Chapter 649

“Th-that’s an insult directed at the parents of the vice head of the elders, right?”

“Yes, it sounds very sophisticated, but it’s just an insult to the parents…”

“Is the Light Wind Division really a place for the insane? How come a division leader…?”

The swordsmen finally returned to their senses, swallowing nervously while looking at the magical letters that still hadn’t faded away.

“By the way, isn’t that really well written? It almost looks like a poem or lyrics of a song.”

“Yes, it sounded like a song.”

“The content is engraved in my memory and is never leaving!”

A few swordsmen were gasping, admiring Raon’s writing and Yua’s voice.

“The sense of inferiority in the ignorant is usually expressed towards others, while saints realize their own shortcomings and train their minds!”

“A lowly being laughs at those who are worse off than them, and a noble person shares their knowledge and heart with those who need it!”

The children repeated Raon’s writing as if it were a song, perfectly retaining Yua’s rhythm.

“Stop it!”

“Don’t repeat it, never!”

Their parents rapidly covered their mouths, but the same thing was already happening all around the main building, making it impossible to stop.

“In the end, he is requesting a sword duel, right? This is going to be a huge event…”

“Judging from the vice head’s usual personality, he is never going to accept it. But if he doesn’t accept this sword duel…”

“He will be a wretched son. He will definitely accept it. No, he has no other choice but to accept it!”

“Raon Zieghart, he is such a frightening person…”

The swordsmen’s shoulders trembled as they read the magical words once again.

Rimmer enjoyed their reactions while leaning his back against a wall before he entered the lord’s manor. He kicked open the audience chamber’s heavy door and walked inside.

“Did you see that? Our crazy boy stirred up the hornet’s nest!” Rimmer waved his hand, a bright smile on his face, as if he were being illuminated. “All I did was introduce him to Verbin, but he made a huge mess already!”

He giggled while looking at the magical letters outside the window, despite saying that it was a huge mess.

“Wahahaha!” Roenn laughed loudly, unlike his usual behavior. “I was aware that Young Master Raon wouldn’t stay quiet about it, but I didn’t expect him to plan something like that.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, saying that Raon was surpassing his imagination more and more.

“That’s nice.” Sheryl’s lips curved into a faint smile, as she recited Raon’s words in the sky. “It’s good enough to be a poem. Even though it’s intended to mock his opponent, it’s really well written.” She shook her finger, murmuring that she had immediately memorized it.

“I didn’t think you would say that.” Rimmer tilted his head while looking at Sheryl.

“Why not?”

“Despite how elegant it sounds, in the end, it just means your mo—”

“The vice head of the elders was the first one to involve one of their mothers. We should say that Raon is a gentleman for expressing it in such an elegant way.” Sheryl shrugged her shoulders, saying that she had to admit it.

“Wow, even this stubborn old woman acknowledges it.” Rimmer clapped his hands into the air, praising Raon’s plan.

“Actually, Lady Yua’s power was part of the reason why it spread so widely. Her voice has a magical charm to it that makes you focus on it.” Roenn smiled faintly, showing that he was proud of Yua.

“Yes, it was a smart move in various ways.” Rimmer nodded in agreement. “The Sword Duel is definitely going to take place.”

“Indeed. Despite how slippery the vice head is, he won’t be able to escape after hearing that,” Sheryl chuckled in agreement.

“I’m looking forward to three weeks from now. By the way…”

Rimmer watched the magical words that still remained for a while before he shifted his gaze to the back. Aries was focused on her thoughts in a corner even though he’d expected her to make a huge fuss about it.

“What are you doing? Why are you so quiet even though your beloved nephew is going ham?” Rimmer tilted his head and walked up to Aries.

“About that…” Aries furrowed her brow while looking at the letters in the air. “I was happy at first, but as I continued to read…”

“As you continued to read…?”

“I started to feel guilty.” Her eyes slowly shifted onto the platform.

“......”

As soon as Glenn felt Aries’s gaze, he briskly turned his head and closed his eyes tightly. Rimmer realized that the corners of Glenn’s lips were hanging down even though they should’ve been soaring to the ceiling.

“Huh.” Rimmer unconsciously let out a loud gasp while slowly reading Raon’s letter of challenge.

‘It’s causing a lot of collateral damage…’

* * *

The Gambling Monster entered the Council of Elders with relentless steps.

“Ah!”

“G-Gambling Monster…”

The warriors inside the Council of Elders looked at the Gambling Monster with trembling eyes, wondering if they should stop his sudden visit or not.

“Don’t mind me. I’m going to leave right after delivering a message.”

The Gambling Monster shook his hand towards the warriors, then went into the right corridor in the Council of Elders to stand in front of the vice head’s room.

“N-no! You can’t enter right now—”

“Shut up.”

Krisen stood in his way, telling him that the entry was prohibited, but the Gambling Monster pushed him aside and opened the door to the vice head’s office.

“Hmm!”

The Gambling Monster twisted his lips, examining the interior.

While the vice head’s office wasn’t exactly luxurious, it was usually tidy to the point of fastidiousness, lacking even the slightest speck of dust, but everything inside the room was broken. It was as if a battle had broken out inside.

The blackwood desk was split in half and lying on the ground, all of the bookshelves were broken apart or collapsed, and the decorations looked like they were shattered by a hammer.

“What a huge mess. It’s no different from the annex building you ruined.”

“......”

The vice head of the elders sat on the broken chair and glared at the Gambling Monster.

“This is actually amazing when I think about it. It only took him a single day—no, only a few minutes to turn your office like this, when it took you ten whole days for the same result. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Raon won decisively.”

The Gambling Monster flipped over his thumb, laughing at the vice head of the elders.

“Shut your mouth if you don’t want to die right here.”

The vice head of the elders violently ground his teeth as if he were going to attack him at any moment.

“Wahahaha!” The Gambling Monster burst out into a mocking laughter. “Seeing such a face from a sly old snake like you feels like decade-old frustrations have just melted away!”

“Gambling Monster!”

The vice head of the elders furrowed his brow and was about to stand up when the Gambling Monster shook his head.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t come here just to laugh at you.”

The Gambling Monster took out a document and threw it at the vice head of the elders. The piece of paper flew at him while fluttering into the air, entering the vice head’s grasp.

“The master of the annex building challenged you to a sword duel. It’s a two-on-two boss match between the annex building and the vice head’s faction. The winner of the match will continue to fight.”

“Two-on-two?”

The vice head of the elders wrinkled his nose, showing his surprise at the two-on-two system.

“You bastard, you‘re supposed to be the general administrator of the annex building, even though it was in name only. Are you going to participate?”

“No.” The Gambling Monster calmly shook his head. “I wanted to behead you if I could, but that kid didn’t allow me to.”

“Hmm…” The vice head of the elders narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what the Gambling Monster was thinking.

“Why are you glaring so hard? I never lie, unlike you.” The Gambling Monster shook his hand while twisting his lips. “I’ll say this one more time. It’s a sword duel between the annex building and the vice head’s faction. If you bring someone from elsewhere, you will meet an even more unsightly end.”

“…I know.” The vice head of the elders bit his lip while glaring at the Gambling Monster.

“Kuhuhuhu.”

The Gambling Monster took out a bottle of liquor from his clothes. “What a tasty expression you’re making. I can’t miss a side dish like this.”

He empties the whole bottle while watching the vice head’s distorted expression. “It’s funny that even an old racoon like you is no match against that youngster. Well, I guess you can’t hold yourself back anymore, since you ended up as a lowly and ignorant being who was never taught by his parents.”

“Are you going to keep this up?!”

“I’ll go back now, since I said what I came here to say.”

The Gambling Monster threw the empty bottle onto the ground in the vice head’s office before he turned around.

Whaaam!

After he left, the thunderous noise of the ceiling and floor being destroyed could be heard from the vice head’s room.

“Even the sound is tasty.” The Gambling Monster laughed loudly and brought a second bottle to his mouth.

* * *

“Yua, are you okay?” Sylvia gasped while hugging Yua, who’d returned from the magic tower.

“I’m fine!” Yua energetically shook her head and hugged Sylvia in return.

“Raon! You should’ve asked me instead! How could you make Yua say such a thing…?”

“Yua was the one who said she wanted to do it. And…” Raon shook his head, while patting Yua’s head. “Yua was the only one who could do this task.”

He wasn’t lying. It was because Yua had read the declaration that the lines he’d written were spreading like a song and a poem. It would’ve been far less effective if Sylvia were the one who’d said it.

“But she is still a child…”

“Don’t worry. It contained practically no bad words.”

The meaning was ‘what have your parents even been doing?’ deep down, but Raon had written it as nicely as possible to avoid sullying Yua’s mouth.

“Yua! Good job! I feel so much better now!” Helen burst out in laughter while holding Yua’s shoulder.

“Me too! I couldn’t see that old geezer’s angry face, but just imagining it makes me so happy!”

“I’m finally feeling better. It was so hard to hold back the frustration I felt!”

“I can finally sleep soundly tonight!”

The other maids were also extremely glad about it, unable to remove the smiles from their faces.

“Me, too…”

Even Judiel gave a big nod. The way everyone was rejoicing implied how malicious the vice head of the elders was.

“Honestly, I’m also feeling a bit better. Actually, a lot better.” Sylvia rubbed the back of her head, an awkward smile on her face. “I’m just feeling sorry for Yua.”

“I’m really fine!” Yua shook her head, touching Sylvia’s bruised hand. “I was also seriously angry. I’m glad I could help somehow.”

Yua had looked angry for the first time when she saw the destroyed annex building after she’d returned from the mission. Thanks to that, she gladly accepted Raon’s request, and she went all out during the sound amplification magic to incite everyone’s emotions.

“And you have another job, Mother.”

“A job for me?” Sylvia tilted her head, wondering what he was talking about.

“You know that I was requesting a duel with that announcement, right?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t request for a one-on-one sword duel.” Raon lowered his gaze, watching the magical letters slowly disappear. “It’s a two-on-two boss match. I requested in a way that the victor will continue to fight.”

“Wh-which means…” Sylvia widened her eyes, understanding what Raon was trying to tell her.

“Yes, you will need to be the vanguard, Mother.” Raon nodded indifferently. “Since Krisen and the vice head of the elders should be the ones participating on their side, you should defeat Krisen and also fight the vice head, Mother.”

“Both of them?”

Sylvia’s jaw dropped. Krisen would’ve been fine, but she seemed surprised that she was asked to fight the vice head of the elders.

“You were frustrated, weren’t you? Because you couldn’t do anything to protect the annex building.”

“......”

She didn’t say anything, but she bit her lip in place of an answer.

“I’ll give you the opportunity to vent your anger.” Raon took out the Sword of Ten Forms, the vice head’s martial art as he spoke.

“There are three weeks left until the sword duel. It will be a lot harder than the council’s inspection. The decision is up to you, Mother.” Raon looked into Sylvia’s eyes as he spoke.

Her red eyes slowly started to blaze. The woman who’d shed countless tears countless times and blamed her own weakness was nowhere to be seen. All that was left was a single swordswoman who was wielding her sword in order to protect her family.

Mom is quite talented, too, but she won’t be able to win.

Wrath shook his head, even more saddened after seeing the look in Sylvia’s eyes.

‘That might be true.’

If you know that fact, then why?

‘Even if you are going to lose 999 times out of 1000, there are moments where you still have to fight for yourself.’

Raon nodded while meeting Sylvia’s red eyes.

“It seems I won’t need the answer. Let’s get started right away.”

* * *

The open area at the North Grave Mountain’s entrance looked like it had been bombarded.

“Huff…”

Sylvia exhaled roughly while rolling on the ground where craters were formed.

“Too slow. Instead of moving your body after picturing it with your mind, your body and head need to function at the same time.”

Raon caught up to Sylvia as she withdrew and swung Heavenly Drive downwards. The silver blade diffracted sunlight that fell towards Sylvia’s leg.

It wasn’t the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s technique, nor was it the Fangs of Insanity. It was the Sword of Ten Forms, turning the sword into ten different lights.

“Kuh!”

Sylvia hurriedly executed her footwork. Her withdrawal was fast enough to make her shadow disappear, but Raon’s sword followed her like a magnet.

“The illusion sword and variable sword aren’t the only aspects of the Sword of Ten Forms. It’s extremely fast as well. Your limbs will be cut off before you get used to the illusion sword if you aren’t properly prepared.”

Raon rushed in front of Sylvia and thrust Heavenly Drive’s tip towards her chest.

“Alright!”

Sylvia’s response almost sounded like a shout as she barely managed to fend off the blade piercing towards her solar plexus.

Pssh!

However, the true value of the Sword of Ten Forms was variation and illusion instead of its speed. That was why the blade suddenly multiplied to cut through her skin.

“Haap!”

Even though she was cut by the sword, Sylvia continued to swing her blade as if she were completely unaffected.

“It’s good that you aren’t panicking, but your movement became stiffer.”

Raon took a step into Sylvia’s space as she swung her sword while scattering blood around. He deflected the barrage of attacks with Heavenly Drive and smacked her waist with his left elbow.

Whaack!

Sylvia was knocked out on the dirt with a short scream.

“Kuh…”

“You shouldn’t focus solely on sword techniques just because you’re facing a swordsman. Your opponent is a seasoned racoon. You need to be prepared for all situations.”

“Alright…”

She tightly bit her lip and stood back up like a tumbling doll. Despite her pain and exhaustion, her eyes never wavered.

Her determination to never let the annex building’s family suffer again had turned into a blazing will.

“Then let’s get started again.”

Raon violently kicked the ground. He approached with footwork that turned him blurry like a watercolor painting and unleashed the Sword of Ten Forms’ techniques one after the other.

Whaaam!

The sky and land were full of trajectories of his blade. Countless sword strikes barraged her like a storm.

“Ah…”

Sylvia’s lips trembled as she was unable to read the numerous flows of his blade.

“When you are facing the illusion and variable swords, you need to be the most careful of your own eyes. If the opponent manages to deceive your eyes, it’s all over for you. No matter how painful it is, and even if it feels like your brain is about to burn, you need to continue your analysis until the very end using your aura and perception.”

Raon finished his short advice and swung his blade in a storm of attacks, filling the entire land and sky.

Whaaap!

Sylvia remained immobile. She was simply staring at the trajectory of the Sword of Ten Forms’ special technique, Stormfang Rend.

Pssh!

When the sharp blade started to cut through her skin, her hand advanced at lighting speed. All she did was a single stab. However, her stab was piercing through the center of the Stormfang Rend.

Claaang!

The extremely refined stab erased the trajectories of the sword, filling the entire heaven and earth. Dozens of swords of light faded away like leaves under the rain.

“Haa…”

However, the dying flow of the sword was revived as Sylvia breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Ah!”

The blade soared even faster and brushed past Sylvia as if it were tearing her apart.

“Ack…”

Sylvia fell on her knees while faltering, and Raon shook his head, standing in front of her.

“I told you, your opponent is a seasoned raccoon. Even a special technique like that can be used as a feint.”

Raon looked down on Sylvia coldly.

“Focus until the last moment. You won’t last even ten strikes against the vice head of the elders in your current state.”

“…I understand.”

Sylvia stood up by herself and gripped her sword even though Raon didn’t tell her to stand back up.

Cring!

As soon as Raon and Sylvia met each other’s eyes, they thrust their swords toward each other’s vitals.

Claaang!

With a powerful shockwave, leaves fell down to the ground as if they were terrified by it.

The mother and son continued their training with a similar look in their eyes, moving until the sun set and even after the sun rose again.

The leaves hanging on the trees and bushes fell one after the other whenever the swords clashed.

Their swords came to a halt by the time all the leaves had fallen from the trees, and all three weeks had passed.

The day of the sword duel had arrived.

***

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]