Chapter 189

Roenn, who had been waiting in front of the lord's manor, guided Raon into audience chamber. However…

'Is he really going to give us gifts?'

Glenn's mouth was distorted in displeasure. His pressure was also unusually heavy, making it difficult to breathe.

He looks like he is about to toss out a bunch of insults instead of giving gifts.

Wrath snickered while looking up at Glenn.

"Hmm."

Along with the other members of Light Wind, Raon watched Glenn while staying on his knees, and Glenn tilted his chin slightly.

"Light Wind's vice leader."

"Yes!"

Raon slightly lowered his head and calmly answered.

"Tell me, with your own words, what happened in Porvan City."

"Yes, sir. The first people we met upon arriving at Porvan city were Morell and Salaman, Balkar Kingdom's royal magicians. We made a small bet with them…"

"Bet?"

"It was a simple spar."

"Did you win?"

His pressure became even heavier. It felt like the air inside the room would disappear if Raon said he lost.

"Yes. I won and turned Salaman into our subordinates during the mission."

"Subordinates, that's nice."

Glenn expressed his appreciation, and the heavy atmosphere disappeared at once. Although he seemed to stay aloof from the world, he still seemed to care about the competition between the Six Kings.

"Continue."

"Yes. I went to meet the mayor, Owist, after that…"

Raon told him about everything that happened in Porvan in a more pleasant atmosphere. Glenn flinched for a moment when he mentioned that he tried gathering information in a casino, but the rest was smooth.

"…That's how the tenth apostle took the collapsed seventh apostle and left."

"What were the casualties?"

"Martha and I received internal injuries, and a few others had minor injuries, but everyone has finished recovering now."

"Huh…"

Roenn gasped in admiration upon hearing the full story.

"Hmph."

Glenn simply nodded, without changing his expression in the slightest.

'His reaction is too indifferent.'

I told you, that's not a big deal for people like King of Essence and your head of house.

'I know.'

Wrath had cheered up after eating food and ice cream to his heart's content and had begun making irritating comments.

"Good job."

However, the first thing Glenn said was a compliment, despite Wrath's expectations.

"You must've been nervous because it was your first mission as a swordsman, but you did great. I particularly liked the part where you made Balkar into sidekicks."

"I-It wasn't a big deal!"

"We only did what we were naturally supposed to do!"

Because of the incongruence between Glenn's words and the sharp atmosphere of the audience chamber, the Light Wind members hurriedly shook their heads.

"Not having a single fatality from clashing head-on against the Five Demons is praiseworthy. This is especially the case because it was your first mission as novice swordsmen."

"Th-Thank you!"

The swordsmen were overwhelmed by emotion and trembled at being praised by Glenn personally. Everyone seemed to be deeply moved, as it was rare for the man called the Destructive King of the North to praise anyone.

"That is why what will happen from now on is important."

Glenn slowly raised himself up from the throne. The powerful energy wave that spread out in an instant made it feel like a mountain was moving.

"Those that don't know about you will keep looking down on you and pick fights, and those that learned about you from this incident will try to confirm if the rumors of your skills are true."

Raon nodded.

'He's right.'

Just as Glenn said, those that didn't hear the rumor would look down on them and pick fights like Balkar did, and those that heard the rumor will try to test them to see if they were powerful enough to defeat the White Blood Religion. Raon could guess that it would become more dangerous and annoying in the future.

"What you are going to need is unity and might. Since you've been together ever since you were trainees, you shouldn't lose to other squads and divisions in terms of unity, but you are lacking in terms of might."

After saying that, Glenn snapped his fingers. Along with a cheerful sound that resounded throughout the audience chamber, the floor shook to the point where it seemed like it would collapse.

Rumble!

Golden flame surged from the trembling audience chamber's floor in a spiral.

Whir!

The flame pillar subsided after reaching the ceiling, and a huge circular bookshelf—the entirety of which couldn't be seen at a glance—made its appearance. All kinds of books were crammed inside hundreds of compartments.

"This is from before…"

Raon swallowed nervously. It was the bookshelf that he learned about the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation from.

"Th-The Library of Enlightenment!"

Burren's eyes widened as he looked up at the bookshelf.

"I can't believe I'm witnessing this with my own eyes…"

He was moved to tears as he grasped his chest and sniffled.

"Wow…"

"I never thought I would see the Library of Enlightenment one day…"

"It's like a dream."

The other Light Wind members also exclaimed. It looked like the bookshelf's name was the Library of Enlightenment.

"This is the reward for your achievement of getting the upper hand against Balkar and defeating the White Blood Religion on your first mission. Place your hand at the central area of the library and take one book of martial arts each."

"Th-Thank you!"

"We are honored!"

The Light Wind members went down to their knees and bowed.

"You don't need to thank me. Start already."

"Yes."

Raon nodded, then looked at Burren, who understood his intentions and stepped forward. His face turned red in excitement, and he put his hand at the central part of the bookshelf.

Whir!

The bookshelf vibrated and started rotating, then one book slowly dropped from the center.

"Ah!"

Burren raised his trembling hands to accept the book with sparkling eyes. Raon checked the title over his shoulder, and it was called Stance Mastery. Judging from the title, it seemed to be a book about how to control the body itself.

'I guess that's the area in which he's lacking right now.'

Since Burren had a special swordsmanship, Barren Wind, he must have received a technique to control his body to help with that swordsmanship.

'It really must be choosing what we need the most.'

Once a warrior put their hand on the library, they seemed to get the technique they needed the most. Raon couldn't tell what kind of magic, formation, and technique had been used to create the library, but it could be only described as divine.

"Nice."

Raon turned around upon hearing a cheerful voice, and Rimmer was nodding in satisfaction.

'He's feeling better.'

He was dying just a moment ago because he lost all his money, yet he was already rejoicing at his students getting rewarded.

'He would be a really nice person if only he could stop gambling.'

He truly cared about the students, but he showed the ugly side of a human being where money and gambling were concerned. Raon figured he might need to start a campaign to stop him from gambling.

"Runaan."

"Mhm."

Raon sent Runaan up next. She got a swordsmanship that would allow a more flashy and sharp control of the water attribute aura.

Martha received a powerful and destructive footwork, which was suitable for her.

Dorian got footwork specialized in dodging, and a paper on top. And curiously, it was written on the paper how to store and handle baggage more efficiently instead of a martial art.

Every Light Wind swordsman received a suitable book, and Raon's turn eventually came.

'I wonder what I'm going to get.'

Raon licked his lips, looking at the bookshelf.

'Footwork would be the best, I think.'

He still had many sword techniques to learn, and he didn't need more ways to control his body since he had the Ring of Fire. Since he could only learn half of the Supreme Harmony Steps, what he needed the most was another footwork to follow the River Footwork.

He placed his hand at the center of the bookshelf, hoping to gain a footwork.

Whir!

The Library of Enlightenment rotated, vibrating more than double the amount it did while it dealt with other swordsmen. However, no book appeared, no matter how much it spun.

"Huh?"

Raon tilted his head, placing his hand on the library once again, but the bookshelf wasn't moving. It just remained still, not vibrating or rotating.

"Wh-What's going on…?"

He was confused and looked at Glenn, but he simply looked indifferent.

"There doesn't seem to be any martial arts you need here."

"Is that even possible?"

"The bookshelf seems to dislike you."

"Ah…"

Raon tried placing his hand on it once again, but obviously the bookshelf showed no reaction.

"This is it for today."

Glenn snapped his fingers, and the library sank underground with a gold flame, just like when it arrived.

"M-My lord."

As Raon was thinking it wasn't his day, Martha raised her hand while trembling.

"What's the matter?"

"It was all thanks to Raon that we managed to survive this mission. I'd gladly return the footwork I received if it meant Raon could get a different reward."

She finished her sentence, despite being subjected to the powerful pressure from Glenn's gaze.

"Martha?"

Raon narrowed his eyes. Burren would've been a different story, but he didn't expect Martha to say that at all. It was even more surprising than the fact that the bookshelf didn't give him a book.

"Ugh…"

Martha bit her lips to the point that it seemed like it would bleed, her eyes fixated on Glenn without looking back at Raon.

"S-She's right."

"Since we are only here thanks to Raon, we will also return these books if he won't get any reward."

Burren, Runaan, and the other swordsmen stepped up next to Martha, and handing over their books.

"You are gravely mistaken."

After silently staring at them for a moment, he walked up to the edge of the platform with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Sorry?"

"It's not over just because he didn't get a book. You don't need to worry, as I'm planning on rewarding the vice leader of Light Wind in some other way later."

'I knew it.'

Raon nodded. It was a shame that he didn't get any book on martial arts, but Glenn could be trusted when it came down to rewards and punishments. He could trust him to reward him in some other way.

"Ah, thank you! I-It was impudent of me…"

Martha took the book back, her face turning red.

"You will leave now."

Glenn waved his hand, as if they were annoying him.

"Thank you for rewarding the squad members."

Raon bowed deeply at Glenn before standing. He looked at Rimmer, but he just smiled faintly, meaning that they should leave without him.

"We will be leaving."

He nodded, then left the audience chamber alongside the Light Wind.

Slam!

The audience chamber's door closed, and Glenn, Roenn and Rimmer were the only ones left inside the lord's manor.

"How shall I say it? The Light Wind doesn't feel like a new organization."

Roenn smiled gently.

"It's really nice to see how they care for each other."

"I also didn't expect Martha to ask me to care for Raon."

Glenn nodded, looking at the door everyone left through.

"Young Master Raon didn't express his sadness despite having missed the reward, and the way he congratulated everyone instead made me think he really is built differently."

"Ahem, that's true."

Glenn cleared his throat, the corners of his mouth loosening as soon as Raon was complimented.

"Who do you think you should thank for that?"

Rimmer smiled broadly and stood next to Roenn.

"It's only possible because I'm keeping the balance at the center!"

He grinned, pointing at himself with his finger.

"Yes, thank you for your work."

Glenn narrowed his eyes while looking at Rimmer.

"There wasn't really anything that could be called work. They did everything during the mission."

Rimmer shook his head. He would brag about himself when the children were praised, and he would give credit to the children when he was being praised. He truly was a strange person.

"How strong was the tenth apostle?"

"He's surpassed the second wall. I'm not exactly sure, since we didn't fight all out, but I'm sure that he's at least a Grandmaster."

"I see."

Glenn's expression remained indifferent, despite hearing that he was a Grandmaster.

"I should've killed him the first time I saw him."

"It couldn't be helped back then. The White Blood Religion's leader and Eden's head were with him."

Rimmer shrugged, looking at the window, where golden sunlight was shining through.

"Anyway, Raon helped me a lot in this case."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. The tenth apostle decided to retreat because Raon managed to defeat the seventh apostle. Raon was also the one that made Balkar shut their mouth. You should've seen Morell using honorifics when speaking to Raon."

The way Morell, who was called the Snake of Raging Flame, was forced to call Raon 'Sir' was a sight to behold—one that he would pay any amount of money for.

"That's why I ask you to please look after Raon, rather than playing a trick with the library."

"Trick?"

Glenn's eyebrows lowered slightly, expressing that he had never done such a thing.

"You used a shapeless aura to stop any books from coming out."

Rimmer licked his lips, looking at the floor where the bookshelf used to be located.

"I understand why you did that, though."

When Raon touched the bookshelf, Rimmer certainly felt that a book was trying to come out, but Glenn used the shapeless aura to stop the book from coming out. That was the reason it looked like there was no reaction.

"You wanted to teach him personally after stopping a book from coming out, right? I wish our Raon knew the ardent feelings of a grandfather for his grandson…"

"Silence!"

Glenn clicked his tongue and shook his hand.

"Yes, sir! The noisy one is going to leave, so please reward me with something as well."

Rimmer extended his hands while smiling.

"Of course, I was intending to reward you as well."

Glenn gestured with his head, and Roenn brought a heavy looking pouch.

"Thank you for your efforts."

"Ahahaha! Thank you!"

Rimmer's face beamed with a smile once he opened the pouch to see the golden light inside.

"Is that reward enough?"

"Ah, of course! I can play as much as I want with this!"

"But that won't be enough to win against him. There's a good reason why he is famous throughout the continent for gambling "

"He's still human. He's bound to lose one day."

"Can you get your head screwed on right? The dead won't return to life no matter how much money you lose."

"My lord, that's…"

"Hah, forget about the story from the past. It's time to talk about the mistakes now."

Glenn came down from the platform. The entire lord's manor turned cold from his heavy steps.

"What? M-Mistake? What mistake?"

Rimmer stepped backward, hiding the gold pouch behind his back.

"This."

Glenn waved a paper in his hand. It was the report he sent before.

"Two lines. Did you seriously write a two-line-long report after fighting the apostles?"

"Th-That was because it was urgent news…"

"Since the fight was already over, you should've had enough time to write about how you won and how heavily the children were injured."

"Aah! It's because you were worried about Raon! You should've said that from the beginnin…"

Rimmer was stepping backward, but he suddenly stopped. He wasn't against a wall—he couldn't run backward anymore.

"S-Shapeless aura? Did you use a shapeless aura to create a wall?"

He tried to walk forward instead in surprise, but he couldn't move at all. All four directions were blocked with a shapeless aura.

Rumble!

And crimson lightning started to appear above his head.

"Reporting is one of the mandatory missions of a squad leader. Even though you've completed the mission, since you didn't properly deal with the aftermath, I'm going to punish you accordingly."

"R-Rather than a punishment, I'm going to die if I get hit by that."

"You aren't going to die. That's right. You won't die, at least."

Glenn gestured with his hand, and the crimson lightning that was rumbling in the air struck him with a thunderous sound.

"Sword Field Cre…! Kuaah!"

Rimmer tried to open the Sword Field, but it was already too late. Dozens of lightning strikes shredded the Sword Field that was trying to open, then engulfed his entire body.

Whaam!

The crimson light sparked in the audience chamber for a while.

* * *

Raon finished dinner with Sylvia and the maids in the annex building before returning to his room. He sighed.

"I'm exhausted."

He had to speak about what happened in Porvan to Glenn for the first time, and to everyone in the annex building for the second time. Telling the tales of that long incident twice a day was even more exhausting than a battle.

The King of Essence also feels dead tired from listening to that tedious and unremarkable story twice.

Wrath shook his hand, telling him to sleep already.

"I guess I'll do that."

He was drowsy, either because he led everyone back to Zieghart or because he had to tell the story twice when he wasn't really that great at storytelling.

Knock, knock, knock.

After he took off the outerwear in order to wash himself before sleeping, someone knocked three times. It was Judiel's signal.

"Enter."

"Yes."

Judiel opened the door and entered with a thin book in her hand. She bobbed her head, handing over the book she had brought him.

"What is this?"

"I've gathered more detailed data about Zieghart's armed organizations while you were on you mission."

"Hmm."

Raon opened the book Judiel gave him. While the document was more focused on the division leaders and squad leaders during the Selection Ceremony, it now had information about the squad and division's characteristics and the main personnel.

She must've investigated in advance, since he would have to cooperate with other squads and divisions a lot in the future.

"I've received an order from the Central Martial Palace to determine your true power."

"They are more cautious now. Are they intending to make their move after figuring out my skills?"

"That seems to be their intentions."

Because he managed to defeat an apostle this time, the Central Martial Palace must've given up on making a rash move.

"Give them a plausible report by pretending you happened to see me training. Tell them that I must be about to become a Master."

"Understood."

Judiel nodded and continued.

"While investigating the armed organizations, I've also looked into the White Blood Religion and it appears that the seventh apostle you fought against was a newbie, and the tenth apostle has been a tenth apostle for thirty years at least."

Raon was already aware of that fact, since the tenth apostle was still in the same position back when he used to be the assassin Raon.

"By the way, there are only four apostles that have maintained their positions for over thirty years. They are the real monsters of the White Blood Religion."

"I suppose."

The level of their powerhouses was more important than numbers for their armed organization. The reason the Six Kings and the Five Demons were called the strongest in the continent was also because of the strongest people in those organizations.

"Take care in the future."

Judiel simply said goodbye and turned around, since she finished conveying what she came for.

"Thank you."

"It's nothing."

She bowed with an indifferent expression on her face before leaving the room.

"Hmm…"

Raon opened the book and checked the contents in detail. The information about the divisions, squad leaders, and vice leaders was written in more detail.

"There's another person that likes gambling other than our squad leader."

He noticed one vice-division leader that liked gambling. However, he was pretty good at it, and it was written that he was a confident person that won every time he gambled. He was the complete opposite of Rimmer.

"That's pretty good."

After checking the book from the beginning to the end, he placed it in his drawer and stood up. He dressed and picked up Heavenly Drive.

What's up? Where are you trying to go instead of sleeping?

'My body's itching after reading this. I'll be back after training a little.'

You shouldn't say you will be back, since the King of Essence has to follow you! Why are you doing whatever you want when you are just a tenant?

'Tenant? Me?'

Yes. The only reason you still have that body is because the King of Essence is considerate.

'I guess you are a parasite instead of a tenant.'

Wh-What did you just say? The King of Essence is the true owner of this body. He could take over this body any time he wanted.

'Prove it.'

Raon bobbed his finger, telling him to bring it on.

Ugh…

Wrath couldn't rashly challenge him by spreading around his wrath and coldness. He was aware of the fact that he would only end up giving away stats if he challenged him.

'Since it's not going to take a long time, hang in there a little bit more.'

Raon snickered as he left the annex building. As he made his way towards the open area in front of the lake, someone was walking towards him from the direction of the main building.

Slow but dignified steps. His blonde hair was shining brilliantly under the moonlight, and his red eyes were lighting up the darkness.

'Wh-Why is he here?'

It was Glenn. Raon couldn't even begin to guess why he was in the annex building when he hadn't visited it once since the 100th day after Raon's birth.

"G-Greeting my lor…"

He was trying to kneel and bow, but something in the air stopped his waist and neck from moving.

"You shouldn't be noisy during the night."

Standing in front of Raon, Glenn's serious eyes sparkled.

"It means less effort for me, since you are already out."

"Sorry?"

"Follow me."

He turned around and gestured with his hand for Raon to follow him.

"Wh-Where are we going?"

"I told you before, didn't I?"

Glenn glanced back. He was frowning, his gaze cold.

"I said that I'd reward you in a different way."