Raon gritted his lips as he watched Rector's departure.
'I have no idea what you're thinking.'
It felt like Rector wanted to convey something but didn't want to at the same time. It sounded absurd, but that's truly how it felt.
His eyes, which were as dry as a desert but eventually revealed moisture, and the way he displayed the Flow of Ten Thousand Swords while fighting Aris, just like during swordsmanship training— it seemed as if he had come here to finish the lessons he couldn't complete before.
'It sounds crazy even to me.'
Rector, who had declared himself a member of the Holy Sword Alliance and said he would kidnap me, coming here just to guide me in swordsmanship. It seemed preposterous even to me.
But my supposedly rational mind kept reaching out in that direction.
'Is this self-rationalization?'
Maybe my mind wasn't willing to believe in Rector's betrayal and was forcibly thinking positively.
"Hoo…."
Raon sighed deeply to blow away the confusion filling his head and approached Aris.
"Are you alright?"
"That old man. He didn't use his full strength."
Aris frowned as she sheathed her sword.
"Pardon?"
"The Sword Demon. If he wanted to, he could've easily sliced off one of my arms, but he just retreated after an appropriate exchange."
She also knew that Rector hadn't used his full power.
"I underestimated him a bit. The continent is indeed wide."
Aris glanced at the sky regaining its blue tinge and then turned her gaze to the collapsed manor. She looked at Merlin, who was standing friendly like an ally, and lightly tapped her scabbard.
"Thanks for your help, but you're also after my nephew, aren't you?"
"And what if I am?"
Merlin raised her chin confidently, meeting Aris's gaze.
"Wow, it's my first time seeing a kidnapper so brazen."
Aris chuckled incredulously.
"Not now, of course. I know I won't succeed right now."
"Then why did you interfere with the Sword Demon?"
"Wouldn't you be pissed if someone took what's yours?"
Merlin waved lightly as if it was a given. The black robe wrapping her body shimmered like a mirage.
"I'll find another chance and come back."
"Who said I'd let you?"
"Hold on…."
Before Aris could even stop her, she drew her sword like lightning. Her sword strike reached Merlin before she fully unsheathed her blade.
Whoosh!
But it only erased the robe's blurry outline, as if Merlin's real body wasn't there, leaving no actual damage.
"Was that an illusion?"
"Something like that."
Merlin stuck out her tongue teasingly at Aris.
"See you again."
She waved at Raon before disappearing into a bubble.
"Freaking magic."
Aris muttered in discontent as she sheathed her sword again.
- Don't let your guard down!
Wrath, who had been cowering since Merlin's appearance, suddenly raised his head.
- There's no way that crazy person just left! She must be hiding and watching us right now!
'Now that you mention it….'
Merlin might have vanished as a trick and could be observing us through another animal.
"What on earth is happening?"
Rimmer, with a knit brow, approached.
"He didn't seem like someone who'd betray us…."
He also seemed to find it hard to believe that Rector was part of the Holy Sword Alliance and sighed.
"Your arm…."
Alice finally noticed Rimmer's severed right arm and widened her eyes.
"You don't need to look at it like that. It's just an investment for the future."
Rimmer laughed and waved with his left hand.
"Future?"
"Lord Glenn lost his arm protecting us."
Raon rubbed his fingertips, looking at Rimmer's shoulder.
"He was protecting you?"
Alice gave Raon an inquisitive look.
"That crazy guy was immersed in a state of enlightenment on the battlefield."
"But that's not his fault. You can't just enter a state of enlightenment on purpose."
"It was intentional."
Rimmer shook his head, and Alice's eyes grew wide.
"You, really?"
"Yes."
Raon scratched his head and nodded.
"We were in a situation where we were about to be annihilated, so we had no choice but to gamble."
"Ha!"
Alice chuckled in disbelief.
"Then you woke from the state of enlightenment in the middle of the battlefield and defeated the remaining enemies?"
"Something like that."
"Grrraaah!"
She exclaimed with a voice filled with admiration, spreading her arms wide.
"Of course, you're my nephew! If you wield a sword, you should be doing crazy stuff like that!"
Aris repeatedly praised him as she hugged him tightly, seemingly because Raon had done it or the result was good.
"Ugh, wait, a moment."
Raon struggled to break free, but Aris didn't release him, rubbing her cheek against his. The cool yet pure sea scent she alone possessed combined with her hug to calm his throbbing heart.
"Aunt! Enough!"
"Ah! Nephew!"
Only after he called her "Aunt" did Aris release her tight hold.
"Yes, call me Aunt. I made you get used to it, so why did you go back to calling me Lady Aris?"
"It's hard to call you that in the clan."
"Who's stopping you? I'll deal with them all!"
"The head of the family…."
"...."
Aris gulped dryly and shook her head.
"He's… He's fine. He's my father after all."
Only in such times did she refer to Glenn as her father, smiling awkwardly.
"Greetings, Lady Aris Zieghart."
The Light Wind division swordsmen bowed to Aris. Since she had no formal position within Zieghart, they chose to show respect by addressing her personally.
"What's with such stiff greetings among family?"
Aris waved her hand with a broad smile.
"Just call me Aris comfortably. Oh, come to think of it, there are two more nephews of mine here, right?"
"B–Burren Zieghart."
"Martha! I respect you!"
Burren stepped forward shyly, and Martha, dazzled by Aris's power, jumped forward with sparkling eyes.
"Good to see you, nephews!"
Aris embraced Burren and Martha warmly, laughing heartily.
"You both are no less than Raon. Both of you are Masters at this age! Much faster than I was!"
She marveled at their skills and patted their heads affectionately.
"...."
Left alone, Runaan stood still, then approached Aris and hugged her first.
"Who… Who are you?"
Aris, taken aback by Runaan's behavior, blinked her eyes.
"Runaan Sullion."
"Ah, you're Rokan's daughter!"
She grinned, referring to Rokan by name.
"Okay. You come too! No, all of you come!"
Aris greeted all the Light Wind division members warmly to lighten the tense mood. Her unique affability and straightforward nature quickly brightened the atmosphere.
"But…."
Aris squinted her eyes and turned her gaze.
"What was your relationship with the Sword Demon?"
Only after greeting everyone did she address the sensitive topic.
"Well…"
"It's…"
Everyone in the Light Wind division had received guidance and instruction in swordsmanship from him and silently bowed their heads.
"Lord Rector taught us a lot."
Raon exhaled deeply and finally spoke.
"When we went to House Arianne…"
He briefly recounted how they met the Sword Demon and what their interactions had been like.
"I see."
Aris nodded, understanding why the situation was like this.
Surprisingly, she neither consoled nor encouraged them. Perhaps because she didn't experience it firsthand, she chose to remain silent. She was an adult who knew exactly when to step in and when to stay out.
"Let's have a talk, you and I."
"Huh? Why me! I'm injured!"
Aris shook hands with the Light Wind division and dragged Rimmer away.
"Lord Rector being part of the Holy Sword Alliance, what's really going on?"
Burren sighed, watching Rimmer get dragged away.
"He played with us for fun! He mocked us!"
Martha bit her lip in anger, frustrated that she had become attached to Rector.
"...."
Runaan remained silent, gazing quietly at the sky. Having witnessed the events with Syria, this incident seemed even more impactful to her.
"What do you think, Vice Leader? Is it truly a betrayal?"
Dorian nervously took out and chewed a snack from his pouch, making his jaw quiver.
"I don't know either."
Raon shook his head, unusually weak. He was as perplexed as the rest and had nothing to say.
"But one thing is sure: Lord Rector is now an enemy. Keep that in mind."
"Yes…"
The Light Wind division nodded slowly. Although their response lacked spirit, Raon did not scold them.
"Let's focus on reporting for now."
"Yes…"
Dorian handed Raon the communication paper for the report a bit slower than usual, indicating his exhaustion.
"Thank you."
Raon patted Dorian's shoulder and began writing the report. After hesitating about what to write, he noted everything that had occurred, then tore out the section about the Sword Demon.
'I want to say this in person.'
Glenn had built a certain camaraderie with Rector while competing in swordsmanship.
Since they often conversed later, Raon didn't want to relay this information through a document.
'Instead….'
He penned something he normally wouldn't and handed it to Dorian.
"I'll send it right away."
Dorian handed Krein the unconscious Siuelen he had carried on his back, and prepared to send the report to the family.
Raon sighed silently as he looked at Siuelen, her face stony even while unconscious.
'A little, I understand how much you must be suffering.'
* * *
Chad, the Shadow Agents' Leader, hurriedly knocked on the audience chamber door.
"Lord Glenn!"
Before the knock echoed inside, the door swung open, revealing Roenn's mildly smiling face.
"Please come in."
"Thank you."
Chad bowed to Roenn and walked inside.
Glenn, sitting on a throne, looked displeased as he frowned and shook his leg. The manor seemed to tremble with his movements.
"What is it?"
Glenn's hollow eyes demanded a quick explanation.
"There's a message from the Light Wind Vice Division Leader."
"What?"
As Chad took out an envelope, Glenn's eyes filled with a bright red gleam. He gestured energetically from the throne.
"Are the children alright?"
"Yes. There are serious injuries, but no fatalities. However, an issue arose during the mission…."
"Issue?"
"Yes. It seems the Dragon Sword Master and the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance's disciple arrived sooner than expected. They were engaged in immediate battle…."
"Hmm…."
Glenn frowned, seemingly displeased with Chad's reading pace.
"Can't you read it any faster?"
"Ah, I'll read faster!"
Chad, nervous, wiped his forehead, accidentally dripping sweat onto the report.
"Blasted!"
Startled, Glenn extended his hand, and the report flew into his grasp.
"Ahem…."
After evaporating the sweat on the report, Glenn glared at Chad.
'Sweating on something so precious!'
Reports written by Raon himself were rare. Such valuable documents should be preserved forever; letting sweat fall on it incited anger.
He refrained from openly showing his rage and merely furrowed his brows while reading the report.
Raon's handwriting was calm yet dispassionate.
He documented how he tried to prevent House Lakion's betrayal and executed the impervious Huan with numerous martial artists afterward. It also detailed the neutralization of the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance's disciple and the Dragon Sword Master.
'The rotten seeds I needed to remove were dealt with by that child instead.'
Zieghart had not marched forward for decades. Internal and external problems were bound to arise. After addressing the internal issues, Raon handled the vassal families outside. His achievements warranted far greater praise.
"Impressive achievements."
Chad cautiously lifted his head.
"If House Lakion had continued scheming, they would have struck us at an opportune moment. He prevented that beforehand. Extraordinary."
"Same goes for House Sullion. Without Young Master Raon, we would have likely fallen into Syria's hands."
Roenn added to Chad's remarks.
"Hmm…."
Glenn only gave a vague nod, unable to outright praise anything.
"Rimmer must also feel a little at ease now."
He considered Rimmer's revenge being completed rather than Raon's achievements, and he slightly nodded.
"Indeed."
Roenn also nodded with a mild smile.
"Will he revert to his old self?"
"Hard to say. He's fallen pretty deep…."
"Excuse me…."
Chad blushed as he raised his hand.
"Did you happen to miss the backside?"
"Backside?"
"Yes. There's another piece of information on the back."
Chad insisted, nodding vigorously.
"Hmm…."
Glenn flipped the report. The moment he read the single line, his lips trembled.
"He, he reached Grandmaster? That child broke through to Grandmaster?"
Glenn shattered the throne's armrest and leaped to his feet.
"Heh…"
Roenn let out a surprised, broken laugh.
"Damn it!"
Glenn stomped so hard the podium shook.
"Hiii!"
Chad jumped back in shock.
'W-Why is he acting like that?'
He thought Glenn would be pleased, but he was enraged instead.
'Maybe he doesn't favor the Light Wind Vice Division Leader after all?'
Confused, Chad glanced at Glenn, whose lips slowly parted.
"I thought it wasn't time yet, but he's already surpassed the wall! And I missed watching it!"
Glenn lamented missing Raon's breakthrough, crushing the remaining armrest.
Crack!
Red lightning aura instinctively emanated, encircling the podium. A crimson storm seemed about to rage.
"Aris. If not for that brat, I would have seen him surpass the wall firsthand!"
"Ah…."
Chad's mouth fell open.
'So that's what it was.'
Rather than Raon's ascent to Grandmaster displeasing him, Glenn sorely regretted missing the moment.
'Never mind.'
Just make sure to stay on Raon Zieghart's good side.
Chad resolved to welcome Raon and the Light Wind division more grandly than ever, clenching his fist in determination.
* * *
Raon headed to Siuelen's room upon hearing she had awakened.
"Ra, Raon!"
Siuelen rolled off the bed but immediately got up and ran towards him. The bluish bruises spreading on her thigh and arm ached in his eyes.
"Where are Dad and my brothers?"
Despite the torture from her own family, she sought them immediately upon waking.
"Hoo…."
Raon knelt on one knee to meet her eyes.
"I'm sorry. I did my best, but I couldn't keep my promise."
"...."
Siuelen swallowed hard and sank back.
"So, they're…"
"The demonic energy had penetrated deep into their bones. There was no other way."
Huan Lakion had gone mad to the point of draining not just his subordinates but also his own children's lives to empower the Demonic Sword, Criatus. Even if Raon could time travel, there'd be no other way than to kill him.
"I suspected it…."
Siuelen whispered, clutching the carpet with her small hands.
"I knew as soon as I woke up that my hopes and reality had diverged."
"...."
"But I still wanted to believe in a miracle, and bad premonitions never fail."
"I'm sorry."
"No. You said you did your best."
She forced a smile, shaking her head.
"What will become of me now?"
Siuelen's trembling eyes lifted. The sorrow was more profound than fear.
"Am I going to be locked up in Zieghart's prison as the daughter of a traitorous family?"
"That won't happen."
Raon shook his head. Glenn wouldn't do that, and if he attempted it, Raon would stop him.
"What do you want to do?"
"I…."
Siuelen looked down for a moment to collect her thoughts before lifting her head.
"I want to protect this house."
"This house?"
"Yes. It's where I lived with my parents, my brothers…."
She wanted to hold onto the memories with her family, even just their remnants, and bit her lips.
"Hmm…."
Raon sighed briefly.
'Is it possible?'
Half of Lakion's martial artists survived, but there was no guarantee they would follow Siuelen. Even if they did, it would be a tough road for a young girl.
"It will be hard."
"That's okay."
Siuelen raised her head resolutely. During this short moment, her eyes had become clear and determined.
'Indeed, she's the one who revealed her family's wrongdoing.'
This was the child who had bravely gone to the Sinigen Branch to expose her family's sins to save them. Restoring the family seemed a challenge she could overcome.
"Then come with me to Zieghart."
"Zieghart?"
"Yes. We need to meet the head of the family."
"Hmm…."
"Don't worry. The head of the family is wise."
"O-Okay."
Siuelen clenched her little fists and nodded.
"We leave tomorrow. Rest well."
Raon advised Siuelen to rest before leaving her room.
-That child is admirable!
Wrath sniffled.
-This world has crazy people like you, but it also has commendable kids, making it impossible to hate!
While praising her and also mocking Raon, Wrath wiped his eyes.
'Indeed. She should be a bit more childlike at her age.'
He now understood why Sylvia had hoped he would grow up a bit slower.
Raon sighed softly, looking at the dark night sky.
'I'm exhausted.'
Though not severely injured, the mental strain from Rector's betrayal was immense. He missed home and longed to see Sylvia and the annex members.
'And him too.'
Strangely, Glenn's face appeared in his mind. He wanted to hear Glenn's cold voice saying, "Well done."
"I miss them all."
As Raon awkwardly smiled, the bushes to the right of the lodging rustled, and a raccoon emerged, pointing at itself.
"Me?"
"...."
Raon closed his eyes tightly.