"I think the same."
Rimmer raised his left hand while leaning against a pillar.
"When I said Raon was fit to be a king, my wish was mixed in, but now I think Raon is fully qualified to be a successor candidate for Zieghart."
He looked at Glenn with an unusually serious gaze.
"Heh heh heh."
Roenn let out a soft laugh.
"His back and shoulders have certainly broadened. He didn't seem lacking in bearing the weight of the family."
He nodded as if agreeing with Alice's words.
"You're right."
Glenn revealed a calm gaze as if simply stating facts.
"Martial prowess that reached Grandmaster at 21, excellent accomplishments in completing many missions, and the reputation spread across the entire continent. His qualities are more than sufficient."
His lips trembled slightly even as he praised Raon.
"Moreover, if the testimony of today's delegation representative is to be believed, he's not lacking in mental aspects either."
Glenn swallowed hard as he recalled Siyana's words.
'To think he said something like that.'
He had thought Raon only had affection for the Light Wind division and the annex building, not for Zieghart itself.
But that child said something I couldn't even imagine.
'Wherever I am is Zieghart...'
Those words can't be said without affection for Zieghart.
Feeling that Raon's thoughts about Zieghart had changed, one part of his heart warmed.
'It's just a little regrettable.'
It's so disappointing that I couldn't see him say those words directly.
I should have been there to see Raon say that wherever he is is Zieghart, and to see the surprised faces of those South-North Union dregs. Not being there is a regret that will stay with me.
'...Is there no way?'
Maybe I should catch a dragon.
If it's an ancient dragon skilled in magic, it might be able to use time reversal magic, so I thought about catching one and threatening... no, asking it.
'The chances are extremely low, but just in case...'
"Father?"
While I was pondering which dragon to catch, Alice waved her hand.
"It's unusual for you to be lost in thought while speaking, Father."
"Ahem."
Glenn cleared his throat and leaned deeply back into the throne.
"Anyway, according to what you just said, you're fine with Raon becoming a successor candidate, right?"
"No."
Glenn shook his head firmly.
"His qualities are sufficient. But he's not qualified."
"Are you talking about the direct lineage again? It's not like the successor candidate has to be from the direct lineage."
"That's not the issue."
"Pardon?"
"Raon still has the life-and-death battle with the Axe King pending. Nothing can proceed before that matter is resolved."
"Hmm..."
Even Alice seemed at a loss for words on that point, only letting out a groan.
"Rimmer."
"Yes."
At Glenn's call, Rimmer stepped forward.
"Is it certain that the Axe King has grown?"
"He admitted it himself, so it's certain."
Rimmer nodded with a short sigh.
"It seems he gained mental enlightenment and grew, and Raon served as the ignition point."
"It seems the life-and-death battle with Raon became the fire seed."
Glenn smacked his lips as if understanding the meaning.
"Then it would be difficult for the current Raon to win."
"Then shall I go and cut his throat?"
Alice lightly twisted her wrist as if wringing a chicken's neck.
"Heh heh heh, wouldn't I be better for that?"
Roenn chuckled and lowered his head.
"Even if he's gotten stronger, assassination is still quite possible."
He rubbed his fingers, asking for time.
"It's not a bad idea, but..."
Glenn shook his head, looking at the serious eyes of the two.
"Just as the Axe King has grown, this life-and-death battle will serve as a stepping stone for Raon's growth as well. Let's wait and see."
He showed a smile that seemed to completely trust Raon, unlike before.
"Ah, no fun."
Alice frowned and shook her head.
"Now that Raon's back, I should play around a bit and then leave..."
As she sighed and was about to leave the audience chamber, a knock was heard at the door.
"Who... Hm? Raon?"
When Alice opened the door, Raon peeked his face in.
"What's the matter?"
"I remembered something I didn't give you, so I came back."
"Really? Come in!"
Alice let Raon in as if it were her own room.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed his head and walked to the center of the audience chamber.
"What is it that you didn't give?"
"Alcohol."
"Alcohol?"
"Yes. It's elven fruit wine. I remembered the Head of House mentioning alcohol before, so I brought some."
As he said this, he pulled out a brown bottle that looked like it was made of wood from his subspace pouch.
"A-alcohol talk...?"
Glenn asked, his lips trembling slightly.
"Yes. Didn't you mention whiskey and wine before?"
"You remembered that?"
I just mentioned it in passing. No, I did want it, but it was quite a while ago.
The fact that he remembered it until now and brought such precious elven fruit wine almost made my heart stop.
"Huh? Yes. It's not the alcohol you wanted, but since it's not easy to obtain, I thought of you, Head of House."
Raon bowed his head and carefully held out the bottle.
"Ahem!"
Glenn covered his mouth with his hand and his jaw trembled.
"I didn't expect something like this..."
His heart was beating so fast that his mind wasn't working properly. He was in such a state that he didn't even know what he was saying.
"Then shall I accept it instead?"
Alice came forward, smacking her lips.
"I'll kill you..."
A fiery red flame rose in Glenn's eyes. He barely stopped himself from releasing genuine killing intent towards his daughter.
"Ah, I get it. It's a joke. A joke!"
Even Alice seemed frightened by that gaze and stepped back with trembling hands.
"Hm?"
Raon tilted his head, looking at Glenn and Alice.
"Ahem. I'll drink it well."
Glenn reached out with his still trembling hand and grasped the bottle.
"You didn't bring that for the Gambling Monster. You brought it for the Head of House?"
Rimmer let out a sigh as he looked at the bottle.
"I plan to give some to the Gambling Monster too, but I gave it to the Head of House first."
"Ahem!"
Glenn made a sound that could have been either a laugh or a cough, and tightly gripped the bottle.
'I won.'
Before, he always only brought alcohol for the Gambling Monster, but this time he was happy to be first. He wanted to rush out right away and brag to the Gambling Monster.
"Nephew. Don't you have any for me?"
Alice put her arm around Raon's shoulder and leaned her head on him.
"Of course I do."
Raon smiled faintly and handed Alice a bottle as well.
"That's my nephew for you!"
Alice hugged Raon tightly and raised her bottle towards Glenn.
"How about that? I got some too!"
"Hmph."
Glenn snorted with an expression that was beyond composed, bordering on mockery.
"W-what's with that expression? It's kind of annoying."
Alice frowned as she saw Glenn's gaze that seemed to ignore her.
"Raon!"
Rimmer approached Raon and stretched out his hand.
"You have one for me too, right?"
"Hmm..."
Raon stopped as he was about to take out a fruit wine for Rimmer.
"Ah! Head of House."
He called out to Glenn as if something had just occurred to him.
"There's one more thing I forgot to mention earlier."
"What is it?"
"When I finished the three-way battle, the Division Leader gave the Axe King the nickname 'Balls'..."
Raon told them about Rimmer giving the Axe King the nickname 'Balls'.
"Ahahahahahaha!"
Alice couldn't hold back and burst into laughter, rolling on the floor.
"He called him Balls! That guy's really crazy, I tell you!"
"..."
Unlike the amused Alice, Glenn's gaze was coldly fixed on Rimmer, as if he wanted to kill him.
"I understand. I'll handle this, so go and rest now."
"Yes."
Raon smiled brightly, handed a bottle to Rimmer as well, and left the audience chamber without hesitation.
"Um, I just remembered I have some urgent business, so I'll be going now."
As Rimmer tried to leave the audience chamber with a nervous laugh, Roenn blocked his path.
"If you could just move aside..."
"Heh heh heh."
"I need to leave."
"Heh heh heh."
"I'm really going to die!"
"Heh heh heh!"
Roenn let out a chilling laugh and absolutely refused to move aside.
"Ugh..."
Rimmer's jaw trembled as he saw the red lightning bolt appearing in the air.
Rumble!
Glenn roared as he unleashed a red, crackling lightning bolt.
"I'll pour that alcohol on your grave."
* * *
Raon let out a sigh of relief as he walked down the corridor of the Lord's Manor.
'I should thank Lady Leylan.'
When he asked Lady Leylan if he could get some fruit wine, he only wanted two bottles, but she gave him ten bottles, five times as much.
Even after giving some to the Gambling Monster, there would be enough left to throw a party at the annex building.
-Don't even think about alcohol! Let's go home quickly!
Wrath popped out of the bracelet and thrust his face forward.
-I can smell it! Mother must have prepared delicious food!
The guy's eyes were glistening with tears, saying he missed a proper meal besides beef jerky and bread.
He wondered if this was something to cry about, but having seen all sorts of things from Wrath, he just accepted it and left the Lord's Manor.
"When you come to the annex building, I'll make you something delicious!"
Yua was smiling brightly among the elves. Being able to always show a bright face to anyone seemed like a talent beyond music.
"H-have you finished your business?"
Siyana approached, blinking her eyes. She spoke without stuttering in the audience chamber, but now she was back to fumbling her words. She was truly a strange person.
"Yes. It's finished. Let's go now."
Raon nodded and guided the elves towards the annex building.
As they walked, listening to Yua and Heylin's laughter, they soon arrived in front of the annex building's garden.
"That's Zieghart's annex building."
The annex building's garden, which had endured the cold winter and embraced spring, was now clothed in green.
"That's Raon's birthplace!"
Siyana took out a notebook from her bosom and began frantically writing and drawing something indecipherable.
By now, this was a familiar sight, so he just shook his head and walked towards the annex building.
As he was about to open the door of the annex building, he heard the voices of Sylvia and the maids coming from the lake area behind.
When he turned that way, everyone from the annex building was tidying up around the lake.
"Oh? Young Master!"
Helen blinked her eyes as she looked this way.
"Raon?"
Sylvia, apparently not having heard he was coming, ran over with wide eyes.
"When did you get here!"
"I just arrived."
"You should have told us... Hm?"
Sylvia was smiling brightly but then her jaw dropped when she saw the elves behind him.
"Th-these people..."
"They're the delegates who came with me from Sepia."
Raon stepped aside and introduced Siyana and the elves.
"So you're Raon's mother!"
Siyana quickly approached and grabbed Sylvia's hands. Her shyness seemed to have disappeared, replaced by a strange confidence.
"Huh? Ah, yes..."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"W-what are you thanking me for?"
Sylvia's eyebrows trembled, seemingly confused.
"Of course, for giving birth to Raon! He is the light of the world!"
Siyana's blue eyes sparkled as if she was speaking from the heart.
"Ahaha..."
Sylvia looked at Raon with an expression that seemed to ask, "What on earth did you do?"
Raon shrugged his shoulders, muttering that he didn't know either.
"I'm truly grateful!"
Siyana bowed at a right angle to Sylvia. It was a greeting she hadn't even shown to Glenn.
Thud.
As she raised her head, a book fell from her bosom. It was Raon's biography.
"Ah, I'm sorry."
"Raon!"
As Siyana picked up the book and stood up, the back door opened roughly and Ensia, her face smeared with black paint, burst out.
"Handsome Raon, you're here... Huh?"
Ensia, who was running towards them with a bright smile, widened her eyes when she saw the biography of Raon in Siyana's hand.
"Why is an elf here? No, why does an elf have that book..."
"Do you know this book?"
Siyana looked at Ensia with a welcoming smile.
"Of course. I wrote it."
Ensia thumped her chest, claiming to be the author of that book.
"I-I'm a fan of this book!"
Siyana hugged the biography to her chest and screamed. Her hands were trembling.
"Then..."
Ensia approached Siyana and moved her lips slightly.
"Handsome?"
At that word, which seemed like a test, Siyana smiled broadly and replied.
"Raon!"
The two silently high-fived each other.
Slap!
Raon tightly closed his eyes as soon as he heard that sound.
'Two people who should never have met have met...'
As he sighed, Wrath grabbed his hair and shook it.
-The meal isn't ready! Tell them to hurry up and make the food first!
His head hurt. He just wanted to sleep.
* * *
"...And that's how we all survived! If it weren't for Raon, I wouldn't be here now!"
Siyana stood at the center of the large table set up in the garden, telling Sylvia and the maids about everything that had happened.
Even though this was her second time telling the story after the audience chamber, she didn't seem tired at all, but rather seemed to be gaining more energy.
"Next, I'll tell you how Raon saved our kidnapped kin!"
"Wooooaaah!"
Ensia cheered with her foot on the table. Sylvia and the other maids also raised their hands above their heads and applauded in anticipation.
-Th-that one more...
Wrath raised his chubby finger, pointing at the remaining meat pie.
'That's enough...'
He felt like his stomach was about to burst.
To accommodate Wrath's requests, he had stuffed himself with more than five meals' worth of food. If he ate any more, he wouldn't be able to move.
-Nnngh...
Wrath licked his lips in disappointment and shook his head.
-It can't be helped. Then I'll settle for ice cream.
'There isn't any.'
-Why not! You should have prepared... Keh!
Raon kicked away the mumbling Wrath and quietly slipped away from the table.
Even though the main character had left, Siyana and the annex building's residents were busy continuing their own stories.
Raon shook his head and entered his room.
'I'm tired.'
Dealing with Siyana and the maids' reactions and eating according to Wrath's demands had given him more of a headache than fighting a battle. He immediately laid down on the bed.
'The life-and-death battle...'
As it became quiet to the point of boredom, thoughts of the life-and-death battle with the Axe King resurfaced.
At this point, the Axe King was clearly stronger than him. Even if he opened the sword realm and unleashed his Wrath, the chances of winning weren't very high.
If things stayed as they were, January 1st of next year would be the last day of his life.
'The only way is cultivation after all.'
There was no other answer than to get stronger through cultivation, whether there were missions or not.
There were still martial arts he hadn't perfected, so he needed to hone those as much as possible.
-Shall I help you?
Wrath yawned and shook his head.
-With just a flick of my finger, I could burst those balls of his.
The guy grinned, saying he'd take care of it if Raon just handed over his body.
'I'll do it. No, I have to defeat him with my own hands.'
For the sake of the Axe King who had given him two chances, he wanted to defeat him with his own strength.
'If I do my best, it'll work out somehow.'
As he organized his thoughts and closed his eyes, three knocks were heard at the door.
"Come in."
Raon raised his body and looked towards the door.
Judiel entered carrying a small tray with a warm, fragrant tea.
"You seemed to have overeaten today, so I brought some tea that will help with digestion."
"Thank you."
Raon nodded with an awkward smile. He had eaten everything on the table because of Wrath, and it seemed Judiel had noticed.
"I didn't see Karoon, where did he go?"
"He left on a mission. Since it's to the south, it might take some time for him to return."
"I see."
He nodded and drank the tea. Was it thanks to the mild fragrance? His unsettled stomach seemed to calm down a bit.
"I heard you clashed with the Axe King. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. He was considerate."
"By considerate, you mean..."
"He went easy on me."
Raon sighed and put down his teacup.
"If he had been serious, I would have died."
"Hmm..."
"No need to worry. There's still more than half a year left. If I cultivate like my life depends on it until then, it'll work out somehow."
Raon shook his head as he looked at Judiel's worried face.
"Was everything alright here?"
"...Yes. Nothing happened."
Judiel nodded with a faint smile.
"I see. Thanks for always working hard."
"It's nothing. You must be tired, so I'll take my leave now."
She bowed her head, closed the door, and left.
"Hmm..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the door Judiel had just exited.
-What's wrong?
'Her smile seemed a bit off.'
-Off?
'Yeah. Just like before...'
As he was pondering this oddity, he sensed a small presence by the window. When he turned his head, Glenn had already approached.
"Head of House!"
Raon jumped up and opened the window.
"Come out."
Glenn gestured with his chin, his eyes calm.
"There's something I need to give you."