Chapter 1166

Chapter 1166
Chapter 1166

“A fresh mechanism?”

Raon drew near Ensia, his eyes widened in surprise.

“What concept crossed your mind this time?”

An artificial limb was a device that fulfilled its intent simply by substituting for a missing hand. The fake hand forged by Ensia from House Yonaan was an extraordinarily delicate creation that felt almost indistinguishable from actual flesh, making him curious about what function she could have added to deem it an innovative capability.

“You’ll understand the moment you witness it… oh!”

Ensia halted mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open.

“Attractive Raon.”

She blurted out that phrase for the first time in a while, her gaze sparkling with delight.

“No, how do you manage to become even more attractive! How can a person be like this! Truly!”

Ensia gasped for air like someone who had just completed ten laps around the main training ground, declaring that she simply couldn’t comprehend it any longer.

“Attractive…”

Raon offered a hollow laugh while running a hand through his untidy hair.

“I am quite a mess today, though.”

He had spent time working at a general shop, played with youngsters in an open field, and then made his way to the head of house’s main training ground, so there was no way he looked impressive—he had no clue what she found so attractive.

“Simply! Your very presence! The surrounding atmosphere! Even the way you breathe is attractive!”

Ensia’s hands quivered like those of a person completely overcome.

“I must rush and complete the Raon Zieghart Biography as well. I have to reveal that face to the entire world!”

She tightly balled her fist, insisting that penning the Raon Zieghart Biography held precedence over any other undertaking.

“Lady Sylvia! How in the world did you manage to give birth to such a son!”

Ensia now pressed Sylvia, demanding to know the secret to producing such a handsome son.

“Indeed. I find it astonishing as well that Raon originated from my womb.”

Sylvia offered a soft smile, admitting that she too was amazed by Raon’s appearance.

“Is he really that attractive?”

Sia tilted her head, unable to tell since he was simply her brother.

-Grrr…

Wrath clenched his fist in sheer frustration.

-This King is immensely more magnificent and gorgeous than this fellow! Mortal beings understand nothing of true beauty!

The entity gnashed his teeth as if recalling a past moment when he had lost a contest of looks.

“I am truly losing my mind. He is so attractive that I wish to preserve him…”

Ensia endlessly repeated the word “attractive” alongside the chilling term “preserve.”

“Haah…”

Raon released a short sigh while observing Ensia’s mesmerized gaze.

“Please set aside the praise for a moment and inform me about the new mechanism of the artificial arm first.”

Since being called attractive did not particularly stir his feelings, he immediately directed the conversation to the primary subject.

“Ah, correct! I will demonstrate the new mechanism once we head inside. Observing it directly is much faster than explaining it with words!”

Ensia opened the door to Federick’s manor to guide them while attaching the limb to Rector.

“Hurry inside!”

She gestured for them to follow and stepped into Rector’s chamber as though it were her own residence.

“Let us proceed.”

Just as Raon was nursing his aching head from Ensia’s overwhelming praise and preparing to enter Federick’s home…

“Raon.”

Sylvia gently grasped Raon’s wrist.

“When did you contact Ensia?”

She let out a quiet breath of astonishment, having been completely unaware.

“I reached out to Lady Ensia immediately on the day we brought grandfather here. I requested that she forge a durable artificial arm capable of enduring even the power of a Transcendent.”

Raon offered a calm nod, acting as though he had merely performed the expected action.

“You were keeping Father in mind even while enduring demanding training.”

Sylvia smiled with deep appreciation for his care over something she had missed.

“It is only what I ought to do.”

Raon waved his hand, insisting it was only natural and that no gratitude was necessary.

“After all, I had the spare time to arrange it.”

Unlike Sylvia, who remained entirely focused on her training at the main training ground, he had the freedom to move about, making it simple to manage other affairs.

“Even so, thank you.”

Sylvia gently patted Raon’s shoulder, stating that she had truly brought a remarkable son into the world, just as Ensia said.

“Understood.”

Raon yielded a gentle smile as he received Sylvia’s words of thanks. In times past, he would have declined such sentiments to the end, but now he could fully embrace them because he understood the warmth of human emotions.

“What are you waiting for! Step inside at once!”

Ensia motioned frantically from within the room, urging them to end their conversation and enter. Even while calling out, her gaze remained locked squarely on Raon.

“Let us go inside.”

Raon stepped into Rector’s chamber accompanied by Sylvia and Sia. Edgar and Federick were seated on chairs in waiting, as though Ensia had notified them beforehand.

“It appears the task is finished at last.”

Federick offered a bright smile, noting that they had arrived at the ideal moment.

“Dearest! Daughter! Son!”

Edgar bounded up from his seat and rushed toward Sylvia and Sia.

“Out of the way!”

“Father! Step aside with me!”

Sylvia and Sia shoved the approaching Edgar out of their path, clearly prioritizing Rector’s well-being, and hurried to the side of the bed.

“Father. Are you feeling alright?”

“Grandfather. Is it painful?”

The pair greeted Rector immediately without sparing a single glance at the tossed-aside Edgar.

“Just laying eyes on you two causes both exhaustion and pain to vanish.”

Rector shared a warm smile, inquiring if their training had yielded good progress.

“Yes. It is all thanks to Father’s thoughtful concern.”

Sylvia inclined her head while watching Rector.

“I received praise!”

Sia grasped Rector’s hand, mentioning that Glenn had commended her, though she sought even more praise from him.

“Ugh, their affection has already shifted! They used to embrace me in the past!”

Edgar sniffled, looking thoroughly wounded by Sylvia and Sia’s reaction.

“Father, perhaps you ought to save your dramatic displays for home.”

Raon let out a sigh as he stepped deeper into the room.

“Hmm? Raon, you…”

Edgar’s jaw twitched slightly, as if he caught a glimpse of the change in Raon’s Martial Prowess behind his serene expression.

“Is that a lot of dust clinging to your hair? Shouldn’t you wash up?”

He chuckled, pointing out the dust as though he had only noticed the state of his hair rather than any shift in power.

“I certainly need to clean myself up.”

Raon let out a quiet laugh and nodded.

‘Regardless of how I view it, those two truly match each other well.’

He could see traces of Rimmer’s personality within Edgar. It felt like a small shame that the two of them would have made ideal companions had they crossed paths sooner.

“Raon. It appears you have accomplished it.”

Rector gave a solemn nod, clearly discerning the change within him.

“I held faith that you would manage to cross that barrier.”

He expressed his congratulations on surpassing the boundary and clapped his single palm against his thigh in applause.

“I sensed that something fundamental had shifted.”

Federick also formed a broad grin, realizing the advancement through Rector’s words.

“One can truly never lower their guard around you.”

He shook his head firmly, remarking that whenever he blinked, Raon’s standing and mastery had already progressed.

“Now, everyone give me your full focus!”

Ensia raised her hand high into the air after confirming that Raon was inside the chamber.

“Starting now, I shall unveil the newest creation of House Yonaan!”

She excitedly patted Rector’s mattress with her open palm, prompting them to expect something extraordinary.

“Huuuu…”

Rector, having spent considerable time with Ensia due to the creation of the limb, appeared accustomed to her theatrical nature and simply let out a low sigh without uttering a word.

“Presentiiiing! This masterwork is the newest artificial limb from House Yonaan.”

Ensia retrieved a clean white limb from her Subspace Pouch, broad grins covering both her cheeks.

‘Hm? It does not appear noticeably different?’

Since she proclaimed it a fresh creation with original capabilities, he assumed the limb would look radically altered, yet it seemed largely identical to the one worn by Rimmer. At most, the faux muscle fibers and blood vessels appeared slightly more lifelike.

“What has been altered?”

Federick knitted his brows, equally puzzled.

“It may not seem like much at first glance, but the truth will become clear momentarily!”

Ensia beamed with full assurance and moved toward Rector while holding the artificial arm.

“Are you mentally prepared to brandish a blade once more?”

She looked down at Rector with her lips curled upward in excitement.

“Yes. I have listened to that question until my ears are weary, so proceed as you see fit.”

Rector seemed to appreciate Ensia’s energetic demeanor and offered a nod, pulling the fabric away from his bare right shoulder.

“Then I shall attach it.”

Ensia positioned the artificial limb against Rector’s right shoulder where the old, rough scar remained. The pristine white limb fastened itself to Rector’s joint like a living organism, concealing the mark and releasing a soft glow accompanied by a gentle vibration.

“This is… wait?”

Raon’s eyes expanded as he carefully observed the state of the artificial arm.

‘The shade of the limb is altering.’

The pale white arm connected to Rector’s shoulder was shifting colors to match his natural skin tone. The unnaturally pale appendage now shared the precise color of real human flesh.

“It… it matches perfectly!”

Sylvia blinked in sheer disbelief.

“Father! It appears as though a brand new arm has grown in its place!”

Edgar stood with his mouth agape in total shock.

“Is it not wonderful?”

Ensia giggled, having fully anticipated their astonishment.

“Now, attempt to maneuver the arm.”

She gestured toward Rector, who was gazing at his renewed limb in quiet wonder.

“Huu.”

With a focused nod from Rector, his new right arm began to slowly lift into the air. The limb moved with complete fluidity—not only had its shade adapted naturally, but it also raised and lowered as though it were original flesh, bending with enough flexibility for the back of his hand to reach his spine.

“Ha!”

Rector released sharp breaths, thoroughly startled by the return of sensation throughout the arm.

“What do you think of it?”

Ensia lifted her chin, eager to hear his evaluation.

“It is flawless. It feels as though I have returned to the state prior to losing my arm. No, perhaps even beyond that…”

Rector swallowed hard while staring at the seam where the artificial arm joined his shoulder.

“The lingering ache in my shoulder has almost entirely faded as well. How could this be…”

His jaw trembled as he inquired about what she had performed.

“Individuals who rely on artificial limbs frequently endure persistent discomfort in their shoulders. I embedded recovery incantations directly into it to ease the strain.”

Ensia smiled, explaining that the soothing freshness at the site of the injury was the result of those recovery incantations.

‘So those are the fresh additions.’

Adaptive coloration and pain alleviation. Raon allowed a faint smile to form, recognizing how much thought Ensia had dedicated to the well-being of the wearer.

‘With attributes like those, it is certainly fitting to label it a fresh creation.’

He nodded to himself, resolving to offer her additional compensation beyond the base cost of the arm.

“I understand now…”

Rector curled the artificial fingers into a tight fist, expressing that he finally comprehended her achievement.

“I am deeply indebted to you.”

He bowed his head toward Ensia, extending his genuine gratitude for crafting such a remarkable item.

“I apologize for suspecting you were merely an idle guest. I foolishly believed you were accomplishing very little.”

Edgar offered a sheepish apology, shifting his gaze away as if remembering his past rudeness toward her.

“Ugh! You foolish man!”

Sylvia struck Edgar with a quick kick and drew near Ensia.

“Ensia. We have fallen into your debt once again. Thank you.”

She clasped Ensia’s hand in her own and pressed her lips tightly together in gratitude.

“Think nothing of it! We are hardly strangers, and we exist to assist one another!”

Ensia waved her hand dismissively, treating it as a trivial matter.

“Besides, the demonstration is not complete yet.”

She offered a sly grin, implying that the true display had barely begun.

“What do you mean by claiming it is not complete?”

Raon blinked, confused by Ensia’s words.

“I mentioned that the artificial arm possessed a fresh mechanism.”

Ensia tilted her head to the side, as though questioning if he had already forgotten her earlier statement.

“What? Were not the color transformation and the pain reduction the fresh mechanisms?”

Raon tilted his head in the opposite direction.

“Those details alone would hardly warrant calling it an entirely fresh feature!”

Ensia smirked broadly and snapped her fingers together.

“Our House Yonaan successfully designed and embedded an energy center within this artificial limb!”

Her smile broadened as she announced that Rector’s artificial arm possessed its own internal energy hub.

“An… an energy center?”

“An energy hub?”

Raon and Rector spoke up simultaneously, their voices laced with shock.

“Indeed. I shall demonstrate it to you right now.”

As Ensia adjusted several hidden components along Rector’s arm, a vibrant blue radiance abruptly erupted from the limb, sending a powerful current of mana surging upward.

“What do you think? By employing synthetic energy creation techniques, we built a working energy hub right inside the artificial limb! It functions as an auxiliary reservoir that can be tapped into whenever the body’s primary mana is depleted!”

Ensia beamed proudly, emphasizing that the idea was entirely her own creation.

“Th-that is extraordinary?”

Raon stood speechless.

‘That is genuinely a mind-blowing concept.’

To embed an artificial energy hub into a replacement arm to serve as an unexpected trump card—it was a truly revolutionary idea. Her reputation as an Artifact Master was unquestionably well-deserved.

“Ah…”

Rector also let out a breath of pure astonishment while watching his hand blaze with brilliant blue mana. After testing the movement of his arm repeatedly, he shifted his focus toward Raon, his expression turning resolute.

“Raon.”

“Yes?”

Raon answered, detecting the intense seriousness in Rector’s eyes.

“Now that I possess a restored arm, I ought to test its capabilities.”

Rector removed his robe and rose from the bed.

“Let us engage in a duel.”

—

Seiran Island, marking the boundary of the southern territories. Above the verdant land recognized as a sanctuary for wildlife and vegetation due to the complete absence of dangerous beasts, a shimmering golden fracture formed in the heavens. The sky crackled and shattered like brittle glass, and from the darkened, warped void, a figure draped in white robes stepped forth.

“At long last, I have uncovered it.”

The golden-haired, blue-eyed youth—the Gold Dragon Bartius in human form—tightly clenched his trembling fist.

“The passage leading directly to the Lord!”