Chapter 980

               

An unnamed ancient castle, untouched by human hands for hundreds of years.

A woman in a white maid’s uniform walks between the blackened castle walls.

As if familiar with this faded place, she enters the rusted iron gate without hesitation.

As the maid entered the gate, the surroundings slowly brightened, as if stage lights were being turned on.

Unlike the outer castle, which had crumbled and decayed due to neglect, the inner castle was decorated with colors more extravagant than the Balkan royal palace. It was as if the word “splendor” had been wallpapered onto every surface.

“…….”

Kubara, Derus’s maid and informant, ascended the red-carpeted stairs with graceful steps, heading towards the castle’s highest floor.

Knock, knock.

She took a short breath and knocked on the only door on the top floor.

“Enter.”

After counting to three seconds upon hearing the voice, Kubara opened the door.

Screeeeeak.

The scent of old books wafts through the crack in the door. In front of a bookshelf filled with countless ancient tomes, a man buried in a black sofa slowly raised his gaze.

“What is it?”

Derus Robert. He was not looking at the world through the eyes of a fugitive, but from the darkness of a hegemon.

“…There’s a problem.”

Kubara lowered her eyes and knelt before Derus.

“Speak.”

Derus nodded calmly, unfazed by the word “problem.”

“Raon Zieghart…”

“Raon?”

However, as soon as Raon’s name was mentioned, a dull ripple spread across Derus’s smooth forehead.

“That bastard again?”

“Well…”

Kubara pressed her lips tightly, feeling the aura of death emanating from Derus.

“Continue.”

Derus suppressed his murderous aura and closed the book he was reading.

“Yes. Raon Zieghart and his subordinates have completely erased the Divine Power left in the Balkan humans.”

“What…?”

He widened his eyes as if he hadn’t expected such a report.

“Is that true?”

“Yes.”

Kubara nodded heavily, saying she had seen it herself.

“Explain in detail. What did he do?”

Derus leaned forward, pushing himself up from the sofa.

“As you know, the Five Kings did not send back those exposed to Raphael’s Divine Power, but kept them in the royal capital. Today, they suddenly summoned everyone, so I was waiting to see what they would do…”

Kubara continued, touching her red lips.

“They played a song for everyone in the royal capital.”

She frowned, saying it was a completely unexpected method.

“A song? Did you just say a song?”

Derus also frowned, as if he couldn’t understand.

“Yes. When the swordsman of Light Wind Palace and Saintess Olga went up to the tower and sang, all the humans who had been captivated by Raphael’s Divine Power returned to normal.”

Kubara nodded, saying that the entire Balkan was in an uproar because of the song.

“A song… In a way, it’s possible.”

Derus let out a low groan, saying it wasn’t entirely impossible.

“But why is Raon Zieghart’s name coming up there?”

“Raon Zieghart was standing behind the singers. The blue energy emanating from him amplified the power of the song.”

Kubara pressed her lips, saying it was something that could only be felt by seeing it in person.

“That’s right.”

No sooner had Kubara finished speaking than a pure white dimension opened behind the bookshelf, and Archangel Raphael appeared.

“It’s hard to believe, but all my Divine Power left in that kingdom has disappeared.”

She nodded with a noble demeanor, as immaculate as when she had descended upon Balkan.

“Ha…”

Derus’s hand, holding the book, trembled.

“If you couldn’t leave any Divine Power behind, then there was no point in going there.”

He let out a chilling laugh, truly annoyed. The ancient book he was holding began to turn into black ash and scatter.

“Do you know what song the humans sang?”

Raphael cast a clear gaze at Kubara. It seemed she wanted to know what the song was for future reference.

“Yes. I remember everything.”

Kubara lowered her eyes and nodded. To be honest, it was a strange song that she memorized automatically, even without trying.

“Tell me.”

Derus also gestured, saying he needed to know what the song was.

“Hoo…”

Kubara didn’t start singing right away, but only opened her lips after taking a deep breath.

“Feeling the sparkling Shining, the darkness of Dark…”

As Derus’s informant, she recited the childish lyrics of the Demon King’s Eulogy without showing the slightest hesitation.

“Huh? Um… Ah…”

Derus also seemed taken aback by the song’s lyrics, letting out a series of short groans and lowering his gaze.

However, he immediately realized that he needed to focus on the song, not the lyrics, and tapped his fingers, feeling the rhythm.

“Ha?”

The more the song’s lyrics continued, the more Raphael trembled with a vein throbbing in her hand, unable to contain her anger.

“My Divine Power disappeared because of such trashy song?”

She expressed deep anger, not at the fact that the Divine Power had been erased, but at the childishness of the song that had erased it.

“That damn human!”

Raphael ground her pure white teeth, recalling Raon’s mocking face.

“Kubara. Is that really the song?”

Derus stroked his clean chin and narrowed his eyes.

“It’s certain.”

Kubara nodded, her face not changing color even after singing the childish song to the end.

“The lyrics are absurdly childish, but the flow is special. There’s a military cadence mixed in with a song praising a god.”

Derus immediately recognized the flow of the Demon King’s Eulogy and nodded.

“That’s what I told you.”

He shook his head, looking at Raphael, who had distorted her beautiful face.

“Raon is more special than the Celestial race or the Demon race.”

He twisted his lips, saying that Raon should be watched carefully.

“The special energy he sent from behind was probably the Divine Authority of the Demon King. Now I understand a little.”

Derus nodded, saying he thought he knew why Raphael’s Divine Power had been erased.

“You seem pleased.”

Raphael frowned, looking at Derus.

“Does it look that way?”

Derus slowly raised his gaze and met Raphael’s eyes. He was clearly smiling, but a deep and intense murderous intent was emanating from that smile.

“The Five Kings summoned the neutral forces and tried to forcibly draw in their power. I sent you to prevent that and create a situation favorable to us.”

A bluish flame, like a ghost fire, blazed above Derus’s eyes.

“That plan has completely fallen apart, and my existence, which should have been hidden, has been revealed to the whole world, and you’re pleased?”

He drew a chilling smile, asking if it really looked that way.

“Hmm…”

Raphael swallowed hard, feeling the dark and gloomy aura of death emanating from Derus.

‘Was it this much?’

He usually hid his power, so she hadn’t felt it properly, but she could feel a massive energy writhing beyond her expectations.

Her Divine Power moved on its own to push back Derus’s aura of death.

“I’m angrier than you are right now.”

Derus shook his head, scattering the fragments of the ancient book that had turned to dust on the floor. Blood dripped from the leather gloves he was wearing.

“It’s just that I’m enduring it because I’ve had many experiences like this.”

Derus lowered his eyebrows, saying that Raon had often brought about results that defied common sense.

“You told me not to kill that human, didn’t you?”

Raphael looked at Derus and raised her trembling fingertips. A pure white lightning that seemed to burn the space around her flared up.

“I won’t go looking for him myself, but if I happen to encounter him, I’ll kill him without fail.”

Raphael left those last words and disappeared into the white light.

“It won’t be easy.”

Derus waved his hand, looking at the space where Raphael had disappeared.

“Raon Zieghart is under the Protection of Celestial Fortune, after all.”

He let out a faint laugh, saying it wouldn’t work right now.

“Kubara.”

Derus quickly calmed his emotions and called Kubara in a calm voice.

“Yes.”

Kubara lowered her head, feeling goosebumps rising between her spine.

“Continue to gather information on Raon Zieghart and Light Wind Palace. Where they go, what training they do, everything.”

He gestured, saying that he didn’t care how much money or manpower it took, he wanted her to continue gathering information on Raon.

“Understood.”

Kubara said she would follow his orders and left the study.

Screeeeeak.

After everyone had left, Derus took off his leather gloves. Perhaps because Raon had moved, more blood than usual was pouring from the wound.

“Raon Zieghart.”

Derus Robert twisted his lips, his blue eyes filled with a vast current.

“The day we meet again is not far off.”

* * *

“It really comes at once.”

Raon chuckled after arriving at the Head of House audience chamber he had seen before leaving for Balkan.

There was a reason why Chamber had confidently said she would send them to the Head of House at once. It seemed that space magic had advanced even further.

‘Of course, it’s because Zieghart opened the way.’

In fact, no matter how good the teleportation magic was, they wouldn’t be able to enter this place if barrier magic was set up.

This was only possible now because they had discussed it with the Zieghart Magic Tower in advance.

“Damn fast.”

Martha swallowed hard, saying the dimension gate was so convenient that it was almost scary.

“What the hell is magic?”

She clicked her tongue, saying she couldn’t understand it.

“It’s definitely different from us martial artists.”

Burren shook his head, saying it would only hurt his head to try to understand.

“I kind of understand…”

Runaan blinked, saying that there was a unique flow to magic.

“Don’t lie so blatantly. You’re the most clueless one among us.”

Martha waved her hand, telling her not to talk nonsense.

“It’s true…?”

Runaan nodded calmly, saying she really felt the flow of magic.

“Ugh…”

Krein stretched his arms above his head and let out a groaning sigh.

“Now I can finally rest.”

“I also needed time to organize the supplies I replenished.”

Dorian also smiled, saying he needed to organize the supplies he had obtained in Balkan.

“The meeting is over for now. When is the next mission?”

Trevin approached Raon and asked when the mission to deal with the dragon was.

“When? What are you talking about?”

Raon frowned, looking at the Light Wind Palace swordsmen who had relaxed their posture.

“You heard the conversation with the Head of House a little while ago, didn’t you? He said we have to move right away because we found the dragon.”

He shook his head, saying it wasn’t “when,” but “right now.”

“Huh…?”

“Was that ‘right now’ really right now?”

“Without, without even resting?”

The swordsmen let out a sigh, as if they hadn’t expected to move right away.

“Yes. We’re leaving right now.”

Raon nodded, urging them to leave quickly.

“As expected of the Palace Lord.”

Mark Gorton smiled calmly, as if he had expected it.

“I don’t understand you guys. Don’t you still know our crazy Palace Lord?”

Martha snorted, telling them to wake up.

“Yeah. Right now is right…”

Runaan also nodded, saying she had expected Raon to move right away.

“Everyone, prepare to go to Mirtan Village.”

Raon said he would give them one minute to prepare, raising one finger.

“Huh?”

“Are we going too?”

“Usually, only the Palace Lord and the executives go to gather information.”

The Light Wind Palace swordsmen tilted their heads, confused by the unusual situation.

“Of course, there’s a reason.”

Raon said they would know if they followed him, opening the door to the audience chamber and walking out.

“Of course, he must have a reason.”

“Alright, let’s go quickly.”

“Let’s go…”

Martha, Burren, and Runaan immediately followed Raon as if they would go anywhere.

“Well, something…”

“Feels ominous?”

“Ugh…”

The Light Wind Palace swordsmen felt uneasy at Raon’s smile, which they had shared for over ten years, and left the Head of House with weakened steps.

* * *

Because the entire Light Wind Palace ran with all their might, they were able to arrive at Mirtan Village before sunset.

Clang! Clang!

Raon chuckled, listening to the sound of hammers ringing through the darkening sky.

‘That sound always makes me feel good.’

The heat and the sound of hammers rising from Mirtan strangely calmed his chaotic mind.

The reason he occasionally visited Mirtan under the pretext of seeing Vulcan was also to listen to the sound of the artisans’ hammers.

‘I want to keep listening, but there’s another reason today.’

Raon gestured to the Light Wind Palace swordsmen and ascended the main street of Mirtan Village.

Just as he was feeling the path getting narrower, Vulcan’s workshop at the top of the village came into view.

‘He repaired the broken parts.’

The walls and roof of the workshop were as clean as if they had been newly built. It seemed that Aris had fixed all the broken parts when she obtained the Black Sword.

Knock, knock.

When he knocked on the door of the workshop, Vulcan came out, revealing his blackened face. Judging by his red cheeks, it seemed he had been drinking.

“I heard you were in Balkan, did you already come?”

Vulcan blinked, asking why he had come so quickly.

“Chamber sent us with magic.”

He bowed, saying he was able to return quickly thanks to Chamber.

“It must be an important matter.”

Vulcan lowered his eyebrows, as if he realized that finding the dragon was more important than he had thought.

“Yes, it is.”

Raon nodded and looked inside the workshop.

“Who is the person who knows about that dragon?”

Raon smacked his lips, anticipating who the name would be coming out of Vulcan’s mouth.

“Hmph, judging by your expression, you already know everything. Go meet him yourself.”

Vulcan chuckled and came out of the workshop. Behind him, Borgos, the chief of the Gray Hammer Guild, who had neatly trimmed his beard, waved his hand holding a beer glass.

“It’s me.”

Borgos nodded calmly. As he had expected after receiving the letter, he knew the information about the hidden dragon.

“But it seems you knew it would be me.”

Borgos narrowed his eyes, looking at Raon.

“Yes. There’s no one else in Mirtan Village who would know besides Borgos.”

Raon nodded, saying that Borgos was the only one who would know about the dragon in Mirtan Village.

“Then I can speak right away.”

Borgos looked not only at Raon, but also at the Light Wind Palace swordsmen behind him, and drank his beer.

“As you humans know, dwarves are the most skilled race in craftsmanship. Not only weapons, but also jewels and gold.”

He suddenly boasted about the talents of dwarves and put down his beer glass.

“But that great talent doesn’t always bring only light.”

Borgos looked up at the sky and bit his lip.

“Dragons like shiny things as if they were crows. Most of them just end up taking what others have, but there are some who are extremely vicious.”

He trembled his thick fingers.

“Azure Dragon Desius.”

Borgos brought his trembling hands together and opened his lips.

“He’s an evil dragon who enslaves dwarf tribes and makes them endlessly create the jewels and crafts he wants.”

He swallowed hard, saying that dwarves and humans were being raised like slaves under Desius.

“He considers himself a god.”

Borgos bit his lip, saying that Desius had already given up his role as a mediator.

“What a filthy bastard.”

Burren couldn’t contain his anger and bit his lip until it bled.

“I know, right? There are so many trashy lizards. No, it’s harder to find one that’s normal.”

Martha clenched her fist, saying they were a race even uglier than humans.

“Filthy…”

Runaan lowered her eyebrows deeply, saying her heart felt blackened.

“Enslaving dwarves and humans? We can’t let that bastard go!”

“Yeah! It’s no different from the Black Tower!”

“No, it’s worse! At least the Black Tower bastards were aware that they were doing evil!”

“How can a mediator do such a thing…”

The Light Wind Palace swordsmen also screamed in anger, as if they were furious.

“I’m glad you said that.”

Raon nodded calmly, looking at the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.

“Of course!”

“Even if they’re dragons, enslaving weak races is something that should never happen!”

“We must cut him down!”

The swordsmen clenched their fists, saying they had to fight and save the dwarves and humans.

“Okay. Let’s fight.”

Raon smiled and lightly tapped the Heavenly Drive.

“You guys.”

He said he would step back and crossed his arms.

“Yes?”

“If it’s you guys…”

“S-surely you don’t mean us?”

“That’s right. This Dragon…”

Raon nodded calmly, as if he were going on a picnic.

“You’re the ones who will catch it, not me.”