After successfully taking his first nap, Raon unfastened the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword from his waist, which he had always carried with him like his own flesh and blood. Holding the two swords that were as precious as his life, he approached Dorian, who was furtively glancing around.
"Hold these for a while."
Raon carefully picked up the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword and held them out to Dorian.
"Huh...?"
Dorian's eyes widened at the sight of the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword presented before him.
"W-why are you giving these to me?"
Far from understanding, his chin trembled with fear.
"Is it because I complained about the supplies yesterday...?"
"I've already forgotten about that."
He calmly shook his head, indicating he hadn't even thought about it.
"Then why...?"
"Because you're the person I trust most to look after my belongings?"
Raon tilted his head as if wondering why Dorian would ask something so obvious.
"Huh? Whoa!"
Dorian's face puffed up like well-baked bread as he let out a strange sound.
"Ah, yes! Of course! No one's better than me when it comes to that!"
He bowed his head in gratitude for being recognized.
"Good."
Raon smiled faintly as he handed over the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword to Dorian, who had raised his arms.
"I'm curious about one more thing—why are you removing your swords?"
Dorian licked his lips, wondering about that as well.
"I want to try living as a person, not a swordsman, for a while."
Raon smiled thinly, saying it wouldn't take too long.
"Um..."
Dorian swallowed dryly and glanced toward the platform. Glenn was listening to their conversation but said nothing. It seemed like he was willing to allow whatever Raon wanted to do.
"Ah, I understand. I'll guard the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword with my life!"
Dorian thumped his chest firmly, asking to be trusted, and placed the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword in his pouch.
"Good. I'm counting on you."
Raon lightly patted Dorian's shoulder and walked toward the exit of the training ground.
-Huh...?
Wrath frowned as he looked at Raon up and down.
-Are you really leaving the training ground? You, the sword-obsessed monster?
He gaped, wondering if Raon had truly lost his mind.
'I won't be practicing swordsmanship even if I stay here anyway.'
Raon shook his head, saying it wouldn't be any different from yesterday.
-I know that, but leaving this environment entirely is a different matter, isn't it?
Wrath scoffed, insisting it was completely different.
'You're right. It is very different. But right now, this is the choice I want to make.'
Raon stood at the door of the training ground and looked back.
"Hmm..."
"D-did he really get hit in the head with a sword?"
"Is that really our Palace Master...?"
The Light Wind Palace Swordsmen rounded their eyes in confusion even as they continued swinging their swords.
"Raon! Bring back something delicious!"
"Yes. Go outside and play with your friends for once!"
Sia and Sylvia smiled and waved their hands, seeming pleased that Raon was thinking about taking a rest.
"..."
"By the way, when will he give me my Martial Arts Manual...?"
Karoon focused on his training without paying any attention, while Balder furrowed his brow, remembering the promised Martial Arts Manual. (E/N: A long, a long time ago, Raon promised Balder a new martial art)
"Hmm!"
Finally, Glenn was looking at Raon without saying a word. His calm eyes shone quietly, as if telling him to do as he pleased.
"I'll be back."
Raon bowed to Glenn and left the head of house's training ground. As soon as he stepped outside, the gentle sunlight, not yet at its peak, poured down warmly. It had been a very long time since he had been anywhere other than the training ground at this hour.
"The sunshine is nice, isn't it?"
Raon took off his luxurious training clothes, changed into ordinary casual wear, and headed to the bustling streets of Zieghart.
'There are a lot of people.'
People doing business, restocking goods, shopping at the market, and even sightseers. Many people were each doing their own tasks for their own purposes. Feeling that countless people were going about their lives even during the hours when he was always training, Raon felt a ticklish sensation in his chest.
-I really don't understand you.
Wrath shook his head repeatedly, still unable to understand.
-I agree that your mind is at ease and your condition has improved, but whether you need to go this far... Hm?
He was muttering when he suddenly turned his gaze to the right.
-They're selling chicken skewers over there! I had no idea since they never come out on weekdays!
Wrath licked his lips as he looked at the small stall selling chicken skewers.
-The smell is absolutely amazing...
'Shall we eat them, then?'
-Huh? What?
He gaped, as if he'd heard something completely unexpected.
-Are you serious?
'Yes. Let's buy bead ice cream too and eat them together.'
Raon smiled faintly as he bought chicken skewers in various flavors and bead ice cream as a set, then sat at the edge of a fountain.
'This is delicious. They go well together.'
After enjoying the salty and spicy chicken skewers and the sweet, cool bead ice cream, he patted his stomach.
'How was it for you?'
Raon nudged the absent-minded Wrath floating in the air with his elbow.
-It was d-delicious. You have perfectly understood the salty-sweet combination this king has passed down to you.
Wrath nodded dazedly, acknowledging it was a good choice.
-But is your head really all right?
Despite having enjoyed the food, he rolled his eyes as if genuinely concerned.
'I'm completely fine.'
Raon smiled and waved his hand dismissively.
'I think I understand a bit of the joy of gastronomy you talked about.'
He continued people-watching as he walked to the western end of the market. It was his first time on this path, and he could hear children's laughter and casual conversation. Looking up to check, he saw a small park on one side of the street where children and elderly people could rest.
Children were running around teasing each other, while the elderly were sharing various stories.
With many people sitting on benches and resting, no one paid any attention to him.
'This place is nice too.'
Raon sat down on an empty chair and leaned back. The bluish leaves swaying above his head and the cool breeze blowing gently made him feel much more relaxed and pleasant than when staying at the training ground.
'My mind feels at ease.'
Raon didn't push away the drowsiness rising in his mind but accepted it. Soon, soft breathing sounds escaped from his lips.
-Uh, hmm...
Wrath scratched his cheek as he looked at Raon who had fallen into a nap, as if getting used to it.
-Finding a human life is good, but this is just...
-You're just a jobless layabout!
***
"That Raon... He's really not coming?"
Martha frowned as she looked at the empty space in the center of the training ground where Raon always stood.
"It's the first time I've seen that guy, who would jump up even from sleep at the mention of a sword, take a break for a whole week."
She sighed, saying she didn't expect Raon to stay away for this long.
"Not a week, but ten days."
Burren let out a thin sigh as he looked up at the sky.
"Raon hasn't even come near this place for ten days."
He also furrowed his brow, looking worried.
"I'm so worried I can't sleep well..."
Contrary to her claim that worry for Raon kept her from sleeping, Runaan was rubbing the cheek marks caused by long hours of sleep.
"What could he be doing and where...?"
She licked her lips, saying they should start looking for Raon soon.
"I feel like the swords are getting heavier and heavier..."
Dorian slumped his shoulders, saying the pouch containing the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword felt too heavy.
"Um, our Palace Master hasn't really gone crazy, has he?"
Krein's fingertips trembled as he said that leaving Raon alone for too long was becoming even more frightening.
"Maybe it's a heart demon or something..."
"My nephew has already overcome his heart demon."
Alice appeared like lightning and draped her arm over Krein's shoulder.
"Ah, Lady Alice!"
Krein stepped back in shock.
"Thank you for worrying about my nephew. Wait, are you closer to him than I am?"
Alice gently raised her eyebrows, as if regretting her words.
"But you don't need to worry about Raon. I just saw him a little while ago, playing well by himself in the busy streets."
She smiled brightly, saying he was also having friendly conversations with people.
"Really?"
Martha's jaw dropped.
"That guy's words are so sharp whenever he opens his mouth that ordinary people find it hard to get close to him."
She blinked her eyes, finding Alice's words hard to believe.
"Really? He was playing well with children and smiling at the elderly too."
Alice waved her hand, saying he didn't seem that way at all.
"Ah, but when Evelyn clung to him asking for a date, his expression did sour a bit."
She snickered, saying she had enjoyed an amusing sight.
"Evelyn went all the way there to find him again?"
Burren sighed, admitting he couldn't keep up with her.
"Well, Raon seems to be doing fine, and with not much training period left, we should also work hard..."
As he was telling Martha and Runaan to train harder, they were already rushing toward the exit of the training ground with furrowed brows. The two were so serious they were even employing footwork techniques as they quickly left the training ground.
"Hehe!"
Alice rubbed her hands together with a curled smile, as if she had predicted their reaction.
"Is there anyone else I can tease?"
She moved on with a grin, looking for her next victim.
"Sigh..."
Burren let out a long sigh as he watched her.
"Raon must have it tough too."
***
Two months passed and Glenn's guided training ended.
The swordsmen lined up in front of the platform, looking completely different from when they first entered the head of house's training ground.
"Hmm."
Glenn rubbed his chin with satisfaction while seated on his throne.
'They've changed a lot.'
Thanks to their bone-grinding efforts, most of the swordsmen standing here had grown at least one level. Master High Rank had become Top Rank, Grandmaster Middle Rank had risen to High Rank, and clear changes could be felt from everyone.
'Of course, martial prowess isn't the only change.'
During their time in the head of house's training ground, the swordsmen had accumulated countless practical experiences fighting against strong opponents through endless sparring matches. Their gazes and auras had changed to a completely different level from before.
'Especially those children have become much stronger.'
Glenn looked at Sylvia, Sia, Burren, Martha, and Runaan gathered on the left.
'Their talents are clearly different.'
Sylvia and Sia's talents were indeed the best in Zieghart, excluding Raon. The two absorbed swordsmanship at an astonishing rate, like sponges soaking up water, enhancing their martial prowess. Burren, Martha, and Runaan also had different perspectives from others thanks to being closest to Raon. (E/N: Sylvia is more talented than Burren, Martha and Runaan who became grandmaster around 25, and Runaan who probably will reach transcendence before 30? Wow)
With different standards came different mountains to climb, and all three showed absurd growth.
Among them, Runaan was one step ahead, making it seem possible for her to reach transcendence soon. Unfortunately, no new transcendent emerged from the Grandmaster Top Rank, but several, including Balder and Runaan, seemed capable of crossing that barrier given the right opportunity.
'However...'
Glenn slightly lowered his eyebrows as he looked at the empty front seat.
'Is he not coming today either?'
Raon hadn't come until the last day of the Lord's Manor training, and today, during the graduation ceremony, he still hadn't shown up.
'I should go look for him after the graduation ceremony is over.'
No matter how much he was trying to erase his mental demon, giving him this much free time might actually be harmful, so it seemed better to give him advice now.
'So he can't solve it alone after all.'
Glenn clicked his tongue inwardly with regret and shook his head.
"From now on, you will take a final test to show how much you have grown."
Just as he was about to tell the swordsmen to come forward and demonstrate their achievements, the training ground door opened with a creak, and Raon entered with his once-brilliant golden hair now dulled. Unlike his dusty, murky hair color, his eyes flashed with a clearer red than before.
"I apologize for being late."
Raon bowed to Glenn while wearing worn clothes, then took his place.
"Hmm..."
Glenn swallowed dryly as he looked at Raon.
'Raon has changed. And completely at that!' (E/N: Not really, he still comes late like always)
The aura emanating from Raon had changed drastically since he last saw him. The young genius who normally exuded sharpness more than anyone else now gave only a foggy, vague impression. He looked as innocent as a countryside youth who knew nothing of swords, or like a lazy beggar who had given up everything to just play and eat.
"Uh..."
"R-Raon, sir?"
"Is that really Raon?"
"What is this now...?"
The other swordsmen seemed to feel something similar, unable to take their eyes off Raon, frozen in place.
"Hmm!"
Glenn took a deep breath and rose from his throne.
"I'll say it again. I've prepared a testing ground where you can directly express how much you've developed as a swordsman over these two months. Come forward one by one and show how much you've grown."
He looked down at Raon as if the order was already determined.
"Raon Zieghart."
Glenn called Raon's name with force in his fingertips.
"You go first."
Normally, it would be right to call Raon last, but now he couldn't contain his curiosity about his grandson's changes.
"Understood."
Raon nodded leisurely and approached Dorian.
"Could you return my swords?"
"Ah, y-yes!"
Dorian blinked blankly before hastily opening his pouch to retrieve the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword that Raon had entrusted to him.
"Thank you."
It was the moment when Raon received the Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword with both hands, smiling. Though he had merely grasped the swords, the swordsmen standing in the training ground felt an eerie presence as if blade tips were touching their throats.
'This...'
The swordsmen's eyes sank coldly. As if their minds were synchronized, they all thought the same thing simultaneously.
'What kind of monster has he become and returned as now!'