"...and that's how I came to receive the dragons' support."
Raon lowered his chin as he stood on the platform, looking at the Zieghart executives.
"Bartius and the other dragons are still ancient dragons, but they're close to becoming Lords themselves, so their martial prowess is outstanding, and they have many followers. They will certainly be a great help in the upcoming war."
He told the executives everything that had happened.
"Dragons...?"
Karoon widened his hawk-like sharp eyes in astonishment at Raon's words.
"D-did you just say you received the support of dragons?"
Balder blinked his enormous dragon-like eyes.
"Didn't those creatures all see us as insects?"
He raised his voice, asking how on earth Raon had managed to get the dragons' support.
"I heard dragons nowadays breathe fire first whenever they meet humans, but to not just talk with them but actually gain their support..."
Void Sword Division Leader Serena let out a hollow laugh as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"What exactly did you do?"
She slightly lowered her head, asking him to share how he persuaded the dragons.
"This time it's dragon support? I'm shocked every time I'm called to the audience chamber."
"I know. I thought it wouldn't be anything special, but this is truly surprising."
"He's not the Head of House's grandson for nothing."
"That's the Light Wind Palace Master's own achievement. Not because he's the Head of House's grandson."
The other executives also shook their heads in amazement at Raon for gaining the dragons' support.
"Raon. Did you drink with the dragons or something?"
Alice smiled brightly as she tapped Raon's shoulder.
"Share the secret with us too. We might be able to use it."
She winked, asking him to reveal how he became friendly with the dragons. The others also swallowed dryly as they stared at Raon, curious about how he gained the dragons' support. Silence fell over the audience chamber, making it as quiet as a library.
"Ahem! Ahem!"
Only Glenn broke the silence, repeatedly clearing his throat with a flushed face.
"It's simple."
Raon calmly met the executives' gazes and nodded.
"I fought with the dragons and we became friends."
He gave a small nod, saying it just happened by chance.
"You always say it happens by chance!"
Balder pounded his chest in frustration.
"Does all the luck in the world follow only you!"
He shook his head vigorously, saying this wasn't something that could be achieved by luck.
-It is indeed luck...
Wrath heaved a deep sigh.
-In all my long years, I've never seen someone with such good fortune.
He shook his chin repeatedly, saying there had never been anyone with such heavenly luck like him.
"Right. It's hard to achieve such accomplishments just through luck."
"Could it be they came because of his reputation?"
"That's right. They recognized him as Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart from the beginning."
"I didn't know a name carried such weight even among dragons. We can't become complacent now."
The executives interpreted Raon's words in their own way, naturally elevating his achievements and reputation.
"Hehehe... Cough! Hack!"
Glenn, pleased to see the executives' growing fondness for Raon, kept clearing his throat until he actually choked and broke into a real cough. It was a rare sight to see a Transcendent—especially one standing at the pinnacle of the continent—lose to a coughing fit.
"Sigh..."
Sheryl sighed as she climbed onto the platform, handed Glenn a handkerchief, and patted his back.
-Hmph, that doting old man...
Wrath exhaled the same sigh as Sheryl and shook his head repeatedly.
"Hohoho."
Roenn looked at Raon and Glenn in turn with a deep smile, as if pleased with the current atmosphere.
"Ah! Wait!"
Alice raised her hand high.
"The dragons' support counts toward the successor test, right?"
She smiled boldly, saying that although the number of supporters was small, they should still be included.
"D-dragons too?"
Balder narrowed his eyes.
"Isn't that a bit ambiguous? They're not human, after all."
He rolled his eyes slightly, as if hoping they wouldn't be counted.
"Dragons are also living beings on the continent. So it seems possible..."
Serena stroked her chin, saying that it would be better to count them as supporters.
"Why question something so obvious?"
Karoon frowned at Balder.
"When giving the test, the Head of House told us to find supporters who would follow and support us. The dragons said they would follow the Light Wind Palace Master into war and even reveal the location of the Lord..."
He looked at Raon standing calmly, as if impressed.
"Those dragons rightfully qualify to be included as supporters."
Karoon shook his head, saying it was a certainty that needed no debate.
"Well, if that's the case, so be it. I, I wasn't trying to stop it! I was just curious! Yeah! Just curious!"
Balder waved his pot-lid-sized hands, saying he didn't intend to oppose the idea.
"..."
Raon looked at Karoon, who was subtly pressuring Balder. Karoon crossed his arms and closed his eyes, as if he had merely stated the obvious.
-Is that really the same person?
Wrath shook his head in disbelief.
-I know humans change gradually, but that big-eyed one seems like his soul has been completely replaced.
He exhaled sharply, saying it was a change beyond amazement.
'Then it's not that he changed, but that this is Karoon's true nature.'
Raon thought that although Karoon had once taken the wrong path, his true nature was that of an upright swordsman like he was now.
"Ahem!"
Glenn cleared his throat after finally getting his cough under control.
"That's correct. Though they are few in number, he has gained the support of dragons aiming to become future Lords, so they should be included in the test." (E/N: Just to clarify, my understanding - there are five race of dragons. Each have a leader, which is the Lord of the clan. The top one among them is THE Dragon Lord)
He looked at Karoon and nodded gently.
"And I will grant the Light Wind Palace Master who recruited those dragons the authority to enter Zieghart's treasury three times."
Since Glenn had a teaching session scheduled a month later, he decided to grant the authority to enter the treasury as a reward this time. The other swordsmen also nodded, as if this reward was only natural. Thud. Glenn rose quietly from the throne and stood at the edge of the dais.
"Following the Holy Sword Alliance and various forces, now even dragons have become our strength. However, as you know, our enemies are not easy."
Glenn raised his chin, emanating the Destructive King of the North's fearsome aura as if he had never shown any weakness.
"Train your swords with your lives at stake to protect yourselves, your comrades, and your families one year from now."
He revealed his immense realm of the soul to further ignite the morale of the executives that had risen thanks to Raon.
"Yes!"
Zieghart's executives, including Karoon, felt Glenn's magnificent presence and roared with such force that the audience chamber seemed to shake.
'Derus Robert.'
As Raon watched the Zieghart executives radiating fighting spirit stronger than a Balrog's, he recalled the hateful face of Derus Robert.
'Whatever plans you make, it doesn't matter.'
Because he would destroy them all with these people.
***
After leaving the audience chamber, Raon headed straight for the fifth training ground.
"Hyaaah!"
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen were vigorously swinging their swords despite being drenched in sweat as if completely drained of energy. Normally, it wouldn't be strange to see a few of them resting and chatting, but now not a single one was taking a break—all were focused on their cultivation.
"Not bad at all."
Raon sat on the platform with a subtle smile, examining how the swordsmen's skills had changed over the past week.
-Hmm, they've grown more than one would expect in just a week.
Wrath also nodded, agreeing that the swordsmen seemed to have changed significantly over the past week.
"It's because of you."
The Gambling Monster approached from behind and sighed.
"They've all been training like madmen to not miss the opportunity to receive swordsmanship guidance from the Head of House."
He let out a hollow laugh, saying the swordsmen hadn't slept at all for the entire week.
"If they had trained like this from the beginning, all the Light Wind Palace swordsmen would have become Grandmasters by now."
"Um..."
Raon turned slightly and blinked.
"Why are you also swinging a sword...?"
The Gambling Monster was currently continuing to swing his sword while talking to him. Raon let out an awkward laugh in confusion.
"Didn't you say you'd only look at potential! Then I'm qualified too!"
The Gambling Monster furrowed his brow, as if he too didn't want to miss the chance to receive guidance from Glenn.
"T-that's true..."
Raon nodded awkwardly. He was both surprised and confused to see this side of the Gambling Monster, who had previously shown interest in nothing but gambling and alcohol.
"I'm not the only one like this."
The Gambling Monster pointed toward the end of the training ground. The Blade Queen and the Warlord were exchanging sword and blade techniques. While this was a common sight that often resembled a marital spat, today was different. The two were pouring intense martial arts at each other with killing intent, as if trying to kill one another, using everything except aura.
"Those two also move over there as soon as the kids finish training and practice all night."
The Gambling Monster frowned, saying the Blade Queen and the Warlord also sincerely wanted Glenn's guidance. He seemed annoyed at having more rivals.
"I see."
Raon scanned the fifth training ground again and curled his lips upward.
'I can definitely feel everyone paying attention to me.'
The swordsmen were subtly watching him even while training. They seemed to hope he would notice them and offer help.
-Looking at your twisted expression, you seem to be having strange thoughts again.
Wrath shuddered, saying Raon was likely up to something devious.
'Perhaps.'
Raon smiled mischievously and clapped his hands softly.
"Hmm, your posture is a bit high?"
He didn't specify who he was addressing, simply remarking that someone's posture was high. Immediately, there was movement.
As soon as his words ended, all the swordsmen in the fifth training ground lowered their stances.
"I-is this low enough?"
"This should be right, yes?"
"I did think it was a bit high!"
Burren, Martha, and Krein lowered their stances and turned their eyes toward him.
"Hup!"
"Hmm!"
The Blade Queen and the Warlord also paused their fight, lowered their stances, and swung their sword and blade at each other.
"Ahem, I was actually about to use this stance."
Even the Gambling Monster beside him slightly bent his knees and brought down his sword.
"Oh, you're wrong. I should have just stretched my arms out."
Raon muttered that he had misspoken and offered different advice. Again, as soon as his words ended, all the swordsmen in the training ground extended their arms fully as they performed their sword techniques.
"I think you need to put more strength into your forefeet."
Each time he gave advice, the training ground greatly stirred as the swordsmen's stances changed dramatically. Their reactions were so perfectly synchronized that he almost burst into laughter without realizing it.
"Forefeet! That's it!"
"Right. To be aggressive, you need to put strength in your legs!"
"That's precise advice."
The Gambling Monster, the Blade Queen, and the Warlord were all watching him intently without exception.
"Snore."
The only one in the fifth training ground not paying attention to Raon's words was Runaan, who was sleeping against a tree.
"Hm."
Raon finally couldn't hold back his laughter and lowered his head deeply.
'Is this the taste of power?'
Somehow, it seemed he had gained the power to control all of Zieghart's swordsmen.
-Sigh...
Wrath heaved a long sigh, saying he knew this would happen.
-This guy should have lived alone digging in the dirt for food...
He shook his head vigorously, saying this whole situation made no sense.
-Why is he so lucky!
***
Raon hummed as he headed toward the annex building.
'This is fun.'
After relieving his stress by messing with the Light Wind Palace swordsmen, his body and mind felt as light as a feather.
-You devilish bastard...
Wrath let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.
-I never knew a human could toy with other humans like that.
He closed his eyes tightly, saying he was fortunate not to be part of the Light Wind Palace.
-But who will you really choose?
Wrath nodded his chin with a serious tone.
-The chance to receive teachings from your old man is truly a great opportunity. So much so that they all fall for your clumsy power play.
He wrinkled his nose, telling Raon to select people properly.
'As I said before, Karoon and Aunt are confirmed. Now that I see them, it seems good to take the Blade Queen and the Warlord as well.'
-I think the same about that.
Wrath nodded calmly.
-If those two grow even a little more, they could greatly shake the battlefield.
'That's right.'
Raon recalled the martial arts of the Blade Queen and the Warlord he saw today and licked his lips.
'If those two grow stronger, they'll be a great help.'
He had recently surpassed the realm of the Blade Queen and the Warlord, if only slightly, through various serendipitous encounters.
If those two received Glenn's guidance and reached the same realm as him now, they could change many things in the war that would unfold a year later.
'As for the rest..."
Raon lowered his eyebrows while crossing his arms.
'I need to observe a bit more. Looking at just now, it would be Burren, Martha, and Runaan, but...'
Just as he was about to name the swordsmen one by one. Whoosh! A gaze so sharp it sent chills down his spine. He felt someone staring directly at him from behind. Gulp. Raon swallowed dryly and turned around. But there was no one around. No, his senses couldn't detect anyone.
"This is..."