Chapter 35

"Me?"

Raon narrowed his eyes. Being called right after the sparring session ended, he couldn’t fathom the intention.

"Ah, to be precise, he said to bring the top trainee."

Rimer shrugged.

'Top trainee, huh.'

It meant that as long as one was the top, it could be anyone. It seemed Glen thought Marta would win this time.

'What a joke.'

After Burren, now Marta. The laughter came from breaking the top candidates Glen had expected.

"What’s the reason for the call?"

"How would I know?"

Rimer stuck out his lip and shook his head. From his expression, it was clear he knew the reason but had no intention of telling.

"When do I need to go?"

Raon fiddled with the wooden box in his pocket as he asked.

"Right now."

"Understood."

He nodded and brushed the dust off his body.

"Going like that? Not changing clothes?"

"Yes."

"Aren’t you afraid of Lord Glen?"

"It’s not like he’s going to eat me. No need to be afraid."

Glen’s cold gaze was indeed uncomfortable, but there was no need to be scared.

"Sure, you’re interesting."

Rimer chuckled and nodded, patting Raon’s shoulder with a satisfied look.

"Let’s go."

"Yes."

Raon followed Rimer to the Lord’s audience chamber.

"Really, Marta lost?"

"To such a small child…."

"I can’t believe it."

"Not just age, but talent differs."

"It must be luck. It can only be luck!"

People they passed looked at Raon with surprise or curiosity.

"Seems the news of you defeating Marta has already spread."

Rimer glanced back and smiled slyly.

"Already?"

"Zighardt is a closed family."

He muttered that while closed to the outside, rumors spread like the wind inside.

"Besides, Marta is outstanding enough to defeat a direct descendant. Defeating her head-on, it’s natural for the news to spread."

"I see."

"Be careful. The fall can be as quick as the rise."

Rimer said this while pointing to himself with his thumb, seemingly referring to his own fall after his dantian was destroyed.

"Still, congratulations. This is a good thing. Enjoy it."

He whistled as he entered the Lord’s chamber. The warriors didn’t stop them, seemingly aware of the arrangement.

"Lord is waiting."

After passing through the grand hall on the first floor and standing in front of the audience chamber, Glen’s butler Loen smiled and opened the door.

Creak.

With a sound that made his heart skip a beat, the massive iron door split open, and a powerful aura that seemed to pierce the sky spread out.

Raon clutched his left chest.

'Is it this intense…'

With the mastery of Aura, Glen’s aura felt even more massive. The overwhelming pressure made his hands tremble uncontrollably.

- A human like you….

Ras’s voice also trembled, seemingly suppressed by Glen’s aura.

"With Aura, you can feel it properly, right?"

Rimer wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and smiled.

"That’s our king."

He curled his lips and entered.

"Hmm…."

Swallowing hard, he followed. The closer he got, the stronger Glen’s aura became, pressing down on his shoulders.

"Meeting Lord!"

Raon knelt simultaneously with Rimer. Only then did Glen’s aura lessen.

Adjusting his aura in an instant. A power that seemed to touch the heavens. Even Derus might not be able to match it.

"Stand up."

At the command, Raon’s neck automatically rose. Meeting Glen’s red eyes, everything around him blurred. Truly an overwhelming presence.

"I’ve brought the top trainee you called for."

"……"

Glen didn’t respond to Rimer’s words, just stared at him intently. It was unclear whether he was displeased or calm, and his thoughts were unreadable.

"Have you mastered the Flame Technique?"

"Yes."

"How long did it take?"

"About seven months."

"Slow."

He tilted his chin slightly, seemingly disappointed.

"Show me your Aura."

At Glen’s command, Raon looked at Rimer. Asking with his eyes if it was okay to release Aura in front of the Lord, Rimer nodded.

"Normally, it wouldn’t be allowed, but he said to do it."

"Understood."

Raon stood up, clenched his fist, and then opened it.

Whoosh!

A sound like a dying ember rising, and a bright red flame bloomed. The Flame Technique’s first flame. One and the first flame ignited.

"Is that the first of the Flame Technique?"

A small tremor in Glen’s eyes, which seemed to be buried at the bottom of a muddy pond.

"What did you pursue to ignite that Aura?"

"A flame that neither extinguishes nor bends."

"Doesn’t extinguish?"

"Even in the wind or rain, a flame that never goes out."

Glen stared at the flame burning in Raon’s hand for a long time, his mouth tightly closed. It might have been a delusion, but he seemed slightly moved.

"Good."

"Excuse me?"

An unexpected compliment came from him. Thinking he might have misheard, Raon touched his ear.

"Fire-type swordsmen or mages boast the highest firepower, but they are weak in endurance and defense. An unextinguishable flame could help you overcome that weakness. Think carefully about how to use it."

"…Understood."

Raon nodded, surprised. He never expected Glen to give such advice. His voice trembled slightly.

"There’s no need to think strangely. I’m just saying what I couldn’t during the selection test."

"Oh…."

Now he understood. Glen hadn’t given him advice during the selection test, and now he was making up for it.

'What a peculiar character.'

Glen, though cold like a human carved from ice, took care of what needed to be taken care of.

On the surface, he took care, but inside, he used people like objects, the opposite of Derus.

"Now, I’ll tell you why I called you."

Glen rested his chin and looked down at Raon.

"I plan to give you a mission next year."

"A mission?"

"Your training has been going on for more than a year since your temporary trainee days. Now that you’ve all mastered Aura and become Sword Beginners, it should be fine to go out."

"Hmm…."

"Do you think you’re too young? Age doesn’t matter in battle. A swordsman must fight whenever and wherever they can wield a sword."

'Not that, but I thought it was late.'

In his previous life, he received an assassination mission at 8, not 14. At this age, it was rather late.

"Not just you, but all the trainees should be well-prepared. They should be ready to perform their roles in any situation."

"…Understood."

"Dismissed."

Glen closed his eyes and waved his hand. Raon knelt again, bowed, and left the audience chamber.

"The time for the mission has come."

Rimer, scratching the back of his head, grinned.

"What mission will we be given?"

"It’s not decided yet. Monster extermination, VIP protection, dungeon exploration, bandit suppression. We need to be prepared for any situation as Lord said."

"Will the instructor go with us?"

"I will go, but my mission is different from yours. The instructor’s purpose is to protect you."

"Understood."

"Huh?"

Rimer, surprised by his own reaction, opened his eyes wide.

'The mission is something you do yourself.'

At 8, he received a mission without any support. Having an instructor to protect him in emergencies was a luxury.

'Zighardt is more lenient than I thought.'

Raon, surprised by Rimer’s reaction, left the Lord’s chamber with a smile.

* * *

After Raon left for the annex, Rimer returned to the audience chamber.

"You look happy?"

Rimer smiled at Glen standing on the dais.

"No different from usual."

"Come on, your lips are 2mm higher than usual."

"Stop the nonsense and tell me about Marta’s condition."

"Severe bruises, but they’ll heal with rest. The problem is the psychological shock."

"If she can’t overcome that, she doesn’t deserve the name Zighardt."

Glen, who had been adopted at 8, spoke without exception about the Zighardt spirit.

"Did you help Raon when he was drawing the image of fire?"

"I’m a teacher, after all. But the choice was Raon’s. I only told him there were multiple paths."

Rimer shrugged and continued.

"What do you think of the Aura of the first Lord you expected?"

"As written. It was beautiful, like a flower made of flames. Its power was incomparable to its size."

"Yes. It completely shattered Marta’s Titan Aura, which she had built for over four years. It was an unbelievable power. But you said the color was gold?"

"The color of the flame changes slightly depending on its power. Guide the child to walk the right path."

"Indeed, you think highly of that child."

"……"

Glen didn’t respond, just closed his eyes and waved his hand, signaling Rimer to leave.

"Then, I’ll take good care of the children’s mission."

"That’s not my concern, but the General Affairs Department’s. You should focus on making the children strong enough to survive any mission."

"Yes! I’ll ensure the children don’t become lazy and are well-trained."

"You only say you’ll do your best."

Glen snorted at Rimer’s confident expression.

"That’s a lesson from the opposite."

Rimer grinned back.

* * *

"Hmm?"

Judiel, who was tending the garden, turned at the sound of footsteps behind him.

"Ah, Lord Raon!"

Raon was staring down at him intently. The moment their eyes met, Judiel’s heart sank.

"You’re here!"

Standing up, he examined Raon. His clothes were dusty, but there were no visible injuries.

'Could he have won? Against Marta?'

He had known for a month that Raon was to spar with Marta Zighardt today.

But to win, and to win so unscathed, was beyond his imagination.

"Did you win the sparring?"

"What do you think?"

Raon smiled.

"Ah…."

Seeing the victorious smile, he remembered that night. The red eyes floating over the lake. It was a manifestation of terror.

'Right. This monster wouldn’t lose to just a genius.'

He realized again what kind of being Raon Zighardt was.

"Soon, you’ll receive another call from the main hall. To investigate me more thoroughly."

"Y-Yes."

"Write down what you know and bring it to me."

"Understood."

He entered the annex with a chilling smile. Judiel, feeling cold sweat on his back, dropped the weeds in his hand.

"A monster that defeats a genius…."

* * *

"Raon!"

As soon as Raon entered the annex, he met Sylvia, who was putting on her clothes.

"Where were you going?"

"Where? I came home today, and you weren’t here, so I was looking for you!"

Sylvia ran over, faster than most swordsmen.

"Are you okay? Any injuries?"

Her eyes darted back and forth like falling leaves.

"I’m fine."

"Phew…."

Sylvia sighed in relief, brushing her chest. Her eyes, however, didn’t stop examining Raon’s body.

"Was the sparring canceled?"

"No, I won."

"But you’re not injured?"

"I didn’t get hit."

"You didn’t get hit at all and won?"

"Yes."

"R-Really?"

Helen dropped the coat she was holding for Sylvia.

Everyone knew Marta’s talent was on par with the direct descendants, so their shock was understandable.

"Let’s eat first if you’re not injured! Helen, prepare the meal immediately!"

"I’m fine."

"Huh? You didn’t eat dinner."

"I have something to do today."

Raon shook his head, touching the wooden box with the medicinal herbs in his pocket.

It was time to become stronger again.