Dumptkan bowed to Ariel alongside his disciple.
âThank you, weâve gained valuable experience thanks to you.â
House Tvenâs swordsmen smiled, saying theyâd been enlightened through the spars against the Light Wind divisionâs swordsmen.
âIâm glad to hear it.â
Ariel placed her hand on her knees and smiled in a similar manner as the swordsmen.
âBut was Sir Raonâs swordsmanship amazing enough to enlighten you?â
âIt was literally fantastic. He cut through my astral energy in an instant, and I had no room for counterattack at all.â
Dumptkan praised Raonâs swordsmanship by saying that heâd never seen such a flashy and sharp attack in his life.
âI was defeated in a single strike, but I wasnât embarrassed at all. It allowed me to broaden my horizons.â
âWasnât it regrettable that it ended so quickly?â
âNot at all. I was actually enlightened because I was defeated in a single strike.â
He looked outside the window while saying that he felt nothing but gratitude towards Raon for fighting him seriously.
âHmm. I mustâve taken too much of your time. Iâll take my leave now since itâs getting late.â
Dumptkan said that he needed to put his enlightenment together and bowed politely before leaving the reception room.
âHaaâŠâ
Ariel sighed and placed her hand on her forehead.
âRaon. Raon ZieghartâŠâ
She had to press her fingers against her temple because she was automatically getting a headache whenever she heard Raonâs name. She had a feeling that it was going to become a bad habit.
âHow can they thank him when they were defeated in a single strike? How pathetic.â
House Tven wasnât the only one. Every single warrior from various houses and kingdoms that sheâd sent to Raon had blabbered about learning a great lesson from Raon before they left.
She was feeling uncomfortable because she had to suppress the urge to shut their mouths to stop them from complimenting Raon.
âI never expected this result.â
Raon treated those who were kind to him with kindness, and he returned malice with an even greater malice.
Sheâd guessed his personality and sent him true warriors whoâd spent their entire lives working for their martial arts among those who didnât belong to the Five Divine Orders.
She was planning to turn him into a coward if he refused their requests, and if heâd gone easy on them after accepting their requests, she was going to spread a rumor that Raon was a fool who didnât know anything about the warrior spirit.
Stealing Raon and Zieghartâs martial arts was a bonus.
âHowever⊠Everything went wrong.â
Raon politely accepted the warriorsâ sparring request but crushed them in a single strike during the matches.
âHeâs completely unpredictable.â
Judging from Raonâs personality in the past, he shouldâve gone easy on them as a spar instead of defeating them in a single strike.
Sheâd never expected that trying to understand a twenty-one-year-old greenhorn could be so difficult.
While Ariel was venting her frustration by pressing her right hand with her left hand, a knock could be heard.
âMaster.â
McCain opened the door and entered soon after that and bowed at her.
âIâm sorry. I couldnât see Raon and the Light Wind divisionâs fights because of the fog surrounding the mansion.â
He frowned, saying that the fog intensified whenever he was trying to look inside even though it was just a thin fog.
âThe black rose girl played a cute trick.â
âAre you talking about the disciple of the Black Marketâs master?â
âYes. I heard that sheâs been learning array technique, but I didnât expect her to be good enough to set up the Soft Mist Dancing Array.â
Ariel shook her head while twisting her lips.
âI wouldâve gone there myself if I knew that was going to happen.â
Sheâd been preparing for the conference while counting on her subordinates, but Denning Rose had made an unexpected move.
Nothing was going well for her where Raon was concerned.
âIs Encia Yonaan still in there?â
âYes. We havenât seen her come out, so she should be still inside Zieghartâs lodgings. She isnât using the lodgings for House Yonaan at all.â
âWe need to get acquainted with them. This is troublesome.â
Sheâd only called for Denning Rose to make fun of her, but sheâd invited House Yonaan to develop a friendly relationship with them.
However, Encia didnât even come to greet her, instead immediately approaching the Ziegharts and never leaving them.
âIs this because both of them have been saved by Raon?â
The savior was bound to leave the deepest impression.
She could guess that Denning Rose and Encia started to follow Raon from the bottom of their hearts after heâd helped them.
âI donât think we can leave them like this.â
âMaster.â
Ariel tapped the table with his finger, and McCain lowered his head.
âI heard he extorted four thousand gold from the Demon Slaying Spear as well. We need to maintain our composure since heâs clearly acting according to a plan.â
âI know.â
She nodded at McCain.
âThis isnât time to be happy about the Demon Slaying Spear losing twice as much money as me.â
The Five Divine Orders had already lost almost 5500 gold to Raon.
It was a tremendous amount, enough to even found a trading company, and she couldnât just laugh it off as someone elseâs business.
âBut donât worry about it.â
Ariel touched her red lips with her white finger.
âBecause I wonât be the one to make the move next time.â
âWhat?â
âIâm planning to invite those three to the conference between the heads of the Five Divine Orders. AndâŠâ
A frightening smile appeared on her face as she pressed against the table with her reddened finger.
âThe situation will unfold by itself.â
* * *
It was a dark daybreak.
Rimmer heaved a deep sigh while passing through an empty alley.
âHow come every single gambler is a pro?â
He shook his head while shaking the dust from his empty pocket.
âHow the hell is Raon even winning?!â
Everyone was a pro in every single casino. He couldnât comprehend how Raon was able to win regardless of his opponent.
He mustâve been using some kind of trick, but surprisingly, no one was able to figure it out.
âDamn it, he should be sharing it with me if he knows some amazing technique like that!â
Rimmer kicked the wall with his hand inside his pocket.
âNo, now that I think about it, I lost money because of him!â
It was because Raon won almost six thousand gold that every single casino in Banneret was in a state of emergency.
Casinos normally lose a little to the doormats before taking away multiple times the amount later on. However, they needed to make up for the money they'd lost to Raon, and every single guest ended up penniless.
That was why Rimmer had lost everything, without a single copper left, despite being praised as the god of gambling.
Those professional gamblers mustâve been spending all their time gambling when they werenât eating.
âOh, they do indeed do nothing but gambleâcough!â
He was frowning while looking at the sky when he felt a tremendous impact on his side.
Smaack!
He slammed his head on the ground, unable to withstand the sudden damage.
âAaah! It hurts so damn muââ
Just as Rimmer was about to scream, a woman wearing a white dress appeared and plugged his mouth with her foot.
She was an elegant woman, her long purple hair reaching her waist.
Heâd never seen that appearance, but there was no way he wouldnât recognize her.
âSh-Sheryl?â
âShut your mouth.â
âWhat are you even wearing?! Are you trying to become a nobâack!â
âI told you to shut up.â
Rimmer sneered, and Sheryl stepped on his collarbone.
âDid you get hit in your head with a sword? How could you hang around in casinos when you are representing Zieghart? Did you seriously lose it?â
âB-but Raon was also in the casââ
âHe did that to provoke the Five Divine Orders! And you were serious about gambling!â
Sherly kicked Rimmer while grinding her teeth.
âAhahaâŠâ
Rimmer laughed awkwardly while rubbing his back.
âIâm sure you understand. Raon will take care of it even if I donât do anything about it. Heâs a reliable guy, unlike me.â
He shook his hand, saying that everything was going to be okay and he just needed to believe in Raon.
âWhatever, give me the report for the head of house.â
âErm, about thatâŠâ
âWe canât delay anymore. Quick!â
âO-okay.â
Rimmer took out a crumpled piece of paper from his clothes with a trembling hand.
âWhat is with the shitty state of this report?â
Sheryl took the report from Rimmerâs hand and spread it.
âRaon won a huge amount of money. I recommend taking it from him when he returns and using it for the house. Of course, since I provided the information, 10% of it shall be awarded to meâŠâ
She closed her eyes, unable to finish reading the report.
âAah!â
Rimmerâs shoulders trembled as he treaded carefully.
âAre you seriously asking for lightning to kill you?â
âWait, but itâs true that he won so much money! We could do so many things by using it for the houââ
âYou are just jealous!â
âUghâŠâ
He lowered his head, unable to refute her words.
âWrite it again.â
Sheryl burnt Rimmerâs report and glared at him.
âOr you can die here.â
âI get it, I get it. Iâll write it after I sleep. You should leave now so that you wonât be found out.â
Rimmer stood up and shook his hand.
âYou canât enter right now. Raon is in a trance.â
Sheryl grabbed Rimmerâs shoulder and explained what had happened in Zieghartâs lodgings.
âA trance?â
Rimmerâs jaw dropped as he looked at the lodgings.
âMost people canât enter one once even if they swing their sword all their life, so why is he treating the trance like his home?!â
He sounded jealous, but his mouth was curved into a smile.
âHe should be able to use coldness and heat at the same time now.â
âColdness and heat?â
âYes. Heâs been trying so hard to use them simultaneously since last year. He must be getting enlightenment about that.â
âYou couldâve given him a hint.â
âItâs difficult to fully absorb it if I simply told the answer. Thatâs why I was hoping for him to realize it by himself. Of course, I didnât think he would do it so quickly.â
He grinned, saying that Raon was gifted.
âI guess Iâll need to stay here until Raon wakes up.â
Rimmer sat down on the ground.
âSheryl? Can you buy me a hangover stew in the mornââ
âHey.â
Sherly lowered her eyebrows while looking at Rimmer. It was a different type of gaze from when she was scolding him.
âHow long are you planning to continue that unbefitting act? Enough time has passed already.â
âElves feel the flow of time differently.â
Rimmer shrugged his shoulders while looking at Sheryl. He looked different from a moment ago.
âHaaâŠâ
Sheryl sighed and shook her head.
âI was contemplating whether I should tell you or not, but I have to say it.â
âSay what?â
âThe Holy Sword Alliance.â
The smile around Rimmerâs mouth was destroyed like dry plaster upon hearing the name of Holy Sword Alliance.
âWeâve gotten an intel that theyâve resumed their activities.â
âThe Holy Sword AllianceâŠâ
A faint demonic light appeared in his vanity-filled eyes.
âIt was worth staying alive all this time.â
* * *
* * *
Raon slowly lifted his eyebrows. He was sure it was evening, but the sun was slowly rising.
âWas I in a trance?â
The hazy memories were returning. He remembered that heâd gained enlightenment while talking to Denning Rose and Encia.
âIt must be because of the camera.â
Heâd seen the photo that Denning Rose had dropped and asked Encia about it because he got curious about how the camera worked, and he suddenly gained enlightenment.
âMoreover, it was the one I desired the most.â
The simultaneous usage of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier.
Heâd spent so much time on the problem of the concurrent activation of heat and coldness but still failed in the end, and it was finally solved.
âThe answer isnât to try changing something about the two attributes but to utilize another one.â
Since it was impossible for him to control fire and ice at the same time in his state, he shouldâve used another attribute to begin with.
âAnd I already had the answer inside me. The wind and holy attributes.â
The Ten Thousand Flames Cultivationâs heat and Glacierâs coldness werenât the only energies in his energy center. The wind heâd gotten from Rimmer and the Divinity Blooming from the Underworld was also inside him.
If he could divert the coldness and heat by using the wind and holy attributes, it would be fully possible to control the two energies at the same time.
âLetâs seeâŠâ
He closed his eyes once again and was about to activate the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier at the same time when he heard a small sound from nearby.
He looked around and noticed that the entire Light Wind division was surrounding the lodgings with their hilts in their hands.
He hadnât noticed because heâd just woken up from the trance, but everyone mustâve been guarding him overnight.
âYou finally woke up. You overslept.â
Burren rubbed the back of his neck with the hand that used to be on his hilt.
âIt was shorter than the last time. Did you manage to put it together?â
Martha turned around and furrowed her brow.
âYou are the only one who keeps going there.â
Runaan pouted, complaining that Raon kept entering the trance while no one else did.
âWhy do you keep getting stronger on your own?!â
âWhich part even gave you enlightenment?â
âBring us with you!â
âWhat are we supposed to do if you keep widening the difference?!â
The Light Wind swordsmen also shouted while shaking their hands.
Raon looked around the swordsmen and smiled faintly.
âSeriously.â
Since he was well aware of why they were saying that, his heart was filled with warmth despite the morning wind.
âThank you.â
He ignored the swordsmenâs wishes who didnât want to be embarrassed with his thanks and honestly expressed his gratitude.
âSame goes for you two. Thank you.â
Encia and Denning Rose were waiting on the right, and Raon bowed to them as well.
âIt was nothing.â
Denning Rose gently shook her head. She took the needle box while saying that she was going to undo the array.
There were a few more photos added under her dress.
âI didnât take any photos the whole time. Can I take them now?â
Encia begged for permission while saying that sheâd been suppressing her urge just in case a problem occurred.
She was telling him that she was having signs of an addiction, and her hand really was trembling to justify her claim.
ââŠDo as you wish.â
Raon nodded powerlessly. Since she was the same type of person as Merlin, she wasnât going to listen to him even if heâd said no.
Hey!
While Raon was granting Enciaâs request to make certain poses, Wrath suddenly appeared.
âHuh? Wrath?â
Wrathâs cotton candy body was red, unlike any other time before, and heâd almost failed to recognize him.
âWhy is your body so red?â
Itâs because of you, you bastard!
âWhat did I do?â
Itâs because you broke your promise, and the wrath turned him into this form!
Wrath grabbed Raon by his collar, telling him that he was enraged because Raon broke his promise once again.
âOh, I did.â
He didnât manage to keep his promise to eat lobster and pigâs feet for dinner because heâd suddenly entered a trance. Wrath was indeed entitled to be angry.
âIâm sorry. It happened before I knew itâŠâ
You did it on purpose! Because you didnât want the King of Essence to be happy!
âNot at all. You should know that you canât enter a trance just because you want to.â
No, you are different! You entered the trance on the toilet last time! No one in the world ever does that!
Wrath frowned, saying that Raon mustâve been scamming him even though he knew it already. The red color around him was intensifying.
Humans canât be trusted after all!
âIsnât that line normally about demons instead?â
Wrath shouted something that humans usually say about demons and briskly turned around. He seemed to be seriously sulking.
âIn return, letâs make tonightâs dinner even better. How about lobster, pigâs feet, salt-grilled shrimp, and short-necked clam with rice wine?â
He wonât trust you!
âShall I make the reservation right now?â
âŠâŠ
As soon as Raon mentioned making a reservation, Wrathâs red body slowly returned to blue.
âI saw they sell waffle ice cream. Letâs have that as dessert.â
W-waffle ice cream setâŠ
The grape flavor returned to the cotton candy, and he slowly rolled his eyes.
Really?
* * *
Raon ordered the Light Wind division to rest and returned to the training ground on his own. He calmly caught his breath and closed his eyes.
âI donât need to be impatient.â
Since he was enlightened about how to control coldness and heat at the same time, all he needed to do was to slowly resolve the problem with the method heâd learned.
He dragged out the energy of wind that was strolling in his energy center before circulating the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier.
The green wind that was warm and cold at the same time spread all around his body and wrapped around his mana circuits.
Whir!
He activated the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier at the same time. The heat and coldness followed the energy of wind and dashed powerfully to fill his mana circuits at the center.
âItâs starting now.â
He usually had some mana circuits where the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier crossed each other whenever he tried to circulate them at the same time. That place became a battlefield, and Raon filled it with the Divinity Blooming from the Underworld instead of wind.
Whir!
Just like how water and oil donât mix, the two energies were separated by the divinity and continued on their own paths.
Swaaa!
Raon breathed out and unleashed coldness and heat with his hands.
The Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation burst into a wall of fire from his right hand, and Glacier created a storm from the left hand.
Fire and ice.
The goal that heâd been unable to achieve despite having been working on it since the previous year was finally accomplished.
âAnd thereâs more to this.â
Wind could amplify fire and make ice colder.
Since the wind surrounding his mana circuits was involved, the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier were even more powerful than when he was using them separately.
âAll of my martial arts are going to get strongâHmm?â
Just as he was about to smile because of the successful implementation of his enlightenment, the sword of fire and the sword of ice that heâd created in his mental world throbbed for an instant.
Even though those swords had never appeared at the same time, like the sun and moon, they created a huge flow inside his mental world.
Whir!
The heat and coldness from the sword spread onto the ground, and his mental world started to become red and blue at an extremely slow pace.
âMy mental image is changing.â
The accumulation of small enlightenments was influencing his mental world.
He had the feeling that he would be able to complete the Sword Field Creation faster than he anticipated.
âHowever⊠This is harder than I thought.â
The huge aura consumption was a problem, but controlling four attributes at once was mentally exhausting.
He figured that he would need to practice a lot until he got used to it.
You finally realized it. How pathetic of you.
Wrath shook his hand, murmuring that he was so bad.
âWhat?â
You already had all the materials you needed in your body, but you couldnât even use them.
He snorted, saying that he realized it too late when it was possible from the very beginning.
âIâm glad that I can do it now, at least.â
Raon shrugged his shoulders, saying that he was fine with it.
UghâŠ
Wrath licked his lips while looking at Raon.
âSeriously, what the hell is this damn bastardâŠ?â
Despite what he was saying, heâd thought that Raon would need at least one more year to gain that enlightenment.
He believed that Raon would only succeed after reaching Grandmaster, and thought that he would have a hard time carrying it out even with an enlightenment. However, the crazy bastard had succeeded at the first attempt.
âIs he even human?â
Both his personality and talent made him seriously wonder if he was a human.
He even felt like he could be something other than a human or a demon.
âWhat are you thinking about?â
Raon tapped Wrathâs head as he contemplated the matter.
What else?! Heâs obviously thinking about the pigâs feet that he couldnât have because of you!
âYou saw me make the reservation. Iâll serve you a full course of desserts today, just as I promised.â
Heâs never seen that full course despite you continuing to mention it! Does it even exist?!
âItâs true this time.â
Raon shook his hand to reassure Wrath just as a knock could be heard from the lodgingâs entrance. It was a presence that heâd felt before.
H-he has a bad feeling about this.
âPlease enter.â
Once he told them to enter, the door was quietly opened and the Thespian Emperorâs secretary, McCain, entered.
He bowed politely before walking up to the training ground.
âWhatâs the matter?â
âMaster has invited Sir Raon to the conference of the Five Orders.â