Chapter 582
Raon took a deep breath as he stared at the Soul Requiem Sword he had placed on the ground.
‘Rise.’
He tried to move the Soul Requiem Sword by rousing his mental energy from his upper danjeon, but the sword didn’t budge, as if mocking him.
Woooong!
He tried raising his level by resonating with the Ring of Fire, just like when he sparred with Sterin, but the Soul Requiem Sword only gave a faint hum, as if it found it ticklish, without even a small tremor.
“Ugh…”
Raon groaned as he placed his two arms on the ground.
‘Why isn’t it working?’
To not forget the inspiration he gained from the sparring, he had returned to his quarters and practiced infusing his mental energy into the Soul Requiem Sword, but it didn’t even move, let alone rise.
-Do you want me to tell you why it’s not working?
Wrath slinked closer and grabbed his shoulder. His hand felt soft and plump like rubber.
‘Why isn’t it working?’
-The reason is simple!
Wrath raised his fist confidently.
-It’s because you’re hungry!
‘…….’
-Human strength comes from the belly. You haven’t eaten since you arrived here, so how could you have any energy?
Wrath, despite being a demon king, insisted that human strength comes from the belly and suggested they go eat. Consistency was his strong point. Raon wanted to call him the Demon King of Consistency.
‘This is exhausting….’
-I’m serious! Just trust me this once!
‘Just go away.’
As Raon pushed away the wriggling Wrath and tried to focus on his mental energy again, the door to his quarters was roughly opened.
Bam!
A foot that seemed to have kicked the door stepped inside.
“Commander…”
Raon shook his head as he saw Rimmer, who had kicked the door even at home. Come to think of it, Rimmer was also extremely consistent.
“You haven’t eaten, right?”
Rimmer placed the tray he was holding in his left hand on the table next to the bed.
“You have to find your own meals here. They don’t serve you automatically.”
He said he had already given meals to Dorian and Yua, smiling widely.
-Oh!
Wrath gasped as he looked at the silver lid covering the tray.
-What’s with the ears?! Did they finally come to their senses?
He smacked his lips as he examined the tray.
“Thank you for the meal.”
Raon stood up and bowed his head to Rimmer.
“You won’t get this kind of luxury starting tomorrow. But….”
Rimmer scanned Raon from head to toe, narrowing his eyes.
“Why do you look so exhausted?”
“I just sparred with the guardian.”
“Sparring is good. Wait, sparring?”
Rimmer’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Really?”
“Yes. Just as you said, the guardian’s archery was on another level. It was a valuable experience.”
Raon lightly explained his sparring with Sterin.
“Heh! And he told you to come see the World Tree too?”
“Yes.”
“Gramps doesn’t even personally teach guardians, what did you do?”
Rimmer laughed in disbelief.
“Show me the fruit gramps gave you.”
“Ah, yes.”
Raon took out the red fruit he hadn’t eaten yet and handed it over.
“This is the fruit of the Mountain Spirit.”
“The fruit of the Mountain Spirit?”
“Trees that stand on the boundary between plants and spiritual beings grow around the World Tree under the influence of the spirit realm. The fruit from these trees, filled with the energy of nature, is more effective than most elixirs.”
Rimmer raised his thumb, saying it’s excellent for recovery, even if it doesn’t greatly increase aura.
“Is it really okay for me to accept such a precious thing?”
“He gave it to you, so what can you do? If you don’t want it, give it to me.”
Rimmer held out his hand, saying he would gladly accept it.
“It’s fine.”
Raon shook his head and pulled back the fruit of the Mountain Spirit.
“Seems like the old men are really fond of you.”
Rimmer laughed, finding it amusing.
“Me?”
“Yeah. The Holy Saint likes you, the Sword Demon liked you at first sight and wanted to teach you, and the patriarch also favors you.”
“I’m not sure….”
Raon shook his head calmly. The patriarch evaluated based on accomplishments. Though their relationship had improved, personal fondness didn’t seem significant.
“You really don’t get it.”
Rimmer sighed and lightly kicked the floor.
“The relationship between grandparent and grandchild should be like me and my gramps. You saw how I hugged him, right?”
He assumed a hugging posture, suggesting Raon try hugging Glenn when they returned to Zieghart.
“Are you trying to get me killed?”
Raon frowned at Rimmer’s raised mouth corners.
‘I’d get decapitated instantly.’
One look at Glenn’s lethal expression would bring anyone to their knees, not into a hug.
“I’m serious….”
“Stop talking nonsense. Where did you go, Commander?”
Considering Sterin’s sparring must have been noisy, it was strange he didn’t know.
“Erian reported something strange outside, so I went out for a bit.”
Rimmer nodded, saying he did step out briefly.
“Something strange?”
“Wild animals living in the Great Forest were standing at the entrance to Sephia.”
“Animals?”
“Yes. Normally, they wouldn’t sense anything due to the barrier, but they stood there as if they desperately wanted to enter. Isn’t that odd?”
“That’s… indeed strange.”
Thinking of animals wanting to enter Sephia, an image of a woman formed in his mind.
‘It couldn’t be her.’
No matter how crazy she is, she couldn’t possibly come here.
-I think it’s her.
Wrath shook his head, trembling.
-It’s definitely that lunatic!
He wondered how animals could act strangely and nodded.
“Now that you mention it, there are no animals here.”
“Sephia has a barrier that prevents uninvited beings from entering.”
Rimmer pointed to the sky, saying the radiant light seen upon entering Sephia was the barrier.
“Since they disappeared when we stepped out, it probably wasn’t a big deal.”
He smiled, saying the animals might have sensed the sharp energy just before the purification ritual.
“Right….”
If it really were Merlin, she wouldn’t give up and would find some way to get in. He needed to confirm if it was Merlin after the purification ritual.
“What do you think of Sephia?”
“It’s more mysterious than I imagined. But….”
“But?”
“Elves seem to be more interested in people and others than I thought.”
Though they weren’t troublemakers like Rimmer, some elves had a gossipy nature similar to humans.
“You mean they spread rumors about you and Siyan?”
“Yes.”
“You’re right.”
Rimmer didn’t refute it, nodding calmly.
“It wasn’t this bad before, but today it seemed like they were more interested in others’ affairs. It felt like I was in a human village.”
He shook his head, saying it had worsened since his time in Sephia.
“Is it because of the relationship with humans?”
“That’s part of it, and some have left.”
“Left?”
“Yes. Some couldn’t endure Sephia’s life and left entirely. They changed the atmosphere here a lot.”
Rimmer frowned slightly, as if recalling unpleasant memories.
“Most elves still live in harmony with nature and focus only on themselves.”
He smiled softly, saying elves would never completely become like humans.
“Oh, I’ve kept you too long. Eat before it gets cold.”
Rimmer gestured to start eating before the food got cold.
-I bet he brought fruit pie, just to my taste!
Wrath drooled as he looked at the tray.
“Thank you. But what’s for the meal?”
Raon nodded to Rimmer and lifted the silver lid on the tray.
“Hm?”
-Oh my god….
Wrath’s jaw dropped as he looked at the plate. The reason for his dismay was simple.
On the white plate lay two pieces of brown bread.
-Nadin bread….
“You should try the original since you’re here.”
Rimmer smiled, saying the original taste would be different.
“Ah, yes.”
Raon blinked as he held the Nadin bread.
‘I’m fine, but….’
Honestly, he didn’t mind Nadin bread, but it was obvious Wrath, who had high hopes, would react poorly.
-I will kill them!
Wrath trembled all over and lifted his head.
-I will kill the ear siblings!
‘Calm down.’
Raon suppressed Wrath using the Ring of Fire and shook his head.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“Didn’t expect you to like it. Eat proper meals from tomorrow.”
Rimmer shrugged his shoulders and disappeared through the door.
-Where do you think you’re going! Get back here now!
Wrath flailed his arms and legs, his eyes burning with blue flames.
‘No choice.’
To calm Wrath, Raon took a bite of the Nadin bread. It was warm, suggesting it was freshly made, but its taste and texture remained like chewing on rubber.
-Gah!
Wrath collapsed as if his energy had drained.
-I can’t believe warm bread can taste this bad….
He wheezed as if he were on his deathbed.
-It’s truly a devil’s food….
Wrath buried his head in the ground, saying he couldn’t endure it any longer.
‘I don’t mind it.’
Warmth made it slightly better than cold. Like warmed rubber.
-I have a request.
‘Request?’
Raon chewed on the remaining half of the Nadin bread and turned his gaze to Wrath.
-Please, eat that fruit from earlier….
Wrath pleaded with his hands clasped together, asking for the Mountain Spirit fruit to cleanse his palate.
‘Well, I do need to heal internal injuries.’
Unable to ignore Wrath’s kitten-like eyes, Raon put the fruit Sterin had given him into his mouth. The sweet and tangy taste, like a mix of cherries and strawberries, washed away the rubbery residue from his mouth.
-So sweet….
Wrath nodded while sitting down, finally expressing gratitude.
-Thank you.
It was one of the rare times Wrath genuinely said thank you, tearing up slightly.
‘It’s nothing.’
As Raon was about to shake his head, a message appeared in front of him.
[You have received a word of thanks from <Wrath>.] [All attributes have increased by 2 points.]
‘You get points for this?’
As he marveled at the message, he heard the sound of Wrath smacking his own head.
-…..
Wrath stared blankly at the message before grabbing his own throat.
-I might as well die! Eating nothing but Nadin bread! What’s the point of living!
Raon shook his head as he bit into the second piece of Nadin bread.
‘You can’t die like that….’
-Squeak!
Siyan bit her red lips as she lifted her eyelids.
“It’s not working.”
Following her grandfather’s method, she tried to resonate, but her spirit couldn’t escape her wretched body, like a bottle tightly sealed with a lid.
Raon’s advice made her hope she might change a bit, but it wasn’t working.
“Haa….”
Siyan buried her exhausted face into the blanket. Her golden hair spread like low waves.
‘Doing my best, huh.’
She had been putting in steady effort, if not her utmost, hoping to be praised as a high elf like her grandfather. She practiced resonance whenever she could.
But this world had never opened its doors to her. She even began to doubt whether resonance was possible.
‘I’m tired. Really tired, but….’
Siyan clenched her fists, veins protruding on her transparent hands as she rose.
‘I still have to try.’
Usually, she would lie down and imagine herself being praised, thinking it was useless. But after meeting Raon, she wanted to try a little harder.
Just as Siyan closed her eyes to practice resonance again, she heard a dull knock on the door. Only one person knocked like that.
“Come, come in.”
She murmured, half-hidden under the blanket.
Sterin entered cautiously and sat in the chair next to her bed.
“That human you praised.”
He crossed his arms and smiled deeply.
“He’s the real deal.”
“Huh….”
Siyan widened her eyes at Sterin’s smile. It was the first time her grandfather praised someone like this.
“Really?”
“Yes. His natural talent and the countless hours he spent wielding the sword were palpable. He’s a genuine swordsman, something I haven’t seen in a long time.”
“Right? I told you!”
She pulled the blanket off and stood up, delighted as if she were the one being praised.
“Raon can wield fire and freeze ice!”
“Ahem, I don’t know about that.”
Sterin waved his hand to stop his granddaughter from spouting nonsense.
“I invited him to the purification ceremony.”
“To the purification ceremony?”
“Yes. Since he’s Rimmer’s disciple, I thought it would be good if he could help. So….”
He unfolded his arms and placed his hands on Siyan’s shoulders.
“How about you join us too?”
“I….”
She had refused before because she didn’t want to face other elves. But the thought of going with Raon and Rimmer gave her an unusual courage.
Siyan nodded slightly, still half-hidden under the blanket.
“I’ll go.”
Raon bowed to the blue-haired elf.
“Please take care of her.”
“I will do my best.”
The elf, who looked unshakeable, nodded at Yua. She was a musician introduced by Rimmer, reputed as one of the best in Sephia. Raon had come to ask her to teach Yua.
“I’ll work hard too!”
Yua clenched her fists, even wrinkling her brows. Her twin pigtails swayed adorably.
“Alright. I’ll be back soon. Wait for me.”
Raon patted Yua’s head and turned to leave.
“What about me?”
Dorian’s eyes sparkled as he asked what he should do.
“You…”
Raon hadn’t really thought about it.
After licking his lips, he pointed to Yua.
“Keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn’t slack off.”
“Yes, sir!”
Dorian saluted and nodded.
‘That worked out.’
Raon shook his head and approached Rimmer, who was waiting.
“You’re quite the devil.”
Rimmer shuddered, mumbling that Raon was scary.
“Not as much as you, Commander.”
Raon retorted, not backing down.
“If you’re done, let’s go. Gramps is waiting.”
Rimmer emphasized Sterin’s punctuality and quickened his pace.
“Did you hear? That human got permission to see the World Tree?”
“He’s deserving. He’s a Spirit King contractor.”
“If he really becomes a Spirit King’s contractor, it wouldn’t be unrelated to the World Tree.”
“Isn’t it the first time a human sees the World Tree?”
“It’s not the first. Someone came before…. ”
The elves whispered among themselves as they passed by Raon and Rimmer.
-You ear bastards!
Wrath shouted at the elves.
-I am not a mere Spirit King, but the Lord of Wrath!
He waved his arms furiously, demanding not to be compared to a Spirit King.
‘Yes, that’s right.’
Raon chuckled at Wrath’s outburst. With Wrath stuck to him like a leech, even a Spirit King would flee. It would be tough to become a Spirit King’s contractor.
Ignoring the elves’ chatter, Raon followed Rimmer and soon arrived at Sterin’s house, where they had been the day before.
“You’re here.”
Sterin raised his hand lightly. He was already outside, leaning against a tree.
“What’s that?”
Rimmer tilted his head, pointing at a bundle wrapped in blankets beside Sterin.
“What do you think? It’s your sister.”
“Ugh….”
Sterin poked the blanket, causing it to shiver.
“Siyan? Why are you covered in blankets even outside?”
“It’s comfortable. Don’t mind me.”
Siyan’s voice was muffled from within the blanket.
“Do you have a condition where you’ll die if you leave the blanket or something?”
Rimmer clicked his tongue and approached Siyan.
“Don’t mind me….”
Siyan’s voice grew even softer, probably because she was outside.
“But….”
“Stop it.”
Raon grabbed Rimmer’s shoulder.
‘She must have mustered great courage to do this.’
Until yesterday, Siyan had shown little interest in the purification ritual. Whether she was there to observe or had another reason, her coming out was commendable.
“Hello, Raon.”
Siyan greeted him with her head still covered, only her golden hair visible.
“Uh, hi….”
Raon awkwardly nodded back.
‘I don’t get why she keeps calling me that.’
Though puzzled, he didn’t argue, fearing she might get scared.
“Gramps, you sparred with Raon the other day, right?”
Rimmer squinted at Sterin.
“How was it? Isn’t my disciple something?”
“Yes.”
Sterin nodded calmly. However, his eyes still held traces of astonishment.
“He’s too good to remain your disciple.”
“Wow!”
Rimmer squirmed as if he were the one being praised.
“I know monsters sometimes appear in the human world, but he’s on another level. It makes me think gods and demon kings made a mistake.”
Sterin spoke with lingering awe from their spar.
-They did make a mistake.
Wrath nodded vigorously.
-This guy would turn any place into hell!
Wrath muttered, wanting to take Raon to the demon realm to wreak havoc.
“I thought so from the start.”
Rimmer proudly lifted his nose.
“He’s destined for greatness.”
He beamed, as if seeking praise for his insight.
“Enough with the chit-chat, let’s get started.”
Sterin watched Raon for a moment before gesturing with his chin.
Raon recalled Sterin’s words and swallowed nervously.
‘Get started?’
It felt odd to use such an expression instead of going to see the World Tree.
But Sterin wasn’t lying.
When Sterin placed his hand on his wooden house, it shimmered like a lake, revealing a path of blue light.
It was as if all of Sephia was an illusion, as the green light turned blue, and transparent leaves filled his vision.
The green wind ruffled his hair, blue droplets touched his skin, and the yellow earth provided a gentle comfort.
Finally, a thick flame seemed to follow his breath, tracing the atmosphere.
Raon’s fingers trembled as he gazed at the blue path.
A colossal tree came into view.
Its roots stretched across the entire continent, its trunk was too massive for all of Zieghart’s people to encircle, and its height was like a pillar supporting the sky, impossible to see its top.
Countless transparent leaves fluttered as if welcoming him, exuding an otherworldly mystery. The word “beautiful” couldn’t adequately describe the World Tree.
‘Is this the World Tree, Adrian….’
Raon swallowed dryly as he stepped onto the blue path.
‘But what’s that burn mark?’
He noticed a blackened area on the right side of the World Tree.
Whooosh!
The Ring of Fire trembled and painted his vision red.