Raon closed his eyes upon seeing Zieghartâs walls from afar.
âIâm finally back.â
Watching the walls that managed to survive over countless years reminded him of the peopleâs gazes he had met on the way back.
âAwe.â
Their gazes were different from before the incident. Their eyes were filled with admiration and awe as they stared at Zieghart.
Zieghart was already a great house as one of the Six Kings and Five Demons, but their reputation wasnât that great.
âA sinking ship.â
âThe forgotten conqueror.â
âThe power in the ruins.â
âA rusted sword.â
Because their advance came to a halt a long time ago, people even called Zieghart by names that would describe some of the ruined houses.
However, the incident had changed everything.
âEveryone has begun looking up to us.â
Everyone he met on the way back was shouting and cheering that Zieghart was the strongest house, their eyes sparkling with awe.
Even though the Six Kings and the Five Demons were the peaks of the continent, Zieghart was being called the top among them.
âAnd this is allâŚâ
Raon clenched his back teeth while looking at Glennâs back as he rode the horse in front of everyone.
âThanks to the head of house.â
That was the only reason. The single transcender who managed to drive away the White Blood Religionâs leader and the Fallen on his own had made the Zieghart name pierce through the stratosphere.
âHe really is different.â
He was truly worthy of astonishment, as the entire continent was in tremor because of a single personâs might. Raonâs current strength couldnât even reach the edge of his sleeves.
Tsk, tsk.
Wrath popped up from the ice flower bracelet and clicked his tongue.
You are just admiring that geezer instead of trying to be like him. You canât be any more unsightly.
âIâm not simply admiring him.â
What?
âIâm watching his back in order to catch up to him.â
Even though Glennâs level was as high as the sky, he wasnât planning to just look up to him forever.
âI will stretch my hand. Iâm also changing now.â
He managed to perfectly reach the intermediate level of Master, his swordsmanship and aura had gotten a lot better than before, and his physical abilities were incomparably stronger than before.
âI even got a hint for the Sword Field Creation.â
He managed to find a clue on how to achieve the Sword Field Creation by experiencing the mental world directly.
Many things that had happened were beyond his abilities, but the rewards he received were even better and he was satisfied with the result.
âIt still couldâve been better though.â
He wanted to train and spar once his body was somewhat recovered, but he couldnât exactly do anything because Glenn was going to scold him for that. It was regrettable that he couldnât spar or fight for a while.
âGreeting my lord!â
While he was focused on his thoughts, they had already arrived at the gate. The swordsmen guarding the gate shouted wildly as they opened the door.
He entered through the gate after Glenn, and he noticed familiar faces from the left side.
âRaonâŚâ
âYoung master!â
Sylvia, Helen, and the maids were waiting for him on the other side of the walls. Their eyes were completely red, and it looked like the smallest provocation would be enough to make them cry.
âHmmâŚâ
His heart was throbbing as he saw them. He wanted to run up to them, but he couldnât exactly move out of his position since the return hadnât ended yet.
âGood job, everyone.â
Glenn stared at Sylvia for a moment before he coldly turned his head.
âDisband.â
He simply shook his head before heading to the main building.
âThank you for your effort!â
The houseâs swordsmen immediately dismounted from their horses and bowed to Glenn.
Raon also bowed to Glenn before running towards Sylvia and the maids.
âIâm bacââ
âRaon!â
âYoung master!â
âYoung masterâŚâ
Everyone almost headbutted into him as they ran at him before he could even finish talking.
âRaon. Raon. RaonâŚâ
Sylvia kept calling his name while hugging his neck. Her hands were trembling violently.
âWhat a relief! Iâm really glad!â
Helen was holding his hand tightly with tears flowing endlessly from her eyes. Raon felt like it was his first time seeing Helen cry so much.
âUwaaah! Sir Raon!â
âSniff!â
Yua was crying loudly while holding onto his pants, and Yulius was simply pouting while holding back his tearsâsince he was a warrior, after all.
âYoung master, are you okay?â
âYou arenât hurt anywhere, right?â
âUwaaah!â
âSniff!â
The maids also clung to him with tears dripping from their eyes. Raon almost felt like all of his clothes were getting wet.
ââŚâŚâ
Judiel was the only one who wasnât crying as she silently stood in the back.
âWh-whatâs happeningâŚ?â
Hnng!
While Raon was being flustered, Wrath sniffled and looked up to the sky.
Whatâs happening? Making people worry about you is a sin!
Wrath frowned while saying something that a demon king shouldnât be saying.
You should treat them better in the future! They are the only ones who care about you unconditionally.
âI know.â
Raon bit his lip tightly.
âI was a fool.â
He simply thought that everyone was going to be happy about it since he managed to return alive. However, their worry had surpassed their joy.
They couldnât control their own emotions because of the worry that kept getting worse had burst out at once.
âI returned too late.â
Raon closed his eyes while embracing Sylvia, Helen, and the maids at once. He opened his mouth from the bottom of his throbbing heart.
âIâm sorry for worrying you.â
* * *
[Translator â Kyangi]
[Proofreader â Harley]
* * *
ââŚThatâs how I managed to survive, thanks to the head of house.â
Raon told Sylvia what happened up to that point while holding her hand in her bedroom.
âI-Iâm really glad.â
Clear water started to well up in her eyes. There was apparently still some moisture in her even though she cried so much.
âI should visit my father to express my gratitude.â
Sylvia wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and smiled happily.
Theft is never good, try looking at [ pawread.com ].
âAre you visiting him?â
âI still havenât managed to forget about your father and sister. I wasnât confident I could live on if Eden took you away from me.â
âPlease stop saying that.â
It felt like her words were stabbing his heart like a blade. He could understand a little how everyone felt when they were worried about him.
âAlright.â
Sylvia patted the back of his hand to express her consent with a smile on her face.
âBy the wayâŚâ
âHmm?â
âWhat kind of person was my dad?â
Heâd never asked before because he wasnât interested in him, but he suddenly became curious after learning the meaning of a house during the last incident.
âYour dad was an idiot.â
âAn idiot?â
âHe wasnât good at anything. Ah, I guess he was tall, at least. He was even taller than your current self. He almost looked like a pillar.â
Sylvia smiled faintly as she looked up at the ceiling.
âHis swordsmanship was also pretty amazing if you looked at his skills alone. He had no talent at all in aura, though.â
âBut whyâŚâ
âAre you curious why I married him?â
âYeah.â
Even though she was treated as an outcast in the house, Sylvia was still a member of the direct line and a genius swordswoman with a beautiful appearance. Raon couldnât understand why she went out with a man who had nothing good except for his swordsmanship skills.
âHe was cool. He never stopped his efforts even though he was clearly aware of his own limits, and he wielded his sword for the sake of others instead of himself.â
âHmmâŚâ
âHe never stopped smiling, even though he kept losing his money instead of earning it. He was an interesting person.â
Sylviaâs voice was filled with vigor and nostalgia at the same time.
âHeâs similar to you in a way. He wouldâve been just like you if he were stronger.â
Raon could feel that Sylviaâs hand, the one holding the back of his, was trembling.
âI told you that I wanted you to understand other peopleâs pain and live a life befitting a Zieghart swordsman, but I regretted it so much when I heard you were kidnapped.â
Sylvia apologized and exhaled faintly.
âI really am a sinful motherâŚâ
âNo.â
Raon clenched Sylviaâs trembling hand as he shook his head.
âI managed to survive thanks to what you told me.â
Sylviaâs advice was extremely helpful in allowing him to become a real human being. He wouldâve still been living a lonely life where he only cared about himself, just like his previous life, if she hadnât told him about it.
âThank you.â
Raon gently patted Sylviaâs shoulder. However, she wasnât responding. She seemed to have fallen asleep because the tension had left her body.
Raon covered her with a blanket before leaving her bedroom. He returned to his room, filled with an unknown feeling of satisfaction.
Probably because he was prepared for death, he felt like it had been years since the last time heâd been in his room.
âBy the wayâŚâ
Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at the ice flower bracelet around his wrist.
âWhy are you so silent?â
He shouldâve been shouting at him to feed him, and his unexpected silence felt rather surprising.
The King of Essence is an aloof and beautiful monarch of wrath who knows when to interfere.
Wrath popped up on the bracelet with a frown on his face.
Since he didnât break the atmosphere, you will eat whatever the King of Essence wants for dinner.
âI knew it.â
Wrathâs dignified attitude despite a cotton candy appearance was making him laugh, but he was still thankful to him.
Since the dinner was going to be massive anyway, Raon decided to eat everything Wrath wanted.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Raon chuckled, and three knocking sounds could be heard when he took off his outer garment. It was Judielâs signal, which he hadnât heard in a while.
âEnter.â
The door was opened, and Judiel entered with the same facial expression as always.
âDinner will be ready soon.â
âAlright.â
âThe mistress should be sleeping by now.â
âHow do you know?â
âShe has barely slept since she heard the news about the young masterâs kidnapping. It wasnât just herâeveryone in the annex building was the same.â
She seemed to be included in that âeveryoneâ. Raon felt sorry for them, but he also felt slightly happy, which was a strange feeling.
âAndâŚâ
Judiel gave him a paper.
âWhat is this?â
âItâs a letter that Lady Encia left behind.â
âShe left it behind?â
âShe left before hearing the news about Sir Raonâs kidnapping.â
âI seeâŚâ
Raon nodded. He thought the annex building was unusually quiet, and it was because Encia wasnât there.
âDid I get used to her already?â
He chuckled and opened the letter. Three letter papers were included in the envelope.
[Dear Sir Raon, the Damn Handsome.
Iâm so sad that I canât witness that beautiful face before I leave. Iâll be preparing some amazing expressions to describe your faceâŚ]
âHaa.â
The entire first page was pretty much talking about his face. He immediately moved on to the next page.
[Iâve somewhat finished the blueprint for Lady Sylviaâs artificial energy center. Thereâs a problem though, which is that it requires a rather precious material. A dragon heartâŚ]
âDragon heart?â
Raonâs jaw dropped at the mention of that ridiculous material.
[âŚwould be too difficult to acquire, so I need a drakeâs heart and a sea serpentâs heart. Connecting those two should create an energy center that can withstand a Master-tier aura.]
The end of the second page informed him that she returned to her house to perfect the blueprint and gather the materials.
[I feel so sad that I have to return now. I wanted to see Sir Raonâs freaking face beforeâŚ]
The third page was also talking about his face. The second page was the only one that had decent contents.
âThatâs just like Lady Encia.â
Raon chuckled and returned the letter to the envelope.
âDrake and sea serpentâŚâ
They were both monsters of the highest rank, called flying dragons and ocean dragons, with a mana heart in their necks. They were both powerful and rare, but they werenât completely impossible to find.
âI should be able to do this.â
He clenched his fist, realizing that he should be able to create Sylviaâs energy center, which felt like a dream.
âI have a report about the Central Martial Palace as well.â
Judiel knelt and bowed to him.
âThe Central Martial Palace master Karoon has returned, but heâs not showing any particular movements. Iâm assuming that heâs being wary of the head of house.â
âI suppose.â
The Central Martial Palaceâs sword division was also involved in the assault on Edenâs branch despite being suspended.
Since they would be trying to remove the suspension somehow, he shouldnât have any room to plot something else.
âIâll look into their activities in detail from now on.â
âYes, Iâm counting on you.â
âYes. Thatâs it for nowâŚâ
âWait.â
Raon stopped Judiel, who was about to leave the room.
âIâd like to request something.â
âPlease do.â
She nodded formally, like an emotionless doll.
âThe Black Market should send me information about the Six Kings and the Five Demons soon. I want you to analyze it to sort the necessary information from the unnecessary bits.â
âThe Black Market is sending information?â
âYes. What happened wasâŚâ
Raon told Judiel about the way he took advantage of the Black Market masterâs visit.
âH-how could you prevail against the Black Marketâs master in a battle of witsâŚ?â
âI didnât do anything that great. She was just underestimating me too much, andâŚâ
He slowly shook his head as he continued.
âTell me about your brother.â
âWhat?â
Judielâs eyes wavered visibly.
âWh-why would you ask thatâŚ?â
âI told the Black Marketâs master that I would ask her to find someone because I promised you before that Iâd find your brother.â
Raon sat on the bed and smiled at her.
âI-I thought you forgot about it.â
âOf course not.â
He just couldnât help her because he didn't have an opportunity to do so, but he never forgot the promise he made about finding her little brother.
Since it was a promise with the Black Marketâs master, it should be possible to determine his condition, at least.
âAhâŚâ
Judielâs chin was trembling as she stared at Raon.
âHe was actually serious about it.â
Although Judiel trusted Raon, he wasnât showing any sign of starting to look for her brother.
Since she was aware it was a difficult task to achieve, she had pretty much given up at that point, but Raon had asked the Black Marketâs master for itâwhich was completely unexpected.
âHe couldâve made a different request insteadâŚâ
Only the people from great houses and the highest executives of the kingdoms were allowed to meet the Black Marketâs master. She couldnât believe that Raon had used the opportunity to make a request from such an amazing person for her sake.
âC-can I really use up that chance? SheâsâŚâ
âA promise will be kept.â
âEhhâŚâ
Raonâs nod didnât have any strings attached, and Judiel felt nauseous, her head going blank upon realizing that fact. Her vision turned hazy, and she couldnât even see what was in front of her properly anymore.
âItâs okay. Just tell me about your brother.â
âM-my brotherâs name is Juvel. He should be twenty-one years old by now. Heâs from Entinker Village, and he has brown hair, blue eyes, and a small scar on his forehead. He was sold to the Central Martial Palace along with me, and I n-never saw him afterwardâŚâ
âI see.â
Raon nodded while remembering the information about Juvel. He wanted to find her brother as soon as he had a chance when realized the importance of family, but he couldnât follow through with his promise before, and he was feeling sorry about it.
âThank you. Iâm reallyâŚâ
Judiel bowed, her face pale. Her true expression had surfaced, which hadnât happened in a long time, as tears dripped from her eyes.
âWe should be able to find him.â
Raon patted her shoulder with a faint smile on his face.
Haah!
In the midst of the heartwarming scene, Wrath suddenly sighed deeply.
When are you planning to eat?
Wrath started spinning in the air and expanded himself. He turned into a large cotton candy and shouted at him.
The food is getting cold!
* * *
One week later.
Raon went to the fifth training ground after a long break. Because everyone was still supposed to be resting, there was no one in the training ground. However, it almost looked like someone had cleaned it up the day before because of how clean it was.
Raon slowly warmed himself up. His body felt light. He was perfectly recovered, and he didnât need to hide from Glenn or Sylvia anymore.
âHaa.â
He caught his breath and drew Heavenly Drive.
Cring!
The clear resonance of the sword was pulling at his heartstrings. Once he used the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, the aura of raging fire dashed through his mana circuits and burst out explosively.
Whir!
Crimson flame emerged upon Heavenly Driveâs blade. The astral energy was arising as naturally as the flowing river. Its beautiful shape was as majestic as the dappling sunlight.
âItâs clearly different. Even my martial artâs realm has increased, on top of my swordsmanship.â
The increase in his swordsmanshipâs realm made him better at controlling the astral energy. Everythingâincluding power, durability, and sustainabilityâwas far better than before.
âAnd the amount of aura has also increased drastically.â
It looked like the mana from Loctar and the Lava Crocodile Kingâs souls were finally finished being absorbed, as his energy centerâand Glacier and the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation inside of itâgrew obviously larger than before.
Cring!
Raon stepped forward with his left foot and unleashed the Fangs of Insanity. The blade pummeled the atmosphere as fiercely as a hungry beastâs fangs piercing into its prey.
Whoosh!
The second strike following from the left side felt sharp enough to cut through the air itself.
Every single strike of the Fangs of Insanity was thrashing with life. Raon could clearly feel that heâd gotten better than before.
âBut still⌠Itâs going to take a while to regain my fighting senses.â
His martial artsâincluding his swordsmanship and auraâhad clearly improved, but he spent too much time without swinging his sword.
He needed plenty of hands-on experience to get perfectly accustomed to the improved stats and realm.
âI wonder if thereâs any good opponents for me.â
While Raon started practicing the Blizzard Sword Art once again after licking his lip, the training groundâs door burst open.
âI knew you would be here.â
Rimmer chuckled and entered the training ground.
âYou tenacious brat. I knew you would be doing this.â
âSquad leader, you came at the perfect time.â
Raon bowed at him with a smile on his face.
âHuh? Your smile is ominous. I have a bad feeling about this.â
Rimmer narrowed his eyes and secretly moved away. He was so quick to notice something like that.
âPlease have a spar with me.â
âS-spar?â
âIâd like to improve my senses, as I havenât swung my sword in a long time. Fight me.â
âFight you? Are you a gangster or something?â
His jaw dropped because of Raonâs ridiculous behavior.
âPlease let me off the hook. Iâm already getting beaten up by the higher-ups all the time, and my sanity wonât last if even you end up beating me now.â
Rimmer shook his head, saying that he wasnât ready for a spar yet.
âMoreover, Iâm still a patientâŚâ
âItâs okay.â
Raon twirled Heavenly Drive with a bright smile on his face.
âIâll be a light, a very light spar.â
âIt might be light for you, but itâs extremely heavy for others!â
Rimmer screamed. Since he had already witnessed him beating up the Light Wind squad all the time, he could guess he would be beaten into a pulp if he tried sparring with his current amount of aura.
âPlease donât declineâŚâ
âYou donât need to do that.â
A deep voice came from the door. The Gambling Monster was slowly entering the training ground.
âI know a place that has plenty of sparring partners for you, instead of that wimp.â
âWhat?â
âThe Conference of Six Kings.â
The Gambling Monster twisted his lips up while looking at Raon.
âThey are holding the Conference of Six Kings.â