Chapter 272

"Before that…"

Raon called the Light Wind squad with his hand because they were about to start climbing the mountain.

"Damn it…"

"It was the perfect opportunity to get rid of him."

"We weren't trying to get rid of him. We were going to make him suffer to the point that death would look like a better option."

"Oh, true. My bad."

"Consider yourself lucky."

The Light Wind members frowned and returned to the Central Martial Palace.

"Wh-What's wrong with them?"

Burren swallowed nervously, noticing that the Light Wind squad had completely changed in a single week—to the point that they looked like ferocious beasts.

"Let's tend to the wounded first."

Raon pointed at the returning Light Wind squad and the Central Martial Palace warriors that were lying around.

Except for the Severing Steads, most of them shouldn't have even been aware of the fact that Burren had been kidnapped.

"Four of us are enough to explain this matter to the head of house."

Himself, Burren, Gelmia, and Olan were the only ones that needed to visit the lord's manor, as they were at the center of the incident.

"In that case, Sir Gambling Monster and Sir Goman…"

Terrond carefully asked about the Gambling Monster, because he was the strongest one among them.

"Our general administrator doesn't do anything annoying like that. It would be pretty strange for him to kneel and report, after all."

"Ahem! You are right."

The Gambling Monster cleared his throat and nodded, pleased by Raon's words.

"Instead, Sir Gambling Monster is going to treat the wounded."

"M-Me?"

"You are doing it, right?"

"Kuh!"

The Gambling Monster's face instantly stiffened upon facing Raon's smile. He was asking to choose between facing Glenn or managing the kids, and the answer was obvious even though it was annoying.

"How much are you planning to make this old man work? You damn bastard!"

He responded with insults.

"I knew our general administrator cherished them more than anyone in the world."

"Shut up!"

He shook his hand, telling him to get out of his sight already.

"Huh…"

Terrond's jaw dropped as he watched Raon standing next to the Gambling Monster with a smile on his face.

'How come he's handling the Gambling Monster so easily?'

The Gambling Monster was famous for his eccentric personality. He was already hard enough to deal with when he was one of the senators, and after he gained his freedom, he was considered a natural disaster because of how uncontrollable he was.

He could only laugh upon witnessing such a young swordsman playing him like a fiddle.

'I knew that might wasn't the only thing he had.'

The most important quality for Raon wasn't the talent and might that had allowed him to become the youngest Master on the continent, but his decisiveness to act quickly upon noticing Gelmia's plan and his ability to control the situation the way he wanted.

'He's worthy of admiration.'

Even though attacking the Central Martial Palace must've been an extremely difficult decision, he made that decision in order to save his companion and acted with determination. Amazing wasn't even enough to describe his deeds.

He never expected to harbor such feelings towards a swordsman who was much younger than himself.

"Let's go."

Raon dragged the unconscious Gelmia and Olan outside.

"A-Are you planning on carrying them like that?"

Terrond swallowed nervously while pointing at Gelmia and Olan, who were in complete tatters.

"There's no reason to give a nice treatment to the criminals."

"B-But we still…"

"Ah, there's one more person that we need."

"What?"

Raon smiled and raised his finger.

"Please make sure to bring him along, as he's an extremely important person."

* * *

Rimmer looked aside with his jaw dropped.

He could see Raon, Burren, Gelmia without an arm, and Olan with unfocused eyes.

He slowly raised his head. Glenn's cold gaze was looking down on the world from the top of the golden platform connected to the red stairs.

"Uhh…"

Why was he there?

He was happily having a drinking party in the training ground, so he couldn't understand why he was suddenly in such a place.

He honestly didn't remember at all. He was at the lord's manor when he came to, and the audience chamber could be seen when he opened his eyes.

Raon chuckled while looking at Rimmer's dumbfounded expression. Terrond had brought him there, and he still didn't seem to be in his right mind.

"Greeting my lor…"

"You don't need the greetings."

Raon was trying to greet him, but Glenn shook his hand. Although he'd seen him since he was five years old, it was his first time seeing such a cold gaze coming from him.

"Explain the situation."

"I…"

"I'll explain it."

Burren stepped forward before Raon could open his mouth. He wanted to explain it personally because he was the victim of the incident.

"B-Burren."

Gelmia waved his hand at Burren.

"Please…"

His trembling voice was begging for his life, since it was his last chance to survive.

"..."

Burren didn't look back. He sighed deeply, with Glenn being the only person reflected in his eyes.

"The Severing Steads squad leader came to me right after we returned from the mission. We went to the Central Martial Palace together to talk because we haven't seen each other in a really long time. We talked about various matters, and the Severing Steads squad leader suddenly mentioned Raon's name."

"Raon?"

"Yes. He asked me about his weakness because he wanted to kill Raon."

"Kill…"

Glenn's red eyes rolled towards the right side. His energy wave, which was crushing Gelmia, was as threatening as it could get.

"Kuh!"

Gelmia sank to the ground, grasping his heart with his left hand. Even though the bleeding on his right shoulder was stopped as a temporary treatment, the blood gushed from it once again.

"H-Head of house. P-Please save m…"

Glenn's pressure didn't decrease in the slightest, despite Gelmia's plea.

Whir!

Even Roenn and Sheryl standing next to Glenn were spreading threatening pressures while glaring harshly at Gelmia.

"Sniff…"

Because of the three people's pressures, Gelmia was unable to move his single finger, his entire body trembling in fear.

"H-He asked me for his weakness, and even asked me to lure him away in order to kill him. I refused the offer, and I was attacked when I was about to leave the Central Martial Palace. When I opened my eyes, I was in a secret room that I'd never seen before…"

Rumble!

Glenn's powerful pressure interrupted Burren's testimony. Although his pressure used to be just as cold as ice, it turned into a sharp icepick to take Gelmia and Olan's breaths away.

"Kuaah!"

"Sniff…"

The two criminals prostrated like dogs while groaning from the pain of their hearts being stopped.

"Continue."

"He kept asking me to help kill Raon after tying me up, but I refused. That's when the Severing Steads' second team leader, Olan, made his appearance to start brainwashing me…"

Burren told him of how he spent the week inside the secret room before looking at Raon.

"When I was about to completely give up, Raon came to save me. I would've been brainwashed by Olan by now if it weren't for him."

He clenched his fist while looking back at Gelmia and Olan.

"Uuh…"

"Huff! Huff!"

Glenn's pressure was still crushing Gelmia and Olan. Their lips were bleeding from biting them too hard, with their bodies drenched in cold sweat.

"Raon Zieghart."

Glenn's gaze turned to Raon, who was kneeling at the center of the group.

"How did you notice that Burren was kidnapped?"

"I wasn't certain."

"You weren't certain?"

"Indeed, because I was just doubtful about it in the beginning."

Raon nodded.

"As far as I know, Burren has a strong sense of responsibility. The doubt started because he sent his butler to notify me of his absence, even though he is the type of person who would personally visit to apologize to everyone."

Burren's shoulders trembled slightly as he spoke, and Glenn's pressure subsided.

"Hmm!"

"I see."

Sheryl and Roenn nodded to praise him, their lips curved into slight smiles.

"I figured that his butler must've been aware of his circumstances, so I secretly visited him to ask about the real situation. After that…"

Raon explained everything that happened to Glenn.

"N-No, my lord! I…"

"Shut your mouth."

Glenn's gaze was enough to smash Gelmia's head onto the ground. Blood started to flow on the marble floor.

"I never permitted you to speak."

"I-I beg your pardon…"

The sound of Gelmia's clattering teeth resounded in the audience chamber.

"Gelmia."

"Y-Yes…"

"Tell me. Which part are you trying to deny?"

Glenn slightly turned his chin. He was apparently trying to give him an opportunity, but his oppressive pressure didn't disappear.

"I-I wasn't serious about it. It was just a little prank, because I wanted to see how strong my brother had become. I-It's true that I locked him up, but I've never harmed Burren in any way."

Gelmia started blabbering while coughing up blood because he didn't want to miss the one opportunity he had. He desperately rambled nonsensical excuses.

"I-It all went wrong because Raon appeared when I was about to give Burren a gift after the prank was over. I-It's true! Please believe me!"

"How strange."

Raon interrupted Gelmia and chuckled. Even though no one seemed to believe what Gelmia was saying, it was better to make sure.

"What kind of prank lasts for a whole week? Moreover, you tried to kill me as soon as you saw me. In fact, your sword had constantly been targeting my neck and heart during the fight… Cough!"

He started coughing blood out of his mouth as he spoke because of the internal injuries he'd received during the fight.

Thud!

The moment Raon's red blood touched the floor, Glenn's body wavered significantly on the throne.

Sheryl and Roenn also clenched their fists and increased their pressures.

Whir!

The tremendous pressures emerging from the three at the exact same time made the entire audience chamber—the lord's manor, even—tremble.

"…Ugh!"

"Kuh…"

Gelmia and Olan could only tremble on the ground while lying as flat as a trampled tomato. Their coughing implied that they couldn't even breathe.

"Terrond."

Glenn bobbed his hand at Terrond, who was standing further on the right.

"Yes."

Terrond stepped forward and knelt in front of him.

"Which one of them is telling the correct story?"

"The investigation isn't perfect because we didn't have much time…"

"It's fine. Tell me your opinion."

"Considering the situation in the secret chamber, the testimonies from the Severing Steads and the Central Martial Palace swordsmen, and Olan's brainwashing ability, I'm more than 95% certain that the Light Wind's vice squad leader is telling the truth."

"Thank you for your work."

Glenn nodded and Terrond returned to his original position.

"Gelmia."

Glenn's pressure suddenly disappeared like a candlelight. However, his eyes were as dark as a bottomless abyss.

"You just kicked away the last opportunity given to you."

"Ah…"

"The Severing Steads squad will disband today. The swordsmen from the Severing Steads can no longer return to the Central Martial Palace, and the Central Martial Palace will also share the responsibility. They will halt their activities for two years."

He continued while looking down on Gelmia with emotionless eyes.

"You aren't allowed to reattach your arm for the rest of your life, and you are ordered to practice wall-facing abstinence for the next twenty years."

"T-Twenty years?"

Gelmia raised his head with his chin trembling violently.

"T-Twenty years of abstinence, without even reattaching my arm? Are you asking me to die?"

"You are the one who kidnapped your own brother and tried to kill the Light Wind's vice squad leader."

"But what I did was no different from the others!"

Probably because he realized he would be stuck in a cave for the next twenty years, he started shouting at Glenn.

"I just tried to erase a hindrance, just like everyone who's reached the top of the house! Just like my father, and my lord! You've all walked the same path!"

"Indeed, I've walked that kind of path. I have no intention of denying it."

Glenn nodded his chin, which was slightly tilted.

"However, the way I dealt with them has always been perfect. I made sure multiple times that no one would know about it, that no one would hear about what I'd done. And I became stronger after that, so that no one would be able to argue or fight against me even if they found out about my weakness."

The energy emerging from him was emotionless to a frightening degree as it pierced through Gelmia's soul.

"I'm different from you, who created an opening because you didn't even understand your brother's personality."

"Aah…"

Gelmia's eyes lost focus. His widened mouth as he stared into thin air suggested that he couldn't think straight anymore.

"The second team leader of Severing Steads, Olan, joined his superior's evil deed instead of stopping him. He tried to brainwash a member of Zieghart's direct line. He will be sentenced to death."

"Huhuhuhu!"

It looked like Olan had lost his sanity from Glenn's pressure, as he was drooling non-stop.

"And Raon Zieghart."

"Yes."

"You are also in the wrong."

Raon bowed without responding.

"You shouldn't try to directly solve a matter of the house. You should've contacted the department of justice instead. Even though it ended in a good way, it had a wrong start."

"I apologize."

Raon lowered his gaze since he expected the scolding.

"I thought I might give Gelmia the time to react if I resolved the incident through the department of justice."

"Give him the time to react?"

"Yes. Since he was even capable of ordering Burren's butler around, I figured that he might have connections to the department of justice. In fact, Gelmia blabbered that even the department of justice couldn't interfere with the Central Martial Palace."

"Hmm!"

Terrond glared fiercely at Gelmia upon hearing him. He looked like his pride was severely hurt.

"My squad leader and I are fine with any punishment. We are just satisfied with saving a member of our squad."

Raon smiled faintly at Rimmer.

"Huh? Why me?"

Rimmer's eyes turned round as he pointed at himself.

"The squad leader gave his permission for my reckless plan, and even sent a letter to the department of justice for us. I wouldn't have been able to decide to attack the Central Martial Palace so easily if it weren't for you, dear squad leader."

"Ah…"

What madness was that bastard blabbering?

It was ridiculous that he was trying to shift the blame even though he was the one who'd planned everything. Rimmer realized what 'responsibility without pleasure' meant.

[Hey, you bastard! What are you trying to do right now?]

Rimmer immediately sent an aura message to Raon.

[You know the Light Wind boys are super motivated to train right now.]

Raon responded without showing the slightest sign of agitation.

[I know, but…]

[They will miss their opportunity to get stronger if they are punished right now. That's why we should take the responsibility in their stead, just you and me.]

The Light Wind squad's confidence and focus were at their peak.

Since one day's training could be as effective as a whole month's worth of training, it would've been a shame to give up on the opportunity.

[Ugh…]

Rimmer bit his lip. He couldn't refute him when he was using the squad members to argue.

[Squad leader, I know you are close to the head of house. Please ask him to weaken our punishment.]

[I-I'm indeed close to him…]

He couldn't tell him that he usually got beaten up by him because of the small pride he had left.

"This incident is mostly our squad leader and my fault. Please punish us."

"Ugh…"

Raon bowed calmly, and Rimmer looked like he was about to cry as he leaned forward.

"I see."

Glenn looked down on Raon and Rimmer coldly.

"Even though the process was problematic, considering the fact that no one ended up dying and that Burren Zieghart was actually kidnapped and almost brainwashed, Raon Zieghart will be placed on probation for a week."

"M-My lord! Raon only did that for my sake…"

"Stop."

Burren tried to speak up, but Raon grabbed him by his sleeve and pulled him back.

"Thank you for your consideration."

"You two will leave now."

"Hmm…"

Raon stood up and looked at Rimmer, and he bobbed his chin to tell him to leave since he was going to be alright. Raon bowed at Glenn alongside Burren and left the audience chamber.

"Terrond, handle the case according to the regulations."

"I'll take care of it."

Terrond also left the audience chamber, dragging Gelmia and Olan—who were pretty much out of their minds—out with him.

"Haa, it's nice that kids nowadays are brimming with energy."

Rimmer smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

"You heard the aura message, right? I didn't actually do anything…"

"How dare you drink when your squad members go off to fight?"

Glenn's eyes turned emotionless, just like when he was looking at Gelmia.

"Ehh?"

Rimmer swallowed nervously.

'I've completely removed the intoxication though!'

He couldn't understand how Glenn had found out, as he'd completely erased the liquor's influence when he heard that he was summoned to the audience chamber.

"It's the stench."

Sheryl sighed and shook her head.

"The scent of alcohol spread when you were removing the intoxication, and it's completely seeping into your clothes!"

"I-I can't smell anything though…"

"Of course you wouldn't smell anything! You were the one who drank it! You idiot!"

"Argh!"

Rimmer's chin trembled. She was right. He had been made to enter the audience chamber before he had the time to remove the scent of alcohol in his clothes, and that must've been how he figured it out.

"Th-The head of house should agree. A guardian's trust is important for the children's growth. I simply trusted the kids…"

Rimmer tried to look up and shut his mouth. Glenn, Sheryl, and Roenn's gazes were fixated on the blood that Raon had coughed up earlier.

"H-Hey, please listen to m…"

"Let's get started."

"Yes."

"Understood."

With Glenn's nod as a signal, the three of them came down from the platform with their eyes full of indignation.

"Please? I-I'm a patient! I haven't completely recovered yet…"

"You don't need to worry about that."

"Of course not. There's no way my beatings will cause problems for you later on."

Glenn and Sheryl clenched their fists with their pressures emerging from them.

Rimmer swallowed nervously and turned around, and Roenn was already blocking his way out.

"S-Sir Roenn?"

"Don't worry. I won't make it more painful than the pain the young master has suffered."

Roenn smiled gently and clapped his hands.

"Are you doing it with three people now?"

As soon as he said it, crimson lightning and blue energy fell down from the ceiling.

"Aaaaah!"

* * *

Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at the trembling lord's manor. He thought that he could hear someone's scream, but it must've been a mistake since it stopped soon enough.

Raon tilted his head and went outside. The Light Wind squad had already finished the treatment and was waiting for him.

"Raon…"

"How did it go?"

Runaan and Martha ran up to him.

"You won't have to see Gelmia or Olan in the future."

Since Gelmia was sentenced to face the wall for twenty years without using his aura, the punishment was even worse than death in a way. It was safe to assume that he wouldn't need to see him ever again.

"It's a relief that I won't see that irritating face ever agai…Hmm."

Martha started to slander him, but stopped speaking once she noticed Burren.

"It's okay."

Burren smiled faintly.

"I'm completely disgusted now, even though I still had some attachment before. I'm never going to join the Central Martial Palace now."

Although he hadn't shown it on the outside, Burren had still wanted to join the Central Martial Palace even after joining the Light Wind squad.

The small attachment he had must've completely disappeared from the incident.

"Don't worry, since I'll devote my life to the Light Wind squad."

"Burren…"

"Sir Burren!"

"I knew our team leader would say that!"

"Let's be together forever!"

The eyes of the Light Wind swordsmen sparkled red from his declaration.

"Which means…"

"We can finally get started."

Martha signaled with her head and Dorian took out the same sedan chair from his belly pocket.

"W-Wait!"

"Burren! Burren! Burren!"

The Light Wind swordsmen carried Burren on the sedan chair once again, starting to climb the North Grave Mountain that was located right behind the lord's manor.

"Burren! Burren! Burren!"

"You need to have a taste of this suffering!"

"Grrr!"

"The pain becomes even more painful if you share it!"

"Kieee!"

The swordsmen growled, their eyes glowing like ferocious beasts.

"Raon! Please save me! Why the hell did they even turn into beasts?"

Burren trembled like a puppy in the rain, since he couldn't understand the situation.

"Stop."

"Ugh!"

Raon raised his hand, and the Light Wind squad stopped climbing the mountain like wild boars.

Huh?

Wrath's jaw dropped in surprise.

D-Did you actually regain a human heart?

'I should at least explain the situation.'

Raon smiled faintly and stepped up next to Burren.

"Burren, can you see that the Light Wind squad has become a lot stronger than before?"

"Th-That's true, but…"

He murmured that he didn't want to be like them.

"That's how effective their focus training was. You should also go through focus training, since you are one of us."

"But I've been locked up for a whole week! I don't even have the strength left to stand!"

Burren raised his trembling hand.

"Burren, how does a crisis read if you reverse it?"

"S-Sisirc? It is meaningless, isn't it?"

"Indeed. It's completely meaningless. I'm telling you to just do it."

"Uuh…"

You damn crazy bastard!

Burren and Wrath's jaws dropped at his ridiculous statement.

"I expected no less from our temporary squad leader."

"That's the way! That's how the real Light Wind squad should be."

"Let's go! Let's go!"

The Light Wind swordsmen nodded with their eyes turned red.

"Let's go again!"

Raon smiled, while tapping the sedan chair.

"Burren! Burren! Burren!"

The Light Wind squad's repeated shout of Burren's name sounded like some kind of ritual as they climbed the North Grave Mountain.

"Ah, let Burren down now, and you should get to hiding as well. We are going to start the second episode of the focus training."

"Burre…"

The Light wind squad suddenly stopped shouting upon hearing him. When they turned around, the light was gone from their eyes.

"What did you just say…?"

"That you are training with him."

Raon grinned.

"I'll be on probation for a week, starting from the day after tomorrow. I'll engrave the training into your bodies before that happens."

He was planning to train them for the short time he had left since he didn't want to delay their growth at all, and the Gambling Monster would be able to take care of the rest.

"I-I can't stop myself anymore…"

"Let's kill him."

"Yes. That's the only way for us to survive."

The Light Wind members put down the sedan chair and gritted their teeth. They drew their swords while using all of the energy they had.

"Dieeee!"

"Uaaaah!"

Starting with Martha's shout, the Light Wind squad shifted into the great Light Wind formation and charged at him. The brutal pressure overflowing from their swords suggested that they were seriously trying to kill him.

Huh…

Wrath sighed.

The ones the King of Essence have seen so far have been nothing but fakes. They are the only ones with true madness.

He closed his eyes as he pitied the Light Wind squad charging at Raon.

"This makes it easier."

Raon raised Heavenly Drive and its scabbard, a grin on his face.

"This is going to be a long night."