Chapter 1081
Chapter 1081
Having shared his plan to depart for Habun Castle with the occupants of the annex, Raon made his way straight toward the Lord’s Manor.
“Well now!”
Engaged in tidying the Lord’s Manor, Roenn raised his brows with a startled look upon spotting him.
“You have returned already.”
A soft chuckle escaped the elderly attendant, who clearly had not anticipated Raon’s prompt reappearance.
“I need to speak with the Head of House.”
Standing before the entrance of the audience hall, Raon carefully straightened his clothes.
“Step right in.”
Roenn stepped forward to assist with the doorway, signaling that Glenn was presently seated within the grand chamber.
“Allow me, I will open it myself.”
Taking the handle in his own grasp, Raon pushed forward. The large door swung open without the slightest creak, revealing an interior illuminated by the fading hues of dusk.
Bathed in the deep violet radiance of the falling sun, Glenn sat upon the Throne. With closed eyelids, he projected a transcendent majesty and an imposing, almost ethereal grace.
‘What am I looking at…?’
A dry swallow caught in Raon’s throat as he observed Glenn.
‘Grandfather seems…’
It felt almost as though the man had slipped beyond the confines of reality. While his physical form sat right there, he seemed faintly indistinct, as if his true essence lingered across another plane entirely. Yet there was no trace of hostility or darkness in that air. Rather, an enigmatic, sacred pressure enveloped him, so dense that speaking felt impossible.
-Hoh?
Wrath vented a startled grunt of admiration.
-Each time this King observes that mortal, it is impossible to deny how remarkable an anomaly he truly is.
The former monarch of frost nodded, genuinely struck by the spectacle before them.
‘What are you getting at…’
Before Raon could seek clarification from Wrath regarding Glenn’s bizarre state.
“Mmh…”
As if detecting Raon’s focused observation, Glenn gently parted his lashes. The moment his irises caught the twilight’s glow, the mystical atmosphere blanketing the grand room vanished without a trace.
“Pardon me. My thoughts had drifted elsewhere for a brief spell.”
Glenn raised an arm, casually smoothing back his stray strands of hair. In an instant, he seemed to anchor himself back into the mortal realm, projecting his familiar, towering dignity.
“…You have no cause to apologize.”
Raon shook his head slightly while taking his first steps into the hall.
‘My voice barely obeys me.’
He had wished to inquire about the strange phenomenon surrounding his grandfather, yet his lips resisted, seized by an irrational dread that Glenn might dissolve like sea foam if disturbed.
“In any case. What brings you to see me?”
Glenn looked down from his elevated seat, a gentle curve touching his mouth.
“I plan to depart the territory for a while.”
Raon dipped his head respectfully, laying out his intent plainly before the ruler of the domain.
“Leave the estate?”
Glenn’s brow furrowed by a fraction.
“Did you fail to attend the grand assembly earlier today?”
His countenance betrayed genuine bewilderment as to why Raon would choose to step away precisely when the race to determine the family heir had officially commenced.
“No, I witnessed the entire matter.”
Shaking his head, Raon clarified that he had listened attentively from behind one of the hall’s pillars.
“However, there are urgent duties requiring my immediate attention.”
With the looming possibility of Derus igniting open conflict at any hour, Raon had to rendezvous with the demon rulers without delay, aiming to turn them against the Archangel. As prestigious as the seat of the clan head was, crushing Derus and safeguarding Zieghart alongside the entire realm stood as his absolute priorities.
“I recognize your remarkable feats better than anyone else alive.”
Glenn rested an arm along the edge of the seat.
“Throughout the long chronicles of Zieghart, no warrior has ever piled up merits at the pace you have managed. Even so…”
The warmth vanished from the lord’s eyes, replaced by a biting sharpness.
“Should you grow careless, you could very well be outpaced.”
“What are you implying…”
“Given the sheer difficulty of securing a Golden Tablet, treating one as worth 5 points would have been entirely reasonable. Yet, I deliberately established Bronze Tablets at 1 point, Silver Tablets at 2 points, and Golden Tablets at merely 3 points.”
Glenn lightly drummed his fingers against the Throne’s armrest, sounding like a rhythmic cadence.
“Then that was a deliberate calculation on your part.”
Raon’s eyebrows drew down.
‘I suspected the numbers were skewed.’
Tasks yielding Bronze and Silver Tablets were routinely granted for handling standard duties, whereas Golden Tablets were exclusively presented to combatants who accomplished miraculous feats or commanders who orchestrated massive victories. The point return on Golden Tablets had felt unnaturally constrained, and now it was clear this was Glenn’s exact design.
“Precisely. Even with the massive foundation you have built up to this hour, someone could turn the tables on you throughout this brief successor trial.”
Glenn gave an affirmative nod, acknowledging that he had depressed the evaluation of Golden Tablets with that very dynamic in mind.
“Would you grant me the reason behind this choice?”
Releasing a sustained breath, Raon kept his gaze on the patriarch.
“My wish is to see every one of you struggle, clash, and ultimately rise above your present limits.”
Glenn tilted his head down with steady composure.
“A blade turns keener under relentless strikes, and iron hardens through the heat of the forge.”
His ambition lay in utilizing the race for succession to push every swordsman to evolve. It was never solely about choosing an heir; it was an effort to elevate the total might of the house.
“Furthermore, when forced to seek out and resolve assignments relying solely on their own judgment, they will forge not merely their physical techniques, but their mental resolve and real-world mastery.”
Glenn closed his eyelids briefly before opening them again, indicating the entire test had been structured around this specific philosophy.
“Ha…”
A small, wry chuckle spilled past Raon’s lips.
“Grandfather, not a single move of yours is ever without design.”
He had sensed an underlying motive, yet the scope of it exceeded his calculations. The gap in wisdom between himself and Glenn remained vast.
“You will possess that exact breadth of vision once you inherit this seat. In fact, you will likely execute it better than anyone.”
A tender, confident smile softened Glenn’s features, as if he could already witness that future taking form.
“Even so, I will not constrain your choices. If this is the road you elect to take, I shall respect it. Travel where you must, and come back when your work is finished.”
With a gentle sweep of his hand, he granted his full consent to Raon’s departure.
“My deepest thanks. Though my trajectory may differ from the others, I will ensure your expectations are not betrayed.”
Offering an earnest, deep bow, Raon turned on his heel and stepped out through the audience chamber doors.
“No matter what path you tread, or how far your journey leads…”
Glenn’s affectionate gaze trailed the heavy doors as they closed behind the youth.
“My faith in you remains absolute.”
Murmuring those parting sentiments, he let his eyelids drift shut once more. The surreal presence that had filled the hall earlier had completely vanished, leaving only the icy breath of the winter gale rattling against the glass panes.
Under a night sky dominated by a brilliant moon.
“What is the point of calling an assembly at this ungodly hour?”
Krein cocked his head, scanning the assembled members of the Light Wind Palace who stood clustered before the raised platform.
“Beats me…”
Dorian yawned heavily, rubbing his heavy eyelids while smacking his parched lips.
“It obviously concerns the trial for succession.”
Burren straightened his posture, stepping firmly in front of both Dorian and Krein.
“The remaining divisions are undoubtedly already scouring every lead to claim or generate missions.”
Nodding with resolve, he insisted that the Light Wind Palace needed to assemble operations for Raon immediately.
“I don’t really grasp what any of this entails…”
Runaan let out a drawn-out yawn, looking utterly lost in a daze of lingering drowsiness.
“Grasp it or not, we move forward.”
Martha balled her hand into a fist, giving Runaan’s back a solid thud.
“We have to throw our entire weight behind him.”
Her eyes burned with an intensity suggesting she would willingly throw her life away on the front lines for Raon’s sake.
“Precisely.”
Mark Goetun gave a solemn nod, his stony expression reflecting the exact same loyalty Martha displayed.
“I-is it really supposed to be this hot in midwinter? What is with this sudden heat… gah!”
Dorian recoiled backward, stumbling as if his legs might give out entirely.
“What on earth is wrong with you?”
Krein caught Dorian by the fabric of his shoulder with an annoyed grimace.
“I-I don’t even know. All the strength just drained straight out of my knees.”
Breathing rapidly in panic, Dorian stammered that his own reaction was beyond his understanding.
“And you call yourself a Master when you can barely keep your own balance.”
Just as Krein drew back an arm to swat the back of Dorian’s skull with a mocking scoff, the doors of the training grounds crashed wide open with a violent roar.
“You are all assembled.”
Raon’s sharp eyes swept across the gathered Light Wind Palace warriors as his boots hit the elevated platform.
“Listen closely, there is something I must impart to you all.”
Grasping the sheath of the Heavenly Drive, Raon looked over the ranks below him.
“You don’t even need to say it!”
Krein waved a hand frantically in the air, trying to show he already understood everything.
“You require us to dig up or invent some high-tier assignments, right? Leave it to us! As the true vanguard and driving force behind the Light Wind Palace, I, Krein, will immediately set out and—”
A broad grin spread across his face, entirely driven by his urge to gain favor in Raon’s eyes.
“That is entirely incorrect.”
Raon shook his head without a moment’s hesitation.
“Excuse me?”
“That’s not it?”
“If not procuring missions, then what else?”
Every warrior in the courtyard, not just Krein, stared up at Raon with wide, stunned expressions.
“I will be setting out toward Habun Castle alongside Yua and Julius. As for the rest of you, your job is to fulfill as many missions as your bodies can handle.”
Raon casually rotated his wrist to stretch, adopting a demeanor so relaxed it seemed as if he were discussing a morning walk.
“H-Habun Castle?”
Burren’s mouth twitched with shock.
“Hey! Why in the world would you wander off at such a defining crossroads!”
In his sheer outrage, Burren dropped honorifics for the first time in an age, raising his voice directly at his leader.
“Understood…”
Runaan’s eyes blinked slowly as she nodded along, though it was painfully obvious her consciousness was teetering on the edge of sleep.
“H-he’s dead serious! He honestly plans on walking away without racking up a single merit!”
Dorian’s mouth fell completely open as he pieced together Raon’s intent, drawing in a sharp, horrified gasp.
“You have a solid objective behind this, don’t you?”
Martha remained composed, her tone conveying implicit faith in Raon’s judgment.
“Naturally.”
“Then that settles it.”
Folding her arms over her chest, she nodded, indicating that a simple affirmation was all the justification she required.
“You cannot simply shrug and say ‘that settles it’! This isn’t some trivial matter, this is the contest to decide the family’s next head!”
Burren brought his boot down with a heavy stomp, desperately urging his comrades to regain their sanity.
“My own father has already mobilized his subordinates to track down every available assignment!”
Overcome with sheer frustration, he went so far as to expose Karoon’s immediate maneuvers.
“In that case, you take up the mantle.”
Raon stretched an open palm out toward the members of the Light Wind Palace.
“Pardon? Us?”
“What are you saying…”
“W-what do you expect from us?”
The swordsmen exchanged completely bewildered glances, failing to grasp where his words were leading.
“I am directing you to enter the successor contest. Track down the missions yourselves, see them through to the end, and claim the tablets of Zieghart.”
Raon brought his hands together in a clean clap, instructing them to stand in the trial as his personal proxies.
“What?”
Burren’s eyes flickered wildly, the shock turning his gaze into total disbelief.
“U-us vie for the succession?”
Krein’s mouth hung open just as wide.
“How are we supposed to dive into that kind of battle! Both our recorded deeds and individual martial ranks are vastly inferior!”
Trevin frantically waved his hands in denial, deeming the whole proposition completely absurd.
“Which is precisely why you must throw yourselves into it. Even should you fall short, the trial itself will reward you with experience. This entire succession trial isn’t merely an administrative process. The Head of House…”
Raon proceeded to detail the exact philosophical purpose Glenn had shared with him inside the audience hall.
“So that was it.”
Burren lowered his chin, finally grasping the true scope of Raon’s ambition.
“Clashing against such stakes would force unprecedented growth. Truly, nobody sees as far as the Head of House.”
Martha exhaled softly, deeply impressed by Glenn’s underlying stratagem.
“…”
Runaan’s head drifted lower as she slipped into a light slumber, letting out a barely audible snore.
“Of course, your assessment isn’t wrong. Setting past achievements aside, your personal combat prowess is still far from sufficient. However, there is no reason to despair. That is precisely why I am standing before you.”
Raon’s lips curled upward into an ominous arc, a frigid, predatory glint igniting in his gaze.
“N-no, please…”
Krein’s jaw began to rattle as an overwhelming wave of dread washed over him.
“Your instincts serve you well. Right up until the moment of my departure, I will oversee your special training personally.”
Beaming with radiant enthusiasm, Raon promised they would relive the grueling regimen that had preceded the great conflict.
“Urgh…”
“W-we have to endure that nightmare again?”
“I would rather perish right here! Run a blade through me instead!”
The instant the words “special training” left his mouth, a chorus of groans erupted as several swordsmen collapsed to the dirt like broken puppets, foaming at the corners of their mouths.
“I had an unsettling feeling we were due for this…”
Burren let out a long, weary sigh, as if a part of him had already braced for this nightmare.
“It makes sense. We have indulged in far too much idle time lately.”
Martha repeatedly clenched her fingers, mentally steeling her resolve.
“N-no…”
Even as she drifted through dreams, Runaan’s lips parted faintly, protesting the impending torment like a drowsy infant.
“Magnificent! I have craved this moment for far too long!”
Trevin instantly slid his blade from its scabbard, his face lit with genuine fervor.
“Aaaargh! I knew that sudden weakness in my knees was an omen…”
Dorian clamped his hands around his skull, finally understanding the physical terror that had seized his limbs moments before.
“Now then, to begin our session…”
“Eep!”
Sniffling miserably, Krein dragged himself forward, resigning himself to the inevitable execution.
“Not you yet, Krein. Your turn comes later.”
Raon redirected his pointer finger past Krein, aiming straight at Dorian.
“Dorian, since your presence is required on the road with me, let us wrap up your thrashing—ah, I mean your instruction—first and foremost.”
“Y-you clearly said thrashing just now, you didn’t say instruction…”
“Merely a trick of your hearing. Step forward.”
The lethal grin spreading across Raon’s face left no room to doubt that Dorian’s ears had heard the absolute truth.
“And Krein, I have reserved the final slot especially for you. I plan to pour every ounce of energy remaining in my body into turning you into a proper fighter.”
Flashing an openly murderous smirk in Krein’s direction, Raon paced deliberately toward Dorian.
“Aaaaargh!”
“Urrrrrgh!”
The agonized roars of the very first victim and the doomed final contender ripped through the cold night air, echoing endlessly across the training yard.
“Is everything packed?”
Raon called out toward Yua, who looked ready for the journey with an adorable pack strapped securely to her back.
“Everything! I’m completely prepared!”
Giving her bag a proud little pat, Yua nodded to show that not a single item had been forgotten.
“Raon. Why do you leave me out of the roll call?”
Wearing an annoyed pout, Evelyn adjusted the strap of the small bag slung diagonally across her chest.
“Do you take me for a ghost?”
She leaned forward, pushing her flushed face right up to his space while seeking immediate recognition.
“A-are your things in order?”
Raon reflexively leaned his torso back, speaking in a hurried rush.
“Address me by my actual name.”
“E-Evelyn. Have you packed everything…?”
“Naturally! Everything is set! As long as you are beside me, I need nothing else.”
Evelyn’s face broke into a radiant smile, boldly declaring that his presence was the only essential luggage she required.
“Uh…”
Gulping down dry air, Raon took a cautious step further away from her.
-Gaaah…
Wrath practically choked on his own spiritual foam from sheer secondhand bewilderment, despite Evelyn directing no hostility toward him whatsoever.
‘Navigating this woman’s presence only grows more exhausting by the day.’
His nerves felt strained to their limits, given how completely she disregarded any concept of distance.
“L-let us head out.”
Pushing open the front door of the annex, Raon was already draped in profound exhaustion despite having not yet taken a single step onto the main road.
“Take great care on the road.”
Standing amidst the garden greenery, Sylvia offered a warm wave, reminding them to look out for Yua and Julius along the path.
“Do not let your absence stretch on for too long.”
Edgar offered a firm nod, urging a prompt return home.
“Mother, Father, cast away your worries. I am going with him! Should he ever try to drag his feet out there, I will physically drag him right back by the collar!”
Beaming with cheerfulness, Evelyn promised that the entire expedition was firmly within her grasp.
“Ah…”
“Y-yes. We will leave that to you…”
Both Sylvia and Edgar gave rushed, strained replies while tactfully shifting their gazes away, clearly intimidated by Evelyn’s overwhelming personality.
“May fortune guide your steps.”
Judiel offered a polite bow, wishing them a safe and peaceful expedition.
“Raon! You better return with a wonderful souvenir!”
Sia waved her hands enthusiastically, shouting her promise to await his return.
“Understood. I will make sure to return.”
Raon’s lips curved softly as he gently held Sia’s fingers.
‘My elder sister has truly matured.’
His original intent had been to include Sia in the traveling party, yet she had willingly opted to remain behind, having developed a genuine passion for her sword training. It seemed any lingering traces of her former rebellious phase had entirely evaporated.
“We shall be on our way.”
Offering a respectful parting bow toward his kin, Raon crossed the threshold of the annex alongside Evelyn, Yua, and Julius.
“Sh-should I carry that pack for you?”
Julius shifted his gaze sideways, his hand timidly reaching toward the bundle on Yua’s shoulders.
“No need at all. It’s barely heavy!”
Yua offered a cheerful grin, politely declining the boy’s gesture.
“I-I only thought to assist…”
Having gathered all his courage only to be shut down, Julius lowered his eyes with a crestfallen expression.
“Looking at the four of us like this, doesn’t it completely resemble a double date for two couples?”
Evelyn brought her palms together with a delighted clap, praising the charming dynamic of the group.
“C-couples? Absolutely out of the question! Never in a million years!”
Julius shook his head with frantic desperation, vehemently rejecting the notion of being viewed as romantic partners with Yua.
“Exactly! I see it that way as well!”
Yua nodded her agreement, validating Evelyn’s cheerful observation.
“Stop indulging in such ridiculous fantasies… Wait. R-really?”
Just as Julius was gearing up to dismantle the absurdity of the claim, his face suddenly illuminated with desperate hope upon hearing Yua’s agreement.
“You genuinely view us as…”
“Though that obviously doesn’t apply to the two of us!”
Yua vigorously waved both hands back and forth, clarifying that their own relationship had zero connection to such romance.
“Ah…”
The brief flicker of joy that had illuminated Julius’s face collapsed instantly back into shadow.
“Phew.”
Raon let out a quiet breath of relief.
‘Thank goodness. At least watching those two brings some measure of entertainment.’
He had harbored concerns that Evelyn’s stifling presence would make the voyage unbearable, but the playful antics of Yua and Julius promised to balance the scales.
“Our destination is far, so let us quicken our pace.”
Guiding the three companions, Raon proceeded toward the massive perimeter gates of Zieghart. Yet, as they neared the outer barrier to request that External Commander Illiune raise the portcullis, a familiar silhouette caught his attention.
“Darkan?”
Raon’s eyes opened wide as he recognized Darkan, who stood resting his back against the stone fortifications with his arms crossed over his chest.
“What are you doing here…”
“I have been waiting for your arrival.”
“Waiting for me? You could have simply approached the annex.”
“Because I am likewise departing this place.”
Darkan casually rolled his ankle, signaling that his tenure within Zieghart had also reached its conclusion.
“I remained here specifically because there is a crucial matter you need to hear. Raon Zieghart, tell me…”
His hand settled deliberately over the grip of his shadowy blade, his piercing eyes locking onto the youth.
“Are you aware of the mystery hidden within the holy ground?”
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