lacked the full picture. It was her responsibility to step forward.
"Whew."
"Hah!"
Just as Burren and Martha were preparing to speak through the heavy atmosphere.
"I will be the one to speak..."
Runaan straightened her posture and stepped forward. Despite her weakened physical state from overexertion, a thin line of blood escaped from the corner of her mouth.
"......"
Raon gave a curt nod, his eyes remaining icy, signaling for her to continue.
"It started with a vision. From the moment I returned to my ancestral home and fell asleep, I was plagued by bizarre dreams, and I became more tethered to those visions than to the real world."
Runaan recounted every detail of the events with complete honesty, keeping nothing from Raon.
"...Through the intervention of the Rakshasa Division Leader and the Vice Palace Master, I was awakened, reached the state of transcendence, mastered the Sword Domain, and eliminated Syria Sullion..."
Even as she detailed the massive victory of killing Syria Sullion, her face remained contorted with the weight of her perceived failure.
"U-ultimately, we concluded the engagement without any major losses."
Burren raised a hand, attempting to soften the blow for Runaan.
"R-right! That is the truth of the matter."
Martha started to speak to Raon with her usual casualness but quickly corrected herself to a formal tone.
"It was because the Full Moon Division Leader found her path that we were able to survive."
She nodded as well, trying to provide a shield for Runaan.
"......"
Raon remained silent, his steady gaze drifting from Burren to Martha in a calculated rhythm.
"No."
Runaan exhaled a soft breath and shook her head.
"I was consumed by a hunger for strength. Even though I recognized the corruption in my sleep, I continued to seek it out."
She stopped making excuses and plainly identified her errors.
"The Power of <Sloth> provided me with explosive development and immense physical power, but it also made me a slave to slumber."
Runaan tightened her fists, which were still humming with newfound energy.
"This was my own immaturity. If I lacked the internal fortitude to conquer <Sloth>, I should never have pursued it so obsessively. Instead, I gave in to the craving for sleep and fell right into the trap Syria Sullion set for me."
The threshold of transcendence. After Raon, she was the first to cross into that realm, yet because of her greed, she had disregarded the alarms of her own soul. It was her mistake alone.
"The Vice Palace Master, the Rakshasa Division Leader, and every warrior of the Light Wind Palace tried to assist me, but I spurned their help to chase after dreams and power. The responsibility for this crisis lies solely with me."
Runaan dismissed the glory of reaching transcendence and manifesting a Sword Domain, or even the death of Syria Sullion. She apologized for nearly leading the Light Wind Palace to ruin, dropping to her knees on the red carpet and bowing her head low.
"Runaan..."
"You..."
Burren and Martha stared in shock, having not expected Runaan to display such profound humility.
"I see."
Raon observed the dark shadows beneath Runaan’s eyes that had yet to fade and touched his chin thoughtfully.
"The failures of the Full Moon Division Leader are evident. As you admitted, you failed to trust the allies you have stood with for years, allowed yourself to be seduced by false power, and endangered your unit. While you eventually resolved the threat by killing Syria Sullion, that was only possible through the intervention of your comrades. It was not a victory won by your strength alone."
His critique was delivered in a frigid tone, devoid of any warmth.
"......"
Runaan remained in her kneeling position, offering no defense against Raon’s harsh assessment.
"The Vice Palace Master and the Rakshasa Division Leader are also at fault. When it became clear that the Full Moon Division Leader’s state was beyond your capacity to handle, you should have sought external assistance. Instead, you hesitated, believing your own strength was sufficient to fix the situation—a display of reckless overconfidence."
Raon turned his cold judgment toward Burren and Martha, stating that their excessive faith in themselves and in Runaan was a critical flaw.
"I apologize."
"Ugh..."
Burren lowered his head immediately, and Martha struck her own cheek in a fit of self-loathing.
"The warriors of the Light Wind Palace share this burden. You all witnessed the change in the Full Moon Division Leader, yet you chose to leave the burden entirely to the Vice Palace Master and Rakshasa Division Leader. To ignore the problem was a failure. Even if you couldn't act directly, you should have voiced your concerns or sought counsel."
"Mmm!"
"That is..."
"Haaa..."
The warriors of the Light Wind Palace offered no rebuttal, merely fidgeting and sighing in collective shame.
"However, while we discuss the failures, we must also acknowledge the accomplishments."
Raon shifted his hand from the armrest.
"The Full Moon Division Leader dealt a final, permanent death to the Evil Goat Demon. Syria Sullion was a vile and relentless threat who would have wrought havoc across the continent had he been left to his devices. His elimination is a monumental feat. Furthermore, reaching transcendence and manifesting a Sword Domain will be vital assets in the coming conflict with Eden. In this regard, your merits outweigh your faults."
He noted that when considering both Runaan’s current actions and her future potential, her contributions were significant, nodding with a calm authority.
"Furthermore, the Vice Palace Master and Rakshasa Division Leader. Recognizing their own limits, they sacrificed sleep and dedicated themselves to training, achieving immense growth. Runaan’s breakthrough was only possible because of their relentless efforts. Their merit is also substantial."
Raon acknowledged the awakening of Runaan as a key achievement, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again.
"Therefore."
Raon dispersed the cold aura, his eyes turning peaceful.
"I will neither penalize the Light Wind Palace for their errors nor grant rewards for their successes. Instead, I want you to reflect on how you could have acted differently to ensure a better outcome."
In place of traditional discipline, he offered the unit a chance for introspection to fuel their development.
"Th-thank you."
"Thank you, sir!"
Burren bowed first, followed by the rest of the warriors.
"Thank you..."
Runaan looked into Raon’s eyes for a long moment before lowering her head once more.
"We shall take our leave then."
Just as Burren let out a breath and prepared to rise.
"No."
Raon held up a palm, his eyes once again flashing with a lethal coldness.
"What we have discussed covers everything up to the death of Syria Sullion. There is more to the story."
He signaled for the warriors to remain where they were and snapped his fingers.
Snap!
With a sharp sound, Sheryl emerged from behind the throne, dragging a man with a pig-like nose dressed in heavy robes. From a side door, Roenn entered, leading a group of very young children.
"That man is... gasp!"
Burren recognized the pig-nosed man and gasped in shock.
"Ah..."
Runaan’s jaw dropped as she recognized the children from her dream world appearing in reality.
"Wh-who are these people?"
Martha blinked, looking completely confused.
"This man is the Bear Fire Demon. He was the one who cast the Dream Illusion Magic on the Full Moon Division Leader under Syria Sullion’s command. These children were the 'pillars' of that magic, kidnapped by the demon to trap Runaan in that illusory world."
Raon introduced the villain and the victims.
"H-he was still alive..."
Burren swallowed hard, unable to believe they had missed him.
"Mmm..."
Runaan groaned, realizing she had never actually confirmed the death of the Bear Fire Demon.
"The death of Syria Sullion does not automatically mean the death of his lackeys. You should have verified the status of your enemies with absolute certainty. Because you failed to do so, this demon nearly escaped, and these children would have been turned into sacrifices for Eden’s masks."
Raon nodded grimly, explaining that the survival of the Bear Fire Demon would have led to the tragic sacrifice of these innocents.
"You were so blinded by your victory that you almost allowed even more tragedy to occur."
His reprimand was sharper and more severe than any that had come before.
"I... I am sorry..."
Burren pressed his forehead to the floor, having no excuse.
"It is my mistake. I was focused only on Syria Sullion..."
Runaan bit her lip until it bled, visibly shaken because she had personally seen these children in her visions.
"Haah..."
Martha looked down in silence, knowing she had been unconscious and unable to help.
"I was there as well."
"I just assumed he was dead..."
"How could we make such a blunder..."
The warriors of the Light Wind Palace sighed collectively, lamenting their failure to check the corpses.
"A-Acting Patriarch, were you observing us the entire time?"
Dorian’s hands shook as he realized Raon had been watching their every move.
"......"
Raon offered no reply to Dorian and stood up from his seat.
His towering frame and immense presence dominated the room. He looked down upon the Light Wind Palace, the people he had grown up with, while projecting the aura of a supreme deity.
Under the weight of Raon’s terrifying presence, the warriors could not look up, their eyes fixed on the floor.
"If you wish to rest, you may. But before you stands a chance to rectify this failure."
Raon looked at the trembling Bear Fire Demon and a predatory smile touched his lips.
"An eye for an eye. Blood for blood. Eden has spilled Zieghart blood, and we shall return the favor in kind."
Red sparks of lightning danced in his eyes as his voice turned sharp enough to cut.
"Follow me."
