Chapter 411

Raon shook his hand towards the table where the Light Wind squad was sitting before jumping down the castle walls.

"I'm going outside for a moment."

"But the festival is just getting started."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to meet a crocodile."

Raon replied honestly, telling them that he was going to meet a crocodile.

"Huuh?"

"A crocodile?"

"What kind of bullshit is that?"

Burren, Runaan, and Martha widened their eyes, and the other Light Wind swordsmen asked what he was talking about, but Raon simply went down the wall without responding.

He stepped over the swamp as if he were on the ground and reached the crocodile, which shook its hand at Raon before turning around. The crocodile seemed to be telling him to follow it.

'It shook its hand…'

Crocodiles were unexpectedly smart. They are supposed to be the most intelligent species among reptiles, but there was still no way they would be shaking their hands to guide humans. It was clear that it was Merlin's doing.

"Haa."

Raon sighed and followed Merlin's wagging tail to enter into deep bushes.

Grr.

The crocodile finally stopped once they reached a place that couldn't be seen by people and turned around.

Hiee!

Wrath's entire body was trembling violently. He seemed to have even forgotten his desire to eat.

The King of Essence can't even imagine what kind of madness she's done this time…

'I agree. I wonder what she's going to say.'

Merlin had previously mentioned that Eden's executives didn't know exactly what the others were doing since they were on separate missions.

It was possible that she wasn't aware of the Specter's attack on House Arianne, and Raon was unsure of whether he should trust her or not.

"Raon."

Merlin raised her gaze and rolled her reptile eyes.

"How are your injuries?"

"My injuries?"

"I'm asking whether you've recovered from the wounds that damn skull inflicted on you."

It wasn't certain whether she knew from the beginning, but she was aware of the Specter's attack. She extended her front foot, asking him to tell her if he was still injured.

"I'm fine now."

Raon shook his hand while saying that he was fine because he was fully recovered.

"By the way, did you know…?"

He was going to ask her about the Specter's attack, but she hung her head before then.

Even though she was a crocodile, she was clearly lowering her head.

"I'm really sorry."

She sighed deeply, saying that she had no excuse for what happened.

"What are you sorry about?"

Raon went on his knee to meet Merlin's gaze.

"I didn't manage to warn you about the Specter's attack. I learned about it too late."

Tears dropped from her eyes as she said that she couldn't provide any information nor stay by his side at the most important moment.

'Crocodile tears… People said crocodile tears shouldn't be trusted.'

Because Merlin happened to take a crocodile's appearance, the saying about crocodile tears, which signified insincerity, came to his mind.

However, he couldn't suspect her for no good reason because she'd helped him a lot.

"Did you know about the Specter's attack?"

"No."

Merlin's voice trembled as she shook her head.

"That skull's mission was to return after filling the jewel he recovered from the Swamp of Death with the energy of death. Attacking House Arianne and trying to kill you was his own decision."

She scratched the swamp with her front foot while saying that it wasn't the Fallen's orders but the Specter's own decision.

Raon quietly observed Merlin's expression, but he couldn't tell at all because she was a crocodile.

"You don't believe me."

She licked her lips. The piece of flesh stuck between her upper teeth was slightly frightening.

"Not completely. I know you would've used another method if you wanted to kill me."

Merlin wasn't an idiot, just like the Specter. If they were both trying to attack Raon, they could've found a much better method, which implied that she should've been telling the truth.

He was just keeping a distance from her because she belonged to Eden and couldn't be completely trusted.

A wise decision! Hanging around with a madwoman like her will only ruin your mentali—

When Wrath was about to tell him to just go back to eat already, Merlin raised her right foot.

"I thought that would be the case, so I made some preparations this time."

Merlin weakly tapped on the swamp with her front foot.

Along with a sticky splashing sound, the swamp under the moonlight became transparent and a scene appeared.

"Hmm?"

Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at the swamp below him. Someone was grasping his head inside a dark room and wriggling like an insect that had been turned upside down.

"What is this?"

"The end of the one who dared to attack you."

The corners of Merlin's lips twisted upwards. Her smile gave him goosebumps, and it wasn't even because she was a crocodile.

"Don't tell me he's…"

"You guessed right. He's that rude skull."

She nodded, confirming that he was watching the Specter.

"Huh…"

Raon carefully examined the squirming person. His robes were ragged, and he was wearing a skeleton mask with a hole at the center of the forehead. He was definitely the Specter that he'd fought a few days ago, just like Merlin had said.

"What happened to him?"

"I locked him inside an artifact called the Fish Tank of Imprisonment."

She responded casually, as if she were saying that she had caught a mouse with a mouse trap.

"Y-you locked him up?"

"Yes."

Merlin's eyes turned crimson as she nodded.

"He dared to injure you when he's nothing but trash."

She murmured that it was already too late for her to help when she realized what was happening, so she just locked the Specter up so he wouldn't ever show up in the world ever again.

"Isn't the Fallen going to find out if you do something like this?"

"He won't as long as I don't kill him. My main body is at a different location, after all."

Merlin shook her head. A frightening smile appeared on her face as she said that she'd already thought about how the other executives were moving when she did it.

"By the way…"

Raon pointed at the Specter that he could see on the swamp. His violently trembling body looked like he was experiencing intense pain.

"Why is he looking so pained?"

He couldn't understand why he looked so pained when he was just locked inside a fish tank.

"It's because I'm cursing him."

"…Curse?"

"Yeah, I'm repeatedly reciting a curse with the power of will to give him mental pain. It's closer to sorcery than magic."

Merlin briskly rolled her eyes to look down on the Specter.

"He won't be able to escape the fish tank, but even if he does, he will run away the moment he sees you."

She hit the swamp once again with her front foot and the video changed. The scene showing the ceiling seemed to be the point of view from the Specter's location, looking towards the top of the fish tank.

'That's…'

Merlin was above the fish tank with crimson light sparking from her eyes. Her red lips were twitching endlessly.

Huah…

Wrath saw Merlin's eyes floating above the fish tank and almost fainted.

Sh-she's a real madwoman! She's so extremely crazy!

He said she was even more insane than his stalker in Devildom and hid inside the ice flower bracelet.

'Hmm…'

Raon swallowed nervously and nodded. He didn't really feel anything when Wrath had previously called her insane, but watching how she was cursing the Specter tightened his heart.

Do you know what's even scarier?

Wrath secretly poked his head out from the ice flower bracelet.

The madwoman is using her own lifespan to show you that video right now.

'Ah…'

Raon remembered that Merlin had to spend her lifespan to use magic as an animal. Everything about her was seriously frightening.

"You can stop now."

"Hmm? Don't you wanna keep watching him? He gave you such a hard time. You won't get tired of watching him all day long!"

"But you are losing your lifespan."

"Are you worried about me? I can throw away a thousand years for your sake!"

Merlin was deeply impressed and tried to make the screen even bigger with a smile on her face. She was really difficult to deal with.

"I don't need it, just shut it off."

Raon sighed and touched the swamp where the Specter was shown. The surface splashed and the screen disappeared.

"I really don't mind this much."

Merlin looked like she wanted to show him more as she licked her lips and removed the spell to show the video.

"Anyway, the Specter isn't coming out ever again, right?"

"Yeah. Even if he does, he will be crippled and won't be able to do anything."

"I see…"

Raon nodded. He could see that no one would retain their sanity when the huge Merlin kept cursing from above endlessly. Just thinking about it made a chill run down his spine.

'Anyway, I'm glad to hear that.'

The Specter had an outrageous ability.

Even if he couldn't use that jewel anymore, he was definitely a powerful opponent. Getting him out of the picture must've been an important loss for Eden.

'I also need to get stronger.'

If the four factions, including Milland, hadn't helped him, and if Rimmer hadn't been there to take him by surprise, lots of people could've ended up dying.

It was necessary to keep advancing to a higher realm instead of being satisfied with his achievements.

Raon decided he was going to start a hellish training with the Light Wind squad as soon as he returned to the house and lowered his gaze.

Merlin was quietly looking up at him.

"Are you sure you are okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"What are you going to do if the Fallen ends up finding out about this?"

"Wow, this is the second time today you are worrying about me. My love is finally bearing results!"

"Stop with the nonsense."

"He's not going to find out, but I can just leave if he does."

Merlin whispered to him that she didn't care about Eden anymore, and she was only staying for Raon's sake.

"Haa…"

Raon's shoulders trembled. Every single thing she said and did gave him goosebumps.

"The time is almost up."

Merlin smiled cheerfully and waved her hand.

"I'm leaving now. See you later."

Her smile looked like she was telling him the meeting was over.

"Thank you for caring about me."

"Ah…"

Merlin's eyes became round and her lips curved into a thin smile. It looked like she didn't expect him to say that.

"I knew I made the correct decision."

"Stop saying those strange things. The crocodile wants food, right?"

Raon smiled faintly while looking at the crocodile's teeth.

'That's easy.'

He just needed to go over the castle walls, and he could find plenty of meat. He could just take out some of them.

"No."

Merlin casually shook her head.

"Huh…?"

"It wants you to scratch its back."

"B-back? Scratch its back?"

"Yeah, thirty minutes should be enough. See you later."

She told him to scratch all over its back to make it feel more satisfied and waved her hand.

Grr.

Once Merlin's presence disappeared, Raon noticed the wilderness return to the crocodile's vertical pupils.

Grr!

The crocodile shoved its back onto Raon, urging him to keep the promise.

"Haa…"

Raon sighed while putting his hand on the crocodile's bumpy back.

"Am I really doing this now?"

I-is she gone?

Mustan narrowed his eyes while observing the back of his master, Rector.

'Why is he acting strange today?'

His master wanted to see Raon Zieghart's swordsmanship, but his face stiffened as soon as he saw Raon.

He was supposed to ask about his swordsmanship but simply left without asking anything and kept staring at the sky all day long.

Mustan had been serving him as a disciple for a long time, but he'd never seen that happen before.

'What's happening? It can't be…'

His master was amazed when he saw the traces of the blade created by Raon and fell speechless when he actually met him.

Since the Sword Demon signified that he was crazy for swords, there was only one explanation for his behavior.

'Is it because of his talent?'

He became certain that his master's reaction came from his admiration for Raon Zieghart's talent.

'Damn it…'

He was irritated by the fact that his master's expression was filled with emotions because of a young warrior just out of his teens when he'd never done that for Mustan.

'I didn't like him to begin with.'

He should've been the one to be called the Young Sword Demon and the White Sword Dragon because he was the disciple of the Sword Demon.

Mustan clenched his fist, thinking that Raon had it all even though he was younger than himself.

Moreover, the fact that he wasn't a normal disciple of his master was stirring his inferiority complex even further.

Mustan exhaled the irritation weighing down on his heart and walked up to Rector.

"Master."

"What's the matter?"

Rector emotionlessly responded without even looking at him.

"Master, are you alright?"

"Don't mind me. Go out there and enjoy the festival."

He shook his hand as if he were chasing away a fly. He'd never seen th look in the eyes of his master's reflection on the window.

'Is he that amazing?'

He became anxious that his master was regretting having him as a disciple since he hadn't done it on his own volition.

"Is Raon Zieghart that great?"

"What?"

Rector looked at Mustan for the first time. A frightening glow was emerging from his eyes.

"I've never seen the look in your eyes when you saw him or the traces he'd made."

"..."

Rector raised his chin and stared at Mustan.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'd like to spar against the White Sword Dragon."

"Spar?"

"Yes. I'm going to defeat Raon Zieghart and prove that I'm the most suitable disciple of my master!"

Mustan confidently declared and clenched the hilt of his sword.

"You want to spar…"

Rector coldly closed his eyes. Mustan couldn't tell at all what he was thinking.

"Are you confident?"

"Of course!"

Mustan nodded, saying that he was obviously confident.

"Fine."

Rector nodded and stood up from the sofa for the first time.

"Do whatever you want."

"I won't disappoint you!"

Mustan nodded and left the room.

"Haa…"

Rector quietly sighed while following him.

"I must be mistaken."

* * *

Raon scratched the crocodile's back for about thirty minutes before returning to the castle.

The festival had already started, and people were laughing and cheering from all around the place.

The King of Essence is exhausted from dealing with the madwoman. Let's start eating already!

'Let me clean myself up first.'

Because the crocodile kept jolting while he scratched its back, his body was covered in mud. It was necessary to clean his hands and face before eating.

"Haa."

Raon sighed and went into the castle.

"Did you play with mud or something? What happened to your clothes?"

Burren laughed bitterly while looking at Raon's clothes covered in mud.

"Did you really play with a crocodile?"

Runaan asked if it was fun, her eyes wide. She looked like she also wanted to join him.

"Are you really playing with mud at your age? Keep your dignity as our vice squad leader."

Martha shook her head, calling him pathetic.

"I didn't."

He simply shook his hand before heading to the well, because he figured he would sound even crazier if he said he scratched the crocodile's back.

He drew the water and was about to clean his hands and face when a young man wearing fluttering white clothes came walking towards him.

'He is…'

He was the young man who'd called the Sword Demon his master. Raon remembered him because he'd had a ferocious pressure around him even though it was the first encounter.

The Sword Demon was following behind him. He was drawing people's attention because of how tall he was.

'Did he come to enjoy the festival?'

He had a strange reaction in the morning, but Raon figured he should go ahead and greet him since he was previously helped. When he was about to go towards the Sword Demon, his disciple stood on his way.

"Hmm?"

Raon looked around and was about to ask why he was doing that when Mustan bowed.

"Nice to meet you. I'm master Rector's disciple, Mustan."

"I'm Raon Zieghart from the Light Wind squad."

Raon greeted him back since Mustan was being polite despite his ferocious gaze.

"Excuse me, but I have a request. Can you grant it to me?"

"What kind of request is it?"

Mustan glanced at the Sword Demon coming towards them from behind before tapping on his scabbard.

"I'd like to feel how powerful the White Sword Dragon is since your great name is known throughout the continent. Would you spar with me?"

He bowed once again and requested a spar.

'The Sword Demon's disciple…He's definitely powerful.'

Raon could feel an outstanding power from him, as he would've expected from the disciple of the Sword Demon. He could feel that he was a powerful warrior who'd managed to incorporate countless martial arts in his swordsmanship.

'It wouldn't be a bad idea.'

He was bound to gain a lot from the match regardless of the outcome.

'However…'

Raon licked his lips, while looking up to the Sword Demon standing behind Mustan.

'I would be able to gain even more if I fought his master instead of the disciple.'

Since even Wrath had acknowledged how powerful he was, he could learn a lot more than the spar against Mustan even if he was defeated in a single strike.

It was a great opportunity for him since he had to get stronger even faster.

"Alright."

Raon nodded at Mustan before looking at the Sword Demon.

"In return, can I also make a request?"

"A request?"

The Sword Demon's lips parted for the first time.

"If I can still fight after the match against the disciple, I'd like to have an opportunity to cross blades against Sir Rector."

Crossing the blades implied that he wanted to learn from him rather than sparring against him.

"How can you say that?!"

Mustan bared his teeth and unleashed violent pressure around him.

"You want an opportunity…"

The Sword Demon's gaze quickly became serious.

"Are you confident?"

Raon smiled faintly while touching Heavenly Drive's hilt. A crimson heat haze appeared on his eyes.

"I'll answer that question with the result."