Chapter 100

"Another test?"

Raon tilted his head. The graduation test for Zighart trainees is usually a simple method, such as a sparring match between trainees or passing a course set by the instructor.

Looking at Rimer's sly expression, it seemed this wouldn't be an ordinary test.

"You guys have a lot more experience than other trainees, don't you?"

Rimer clicked his tongue and wagged his finger.

"Honor duels, life-or-death battles, and even fighting using techniques. You've experienced everything that formal knights do."

That was true.

The trainees of the 5th training ground, though not as much as their past selves, had accumulated far more experience than the Robert family or other training ground trainees.

If they were given a regular test, they would all pass it without much difficulty.

"A test is an opportunity to accelerate your growth beyond your usual pace. A mediocre test wouldn't help you, so I changed the test content."

"Hmm…"

"Indeed."

Everyone nodded at Rimer's explanation. Having witnessed Raon's prowess and wanting to reach higher than just becoming ordinary knights, this was a natural reaction.

"So, what kind of test do we have to take?"

Buren raised his hand and leaned forward.

"Survival."

Rimer's expression suddenly changed. The playful uncle was gone, replaced by a serious and sharp aura.

"Survival. You will discard your identity as Zighart trainees and venture out into the world with only your name and a sword."

"Survival…"

"Ah!"

"Only your name and a sword?"

The trainees were all taken aback by the unexpected test, their mouths agape.

"I understand your shock. This will be different from the graduation test you expected. But it's a necessary trial."

Rimer perched on the podium and looked down at all the trainees.

"You are now brimming with confidence. You've defeated the Owen Kingdom's training knights, survived the war with Eden, and grown both in aura and physique from consuming elixirs. There was also the battle with the 6th training ground, though someone's power was quite significant."

He glanced at Raon.

"Go out into the world with your newfound confidence and see how vast and wide it truly is."

"Hmm…"

The trainees were too stunned to speak, but Raon nodded alone.

'He's right.'

As Rimer said, the trainees, who had grown both physically and mentally, needed real combat experience. Fighting on their own, without the support of their family, would lead them to even greater heights.

"However, I will accept refusals."

Rimer raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"Living outside without the family's support and the bed they've provided isn't easy. This time, neither I nor the instructors will accompany you. You might really lose your life."

He nodded slowly.

"So, for those who are scared, I've prepared another graduation test. If you want to refuse, think it over and let me know tomorrow."

"Hmm…"

"Ah, another test?"

"That's not necessary."

Unlike the trainees who were rolling their eyes in contemplation, Martha shook her head and flicked her hair. Her dark eyes sparkled as she stepped forward.

"Survival? I've been doing that since I took my first steps. I can handle it."

Martha snorted, as if any test would be fine.

"I'm fine with it too."

Buren stepped forward with a calm voice. His deep-set eyes showed no hesitation.

"Survival as the theme of the graduation test. As the instructor said, it's definitely an opportunity for growth. I accept it."

"Already two?"

Rimer chuckled and raised two fingers.

"I, I'll do it too!"

"Me too!"

"Add my name too!"

With Buren and Martha participating, the trainees all raised their hands and shouted that they would join.

"Good. Good."

Rimer clapped and smiled each time a trainee volunteered.

"Runan."

Raon turned and called out to Runan, who was standing there blankly. She seemed indifferent to the situation, keeping time with Rimer's claps.

"What will you do?"

"Raon?"

"I'll do it."

"Then I'll do it too."

She stepped forward and declared she would participate in the training. With that, all 42 trainees raised their hands, leaving Raon alone.

"Raon. What about you?"

"Of course, I'll go."

"Hmm, even the top student answers so blindly? Do you know where I'll send you?"

Rimer smirked and poked his lips out.

"I'm fine with it."

Raon smiled, not falling for his provocation.

"It will surely be incredibly difficult, but the instructor wouldn't give us a trial we can't overcome."

"You…"

Rimer's expression changed sharply at Raon's confident words, a slightly flustered look in his eyes.

Rimer knew the strengths and weaknesses of each trainee and had been educating them accordingly. Most of his actions, though only recently discovered, were for the trainees' benefit.

Despite his casual demeanor and tone, there was no reason not to trust Rimer, who had heavy thoughts.

"I feel the same."

Buren nodded and stood beside Raon.

"He's lazy, doesn't keep appointments, and is addicted to alcohol and gambling, but his education is solid."

"Hmph."

Martha turned her head but didn't say much, indicating she agreed to some extent with Buren and Raon.

"To know my students think so highly of me, it warms my heart."

Rimer pretended to cry, making sniffing sounds. Though he seemed to be joking, his lips curved into a crescent moon, showing he was genuinely pleased.

"But that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you. You need to prepare thoroughly."

He extended his hand backward, and an instructor handed him a document.

"Originally, I would have told you a week later, but since everyone agrees, I'll tell you where you're going right away."

"Will we all go to the same place?"

Buren raised his hand and asked.

"No way."

Rimer wagged his finger.

"You may pretend otherwise, but you tend to rely on one person."

His gaze turned to Raon, and the trainees followed his gaze.

"Hmm…"

"Y-Yes…"

"Indeed, somewhat true."

The trainees agreed to some extent with Rimer's words, licking their lips.

Initially, they had envied and hated Raon, but through shared training, real combat, and overcoming crises, the trainees had come to genuinely follow him.

"Your improved relationships are encouraging, but one-sided reliance is not good."

Rimer smiled softly and looked at each trainee.

"Through this test, become a knight who can be a support to others."

"Yes!"

"Understood!"

Feeling the instructor's sincerity, the trainees raised their voices loudly.

"Alright, then…"

Rimer opened the document he received from the instructor.

"Buren Zighart."

"Yes!"

"You're going to the western Lebben Desert."

"Understood."

"Martha Zighart. You're going to the eastern Sian Gorge. And…"

Rimer didn't wait for their responses and continued listing their destinations.

"…Runan Slieron. You're going to the Katam Jungle in the northwest."

"Yes."

"Now, the last one. Raon Zighart."

All the trainees' names had been called, leaving only Raon.

"Yes."

"You're going to the northeast. Hafun Castle."

"Hafun Castle…"

Raon narrowed his eyes.

'Sending me to a cursed place, huh.'

Hafun Castle, located further north than Zighart, was one of the battlefields where they fought monsters from the North Sea and Stirling Mountains year-round.

'Certainly, it will be helpful.'

Despite having the Ring of Fire and mastering the Ten Thousand Techniques, he hadn't fully regained his past senses.

If he were to throw himself into that battlefield, he might gain even more killing intent and senses than in his past life.

"You have one month until departure. Gather information about where you're going, think about how to prepare, and decide what to bring. All of this is part of the test."

Rimer closed the document and lifted his chin.

"Yes! Understood!"

The trainees' loud responses were filled with both anticipation for growth and worry about the unknown.

"You'll have a tough time, especially you."

Rimer came down to Raon and gave him a fierce look.

"It's called the 'Hell of Combat' because there's no time to sheathe your sword."

"Ah!"

Dorian, who was also assigned to Hafun Castle, trembled in fear. Raon chuckled at the sight.

"If it's hell, that's fine."

"Huh?"

"Overcoming hell, how strong would I become? And…"

Raon nodded with eyes full of anticipation.

'I've already experienced real hell.'

* * * *

"R-Really, do we have to do this?"

After discussing the graduation test, Helen shook her head and shivered as they returned to the annex.

"Hafun Castle is one of Zighart's barriers, where strong monsters pour in endlessly. Since the instructor has prepared another test, do we really need to go there…?"

"This is for…"

"We have to go."

Before Raon could speak, Sylvia put down her fork and knife and nodded.

"But it's an incredibly dangerous place…"

"Still, we have to go."

Sylvia shook her head at Helen and looked at Raon.

"It's an opportunity for Raon to grow."

After the sparring match with Raiden, Sylvia no longer saw Raon as a child but as a qualified knight.

Of course, she wasn't without worry. Her hand holding the glass trembled slightly.

"Mom is right."

Raon closed his eyes, receiving the worried gazes of Sylvia, Helen, and the maids.

"Like the instructor said, this is more of an opportunity for growth. If an opportunity comes, we should seize it."

"That's right. Well thought out."

Helen and the maids still seemed to have a lot to say, but Sylvia, who had lived a warrior's life, was different. She now fully acknowledged him.

'It's easier this way.'

Though Helen, the housekeeper, had a strong voice, Sylvia couldn't be outdone. With her agreement, future training would be much smoother.

"Then I'll go train."

Raon cleared his plate and stood up.

"Raon."

As he was about to return to his room, Sylvia turned her head.

"If you're going to do it, prepare thoroughly. Be ready for anything that might happen."

"Okay."

Raon nodded confidently and entered his room.

"Lady, are you really okay with this?"

"Hah, how could I be okay?"

Sylvia's hands trembled as she clutched the glass. Her only son was going to a dangerous place, and she couldn't be at ease.

'But…'

Unlike Helen, she knew what a warrior was and what a knight could achieve. Even if she didn't like it, she had to send Raon.

He would go anyway, even if she tried to stop him. Sending him off with a clear conscience was the right thing for the child.

"Still, I'm worried. It's too dangerous…"

"Being worried is natural."

Sylvia nodded.

"So, we have something to do."

"Something to do?"

"Yes. We need to maintain everything as it is so that Raon can rest comfortably when he returns."

She looked at the maids and smiled, hiding her anxiety as a mother and mistress of the annex.

"Lady…"

The maids nodded in agreement.

Judeal clenched his fist quietly, looking at Sylvia and Helen.

* * * *

Even knowing he would leave for the battlefield in a month, Raon's life remained the same.

He trained at dawn as usual, went to the 5th training ground for education from Rimer and the instructors, and stayed the latest to continue training in the evening.

The intensity, however, was far beyond what it used to be.

Buren and Martha, who watched, were almost bored, and Runan was so exhausted that she fell behind.

"Phew…"

After a week of intense training that nearly drained his mental strength, Raon returned to the annex.

It was late, and everyone was asleep, so he entered his room through the open window.

"Hmm…"

The room was spotlessly clean, and the clothes and bedding emitted a soft fragrance.

'This isn't necessary.'

Despite his thoughts, a smile formed on his face.

He was grateful to Sylvia and the maids for their thoughtful care, ensuring he had a comfortable time whenever he returned.

"Phew…"

Raon exhaled and sat on the bed. The recent training had been tough even for him, and sleepiness washed over him.

Just as he was about to lie down, he felt something on the bed.

"What's this?"

He tilted his head and lifted the blanket, revealing a small book.

"This is…"

Raon's eyes widened as he read the book. It contained information about Hafun Castle, where he was going.

Geographical information, details about the monsters, and information about the people there. It was clear who had given it to him.

'Judeal.'

The information was prepared by her, who knew he was going to Hafun Castle.

"Ugh."

Raon swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth.

"I need to solidify things before I leave."