“Balder Zieghart.”
“Keuh…”
Balder bit his lip and stood up. He looked irritated, but he didn’t seem flustered.
‘So, he was aware of it.’
Raon nodded, looking at the grunting Balder. Since he had noticed what Balder had done, there was no way Glenn wouldn’t have realized it.
“Answer, Balder Zieghart.”
“Yes…”
“A Sword Duel is Zieghart’s tradition and honor, passed down for a thousand years. Are you looking down on me so much that you thought you were allowed to dirty it with your petty trick?”
Glenn’s voice had become softer, but his pressure soared like an explosion.
Rumble!
It felt like there was an earthquake as the entire training ground trembled, and the atmosphere weighed heavily on his shoulders.
“Keuh…”
Balder faltered, unable to withstand Glenn’s tremendous pressure. He barely managed to regain his balance, but he couldn’t hide his trembling shoulders.
“I-I beg your pardon.”
Balder tightly bit his lips and bowed to Glenn.
“However, as a father I was just cheering for my son. I told him nothing that could change the outcome…”
“Balder Zieghart.”
Glenn’s eyes were a burning crimson, much like an erupting volcano.
“Do you have a death wish?”
A frightening murderous intent spread out in an instant.
“Huff…”
Raon’s back curled in. Even though the murderous intent wasn’t directed at him, he had goosebumps and the strength left his body.
“You told Raden to fight with power. You told him to break through with sheer strength, giving up on variety and sharpness. Do you really believe that I would’ve missed such a sloppy aura message?”
“Ugh…”
Balder’s body bent gradually. It was his own doing, but Glenn’s shapeless pressure was forcing him that way.
Raon swallowed. Glenn’s pressure was thrilling enough, but there was something more surprising.
‘Did he just say he read the aura message?’
An aura message was a special technique that transmitted words using the aura from the energy center or heart.
That meant that its ability to ensure secrecy was top notch, yet Glenn was saying that he had read the message.
‘That’s crazy.’
He didn’t infer from the situation, but actually read the aura message. That meant that space itself was in his hand.
“Hah…”
That was so ridiculous that he gasped despite the seriousness of the situation.
“You must’ve thought you could cover it up after the Sword Duel even if you were found out. Since you are my son, the True Martial Palace’s master, and the division leader of the Flexible Sword division, you must’ve believed that I would just let it pass.”
“Ugh…”
Balder trembled even more as Glenn continued speaking. The trembling of his hand made it look like he was suffering from hand tremors.
“But you crossed the line this time. You dirtied the duel and lied to me.”
“I-I beg your pardon! F-Father, I…”
“I order you, as Zieghart’s head of house.”
Glenn raised his chin, looking down on Balder, who was curled up like a worm.
Slam!
Every swordsman of Zieghart knelt at once, and the entire training ground trembled.
“I sentence Balder Zieghart to one year’s probation, during which he can’t leave the True Martial Palace. The True Martial Palace and the Flexible Sword division’s budget will be confiscated for one year, and their activities will also be halted for a year.”
“By your order!”
Every swordsman shouted the same phrase and bowed. It was such a magnificent sight, enough to make people tremble.
“F-Father! One year is too much! And having the True Martial Palace and the Flexible Sword division punished along with me is too harsh!”
“Harsh?”
Crimson lightning jolted from Glenn’s eyes.
“You disgraced my name and belittled Zieghart’s history. One year of probation is as light as a feather compared to what you have done.”
“I’m the True Martial Palace’s master. I’m in charge of so many missions and work! Without me…”
“How laughable. Do you think you are the only one? There’s no problem with leaving your work to the other palaces.”
“F-Father?”
Color left Balder’s face, as if he suddenly bled out dry.
“Then shall I break your energy center instead of the probation, as that was your son’s condition for the Sword Duel?”
“Th-that’s…”
“I’ll give you a choice. One year of probation or your energy center.”
Glenn’s cruel pressure was telling him he had no intention of forgiving him.
“…I-I’ll take the probation.”
Balder answered, his body curled up. It looked like he couldn’t even breathe properly as he was suppressed by Glenn’s pressure.
“Haa…”
Raon exhaled roughly. He felt exhausted from just watching it.
‘He is really amazing.’
Most houses didn’t punish members of the direct line for their mistakes. They just covered them up slyly.
Robert's house was the same, despite being one of the Six Kings. Zieghart was different.
Zieghart’s head of house punished Balder despite him being his fourth son and the house’s executive at the same time, and rather severely at that.
Glenn Zieghart was more coldblooded than he’d thought.
“Additionally.”
Glenn turned to look at the entire training ground rather than Balder.
“There were two conditions in today’s Sword Duel. If you are instigated by Balder, the True Martial Palace, or the Flexible Sword division to harm the annex building, I’ll be punishing you personally. You shall only act if you are confident that you can hide it from me.”
“Yes!”
The vassals bowed once again and responded loud and clear.
“There were some unsavory incidents, but the Sword Duel is now over. Everyone shall leave now.”
Glenn left the training ground after saying that.
“Sniff…”
Tears flowed down from Helen’s eyes, ones she had been holding back until the end.
“Waah!”
Helen grabbed Sylvia’s hand and started wailing.
She must’ve been feeling burdened as she was directly involved with the incident, and it seemed her suppressed emotions had exploded once everything was resolved.
“It’s alright.”
Tears were also welling up in Sylvia’s eyes as she patted Helen's back.
“Aww…”
“Sniff!”
“My lady! Head maid!”
The other maids also started crying after Helen and Sylvia. Since Glenn had officially announced that the others should not meddle with the annex building as the head of house, their worries had disappeared and their tension was eased.
“Haa…”
Raon felt relieved, as he finally had the ability to protect them.
“That’s why I told you that everything would be alright.”
Raon smiled, pretending he had never been nervous. He continued while looking at them crying and smiling at the same time.
“Let’s return home.”
***
The training ground fell silent after the spectators left.
Six people remained in front of the western passage. Zieghart’s flame sword emblem was engraved on the left side of their chests, and a different emblem was engraved underneath for each of them.
It signified that they were the division leaders that had entrusted their will to Zieghart’s emblem.
“I haven’t seen something so amazing in a long time.”
“I thought Rimmer was joking when I heard that he killed the Green War Demon and survived a fight against the Blood Raving Demon, but the rumor was true.”
“It would be an understatement to call him the real deal. Even though it was a low-grade swordsmanship, he managed to use its true meaning. He can’t be described as a mere talent at this point.”
“He will be useful immediately if he joins my division.”
“……”
The division leaders nodded at once, as they had all felt the same thing about Raon.
“The swordsmanship was amazing, but he had something mixed in with the River Footwork. I’m not exactly sure, but his martial arts isn’t at an Expert’s level anymore.”
“What a genius. I knew he was most suited to join my Black Tiger…”
“Fuck off.”
“…?”
The two female division leaders standing at both sides interrupted him.
“Hmph. Anyway, he certainly grew up better than we expected.”
The division leader at the center awkwardly cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head.
“Yes. I thought he was a fragile genius, but he is a healthy monster. He will definitely face the other direct lines if he keeps growing like that. It’s very interesting.”
The division leader with a deep voice licked his lips.
“Since he is going to graduate soon, the Black Tiger should train him from now on. I like his personality, and I’m confident I can raise him we…”
“Oh, shut up.”
“……”
“Black Tiger, do you have a death wish?”
“Ugh.”
Three out of the four others glared at him, and the division leader at the center ducked his head.
“He isn’t completely wrong. It’s true that the fifth training ground trainees will soon graduate. They will become swordsmen as soon as they pass the graduation exam, and they will get to choose their squad and division.”
The division leader with a deep voice snickered while holding onto the handrail.
“And there is more than Raon in the fifth training ground. Burren, Runaan, and Martha, all three of them have might and talent that can become the best no matter where they are. The next Selection Ceremony is going to be interesting.
“……”
The division leaders didn’t say anything, but they had the same resolution. They had to bring in one of the four people during the next Selection Ceremony.
“But Raon is still the only one for me!”
“Who wants to kill a black tiger today?”
“Me.”
“Count me in.”
“…!”
* * *
* * *
Raon returned to the annex building along with Sylvia, Helen, and the maids.
“Aah…”
Helen sighed after looking around the annex building from the front.
“What’s up?”
Sylvia tilted her head while grabbing her shoulder.
“I thought we might not be able to return together like this.”
Helen closed her eyes. She had countless thoughts about what could have happened that day.
If ever Raon lost, she was going to beg for mercy, even if it cost her own life. Instead, she had received an apology and everyone managed to return together. It felt like a dream.
“Same goes for me.”
“Me too…”
“Me too.”
The maids nodded one after the other. It seemed everyone had the same thing on their minds, and they smiled slightly while looking at each other.
“You can rest assured now, since Father makes sure to keep his promises. No one will dare hurt us anymore.”
Sylvia turned to meet the maids' eyes, one by one. After that, she finally looked at Raon and smiled widely.
“Well, let’s have a party today, using every ingredient we have!”
“Yes!”
“Let’s make a lot of the stew young master likes!”
“Of course!”
Sylvia, Helen, and the maids entered the annex building with light, cheerful steps.
“Haa.”
Raon slightly sighed while looking at them. His uneasiness had completely disappeared after looking at the way they were smiling and laughing.
It seemed they had become a lot more important to him than he’d thought.
As Raon was about to enter the annex building, one of the maids slowed to be caught up to by him. It was Judiel.
“Young master.”
Judiel turned to Raon.
“Did you plan all this from the beginning?”
“To a certain extent.”
Raon nodded. He hurt Raden’s pride the moment he attacked Raden, since the Sword Duel was the only way out of that situation.
He won the Sword Duel as he’d expected and received the apology. However, he didn’t expect the True Martial Palace, the Flexible Sword division, and Balder to be put on probation.
“You really are a scary person.”
Judiel’s face turned pale as she sighed.
“But you are also a kind person.”
“Am I kind?”
Raon raised his eyes. It was his first time being called that, which embarrassed him more than Raden’s attacks.
“Thank you for saving me back then.”
Judiel smiled slightly, her ears turning pink. He had seen her smile many times before, but they had always been fake.
However, that time was different. He could feel her shyness in her sincere smile.
“Let’s go.”
Raon warmed his fingers while watching Judiel’s back as she walked towards the annex building.
‘It should be fine to reveal the truth now.’
***
“Urgh!”
Balder Zieghart was breathing roughly. The clean and magnificent True Martial Palace was completely destroyed, and the walls were shattered to pieces.
The True Martial Palace’s swordsmen had fainted, scattered around the floor.
It wasn’t the result of an enemy’s attack.
Upon returning from the training ground, Balder couldn’t hold back his anger and started to destroy the True Martial Palace. He beat up the swordsmen that were trying to stop him.
“Ugh…”
“Wh-what shall we do?”
The remaining people didn’t know what to do. It was at that moment that a refreshing wind blew in from the destroyed wall.
“Hello?”
A long finger swayed from the hole the wind came from, and Rimmer’s face poked out.
“Rimmer…”
Balder glared at Rimmer with bloodshot eyes.
“Wow, this is really neat. You should open your window more often.”
Rimmer grinned and entered the palace over the destroyed wall.
“Why did you come here? Do you have a death wish?”
“Getting probation from the head of house is the same as a suspended sentence, yet you are trying to cause another issue?”
“Ugh…”
Balder, who was about to attack him, bit his lip. It was just as Rimmer said: if he caused another problem, he would receive an unbearable punishment.
“Get out of my sight! I have nothing to say to you.”
“Even if you have nothing to tell me, you should have something to say to this.”
Rimmer waved the paper he took from his top.
“Th-that’s…”
Balder’s eyes widened upon noticing the fluttering paper.
“You must know about it, right? It’s the proof of the bet between you, the True Martial Palace master, and the worthless me.”
Rimmer grinned. The way he was talking, his voice, his behavior, everything about him was hateful. He couldn’t understand how such a person was an elf.
“Since it will be difficult to meet you once you start your probation, give them to me right now.”
“Keuh. I-I don’t have them.”
Balder violently shook his head.
‘I can’t give that to him in this situation.’
He had staked too many things in the bet with Rimmer. Since their activities were paused, giving away those items would greatly slow down the True Martial Palace’s growth.
“Uh-oh. Why do you have to be like this when you should know better?
Rimmer clicked his tongue and flicked his finger.
“Everyone knows that the True Martial Palace has acquired a large number of elixirs… Ah, did you already get Alzheimer's because of the shock?”
“You, do you really want to die?”
Balder bared his teeth and growled.
“Oh, no! Don’t do this to me!”
Rimmer stepped back with an exaggerated expression. Balder wanted to pluck off his stupid swaying ears.
“Fuck off! I have nothing to give you!”
“Are you sure you will be fine with that?”
Rimmer grinned and shook his hand.
“You’ve disgraced the head of house’s name during the Sword Duel, yet you are not going to keep your promise? I wonder what the head of house is going to think about this.”
He raised his fingers one by one.
“The probation and the activity suspension can be extended to two years, and he might even confiscate all your property.”
“No way…”
Balder bit his lips.
His father could do it the way he was currently. He wanted to pulverize that hateful bastard, but it was truly a shame that he had no means of achieving that.
“Give them to me. I still have lots of people to visit after you to collect my rewards.”
Rimmer smiled, extending both of his hands like a child asking for pocket money.
“Daamn iiit!”
Balder’s scream resounded throughout the True Martial Palace once again.
