Chapter 5

Snap!

When Glen snapped his fingers, the mana inside the audience chamber stirred.

Rumble!

The flow of mana, which had been calm like a still lake, suddenly surged, and a massive iron door shot up from the floor.

Whoosh!

The majestic iron door, reaching almost to the ceiling, was engulfed in golden flames.

"Lord, Lord Head?"

Roan's eyes widened. That door was the vault of Zighart, summonable only by the head of the family. It was the first time in ten years that Glen had summoned it.

"I'll be back in a moment."

As Glen raised his hand, the golden iron door opened smoothly as if oiled.

He briefly turned back to confirm the golden flames burning on the stone sword before entering the vault.

Inside the vault, countless treasures were piled up.

Top-grade elixirs and weapons, jewels worth a castle, and various books. Each one of these treasures, if brought out, could cause a storm across the continent.

Glen paid no attention to the weapons and jewels that eagerly revealed themselves or the neatly stacked elixirs.

He walked straight to the deepest part of the vault, heading towards a massive cylindrical bookshelf.

The bookshelf rose to the end of the vault like a world tree, with books of various colors inserted in each compartment.

Snap.

When Glen lightly kicked the ground, his body floated up, defying gravity, and he stepped through the air towards the first compartment of the bookshelf.

In the first compartment, only two books were placed, unlike the others.

He tried to pull out the old, yellowed book in front, but it remained immovable, as if rooted to the ground.

"Of course, it doesn't move."

Glen clicked his tongue and took out the red book next to it.

The second book came out smoothly, unlike the first, and was well-preserved, causing no issues when read.

Flip.

Glen's hand, which had been quickly skimming through the book, suddenly stopped in the middle.

"Hmm…"

He frowned as he read the words written in the book.

"The aura of the first head of the Zighart family was golden like the sun, displaying a transcendent firepower that could melt even the flames of the demon world…"

Glen closed his eyes and recalled the golden flames created by Laon.

"Golden mana, golden flames."

While yellow auras were common, deep golden mana was a color that had only appeared once in Zighart's history.

"Laon, what are you…"

* * *

"I'm sorry, dear."

As soon as Sylvia returned to the annex, she hugged Laon tightly, holding him even more firmly than usual, making it hard for him to breathe.

"It's okay."

Laon patted her shoulder, seeing her back trembling.

'I still don't understand it well.'

In his previous life, he had lived without knowing emotions.

He killed when ordered, kidnapped when ordered, and stole when ordered. It was a relationship of trainer and dog, of command and obedience.

But now, it was different.

Sylvia, Helen, and the maids gave him everything without asking for anything in return.

This was the first time he had lived a life of receiving, so he couldn't accurately describe the emotion that stirred in his chest.

Still, he knew one thing.

He didn't want Sylvia and the maids to cry. Even if they couldn't always smile, he hoped they wouldn't be sad.

'If they had mocked me, I wouldn't have felt anything.'

But those in the audience hall had mocked Sylvia.

The collateral members below the dais had openly snickered, and the direct members above the dais had shown expressions of disgust as if looking at insects.

'I need to show them.'

He would teach everyone who had mocked Sylvia what would happen because of their despicable actions today.

* * *

On a sunny afternoon.

A boy was sitting on the lawn in the garden.

His deep blonde hair fluttered in the gentle breeze, and his facial features, though young, were already nearly perfect in harmony.

The only flaw was his pale face, which suggested he wasn't in good health.

"Hmm…"

After sitting with his eyes closed for a long time, the boy slowly opened them.

'The Fire Rings are about to become three.'

Laon, who had grown to the point of being called a young man, smiled faintly.

'Already seven years have passed.'

Seven years had passed since the first trial, and he was now twelve years old.

Thanks to consistent practice during that time, his two Fire Rings were about to become three.

'A bit disappointing.'

If it weren't for the cold spreading throughout his body, he would have already reached the third rank, but unfortunately, his progress had been slowed by practicing with the cold.

Still, he had gained something.

'Status Window.'

He called out the now familiar term in his mind.

<Status Window>

Name: Laon Zighart.

Title: None.

Condition: Nine Strands of Frost Curse, Low Stamina, Reduced Physical Ability, Reduced Mana Sensitivity.

Traits: ???, Fire Rings (2nd Rank), Water Resistance (2nd Rank)

*Additional abilities are not unlocked.

His Water Resistance had reached the second rank, and the cold throughout his body had disappeared, eliminating the stiffness in his limbs.

Of course, his body was still difficult to move due to other physical conditions, but this would naturally be resolved as his Fire Rings advanced.

"Hmm."

Laon closed the Status Window and stood up from the lawn.

'Now I need to start physical training…'

Thanks to the reduced cold, Sylvia and the maids worried less, but they still tried to stop him whenever he tried to move.

To quickly advance his Fire Rings, physical training was necessary, so he needed to find a way to train openly.

'Is there a way to train openly?'

He could force himself to train, but for some reason, it was hard to disobey Sylvia. It wasn't an order, but he couldn't help but follow.

"Master!"

While he was pondering, Helen ran out from the annex.

"You need to participate in the trial. What will we do if you keep this up? You're just like Lady Sylvia."

"Oh, right."

The trial was mandatory for everyone except those on missions or outside, so he had to go.

"I'll see those annoying people again."

A few years ago, during the second trial, he had faced overt ridicule. This time, they would likely call him a coward and a runaway, spouting nonsense.

"Master, please keep your voice down…"

Helen put her finger to her lips, looking around.

"There might be others around?"

"The eyes and ears of this family are always open."

"Even if it's my fate to worry, I understand."

Laon clicked his tongue and entered the annex. Inside, Sylvia was waiting in formal attire.

"Do you want to rest in the room? I can go alone."

Sylvia, with a few more wrinkles around her eyes, stroked his hair.

"I'm fine."

Laon shook his head and entered the room.

'I need to see how those who mocked us have changed.'

For an assassin, observing changes in the target was the top priority.

Laon decided to participate in the trial with a sense of enjoyment.

* * *

Laon entered the audience chamber with Sylvia and Helen for the trial.

"You're still short."

"You're so skinny. If it weren't for your blonde hair and red eyes, I'd think you were from another family."

"The only thing that fits the Zighart name is your good looks."

"Your pale face isn't very appealing, either."

As expected, the direct members ignored him, and the collateral members whispered and mocked him.

'Fortunately.'

They were still mocking him and Sylvia, and their unchanged attitude was somewhat satisfying.

'Joanna, Henry, Deneir…'

Laon looked around from the dais above to the seats below, reciting the names of the direct and collateral members.

After waiting for about thirty minutes in the back row, Lord Glen Zighart entered.

He ascended the dais with even more authority than seven years ago and began the trial.

Since no direct members were present, and only the collateral members and vassal family children were being tested, the trial ended in less than three hours.

The collateral members' high mana purity led to occasional taunts comparing them to Laon, but he ignored them.

"The trial is now over. Everyone, well done…"

"Wait."

Glen raised his hand, interrupting the announcer's statement.

"Laon Zighart."

The absolute gaze of the one seated on the throne, looking down on the world, turned to Laon for the first time.

Silence fell, and everyone's attention focused on him.

'Me?'

Laon swallowed, surprised to hear his name called.

"Lord, Lord Head?"

"Hmm…"

Sylvia's eyes trembled in confusion, and Helen squeezed her hand.

"Didn't you receive the order to participate in the basic training as a member of the family? Why haven't you responded after a month?"

'Basic training participation?'

He had never received such an order. Looking at Sylvia, who was biting her lip, it seemed she already knew.

"Lord, Lord Head. Laon is different from other children. The cold in his body still remains…"

"There are no exceptions or refusals for those who bear the Zighart name."

"He can barely walk. He won't be able to endure the training."

Sylvia shook her head firmly.

"If you can't walk, crawl to the training. That's what it means to be a Zighart."

Glen rested his chin on his right hand and closed his eyes.

"I can't accept it. At least, give us a little more time…"

"Are you going to run away again? With that child?"

"That…"

Sylvia's hand, held by Helen, became damp.

"You can only live as a Zighart in this land. If you don't like it, leave."

Glen's voice was cold, as if speaking to a stranger.

"Are you going to run away again?"

"Even if it's entertaining, you don't have any more dantians or mana circuits to break."

"Such a person was a direct member of the family. Tsk, tsk."

"…"

Laon looked at Sylvia, Glen, and everyone in the room, his eyes turning cold.

'Now I understand.'

Why Sylvia, a direct member, received such miserable treatment. Why she was ignored even by the collateral members.

'She left the family.'

She had traces of martial arts training but no aura, indicating she had either destroyed her dantian or never learned aura. As expected, it was the former.

Sylvia had destroyed her dantian and mana circuits before leaving the family to marry his father.

'After getting pregnant with me, she had to return when her husband died.'

I understand.

Having left the direct position of the Zighart family and returned, it was fitting that she received treatment below the collateral members.

'However,'

That was the view of outsiders and their circumstances. As Sylvia's son, Laon couldn't bear to see her treated this way.

Snap.

Letting go of Sylvia and Helen's hands, Laon took a step forward.

"Master!"

"Laon, I can handle it…"

"I'm fine."

He shook his head at the two and stood in front of Glen.

"Lord Head. As you said, I will participate in the training from next month."

He bowed, meeting the gaze that looked at him as if he were a bug.

"Didn't you know about the training?"

Deneir Zighart, Glen's third son and Laon's uncle, spoke. He was the only one among the direct members who had shown a sympathetic look.

"That's correct."

"Even if it's basic training, it's not something a patient like you can handle. Step back now."

"I'm fine."

Laon looked at Glen, not Deneir.

"Since I bear the Zighart name, I must live up to it. I will participate in the training."

The firmness in his voice, unlike that of a child, caused a change in the people's gazes.

Though they still saw him as a small pebble, it was enough for now.

He had the experience of rising from a bottom-dwelling hunting dog to the best assassin and had mastered the Fire Rings mentioned in the continent's legends.

If he used all his abilities, standing tall in this family was not impossible.

Would revenge be delayed? No, this might be a faster path.

Grip.

Laon clenched his small fist tightly.

'I'll show you how solid this pebble can become.'