Chapter 645

The Royal Capitol

A Small Pub

Even in broad daylight, the pub was bursting with people enjoying drinks and food.

“Hey, have you heard of the Blade’s Rest?” A magician wearing a brown robe narrowed his eyes while putting down a glass. 

“Blade’s Rest? I’ve never heard of it,” the knight sitting on the opposite side replied as he casually shook his head.

“Seriously, you’re so late in getting news.”

“It would be strange if I knew the news inside the capital since I’ve been on the front lines until yesterday.”

“It’s not about the capital. It’s related to the Sword and Saber Sovereign’s grave.”

“The Sword and Saber Sovereign’s grave?”

“You don’t even know that the Sword and Saber Sovereign’s grave was found?”

“Of course I know!” The knight wrinkled his nose, shouting at him and telling him not to underestimate him.

“Apparently, the Sword and Saber Sovereign was actually from Zieghart instead of being neutral. His grave was found on Zieghart’s land, too.”

The magician in a brown robe leaned forward and revealed the secret about the Sword and Saber Sovereign’s grave. The pub suddenly fell quiet despite how noisy it used to be in order to listen to him.

“R-really?” The knight briskly stood up in disbelief.

“It can’t be wrong. Everyone who managed to survive the grave is saying the exact same thing.”

“Then the Sword and Saber Sovereign’s legacy…”

“The Light Wind Division leader, Raon Zieghart, got it. It must be his ancestor’s consideration.” The magician in a brown robe rapidly nodded his head.

“Huh, I can’t even imagine how much stronger he’s going to get with the Sword and Saber Sovereign’s legacy. He’s already a monster…” The knight even started to stutter, jealous of Raon.

“Yes. The monster has gained wings at this point.”

“But what is the Blade’s Rest that you mentioned in the beginning? Is it related to Raon Zieghart?”

“You are finally getting it. Yes, it is.” The magician raised his voice, noticing that the entire pub was focusing on him. “You must’ve guessed it already, but not everyone who wanted the Sword and Saber Sovereign’s legacy entered the grave. A large number of them formed an alliance and waited outside the grave. They were planning to attack the ones who brought out the legacy.”

“They were acting like hyenas.” The knight furrowed his brow, calling it unsightly behavior.

“Yes. Since they should’ve been exhausted and injured, they were trying to take advantage of it. However…” The brown-robed magician pressed down hips. “They failed to take the ‘monster obsessed with heads’ into consideration.”

“M-monster obsessed with heads?”

“It’s Raon Zieghart. Apparently, after he emerged from the grave, he made a declaration before he was attacked. He stated that the place belonged to Zieghart from that moment on, and he told them to put down their weapons or disappear.”

“S-so what happened after that?”

The hand holding the knight’s cup was shaking in excitement. The others inside the pub were also fully focused on his story. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard.

“Ten seconds later, Raon Zieghart went after all of the warriors and magicians there with nothing but a scabbard in hand. He broke all their heads, each and every one of them.”

“H-heads?”

“There were hundreds of warriors in total, but he only broke their heads. He didn’t kill a single one. It’s truly terrifying…”

The brown-robed magician’s shoulders trembled in fear.

“In the end, people tried to run away while throwing away their weapons, but they still ended up with broken heads. That’s why there’s a red mountain in front of the Sword and Saber Sovereign’s grave now. It’s made from the abandoned weapons and the blood that gushed from their heads.”

“So that’s why he is a monster obsessed with heads…”

“Correct. To pay respect to his fearful performance of breaking hundreds of people’s heads on his own, and his consideration of not killing anyone in the process, people call that land the Blade’s Rest—the Zieghart sanctuary where you have to disarm yourself.”

He shook his head, saying that Raon was frightening and respectful at the same time.

“Haa, it’s difficult to believe. How could he beat up hundreds of warriors with just a scabbard…?”

“He didn’t beat them up. He broke their heads.”

“I mean, heads or whatever, I can’t really believe it.”

The knight furrowed his brow, saying that he couldn’t understand.

“If he obtained the legacy inside the Sword and Saber Sovereign’s grave, he must’ve fought against the Five Demons or the other factions. How could he defeat hundreds of people after that?”

“He didn’t defeat them. He broke their heads!”

“Yes, heads! I can’t believe that he broke their heads!”

“The proof is over there.”

The brown-robed magician raised his finger and pointed to the right. Everyone inside the pub, including the knight, shifted their gazes that way.

“Ehehehe…”

“Hehehehe…”

A swordsman and a magician were laughing eerily, their heads wrapped in bandages.

“Those are the warriors who survived that hell. They are still in that state even after they returned because their heads are broken. According to the healer, it will take at least half a year for them to recover.”

“D-does that even count as surviving?”

The knight’s jaw dropped as he observed the two, who seemed to be out of their minds.

“They are alive, at least.”

The brown-robed magician calmly shook his head.

“Blade’s Rest…”

The knight swallowed nervously, stroking his almost-bald head.

“I shouldn’t even look that way when I take a piss…”

* * *

“…That’s how the rumor is spreading.” Chamber smiled cheerfully and shook her hand.

Raon closed his eyes tightly.

‘A monster obsessed with heads…? The rumor is far too strange.'

An unexpected rumor was spreading even though all he’d done was quickly take care of a threat, preventing the Light Wind Division from being harmed while testing his improved strength in the process.

However, the rumor wasn’t completely bad for him. After all, the rumor suggested that there were many people who acknowledged the region as Zieghart’s land.

The head-breaking world! It wasn’t a head in that sense, but a head in this sense. Cough! Cough!

Wrath tapped on his own head and started to cough.

‘You keep coughing whenever you speak. Just be quiet.’

Raon shoved Wrath into the bracelet and looked at Chamber.

“By the way, how are you hearing the rumors even though you’re with me right now?”

“Did you think an archmage wouldn’t be able to do that?” Chamber put the lollipop in her mouth, saying that he shouldn’t underestimate magicians.

“Actually, I didn’t completely believe what you said.” Her eyes sparkled bewitchingly. The friendly magician from a moment ago was no longer there. “I’ve confirmed whether you were telling the truth or not by combining the rumors outside, and it seems pretty close.”

As Raon heard those words, the atmosphere around Chamber became lighthearted again, as if she’d become a small child.

Raon bit his lip.

‘What a frightening person…’

She was comparing his story with the rumors in her mind while smiling on the outside. She couldn’t be judged by her appearance. Raon couldn’t help thinking that she really was part of the Six Kings.

“So, did you really break their heads?”

“…I did, but I didn’t expect the rumors to spread so quickly.”

He wasn’t expecting the rumor to move faster than him—after all, he’d been moving rather quickly.

“Rumors are usually faster than feet. They’re likely spreading throughout the continent instead of just the royal capital. It must be easy to take over that region.” Chamber cheerfully clapped her hands to congratulate him.

“Rather than that, it’s amazing that you didn’t kill a single one. You have the right mindset, one that someone with power should have.” King Lecross nodded, praising his action.

“No, since it was obvious what they were thinking, he should’ve cut off their heads instead of breaking their heads.” Chamber lowered her eyebrows in displeasure.

“I didn’t want to shed any more blood because of what happened with Sir Kuzan and Barphil,” Raon explained.

“Hmm, I see.” King Lecross nodded, showing that he could understand his feelings.

“But isn’t it even more frightening to break their heads and turn them into idiots?” Chamber tilted her head, putting a finger on her chin.

“…I have something else to show you.” Raon immediately changed the topic because he didn’t know what to say.

“Something to show us?”

“It looks like you’re changing the topic, but whatever.”

Chamber nodded with a cheerful smile on her face.

“It’s this.” Raon took out the scabbard piece incorporating Umbral Surge. The piece was still dark.

“Is it a shard of a pot?”

“I can feel an extremely gloomy energy from it.”

Unlike Lecross, who was on the other side of the dimension gate, Chamber narrowed her eyes as soon as she saw the piece.

“After I defeated the warriors around the grave…” Raon told them about how he was assaulted by Derus.

“Are you telling me that this dark energy is the attacker’s aura?”

“Yes. I believe they are the leader of the faction who planned this incident.”

Heavenly Drive’s scabbard was personally forged by Vulcan, a Continent’s Blacksmith. Since it was capable of keeping aura inside, Raon could confine the Umbral Surge used by Derus for a short time.

“Wait, this energy inside the piece—is it death?” Chamber bit her lip while touching the scabbard piece.

“Yes. The one who fired it was at least a Transcender. According to Lady Aries, they could even reach our head of house’s level.”

“Did that pirate girl really say that?”

“Yes.”

“If it’s her, then it’s not a delusion…” She rubbed her lips, expressing her surprise. “This is certainly valuable information. Thank you.”

Chamber nodded with serenity in her eyes.

“I’d like to see it too.” Lecross licked his lips while looking at the scabbard.

“I’ll send you over there since I’ve already memorized it.” Chamber snapped her fingers, and the scabbard she was holding was teleported into Lecross’s hand.

“Huh…” Lecross gasped while looking at the scabbard. “Death really is dwelling inside. How could such energy even exist…?”

His blue eyes widened in surprise.

However, Raon was surprised for a different reason.

‘Was it that simple to cast a teleportation spell?’

Balkar and Owen were a significant distance apart. She’d already sent the sword a moment ago and now she sent the scabbard piece away with a single finger.

Even though Chamber was an archmage, he hadn’t expected that she could freely use a teleportation spell like that.

“Don’t be so surprised.” Chamber smiled faintly, showing that she could understand Raon’s question. “It’s because this room and his room are connected by a small dimensional line.”

“A dimensional line?” Raon looked at Lecross, and he nodded in acknowledgment. “You‘re even closer than I thought.”

“She was my teacher.”

“Teacher?”

“Yes. She gave me culture lectures after I turned five years old. She even lied about her status to be hired.” A faint smile surfaced on Lecross’s face as he reminisced about the past.

“Why are you even talking about the past now?” Chamber expressed her displeasure while pressing her hat lower.

Raon blinked.

‘Five years old? Culture lectures?’

Lecross looked like a middle-aged man, but he was actually an old man, similar to Glenn in age. If she gave culture lessons when he was five, Chamber’s age was far above his expectations.

“Lady Chamber, then how old are—”

Raon’s lips moved before he knew it, unable to withstand the curiosity.

Tick!

At that moment, Raon’s vision was lost.

* * *

“Hmm…”

Raon lifted his trembling eyelids. He could see an unfamiliar ceiling. The geometric pattern engraved on it looked like constellations.

‘Where am I…?’

Seriously!

Wrath shoved his frowning face against him.

Your mouth is always the issue!

‘My mouth? What did I do?’

Raon furrowed his brow while rubbing his temple.

Haa! Whatever!

Wrath shook his hand, saying that Raon was no good.

“You woke up.”

It was Aries. Raon looked to the right, where she was smiling at him from a sofa.

“What did you even tell that witch? I’ve never seen her frown so much before.”

“Ah…”

Raon finally remembered upon hearing that she was frowning. He’d started to talk about her age and his vision had gone dark afterwards.

“I asked Lady Chamber about her age.”

“Ah! That’s why!” Aries couldn’t suppress her urge and burst out in laughter. “Aah, it’s understandable. Actually, that witch is hund—”

When she was trying to tell him her age, the ceiling suddenly became distorted and lightning struck down from nowhere.

Whaam!

Aries looked up to the ceiling, which was shaking like it was about to collapse, and quickly shook her head.

“Let’s stop talking about this.” She furtively shook her hand. “So, what did the witch—I mean, Lady Chamber say?”

“They both thanked me instead,” Raon sighed while lifting his upper body. “I don’t really get why I was thanked even though I was saved by them.”

“It’s only natural.” Rimmer shook his head while opening the door to enter the room. “Kuzan and Barphil sacrificed their lives to save you, and you honored their wishes by defeating the perpetrator and rescuing the others. They thanked you for ensuring that their sacrifice wasn’t in vain.”

He continued with an unusually serious gaze, “That’s the mindset you should have as part of the Six Kings. You should take this opportunity and learn from them.”

“…Understood.”

It was rare for Rimmer to advise him like that. Raon engraved King Lecross and Chamber’s gazes and voices in his heart once again.

“Take this.” Aries threw the dark scabbard piece at him. “They both said that they’ve confirmed it and are going to help with the investigation.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Raon accepted the scabbard piece and carefully put it in his inner pocket.

‘It’s all over now.’

Announcing Kuzan and Barphil’s deaths wasn’t the only reason why he’d come to Balkar. Notifying Chamber and King Lecross about Derus’s Umbral Surge was another objective, and it was completed.

“So, what are you going to do now?” Rimmer tilted his chin with arms crossed.

“We should return to Zieghart.”

Cough! Cough!

“However…” Raon smiled faintly while listening to Wrath’s coughing sound. “I’ll have a mint chocolate ice cream before going back.”

Ooh!

Wrath shouted and popped out from the bracelet.

The coughing suddenly stopped when you said that we were having mint chocolate! Mint chocolate is truly amazing!

‘We don't need to eat it anymore if you stopped coughing…’

Cough! Cough! Kieeeh!

Wrath started to roar like a beast. It almost sounded like he was bleeding from his throat.

‘…I’m going to eat it, so please stop now.’

* * *

A group of people wearing black outfits were standing in front of Zieghart’s annex building.

“The garden became wider. Wait, did they even build on an extension?”

The blond middle-aged man standing at the front of the group sneered while observing the building and the garden.

“I think we can start with that one, vice head of the elders.”

He lowered his head towards the white-haired old man standing to his right side.

“Stop being stupid, Krisen.”

“The garden’s size has always been the same, and the annex building’s extension was allowed by the head of house. It could come back to bite us instead if we attack them for no reason. It looks like you didn’t properly investigate them.”

“I-Im’ sorry.” Krisen lowered his head, putting his hand on the back of his head.

“I thought they were just sitting ducks without Raon Zieghart around…”

“Tsk.”

The vice head of the elders briefly clicked his tongue.

“You should be careful. Look at how Karoon ended up after trying to suppress those mongrel collaterals. This is the only place we can use to take control of Raon Zieghart’s leash.”

“But I’m not too sure if it’s really going to work…” Krisen sighed, expressing his worries.

“Do you know how to neutralize a lion that is as large as a mountain?”

“Hmm, about that…”

“You can completely immobilize it by rushing in from behind and gripping its neck firmly. That’s because a lion never forgets the memory of its mother biting its neck during its childhood.” The vice head of the elders twisted his lips. “We need to place a collar around Sylvia’s neck to take hold of Raon Zieghart’s leash.”

He glared at the annex building, his gaze full of hatred.

“I’d rather die than see a runaway who crawled out of Zieghart on her own and a mutt of unknown lineage stand at the core of Zieghart."

“I agree.” Krisen nodded, saying that he could never accept that either.

“Then keep your head straight and follow me.”

The vice head of the elders walked towards the annex building, lifting his cold gaze. Krisen and the warriors from the council of elders followed him.

Fzzt.

They trampled upon the flowers in the garden instead of using the path and reached the front of the annex building.

“Ahem.”

The vice head of the elders signaled with his eyes, and Krisen stepped forward while clearing his throat.

“The council of Elders has arrived! Everyone in the annex building, come outside!”

He started by shouting in order to scare them, but his voice disappeared before it even reached the annex building.

Whir.

The annex building’s door quietly opened, and a swordswoman with hair like golden sunlight wearing a white martial uniform came walking out.

“Hmm…”

The vice head of the elders bit his lip upon meeting the swordswoman’s serene red eyes.

‘Is she really that Sylvia?’

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Writing Ant, 글개미]

[Translator – Kyangi]

[Proofreader – Harley]