Chapter 977

               

“A lizard’s nest, you say?”

Ogram looked at Raon, tilting his head.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

He furrowed his thick, caterpillar-like eyebrows, as if he couldn’t understand.

“If it’s a lizard…”

Chamber chewed lightly on the candy she had in her mouth.

“He must be talking about dragons.”

She immediately understood Raon’s words and narrowed her eyes.

“That’s right.”

Raon nodded, meeting the gazes of the Five Kings seated around the round table.

“Why are you trying to stir up dragons while looking for the Four Demons?”

King Lecross unfolded his arms, indicating that he needed an explanation.

“To explain this, we must first go back to the war with the Black Tower.”

Raon looked at Chamber and raised a finger.

“As Lady Chamber knows well, the Magical energy that emanated from the Black Tower crossed dimensions and spread to this continent.”

He created a chill with his finger and placed it on the continental map floating above the round table. The southern part of the continent rippled in a blue hue, as if frozen.

“Such a vast amount of Magical energy covered the south that it wouldn’t have been strange for a Demon King to appear, yet the dragons, who are supposed to be the arbiters of this world, didn’t even show their faces.”

Raon frowned, looking at the frozen southern continent.

“It was so different from when they would rush in, shouting about a Demon King even if only a small amount of Magical energy appeared. In other words…”

He lowered his gaze to the leaders of the Five Kings, who were listening intently without blinking.

“They knew that the Black Tower was in Montiro.”

Raon nodded with conviction.

“Is, is that true? How could those who are supposed to maintain neutrality…”

Ogram frowned, as if he couldn’t understand.

“If what you say is true, then the dragons don’t deserve the title of arbiters!”

He clenched his fist so hard that it made a sound, as if he was truly angry.

“Lord of Light Wind Palace, can you take responsibility for those words?”

King Lecross looked at Raon and let out a low groan.

“This is not something we can proceed with rashly. No matter what anyone says, dragons are the strongest race on the continent.”

He tapped the round table with his finger, saying that the decision to completely turn the dragons into enemies should be made with caution.

“I vouch for the Lord of Light Wind Palace’s words.”

Chamber closed her eyes and nodded.

“The dimensional gate to the Black Tower remained open, and Magical energy poured out from within, but the dragons never showed themselves even once.”

She bit her lip, looking at Montiro on the map.

“If those lizard bastards, who instinctively sense Magical energy, remained still, the reason is obvious.”

Chamber sighed, as if it was time to accept it.

“In fact, you already know, don’t you?”

Raon shook his head briefly.

“Dragons have never been neutral from the beginning. Since the days of the Five Demons, not the Four Demons, they have subtly taken their side. If they had truly been faithful to their role as arbiters, the Black Tower would have disappeared a long time ago.”

The Black Tower was a military organization created by drawing power from the Demon World, not the continent.

The fact that they did not stop it even though it was spreading thick Magical energy towards the continent meant that their neutrality had been broken long ago.

“Besides, even if the lizards didn’t know that the Black Tower was in Montiro, it doesn’t matter. It’s clear that they have built a close relationship with the Four Demons.”

Raon nodded, saying that it was certain that the Four Demons and the dragons had formed a temporary alliance.

“It is an undeniable fact that dragons are the strongest race. But I think it’s better to deal with them when we can, rather than being backstabbed or stabbed in the side in the upcoming war.”

He clenched his fist, saying that they should deal with them now to avoid leaving behind unnecessary future troubles.

“In that case…”

Glenn raised his chin slightly.

“How many dragons would you like to take care of?”

He spread his hand, as if asking for a specific number.

“How many? That’s not it. Of course…”

Raon shook his head firmly.

“All of them.”

He placed his hand on the hilt of Heavenly Drive, saying that he didn’t want to leave behind even a single lizard that had abandoned neutrality.

“Huh…?”

King Lecross let out a dumbfounded laugh, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Y-you’re going to kill all the dragons?”

Xanthos also opened his mouth wide in shock.

“As expected, that’s so refreshing!”

Ogram raised his fist, which was as big as a rock, as if he agreed.

“Yeah. If we’re going to do it, we should do it properly!”

Chamber also nodded without hesitation, saying that she liked it.

“Well, I’m not really interested in dragons…”

Larian lowered his voice, as if he had returned to his original personality after the story about the Archangel ended. Considering his reaction earlier, it seemed like he had already dissected a dragon.

“Hmm!”

Glenn also nodded grandly, as if he liked Raon’s boldness.

“Even the Demon King wouldn’t do something like that…”

King Lecross clicked his tongue briefly.

“If you say you can do it, it wouldn’t be bad to try.”

He also raised his hand, saying that he would agree.

“However, you shouldn’t target all of them from the beginning.”

Raon looked at the continental map and shook his head.

“Our goal isn’t just to kill dragons, after all.”

“Right. We need to gather information about the Four Demons.”

Chamber nodded immediately.

“Yes. Dragons who have been sleeping in their lairs for a long time won’t have any information about the Four Demons. So we…”

Raon looked at the continental map again and licked his lips.

“We need to find dragons who communicate with the outside world, even if they are not human. The stronger and older they are, the better. That way, we can hear about the Lord and the Four Demons.”

Dragons who are sleeping probably don’t even know that the Five Demons have become the Four Demons.

To get proper information, they needed to find someone strong and trusted by the Lord.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know any dragons like that.”

Chamber clicked her tongue, saying that she was sorry she couldn’t help.

“I, I don’t know any dragons like that either…”

Larian raised his trembling hand, saying that he was in the same situation as Chamber.

“I definitely don’t have any!”

Ogram shook his head proudly.

“Then let’s decide to look for an ancient dragon-level dragon who communicates with the outside world while searching for the location of the Four Demons.”

Since they couldn’t find the path to the Four Demons right now anyway, they decided to slowly gather information first.

“Good. We’ll try to gather as much information as possible on our side too.”

King Lecross picked up a pen, saying that he would contact Owen immediately.

“Then it’s decided.”

Glenn didn’t express his opinion for or against because Raon was his grandson, but he nodded only after everyone agreed. He had a very satisfied expression.

“I’ll look for them too.”

Raon looked at the leaders of the Five Kings and nodded. Since the information from the black market would be shared, he thought he should contact his acquaintances as well.

“Let’s deal with the dragons like that. How are you going to restore the people who have been charmed by Raphael?”

King Lecross narrowed his eyes, as if he was curious.

“I, I want to know too…”

Larian also asked to know, revealing eerily gleaming eyes from within his robe.

“In fact, that’s just as important as this matter.”

Xanthos nodded, saying that it was something that must be resolved.

“Raphael charmed people by imbuing his warm voice with Divine Power. So I’m going to use that method in reverse.”

He smiled faintly and brought his hands together in front of him.

“Use it in reverse?”

“Yes. I can erase Divine Power, and my subordinate has a better voice than Raphael. Maybe…” (T/N: Yua?)

Raon looked out the window and curled up the corners of his mouth.

“You’ll see something interesting.”

* * *

“Hoo…”

Aris looked at the darkening sky and let out a heavy breath.

“Am I going to die like this?”

Karoon was growing every day, so it was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with him.

If she let her guard down even for a moment, a sword would reach her neck, so every time they sparred, chills ran down her spine.

‘I never knew that guy had such passion.’

She was also training with all her might, wanting to repay Raon, but Karoon was going even further.

He was truly risking his life every day to wield his sword.

Karoon originally believed that the direct line of Zieghart should be perfect and never showed himself sweating, but now he was throwing everything away with the single desire to become stronger, no matter how he looked.

‘Of course, his talent is even greater than his passion.’

She had thought that Sylvia had the best talent among the siblings, but now her opinion had changed.

Karoon’s talent had bloomed late and was surpassing everything.

‘At this rate, he might really be able to catch up.’

If Karoon continued to train like this, he might not surpass Raon, but he would be able to stand on the same level. (T/N: Is it me or I want Karron to be the Head than Raon)

‘Wait a minute! Now that I think about it, it’s infuriating. They were all under me! I can’t lose like this… um?’

Aris muttered that she couldn’t lose like this and blankly opened her eyes.

“Why am I here?”

As she walked aimlessly with her exhausted legs, she had somehow arrived near the annex.

“To come here naturally, I must have been really tired.”

Aris rubbed her aching shoulder and let out a hollow laugh.

‘Since I’m here at the annex, should I go see the kids?’

It had been a while since she had gone to the annex, so it seemed like a good idea to see everyone since she had come this far.

‘And get some dinner… huh?’

Aris smiled and entered the garden of the annex, then narrowed her eyes.

‘Denier?’

Why was that guy here?

Denier was standing in front of the darkening lake, quietly looking at the annex.

‘And what is that light…’

An unknown, blurry cluster of lights flickered around him and then disappeared.

It was such a faint, mysterious light that she wouldn’t have been able to see it if it hadn’t been reflected on the surface of the lake.

However, there was something even stranger. It seemed that Denier’s expression in reality and Denier’s expression reflected in the lake were different.

“Denier!”

Aris frowned and approached Denier.

“Sister.”

Denier bowed to Aris without the slightest bit of embarrassment.

“Is your training over?”

“What did you just do?”

Aris spread out her senses and examined Denier’s surroundings. However, she couldn’t feel anything.

“What do you mean, what did I do?”

Denier tilted his head, as if asking what she meant.

“I definitely saw a strange light flickering around you.”

Aris raised her chin, saying that she had seen it with her own two eyes.

“It must have been fireflies. I didn’t do anything.”

Denier raised both hands, saying that he had really been standing still.

“But…”

Aris was about to speak again, but then closed her mouth. In fact, she couldn’t feel any special energy from Denier.

“Are you really Denier?”

Aris looked at Denier, creating a low but heavy aura.

“Then who else would I be?”

Denier shook his head, saying that he didn’t like strange jokes.

“Hmm…”

Aris examined Denier and twisted her lips.

‘His physique, Aura, and even his temperament are all the same.’

She didn’t trust anyone easily now, even if they were relatives.

But she didn’t feel any sense of incongruity from the Denier in front of her.

“Do you remember what the first gift I gave you was?”

“A gift?”

Denier smiled and shook his head.

“You’ve never given me anything like a gift.”

He tilted his head, as if asking what she was talking about.

“Th-that’s right.”

Aris touched the back of her head and turned her eyes away.

‘It’s definitely Denier. There’s no sense of incongruity.’

But she was concerned about the light she had seen earlier.

She couldn’t feel any strange energy or temperament, but she wanted to check because of what had happened with Sif.

“What were you doing here?”

Aris looked around and narrowed her eyes.

“The Head and the Lord of Light Wind Palace went to the Five Kings’ Assembly, and you and brother are focused on training, so I was patrolling Zieghart.”

Denier nodded calmly, saying that he was doing what he could.

“Hmm…”

Aris narrowed her eyes. As he said, all the Transcenders were busy, so it wasn’t strange for him to be patrolling the outskirts.

“You…”

Just as Aris was about to speak again, the door at the back of the annex opened.

“Auntie!”

Sia, with a wooden sword at her waist, waved her hands at Aris.

“Sia?”

Aris hugged Sia, who was running towards her, and let out a hollow breath. It seemed that Sia, who was nearby, had come out because she had raised her voice a little while ago.

“Unni, Oppa?”

Sylvia also followed Sia and widened her eyes.

“What brings you two here?”

She smiled happily and bowed her head.

“I just happened to come this way…”

Aris scratched the back of her head, saying that she had come without realizing it.

“I was patrolling.”

Denier gave Sylvia the same explanation.

“Ah, then please come in and have some tea. Helen baked some delicious cookies in the afternoon.”

Sylvia told Aris and Denier to come in and raised her hand.

“Hmm, should we?”

Aris knew that the atmosphere had already been broken and lowered her hand.

“I’m fine. I still have places to patrol.”

Denier shook his head, saying that he had seen that they were doing well, so he should be going.

“Just a moment!”

Sylvia told him to stay where he was and went into the annex, then came out with a small bundle.

“I packed some cookies. Please eat them on your way.”

She smiled and held out the hand holding the bundle.

“…Thank you.”

Denier smiled faintly and accepted the bundle containing the cookies.

“It’s nothing. Please take care.”

Sylvia smiled and shook her head.

“Unni, go inside.”

She nodded to Aris, saying that she would warm up the tea.

“Okay. Just a moment.”

Aris nodded briefly and approached Denier.

“Denier.”

She looked into Denier’s calm eyes and parted her lips.

“Let me ask you one last thing. Your path is directed towards Zieghart, right?”

“Of course.”

Denier nodded without the slightest hesitation.

“In the past, and even now, I am always thinking only of Zieghart.” (T/N: I do hope you are not a traitor Denier. )

He nodded, as if telling her not to worry, and disappeared into the darkness of Northgaze Mountain.

“…….”

Aris looked up at the path where Denier had disappeared and narrowed her eyes.

‘He’s definitely different from Sif.’

When she was attacked by Sif, she felt a sense of incongruity, but she was stabbed by the sword because of her momentary emotion of not wanting to doubt her son.

But now, she couldn’t feel any sense of incongruity or anything strange from Denier at all.

‘Trust, huh…’

Aris looked at the crescent moon that looked as if it had been cut off by a sword and entered the annex, where a warm energy was blooming.

* * *

“I can’t do it! No, I won’t do it!”

Olga shook her hands violently, saying that she would never do it.

“What kind of song is that!”

She said that she would rather sing a love song than sing that kind of song, and stood up, knocking over her chair.

-That scoundrel’s ears must be broken!

Wrath gnashed his teeth as he looked at Olga, whose cheeks were flushed.

-To dare to ignore a song that praises this king!

He snorted, saying that she had no artistic sense at all.

“Unni…”

Yua gently reached out and took Olga’s hand.

“Let’s do it together. We have to save people.”

She gave her a cat-like look, asking her to do it with her even though she knew she didn’t want to.

“That’s right. Please save others, just like Unni saved me.”

Rensia also grabbed Olga’s other hand, asking her to do it.

“Ugh…”

Olga squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them and nodded weakly.

“Okay.”

She drooped her shoulders, as if she couldn’t help it.

“Then let’s start again.”

Raon looked at Olga, who had returned to her seat, and parted his lips.

“Feeling the sparkling shining, entering the dark darkness, the cold ice…”

“Aaaaaaah!”

Olga grabbed her head and screamed as she listened to the lyrics.

“Who the hell made that damn song!”

She opened the window and screamed, saying that she was going crazy.

-Here we go again!

Wrath’s eyes were filled with blue rage.

-I pity those ears that don’t know such a wonderful song!

He shook his head, saying that Olga had no talent for music.

“Just try to follow along. It will definitely have an effect.”

Raon waved his hand and recited the lyrics again.

‘There’s no way it won’t have an effect.’

That song was one of the Demon King’s hymns praising Wrath.

If he supported her with the Divine Authority of Wrath, and Yua and Olga sang the song, they would be able to restore the minds of the people who had been charmed by Raphael to their original state.

“Sh-shining…. Dark… darkness….”

Olga began to memorize the lyrics with trembling lips. It seemed that she was forcing herself to do it for Yua and Rensia.

‘But who really made this?’

Raon gestured toward Wrath with his chin.

‘Honestly, it’s a bit childish….’

-Who else would have made it! I, the great one, made it!

Wrath puffed out his chest, declaring that he had, of course, been the one to make it.

‘…That explains it.’

He shook his head.

-Wh-what explains it? What do you mean by that?

‘It’s nothing.’

-Tell me straight!

‘It’s really nothing.’

It was then, as Raon was waving his hand to dismiss Wrath.

*Tap, tap, tap.*

A white swallow was tapping on the window. It was an emergency message from the Flying Swallow Guild.

‘Why is this here….’

Raon swallowed dryly as he took the letter and unfolded it.

-What does it say?

Wrath poked his head forward, looking curious.

‘Looks like we won’t have to wait long after all.’

Raon licked his lips as he looked at the letter.

‘I think they’ve found the first lizard nest we can go to.’