"We've arrived."
Raon whistled as he looked at Zieghart's main gate rising like a snow-white wall.
'Seeing that gate puts my mind at ease.'
In truth, when he had received permission from Glenn to depart on the expedition, he had many worries. Questions about whether he could properly find the Dragon Lord, and whether he could win even if he found him, had been swirling in his mind.
But those worries and doubts had vanished completely after defeating the Dragon Lord and Ancient Dragons. Returning to Zieghart, he felt refreshed as if indigestion had been cured.
"Whoa!"
Dorian burst into an intense exclamation as he looked at Zieghart's castle walls.
"That gate looks more magnificent every time I see it. It seems like it would never break no matter who attacks it!"
He nodded enthusiastically, saying that Zieghart's castle walls before his eyes seemed like they wouldn't shake even under attacks from Derus Robert and the Heavenly Demon.
"What are you talking about?"
Raon turned his head from the castle walls to look at Dorian.
"That wall already collapsed once."
He shrugged, referring to how the walls and gates had been breached during the previous attacks by the White Blood Religion, Eden, and Dragons.
"Noooo..."
Dorian gaped at Raon with his mouth wide open.
"I-I'm not saying I don't know that! I'm saying Zieghart's walls look that high and sturdy!"
He rarely frowned and raised his voice at Raon.
"Show some sympathy! It's your family's house!"
Dorian clenched his fists, saying that just because something was true didn't mean it should all be said.
"That's too harsh."
Burren shook his head while patting the shoulder of the sniffling Dorian.
"This time it really is Raon's fault."
He sighed toward Raon as if empathizing with Dorian.
"It was something that didn't need to be said."
Martha also agreed with Burren's words and glanced sideways at Raon.
"No! Don't listen to them! Raon is completely right!"
Evelyn smiled brightly and waved her hand as if whatever Raon said was fine.
-This guy really...
Wrath let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.
-You said you realized emotions, but now you know yet still don't show empathy!
He clicked his tongue, saying the guy was truly wicked.
'It's fun though.'
Raon chuckled and approached Zieghart's gate.
'I can see people's emotions a bit now.'
Lately, he had become able to feel people's light emotions as they were. He knew what kind of answer Dorian wanted, but he just didn't want to give it to him directly. (E/N: [You have unlocked the trait 'Sadism'] [Due to precedent actions, the trait 'Sadism' raises to 12 stars] [The trait 'Sadism' evolves....])
-You got a little stronger and your personality became completely twisted!
Wrath wrinkled his nose, saying his personality had become more annoying than his martial prowess.
-You really need proper education from my ice fist!
He let out a heavy sigh, saying he couldn't win in a battle of souls.
-Someday when I regain my full power, a guy like you will really...
'Sure. Do it later.'
Raon waved lightly at Wrath and stood before Zieghart's gate. The gate, which seemed like it would never shake just as Dorian had said, opened with a rumbling sound after confirming him and his companions, and External Commander Illiune walked out.
"When you left, you looked so tense that I thought it was a dangerous mission, but fortunately you've returned safely."
Illiune greeted Raon with a bright expression, seemingly not having heard the news about defeating the Dragon Lord yet.
"You don't seem to be injured either."
He nodded with satisfaction after examining Raon's entire body and finding no wounds.
"Yes. I was lucky."
Raon said things went well and drew a faint smile.
"I don't know why you're always the only one who's lucky. At that level, it's cheating!"
Illiune clicked his tongue, saying he should call it skill rather than luck now.
"In the old days, you were really just a little kid, but now... Ah!"
He was about to talk about the old days when he suddenly widened his eyes as if remembering something.
"This isn't the time for this. Go quickly to the Lord's Manor now!"
Illiune pointed to the main building, telling him to go to the Lord's Manor right now. His complexion seemed to be turning pale.
"Did something happen to the Head of House?"
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Illiune.
"You'll know when you go."
Illiune quickly waved his hands as if he didn't need to explain.
"Hmm..."
"Did another incident occur?"
Burren and Martha also looked at each other in bewilderment and let out low groans.
"Ah, I really don't want to go out again..."
Dorian let out a deep sigh as if he didn't want to receive any more missions.
"I'm fine with anywhere Raon goes."
Evelyn paced behind Raon, saying she'd be fine with receiving a new mission right away.
-This damned family really doesn't have a single quiet day!
Wrath shook his head, saying he was tired.
"Let's go for now."
Raon gestured to those behind him to depart and headed toward the main building first.
'It's definitely different from usual.'
As he approached the main building, he could feel cold aura emanating from inside the Lord's Manor. Since Illiune's expression when he opened the gate wasn't bad, he thought it wasn't a big problem, but it seemed like a serious incident might have occurred.
'It seems like all of Zieghart's executives are gathered.'
Standing in front of the main building, he could sense the presence of Zieghart executives gathered in the audience chamber. From Palace Master-level people like Karoon, Balder, and Alice, to those who seemed to have recently become executives and were still weak. It really seemed like all executives within the family had been summoned.
'Their conditions aren't good.'
Anger was emanating from the executives in the audience chamber. However, unlike typical anger, he could also feel fatigue, drowsiness, and boredom mixed in. These were emotions he could discern because he had received the Authority of Wrath from Wrath.
'What on earth is this?'
Raon bit his lips and entered the Lord's Manor, opening the door to the audience chamber. The door to the audience chamber opened with a rumbling sound, revealing executives standing in lines like pillars. Their anger and fatigue that he had sensed from outside now rushed in vividly as if touching his skin.
'Their expressions aren't good either.'
The executives had dark circles under their eyes, and fatigue was flowing from their complexions like waterfalls. The only person who looked fine here was Karoon alone.
-It definitely doesn't seem to be good news.
Wrath also sensed the atmosphere of the audience chamber and let out a low groan.
'This might be my imagination, but...The direction of the executives' anger seems to be toward me? It's not just my imagination, right?'
The executives were clearly looking straight ahead, but he could sense their anger rushing toward him.
'What on earth happened... Hm?'
Raon slowly looked up at the platform and blinked blankly.
'Why is grandfather smiling?'
Unlike the executives who were steeped in fatigue and irritation, Glenn was looking at him with eyes full of vitality as if he had returned to 20 years ago. For him, it seemed there was only joyful news, not serious matters.
"I greet the Head of House..."
Raon was about to kneel to Glenn while standing in the center of the audience chamber.
"That's enough!"
Glenn said there was no need for greetings and used formless aura to lift Raon's upper body.
"Yes! You've finally come!"
He nodded vigorously, saying he had been waiting only for this moment.
"Pardon? You were waiting..."
Raon blinked blankly.
"Twelve hours."
Sheryl, who was standing beside Glenn, let out a deep sigh.
"He's been waiting continuously from when you contacted us this morning saying you'd return until now..."
She muttered that she had waited 12 hours listening to Glenn's leg tapping in this solemn space.
"Ah..."
Raon gaped as he looked outside the window where it had become completely dark long ago.
'Since morning?'
He had sent word that he would return to Zieghart in the morning, and now it was past evening into night. His whole body trembled at the words that everyone had been waiting for him in this place for 12 hours.
"The bigger problem is that we had to wait without even knowing the reason..."
Alice bit her lips tightly while looking at Glenn as if she wanted to hit him.
"Right! That was the most serious part! It was so boring!"
Balder rubbed his eyes vigorously, saying he almost died from sleepiness.
"Really, why are we all here like this?"
"My legs hurt. I'm a Grandmaster but my legs hurt..."
"What's the reason! We knew we were waiting for the Light Wind Palace Master, but we almost went crazy wondering why!"
The executives stared intently at Raon as if begging him to tell them the answer. Glenn seemed not to have even mentioned defeating the Dragon Lord, as both anger and questions could be felt in their gazes.
-No wonder there's chaos!
Wrath let out a hollow laugh as if he finally understood.
-That doting old man!
He gritted his teeth, calling him an impossible old man to deal with.
"Ah..."
Raon held his head. Defeating the Dragon Lord was certainly important and joyful news, but there was no need to go this far. He felt his chest being crushed with guilt toward the executives.
"Um, Head of House..."
"Yes! Tell us what happened during this time!"
Glenn nodded fiercely, telling him to quickly tell the story of defeating the Dragon Lord as if unaware of everyone's feelings. Love and pride toward him oozed from his reddened complexion and passionate eyes, making it impossible to scold him.
'However, I can't just let this slide with the executives.'
He needed to apologize somehow.
The 12-hour wait with Glenn was also an extremely difficult time for the executives. It seemed best to apologize for making them wait while giving out the Martial Arts Manuals and swords he had obtained this time.
'Still...'
Raon drew a faint smile as he looked at Glenn whose smile reached his ears.
'It's nice to see grandfather so happy.'
***
"...That's how things turned out, so the remaining Dragons will likely stand on our Five Kings' side."
Raon told them everything that had happened while receiving the executives' cold gazes. As the story progressed, the executives' anger toward him subsided, and when he reached the part about defeating the Dragon Lord one-on-one, emotions of shock and joy rushed in like a tide.
"He's a monster. To defeat three clan heads and the Dragon Lord alone..."
"If he really killed the Dragon Lord, we should acknowledge today's wait!"
"I could wait not just 12 hours, but 12 days."
"Dragons aren't even neutral but standing behind us? That's so reassuring."
"I think I understand why the Light Wind Palace Master's biography is being written. I want to spread the story I heard today too."
The executives instantly calmed their anger that had been directed at him and Glenn, and instead burst into intense exclamations as if they had come to respect him even more.
"As expected of our nephew! I believed in you!"
Alice erased her tired expression and raised her hand high.
"He's different alright! But when do I get my Martial Arts Manual..."
Balder licked his lips, demanding a Martial Arts Manual even in this situation.
"Dragon Lord..."
Karoon unfolded his arms and slowly lifted his eyelids.
"It's a feat that will remain in history."
He nodded calmly toward Raon as if he had no choice but to acknowledge this achievement.
"Kehehem!"
Glenn made sounds that were either laughter or coughing, his neck flushed red as if he had known this would happen.
"This mission was something only you could accomplish, and I'm grateful you succeeded."
He stomped his feet loudly, saying it was a mission only Raon could accomplish as if to praise him even more.
"What you've accomplished this time will become a lifeline that can save countless people in the war with the Two Demons. It's a feat that's hard to express in any words." (E/N: how many Demons is it anyway at this point?)
Glenn said he had really worked hard and applauded Raon. He trembled at his fingertips as if he wanted to embrace Raon right now.
"Woooooooh!"
"The title Sword Emperor isn't wasted on him!"
"That person will probably become a Sword God following the Head of House someday."
The executives also followed Glenn in clapping and sending cheers to Raon.
"There's one more thing I'd like to say."
Raon gestured to Dorian who was behind him.
"I obtained weapons and Martial Arts Manuals from the Dragon Lord's lair, and I'd like to distribute them to the executives present here."
Since the atmosphere was good, he brought up the treasures, thinking it would be better to give out the Martial Arts Manuals and swords while apologizing right now. Since he couldn't master them all alone anyway, it was much more efficient to distribute them to grow Zieghart itself.
"Yes! Understood!"
Dorian grinned as if happy that it was finally his turn and took out the swords and Martial Arts Manuals obtained from the Dragon Lord's lair from his pouch.
"Huh..."
"There are this many swords and Martial Arts Manuals?"
"D-Did the Dragon Lord really collect these because he felt inferior to the Head of House?"
"There are so many I don't know what to choose."
"I don't care about anything else! Long live Light Wind Palace!"
The executives were amazed by the endlessly pouring swords and Martial Arts Manuals, yet praised Raon for giving them the opportunity to have them and applauded once more.
"Hah..."
Raon let out a sigh of relief, feeling that the mood of the executives who had waited 12 hours had completely lifted.
In truth, even if left alone, they wouldn't harm him, but since they were members of the same family, he wanted to continue building good feelings.
-Hmph!
Wrath snorted while looking at him.
-Now you've finally become a bit more human. You're so slow anyway.
He nodded, saying the guy had become somewhat tolerable, if only slightly.
-But unlike you...
Wrath trembled his lips as if disgusted while looking at Glenn on the platform.
-That old man doesn't know moderation now! Looking at that expression, he won't just sit still again!
He squeezed his eyes shut, saying Glenn would definitely give some ridiculous reward.
'That's true...'
Raon swallowed dry saliva as he looked at Glenn whose face was so red that even his neck had turned red.
'Grandfather doesn't seem like he'll just stay still.'
His shoulders trembled slightly because he couldn't predict what kind of reward Glenn would offer this time.
"Not only did you slay the Dragon Lord and bring the Dragons to the Five Kings' side, but you even brought such treasures! It's an unprecedented achievement for the family!"
Glenn spoke in a trembling voice as if reading his thoughts. He soon nodded intensely as if he had made up his mind.
"To the Light Wind Palace Master who achieved today's great feat..."