-Has that old geezer gone senile from eating only Nadine bread?
Wrath widened his eyes in disbelief.
'Be quiet.'
Raon covered Wrath's mouth while looking at Glenn.
'What in the world is going on?'
Even if the information about the Five Demons he told Glenn was special, it shouldn't have been completely unpredictable to him.
Suddenly giving out martial arts manuals was far from a normal reward.
'What has that foolish elf done this time....'
He couldn't understand what trick had been played to hand over five martial arts manuals for such a small piece of information.
"Are you really giving these martial arts manuals to me?"
"There's no need to be so surprised."
Glenn shook his head with a gentle gaze, like moonlight covered by clouds.
"I'm just giving you martial arts manuals that were going to be discarded."
He waved his hand, saying he had merely taken out martial arts manuals he was originally going to throw away.
"Hmm..."
Raon swallowed a groan as he scanned the names of the martial arts manuals one by one.
'Star Destroying Swordsmanship, Blood Chasing Steps, Remaining Wind Sword Style, Raging Flow Body Technique....'
There were five martial arts manuals in total, and their names were extraordinary. Though he couldn't tell their actual level, just by the titles, they all seemed like transcendent martial arts.
"They're all martial arts with a screw loose somewhere. But seeing the Radiant Light Flow you created, I thought it would be better to pass them on rather than throw them away. No need to thank me."
Glenn calmly closed his eyes as if it really meant nothing. However, his words were longer than usual, and his voice trembled slightly.
"I'll say it again, they're not great martial arts manuals. They're just payment for the information you gave, so there's no need to thank me."
Glenn preemptively spoke as Raon was about to bow his head in gratitude.
"Even so, thank you."
Raon bowed his head to Glenn with a faint smile. Even if they were truly martial arts collected to be thrown away, there was surely something to learn. He was simply grateful.
"Ahem!"
Glenn cleared his throat and turned his back towards the lake again. The sky was dark so his face wasn't visible, but his earlobes seemed to be burning red as if scorched by fire.
"By the way..."
Glenn's gaze slightly shifted.
"Did that guy... I mean, did the Light Wind vice division leader teach you martial arts?"
He asked the question as if he already knew about Rimmer.
"That's right."
"What martial art was it?"
"Hmm..."
Raon hid his trembling fingertips.
'Should I tell him about this?'
The martial art Rimmer had given him wasn't an ordinary training method, but an elven one. It was Garunua, learned by the Guardians of Sepia. If he mentioned this, it didn't seem like it would be brushed off easily.
However, given Rimmer's personality, there was a high chance he had already talked about it himself, and Glenn might have already figured it out. If he lied, he would be caught immediately.
"It's a martial art called Garunua."
Raon sighed and revealed the fact that he had learned Garunua.
"...The Song of the Wind, is it." (E/N: just think of the song of the wind as another name for this cultivation method. I preferred to use Garunua as a general rule since song of the wind can refer to other things too.)
Glenn's eyes widened as soon as he heard the name Garunua.
"That's right."
"Hmm."
As expected, he seemed to know about Garunua, biting his lip.
"Head of House. The Light Wind vice division leader... Huh?"
As Raon was about to make up words to defend Rimmer, Glenn's expression hardened to the point of severity.
However, it looked more like a swordsman who had lost a battle rather than a diplomat who had failed in negotiations.
"Ugh..."
Glenn let out a pained groan as he looked at the martial arts manuals he had set down.
"H-Head of House?"
"It's nothing!"
He clenched his molars and turned his head.
"I'll be going now."
Glenn left those words and quickly disappeared into the darkness. He moved so fast that even his back wasn't visible.
-Why is that old geezer really acting like that?
Wrath shook his head as if he couldn't understand.
'I don't know either.'
Raon let out a deep sigh and picked up the Star Destroying Swordsmanship manual, which was on top of the fallen martial arts manuals, and opened it.
'This is...'
Having recently heard and seen various martial arts, he was certain without having to read it all.
This martial arts manual was not something to be thrown away. It was clearly a transcendent martial art. Moreover, the movements were finely broken down to make it easier to create new martial arts.
'Did he prepare this for me?'
Come to think of it, Glenn had mentioned the Radiant Light Flow and said it would be better to give these to me. It seemed like he had prepared them in advance.
'Yeah. That must be it.'
It doesn't make sense to discard martial arts of this level. It seemed like he was trying to give a reward for taking care of his mother.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed his head politely in the direction Glenn had left. He brushed off the dirt on the martial arts manual with his hand, wearing a faint smile.
'It's time to enter the training room again.'
-You've thought well.
Wrath nodded his head.
-A greenhorn like you needs to focus properly when you're doing something. If you keep switching between this and that, you won't accomplish anything!
'Ah, I was worried, but thanks for accepting it.'
Raon grinned and lightly patted Wrath's head.
-Huh? What do you mean?
'If we go into the training room, we'll only be eating Nadine bread. I'm glad you're willing to put up with it.'
-Uh...
Wrath widened his eyes as if he just remembered about the Nadine bread.
-Ah, no! I take it back! Don't go in there at all! I hate that rubber bread!
'I'll spread some jam on it for you.'
-Aaargh! Rubber is still rubber even with jam on it!
* * *
"Urrrghhh!"
Rimmer messed up his hair furiously as he watched Glenn leaving the lake.
"Why is that old geezer really acting like that!"
He had been patient, but now he was really at the end of his rope.
"Saying he's giving them away because they're martial arts manuals he was going to throw out! That's worse than picking them up off the street!"
He had baked bread, cooked meat, and even chopped vegetables to set a lavish table. (E/N: just a saying to express Rimmer prepared the ideal situation)
All Glenn had to do was eat the food with a fork, but instead he had not only kicked the table but completely overturned it. Rimmer's insides were boiling with anger.
"Heh heh heh."
Roenn shook his head with a gentle laugh.
"The Head of House seems to be much more shy than we thought."
"That's not shyness, it's being completely dense! Ugh, how frustrating!"
Rimmer gritted his teeth as he pushed back his hair, which looked like a bird had built a nest in it.
"I did everything I could, how can he act like that."
He had openly provoked Glenn and given Raon hints about Garunua and how to get martial arts from Glenn.
Raon had moved as expected, but Glenn had ignored the flower path right in front of him and jumped into the mud. He was truly an incomprehensible person.
"I'm a bit frustrated too."
Sheryl nodded as she peeled herself off the rock.
"It's absurd that he spent all night selecting martial arts manuals only to say he was going to throw them away."
She sighed, saying she was fed up.
"All night? So he was rummaging through martial arts manuals the whole time?"
"Yes. He even went in and out of the treasury looking for martial arts manuals that would suit the Light Wind division."
Sheryl clicked her tongue briefly, saying that all the martial arts manuals given to Raon were precious.
"Ah! Hearing that makes my insides hurt even more! This is internal injury! Internal injury!"
Rimmer frowned while beating his chest.
"I don't care anymore! I even stopped gambling to help! I'm never doing this again! It's harder than matchmaking!"
He dusted off his hands, saying he might as well go gambling.
"Wasn't the gambling den closed for a holiday?"
Roenn tilted his head.
"Since when do gambling dens have holidays."
"Then what about the internal renovations?"
"Obviously a lie. Gamblers would play cards even in the bathroom if the gambling den was under renovation."
Rimmer scratched his nose, telling them not to underestimate gamblers.
"But why did you suddenly step up?"
Sheryl narrowed her eyes as she looked at Rimmer.
"They say people die when they do things they're not used to. Did you catch some kind of disease?"
"I'm an elf, you know?"
Rimmer snorted, asking what she was talking about.
"Elves are naturally capricious."
He disappeared in the direction of the gambling den, telling them not to treat him like a human.
"If he's not human, who is?"
Sheryl let out an exasperated sigh.
"Heh heh heh."
Roenn smiled pleasantly, not at Rimmer, but at Raon reading the martial arts manual by the lake.
"He's really become so much stronger. A little more and we might not be able to reach him."
"Indeed."
Sheryl nodded as she turned her gaze.
"When I first saw him, he was a little kid who couldn't even run properly."
She smiled faintly as if recalling old memories.
"You must have a rough idea, having seen the Axe King recently. Do you think young master Raon can win?"
"Right now, I would say a 30% chance of winning. However..."
Sheryl glanced at the martial arts manual Raon was reading and adjusted her side hair.
"Who knows what might happen if that kid creates a new martial art."
* * *
"Strange..."
Shadow Agents' Leader Chad kept muttering "strange" with his forehead pressed against the desk.
"No matter how I think about it, it's strange..."
Why isn't he coming to see me?
It had been a while since he had prepared, expecting Raon to come see him, but he showed no signs of coming.
'I don't understand the reason.'
He had given Raon hints about entering the Sword Saint's Tomb, sent Alice to find the tomb's location fearing Raon might be in danger, and quickly moved to create a connection between Zieghart and the Sword Saint's Tomb.
Lastly, he had written detailed information about the Vice Head of the Elder's Council and how he was tormenting the annex building, and passed it on to the Gambling Monster.
He had minimized the time by moving directly without using other informants, but Raon hadn't even come to the Shadow Agents, let alone say a word of thanks.
'Why?'
He could understand if it was True Martial Palace Master Balder. He's the type to just say "Oh. Yeah. Good job." even if you help him with all your heart.
But Raon is different. His personality is similar to his grandfather Glenn's, clearly distinguishing between favors and grudges.
He must know how big his help was this time, so he couldn't understand why Raon was staying quiet.
"Sigh..."
Chad let out a deep sigh as he stood up.
'This is not something I can just sit still about.'
His instinct, honed over years of living on tenterhooks, told him. No matter how poorly Raon grows up, he will become a Palace Master, and with a bit of luck, he could even become the Head of House.
He couldn't just leave the relationship with such a person as it was.
'Right. If I don't know, I'll just have to find out myself.'
Chad made up his mind to find out the reason himself and stood up.
He left the Shadow Agents building and immediately went to find Alice. She was packing her belongings as if planning to leave the family.
"Chad. What brings you here?"
Alice smiled brightly and waved her hand.
"Are you here to see me off?"
"No. That's not it..."
Chad swallowed dryly and approached Alice.
"Miss Alice. Didn't you go to the Sword Saint's Tomb to protect the Light Wind Division Leader after I told you the location?"
"Yes. Thanks to that, I was able to save Raon. It was a really dangerous situation."
Alice gave a thumbs up, saying it was a good decision.
"By any chance, did you tell that story to Lord Raon?"
"Huh? Come to think of it, I didn't. The situation was urgent."
She chuckled and shook her head.
"Ah..."
Chad's hands trembled as he looked at Alice's innocent eyes.
'Don't tell me...'
Could it be that everyone kept their mouths shut?
The worst-case scenario occurred to him - that both Alice, who saved Raon, and the Gambling Monster, who provided information about the Vice Head, hadn't said anything to Raon.
It was entirely possible, as both Alice and the Gambling Monster were strong individuals who hardly cared about others.
"I just greeted Raon a little while ago. It would be awkward to go again. You should tell him directly."
Alice patted his shoulder and left the lodging.
"Ah..."
Chad watched Alice's departing figure with his mouth agape.
'Please let it not be true! Please!'
Forcibly suppressing the assumption rising in his mind, he went to find the Gambling Monster.
He was drinking while watching former Vice Head Killian digging with a shovel in the annex building.
"Hah! No need for side dishes! The alcohol's going down! Gulp! Gulp! Gulp gulp!"
"Um, Gambling Monster, sir."
Chad swallowed dryly as he approached the Gambling Monster.
"Oh? It's Chad."
The Gambling Monster lowered his liquor bottle and nodded slightly.
"You came at a good time. It's partly thanks to you that those guys are digging. Let's enjoy it together."
He poured some liquor into an empty glass and handed it over.
"Th-Thank you. But Gambling Monster, sir."
Chad accepted the drink with trembling hands and called out to the Gambling Monster.
"Did you by any chance tell Master Raon that I compiled information about the Vice Head and his misdeeds..."
"Hm?"
The Gambling Monster slowly rubbed his temple with the liquor bottle and shook his head.
"I'm drunk, so I don't remember well. I probably did, right?"
He chuckled and took another drink.
"Ugh..."
Chad squeezed his eyes shut, just like he had seen Raon do once.
'Damn it all!'
Now he finally understood why Raon hadn't come to see him.
As he had feared on his way here, it was true that Alice, the Gambling Monster, and other people hadn't said a word to Raon.
'This won't do.'
Even if it's a bit unsightly, he should reveal it himself.
It was certainly embarrassing to reveal what he had done himself, but he had gone through too much trouble this time to just stay quiet.
'Let's go!'
Chad clenched his fists and headed towards the Fifth Training Ground where Raon would be.
* * *
"Until I come out. Please take care of the Light Wind division and the annex building."
As Raon entered the training room of the Fifth Training Ground, he made eye contact with Burren, Martha, and Runaan.
"Understood. Go in with peace of mind."
Martha nodded confidently as if to say don't worry.
"Okay."
Runaan winked, saying she'd prepare ice cream for when he comes out.
"Um..."
Burren approached Raon and tilted his head.
"The sea spirit on your shoulder. It looks really angry right now?"
The sea spirit that Raon had supposedly acquired was now going crazy on his shoulder.
"Ah, it's just dancing right now. It's happy, you see."
Raon tapped the spirit's head as if it was no big deal. The spirit jumped around even more, as if possessed by madness.
"I-Is that so?"
Hearing that, it did seem like it might be dancing. Of course, the spirit's red-hot eyes were still frightening.
"Well then."
Raon lightly waved his hand and entered the training room.
"A new martial art!"
Krein grinned and interlocked her fingers.
"Aren't you super excited? It's bound to be an even better martial art than the Radiant Light Flow!"
"I like that the entire Light Wind division will learn it. We'll be able to put it to good use."
Martha leaned against the training room wall and licked her lips.
"It won't necessarily be better. Just as the Radiant Light Flow was tailored for the annex building's maids, this time Raon will create a martial art that suits us. There's no high or low."
Burren calmly replied and then stepped back from the training room.
"First squad is on guard duty today, right?"
"Yes. You should go quickly."
Martha waved her hand, telling him to go.
"I'm not going."
Runaan said she'd stay here and pulled out a box of bead ice cream from her bosom pocket.
"Please, just go."
"Not going."
Burren watched the two bicker for a moment before turning his back.
As he was leaving the training ground to go to the main building, he saw Shadow Agents' Leader Chad running towards him.
"Shadow Agents' Leader?"
Seeing his flushed face, it seemed like something very important had happened.
"Ah, Third Squad Leader. By, by any chance, is the Light Wind Division Leader..."
It seemed like a really urgent matter, seeing as he was looking for Raon.
"He's gone into seclusion."
"Ah..."
Chad's complexion turned pale as if he'd fallen ill. He looked like he'd just lost a precious treasure.
"If it's important, I can go and relay the message. He just entered seclusion, so it should still be fine."
"Ah, no. It's not that important..."
He shook his head and turned his back. With his shoulders slumped, he looked like a defeated soldier, and it seemed like a strange crying sound could be heard.
'What's going on?'
Burren tilted his head as he watched Chad's back, then headed towards the infirmary in the main building.
After greeting the swordsman guarding the infirmary, he stood in front of the innermost patient room.
"Sigh..."
He tidied his hair and clothes, took a slow breath, then opened the door and entered the room.
In the room where soft sunlight was breaking through, there was only one bed, and on it sat Karoon with a pale complexion.
"You called for me."
Burren entered the room and bowed his head to Karoon.
"...Sit down."
Karoon slowly raised his hand, pointing to the chair next to the bed.
"I prefer to stand."
Burren took a step forward without sitting on the chair.
"I see."
Karoon calmly nodded and turned his gaze. His eyes were quietly burning.
Despite suffering from serious injuries, his imposing aura hadn't diminished at all.
"Burren."
"Yes."
Karoon's eyes flashed like lightning.
"Have you thought about returning to the Central Martial Palace?"
"..."
Burren's eyes widened at the unexpected situation.
"I'll give you the position of leader for the newly established Martial Prowess Division. And..."
Karoon continued calmly, as if he had prepared beforehand.
"I'll personally teach you."
"Hmm..."
Burren couldn't help but let out a groan.
His father's teachings and the leader of his former affiliation. These were all things he had dreamed of.
No, more than anything, his heart raced madly at the fact that his father needed him.
Burren closed his eyes. After careful consideration, he calmly parted his lips.
"I..."