Chapter 942
“Hmm…”
Raon turned his gaze to Karoon, who stood beside him.
“It’s better if the Light Wind Palace Lord explains. You’re the only one who can recount this war from beginning to end.”
Karoon folded his arms and stepped back, signaling that he had no intention of speaking himself.
It seemed he was deliberately addressing him by title out of formality in this public setting. As always, he was a man of principle.
“That’s true. Our Palace Lord was at the center of every plan.”
Burren nodded vigorously in agreement.
“Not just the plans—he fought in every battle. Inside the dimension, during the Black Tower climb, and even in the final, grueling fight against the Black Tower Lord.”
Martha raised her clenched fist, urging him to tell them about his achievements.
“Today, Raon the Super Handsome can do no wrong.”
Runaan gave a thumbs-up, declaring that his looks made anything acceptable. These days, she seemed to think handsomeness was an all-powerful skill.
“Alright.”
Raon wetted his dry lips and stepped forward.
“Raon!”
“Our son!”
“Young master!”
Sylvia, Edgar, Sia, and the maids waved their arms wildly. They might not have known all the details, but they clearly understood he was the one who beheaded the Black Tower Lord.
“Well done, Raon!”
“My nephew! I knew you could do it!”
On the opposite side, Aris and Balder cheered and clapped loudly.
“……”
Denier also smiled beside them—but his smile, though clear, somehow felt different from the rest.
– “What are you doing!? Snap out of it and get this over with!”
Wrath smacked Raon’s shoulder impatiently.
– “I’m starving! I want to eat that home-cooked meal you bragged about to Gluttony!”
The demon tugged at his cheek, begging Raon to wrap this up quickly.
“Then, I’ll start from the beginning. We arrived in Montiro and…”
With Wrath still biting his shoulder, Raon began his report. Under the gaze of everyone in the training ground, he recounted everything that had happened.
“…And in the end, thanks to Lady Chamber’s finishing move, the Black Tower Lord’s defense was broken, and I was able to sever his head.”
Since few people had ever seen a Monarch, he limited his explanation to the part about killing the Black Tower Lord and then stepped back.
“To think he really cut off the Black Tower Lord’s head…”
Balder slammed his hand down, denting the railing.
“As expected of my nephew! Look, everyone! That’s my nephew!”
He shouted so loudly that nearby eardrums might burst.
“Will you shut up?”
Aris smacked the back of his head with her palm.
“I’m the only one allowed to call him nephew!”
She ground her teeth, threatening to kill him if that filthy mouth said it again.
“T-then what should I call him…?”
“Call him Palace Lord Raon!”
Aris lifted her chin proudly.
“Palace Lord Raon! I believed in you!”
Balder followed her command immediately, shouting Raon’s title without a shred of dignity left.
“You fought through another brutal battle again…”
Sylvia’s eyes glistened as she seemed to sense the hardship hidden behind his simple words.
“Thank you, Sir Karoon…”
Edgar bowed his head toward Karoon, recognizing how much he had contributed during the war.
“As expected of my little brother! Well done!”
Sia waved both hands, excited to shout alongside the crowd cheering her brother’s name.
“Ahem!”
When Glenn noticed the conversation and cheers growing rowdy, he cleared his throat and rose to his feet.
“This war was the only way to break the balance between the Five Kings and the Five Demons.”
He nodded solemnly toward Raon and Karoon.
“The Black Tower Lord fought fiercely, even creating a gate to the Devildom. But the Light Wind Palace Lord pursued him to the end and severed his head. Had the Archmage of Illusion fallen instead, we would’ve been the ones forced to hide in the shadows.”
Glenn’s gaze softened as he looked at Raon.
“This war will be recorded in history, and at its center, the name Raon Zieghart will be engraved.”
He nodded, saying that even if Raon didn’t want it, that was inevitable.
“Not only the Light Wind Palace Lord. The True Martial Palace Lord and every warrior who fought in this war have achieved a feat that will be remembered for millennia. You’ve all done well—and I thank you.”
Glenn drew his Heavenly Tremor and, reversing it, took Zieghart’s formal sword salute.
“L-Lord of the House!”
“No, please! We simply did our duty!”
The swordsmen hurriedly bowed in return, flustered. None of them could have imagined their Lord would personally thank them.
“Therefore, I grant every swordsman who took part in this war a golden badge and the right to choose one treasure from Zieghart’s Vault. And…”
Glenn pointed at Raon and Karoon with two fingers.
“For the Light Wind and True Martial Palace Lords, who endured the harshest battles, I grant permission to claim five treasures each from the Vault.”
He lowered his hand decisively, as if the decision was final.
“Wooooaaaaahhh!”
“What!? Direct access to Zieghart’s Vault!?”
“Elixirs, weapons, martial manuals, artifacts—the Vault has everything!”
“What’s there to be surprised about? After toppling the Black Tower, they deserve no less!”
“I think it’s too little, honestly. The Palace Lords should get ten!”
The crowd nodded, agreeing that the reward matched their achievements.
“Then, that concludes the gathering. You’ve all done well.”
Glenn stepped down from the dais immediately after finishing the announcement, as if he had gathered them only for this reason.
He nodded approvingly at Raon, then left the arena.
‘I can never tell what he’s thinking…’
Raon chuckled quietly as he turned—only to lock eyes with Denier, who was staring directly at him.
“……”
Denier’s lips curved into a thin, satisfied smile as he clapped along with the others.
But in his eyes, Raon saw not joy or pride—only an empty void, devoid of emotion.
‘Denier Zieghart.’
Raon bit his lip lightly as he looked away.
‘What are you thinking?’
—
“Haaah…”
King Lecross looked up at the white ceiling and let out a deep sigh that seemed to sink into the floor.
“Pathetic.”
Raon and Chamber had destroyed the Black Tower, yet he couldn’t even handle Derus on his own—Glenn had to step in to save him.
The shame was unbearable.
“I should at least send Zieghart a gift.”
Raon had beheaded the Black Tower Lord, and Glenn had saved his life. The true heroes of the war were Zieghart.
Having been of no help, he felt he should send them something valuable.
“Damn it! If I’d only dodged that first strike…”
He clenched his teeth, recalling his battle with Derus.
KWAANG!
The door burst open, and Chamber, wearing her witch’s hat, walked in.
“Well, look who we have here. The little boy who got beaten up guarding the house. What a sight.”
She stuck her tongue out playfully, clearly not here to comfort him but to mock him.
“I-It was because he was insanely strong!”
Lecross lifted his head just enough to shake his fist.
“He was completely different from before! It felt like fighting Glenn himself!”
He shouted, insisting he wasn’t weak. It was a far cry from his usual composure as the King of Owen and the Sword of Silence.
“Ah, there’s the brat I remember. Adorable.”
Chamber tapped his head teasingly.
“Now tell this big sister everything.”
She tilted her head kindly, though her tone was anything but gentle.
“Sister? That’s a bit… considering our age difference…”
Lecross waved his hands frantically.
“You little brat! Look at this flawless skin!”
Chamber smacked his forehead for daring to bring up age.
“Hmm…”
Lecross rubbed his sore forehead and squinted.
“By the way, who’s the girl you brought with you?”
He glanced at Rensia, who stood behind Chamber.
“My disciple.”
Chamber pushed Rensia forward with a smile.
“Y-your disciple?”
“Yes. I found a gem in Montiro whose talent surpasses even mine. Expect great things—she’ll be the next Archmage.” (T/N: WOWW!)
She lifted her chin proudly, confident in her words.
“Ah, um, hello. I’m Rensia.”
The girl introduced herself shyly, bowing her head. She looked cute now, but it was easy to imagine she’d grow into a stunning beauty someday.
“Hmm…”
Lecross glanced at her emerald eyes and clicked his tongue softly.
‘The Archmage’s disciple, huh.’
Chamber had taught many people before, but she had rarely, if ever, declared someone her official disciple.
And to call her “the next Archmage” outright—something in Chamber had changed.
“I heard you were injured. Has this brought you some sort of revelation?”
He lowered his hand toward her.
“How could it not? I nearly died.”
Chamber smiled faintly and nodded.
“I may look fine, but my upper dantian is severely torn. I’ll need a long recovery.”
She admitted that if Saint Olga hadn’t been there, she would have died for sure.
“Derus, the one who beat you, was terrifying—but so was the Black Tower Lord. When a human breaks their limits, it’s no surprise they become monsters.”
Chamber bit her red lips lightly.
“That’s why I’m raising a successor now—to make sure I don’t have regrets later.”
She clenched her fist, saying the next war might demand their lives.
“Hmm…”
Lecross groaned lowly, glancing at Rensia.
“Is it alright to talk about risking your life in front of your young disciple?”
“Don’t worry. This one might have stronger mental fortitude than you.”
Chamber waved her hand dismissively.
“She’s lived through hell and even felt death once. She’s tougher than she looks.”
“Indeed. Her eyes say it all.”
Lecross nodded, then reached his hand toward Rensia.
“I’m Lecross. We’ll be seeing each other often, I’m sure.”
He smiled courteously.
“Th-thank you! It’s an honor, Your Majesty!”
Rensia trembled as she took his hand.
“I’ve learned a lot from this war myself.”
Lecross patted her head and narrowed his eyes.
“I’ve spent too long acting as a king instead of a warrior. It’s time I returned to the sword.”
He clenched his jaw, vowing to avenge himself on Derus.
“Revenge, huh? That’s fine—but we might not get the chance.”
Chamber smiled faintly, raising a single finger.
“The next wave is rising faster and stronger than we expected.”
“You mean… the Sword Emperor?”
Lecross realized immediately who she meant and nodded.
“Right. Unlike you, he’s just ‘Sword Emperor.’ No fancy prefixes! ‘Black Sword Lord’? Please. Sounds pathetic.”
Chamber shook her head in mock pity.
“Grrr…”
Lecross trembled, angry that she was mocking his title.
“‘Black Sword Lord’ was the name I received right after reaching transcendence! If I picked it now, it’d be different!”
His face turned red as he argued like a scolded child.
“And you still blush when you’re mad.”
Chamber chuckled and flicked his forehead.
“Ugh…”
Realizing she was teasing him, Lecross lowered his head in defeat.
“Jokes aside—Raon is the real deal.”
“I know his talent is exceptional.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Chamber smirked and shook her head.
“Want to hear something interesting? During the festival celebrating the victory, he was meditating. Meditating—to reflect on his shortcomings from the battle.”
She looked out the northern window, clicking her tongue softly.
“That boy won’t stop at the Sword Emperor. Not a chance.”
—
“You’re all here.”
Glenn nodded as he looked over the gathered swordsmen of the Light Wind and True Martial Palaces.
“Let’s skip the formalities and begin.”
Resting one arm on the throne, he snapped his fingers.
Taaang!
The crisp sound echoed through the audience chamber—and a golden dimensional gate opened before the two groups.
“Follow me.”
Glenn stepped into the shimmering light and gestured for them to follow.
“T-this is Zieghart’s Vault…”
“I’ve seen it before—but never thought I’d set foot inside!”
“My hands won’t stop shaking…”
The swordsmen trembled with excitement and reverence as they looked upon the Vault.
“Let’s go.”
Karoon, seemingly familiar with the place, nodded calmly and entered the golden light.
– “What are you waiting for!?”
Wrath shook Raon’s shoulder violently.
– “Pick something fast so we can go eat!”
He chattered his teeth, complaining of hunger.
‘I’ll feed you until you burst. Just wait a bit.’
Raon brushed Wrath off and was about to step into Zieghart’s Vault when—
Wooooong!
A blue-tinged message appeared before the golden gate.
[The trait <Greed> is being unlocked.]