Chapter 723
"You've returned."
Derus Robert bowed respectfully to the swordsman wearing the blue dragon helmet after pulling back the long curtain.
"Lord Derus."
He addressed the man in the blue dragon helmet as Derus, recognizing his appearance and voice.
"Beorn and Kubara have returned, but we were worried when you didn't come back. Are you alright?"
The fake Derus approached the real Derus with a deep frown.
"My body is fine, but something else is broken."
The real Derus Robert coughed up black blood while clutching his chest.
"If it weren't for the bracelet compressing the death aura, I might have been buried under that river."
He muttered that it had been truly dangerous and spat out blood once more.
"What kind of martial arts could have done this to you..."
The fake Derus's lips trembled in disbelief.
"It was a sword technique I've never seen before. It cut through not just aura and flesh, but into the soul."
Derus shook his head, saying it was unbelievable.
"Is it like Ogram's Fierce Wave Arts?"
"No, it was on a different level. With Fierce Wave Arts, one can withstand it to some extent if their soul's caliber is high, but Glenn's sword was different."
His long, slender fingers traced the air as if drawing Glenn's soul sword.
"It cuts into the soul regardless of my condition. It was a transcendent level beyond martial arts. However, there was something even more irritating than Glenn's sword."
Derus twisted his lips as he caressed his blood-soaked chest.
"Raon Zieghart. That damned bastard interfered until the end!"
He finally lost his composure and let out a roar like a beast. The fake Derus raised an aura barrier to prevent Derus's scream from escaping the study.
"Just when I think he's dead, he comes back to life and interferes with my work! I should have torn him apart long ago!"
As Derus raised his genuine anger, which was rare for him, a death aura began to seep out. The death aura seemed to have evolved further, starting to affect even inanimate objects. Books on the shelves turned to black ash and scattered, while expensive furniture melted away without a trace of dust, as if thousands of years had passed.
"Haa..."
After venting his anger for a long time, Derus let out a subdued sigh. His eerily gleaming eyes regained their usual calmness.
"Bardiel."
Derus gestured to the fake Derus and spoke in a low voice.
"Report on the situation since my departure."
"Before the war, King Owen contacted us. During the war, it was the Mage Tower Master, and after the war, Chamber reached out via communication. All three ended their contact without showing any suspicion."
The man called Bardiel bowed his head as if to say there was no need to worry.
"I see."
Derus twisted his lips and folded his fingers.
Even if suspicious, there's no way to doubt.
The visual magic created by Chamber and the Mage Tower Master not only reflected the face but also the person's temperament, making it impossible to use a stand-in. However, what Bardiel was wearing now was the ancient artifact Doppelganger's Hide, made by killing hundreds of doppelgangers.
It changed not only appearance but also temperament and aura properties, making it impossible to be detected unless someone came to check in person.
Even that Raon bastard won't be able to rashly reveal my identity. Even if Raon Zieghart really was that Raon, he hasn't seen this helmet. Without evidence, trying to reveal my identity would be tantamount to throwing away his life.
No, there is evidence.
He looked at the scar on the back of his hand, which now formed an X with the addition of a new line.
This scar can be used to reveal me. But that too is impossible. Using the Doppelganger Hide that Bardiel is wearing, this scar will never be revealed no matter what. If Raon tries to use the scar, it can be turned against him. It will be an opportunity instead.
"Now that Lord Derus has returned, I'll remove the hide."
"No."
As Bardiel reached for the back of his head, Derus shook his head.
"As I said, all the physical wounds have healed, but my soul is still torn."
Derus calmly shook his head.
"You'll take my place while I recover."
"...Understood."
Bardiel carefully bowed his head. When he raised his gaze again, his eyes had already become those of the real Derus.
"The Six Kings Conference will be held soon. If they contact us via visual communication, you go. If we need to go in person, call me."
Derus narrowed his eyes as he examined Bardiel.
"Even if you are a transcendent warrior and wearing that hide, you cannot escape the eyes of those old men if it is in person."
"Understood."
Bardiel simply bowed, indicating he would comply.
"Then I'll be going."
"Yes."
He carefully bowed his head and left the study.
"Haa..."
Only when left alone did Derus remove the blue dragon helmet.
"Wounds always bring new flesh and experience."
He pushed back his silver hair, damp with blood and sweat, and smiled coldly.
"You'll regret letting me live. And you'll regret being alive."
"So, this is the letter Raon left?"
Merlin, wearing a crude mask made of tree bark, carefully held the paper folded into a cross.
"Yes. Raon left it."
Flumen nodded as he looked at the letter.
"Haa..."
Merlin exhaled a heated breath as she caressed the letter with her fingertips.
"It's my first time receiving a love letter, so I'm nervous."
She licked her lips at length as if tense.
"Love...?"
Flumen tilted his head, unsure of what she meant.
"Let's see."
Ignoring Flumen's reaction, Merlin unfolded Raon's letter.
**[I heard you saved me again. Thank you. And I'm sorry. I have nothing to say but apologies for causing you to be ambushed by the Specter and expelled from Eden because of me. However, as the saying goes, 'misfortune may be an actual blessing in disguise,' I hope this moment becomes an opportunity for you to settle your past and start a new life. From now on, stop your evil deeds and try living a life where you can cherish yourself. I'll be cheering for you, so if you ever need help, come find me anytime.
–Raon Zieghart.]**
The letter was short, but it contained all the words Raon had wanted to say, written in calm handwriting.
"Ah..."
Merlin sat down, clutching the letter to her chest. Her chin trembled as tears welled up.
"Are, are you hurt somewhere?"
Flumen rushed to Merlin, startled.
"If your injuries—"
"This means he loves me, right? Raon loves me!"
Merlin's purple eyes twisted in a bizarre direction.
"Eh...?"
Flumen stepped back, unnerved by her eerie gaze.
"No, I don't think so..."
Having heard the contents of the letter from Raon, he knew. There was no mention of love in it.
"No, it's true. Saying he'll cheer for me and wait for me means he loves me."
Merlin muttered insistently and shook her head firmly.
"I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too! I love you too!"
She rubbed her face against the letter as if it were Raon himself, endlessly proclaiming her love.
"I'm coming right away! I'll be there soon! I'm coming right away! I'll be there soon! I'm coming right away! I'll be there soon! I'm coming right away! I'll be there soon! I'm coming right away! I'll be there soon! I'm coming right away! I'll be there soon! I'm coming right away! I'll be there soon!"
With Merlin's grotesque obsession, even the river seemed to be turning purple like her eyes.
"Ugh..."
Flumen's fingertips trembled as he drew up water magic.
I don't think she should be allowed outside... Should I seal her again?
In a small tavern in a corner of Cameloon, a city known as a commercial hub.
As always, despite it being broad daylight, the interior of the tavern was packed with no seats available. However, there was one difference from usual.
Unlike when people usually gathered from all over the continent to talk about random rumors, everyone in the tavern was only discussing the war between Zieghart and the South-North Union.
"I never thought the South-North Union would actually fall."
A middle-aged man with a half-bald head exhaled as he put down his beer mug.
"I thought it would end moderately as always..."
He trembled his lips, still unable to believe it.
"It's not just the South-North Union that's the problem. Among the Five Demons, the White Blood Religion, Holy Sword Alliance, Eden, and even the newly incorporated Shadow were defeated."
A middle-aged man with catfish whiskers frowned.
"They say the Destructive King of the North alone pushed back five Transcendent Warriors. No, with the Dragon Lord, it's six, isn't it?"
"Exclude the South-North Union Leader."
The balding middle-aged man shook his head.
"Dranos was beheaded by Raon Zieghart."
"Actually, that's what I find even harder to believe."
The man with catfish whiskers heavily thumped the table.
"Defeating the Axe King, coming back to life after being ambushed while unconscious, saving the Destructive King of the North, and killing the South-North Union Leader and Vice Leader? This isn't an old fairy tale—how can this be possible!"
He slammed his beer mug down hard, saying he still couldn't believe it no matter how much he thought about it.
"I can't believe it either, but eyewitnesses say it's true. No matter how I think about it, the Ziegharts aren't a normal human family. How can both grandfather and grandson be like this?"
The balding middle-aged man also shook his head, saying it was unbelievable.
"Raon Zieghart is 22 now, right? At that age, isn't he the greatest genius in the history of the continent?"
"He's the greatest genius of all time. Even the leaders of the Six Kings and Five Demons were only Masters at that age."
The man with catfish whiskers nodded in agreement.
"Oh, by the way, I heard Raon Zieghart got a new epithet?"
"I heard that too. It came up from the south..."
The balding middle-aged man rolled his eyes as he was about to lift his beer mug.
"Was it 'Kingkiller'? It sounds cool, but I'm not sure why."
"If you look at Raon Zieghart's actions, the answer is simple."
The man with catfish whiskers drew the shape of a crown with his finger.
"Actions?"
"Yes. Before this war, Raon Zieghart beheaded the king of the Holy Kingdom who was possessed by demons and passed the throne to the third prince. In this war, he killed Axe King Roman, South-North Union Leader Dranos, and Vice Leader Helgroom, and returned that river to the Blue Lugh Tribe."
He swallowed dryly and crumbled the crown he had made with his fingers.
"The term 'Kingkiller' refers to one who pulls down kings from their thrones. It's a fitting epithet for Raon Zieghart, who beheaded a king possessed by demons and overthrew the king of the river, isn't it?"
He shuddered as if getting goosebumps from his own words.
"I see. That fits perfectly."
The balding middle-aged man nodded, exhaling sharply.
"Oh, come to think of it, there's one more person who got a new epithet besides Raon Zieghart."
"That's right. In some ways, it's an even more chilling name than 'Kingkiller'..."
The man with catfish whiskers swallowed dryly and lowered his gaze.
"The Red-Eyed Demon Blade."
At the sword graveyard erected behind the Zieghart main building.
"..."
Sylvia, dressed in black ceremonial clothes, slowly lowered her red eyes. She carefully bowed her head in front of the graves, as if to comfort the deceased. Raon followed suit, giving a formal bow to the masterless swords.
Thank you for fighting for me. And I'm sorry I couldn't save you.
Those buried here went to the battlefield to avenge his death. Even though Derus was involved, so the war would have happened anyway, and even if he had woken up early and participated, he probably couldn't have saved them—but still, he wanted to say thank you and sorry to those who fought for him.
I promise you.
Raon closed his eyes with his hands clasped.
I will reveal Derus Robert's true identity and behead him.
Until now, he had moved solely for his own vengeance, but through this incident, many people's wills and breaths had climbed onto his back. Revealing Derus's identity and killing him was a task he had to accomplish even if he died.
Raon bowed his head once more to the sword graves, then stepped back and looked at the back of the person standing at the front.
Glenn Zieghart. Unlike other events, he led the funeral from beginning to end and didn't take his eyes off the swordsmen's graves. It seemed as if the feeling of being sorry for not being able to protect them was emanating from his back.
"Huu..."
Raon let out a short sigh and lightly bit his lip.
It's the first time I've seen the Head of House like this.
He thought Glenn would conduct even a funeral with dignity, but instead, Glenn showed more careful and meticulous behavior than anyone else. It was fascinating to see this new side of him.
—That is only natural!
Wrath raised his round finger while looking at Glenn.
—The higher the position one stands in, the more one should appreciate their subordinates! That old geezer might have a forked tongue and be a tasteless fool, but he's doing what needs to be done properly!
He nodded, saying it was quite admirable. As a demon king who usually cared for his subordinates, his words resonated more.
"The Head of House was originally like this, they say."
Sylvia approached from the side and whispered quietly.
"He was originally like this?"
"Yes. They say he became cold like now while going through wars, but originally, he had many gentle sides like this."
She smiled slightly, saying she had heard about it, not experienced it herself.
"I see."
Raon nodded slowly. However, he couldn't imagine Glenn's gentle side.
"With this, we conclude the funeral."
The funeral ended with the words of Chad, the Shadow Agents' Leader, who was presiding over the ceremony.
"A small banquet will be held at the Lord's Manor this evening, so please attend if you're not busy."
He spoke as if everyone should attend unless they had urgent matters, then stepped down from the platform.
"..."
Glenn looked Raon's way for a moment before heading to the Lord's Manor.
A banquet...
Raon licked his lips and turned his back.
There's no need for me to go, I suppose.
—What, what nonsense is this!
Wrath blocked the way as if to say it wasn't allowed.
—There will be a feast of delicacies at the banquet! Why wouldn't you go there!
He frowned with saliva dripping from his mouth.
You said you liked home-cooked meals.
—Uh...
And Mother doesn't like the main building.
—Urgh!
Didn't you say she was your mom too? Aren't you going to think about Mom?
—Well, that's...
Wrath's chin trembled as if he had nothing to say. His eyes swayed like a pendulum, torn between the feast and Sylvia.
"Mother, shall we go back?"
Raon was about to push aside the troubled Wrath and turn to Sylvia when—
"Young Master Raon. Miss Sylvia."
Roenn approached with two elegant boxes hanging from his waist.
"The Head of House has ordered that you must attend today's banquet."
"Us?"
"Yes. Both of you must come."
He said they absolutely must not miss it and held out the two boxes. Raon and Sylvia looked at each other before taking the boxes given to them.
—What is it! Is it Bead Ice Cream?
Wrath had suddenly regained his senses and was flicking his tongue.
Wait.
Raon pushed Wrath aside and opened the box for Roenn. Inside was an item he never expected.
"This is..."