Hey! Can't you hear me?
Raon blinked absentmindedly, not at Wrath, but at Alice.
"Is that all?"
"What else would there be?"
Alice tilted her head as if she found the situation even more absurd.
"Do you think I would ask you to sacrifice your life or something?"
She waved her hands up and down, telling him not to have such strange thoughts.
"No matter what, this is a Dragon Heart."
The Dragon Heart is a treasure among treasures, something that cannot be obtained even if you pile up money like a mountain because you have to catch a dragon to get it.
It was natural to be flustered when she offered to give such an item without any conditions.
"I need to ask for the opinions of others too."
Although I played a major role in capturing Kaivar, it was something that could never have been achieved alone.
The crew of the battleship handled the sea monsters, and Alice blocked and counterattacked Kaivar's breath, allowing us to win.
To receive the greatest treasure felt honestly burdensome.
"All the discussions are over."
Alice pointed her thumb behind her with a smile.
"There wasn't a single person who opposed giving you the Dragon Heart. Of course, if anyone had opposed, I would have killed them…."
Despite her fresh face, her voice was chilling.
"Besides, we have Kaivar's corpse. Even if we sell it moderately, everyone will be able to live for the rest of their lives."
Alice told him not to worry, saying she would take care of the families of those who had died.
-Hey? I'm right here, you know?
Wrath jumped up in front of his eyes, glaring.
Hurry up and flip the meat....
"Really fascinating."
Alice raised her hand and started patting Raon's head.
"How did a guy like you come from our family?"
"Pardon?"
"Everyone, including my son, is cold-hearted and selfish, but you're different in temperament."
"Hmm…."
Raon smacked his lips. Thinking about the direct descendants of Zieghart, he couldn't refute Alice's words.
"Ah, come to think of it, Sylvia was somewhat similar to you."
"My mother?"
"Yes. I was sharper than I am now back then, so I didn't take good care of her, but whenever we met, I gave her snacks. She looked so cute nibbling on them like a squirrel."
Alice had a slightly dark smile as if recalling old memories.
"Your gaze is similar to Sylvia's back then."
She lowered the hand that was patting his head and offered the Dragon Heart again.
"So, what will you do? Decide quickly."
"Hmm…."
Raon smacked his lips as he looked at the Dragon Heart shimmering with rainbow colors.
'There's no reason not to choose it.'
I can get the Dragon Heart just by calling her 'Auntie.'
Not only could it create an energy center for Sylvia, but it might also elevate her to Master level instantly, so I had to accept it unconditionally.
'But….'
Words wouldn't come out easily.
Until now, the only person I called by a family title was my mother. I'd never used terms like grandfather, uncle, brother, or sister, so my mouth wouldn't open readily.
Hurry up and call her Auntie and flip the meat, you slug!
"Hmm?"
Alice frowned as if she found it absurd when Wrath shouted.
"Do you hate calling me Auntie that much?"
"It's not that."
Raon shook his head firmly.
"It's just that I'm a bit nervous because it's my first time calling someone other than my mother by such a title…."
"Ah…."
Alice nodded as if she understood.
"Right. There wouldn't have been anyone to call by such names in that household."
"Yes. So, it's not coming out well."
"I should visit that house sometime soon…."
With a chilling glint in her eyes, she licked her red lips as if she were lost in thought.
"Whoo…."
Raon sighed quietly, watching Alice lost in thought. After calming his mind, he slowly parted his lips.
"A-Auntie."
"Gasp!"
As soon as she heard the word 'Auntie,' Alice clutched her chest and leaned back.
"This is quite dangerous."
"Excuse me?"
"Since it's my first time being called Auntie too, I didn't realize it. This is quite strong."
She mumbled weirdly and opened her fingers.
"Could you do it one more time?"
"…Auntie."
"Ahhh!"
Alice let out a groan as if she had gulped down a large mug of beer and then pulled Raon into her embrace.
"Yes! My nephew!"
"Wa-wait…."
"Just trust this Auntie!"
She hugged Raon tightly, grinning for a long time as if she were drunk.
"Face, abilities, and personality! A perfect nephew!"
"Ugh…."
Raon groaned and looked at Alice's face. Seeing her softly closed eyelids, he remembered Sylvia singing him lullabies when he was young.
Feeling a bit strange to call someone by a family title other than his mother for the first time, he let out a soft smile.
The fresh scent of the sea flower, different from Sylvia's, gently eased his worries.
-It's really burning! It's burning for real! Push that thieving woman away!
Wrath shouted while looking at the meat. As he said, the scent of Alice was being overshadowed by the smell of burning meat.
"Excuse me, Auntie. The meat…."
"Ah!"
Alice snapped back to reality and stepped back.
"Sorry. The nostalgic scent from you made me almost fall asleep."
She clasped her hands together and bowed her head apologetically.
-Grrr! (wrath)
Wrath started foaming at the mouth.
-Flip the meat before I rip out that thief woman's neck!
He started spinning furiously like a storm.
"Should I cook it?"
"No."
Raon shook his head. It was clear that Wrath would have a fit, so it seemed better to cook alone for now.
"Since the first attempt failed, I can just cook it again."
He showed the new meat to Alice with a smile.
"I was planning to cook it in various ways from the start. Don't worry."
"Hmm, but…."
"Really, it's fine."
Raon handed the completely burned pan and meat to the apologetic Alice and sent her out.
She insisted on helping till the end, but he quickly closed the door.
-I will never forget today's humiliation
'I'll cook it again, so just wait.'
Raon pushed Wrath away and looked at the Dragon Heart Alice had given him.
The iridescent light and the thick, wide flow of deep mana. Just looking at it made the aura in his energy center feel like it was throbbing.
'To think she'd really give me this….'
Since it was a completely unexpected situation, he couldn't hide his surprise and joy.
'I can make an even better energy center.'
Ensia had said that the Dragon Heart was the best material for creating an artificial energy center.
Since it was hard to obtain, she had combined the hearts of a Sea Serpent and a Drake, but now that he had the desired item from the start, she would create the best energy center.
Raon put the Dragon Heart into his spatial pouch with trembling hands.
-If you're done admiring it, hurry up and cook the meat! My stomach feels like it's about to burst!
'That means you're full….'
-Shut up and cook!
'Okay….'
Raon pulled out a new frying pan and placed the Dragon meat on it.
This time, he controlled the heat to prevent it from burning while cooking the meat. It cooked faster than the first time, perhaps because of a small realization about flames.
-When will it cook at that rate! I want to eat it right now!
Wrath shouted, pushing his aura of anger into the meat. The aura naturally flowed from his fingertips and into the meat, increasing the flame's heat.
'If you do that, the causality….'
-I'll handle that! Just cook the meat properly!
Wrath shouted, drooling at the meat.
'Alright.'
Raon added butter to the meat as it started to cook, basting it diligently with the melted butter.
The meat, slowly cooked by the heat and the butter, exuded an even richer aroma than before.
'The smell is good, but why am I doing this….'
Having never been particularly interested in food, he wondered why he was going through so much trouble just to eat Dragon meat.
-Oh! You're doing well! Move your hands a bit faster!
Wrath praised him for the first time, even patting him on the back.
"Hmm…."
Enduring Wrath's incessant nagging, Raon continued cooking. The Dragon meat turned a golden yellow, similar to well-cooked beef.
-You've done well!
Wrath clapped his hands, nodding vigorously.
-Now place the meat on the cutting board and cover it with a plate to keep the heat in!
'We're not eating it right away?'
-You ignorant fool!
Wrath bared his teeth like a beast.
-Don't you know about resting the meat?
'Resting?'
-After cooking the meat, it needs some time to let the juices redistribute evenly!
Wrath shook his head in exasperation.
"Whoo…."
Raon placed the meat on the cutting board, trembling with frustration. He wanted to flip the whole thing over, but he had promised, so he held back.
After about ten minutes, Wrath patted his back again.
-It's time!
Wrath gestured wildly for him to try the meat.
Raon sliced the Dragon meat with a knife and fork. Contrary to his expectations, it sliced smoothly, perhaps due to Wrath's anger melting the mana.
-Gasp! Hurry!
Wrath began drooling like a hungry puppy.
'Let me breathe.'
Raon sighed and picked up a piece of meat with his fork, putting it in his mouth.
Hwaaah!
As soon as he bit into the Dragon meat, the concentrated juices spread like ocean waves. It felt like his entire mouth was filled with the meat's juices.
"Ah…."
While he was dazed by the intense flavor, the chewy texture of the meat added to the joy of eating.
As Wrath had said, Dragon meat was a delicacy among delicacies.
-Ah!
Wrath covered his mouth, tears welling up in his eyes.
-This is it! This is why I live!
He mumbled endlessly, saying he had lived for this taste.
-Keep eating! Quickly!
'I got it… huh?'
Just as Raon was about to eat more, a message appeared before his eyes.
[You have consumed food infused with the power of
[All attributes have increased.]
-What?
Wrath, who was enjoying the meat, fell to the ground as soon as he saw the message. His belly jiggled thickly.
-This is crazy! Why are your attributes increasing just by eating meat! (wrath)
Wrath glared at the message in disbelief.
-This is a scam!
'It's not a scam.'
Raon shook his head, examining the message.
'You infused your aura of wrath into the meat and flames earlier. It seems that energy got absorbed into the meat, causing the attribute increase.'
Without a power like
This happened because Wrath had infused his energy into the meat, wanting to eat it quickly.
-Damn it! This isn't what I wanted!
Wrath ground his teeth, glaring at the message.
"Raising my attributes by eating meat sounds good to me."
Raon smiled, picking up another piece of meat with his fork.
-Stop! Wait!
As Raon was about to eat, Wrath waved his hands frantically.
-If you eat that, your attributes will increase!
'Yes.'
-Then you must not eat it!
'But it'll taste bad if it cools down, right? You said the juices would escape.'
-Urk….
Wrath's jaw trembled as he watched the juices drip from the meat.
-Then, um, eat it….
'But it raises my attributes?'
-Arrgh! What am I supposed to do!
Unable to decide whether to eat or not, Wrath clutched his head in frustration.
As Raon leisurely twirled his fork, another message popped up.
[You have successfully hunted the Blue Dragon.]
[All attributes have increased by 20 points.]
[The title
[The rank of the trait
The system, as if working all at once, finally delivered the rewards for defeating Kaivar.
-Oh….
Wrath's face turned as pale as a sheet.
-Just let me die
The dark night when the moon hid behind the clouds.
The Third Prince of the Owen Kingdom stood in front of the royal rehabilitation training ground attached to the royal infirmary.
"Is it still there?"
He looked up at the bright lights inside and let out a sigh.
"Not still, it's just beginning."
A royal knight approached the Third Prince and bowed his head.
"They say no one leaves the training ground until before dawn."
"Is that true?"
"Yes. According to the royal physician, it's not rehabilitation, but training with their lives on the line."
"Are they okay? They haven't fully recovered yet."
The Third Prince raised his voice, worried about the Light Wind division's condition.
"They say all physical wounds have healed, so there's no problem. Shall we go in?"
The royal knight turned his gaze to the Third Prince, holding the door handle of the rehabilitation training ground.
"Hmm…."
The Third Prince stared at the door of the rehabilitation training ground, contemplating, then shook his head.
"No, it's best not to disturb them. Martha and the others seem to need more time."
He smacked his lips regretfully and left the training ground.
Inside the rehabilitation training ground, the members of the Light Wind division continued to swing their swords, unaware that the Third Prince had come to the entrance.
Swinging their swords endlessly, as if venting their frustration at not being able to do anything in the recent war, their eyes gleamed with a hint of madness.
Although not much time had passed since they began training after recovering, their swordsmanship had significantly improved.
Boom!
As the moon hidden in the clouds started to tilt in the sky's center, Burren stomped his foot heavily.
"Hoo…."
With a loud noise echoing through the ground, the Light Wind swordsmen straightened their backs and lifted their gazes.
Having trained with all their might, their faces were flushed red.
"That's enough for today."
At Burren's shout, the Light Wind swordsmen lowered their swords for the first time.
"Any more and it will affect tomorrow's training. Everyone, go back and rest."
He waved his hand, telling them to quickly return and rest.
"Thank you for your hard work!"
The Light Wind swordsmen did not refute or shout that they wanted to train more like before.
Knowing that Burren's words were right, they bowed their heads and left the training ground. They had all grown mentally.
"You ended it well. But…."
Martha approached Burren, who was tidying up the training ground, and gave a light nod.
"Where are you going after sending the kids away?"
"What?"
"Krein said you've been coming back to the dorm late every day."
She frowned, wondering what he was up to.
"…I'm going to the library."
"The library? Why?"
"To learn about strategies and tactics."
Burren let out a low sigh, looking up at the sky.
"Strategies and tactics?"
"While leading the Light Wind division in Raon's place this time, I realized my shortcomings."
Burren bit his lip thinly, saying that mere strength was not enough.
"And you? You've been coming back late too. What have you been doing at the infirmary?"
His eyes narrowed as if he knew about Martha's movements as well.
"You're not learning medical skills, are you… hmm?"
Burren's mouth fell open as he saw Martha's face turn red.
"Are you really learning medical skills?"
"I just thought it would be good to have more skills!"
Martha yelled in a voice almost like a scream, glaring at Burren.
"Huh…."
"Huh? Do you think it's weird that I'm learning medical skills? Shouldn't Miss Rakshasa learn medical skills?"
"No, it's not that…."
Burren shook his head quickly. He wasn't teasing her; he was genuinely surprised. He had never imagined Martha would learn medical skills for the Light Wind division.
"Hey!"
Martha, seemingly wanting to change the subject, quietly called out to Runaan, who was patting the ground.
"You've been coming back late too. What have you been doing lately?"
If Burren was learning strategy and tactics and Martha was learning medical skills, Runaan must be doing something else. It was certain.
"Cooking."
Runaan answered sullenly as if wondering why she was being asked.
"Cooking? What kind of cooking?"
"Ice cream and cookies."
She nodded, saying she had been learning from the royal kitchen's servants who started work early in the morning.
"Why are you learning that?"
"Because I want to make them for Raon and everyone."
Runaan blinked, saying she had wanted to eat ice cream with everyone while she was bedridden.
"Geez…."
Martha let out a dry laugh, looking at Runaan.
"She's really an interesting one."
"Indeed."
Burren agreed, smiling softly.
"Let's head back."
With a gentle smile, he led Martha and Runaan out of the training ground.
"Then…."
"Right."
"Okay."
Burren, Martha, and Runaan greeted each other in front of the training ground door and went their separate ways.
Rimmer and Sheryl appeared over the training ground, where darkness and silence had settled.
"What a fortune."
Sheryl frowned, glaring at Rimmer.
"Why do kids like them stick to someone like you!"
"Indeed."
Rimmer awkwardly smiled, nodding.
"They should have been with someone better."
He let out a low sigh, looking at the spot where the team leaders had stood.
"Tsk."
Sheryl clicked her tongue and smacked Rimmer on the back of his head.
"Stop saying useless things!"
"You asked first…."
Rimmer rubbed the back of his head, descending into the training ground.
"Are you going to do it again today?"
Sheryl stood in front of him, narrowing her eyes.
"Of course."
Rimmer nodded, drawing his sword silently. A fierce storm raged in his eyes that usually held a relaxed demeanor.
"I can't leave my revenge to those kids."
"Then fight as if you're ready to die."
Sheryl raised an aura barrier to block any sound from leaking and drew her twin swords. The two differently colored swords emitted a chilling light.
"Think of it as my training, not yours. I'm tired of being powerless too."
-Keooong! (wrath)
In the end, Wrath chose to eat the Dragon meat. His jealousy of giving attributes lost to his gluttony. Of course, he cried while eating the meat.
Raon, with a drained Wrath slung over his shoulder, left Azure Wind.
Even though it was well past midnight, the city was bright. The entire city was bustling, perhaps because people from other villages had come as well.
'This is what a festival should be like.'
Since it was a festival that combined joy and comfort, the noisy and chaotic late-night atmosphere suited it well.
"Raon!"
As Raon was receiving greetings from people and enjoying the festival, Lawaine approached with a mug of beer.
"I was just about to go to Azure Wind, but this works out well."
"Is something the matter?"
"You have a visitor."
Lawaine pointed to a tavern on the outskirts of the village, telling him to go there.
Raon nodded and headed to the tavern. When he opened the door and went inside, he saw Kuberad's back and two people in robes sitting across from him.
"You came faster than I thought."
Kuberad waved his hand with a smile.
"I met Lawaine in the city center."
Raon nodded to Kuberad and entered, causing the people behind him to rise and lower their hoods.
'As expected, Denning Rose. And next to her… huh?'
The person on the left had violet hair and an eyepatch—it was Denning Rose.
He had sensed her presence from the beginning, but the identity of the person next to her was completely unexpected.
An old woman, exuding an elegant aura like the moonlight streaming through the window, wrapped around her like a scarf. It was the Black Market Leader, Roseline.
"Black Market Leader?"
"It's been a while."
Roseline greeted him with a refined bow.
"What brings you here…."
"You saved my apprentice, so I naturally had to come to thank you. And…."
She spoke with a twisted smile on her lips.
"There's something important I need to tell you."
End of Chapter