"Whew..."
Karoon sighed in irritation as he left the audience chamber. His already sharp gaze seemed even colder as he furrowed his brows deeply.
"Your expression looks like you're about to kill someone."
Balder approached Karoon with a sneer.
"Do you hate Raon that much?"
"Hate? Such trivial emotions are unimportant."
Without turning his gaze to Balder, Karoon muttered.
"Have you ever seen Father praise someone like today?"
"Hmm..."
Balder stroked his chin thoughtfully before shaking his head.
"No, he's not particularly stingy with compliments, but he's never openly praised someone like that."
"Exactly. Neither the children nor we have ever received such praise. Even when I became a Palace Master, he only said 'well done.'"
Karoon's eyes lifted slightly as if recalling old memories.
"The father of today is different from the father of back then, and this matter is extraordinary by anyone's standards. Raon crushed a plan that Eden had built over decades!"
Balder, simple-minded as always, waved his hand, saying they should just praise what was done well.
"You're carefree. Do you remember what I said before?"
"Hmm..."
Balder tilted his head as if he couldn't recall Karoon's words.
"I said that Father seems to be considering making Raon Zieghart the successor."
"Ah!"
"Today confirmed it. Father intends to make Raon our competitor."
Karoon spoke with conviction, unlike before.
"That boy just turned twenty! How can he be our competitor!"
"Age is not important. What matters is whether he can do it or not. Raon Zieghart has already accumulated sufficient achievements and martial prowess."
"But he's still just a Master..."
"His hand is already beyond the wall. It wouldn't be strange if he became a Grandmaster tomorrow."
For the first time, Karoon turned his gaze to Balder as he spoke.
"If you continue to be complacent and foolish, you'll be the first to be caught. Just as your son was devoured by Raon."
Karoon narrowed his eyes, recalling the story of how Raon had defeated Raiden during his training days.
"Are you comparing me to Raiden now?"
Balder grimaced, thinking of his ruined son.
"Besides, he's not even a direct descendant yet!"
"That's only a matter of time. For now, we can suppress him with our opposition, but if he achieves a feat like defeating the Thespian Emperor next year, nothing can stop him."
"The Thespian Emperor..."
"This time, you've been given some power. If you don't want to be caught by that colt, you'd better check him in advance."
With those final words, Karoon walked towards the True Martial Palace without looking back.
"Haa..."
Balder placed his hands on his waist and let out a frustrated sigh.
"He always thinks he's so great."
As he glared at Karoon, Denier quietly approached from behind.
"Big brother has always been like that. Why are you so surprised?"
Denier stood to Balder's right, smiling.
"You heard? Even though I put up an aura barrier?"
Balder frowned at Denier.
"I was curious about what you were talking about, so I eavesdropped a bit. You should've known."
Denier waved at the departing Karoon.
"I don't think you need to worry too much."
"What?"
"I agree with you. Father praised Raon excessively because of his remarkable achievements."
Denier leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.
"You've always worried about trivial things. It's absurd to think our nephew Raon would become the successor."
"Hmm..."
"Of course, no one is flawless, but checking him too much feels wrong."
He left, saying they could scrutinize the Wise Martial Palace instead.
"Flaws..."
Balder licked his lips as he watched Denier's back. Denier's calm words stirred more unease about Raon than Karoon's warnings.
"Maybe I should probe a little."
Raon headed to a small conference room inside the Lord's Manor at Rokan Sullion's request.
"Light Wind vice division leader."
As soon as he opened the conference room door, Rokan bowed deeply.
"Thank you. All I can say is thank you."
"Lord?"
Raon blinked rapidly and held Rokan's shoulders.
He had expected thanks, but not such a grand gesture, as if Rokan were addressing Glenn.
"Thank you for saving Runaan."
Rokan continued, bowing his waist and head.
"I wouldn't have minded dying. No, I deserved to die. But I desperately wanted to save her, and you made it happen. Thank you."
He trembled as if relieved that Runaan had survived, more than he and his wife.
"I feel the same."
Clara stepped beside Rokan and bowed her head.
"Thank you for saving our daughter."
"She is not only your daughter but also my subordinate. You don't need to thank me."
Raon shook his head as he looked at Rokan and Clara.
"Indeed..."
Rokan lifted his gaze and nodded.
"Runaan said you would say that."
He chuckled bitterly and slapped his cheek.
"I don't know what I've been seeing all this time. I was truly blind."
Rokan bit his lip and then, as if making a decision, knelt on one knee.
"Lord?"
"From today on, I will honor you as a benefactor of the Sullion family. No matter what you ask, I will dedicate everything to fulfilling it."
He placed his hand on his chest, showing the oath of a Zieghart swordsman.
Raon trembled at Rokan's sunken eyes.
'Is he serious?'
Saying he would obey any request was akin to becoming a vassal of Zieghart, a declaration not easily made by a head of house.
"Lord, it's not my place to say, but please reconsider..."
"As of yesterday, Clara, Runaan, and I are like newly born. You saved our lives, so it's only natural."
Rokan shook his head, saying he wanted to do even more.
"It's not just us but everyone left in the Sullion family who feels the same. Please don't feel burdened."
Clara smiled, holding Rokan's arm.
Grr! Boring! Just ask for a delicious meal!
Wrath gnashed his teeth, grumbling in hunger.
"Understood."
Raon bowed his head to Rokan and Clara.
"I will humbly accept the will of the Sullion family."
Too much refusal would be rude, so he accepted their thanks.
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
Rokan and Clara finally raised their heads.
They sat back in their chairs, seemingly exhausted.
Recalling their painful ordeal, they looked ten years older.
"Then I'll take my leave."
Feeling they needed time, Raon quietly closed the door and stepped outside.
Just as he was about to head back to the annex building, he met eyes with someone leaning against the wall.
"Runaan?"
Runaan stepped away from the wall and approached.
"I knew everything said in there..."
"Dad told me, so I knew too."
She nodded as if she knew everything.
"Hmm..."
Raon awkwardly scratched his cheek and looked up.
"Is everything okay with the family? Can I help?"
With only a day since the incident, Runaan and her parents must be struggling. He wanted to help if he could.
"It's okay."
Runaan shook her head calmly.
"You've done all you could."
Her eyes still shone, but her demeanor had changed.
She understood it was something she had to do herself.
"Alright..."
Raon smiled faintly and took out a gray box from his spatial pouch. It was ice cream he had forced Wrath to buy that morning.
"This is..."
"We still have a dinner promise. For now, bear with this."
"Okay."
Runaan nodded with unusual cheer.
"See you."
Raon patted her shoulder and left the Lord's Manor.
Hmm...
Wrath rubbed his reddened nose, glancing back at Runaan.
She's grown. Ice cream girl!
'I thought she was crying over ice cream, but that wasn't it.'
Raon chuckled at Wrath's sniffling.
How dare you think of me like that! Do you think I'd care about food in such a situation!
'Sorry. I misspoke.'
But did you give her mint chocolate? That would be a waste...
'...'
A week later.
"Haa..."
Burren sighed as he placed crumpled documents on the desk.
"Will this be of any use? I feel like they'll find fault no matter what."
He frowned, convinced that Special Inspector Balder would forcefully nitpick.
"Still, we must do it."
Raon shook his head, reviewing the documents Burren had brought.
"Baseless accusations are just annoying, but if they find real issues, it'll be troublesome."
"That man would latch onto even trivial issues."
Burren pounded the desk, frustrated.
"I know. Very well."
Balder, with his absolute power as Special Inspector, was causing chaos within the family.
He was tirelessly nitpicking every small detail, causing endless complaints among martial and intelligence groups like the Light Wind division and Shadow Agents.
'His diligence, despite his ignorance, makes it worse.'
Balder was the worst type of boss, ignorant but hardworking, causing Zieghart to be on high alert.
"Besides, the True Martial Palace Master dislikes you."
"That's right. I ruined his son."
Raon placed his pen down after signing the documents.
Recently, Balder had kept silent in the Lord's Manor and even sided with Raon sometimes, but that was due to his simple-mindedness.
He would never forget the grudge of his ruined son.
"But Raiden started the trouble first."
Burren furrowed his brows, finding the situation absurd.
"To him, such details don't matter."
"That's true."
"Let's get to work. With Martha and Runaan gone, it's just you and me."
Raon sighed, looking at the pile of documents on the desk.
Hmm?
Wrath tilted his head, looking at the messy desk.
You've been away for a while, and you were on leave when you returned.
'True.'
So why is there so much paperwork?
'Because the owner here didn't work.'
Raon pointed to the Light Wind division leader's nameplate on the desk with a twisted smile.
Truly impressive...
Wrath shook his head in genuine admiration.
"Ugh! That hateful man!"
Burren also slammed the desk, infuriated by Rimmer.
"He openly declared he was running away. It's even more infuriating!"
As Burren ground his teeth, recalling Rimmer's announcement of his escape yesterday, the door opened, and Dorian rushed in.
"Big, big trouble! The Special Inspector is on his way here!"
Dorian trembled, his forehead wrapped in bandages.
"Already?"
Raon's eyes widened. The sun had just risen, yet Balder was already coming. His diligence was real.
"What do we do! We haven't finished organizing!"
"Just shove everything in and come out."
Raon brushed his hands and stepped out of the office.
"You're coming too quickly."
"I heard Iron Wall Division was completely wrecked yesterday."
"Iron Wall? They have many direct descendants."
"Then we'll be hit even harder..."
The Light Wind division members sighed deeply, worried about the impending ordeal.
"..."
The only one standing calmly was Mark Goetun.
Bam!
As Raon stood in front of the Light Wind division, the training ground door swung open with a loud noise.
Behind the creaking door stood Balder.
He wore a new dark red uniform, which was so tight that his shoulders and legs seemed ready to burst.
The golden letters "Special Inspector" gleamed on the armband on his left arm, as if he was eager to flaunt his status.
"Ahem!"
Balder approached the Light Wind division with heavy steps, lifting his chin.
Already a large man, he looked like an ogre with his head held high.
Raon clicked his tongue briefly and stepped forward, bowing to Balder.
"Greetings, Special Inspector."
He emphasized "Special Inspector," and Balder's lips curled up.
It was a victorious expression. He was simpler than expected. If handled well, they might get through this without much trouble.
"Where is the Light Wind division leader?"
Balder's gaze swept over, searching for Rimmer.
"He's in personal training."
Not knowing Rimmer's whereabouts, Raon said he was in personal training.
"Personal training?"
Balder's gaze narrowed.
"All the members are here, but the leader is training alone? The division leader?"
"From dawn till morning, it's personal maintenance time, so..."
"Even during personal maintenance, a leader should oversee his members!"
Balder raised his voice, as if he had found a fault.
"Hmm!"
An old man with a goatee, seemingly part of the inspection team, began writing in a book. It looked like a demerit was being recorded.
"A leader who leaves his members to train alone is suspicious."
"The leader joins training in the afternoon. Some divisions don't have morning training..."
"What does that matter! The problem is that the leader is absent now!"
Balder dismissed Raon's argument, waving his hand and inspecting the sand on the training ground.
"Hmm? Why are there so many pebbles in the sand? Is it not properly maintained?"
"This is the finest sand from the south. There can't be many pebbles..."
"Here it is!"
Balder pointed at a tiny pebble among the sand grains, frowning.
"Whew..."
Raon sighed, watching Balder shout like he was spitting fire.
'As expected.'
As Burren predicted, Balder was forcefully nitpicking from the start. He seemed intent on repaying past humiliations.
"What if a warrior gets injured because of improper maintenance? It seems the leader and members are distracted!"
Balder glared at the Light Wind division members one by one.
"Ugh..."
The members shuddered and stepped back, intimidated by Balder's aura.
"You!"
Balder approached Dorian, who was trembling the most, and glared at him.
"Why are you shaking? You're sweating like a pig even though I haven't done anything."
"I-I sweat a lot normally..."
Dorian swallowed hard and replied.
"A guilty conscience feels the sting. This guy should be interrogated..."
"Special Inspector."
Raon stepped in front of Dorian and shook his head.
"He was injured protecting the Sullion family during the attack. He's sweating because his wounds haven't healed."
"Is that so?"
Balder, considering the event significant, scratched his nose and lifted his chin.
"Even so, I can't leave anything suspicious! Put him on the special interrogation list!"
He shook his head, saying there were no exceptions.
'This won't be easy.'
Raon frowned. Balder, as the authority, was being irrational and forceful, making him difficult to deal with.
Truly ignorant, irrational, and tyrannical.
'I understand the Thespian Emperor's frustration.'
Raon marveled at her patience, enduring his nonsense.
"Hmm!"
Balder passed Dorian and approached the combat dolls at the training ground's edge.
"Why are these dolls so dirty? They're covered in dust from poor maintenance!"
He dusted the dolls, having touched the sandy ground earlier, and shouted about the dirt.
"Mishandling the sacred training ground like this! The responsible person should come forward! Who's the idiot treating the training ground like this!"
Balder stomped, throwing the dolls around.
'If it's like this, there's no choice.'
As Raon clicked his tongue and prepared to approach Balder, a massive old man rushed forward and smacked the back of Balder's head.
Smack!
Balder, not expecting anyone to hit him, took the blow head-on. The sound echoed through the training ground like a watermelon bursting.
"What, what's this!"
"He hit the back of his head..."
"What on earth..."
A stunned silence fell over the training ground. Both the Light Wind division and the inspectors were left with their mouths agape.
"Do, Gambling Monster?"
Raon recognized the man who struck Balder as the Gambling Monster, blinking in surprise. He couldn't understand why Gambling Monster had acted so suddenly.
"Who's the bastard!"
Balder, releasing a deadly aura, turned to see Gambling Monster frowning at him.
"It's me, you bastard."
"Instructor... No, Sir Harian!"
Everyone thought Balder would explode, but he hesitated, his eyes trembling as he faced Gambling Monster.
"What brings you here..."
"You called for the person in charge, so I came. What do you want to say?"
Gambling Monster gestured for him to speak.
"Hmm..."
Balder retreated. He clearly felt uncomfortable around Gambling Monster, struggling to find words.
"I am the Special Inspector. Treat me with the respect due to my position."
"Ah, I see. The Inspector. Then let me speak again."
Gambling Monster, feigning politeness, nodded and smacked Balder's forehead.
"It's me, you bastard."