Chapter 263

"The South-North Union was pretending to save the Doran villagers from the Blue Lughs, who had turned violent, but they were actually controlling the Blue Lughs from the shadows and causing the problems…"

Raon rolled his eyes as he continued his story, examining Glenn's expression.

'What does that mean?'

His neck and shoulders were slightly crouched, his frowning eyes were shivering, and the corners of his lips were twitching like an earthquake.

He wasn't smiling nor crying, nor was he exactly angry. The atmosphere and pressure around him were as composed as always, but his expression was completely incomprehensible.

'I don't understand why he's being like that.'

Even though he'd slain the disciples of the leaders of the South-North Union and the White Blood Religion—Tyler and the fourth apostle—and even obtained an item that could recover Rimmer's condition, Glenn didn't look that happy about it.

'The face he's making…'

Looks like he's trying to hold in his poop.

Wrath's round face poked out of the ice flower bracelet.

That expression is the face people make when they strain the sphincter.

He snickered, saying that that was the only explanation for his face.

'Hmm…'

Raon silently groaned. He didn't think that he was trying to hold in his bodily functions, but he did seem to be trying to hold something in.

He can't even properly control the physiological phenomena. I knew he wasn't a match for the King of Essence. He should be an easy kill after around a few tens of thousands of strikes.

Wrath shook his hand, saying that the outcome was quite obvious.

'Didn't you say thousands of strikes before?'

Raon clearly remembered him saying thousands of strikes when he first saw Glenn, yet it had changed to tens of thousands of strikes.

Easy kill after tens of thousands of strikes. It was such a strange thing to say, which was a result of his always honest personality and the way he loved to brag as the monarch of Devildom.

"I promised to fight the Axe King Roman to death in three years in order to save the Light Wind squad and escape the situation. After that, I went to Lohengreen's dungeon in order to save our squad leader…"

Once he started talking about Lohengreen's dungeon, the trembling in Glenn's eyes and mouth intensified even further. It almost looked like someone was grabbing his skin from the side to shake him.

The fortunate part was the fact that he was the only person who could see Glenn's expression, since everyone else was looking at him. He honestly wanted to signal him to control his expression.

"Pfft."

Rimmer's laughter could be heard. He must've also realized the situation.

It must be really urgent. You should make it short.

'You're right.'

Raon slightly nodded and started talking faster. With the faster speed, Glenn's expression of holding something back seemed to relax a little.

"…That's how I managed to obtain the artificial energy center and elixir from Lohengreen's dungeon."

Glenn's expression returned to his usual cold face as soon as Raon finished the story. The twitching of his mouth and the flaring of his nostrils were completely gone.

"He managed to slay the disciple of the South-North Union's leader, and the White Blood Religion's leader…"

"But they are both stronger than the Light Wind squad's vice leader. How is that even possible?"

"Even though it was a surprise attack, that's an amazing achievement."

"How is he winning against someone stronger than him every single time? He must be blessed by the god of war."

"Doing it once is a coincidence, and twice can be luck. However, doing it three times is the result of his skills. It's more reasonable to conclude that something allows the Light Wind's vice squad leader to defeat someone stronger than him."

The division leaders and squad leaders spoke to each other with faces full of surprise.

"Since he's slain two officers from the Five Demons—who also happened to be successors—and even squashed the evil deeds of the South-North Union, he deserves to receive a golden tablet."

"Isn't this the first time anyone ever received two golden tablets in a row?"

"There's nothing strange about it, considering the achievement."

"He became a Master at eighteen years of age and even has two golden tablets… I'm afraid of what he will become in the future."

"Rather than that, I'm more jealous of the fellowship inside the Light Wind squad. He immediately went to the dungeon as soon as he found out Sir Rimmer was injured. No one else would've done that unless their family was injured."

"Haa, I should've brought him to my side no matter what."

The division leaders and squad leaders standing on the sides were exclaiming at his amazing achievement. Many of them were saying that they envied Rimmer for being blessed with nice subordinates.

"Tsk!"

"Damn it…"

"He only managed to kill the fourth apostle through a surprise attack. That's not a big deal."

"He's going to be dead anyway in three years. Don't mind him."

Since the Central Martial Palace master Karoon and the True Martial Palace Master Balder—who usually started quarrels—were absent, the members of the direct lines couldn't talk back to him directly. They just degraded him behind his back and blabbered some nasty things, claiming that he wouldn't live long.

"Raon Zieghart."

Glenn called out to him in a low voice, and all the babbling inside the audience chamber disappeared at once. He bobbed his chin while looking at him coldly, just like any other time.

"I just have one question."

"Okay."

"It's about the duel to death against the Axe King in three years. Are you confident about winning?"

"Of course I am. I'm never going to disgrace Zieghart's name."

Raon firmly replied, without the slightest hint of hesitation.

"Hah, I see."

Glenn smiled faintly and nodded. He looked rather disinterested in it, but he also looked like he might believe.

"Come up here."

"Yes."

Raon climbed the stairs to reach him. Even the stairs felt like they were reflecting Glenn's dignity.

"In regard to your excellent accomplishment during the mission, and the courageous decision to conquer a dungeon in order to save the Light Wind squad leader, I'll bestow upon you a golden tablet and a pyroxene necklace."

Glenn gestured with his hand, and Roenn came up to him while carrying the golden tablet and the pyroxene necklace on a white plate.

"Thank you."

Raon took a step forward and knelt.

"Good… Ahem! Good job."

Glenn's hand holding the golden tablet and the necklace started to tremble after he saw Raon's face. He bestowed the tablet and the necklace on him with the strange expression he had before.

'He's so strange…'

Raon couldn't understand at all why Glenn was acting like that.

"Light Wind squad's team leaders, come forth."

After giving him the tablet and the necklace, Glenn's expression instantly returned to normal, and he called the team leaders of the Light Wind squad forward.

He bestowed a bronze tablet to each of the team leaders for leading their teams to complete the mission to save Rimmer.

"Thank you!"

Burren, Martha, and Runaan awkwardly accepted the tablets. They must've not expected to be rewarded for that.

"Everyone did a great job. The Light Wind squad should rest now and wait for the next mission."

"Yes!"

"That's it."

He shook his hand, as if he were telling them to go away already.

"Vice squad leader Raon, how about visiting our training ground to have a spar?"

"As for me, I want to drink with you. I want to listen to the story about Lohengreen's dungeon in more detail."

"I'm fine with training exchanges, so just contact me anytime you want to."

Division leaders and squad leaders came up to them with a smile. Most of them were those who were trying to recruit him before.

"Yes, sure."

Raon nodded, since there was no demerit in getting closer to the division leaders.

"Look at him boast when he only killed him through a surprise attack…"

"How unsightly."

"He's going to lose to the Axe King in three years anyway. Leave him alone."

The members of the direct line looked at Raon sideways with narrowed eyes as they left. They were pretty much cursing him to die.

Raon smiled slyly while watching them leave the audience chamber.

'You won't be able to talk behind my back for much longer.'

He would soon be able to make them shut their mouths, just like he made the swordsmen fall on their asses. He grasped the tablet while remembering every single face of the members of the direct line.

"Why are you not leaving?"

Glenn tilted his head as he saw Raon and the Light Wind squad staying in place instead of leaving. The Light Wind squad was unable to leave because Raon wasn't moving.

"I have a request."

Raon went on his knee once again and lowered his head.

"I'm listening."

"The Light Wind squad leader is planning to completely shatter his fissured energy center to use the artificial energy center instead. Since it's going to take a pretty long time to gather enough aura to fight, I'd like to be the squad leader in his stead in the meantime."

"Why are you saying that?"

Rimmer crawled up to Raon on his knees. He must've been really confused.

"I know being the squad leader takes lots of your time and places a heavy burden on you. You should focus on recovering your body for a while, squad leader."

"Kuh, Raon!"

His exclamation sounded like he just drank some beer. He must've been really impressed.

"…That's true. I'll allow it."

Glenn narrowed his eyes and nodded. Even though he was allowing it, he didn't look like he was too happy about it.

"I have one more request."

Raon looked up to Glenn white staying on the ground.

"Ever since my childhood, I suffered from the Curse of Frost, which made all my mana circuits freeze up. I have managed to overcome it now. Since the Light Wind squad leader's symptoms are similar to mine, I'd like to oversee his rehabilitation."

"Hmm…"

Glenn scratched his chin. The way he furrowed his brows looked like he was even more dissatisfied, but he nodded his head eventually.

"Fine. You shall do that."

"Thank you."

Raon bowed to Glenn.

"Raon! You are the only one who cares about me so much!"

Rimmer was moved to tears, but it was too early to celebrate. Raon was indeed planning to help him, but he was also going to make him suffer to the point that he'd wish he were dead.

'Smile while you still can.'

…Are you a loan shark or something?

Although everyone else from the Light Wind squad had left, Rimmer remained in the audience chamber.

"You were helped by the children instead of helping them. How pathetic."

Glenn snorted while looking down at Rimmer.

"You shouldn't call yourself Zieghart's Sword of Light anymore."

"Haa! You should mind your own business."

Rimmer ignored Glenn's mockery and sighed deeply.

"H-How dare you!"

"Your expression!"

He briskly stood up and put his hand on the sides of his mouth and eyes.

"My lord, did you realize your lips and eyes were shaking like a fly's wings because you couldn't hold back your smile when you were listening to Raon's story?"

"Uhh…"

"You looked exactly like this."

Rimmer made the face Glenn had when he was looking at Raon, showing him directly.

"Th-There's no way I made an expression like that!"

"It was actually even worse! I thought you were holding back your poop!"

He frowned, sounding like Wrath.

"Do you understand why you ended up making that expression? It's because you've reached your limit."

"Limit?""

"It's because you are reluctantly holding yourself back even though you are full of love towards your grandson. That's why you made a weird face like that. Raon must've been completely shocked. Be honest, did you want to hug him while telling him he did a good job when you were giving him the golden tablet?"

"Uhh…"

Glenn's eyes widened with trembling lips. He must have hit the crux of the matter dead-on.

"That's why I kept telling you that you will become a patient if you are too patient with it. You should just tell him about it now. 'Oh, my grandson is back! My kitten! Come here and sit on grandpa's knee!'—that's what you should tell him."

Rimmer grinned once again while making the strange expression that Glenn had made.

"Rimmer…"

"Ahaha! D-Did I go too far?"

Rimmer scratched the back of his head upon noticing the spark on Glenn's hand.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that you should just show him how much you care about him instead of taking care of him from behind the scenes."

He sighed and looked at Roenn.

"The pyroxene necklace he gave to Raon, it must not be an ordinary item, right?"

A pyroxene necklace was capable of protecting the body, but there was no way Glenn would've gifted such an average item to Raon.

"I wonder."

Roenn shrugged after taking a glance at Glenn. His reaction was enough to conclude that Raon's necklace had some kind of special ability.

"I knew it! That's why I told you to stop helping him from the shadows and just straight up open the treasury for him! And appoint him as the successor! You know! Eat together with him! And help him in various ways! Well, let's start with the way you speak. Repeat after me! My kitten…"

"Haa…"

Alongside the quiet sound of his breathing, the throne's armrest was crushed.

"Uhh…"

Rimmer swallowed nervously as he saw the red sparks spreading all around the audience chamber.

"M-My lord? You shouldn't do this right now. I'm a patient…"

"Don't worry. I can easily engrave pain into you without affecting your mana circuits and energy center."

"W-Wait! There's no wa…Kuaaah!"

The moment the red lighting fell upon Rimmer, his scream echoed throughout the lord's manor, which hadn't happened in a while.

* * *

Raon lined the Light Wind members up in front of the Lord's manor. His lips slowly parted, as he met the anticipatory gazes of the swordsmen.

"As you've heard, I'm going to be the temporary replacement for the squad leader starting from today. I'll be supervising both your training and rest."

Every member of the Light Wind squad swallowed nervously upon hearing him.

"Since you worked so hard, you should rest for today and come to the training ground before tomorrow at daybreak."

"T-Today? Just today?"

"You bastard! Are you trying to kill us?"

"Ah…"

Burren grasped his chest with trembling hands, Martha grabbed him by his collar, and Runaan stared into the thin air with vacant eyes.

"One day of rest is too short!"

"Even Sir Rimmer wasn't as bad as you!"

"H-He must've gone nuts!"

Their lips were trembling in despair.

"I-It's not even a day of rest, since the sun is already setting! We are really going to die at this rate!"

Dorian anxiously rubbed his belly pocket as he shook his head.

"He's right! Give us some time to at least relieve our exhaustion!"

"I feel like I'm going to collapse right now…"

"J-Just give us one more day, please."

"Alright, I'll be generous this time."

Raon nodded when Burren asked him to give one more day.

"Since you are so desperate, I'll give you one more day."

"Wooow!"

"We can rest one more day!"

"He finally listened to our opinion!"

The Light Wind squad cheered in joy, even though they only had an extra day of rest.

"Come to the training ground before daybreak in two days then. Dismissed."

Raon turned around while listening to the Light Wind squad's cheers.

'It went as I planned. I was planning to give them two days to begin with.'

Long and painful training required an adequate amount of rest. He figured that they would ask for more if he gave them two days, so he decided to start by giving them a single day. It became two days in the end, and they were also happy about it.

You nasty bastard.

Wrath rose on the ice flower bracelet and furrowed his brows.

You are the nastiest human that the King of Essence has ever seen. You are the definition of a demon in a human body!

'Are you complimenting me?'

I'm not!

'But this worked out great. Since they were going to get the same amount of holiday anyway, I might as well make them happy, since that also makes me happy.'

Raon grinned and turned around. While everyone was scattering in different directions, Burren was the only person talking to someone in front of the Lord's manor.

'That person… I saw him in the audience chamber, I think.'

He hadn't said a single thing, even though he was alongside the direct line division leaders. Raon noticed that he looked very similar to Burren.

'He must be his brother.'

Raon could ascertain it once he noticed the dark blue hair, eyes that looked slightly ferocious, and the fine sword hanging around his waist.

He must've been Burren's second oldest brother—Gelmia, the leader of the Severing Steeds squad.

Judging from the faint smile on Burren's face, he didn't seem to be getting scolded or arguing with him.

'It looks like he is getting along with his brother at least.'

Unlike the trashy Karoon, his brother Gelmia seemed to be on good terms with Burren.

Raon watched Burren and Gelmia before heading to the annex building.

* * *

Raon smiled as he passed across the annex building's garden. It was mysterious how he felt so comfortable whenever he passed the area. It almost felt like the accumulated fatigue from everything that happened was being washed away.

'People said they loved to be at home.'

He couldn't understand it in his previous life, but he finally understood. Having a precious home was bound to bring a smile to people's faces when they returned.

Hnng!

Wrath was moving his shoulder up and down while humming cheerfully.

'Why do you look so happy?'

We are finally home. The scent I'm smelling from all the way over here tells me that Pineapple Girl must've prepared some delicious food.

'Home… Is this really your home?'

It was ridiculous that someone who called himself a demon king was calling the annex building his home.

'He's pretty much human now.'

Raon shook his head and opened the door to the annex building. Then he froze.

"Huh?"

Someone who shouldn't have been there was standing in the lobby, wearing a maid outfit.

Huh?

"Why are you here…?"