"What? An important guest?"
Raon looked at Glenn with wide eyes.
'Do I have any guests coming?'
Though he thought of a few people like Ensia and Denning Rose, they weren't significant enough for Glenn to personally mention them as guests.
"Why don't you go see if you're curious?"
Glenn shook his head calmly, seemingly having no intention of telling him directly.
"Actually, I was planning to stop by the Light Wind Palace first since I had some time..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched the sun slowly setting, announcing the afternoon.
"After hearing the Head of House's words, I should visit the annex building first."
He had spent over two weeks at sea without proper cultivation, and though he wanted to go to the fifth training ground first to see how the swordsmen had spent their time, it seemed he needed to return to the annex building first.
-This old geezer is finally being helpful for once!
Wrath jumped up onto Glenn's head.
-I thought we'd be starving and doing boring training! He spoke well!
He seemed uninterested in any guests, licking his lips at length while thinking only about food.
"Well, since I didn't visit the annex building last time I returned, going in early today might not be bad."
Raon smiled as he watched Wrath dancing on Glenn's head.
"Now I can feel at ease sending you anywhere. You did well."
Glenn firmly gripped his shoulders with both hands, saying he had done something truly significant.
"Not at all. I'm still lacking in many ways."
Raon bowed his head, asking for more guidance.
"Alright. Go ahead."
Glenn gently waved his hand as if telling him to hurry along.
"Yes."
Raon bowed to Glenn again and looked at Roenn standing beside him.
"Thank you for your hard work as well, Sir Roenn."
He expressed his gratitude to Roenn, who had always accompanied them with a smile and without complaints.
"I didn't do anything. You and Lady Evelyn did all the hard work."
Roenn laughed heartily, saying he had a comfortable journey thanks to him and Evelyn.
"Evelyn."
Finally, he called out to Evelyn, who was still discussing magic.
"I'll go ahead."
"Okay! I'll follow soon! Go warm up the bed for me!"
Evelyn winked, telling him to wait in her room since it might take a while.
"W-warm up the bed?"
Glenn widened his eyes as if asking if she was serious.
"She's just talking nonsense as usual."
Raon waved his hand, saying he had never even been to Evelyn's room.
"Hmm, that's a bit..."
Roenn lowered his eyebrows as if suggesting they were keeping too much distance.
"No, this distance is perfect right now."
Glenn lowered his palm, as if saying they should maintain their current distance since the future was uncertain.
"Hah..."
Raon shook his head at Glenn and Roenn who seemed to be getting carried away.
"Please take care of Evelyn."
He quickly bowed again and left the audience chamber before the two could start nagging.
"Hmm..."
Glenn looked at the door Raon had left through before turning his gaze to Roenn.
"How was it?"
"They suit each other well. They really looked like newlyweds."
Roenn placed a hand on his chest, saying that just watching Raon and Evelyn made his heart race for the first time in a while.
"Though one side is a bit more forward than the other."
He smiled gently while looking at Evelyn's profile.
"Not about that."
Glenn lowered his hand as if that wasn't what he was asking about.
"I'm asking about how Raon did during this mission."
"Surprisingly, he was skilled in architecture, maritime knowledge, and swimming. It seemed there was nothing he couldn't do. Of course, the most impressive thing was..."
Roenn drew a subtle smile as he recalled Raon taking the lead in everything.
"It was his insight that pierced to the core of problems. He never hesitated even in difficult situations. Usually, no matter how talented and intelligent someone is, lack of experience is inevitable, but that doesn't seem to apply to Lord Raon."
He exhaled deeply, saying that through this mission, he had seen the immense capacity of the person called Raon.
"As expected, Sir Roenn understands well!"
Evelyn raised her thumb to Roenn even while arguing about magic with Larian.
"Our Raon can do anything! He's perfect, I tell you!"
She shrugged her shoulders, saying her heart still raced like it would burst whenever she saw Raon.
[Hey! Focus!]
[N-now is not the time for...]
Chamber and Larian frowned within the blue window, telling her not to talk about other things.
"Ahem!"
Glenn's smile spread so wide it almost reached his ears, seeming pleased to hear Roenn and Evelyn's praise of Raon.
"Well. You've worked hard too. Go back and rest for today."
"No, sir."
Roenn shook his head, indicating he would perform his butler duties now that he had returned.
"Hey! I said it's fine! There's nothing more to do today, so go!"
Glenn leaned back against the throne after telling him to go rest.
"I understand. Then."
Roenn bowed gratefully before leaving the audience chamber.
"That magic removal conflicts with summoning magic. Shouldn't we insert another magical formula between the two?"
Evelyn raised her finger, saying they needed to insert different magic between the spells.
[No, the order is more important than insertion. If we put the summoning magic first, it won't be interfered with!"
Chamber suggested a new method while biting into a lollipop.
[T-then the magic activation will be delayed. We need to improve the formula itself, not insert or change the order...]
Larian also disagreed with both Evelyn and Chamber's opinions and offered a different suggestion.
"Hmm..."
Glenn watched the arguing Archmages while resting his chin on his fist.
'So Raon was the one who made them this serious.'
Excluding the reclusive eccentrics, these three were the only magicians on the continent who had reached Transcendence. It was both fascinating and surprising that these precious talents were discussing magic based on Raon's opinions.
'He's growing more and more.'
The current Raon was rapidly growing not only in martial prowess but also as a person and as a leader of an organization. And not just as a simple leader - he seemed to have the capacity to become the head of house.
'I want to see it...'
Glenn traced the throne's armrest with a faint smile.
'The sight of that child sitting here, and me looking up at him.'
If Raon were to sit on this throne and become the head of house, he felt he could ascend and leave this world without any regrets.
'No...'
Glenn smiled thinly as he heard the distant sound of sword wind.
'That guy hasn't given up either, so it's too early for such thoughts.'
It was too early for such thoughts when there was still someone who risked his life wielding a sword to claim the position of head of house.
'Not bad.'
In the past, he would have been anxious about anyone sitting on this throne, but now he felt he would be satisfied with either of the two he had in mind.
'Let's watch and see.'
Glenn closed his eyes with a deep smile. He slowly opened them again after the sun had set.
"That's not it! Modern magic is different! Don't act like you know when you don't!"
[Your magic is a 500-year-old antique! It's as outdated as can be, so we need to change the order!]
[N-no. First we need to fix the magical formula...]
The three women were still arguing about magic even though night had fallen.
"Hmm..."
Glenn blinked his tired eyes and let out a low groan.
'My ears hurt.'
Having listened to the same sounds from day to night, his ears were hurting and giving him a headache.
"Ahem! Let's stop for now and continue tomorrow..."
Just as Glenn raised his hand to call it quits while feeling the pain in his ears.
"Grandfather, stay out of this!"
[Old geezer, stay away! Now's the time to crush these amateurs!]
[P-please be quiet...]
Glenn blinked blankly, hearing for the first time someone telling him to leave his own audience chamber.
"But this is Zieghart's audience chamber..."
"We said be quiet!"
[Ah! Just eat your Nadine bread and keep your mouth shut!]
[Couldn't you just go to sleep...?]
But the three magicians' gazes were so fierce that he couldn't say anything else.
"A-alright. Do as you please..."
Glenn finally gave up arguing and quietly averted his gaze.
"So, we need to think about the compatibility of the spells first..."
[If the order is perfect, we don't need compatibility!]
[B-both of you are wrong?]
Evelyn, Chamber, and Larian continued their verbal battle, not even a discussion anymore, completely ignoring him.
"..."
Glenn lowered his breathing and his eyes trembled.
'How long do I have to endure this...?'
Where is Sheryl?
***
'As expected...'
Raon licked his lips as he entered the annex building's garden.
'Are they planning to drag them out using that method?'
-What method?
Wrath tilted his head as if asking what he meant.
'I mean Evelyn and the Archmages. I think I have a rough idea of what method they're going to use.'
After hearing the conversation between Evelyn, Larian, and Chamber, he had figured out what kind of magic they would employ.
'Though I doubt if it's really possible.'
It seemed so outrageous that the possibility of failure seemed high.
'Of course, if it succeeds, those guys will have to fight us on equal ground...'
-What kind of method is it?
Wrath raised his eyes curiously.
'That's...'
Just as Raon was about to explain to Wrath about the magic to extract the White Blood Religion Headquarters.
"Huh?"
From behind the annex building emerged a beautiful woman with striking orange eyes and a refreshing appearance.
"Woah!"
She threw down the laundry she was holding and ran toward him.
"L-Lord Raon! You've become even more handsome since I last saw you!"
Encia Yonaan. The heir of House Yonaan, a woman obsessed with people's faces, had returned.
"H-how should I express this? Super handsome? Ultra handsome? Mega handsome?"
She panted, saying that words could no longer express his face.
"Haha..."
Raon swallowed dryly as he watched Encia's eyes spark with excitement.
'Another person who makes things difficult for me has arrived...'
Though not as much as Evelyn, Encia was also someone he found difficult to deal with.
-So the guest who came to see you was this face-obsessed kid.
Wrath sighed, knowing he'd have to hear more tiresome comments about handsomeness.
"It's been a while, Lady Encia."
"It really has been too long! Not since I returned to my house to write Volume 2 of Raon Zieghart's Biography!"
Encia pounded her chest with her fist, saying she nearly died from missing him. The thumping sound was so loud it made him worry about her ribs.
"Have you been continuing to publish that book?"
"It's selling incredibly well! We keep having to print more copies! I've just finished writing Volume 4 too."
She clasped her hands together, saying she was House Yonaan's hidden top contributor to sales.
"So..."
Encia came so close he could hear her breathing as she stared into his eyes.
"Could you explain the situation when you struck down the Demon Slaying Spear and The Fallen?"
Her pupils swayed like pendulums as she said she wanted to hear the story directly for her writing.
"Uh..."
Just as Raon was stepping back while looking at Encia's frenzied eyes.
"Why don't we discuss that over a meal?"
The annex building's door opened and an elderly man with a long white beard walked out.
"G-Grandfather?"
Raon widened his eyes as he saw Rector, who should have been at the Holy Sword Alliance's Holy Ground.
"You're late, Raon."
Rector drew a gentle smile as if welcoming him.
***
"...And that's how we were able to save the port."
Raon told his family about everything that had happened during the evening meal.
-Hmm?
Wrath lowered his eyebrows while patting his bulging stomach.
-Are you not going to tell them about this matter?
He tilted his head, wondering why Raon wasn't mentioning finding the White Blood Religion Headquarters.
'I ordered the Light Wind Palace members not to tell even their families, so I can't break that order myself.'
At this table were Sylvia, Edgar, Sia, Rector, Encia, and the maids. Though he trusted them all, if information about the White Blood Religion Headquarters leaked, all their efforts would be wasted, so it was right to keep it secret until they began.
"To think Martha would grow strong enough to defeat an apostle..."
Sylvia bit her lip thinly as if remembering Martha's childhood.
"It really won't be long now."
She closed her eyes and clasped her hands, hoping Martha would achieve her wish.
"I also heard that you saved rather than killed the spirit maddened by bloody energy. Yes, if you can save something, that's the right thing to do. Well done."
Edgar patted his shoulder, seeming proud that he had saved rather than destroyed Haerang.
"..."
Rector said nothing, downing his drink with slightly downcast eyes.
"Haah..."
Encia nodded with her face flushed in rapture.
"As expected of Lord Raon! There's a reason he's called handsome!"
She too seemed moved to tears that he had saved rather than killed Haerang.
"I can't wait! I must write while I'm feeling these emotions!"
Encia threw down her fork and knife and ran to her room, saying she needed to write right away.
"What an energetic young lady."
Rector watched Encia's retreating back with an amused smile.
"I want to see that baby wolf!"
Sia's eyes sparkled as she said she wanted to see Haerang.
"You'll be able to see it later. Let's go together for a vacation."
Raon smiled at Sia, promising to let her meet it.
"Can Dad come too? We'll prepare well and have a good time..."
Edgar was putting meat and fish on Sia's plate when-
"I told you I can eat by myself!"
Sia frowned at the meat and fish Edgar had given her, seeming still in the midst of puberty.
"I won't go with Dad! Come separately!"
She shook her head vigorously, saying she absolutely wouldn't go with Edgar.
"My..."
Rector widened his eyes, seemingly surprised by the change in Sia who had once been so angelic.
"S-sorry, Father. Sia is going through puberty these days..."
Sylvia grabbed Sia's wrist in embarrassment.
"Come here, you!"
She said Sia needed to be scolded this time as she dragged her by the wrist to their room.
"D-Dad started it first... ugh!"
Sia tried to resist but shrunk her shoulders when she saw Sylvia's stern gaze.
"No, don't scold her too harshly."
Edgar followed after them in a fluster, seemingly thinking it was his fault.
"Everyone can rest now."
Raon nodded to the maids standing behind the table, telling them to go rest.
"Yes, understood."
"Please enjoy your conversation."
Helen and Judiel understood his meaning, quickly bowed, and left the dining room with the other maids.
"Has everything been well?"
Raon approached Rector and poured him a drink.
"Given the circumstances, there have been some issues."
Rector drew a bitter smile, saying he had been quite busy.
"However, it seems you haven't told us everything either."
He raised a calm gaze as if seeing through everything.
"How did you know?"
"With age, some things become apparent without explanation."
Rector smiled thinly, saying it was just intuition.
"Indeed, I can't fool grandfathers."
Raon smiled and nodded.
"Actually..."
He told him about finding the White Blood Religion Headquarters after creating the aura barrier.
"So now Chamber, Larian, and Evelyn are creating magic to raise the White Blood Religion. It will take time, but we should be able to bring the White Blood Religion Headquarters from the sea to land."
Raon nodded as he recalled the three Archmages' serious expressions.
"Hmm..."
Rector frowned as he watched the liquor swirling in his cup.
"We might be able to raise the White Blood Religion Headquarters from the sea, but we could lose the war."
He exhaled softly, saying the situation wasn't good.
"What? What do you mean...?"
"Before you found the White Blood Religion, I attended a conference of the Five Demons."
Rector continued while tapping his finger against his cup.
"Many things were discussed, but the most important was their communication and movement system. They've created a system where the Five Demons can request help in dangerous moments, similar to your Five Kings' movement magic."
He shook his head, saying that the moment they attack the White Blood Religion, Derus and the Heavenly Demon would be notified.
"Since it's made with divine power, magic barriers are meaningless. Plus, they have options.
"Options..."
Raon immediately understood what options Rector meant.
"You mean they might abandon supporting the White Blood Religion and strike the empty Five Kings instead."
To attack the White Blood Religion Headquarters, they would need at least himself, King Lecross, and either Chamber or the Mage Tower Master. The Five Demons would surely not miss the chance to attack the kingdoms when the high-ranking Transcendents were away.
'If Derus and the Heavenly Demon move simultaneously, we can't stop them.'
Glenn could stop the Heavenly Demon and Derus, but not both at once. If they attacked the White Blood Religion, it would create a gap, and those guys would definitely not miss that opportunity.
"It seems you understand the situation."
Rector let out a short sigh as if reading his expression.
"Yes. If what you say is true, there's no solution. We can't prevent their attack..."
"To be honest, even I can't stop Derus and the Heavenly Demon. No, even the Leader of the White Blood Religion couldn't."
He clenched his trembling fist, saying he had seen and felt it himself.
"So I found someone who can stop them."
Rector stabbed the meat on his plate with his knife held like a sword. His blue eyes glimmered softly like the moonlight pouring in through the window.
"The previous Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance."