Raon followed Glenn into the clearing near the entrance of North Grave Mountain.
Glenn stood silently in the center of the clearing, looking up at North Grave Mountain. His shoulders seemed to quiver gently in the moonlight, as if lost in thought.
"Head of House."
Raon called out to Glenn first as he approached.
"What do you mean by saying you didn't give me something?"
Glenn had given him not just the Golden Tablet, but also artifacts and elixirs. He had received more than enough, so he wasn't sure what could be lacking.
"Ahem!"
Glenn cleared his throat and turned around. His red eyes held a coldness like the night breeze.
"You didn't stop at saving the elves, but also obtained the ledger to rescue the elves who had already been auctioned off. This will greatly help in maintaining good relations with Sepia in the future. What you've done is too much to be compensated with just artifacts and elixirs."
"Hmm..."
Honestly, he thought saving the elves and obtaining the ledger were in the same category, but there was no reason to refuse an additional reward.
-Damn it all!
Wrath popped out, shaking his plump belly.
-Why the hell is he being so generous! That old geezer's face may be stern, but his heart is soft as down!
He frowned, saying Glenn only looked fierce.
'If you've eaten well, just stay quiet.'
-But I don't want to stay quiet...
'I guess you don't want ice cream then?'
-Gulp!
Raon pushed away Wrath's belly as he clamped his mouth shut, and looked at Glenn.
"How far have you mastered the Azure Sky Sword?"
"I've learned up to the fourth form. Of course, it's not perfect yet."
Thanks to the insights gained while facing the Crimson Flame Demon and Siran, he was able to perform the fourth form of the Azure Sky Sword.
However, he hadn't yet reached the stage of perfectly unfolding the sword's intent.
"As I thought."
Glenn nodded lightly as if he had expected this.
"Come here at this time starting tomorrow."
"Pardon?"
"I'll help with your training for the next two weeks."
He closed his eyes, saying he would give guidance for two weeks as a reward for what Raon had done.
Raon's eyes widened upon hearing this.
'This is an even greater reward than elixirs.'
The perspective of a Master and a Grandmaster are completely different. Having reached Grandmaster, his range of understanding had expanded, allowing him to absorb Glenn's teachings more thoroughly. It was nothing short of a serendipitous encounter.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed his head to Glenn with sincere gratitude.
"Ahem!"
Glenn cleared his throat and shook his head.
"No need to thank me. I'm just giving you a reward for what you've done."
"Even so, I believe the teachings you're offering are a reward far beyond my achievements. I'm truly grateful."
"That's enough."
He waved his hand as if to say no more words were necessary.
"Time is precious, so let's start quickly."
"Understood."
Raon raised his head and headed towards the center of the clearing.
"At least your posture is correct. You always bring your sword when called."
"It's only natural as a swordsman."
As he said "as a swordsman," a small resonance stirred within him.
'A swordsman...'
Now he could naturally call himself a swordsman without thinking. It felt like the darkness of his past life as an assassin was being erased a little more.
"Show me all the sword techniques you've learned."
"Yes."
He calmly answered and drew the Heavenly Drive. He raised the sword upward and then struck down vertically. The wind gathered on the blade cut through the cool night air, drawing a line thinner than a hair on the clearing's ground.
After demonstrating basic swordsmanship, followed by the Fangs of Insanity, Blizzard Sword Art, Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's sword techniques, and even his self-created techniques, he gripped the Heavenly Drive with both hands.
'Now, finally, the Azure Sky Sword.'
He channeled the magnificent aura from his lower dantian and the firmness from his middle dantian, extending it towards the sky. The four forms of the Azure Sky Sword were drawn in succession, painting red and blue flashes across the dim night sky. It spread out like a majestic scene of a comet shooting upwards in reverse.
"Hmm."
Glenn nodded, his expression unchanged from his initial cool demeanor.
"You've improved a little. I can feel the willpower you spoke of before, the determination to never be broken."
To say he had improved only a little after advancing from Master to Grandmaster seemed absurd. However, coming from Glenn, he had no choice but to accept it.
"Thank you."
"However."
Glenn's gaze grew even colder.
"I can see the limits in the sky you're envisioning."
"Limits..."
"I can see your goal in my eyes. Don't aim for just being a martial artist or mastering martial arts, envision the sky you truly desire."
He said this as he took a step closer.
"What is the sky you envision when you draw the Azure Sky Sword?"
"That..."
Raon couldn't answer immediately and licked his lips.
"Don't hesitate, just tell me."
"...It's you, Head of House."
"Hm?"
Glenn's eyes widened in surprise, as if he hadn't expected his own name to come up.
"When you wield the Azure Sky Sword. No, the swordsmanship you showed against the Leader of the White Blood Religion and The Fallen when I was kidnapped - that's the sky I've set for myself."
He told Glenn that he had been thinking of him as the sky for the Azure Sky Sword. Saying it in front of the person himself made him feel a bit embarrassed.
"Ahem!"
Glenn hastily turned his back. His earlobes turned as red as ripe persimmons.
"Well, then there's no helping it."
"Pardon?"
"Don't change your goal, just go a little further."
"But you just said to change..."
"Ahem! It's too early for you to consider infinity! Just swing your sword quickly!"
"...Understood."
Raon tilted his head in confusion but raised the Heavenly Drive.
'The Head of House is quite capricious too.'
-It's because he's going through menopause.
Wrath nodded as if understanding.
* * *
Halfway up North Grave Mountain, on Tiger Rock.
Rimmer, who had become a panda incarnate with dark bruises around both eyes, clicked his tongue briefly.
"He's grinning from ear to ear."
Glenn's smile was so wide it could be called a grin rather than a smile. No joke, his mouth really seemed to reach his ears.
"Well, I can't say I don't understand how he feels."
Having heard that he was the sky for his precious grandson, it was understandable that he would be so happy.
"But..."
Rimmer frowned as he watched Glenn's smile grow even wider.
"Why is he teaching him directly? He could just put him in the Room of Self!"
The Room of Self was a legacy left by the First Patriarch, a special space where martial artists could converse with their own souls. Raon would surely gain enlightenment if he entered, so Rimmer couldn't understand why Glenn was teaching him directly.
"Heh heh heh."
Roenn, standing on the rock, wore a faint smile.
"It seems he wants to teach him personally."
He chuckled as he watched Glenn advising Raon with just his voice, his back turned.
"He wants to spend time with Young Master Raon."
"Then he should show it a bit. Show it!"
Rimmer shook his fist vigorously. Even now, Glenn was smiling with his back turned. If he would just show that smile to Raon, everything would be resolved, but Rimmer couldn't understand why he was acting like this alone.
"Besides, the time one can spend in the Room of Self is limited to a month. He'll probably open the Room of Self around winter."
"So he's planning to make the most of the time."
Rimmer nodded as he watched Raon, who didn't let go of his sword even while sweating.
'That's certainly better.'
The more he grows before entering the Room of Self, the more beneficial it would be.
Entering the Room of Self doesn't guarantee growth in martial arts, but most come out with at least one small enlightenment. Since one can gain more the stronger they become, it was a good method to develop him further before sending him in.
"But..."
Roenn looked at Rimmer with a thin smile.
"It seems you've made a decision as well, Sir Rimmer."
"As expected, you're perceptive."
Rimmer nodded, clutching his empty right shoulder.
"I wanted to set up a gambling den and live an easy life, but seeing Raon, my heart won't cool down."
He laughed, tapping the sword at his waist.
"This ruined life of mine, I intend to use it for Raon and the children."
Rimmer pressed his lips together as he looked at the moon hanging over Raon's head.
"I hope it turns out that way for me too."
Roenn chuckled and stood beside Rimmer.
The two silently watched Raon and Glenn's training for a long time.
* * *
Raon left his room before dawn.
-Yaaaawn!
Wrath yawned widely, rolling his eyes.
-You crazy bastard! Who else but a lunatic would train all night and then go out again at dawn!
He tapped Raon's shoulder, suggesting they should sleep.
'We don't have much time.'
From Grandmaster onwards, even years of training might not be enough to advance from the current position. He must swing his sword with all his might while the opportunity is there.
-You won't die fighting, you'll die training!
'That sounds like a good thing, though?'
-Arrrgh! So infuriating! Every time I look at you... Hm?
Wrath stopped mid-rant and sniffed the air.
-L-look over there!
He pointed with a trembling hand at the tray on the table in front of the entrance.
-It smells delicious! Open the tray lid!
"Hmm..."
When he lifted the silver lid covering the tray, there was a toast with ham, egg, and cheese.
-Ooh! Home really is the best! Mom!
Wrath called out to Sylvia, looking at the still-steaming toast.
'This wasn't made by Mom.'
-Then?
'It's Judiel.'
Sylvia's toast has egg and vegetables, while Judiel's toast has egg, ham, and cheese. This toast was Judiel's handiwork.
'She knows me well now.'
It seemed she had prepared the toast anticipating that he would go out to train immediately.
-She's grown up well and become perceptive. I like it!
Wrath nodded, saying she was a good kid.
'Is that so.'
Raon smiled slightly and took a bite of the toast.
-It's toasted well all the way through! Yes! This is how bread should be! Nadine bread isn't real bread!
Wrath sniffled, seemingly moved by the taste of the toast.
'You're right. It's good.'
Though a simple food, it showed signs of care and effort.
Muttering thanks towards the direction of Judiel's quarters, he left the annex building.
He went straight to the fifth training ground and opened the door, but contrary to his expectations, there were already visitors.
"You're late."
Martha frowned with her arms crossed.
"In the past, you would have been here an hour ago, already swinging your sword."
She snorted, asking if he had become lazy.
"Yeah. You're in no position to scold us for being late."
Burren nodded with a faint smile.
"Kuuu..."
Runaan was nodding off while sitting down. She seemed to be dozing.
"I heard you caused trouble again."
Martha narrowed her eyes as she looked Raon up and down.
"How did you end up saving the elves' country?"
"That's not all, I also heard something about being a Spirit King's brother."
Burren let out a sigh as if he couldn't believe what he was saying.
"Kuuuu..."
Runaan was still dozing.
"I was lucky in many ways."
Raon shrugged as he looked at the three.
"What luck are you talking about!"
Martha shook her head, telling him to stop talking about luck.
"It's true. I couldn't have won alone."
It wasn't a lie, as he would have died at the hands of the Crimson Flame Demon without Siyana's help.
"Is it those masked guys again?"
Martha clenched her fist, remembering Eden.
"But have you gotten stronger again?"
Burren tilted his head as he looked Raon up and down.
"Something about your aura has changed..."
"I ate a fruit from the World Tree."
"A-a fruit from the World Tree?"
"You're insane. Are you really going around eating every elixir on the continent?"
Martha blinked, dumbfounded.
"I've been curious about that, is it tasty?"
Burren licked his lips, curious about the taste of the World Tree's fruit.
"To be honest."
Raon closed his eyes, recalling the taste of the World Tree's fruit.
"It tastes like Nadine bread."
"Bullshit!"
Martha shook her head.
"How is that possible?"
"I can't believe it either. There's no way a fruit from the World Tree would taste like Nadine bread."
Burren also frowned, as if unable to accept it.
"Kuuuu!"
Even while dozing, Runaan shook her head as if to say it didn't make sense.
"It's true though..."
It was the truth, but seeing their expressions, he gave up trying to explain further.
-It's natural that those guys can't accept it.
Wrath nodded calmly.
-Even I, who ate it directly, still can't believe it, so how could they? How could the World Tree be a rubber tree! This is unfair!
With his eyes rolling wildly for the first time in a while, he shouted about burning down the World Tree.
Raon kicked Wrath away and looked at Burren, Martha, and Runaan.
"Forget about the World Tree, what are you all doing here at this hour?"
"What do you mean? We train at this time every day."
Martha shook her head as if to say "what are you talking about?"
"That's right. We've been training at this time every day since you left."
Burren also smiled, saying that training at this time had become routine.
"Kuhuu..."
Runaan exhaled deeply as if to confirm their words.
"Hmm..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Burren, Martha, and Runaan in turn.
'They've definitely all grown stronger.'
While their growth wasn't as dramatic as his own after eating the World Tree's fruit, he could sense they had reached a higher level than before. It seemed they had trained hard while he was in Sepia.
"In the evenings, the Wise Martial Palace master helped us train. We learned a lot there too."
"Master Denier?"
"Yes. Father comes every day, and Aunt has been helping too."
Martha showed an uncharacteristically bright smile, saying that the time learning from Lady Alice was precious.
"It's nothing short of a serendipitous encounter."
"Hmm..."
Raon stroked his chin, thinking of Denier.
'Denier, huh...'
Unlike Alice, Karoon, or Balder, Denier was a person whose true intentions were difficult to discern.
'He has a similar smell to Derus, but it might not be the case.'
So far, he hadn't shown any suspicious behavior or picked any fights. There wasn't enough information to make a judgment about him yet.
'Just in case, maybe I should investigate a bit.'
He thought he should ask Denning Rose to gather information about Denier soon.
'But before that...'
There's something I need to do.
Raon stood before Burren, Martha, and Runaan with a cool smile.
Pop.
Runaan, who had been blowing a small bubble with her nose, blinked awake.
"Raon."
It seemed she had really been dozing until now. Her face showed genuine happiness to see him.
"Let's eat ice cream."
To mention ice cream as soon as she saw him, she was still such a child.
"Sure."
Raon nodded calmly.
"Oh!"
-Ooh!
Naturally, the response came from both Runaan and Wrath.
"Not now, of course. First, we need to see something."
"See?"
"See what?"
Not just Runaan, but Burren also tilted his head in confusion.
"What are you asking? Obviously, we're going to test our skills."
Martha stepped back, placing her hand on her sword hilt.
"Look at his eyes. He's ready to kill! Hurry up and prepare!"
She trembled with excitement, as if she had already decided to fight Raon.
"I don't know about Raon, but we've been training hard."
Runaan approached, her purple eyes wide, saying there was no need to spar.
"Morning training and evening training..."
"We've already told him about that."
Burren sighed and shook his head.
"He's doing this to check on that!"
He understood Raon's intention and drew his sword.
"Ugh..."
Runaan reluctantly drew her Snow Flower, but a cold energy that seemed capable of freezing at a touch emanated from her sword.
Raon smiled faintly as he felt the fierce, sharp, and chilling auras of Martha, Burren, and Runaan respectively. Seeing their sword stances, he felt a strong sense of being home.
"Let's see how much stronger you've become."
He nodded and stepped forward.
"If you can land even one hit on me, I'll give you a break right away."
Raon beckoned to Burren, Runaan, and Martha, telling them to come at him.
"What if we can't land a hit?"
Runaan tilted her head.
"Then we keep fighting."
Raon licked his lips as he looked at the trembling eyes of the three.
"Just say you want to spar all day from the start!"
Burren shouted, as if he couldn't believe it.
"I said you get a break if you land just one hit. It's not that difficult."
Raon shrugged, saying it was an easy task.
"Becoming a Grandmaster has not only improved your skills but your mischief too."
Burren sighed.
"He's back. The Demon King of Training."
Martha bit her lip and raised her sword.
"Fine. Let's show him we haven't been slacking off. Die!"
She charged forward, thrusting her sword, while Burren and Runaan attacked from the left and right, unleashing a flurry of sword strikes.
"Let's play."
Raon's lips curled into a smile as he watched the brilliant sword attacks of the three squad leaders.
"All day long."
-Sigh...
Wrath shook his head.
-Isn't this guy really a pervert?
* * *
Kwaaaaa!
A blue radiance rises over the dark sky. A spectacular scene unfolds as if a massive hole has been punched in the center of the heavens.
Glenn nodded as he observed the sky-like formation.
"Is this the fifth time? Not bad for two weeks."
"It's thanks to you, Head of House."
Raon bowed his head to Glenn.
"As you know, it's far from perfect. You've only grasped the framework, so strive to perfect it by pushing yourself."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Then I'll be going now."
Glenn nodded as if he had finished all his tasks and turned his back.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed to Glenn's back. When he raised his head again, Glenn had already disappeared.
'He's like the wind.'
Glenn really came at exactly the set time, watched over his training for just two hours, and then vanished suddenly. Sometimes he felt like a ghost.
'Still, it was a rewarding time.'
Training with the Light Wind division from dawn to evening, and then with Glenn from night, he could feel his skills growing rapidly. It had been a valuable two weeks.
'Now that it's over, I feel a bit regretful.'
While receiving Glenn's teachings had been burdensome, now that it was over, he felt a little disappointed.
'I wonder if he'll train me again if I achieve something noteworthy.'
While thinking such unreasonable thoughts, he headed back to the annex building when he heard a small sound from the entrance. Opening the door, he found Sylvia placing toast on the table in front of the door.
"Mother?"
"Perfect timing!"
Sylvia held out the toast she had placed on the table, saying he came at a good time.
"If you've been training until this hour, you should eat well!"
-As expected, only mom cares!
Wrath rushed towards Sylvia with his arms spread wide.
'Move.'
Raon kicked Wrath away and shook his head.
"I'm eating well. You don't have to go to such trouble."
"How is a mother taking care of her son troublesome?"
Sylvia shook her head, saying it was fine.
"Thank you."
Raon accepted the toast with a faint smile. It was a healthy toast with eggs and vegetables.
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Judiel much lately."
He asked while taking a bite of the toast. Judiel hadn't been seen since giving him toast on the first day. Even considering that he left at dawn and returned at dawn, it was strange.
"Judiel took a vacation."
"A vacation?"
"Yes. She asked me not to tell you, worried you might be concerned. She'll be back next week."
Sylvia shook her head, saying Judiel wasn't in the annex.
"I see."
Raon nodded calmly, as if it were nothing unusual.
"Don't overdo it, and take care of your health."
Sylvia told him to finish the toast and returned to her room.
Raon put down the toast he was eating and headed not to his own room, but to Judiel's quarters.
-Hm? Where are you going in the middle of eating! Didn't they say she went on vacation!
'Judiel is like my retainer. If she didn't tell me about her vacation, it means something's not right.'
He forcibly twisted the locked doorknob and entered.
The room was exceptionally sparse. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it an empty room.
However, rather than looking like someone had packed up and left, it seemed the room had always been this way.
While looking around the seemingly empty room, he pulled out a brown piece of paper sticking out from the drawer of an old desk.
Raon's eyes narrowed fiercely as he unfolded the paper.
"This is..."