Raon inwardly chuckled as he began to slip into the State of Enlightenment.
'I never thought I'd reach enlightenment like that, just as Wrath said.'
Today, he had skipped lunch to oversee the swordsmen's martial arts, which led to Wrath causing a commotion since the afternoon. Just as he mentioned feeling hungry himself and was about to go eat, he suddenly entered the State of Enlightenment. It was somewhat embarrassing that he had entered enlightenment like that, just as Wrath had predicted.
'But why am I still conscious?'
Usually, when entering enlightenment, one would forget reality and experience something like dreaming alongside the sword, but strangely, he could now maintain clear rationality.
Most martial artists typically entered the State of Enlightenment while training in swordsmanship or fighting enemies in life-or-death battles, but as Wrath had pointed out, he had experienced enlightenment in peculiar situations—like when visiting the bathroom or while eating.
'But even then, I must have been absorbed in swordsmanship while in the State of Enlightenment?'
Though he had often reached enlightenment in unusual situations, he had always been thinking about swordsmanship beforehand, so he remained focused solely on the sword while in that state. But this time, he hadn't been thinking about swordsmanship at all. He had entered enlightenment while heading to eat, and with his rationality still intact, he felt somewhat bewildered.
'What's going on here?'
Raon tried to move his body, but strangely, he couldn't.
'I can't hear Wrath either.'
Wrath was flapping his round hands while shouting something at him, but he couldn't hear a word. He could only sense from the gestures that Wrath was cursing.
'It's enlightenment, but not quite enlightenment.'
He had entered enlightenment countless times before, but this situation was extremely rare. (E/N: C-Countless...)
'What's different?'
The difference was that he had entered enlightenment without thinking about swordsmanship.
'Come to think of it, this might be the first time I've entered enlightenment without thinking about swordsmanship.'
It seemed this unusual result occurred because he had entered enlightenment while focused on the human desire for food—the need to eat.
'So what am I supposed to do now?'
He could think, but couldn't move his body. Given this unusual mental state of enlightenment, he wasn't sure what would help his cultivation.
'It's strange when I think about it.'
Raon briefly savored the thought.
'Why have I grown stronger?'
Recently, he had merely listened to the swings of swordsmen practicing their techniques and followed Glenn around giving advice, yet he had achieved far better martial arts results than when he had trained desperately before.
Setting aside breaking through his Mental Image, it was fascinating that he was growing stronger bit by bit without practicing swordsmanship or sparring with powerful opponents.
'It's definitely not Sloth's power seeping in.'
He and Sloth weren't particularly compatible. Unlike Runaan, he couldn't achieve martial growth just by sleeping. All he had done lately was oversee swordsmen far below his level, yet he couldn't understand why he was experiencing such growth.
'Even just now.'
He furrowed his brow slightly, recalling how he had suddenly entered enlightenment just by thinking about eating because he was hungry.
'Rest and food? The common point between them is...'
He rubbed his fingertips while considering the commonality between these two elements that had recently contributed to his growth.
'They're both essential for humans.'
Both rest and food were absolutely necessary for ordinary people. However, he had always neglected both.
'There was no rest in my life, and I only ate when Wrath threw a fit.'
In his childhood, his desire to become part of the direct lineage, and after becoming part of it, his vendetta against Derus Robert had kept him constantly wielding his sword. He reduced sleep, skipped meals, ignored rest, and maintained his body and mind in a constant state of tension.
'I thought that was right...'
Was it not?'
Seeing his swordsmanship achievements improve, which hadn't changed despite endless practice, suggested his previous judgment had been wrong.
'When you think about it, even a swordsman is still human.'
Even Glenn, who could cut the world with a single sword, and himself, who could cut mountains, though not quite at that level—though called superhuman, they were still humans made of flesh and bone.
'After resting lately, my physical and mental state are definitely much better than usual. So from here, the way to progress further is...'
Raon gradually sank into enlightenment as a human rather than a swordsman, immersed in a change he was experiencing for the first time across both his past life and current one.
***
"Hmm! Hm-hmm!"
Glenn hummed cheerfully as he returned to the Lord's Manor. He walked with slightly swaying shoulders, which were usually stiff and rigid, as if filled with excitement.
"You seem to be in a good mood?"
Sheryl raised her eyebrows slightly as she walked alongside Glenn.
"Did something special happen?"
She lowered her chin as if asking him to share the news with her too.
"It must be because of Master Raon."
Roenn smiled knowingly, as if the answer was obvious.
"Raon?"
Sheryl tilted her head as she mentioned Raon's name.
"Raon hasn't been any different from usual, has he?"
She narrowed her eyes, noting that Raon had just been giving advice to swordsmen as usual.
"That's what's so adorable!"
Glenn turned to Sheryl with a raised voice. He wasn't angry—his tone had just risen from excitement.
"It's so cute how he follows me around like a duckling following its mother!"
His lips quivered with emotion as he recalled the image of Raon following him.
"That a child who was once so cold now follows me like a mother duck is just too..."
Glenn couldn't finish his sentence and took a deep, dramatic breath. Had they been in the audience chamber's throne, Zieghart would likely have experienced its largest earthquake today.
"Oh my..."
Sheryl exhaled deeply as if tired of his antics.
"Ha ha ha!"
Roenn let out a benevolent laugh, as if he had expected this.
"But that's not the only reason."
Glenn waved his hand with half-open eyes.
"Then what else is there?"
Sheryl's eyes gleamed brightly, as if asking him to explain the reason for his excitement.
"Well..."
Roenn also savored the anticipation, clearly curious.
"When Raon first started following me, he would only agree with my opinions and give additional advice to the swordsmen."
Glenn lowered his eyebrows as he thought back to when Raon first began following him a week ago.
"But lately, Raon doesn't just follow my opinions; he's started expressing his own thoughts more. Today, he even gave advice contrary to mine."
He drew a deep smile as he mentioned Raon offering advice with a different perspective from his own.
"He gave contrary advice, but why are you happy about that?"
Sheryl swallowed dryly as she sensed Glenn's genuine smile.
"Because it means Raon is growing beyond me."
Glenn smiled gently as he raised his head.
"Even if we both master the Ten Thousand Swords and are both Ziegharts, the path of the sword is infinite and must eventually diverge. Even though he learned the Azure Sky Sword and Celestial Thunder Arts from me, if he only follows, he cannot escape my shadow. It seems Raon is overcoming his Mental Image and finding his own sword."
He gently stroked his chin, as if hoping Raon would transform his sword in his own way.
"So... hm?"
Glenn suddenly turned his back while speaking excitedly.
"Already?"
He swallowed dryly and ran back to the head of house's training ground.
"Head of House?"
"Let's go too."
Sheryl opened her eyes wide in surprise, and Roenn immediately followed after Glenn. When the three returned to the head of house's training ground, they saw Raon standing frozen. He was staring into space with dreamy eyes, as if in a trance.
"State of Enlightenment?"
Sheryl swallowed dryly as she confirmed that Raon had entered enlightenment.
"It's enlightenment, but the atmosphere seems a bit different from other times."
Roenn lowered his eyebrows as he felt a gentle aura emanating from Raon.
"That's right."
Glenn nodded, his lips trembling slightly.
"Raon isn't gaining insight about swordsmanship right now."
He clenched his fist tightly, his eyes filled with joy.
"As a human being. He's finding the key to the path of the absolute."
Glenn stood there until Raon awakened, his chest filled with warmth. In his sun-like red eyes, gratitude and joy for his grandson blossomed simultaneously.
'I'm truly grateful.'
***
From the next day onward, Raon stopped following Glenn and instead stood blankly on the platform.
"What's up with that guy again?"
Krein bit his lip slightly as he watched Raon standing vacantly.
"He's not even meditating with his eyes closed like before, he's just staring into space!"
He moistened his dry lips, saying he was frightened by Raon's new behavior.
"What if he's planning some new training method to torment us?"
"Hmm, I don't think so..."
Dorian gently shook his head as he observed Raon.
"The Palace Master is in an extremely peaceful state of mind right now."
He closed and opened his eyes, noting that Raon's aura was different from when he was thinking about tormenting someone.
"Though less intense, it's similar to how I feel when I'm checking supplies."
Dorian savored the thought, saying that the current Raon resembled himself when satisfying his own desires.
"He's somehow regained his energy."
Burren lowered his eyebrows as he came up behind Dorian.
"Anyway, we don't need to worry about our Palace Master."
He smirked, as if he had expected this.
"I told you. Just leave him be and focus on our own tasks."
Martha snorted as she rested her elbow on Krein's shoulder.
"Y-yes, of course..."
Krein sidled away while nervously glancing around.
"It's fine to worry about him sometimes."
Sylvia shook her head with a faint smile.
"Despite appearances, he has a tender heart."
She smiled gently, thanking him for his concern about Raon.
"That's right. Raon is kind and gentle."
Sia nodded vigorously, saying there was no one as good as Raon.
"Kind and gentle, huh..."
"Hmm..."
"Y-yes? That's right."
Burren, Martha, and Dorian just savored the moment with lowered eyes at Sylvia and Sia's words.
"Gentle? Him? Absolutely n— gack!"
"Shut up."
Krein was about to speak about what he usually suffered when Martha slapped him on the back, causing him to fall forward.
"Hmm..."
Runaan exhaled softly through her nose as if she had expected Raon to return, then closed her eyes while leaning against the wall of the training ground. She immediately fell asleep with a purring sound, as if relieved of her worries.
"Let's go too. We've rested enough."
Burren ordered the Light Wind division swordsmen who were watching Raon to resume their training, then dragged the fallen Krein toward the edge of the training ground. With a soft breath, Raon half-opened his eyes after the Light Wind Palace swordsmen resumed their training.
'More has changed than I expected.'
If ordinary enlightenment was like being hit by waves, yesterday's enlightenment was like a gentle shower. He had thought there wouldn't be much difference from before, but what he saw and felt had changed more than expected.
'I can see the flow of swordsmanship more clearly, and the particles of mana feel so vivid, as if they're touching my fingertips.'
He could now feel the texture of swordplay that had been invisible until yesterday. It seemed he could make the swordsmen's completed techniques sharper and stronger. All his senses were slightly different from before. Even if relaxed, enlightenment was still enlightenment.
-Of course it should be different!
Wrath rushed before his eyes.
-After ruining my dinner like that, if nothing had changed, I would have smacked the back of your head!
He ground his teeth, telling Raon not to state the obvious.
'That's why I ate breakfast like it was three meals.'
Raon sighed while holding his stomach, remembering how he had eaten breakfast until he was sick of it.
-Hmph! If not for that, you would already be a corpse!
Wrath snorted, saying he was letting Raon off only because he had eaten such a hearty breakfast.
-So what will you do now?
He rolled his eyes as if asking what Raon planned to do now that he had achieved enlightenment.
-Why am I even asking you? You'll just swing your sword again.
Wrath clicked his tongue, saying the answer was obvious without asking.
-I'm going to take a nap, so wake me up at lunch...
'No.'
Raon firmly shook his head and stepped down from the platform. Instead of heading to the training ground to practice swordsmanship, he approached Runaan, who was leaning against the wall.
"Huh...?"
Runaan wiped the drool from her mouth with her sleeve as she saw Raon standing right in front of her.
"Didn't sleep much... Just starting now..."
She slowly shook her head, saying she hadn't slept a wink today.
"I didn't come to lecture you."
Raon smiled slightly and took a place beside Runaan.
"I'm going to sleep too."
He gently closed his eyes with his arms crossed, just like her.
"Eh...?"
Upon hearing this, Runaan's perpetually half-closed eyes flew wide open, as if she were completely awake now.
"Sleep, you say?"
She even raised her voice, which was rare for her.
"Huh?"
"D-did I hear that wrong?"
Burren and Martha also gaped upon hearing Raon's words.
"H-he's gone mad! I told you! The Palace Master went crazy long ago!"
Krein shook his head vigorously, insisting that couldn't be Raon Zieghart.
"W-what's really strange is that Raon's mind is incredibly calm…."
Dorian blinked, saying that Raon's mind and emotions were completely normal right now.
-You, you've really lost your mind!
Wrath's tail trembled in disbelief.
-You've grown stronger through enlightenment, but instead of swinging your sword, you're sleeping! Who are you?!
He wildly waved both hands as if suggesting another soul had possessed Raon.
'I understand now. This isn't the time to swing a sword.'
Raon nodded with a more relaxed expression than ever before.
'From now on, I'm going to try living as a human being.'