Chapter 1036

“Are you saying that’s the White Blood Cult’s main base?”

Glenn rose from the throne as if he’d heard something completely unexpected. Even he seemed shocked by the news that the location of the White Blood Cult’s main base had been discovered.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Raon nodded, meeting Glenn’s trembling gaze.

“However, I only inherited the memories, so I haven’t found the exact location yet.”

“What does that mean?”

Glenn frowned, as if he didn’t understand.

“Explain everything from beginning to end. Everything that happened there.”

He sat back on the throne and lowered his arms, as if willing to listen to the whole story.

The grandfather, who had wanted to hear about his grandson’s exploits, erased the smile from his lips and revealed the cold eyes of the Head of House.

“As soon as we went out to sea, we encountered the blue wolf Rabawin mentioned. After that….”

Raon explained everything that had happened during the mission to Glenn, Sheryl, and Roenn.

“…After that, before leaving, the spirit of the sea imprinted the location of the White Blood Cult’s main base that it had seen in my mind.”

The location of the White Blood Cult’s main base that the sea spirit had seen when their foreheads touched flashed through his mind.

It was such a vivid memory, as if he had experienced it himself, that if he could just find that place, he would be able to find the White Blood Cult’s main base.

“…So, where is the White Blood Cult?”

Glenn drew a breath and nodded.

“Under the sea.”

Raon closed his eyes and recalled the massive white city submerged beneath the waves.

“The White Blood Cult’s main base is under the sea.”

Even with the sea spirit’s memories, it was hard to believe, but the White Blood Cult was hiding its vile Blood Energy deep beneath the sea.

“It seems to be somewhere on the sea route going north from the Kusar Pirates’ territory. However, I haven’t been there myself, so it will take a considerable amount of time to find it.”

Even with the sea spirit’s memories, it was clear it would take a lot of time and effort to find the exact location.

“Are you sure?”

Glenn lifted the hand that had been gripping the throne and stroked his chin.

“If you received the spirit’s memories, there’s a chance you might have seen it wrong, isn’t there?”

“I’m sure.”

Raon nodded without hesitation.

“The sea spirit didn’t just give me fragmented memories, but vivid memories as if I were really there. The White Blood Cult’s city is definitely under the sea.”

He clenched his fist, thinking of the white city protected by the sea fog.

“Hmm….”

Glenn clicked his tongue briefly.

“I agree with Raon’s opinion.”

Rabawin raised his hand, removing the eye patch that had been covering his perfectly fine eye.

“While preparing to return to the family, I noticed something unusual while examining the White Blood Cult’s ship.”

“Something unusual?”

Glenn asked, turning his gaze to Rabawin.

“Yes. There was a huge water tank inside the ship that sucked in and stored seawater. It seemed to use the water stored inside to create a density difference and sink the ship into the sea.”

Rabawin bowed his head, saying it was a device not found on ordinary ships.

“Where is that ship?”

Glenn lowered his eyebrows, as if he wanted to see it for himself.

“Originally, I was going to keep it in the harbor, but I deliberately sank it because the White Blood Cult might realize their main base’s location had been exposed.”

Raon tilted his chin slightly, saying he had cut the White Blood Cult’s ship into four pieces and sunk it to the bottom of the sea, as if he hadn’t noticed its secret.

“I have something to say as well.”

Martha bit her trembling lip and stepped forward.

“Speak.”

Glenn nodded slowly, as if considerate of Martha, who was emotionally agitated.

“The Ninth Apostle knew that the Lord of Light Wind Palace was coming to support us, but he wasn’t flustered and said he had a separate way to escape. He must have been planning to escape into the sea using the ship’s function.”

Martha clenched her fist, saying she now understood the Ninth Apostle’s relaxed attitude.

“Under the sea….”

Glenn sighed briefly, looking at the window where the sunlight was fading.

“Even with the sea spirit’s memories, it won’t be easy to search.”

“That’s right.”

Raon nodded heavily.

“It’s quite deep under the sea, so it won’t be easy to approach, and if we’re discovered, it will be difficult to escape.”

The location the sea spirit had shown was a place that not only ordinary people but also experts would have difficulty entering.

Even if they found the location, it wasn’t a place they could attack immediately.

“Even if it’s dangerous and difficult….”

Glenn looked at Raon and drew a faint smile.

“You’ll go, won’t you?”

“Of course.”

Raon bowed, saying it was obvious.

“To make you take on an even more difficult mission as soon as you return, I don’t know what to say.”

Glenn pressed his forehead with his fingers, as if he was truly sorry.

“Please don’t say that. I’m the one with the spirit’s memories, so of course I have to go.”

Raon shook his head calmly, saying it wasn’t a problem at all.

“I too….”

Martha bit her lip and raised her hand.

“I want to go with you too.”

She volunteered for the mission to find the location of the White Blood Cult’s main base and stood next to him.

“Hmm….”

Glenn also knew Martha’s situation, so he couldn’t answer immediately and let out a low groan.

“Martha.”

Raon drew a shallow breath and turned to Martha.

“Please! I can also….”

“Your job isn’t to find the White Blood Cult.”

He shook his head firmly, meeting Martha’s trembling eyes.

“While I’m finding the location of the White Blood Cult’s main base, you need to become even a little bit stronger. The current you won’t be of any help in the fight against the White Blood Lord.”

Raon told her the harsh truth and reminded her what she had to do.

“If you want to create even the smallest gap against the White Blood Lord, swing your sword with all your might.”

“Ugh….”

Martha lowered her trembling hand, looking into Raon’s sunken red eyes.

“I understand.”

She bit her lip and bowed her head deeply.

“I will definitely be of help.”

Martha wasn’t discouraged, but instead gritted her teeth with renewed resolve.

“The same goes for you.”

Raon lightly patted Martha’s shoulder and then looked down at the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.

“You never know when and where a full-scale war with the White Blood Cult will break out, so try to increase your strength even a little bit.”

“Yes!”

The Light Wind Palace swordsmen straightened their posture and shouted that they would train to the death. Everyone clenched their fists until blood flowed from their palms, watching Martha’s trembling shoulders.

“Miss Rakshasa….”

Runaan approached Martha and lightly bumped her shoulder.

“Are you cold?”

“A little….”

“……”

She silently held Martha’s trembling hand. Usually, they would have found each other disgusting and pulled away, but today, they held on tightly and didn’t let go.

“When will you depart?”

Glenn looked at Martha and Runaan, drew a very faint smile, and then called Raon.

“I don’t know when my memories will disappear, so I plan to leave right away at dawn tomorrow.”

Raon said he shouldn’t delay and raised his gaze.

“Alone?”

“Yes. It’s easier for me to move alone….”

“Even so, I can’t send you to such a dangerous place alone.”

Glenn shook his head, as if he would assign someone to him.

“A clumsy person would only be a hindrance.”

“He won’t be clumsy.”

He turned his gaze to the right and nodded.

“Roenn.”

“Hehehe.”

Roenn came forward with a gentle smile as soon as Glenn called him.

“Lord of Light Wind Palace. Please take care of me.”

He bowed, placing his hand in front of his chest.

“Hmm….”

Raon clicked his tongue, looking at Roenn, who was laughing heartily.

“I definitely can’t refuse Roenn.”

Roenn was an assassin who had been called the Killing King. Although his strength was weaker than Raon’s, he would definitely be of great help in this kind of exploration mission.

“I look forward to working with you.”

Raon bowed to Roenn in return.

“Then, you must be tired, so let’s dismiss for today.”

Glenn tapped the armrest of the throne, telling them to return to their respective positions.

“Just a moment.”

Raon called out to the Light Wind Palace swordsmen who were about to leave the audience chamber.

“You can say that the White Blood Cult was behind this incident, but don’t tell anyone about finding a clue about the White Blood Cult’s main base. Not even your family.”

He gave instructions regarding the secrecy of the matter, looking into the eyes of the Light Wind Palace swordsmen, especially Martha.

“Yes!”

“You know we’re tight-lipped!”

“Don’t worry!”

The Light Wind Palace swordsmen nodded as if they wouldn’t say anything even with a knife held to their throats, and left the audience chamber.

“Then I’ll be going too.”

“Raon.”

Glenn spoke as Raon was about to leave the audience chamber, saying he would prepare for the search.

“You seem to have grown again.”

Glenn drew a gentle smile, as if he had sensed Raon’s change.

“While dealing with the rampaging sea spirit, I learned a little more about what kind of martial art the Heart Sword (Spirit) is.”

“Yes. I can feel that your heart has become stronger and your sword has become sharper.”

He laughed, saying he could tell the change in Raon’s sword just by looking into his eyes.

“And also, dealing with children.”

Glenn closed his eyes, looking toward where Martha and the Light Wind Palace swordsmen had been, and then opened them.

“You’ve become a proper Lord of Light Wind Palace now. In the future… hmm.”

He was about to continue, but closed his mouth again, thinking it wasn’t the right time yet.

“Raon. Confirming the location of the White Blood Cult’s main base is important, but always think of yourself first.”

He advised Raon to retreat without looking back if he found himself in a dangerous situation.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Raon said he would remember those words and left the audience chamber.

“Roenn.”

Glenn turned his gaze to Roenn and nodded.

“I’m counting on you. You can even use ‘that’.”

“Don’t worry.”

Roenn laughed heartily and nodded. Unlike his usual relaxed demeanor, a deep seriousness bloomed in his smile.

“I will serve the young master even if it costs me my life.”

===

“Ugh….”

Martha frowned, looking at the hand where Runaan’s warmth still lingered.

‘Why is the hand of someone who uses cold energy so warm?!’

To be comforted by that brat—I’m so ashamed!

Runaan, who had always been an eyesore, carefully approached her today as if reading her mind and comforted her with words and warmth.

She felt embarrassed, but also strangely glad that someone she had only thought of as a rival had become someone she could share her feelings with.

‘And….’

She bit her lip, recalling Raon’s firm back, even though he had to leave for a life-threatening mission without rest.

‘Raon too.’

She realized for sure through this mission. Raon remembered his promise to fight together with her against the White Blood Lord, and he was trying to keep it.

‘No, it’s not just that.’

Raon was clearly planning not only to stop the White Blood Lord, but to directly drive out the demon’s soul and retrieve her mother’s body.

She had felt that clear will in the Heart Sword (Spirit) he used at the end.

‘What a fool.’

Heat rose to her face and her fingertips trembled as she thought of Raon, who moved forward without looking back if it was the path he’d chosen, even in a life-or-death situation.

‘The current me can’t help that fool.’

All she could do was train.

As Raon had said, she shouldn’t interfere clumsily, but get even a little bit stronger by saving even the time she spent eating and sleeping.

Because awakening her mother’s soul by approaching the White Blood Lord would increase their chances of winning, even if only by a little.

“I’m back.”

Martha opened the door of the Black Tortoise Squad, determined to train to the death, and went inside.

“Martha?”

Denier, who was standing in front of the garden, widened his eyes when he saw her.

“Are you back now?”

“Yes! I just came back from reporting to the Lord of Light Wind Palace.”

Martha nodded, saying she had just returned.

“You must have had a hard time.”

Denier narrowed his eyes, looking at Martha’s tanned face as if he felt sorry for her.

“The others had it harder than me.”

Martha scratched her head and sighed briefly.

“Because the fools thought a lot about me….”

She drew a faint smile, recalling the swordsmen who had comforted and cared for her just because they had faced the White Blood Cult.

“Um, can you tell me what happened?”

Denier clicked his tongue, as if he was curious.

“Since you’ll find out anyway, if I tell you….”

She told him everything, from the attack on the harbor being the White Blood Cult’s doing, to fighting and winning against the Ninth Apostle, and purifying the spirit of the sea the cult had been using.

“To defeat the Ninth Apostle, you’ve achieved a great feat! No wonder your Aura felt different from before!”

Denier raised his hand and patted Martha’s shoulder, as if she had truly done well.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’ve suffered some internal injuries, but I’ll get better if I rest.”

Martha shook her head, saying there was no need to worry.

“And….”

She was about to say what happened after that, but closed her mouth, recalling Raon’s cold eyes.

‘He told me not to tell even my family.’

Raon had told her not to tell anyone about the White Blood Cult exploration, so she swallowed the words.

“Martha?”

Denier put strength into the hand resting on her shoulder, as if asking what was wrong.

“Ah, it’s nothing. I’m tired, so I should rest.”

Martha smiled awkwardly, saying she should go in first.

“Um, okay. You’ve worked hard. Get some rest.”

Denier lowered his hand and stepped back, as if telling her to talk later.

“Yes. Then.”

Martha bowed to Denier and entered the mansion.

“……”

Denier’s mouth wore a happy smile at his proud daughter’s return, but his eyes flickered with an ice-like light devoid of emotion.

===

Raon returned not to the annex, but to the dormitory of the Fifth Training Ground, and began preparing to head back out to sea.

– “Why did you come here!”

Wrath frowned as if he didn’t understand.

– “We have to live in the sea again, so let’s eat some home-cooked meals!”

He pounded Raon’s shoulder with his round fist, as if angry that he couldn’t eat the meal he’d been expecting. Of course, it was only at the level of a massage.

‘I can’t help it. If I say I’m leaving right away as soon as I return from the mission, they’ll worry.’

If he explained it in detail to Sylvia or Edgar, both of them would obviously worry, so it was better to leave right away as if he hadn’t returned from the mission at all.

‘Noona will be angry too.’

Even though Sia’s mental age had increased, she still thought of him as a younger brother she had to protect.

She would definitely be angry if he said he was leaving right away, so now wasn’t the time to meet her.

– “Grrr….”

Wrath wanted to argue, but let out a low growl, realizing Raon wasn’t wrong.

– “Then don’t eat the training ground meal for dinner—go out and buy something! Especially for dessert, get some bead ice cream!”

He bared his teeth and huffed, saying he couldn’t concede any more than that.

‘Okay, okay.’

Raon sighed briefly and shook his head.

‘Let’s go after we finish preparing.’

He pushed Wrath aside, saying he would buy him whatever food he wanted after he finished preparing for the mission.

“First, disguises, food, and….”

Raon was about to open the subspace pocket when—

Bang!

The door of the dormitory flew open, and Evelyn, wearing a purple robe, strode in.

“E-Evelyn?”

Raon let out a dry breath, looking at Evelyn as she came in as confidently as if it were her own house and sat on the bed.

– “H-how did the Madwoman get here!”

Even Wrath hadn’t sensed her presence, so he was stunned, his mouth falling open.

“If it’s an exploration mission, I have to go too.”

Evelyn smiled brightly, saying it was her specialty.

“Especially if it’s underwater, my help will be even more necessary, you know?”

She nodded with a relaxed posture, saying she would definitely go with him.

“Hmm….”

Raon lowered his eyebrows, looking into Evelyn’s calm purple eyes.

‘She’s not wrong.’

Evelyn could borrow the bodies of animals and was skilled in magic that suppressed her presence. If she was there, it would be easier to search while avoiding the White Blood Cult’s gaze.

“I’d welcome you if you could help….”

Raon frowned, looking at Evelyn.

“How did you know I was going on a White Blood Cult exploration mission?”

He had told Yua and Yulius to tell everyone that he hadn’t returned, so he didn’t understand how Evelyn had found out and come all the way here.

“Don’t tell me….”

Raon took out the squirrel doll he had received from Evelyn before.

“Did you install a listening spell on this wooden doll?”

Even if Evelyn was out of her mind, there was no way she would have set up magic in the audience chamber, so she must have done something to this doll.

“No.”

Evelyn shook her head confidently, as if to say absolutely not.

“N-No? Then how…”

“That doll has more than just Eavesdropping Magic.”

She wore a bewitching yet eerie smile, as if the magic she had set up on the doll was more than just Eavesdropping Magic.

“Uh…”

Raon felt goosebumps all over his body and held his breath.

-T-The Madwoman…

Wrath screamed, clutching his head as if what was coming had finally arrived.

-The Madwoman has returned!