Chapter 544

"Huh."

Raon gasped while watching Runaan's small back.

'Look at her…'

He'd thought that it would take a long time for the growth in her mental world to take effect in reality because people didn't change that easily.

However, he was gravely mistaken. Runaan's mind had achieved tremendous growth, rather than her strength.

She was such a gentle girl whose hand trembled from killing a random enemy, yet she wasn't wavering after killing the butler she'd known her entire life and boldly pressured her enemies with her aura.

She seemed to have steeled herself in order to protect Rokan, Clara, and House Sullion.

Hmph…

Wrath watched Runaan with teary eyes.

Ice Cream Girl! The King of Essence is so proud of you! You ignored him while calling him dust, but he is still proud of you!

He sniffled while shouting that it was good enough for him. His red nose suggested that he was serious about it.

'He always goes too far.'

Raon smiled faintly as he watched Wrath continuously shouting Runaan's name.

'No, maybe it's not excessive.'

Runaan has always been distracted.

She must've been worried about protecting her family from Syria, and she must've been contemplating what course of action she should take.

However, her worries completely disappeared. both voluntarily and involuntarily, and her mind had become even harder than steel.

'And… she's also gotten a lot stronger.'

Runaan had only become a Master recently. She should've normally gone through a period of stagnation, but she'd achieved drastic growth from defeating Baphomet in her mental world.

Her realm was at the intermediate Master level. It was difficult to believe, but she'd almost caught up to Mark Goetten.

"Kneel."

Runaan pointed her radiant Snow Flower at them, and Eden's demons rushed at her with trembling shoulders.

"Aaaaah!"

"Yaaah!"

They noticed that it was their last chance and unleashed the combative energy they'd been hiding to attack her.

Blades sharpened like the rough fangs of beasts were rushing toward Runaan's vitals.

Slash!

Runaan bent her left knee slightly and pulled Snow Flower towards her chest. Her silver blade bolted like lightning from under her arm, creating sharp fragments of ice.

Clang!

Eden's demons tried to kill Runaan without caring about their own lives, but they froze completely as soon as they touched the frost and collapsed.

"This is your last chance. Kneel."

Runaan calmly advanced to cut off the head of a demon wearing an orc's helmet and pointed her sword at the traitors once again.

"Hmm…"

"How is this happening…?"

The traitors from House Sullion watched Runaan's coldhearted gaze with trembling lips. They realized it was impossible for them to win and fell to their knees.

"Hah…" Martha gasped while watching Runaan's back. "She really got stronger. Wow, I'm so salty!"

Even though she sounded like she was irritated, she collapsed with a satisfied expression on her face.

"Th-then, I'm going to collapse now…"

Dorian panted like a thirsty puppy and fell to the ground.

"You idiots! Fight until the very end!"

"We are going to die anyway if we surrender now!"

"Take as many of them down with you as you can!"

The Green War Demon and the other demons from Eden were ordering them to fight until the very end just as black and red clothes fluttered from above the walls to the right.

Glenn Zieghart. His crimson eyes revealed his rage as the head of Zieghart and the lord of the land.

"How dare you act like this here!"

Glenn's pressure was almost brutish as he walked towards Eden's demons, clearly enraged.

Rumble!

His massive wave made it look like the sky was howling and the land was screaming. Eden's demons dropped the weapons they were holding and started to convulse as if they were being suffocated.

"Ugh…"

"We aren't done yet!"

"For the restoration!"

Eden's demons realized that there was no escape for them and concentrated their aura in their energy center in order to end themselves.

"Huh…?"

"Wh-what?!"

"Why…?"

However, their lips trembled in panic as they realized that their aura was as immobile as hardened plaster.

"You aren't allowed to die."

Glenn coldly twisted his lips while looking down on Eden's demons.

"You won't be able to die until I give my permission."

Eden's demons collapsed while foaming at the mouth as soon as that frightening resonance brushed past them.

Raon swallowed nervously as he watched Glenn.

'Is he really human…?'

He had neutralized Eden's demons without even moving his finger even though hundreds of people were in that wide space. His might had truly transcended the human realm.

"Hmm…"

Runaan sighed and sank to the ground.

"L-lady…"

"Are you okay?"

"Lady Runaan!"

The loyal retainers of House Sullion who'd been stopping the traitors ran up to her to examine her condition.

"I'm fine."

Runaan nodded and raised her finger to point at the traitors.

"Tie them up for now."

"U-understood!"

The warriors seemed to be surprised by Runaan's dominating spirit, something that they'd never seen before, and they couldn't take their eyes off her even when they were suppressing the aura of the traitors and tying them up.

"Runaan."

Raon came up next to Runaan. Her clear eyes had returned to being blank at some point.

He thought that those eyes were the best suited for her.

Holding back his laughter, he asked, "How is your condition?"

"It's bearable."

Runaan blinked, saying that she was fine, and turned around to crawl towards Rokan and Clara.

Since her job as the substitute of the head of house was over, she was finally checking on her parents' condition.

"Haa…"

She sighed deeply, upon confirming that they were safe.

Considering the way she prioritized the house's affairs over her parents, she really seemed to have gained the qualifications to be the head of house even though she used to be just like a child.

"Where is Syria—I mean, the Evil Goat Demon?"

Runaan asked about Syria's location while holding Rokan and Clara's hands tightly.

"He's in there."

Raon supported Runaan and showed her the hole where Syria's corpse was located.

Syria's corpse and his severed arm were exactly where they were before, but his helmet was still nowhere to be found.

"There was something strange, but he's clearly dead."

"Hmm… the Evil Goat Demon might still be alive."

Runaan shook her head while looking at Syria's corpse.

"What do you mean?"

Raon narrowed his eyes. He couldn't understand what she was saying since the corpse had stopped breathing a long time ago.

"The Evil Goat Demon threw a strange bead aside before you got here. He said that it was a precautionary measure…"

Runaan raised her finger and pointed at the corner where he'd thrown the bead.

"Precaution…"

Raon bit his lip while looking at the corner that Runaan was pointing at.

'I have no idea.'

He couldn't see anything like a bead because the floor was completely destroyed by the violent battle against Syria. Since he couldn't really feel any special energy, he couldn't tell at all what kind of bead it was.

'Wrath.'

You only need the King of Essence at a time like this.

Wrath furrowed his brow in displeasure.

'It's for the ice cream girl you are so proud of, not for me.'

Ahem!

He reluctantly examined the hole.

There isn't any strange energy around here. And the bead can't be found either.

Wrath shook his head, saying that it didn't seem to be a big deal.

'You are so useless.'

You bastard!

'Hmm…'

Raon briefly licked his lips. He wanted to ease Runaan's troubled mind, but he was frustrated because he couldn't find a definite answer.

"Runaan, for now…"

"I'm fine."

Runaan shook her head and looked up to the clear sky.

"My brother is already dead. The Evil Goat Demon is an enemy. I'm going to stop him even if he returns."

She clenched her fist, saying that she was going to finish Syria off with her own hands.

Raon could see her determination to not agonize on the matter any further in her eyes.

The King of Essence will help you if anything happens!

Wrath grabbed Runaan's sleeve, saying that he would help no matter what.

"Tell me if you need help."

"Mhm, thank you. Hmm…"

Runaan started to nod but raised her gaze to stare at him.

"You know, there was dust that entered my mental world with you."

"Huh? Yeah."

"I had an impression that it suddenly transformed into a human and said something to me. Do you remember by any chance? I'm curious because it felt familiar…"

She blinked, implying that she remembered seeing Wrath's true form.

Ooh! Ice Cream Girl! You remember that!

Wrath jumped while cawing like a seagull.

Convey to her what the King of Essence is about to say!

He continued with a bright smile, delighted by the fact that he was able to face Runaan.

The King of Essence has seen you ever since your childhood. He helped you a lot and even covered the hole in your stomach. He is pretty much a parent to you—

"It did say something."

Raon smiled cheerfully after listening to Wrath.

"It said it was hungry."

"Ah…"

Runaan's lips parted because she didn't expect that it would have said something like that.

What bullshit are you spouting?! The King of Essence…

Wrath yelled, his face turned red.

…is actually hungry. When are we going to eat?

'...'

* * *

"Raon Zieghart."

Raon walked up to Glenn upon hearing his call.

"Greetings, my lo—"

"Stop with the useless greetings. What even happened here?"

"It's going to be a long story."

Raon lowered his eyes because it wasn't something that he should say in such an open space.

"In that case, come to the lord's manor before noon tomorrow. I'll listen to everyone's story at that time."

Glenn nodded while looking at Raon, Runaan, and the unconscious Rokan one after the other.

"Bring the injured to that man for now. He needs to earn his keep."

"Understood."

Raon bowed, realizing that Glenn was talking about the Ragged Saint, Federick.

Glenn left the aftermath to Roenn and disappeared into thin air.

"Ah, I'll take care of the rest, so you can return now, Sir Raon."

Roenn greeted him with a gentle smile on his face.

"Thank you."

Raon left the aftermath in House Sullion to Roenn and the Light Wind division and brought the injured to the red mansion where the Ragged Saint Federick was dwelling.

"Rokan Sullion? And isn't she Runaan?"

Federick's eyes widened upon seeing Runaan—who had fainted on the way—her parents, Martha, and Dorian.

"What even happened?"

"There's a story behind this."

"A story?"

"Yes. What happened in House Sullion was…"

Since the saint was alone, Raon explained what had happened so far.

"Huh, the sinister influence of those demons even reached all the way here…"

Federick gasped, finding it surprising that the important people in House Sullion were Eden's demons.

"They can even deceive their own family if they take off their helmet, after all."

"They took advantage of people's feelings. They really are evil demons."

He deeply furrowed his brow, showing his hatred towards Eden.

"I'll take care of them. But you don't seem to be in a good condition either."

Federick tilted his head while looking at Raon's pale face.

"I just overworked myself a little. I don't have any serious injuries."

Raon smiled faintly and shook his head. He'd actually gotten a serious internal injury because of his wrath, but he refused the treatment because he didn't want Federick to find out about it.

"I see."

Federick chuckled and took a pill out of his pocket and threw it at him.

"It's a medicine for internal injury. It's a new product, so you can test it out for me."

He told him to take the medicine and went inside with the patients.

'He knew about it all along.'

There was no way someone called a saint wouldn't notice his internal injury. He must've been considerate of his circumstances.

"Thank you."

Raon bowed at Federick's back and left his mansion.

Once he returned to the annex building, Sylvia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Why are you already back? And why is your face so pale?!"

Her lips trembled as she asked why he returned injured when he'd gone for a group meal.

"There were some issues…"

He briefly explained what happened so she wouldn't be too shocked since he figured she would find out soon enough anyway.

"Th-then is Runaan alright?"

"She probably isn't alright, but I think she can endure."

"How about you?"

"I'm fine, too."

Raon pretended to be fine and forced himself to smile.

"You're not fine at all! Go take a rest already!"

Sylvia noticed that it was a forced smile and hit his shoulder while pointing her finger for him to return to his room.

She went to the kitchen and told the maids that they should prepare some food. She seemed to be planning to make some food to help the injured recover.

Mom, you are so kind!

'She's not your mom.'

Raon pushed Wrath away and entered his room.

"Haa…"

Either from the relief or the injury, the strength left his body and he sank to the ground.

'This is even more serious than I thought…'

The aftereffect from the wrath was way worse than he'd expected. It was even more painful than when his bone was exposed from an injury he got in an all-out battle.

The King of Essence told you. It's way too early for you to control pure wrath.

Wrath rolled his lips into a smile and sneered at him.

'But I didn't expect it to be so bad.'

You've been controlling wrath so far by following the road that the King of Essence had carved, like when you were using the Perception of the Snow Flower, the Snow Flower's Veil, and the Evil Eye of Wrath.

He raised his round hand and continued to explain.

However, this time you unleashed your wrath on your own accord, straying away from his path. Wrath is an extremely powerful energy, incomparable to aura. That's why it's normal that it puts a heavy strain on your body.

'Yes, I know.'

Raon acknowledged it honestly and nodded.

'Let's handle the most urgent problem first.'

Raon swallowed Federick's internal injury medicine at once and activated the Ring of Fire.

The rings rotating around his heart created a line connecting the high-purity mana to the medicine's healing ability to increase his body's recovery.

Whap!

The Divinity Blooming from the Underworld also spread out from deep inside his energy center. The internal injury slowly subsided despite how serious it was, and the pain decreased significantly.

"Haa…"

Raon opened his eyes after he absorbed all of the medicine's energy.

That's why the King of Essence keeps telling you to know your place!

Wrath had apparently been blabbering all along. He liked to continue even when no one was listening, just like everyone who talked too much.

'You seriously talk so much.'

No amount of nagging is enough for a pathetic guy like you. Come over here. The King of Essence shall give you a proper lesson today.

He tapped on the floor and waved for him to come towards him.

It's a thousand years too early for you to control wrath! In fact, back in Devildom…

Wrath was about to start bragging about himself once again. Messages appeared while hiding his blabbermouth.

[You've achieved an overwhelming victory against an opponent more powerful than you.]

[You've witnessed the flow of another person's mental world.]

[All stats have increased by 17.]

[The trait Evil Eye of Wrath has increased in rank.]

[The trait Snow Flower's Veil has increased in rank.]

It was announcing the rewards for defeating Syria and helping Runaan in her mental world.

Ah…

Wrath's mouth was about to widen when another message appeared.

[The new trait Wrath Release has been created.]

"Wrath Release?"

Aaaaah!

Wrath grabbed his own hair while glaring at the message.

Kill him, just kill him already!

He fell like a deflated balloon, his eyes full of tears.

Stop taking everything away from him and kill him instead!!!