Hmm..."
Raon turned his gaze to Karoon standing beside him.
"It would be best if the Light Wind Palace Master does it. You're the only one who can explain this war from start to finish."
Karoon stepped back, folding his arms as if to say he wouldn't step forward. It seemed he was addressing Raon formally as the Light Wind Palace Master due to the official setting. As expected, he was a straightforward person.
"That's right. Our Palace Master was at the center of all the plans."
Burren nodded emphatically, agreeing with Karoon's words.
"Not just the plans. You participated in every battle. From inside the dimension, climbing the Black Tower, to the nerve-wracking fight with the Black Tower Master afterward."
Martha raised her clenched fist, urging him to speak of his exploits.
"Today, Handsome Raon can do anything."
Runaan gave a thumbs up, saying he could do whatever he wanted because he was handsome. Lately, she seemed to think being good-looking was a cure-all.
"Hmm."
Raon moistened his dry lips and stepped forward.
"Raon!"
"Our son!"
"Young Master!"
Sylvia, Edgar, Sia, and the maids waved their arms so vigorously they might fall off. They seemed to know that he had beheaded the Black Tower Master, even if they didn't know the details.
"Well done! Raon!"
"Nephew! I believed in you!"
Alice and Balder, on the opposite side of Sylvia, were smiling brightly and clapping.
"..."
Denier was smiling next to them, but how should I put it? His smile was clear, but it felt different from the others.
-What are you doing! Get your act together and finish this quickly!
Wrath struck Raon's shoulder, urging him to explain quickly.
-This king is hungry! I want to eat the home-cooked meal you boasted about to Gluttony!
He clung to Raon's cheek, insisting they finish quickly and go back.
"Then I'll start from the beginning. When we arrived in Montiro..."
Raon stepped forward with Wrath still biting him. He recounted everything that had happened so far, receiving the attention of everyone in the training ground.
"...Thanks to Chamber using her ultimate technique at the end, a gap opened in the Black Tower Master's defenses, allowing me to behead him."
Since very few people had seen the Demon Kings, he only revealed up to the part where he killed the Black Tower Master before stepping back.
"To think it was true that he beheaded the Black Tower Master..."
Balder lowered his hand, denting the railing.
"As expected of my nephew! Everyone, look! That's my nephew!"
He shouted so excitedly that he nearly burst the eardrums of those around him.
"Won't you shut up?"
Alice covered her ears and slapped Balder on the back of his head with her palm.
"I'm the only one who can call Raon nephew!"
She gritted her teeth, saying she'd kill him if he dared to call Raon nephew again with that filthy mouth.
"Then, what should I call him..."
"Call him Light Wind Palace Master!"
Alice nodded, indicating he should do as he pleased.
"Light Wind Palace Master! I believed in you!"
Balder followed Alice's lead, addressing Raon as the Light Wind Palace Master, showing no sign of pride whatsoever.
"So you fought such a difficult battle again..."
Sylvia's eyes reddened as if she had read the desperate situation from Raon's brief explanation.
"Thank you, Karoon..."
Edgar bowed his head to Karoon, seemingly realizing how much help he had provided in this war.
"As expected of my brother! Well done!"
Sia waved at Raon, shouting "brother" as if imitating Balder. She seemed simply happy that many people were cheering for her brother's name.
"Ahem!"
Glenn cleared his throat and stood up just as the audience's admiration and cheers for Raon were about to turn into conversations.
"This war was the only way to disrupt the balance of the Five Kings and Five Demons."
He nodded heavily, looking at Raon and Karoon.
"The Black Tower Master put up fierce resistance, even creating a path to the Devildom, but the Light Wind Palace Master pursued him to the end and beheaded him. If the Archmage of Eternal Flame had been defeated, we would have had to hide in the shadows, fleeing from them instead."
Glenn looked at Raon with warm eyes.
"This war will go down in history, and the name Raon Zieghart will be engraved at its center."
He nodded, saying it would be so whether Raon wanted it or not.
"It's not just the Light Wind Palace Master. The Central Martial Palace Master, and everyone who participated in this war, has achieved a feat that will be remembered in the annals of history. You all have worked hard, and I am grateful."
Glenn said thank you as he drew the Heavenly Tremor. He held the sword upside down, performing the Zieghart sword salute.
"Head of House!"
"No! It was our duty!"
The swordsmen hurriedly bowed their heads to respond to Glenn's sword salute. They seemed to have never imagined that the Head of House would personally thank them.
"Therefore, I will give all the swordsmen who participated in this war a Golden Tablet and the right to choose one treasure from Zieghart's treasury. And..."
Glenn raised a finger, pointing at Raon and Karoon.
"I will allow the Light Wind Palace Master and the Central Martial Palace Master, who fought the hardest battle, to take five treasures from the treasury."
He lowered his hand as soon as he finished speaking, as if he had already made his decision.
"Woaaah!"
"Wow! He's letting us directly into Zieghart's treasury?"
"Elixirs, weapons, Martial Arts Manuals, even Artifacts. The treasury has everything!"
"Why are you surprised! They deserve at least this much reward for bringing down the Black Tower."
"I think it's too little. The Palace Masters should receive at least 10 items."
The audience nodded, saying it was a fitting reward for their achievements.
"Then let's disperse. You've all worked hard until now."
Glenn came down from the podium as soon as he finished talking about the rewards, as if this was the only reason he had summoned everyone. He nodded at Raon as if to say well done and left the training ground.
'I really can't figure out what you're thinking...'
Raon was about to turn around with a smirk when his eyes met Denier's, who was looking this way.
"..."
Denier was clapping like the others, his lips curled up in a long smile as if he had achieved his goal. However, his eyes reflected not the joy of victory, but an emptiness that seemed devoid of emotion.
'Denier Zieghart.'
Raon bit his lip thinly, turning his gaze away from Denier.
'What on earth are you thinking?'
* * *
"Haaa..."
Lecross let out a heavy sigh that seemed to sink the ground as he looked up at the white ceiling.
"It's pathetic."
While Raon and Chamber brought down the Black Tower, he couldn't even handle Derus alone and had to receive help from Glenn. He felt too ashamed and embarrassed to lift his face.
"I should send a gift to Zieghart."
Raon had beheaded the Black Tower Master, and Glenn had saved his life, so the main characters of this war were none other than the Ziegharts. He felt he should send a precious gift to Zieghart, as he hadn't been of any help.
"Damn! If I had just dodged the first sword..."
Just as Lecross was grinding his teeth, recalling his battle with Derus, the door to the infirmary burst open with a loud bang, and Chamber, wearing a witch's hat, entered.
"Oh my! The little one who got beaten up while guarding the house was here. You look great, don't you?"
Chamber stuck out her tongue slightly as she looked at Lecross lying on the bed.
"You told me not to treat you like a child because you received the title of Silent Sword Master, but here you are lying down after getting stabbed by Derus?"
She burst into hearty laughter, as if she had come not to comfort but to tease him.
"He, he was insanely strong!"
Lecross shook his fist, raising only his head.
"He was completely different from when I saw him before! I thought I was fighting Glenn!"
He shouted that it wasn't because he was weak. His behavior was completely different from his usual demeanor as the Silent Sword Master and King of Owen.
"The little Lecross is showing after a long time. How cute?"
Chamber patted Lecross's head as he gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Tell this big sister everything."
She nodded, saying she would listen to it all.
"Ah, calling yourself big sister is a bit... There's quite an age difference..."
Lecross waved his hands as if he had come to his senses at the word "big sister."
"You brat! Look at this firm skin!"
Chamber struck Lecross's forehead, telling him not to mention age.
"Hmm..."
Lecross touched his forehead where Chamber had hit him and narrowed his eyes.
"By the way, who is that child you brought?"
He tilted his head, looking at Rensia hiding behind Chamber.
"She's my disciple."
Chamber grinned as she pushed Rensia forward.
"Di-disciple?"
"Yes. I met a gem of talent more outstanding than me in Montiro. Expect great things, she's the next Archmage."
She raised her chin, seemingly certain about Rensia's future.
"H-hello. I'm Rensia."
The girl who introduced herself as Rensia bowed her head carefully. She looked cute now, but she seemed like she would become a great beauty in the future.
"Hmm..."
Lecross briefly licked his lips as he looked at Rensia's green eyes.
'The Archmage's disciple.'
Chamber had taught many people before, but it was extremely rare for her to directly declare someone as her disciple. Yet, she not only took on a disciple but also asserted that she would be the next Archmage. It seemed like her personality had changed somehow.
"Did you experience some kind of change of heart after being severely injured?"
Lecross lowered his hand, looking at Chamber.
"I had to. I almost died too."
Chamber nodded with a faint smile.
"On the surface, I look fine, but my upper dantian was severely torn. I'll have to recuperate for a while."
She let out a deflated laugh, saying she would have really died if Saintess Olga hadn't been there.
"Not just Derus who stabbed you, but the Black Tower Master was also incredibly strong. It's natural, I suppose, since they broke the human mold to increase their power."
Chamber bit her thin red lips.
"That's why I'm raising a successor early, so I won't look back."
She clenched her fist, saying she would have to be prepared for death in future wars.
"Hmm..."
Lecross let out a low groan as he looked at Rensia.
"Is it okay to talk about being prepared for death in front of your young disciple?"
"Don't worry. This kid might have stronger mental fortitude than you."
Chamber waved her hand, saying she was a child who had experienced everything, including death.
"Indeed, her eyes look different."
Lecross nodded and extended his hand to Rensia.
"I am Lecross. It seems we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the future."
He maintained his manners even with young Rensia, saying he looked forward to working with her.
"I, I look forward to working with you too! Your Majesty!"
Rensia raised her trembling arm to grasp Lecross's hand.
"I've learned a lot through this incident as well."
Lecross frowned as he patted Rensia's head.
"It seems it's time to set aside my life as a Martial Artist a bit and spend more time as a king."
He ground his molars, saying he wanted revenge on Derus.
"Revenge. That's good. But we might not have the chance to step up."
Chamber raised one finger with a smile.
"The wave behind us is approaching higher and faster than we thought."
"Are you talking about the Sword Emperor?"
Lecross nodded, realizing that the wave Chamber mentioned was Raon.
"Yes. Unlike you, the Sword Emperor! Not the Silent Sword Master or whatever. That sounds so lame!"
Chamber shook her head as if it was pathetic.
"Nnngh..."
Lecross shook his shoulders as if angered by the mockery of his title.
"The, the Silent Sword Master is the title I received right after becoming a Transcendent! If I got a new one now, it would be different!"
He argued with Chamber, his face turning red as if he had reverted to a child.
"As expected, your face turns red when you get excited."
Chamber chuckled as she lightly tapped Lecross's forehead.
"Hmm..."
King Lecross lowered his head deeply, seemingly realizing he had been teased by Chamber.
"Jokes aside, Raon is the real deal."
"I'm well aware that the child's talent is outstanding."
"It's not just that."
Chamber shook her head with a smirk.
"Want to hear something interesting? Raon was meditating even during the victory celebration festival. And he was reflecting on the shortcomings of the battle."
She licked her lips, looking towards the north window.
"That kid won't stop at just being the Sword Emperor. Definitely."
* * *
"Everyone's here."
Glenn nodded as he looked at the Light Wind Palace and Central Martial Palace swordsmen gathered in the audience chamber.
"Then let's start without further ado."
Glenn snapped his fingers with his arm resting on the throne. With a clear sound echoing through the audience chamber, golden dimensional gates opened in front of the Light Wind Palace and Central Martial Palace swordsmen.
"Follow me."
Glenn gestured to the swordsmen as he entered the shimmering golden dimension.
"Is, is this Zieghart's treasury..."
"I've seen it with my eyes before, but I never thought I'd actually enter it."
"Whew, I can't stop trembling."
The Central Martial Palace and Light Wind Palace swordsmen shook their hands, seemingly moved just by being able to enter Zieghart's treasury.
"Let's go in."
Karoon nodded calmly, as if he had been in the treasury before, and stepped into the golden dimension.
-What are you doing!
Wrath shook Raon's shoulder.
-Just pick something quickly and let's go eat!
He gnashed his teeth, saying he was starving to death.
'I'll feed you until you burst. Just wait a little.'
As Raon was about to push Wrath away and enter Zieghart's treasury, a blue-tinted message appeared in front of the golden dimension.
[The trait