"The person joining us for this mission is..."
Raon swallowed hard as he met Karoon's cold gaze.
"Is it you, Central Martial Palace Master?"
While Glenn had promised to send a strong martial force, Raon hadn't expected it to be Karoon.
'I thought it would be something like the Void Sword division.'
He had been preparing greetings for Serena, the Void Sword Division Leader, but Karoon's sudden appearance nearly made his heart stop.
"Father, are you really going?"
Burren, who seemed unaware until now, approached Karoon with wide eyes.
"Yes."
Karoon nodded calmly.
"The Head of House personally assigned me this mission."
He mentioned that Glenn had come to him with the task as he placed his hand on his sword hilt.
"Going on a mission with Father! What an honor!"
Burren clenched his fist, seemingly excited about the prospect of going on a mission with his father, Karoon.
"Burren Zieghart."
Karoon frowned as he looked at the blushing Burren.
"Here, I am not your father, but the Central Martial Palace Master. Keep that in mind."
"I-I'm sorry..."
Realizing his mistake, Burren immediately bowed his head.
"That's enough."
Karoon coldly turned his gaze away, as if satisfied that his advice had been taken.
-Sigh...
Wrath shook his head as he observed Karoon and Burren.
-Why is everyone in this family the same, be it grandfather, father, or son?
He clicked his tongue, muttering that they all hide their true feelings.
"The Head of House personally..."
Raon briefly licked his lips as he glanced at the Lord's Manor.
'He's more concerned than I thought.'
Summoning high-level mages from Chamber and Balkar, and even calling for Karoon, it seemed Glenn was determined to prevent any casualties on this mission.
"You've brought quite interesting news, Light Wind Palace Master."
Karoon's sharp eyes narrowed further. It seemed he was about to question why he hadn't been told about the Black Tower.
"About that..."
"Well done."
Contrary to expectations, he nodded approvingly, saying Raon had done well.
"Valuing the family and maintaining confidentiality are entirely different matters. We can't be certain there are no spies in Zieghart, so it's best not to discuss important matters where everyone can hear."
Karoon covered his lips with his index finger, indicating that secrets should be kept in the future as well.
"...Thank you."
Raon accepted Karoon's praise with round eyes. He felt slightly dizzy, not expecting such words from him.
"Are you all prepared then?"
"Despite the time constraints, we've completed the training. We've also outlined a general plan."
Karoon rubbed his chin calmly, as if to say there was no need to worry.
"A plan..."
"Don't worry. I understand that the Light Wind Palace is at the center of this mission."
He lowered his hand, indicating that he wouldn't take the lead unless absolutely necessary.
'This is unexpected.'
Raon slightly lowered his eyebrows as he looked at Karoon.
'I was sure he'd take charge...'
It was surprising that Karoon was willing to step back and let him lead, rather than taking control of the mission himself as Raon had expected.
"The Light Wind Palace hasn't completed its organization yet. How do you plan to operate?"
Karoon tilted his chin to the left, seemingly curious about this aspect.
"As you mentioned, since we haven't finalized our personnel, we plan to move in two groups as before: the Light Wind division and the Warring Steel Division."
It seemed the best approach for now was for him to coordinate the Light Wind division while Trevin managed the Warring Steel Division.
"That does seem best."
Karoon nodded, as if he had no objections.
"You seem to have prepared well in such a short time. However..."
He frowned as he looked over Raon and the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
"Being late is not acceptable."
"Late...?"
Raon shook his head as he looked at the sky.
"We shouldn't have been late."
While time had passed during their conversation with Karoon, they had arrived at the main gate five minutes before the appointed time.
"Ten minutes."
Karoon raised his hand, spreading it wide in front of Raon's eyes.
"The basic rule is to arrive ten minutes before the appointed time."
He narrowed the bridge of his nose, saying it was a matter of courtesy.
"While arriving early is certainly a good habit, I believe arriving just five minutes early, as we did, is sufficient. In fact, I think as long as we're not late, it's fine."
Since this wasn't a mission that required immediate combat, but rather a meeting time, not being late should have been enough.
"No. It's proper to arrive ten minutes early to prepare."
"If we prepare in advance and depart, there's no need to wait around for ten minutes."
"..."
"..."
Raon and Karoon glared at each other with their red eyes, lips tightly pressed.
"Being so lax can lead to unexpected delays when unforeseen situations arise."
"As I mentioned, we completed our preparations at the Fifth Training Ground before coming here. We've already accounted for unexpected events."
"Even so, arriving early is..."
"If it were a mission starting immediately, that would be different, but..."
The two continued their strange argument about arrival times, each presenting their own principles, long after the departure time had passed.
'Those two...'
External Commander Illiune furrowed his brows as he paused while opening the main gate.
'Why are they bickering here?'
He shook his head as he watched Raon and Karoon's staring contest.
'Why put two completely incompatible people on the same mission!'
* * *
Raon spooned up the meat stew, tonight's dinner, in front of the gently burning campfire. The savory chicken and soft broth created a pleasant harmony in his mouth, providing a small sense of satisfaction.
-Mmm...
Wrath let out a deep sigh of contentment, holding his head.
-Sometimes, this kind of outdoor cooking is the best! You can taste nature itself!
He curled up the corners of his mouth, saying this was happiness.
'Should we eat only this from now on then?'
Raon shrugged as he took another spoonful of stew.
-Sometimes! I said sometimes! You spiteful brat!
Wrath gritted his teeth, saying he wanted to eat this once in a while when tired of home-cooked meals, not every day.
'Is that so?'
Raon chuckled as he picked up the bread that came with the stew.
-W-wait! That bread...
'Hmm.'
Ignoring Wrath's gesture to stop, Raon ate the bread. It must have been freshly baked, as it melted softly in his mouth.
-Oh...
Wrath finally lowered his round hands and let out a sigh of relief.
'What?'
-I thought it was Nadine bread.
He sighed, saying he had aged ten years from worry.
'Why? Disappointed?'
-Disappointed? I was scared!
'Well, no need to worry. We won't be eating that on this mission.'
They were traveling on foot from the center of the continent, as it would be suspicious if a large group suddenly disappeared after using a Dimensional Gate to arrive near Montiro. The distance was considerable, so there was no need to conceal their traces yet.
'Should I try to improve my Death Energy detection skill while eating?'
Raon activated his newly acquired ability,
'What? There's Death Energy around here too?'
It felt like very faint Death Energy was spread around, even though there were no monsters or demonized humans present.
-Of course.
Wrath snorted as if Raon's question was ridiculous.
-Death Energy, bloody energy, and demonic energy are all part of the energies that make up the world. While they're not spread throughout the continent like mana, tiny amounts are scattered wherever humans exist.
He shook his head, saying it would be stranger if these negative energies weren't present where humans were.
'I see. I didn't know that.'
Slowly lowering his hand, feeling the tiny particles of Death Energy, clink. While Raon was sensing the energy with his eyes closed, Karoon finished his meal first and personally cleaned his plate, handing it to the duty person.
'Huh?'
Raon let out a surprised breath as he watched Karoon drinking tea for dessert.
'He washes his own plate?'
-Even this king was surprised. I thought the cold-eyed one would just toss it aside...
Wrath nodded, indicating he had the same thought.
"Central Martial Palace Master, do you wash your own dishes?"
Raon blinked as he looked at Karoon sitting across from him.
"Doing what one can do for oneself. That's the natural attitude a Zieghart swordsman should have."
Karoon tilted his chin as if the question itself was strange.
"Has the Light Wind Palace Master been passing his own duties onto others?"
He slightly furrowed his brow, as if disappointed.
"I..."
"No, he hasn't!"
Burren interrupted before Raon could speak.
"Raon not only helps with post-meal cleanup but also participates in setting up tents and night watch duties."
Burren shook his head, saying that Raon had set many examples as the leader of the martial force.
"That's right. If anything, he interferes too much, leaving us with nothing to do."
Martha sighed, saying he got involved to the point of annoyance.
"Yeah, he scurries around..."
Runaan raised her hand, saying it was fun to watch him bustling about.
"I see. I apologize for the misunderstanding."
Karoon bowed his head slightly, admitting his mistake. Whether he had always been this way or had changed, it was surprising that he apologized so readily.
"Now, shall we discuss the mission?"
Karoon nodded slightly as he looked at Raon over the campfire.
"I've heard a general overview from the Head of House, but I'd like to hear the details from you who experienced it firsthand."
He straightened his posture, asking Raon to explain everything from his conversation with the Demonblade to the events that had transpired since.
"We're curious too."
"That's right! We were only told it was a Black Tower search mission!"
"Want to hear..."
Burren, Martha, Runaan, and the other Light Wind Palace swordsmen nodded, saying they were curious as well.
"Alright. Then..."
Raon created an aura barrier to prevent sound from escaping, then explained everything from hearing about the Black Tower from the Demonblade to Chamber's visit.
"I see. So that's how it happened. There's a reason the Head of House praised you so highly."
Karoon commended him, saying that obtaining information about the Black Tower wasn't just a matter of luck.
"So, what's your plan going forward?"
"We plan to infiltrate Montiro with small groups of people in succession to search each area."
"Small groups?"
"Yes. It's currently peak tourist season in the south. We'll divide into groups posing as families, couples, and friends, then enter the city to search buildings, objects, and people in order to find clues connecting Montiro and the Black Tower."
Raon recited the plan he had been thinking of pushing forward.
"A typical plan. Neither bad nor particularly good. However, given our limited information, it's probably the best option for now."
Karoon nodded, agreeing that this was the only choice at present.
"But there's a problem."
"I think I know what it is."
Raon lowered his eyes, showing understanding.
"It's the Black Tower's detection, isn't it?"
"Yes. If the Black Tower is truly hidden in Montiro, there will likely be barriers or magical beasts around it that can detect people's auras and qualities."
Karoon continued, nodding.
"We might be able to avoid these barriers and magical beasts, but others are likely to get caught. It would be suspicious if several master-level martial artists suddenly entered disguised as tourists, mercenaries, or adventurers."
He narrowed his eyes as he looked over the Light Wind division.
"There might even be artifacts that can only detect powerful individuals like you, me, and the Warring Steel Leader. If we don't resolve this issue, the search itself might be impossible."
Karoon pointed out the flaws in the plan with a cold tone.
"I'm aware of that, which is why I've prepared something."
"You've prepared something?"
"Yes. We don't have it now, but at the rendezvous point..."
"Ah, so that's how it is."
Karoon nodded calmly, as if he understood without Raon finishing his sentence.
"Huh..."
Burren let out a surprised breath as he watched Raon and Karoon conversing smoothly, as if they had been working together for a long time.
'What's going on? Why are Father and Raon getting along so well?'
Who put those two together?
* * *
On a golden beach that seemed to have melted the sunlight.
"Hmm."
A well-built middle-aged man with black hair plopped down on the sand.
'Well, well, this isn't easy.'
Roenn, disguised as a nouveau riche, let out a wry laugh as he massaged his shoulders.
'I've visited all the suspicious places, but there's nothing.'
Despite changing his disguise five times and staying in Montiro for a month, he couldn't find any Black Tower mages, let alone anyone committing evil deeds. At most, there were only people causing trouble after drinking at night.
'No traces of Death Energy or demonic energy either.'
No matter how well hidden, he shouldn't have missed traces of negative energies like demonic energy and Death Energy. But during his stay in Montiro, he hadn't even seen a hint of those foul energies.
'Is the Black Tower really here?'
It wasn't that he didn't trust Raon. He trusted him second only to Glenn, but seeing it firsthand, this place didn't seem suitable for the Black Tower.
'If anything, it's a place that puts one's mind at ease.'
Perhaps because it was located in the southern corner, the city's people were friendly, and the tourists were quiet yet elegant. It seemed like the best place in the continent for a quiet yet glamorous vacation.
'Sigh...'
He decided he should visit the underground gambling den in the evening. He hadn't been to the underground gambling den yet, so he planned to stop by while disguised as a rich man.
"Hm?"
Just as Roenn was about to get up from the sand, briefly licking his lips, a massive wave rose from the sea. With a thunderous roar, the wave surged up, nearly blocking out the sun.
From behind the towering wave, a giant tentacle with red suckers emerged. It was a Kraken, one of the top-tier sea monsters. However, it only had seven tentacles instead of eight.
"Aaaaah!"
"I-It's a Kraken!"
"Q-Quick, get out!"
Tourists who had been swimming or surfing panicked at the sudden appearance of the Kraken and tried to swim to the shore, but the current pulled them towards the sea, making escape impossible.
"Hmm..."
Roenn frowned as he watched the Kraken trying to devour people. He wanted to help, but given his current identity, he couldn't move.
"Ah, that bastard's back again."
As he clicked his tongue in frustration, a slightly cracked voice came from his left.
"Should we cut off two of its legs today?"
A white-haired young man, full of vitality, nodded as he rested a greatsword on his shoulder. He grinned and then, creating a white wind, rushed forward and completely severed one of the Kraken's tentacles as it was about to grab people. The Kraken let out a piercing shriek and retreated as soon as its tentacle was cut off.
"Where do you think you're going! I said two today!"
The white-haired young man stepped on the sea as if it were land and cut off another of the Kraken's tentacles as it tried to escape. The Kraken let out a sorrowful cry and quickly fled into the deep sea.
"Looks like we won't have to worry about octopus dishes for a while."
The white-haired young man dragged the massive Kraken tentacles back to the beach, slung over his shoulder, demonstrating not just swordsmanship but also incredible strength. The tourists and Montiro residents burst into cheers, chanting the name Calob.
"We'll have an octopus party tonight. Everyone's invited."
Calob, as the white-haired young man was called, flashed a refreshing smile, promising to serve Kraken tentacle dishes praised by gourmets.
"..."
Roenn narrowed his eyes as he observed Calob's greatsword and well-trained physique.
'He's strong.'
Even without fully revealing his power, the aura Calob emitted was heavy, pressing against the skin. If he were to use his full strength, he might not lose even to the Light Wind division's squad leaders.
'There were four young men like him, weren't there?'
While Montiro had beautiful scenery due to its location in the southern corner, it was also frequently invaded by monsters. There were four martial forces that defended against these monsters, and Calob was one of the leaders of these forces.
It seemed strange that someone with such power at a young age would stay here instead of venturing out into the continent, so he had investigated, but nothing unusual came up. Even the aura he possessed wasn't sinister like Death Energy or demonic energy, but rather a pure energy condensed from mana.
'Well, well, this is getting more puzzling.'
As Roenn sighed and shook his head, he heard small footsteps behind him.
"Mister!"
A young boy who looked about twelve years old called out to him with a grin. He was one of the child guides often found in tourist areas.
"It's time for your meal!"
"Is it that time already?"
Roenn nodded slightly after glancing up at the sun, which was shining brightly as if announcing noon.
"Right, Perin. Where did you say you'd take me today?"
"There's a place that makes amazing chili crab!"
The child guide named Perin licked his lips, saying the sauce was really delicious. Although he had already been there three times, Roenn nodded, pretending not to know.
"Alright, let's go there then."
Roenn smiled faintly as he patted Perin's head.
"Hey, old man, come to the beach here tonight too. I'll treat you to something much better than that chili crab."
Calob, who seemed to have overheard the conversation with the boy, gestured for Roenn to come to the beach in the evening.
"Kraken dishes... I should definitely participate, even if it's expensive."
Roenn nodded, saying he understood.
"Hah. No need for money."
Calob waved his hand, saying to just come, and then left the beach.
"Big bro Calob is great at cooking, but he never accepts money! It's like he hates money, you know?"
Perin grinned as he watched Calob's back, seeming to admire him.
"He hates money, huh..."
Roenn nodded as if he somehow understood.
"Ah, let's go! We'll be late for the reservation!"
Perin ran ahead, saying someone else would take their spot if they didn't go right away.
"Take it easy."
Roenn waved his hand as he followed behind Perin. He let out a gentle laugh, not noticing the dark ripples in the eyes of Calob and Perin walking ahead of him.