After sending Denier away, Raon entered Federick's mansion.
"We have many guests today."
Federick waved his hand with his index and middle fingers together, saying he was glad Raon came.
"Did you finish the party?"
"It's not over yet."
Raon shook his head, saying he was still in the middle of enjoying it.
"Then why did you come here?"
Federick waved his hand dismissively, telling him to go back and have fun.
"I brought some food and dessert."
Raon unwrapped the bundle and placed the buffet dishes and bead ice cream he had personally brought on the table.
"Eat now. I just brought them, so they should still be warm."
"Hmm! I was feeling hungry..."
Federick licked his lips as he looked at the steaming dishes.
"You're the only one who takes care of me! That so-called friend of mine is too busy stuffing his own face to even show up."
He snorted as he cursed Glenn.
"Thank you. I'll enjoy it."
"It's nothing."
Raon bowed his head, thanking Federick for staying in Zieghart.
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here either. You don't need to say such things."
Federick clicked his tongue.
"Honestly, I do miss traveling without a destination, but I plan to leave only after treating Alice no matter what."
He smiled faintly, saying he couldn't leave a patient behind.
"Well then, shall we eat?"
Federick pondered what to choose before picking up a pizza first.
-Ugh! This fool doesn't know how to eat! You're supposed to start a buffet by warming your stomach with hot soup!
Wrath frowned, looking unimpressed.
'Huh? Didn't you also say we should eat pizza first?'
-W-well, this king was so hungry because of you that I had no choice...
'Wouldn't that be even more reason to warm up your stomach first?'
-La la la la!
He turned his head sharply, pretending not to hear.
'Honestly.'
Raon chuckled as he picked up two other bundles.
"I'm going to give some food to Aunt and Merlin as well."
"Alright. Alice's internal injuries have almost healed, so she should be able to eat regular food. As for Merlin, it's just a matter of stamina, so it's even better."
Federick rubbed his chin, telling Raon to deliver it well.
"Yes."
Raon bowed to Federick again and then knocked on the door of Alice's hospital room.
"Come in."
He opened the door upon hearing Alice's voice.
"Aunt... Oh?"
Raon's eyes widened as he called out to Alice. She was doing push-ups with her hands on the floor. His mouth gaped open involuntarily, not expecting her to be exercising.
"R-Raon?"
Alice gasped, seemingly having thought the person knocking was Federick.
"Is it okay for you to exercise?"
Raon looked at Alice as he placed the food bundle on the table.
"Ah, it's fine..."
Alice nodded awkwardly with a smile.
"I felt like my body was stiffening up from staying still, so I tried moving a bit."
She rolled her shoulders, saying her physical condition wasn't bad.
"I heard you've been visiting often. Thank you."
Alice looked down at her feet like a criminal who had committed a serious crime.
"Of course I should come."
Raon shook his head as he unwrapped the food bundle. He spoke while laying out the food on the table.
"We're holding a small banquet in the annex building, so I brought some food."
"...I heard. They said it was a party to celebrate Sia waking up."
Alice nodded as if she already knew.
"I should have participated too. I'm sorry."
She still had the word "sorry" on her lips.
"It's okay. You can come later."
Raon handed Alice the warm stew first, following Wrath's advice.
"...Thank you."
Alice received the bowl of stew with slightly trembling hands.
"Well, shall we try it? Oh, it's delicious!"
She moved her spoon with a forced smile that anyone could see through.
"Aunt."
Raon closed his eyes briefly before opening them and holding Alice's trembling hand.
"I understand that you feel guilty towards me and the Light Wind division. But we have already bid farewell to Master properly."
He shook his head, saying it wasn't just him, but the entire Light Wind division that had accepted Rimmer's death.
"Master also left with satisfaction, smiling as he saved you and Dorian."
He held Alice's increasingly trembling hand more firmly.
"If you continue to avoid us and react so awkwardly, it would be an insult to Master and the entire Light Wind division."
Raon nodded calmly as he looked into Alice's wavering eyes.
"After all, a swordsman of Zieghart who stands with a sword always carries death on their back."
"Mmm..."
Alice bit her inwardly curled lip as she looked at him.
"Raon. You are truly upright. I'm envious, and also regretful..."
"..."
Raon sighed softly, seeming to understand what Alice meant by her envy and regret.
"Alright. I understand your... no, all of your feelings. Since everyone is saying so, I should try to cheer up a bit too."
She thanked him and shoved all the stew in her mouth at once.
"Everyone?"
Raon murmured the word "everyone" as he looked at Alice.
"Yes. Denier came and told me something similar to what you said."
Alice pointed to the fruit basket on top of the wardrobe.
"He always seemed like an empty-headed fellow, but when he encouraged me today, he was sincere."
She smiled slightly, saying she saw Denier in a new light.
"So I was trying to exercise a little to regain some strength."
"...I see."
Raon nodded with a composed expression.
'Denier gave her advice?'
-...What on earth is that guy's true identity? What is he thinking?
'I don't know.'
For Alice to speak like that, it meant there must have been some sincerity in his words. It was hard to understand what Denier was thinking or what he was aiming for.
'Why is he trying to raise Aunt up?'
To be honest, it would take a long time for Alice to recover, and there was no guarantee she would return to her original skill level. From an enemy's perspective, there would be no value in using her. He couldn't understand the intention.
'Then is he not an enemy?'
No, it would be better to raise her if he wanted to use her as a hostage... As Raon tilted his head, Alice shook her chin.
"And there's one more person."
Alice raised a finger.
"What? One more?"
"Someone who's really annoying me..."
As she sighed, the door of the hospital room burst open.
"Raon!"
It was Merlin. She was wearing her mask half-askew and stomping her feet.
"You should have come to me first! I was waiting to see when you'd come, why aren't you coming!"
She exploded in frustration, asking why he was only playing with Alice.
-Eek!
Wrath swallowed empty air as if scared, even though Merlin hadn't appeared in an animal form this time.
"It's her."
Alice chuckled as she pointed at Merlin.
"She said she came here to recover her stamina after waking up? But instead of recovering her stamina, she comes to visit me every day and chatters away, it's exhausting."
She shook her head, saying she was tired from all the strange things Merlin kept saying.
"Aunt! It hurts when you say that! We had a good time, didn't we?"
Merlin muttered, asking why Alice was acting like that, and nudged her with her elbow. Seeing this, it seemed the two had really become close.
"I brought yours too."
Raon smiled as he unwrapped the food bundle he had brought for Merlin.
"My hand hurts..."
Merlin hunched her shoulders, saying her previously fine hand now hurt.
"Your hand?"
"Yes. So..."
She leaned forward and parted her red lips.
"Will you feed me? Ah!"
Merlin closed her eyes, asking him to feed her directly.
"Here we go again."
Alice let out a hollow laugh as she looked at Merlin.
"But I don't understand why she keeps wearing that mask when her face is unbelievably pretty."
She shook her head, saying it was a shame to hide a face that could rival Runaan and Martha's.
"Ugh."
As soon as the topic of the mask came up, Merlin closed her mouth and firmly adjusted her mask.
"Merlin?"
"Oh, come to think of it, I have fruit too."
She said she'd be right back and brought a fruit basket identical to the one in Alice's room.
"This is..."
"Your uncle brought it."
Merlin smiled brightly, saying Denier had given it to her.
"He was being very kind and attentive."
She nodded, saying he seemed like a good person.
"Aunt! Let's eat together!"
Merlin placed her food on the table as well, creating a small buffet.
"Who would have thought the Queen of Terror, Merlin, was such a cutie."
Alice let out a hollow laugh, saying it was surprising.
"I'm not like this with just anyone!"
Merlin grinned, saying it was because Raon was here.
"Raon. You seem to have quite a lot of luck with women."
Alice smiled faintly as she put a rib in her mouth.
"It's not luck with women, it's just my luck."
Merlin frowned, saying she alone was enough.
-No! It's demon king luck!
Wrath shook his head vigorously, insisting he was providing the greatest luck.
'Right. Think whatever you want...'
Raon shook his head and looked at the two fruit baskets Denier had brought.
'Denier Zieghart...'
* * *
The next day at noon. Raon took a short breath as he stood in front of a building so grand it seemed excessive even compared to the Lord's Manor. As he knocked on the silver gate that rose up as if guarding the building, the main gate opened with a majestic sound, and a middle-aged man with an intellectual air bowed his head.
"We've been waiting for you, Light Wind Division Leader."
The middle-aged man slowly raised his head and introduced himself.
"I am Gotarn, the Chief Administrator of the True Martial Palace."
"I am Raon of the Light Wind division."
Raon bowed his head in return to Gotarn.
"This way, please. The Palace Master is waiting."
Gotarn entered the main building of the True Martial Palace, which was so lavish it was almost ridiculous, saying he would guide him.
"Yes."
Raon turned his gaze left and right as he followed Gotarn into the corridor of the True Martial Palace.
'There are many decorations, but...'
There's no order to them. It's impossible to make sense of. Normally, high-end decorations are arranged according to balance. Swords with swords, armor with armor, and artworks with artworks, but here, luxury items were scattered everywhere. It felt more like a marketplace than the True Martial Palace of Zieghart.
"It's a bit gaudy, isn't it?"
Gotarn smiled as if he understood.
"The Palace Master values his own feelings above all else, so we have no choice but to leave it like this."
He shook his head, saying Balder doesn't listen well to others.
"...I see."
Raon nodded to Gotarn and licked his lips.
'I've certainly come to the right place.'
Buying flashy items means having a desire to show off, and placing them randomly afterwards means being stubborn. He was sure he had found the best person to keep Denier in check.
"This is the Palace Master's office."
Gotarn stopped in front of Balder's study, which was no less impressive than Glenn's audience chamber.
"Then I'll open the door."
He knocked on the iron door forcefully before pulling the handle.
"Palace Master. I've brought the guest."
"Ah! Is that so?"
True Martial Palace Master Balder let out a small exclamation as he looked up from the thick book he was reading while wearing glasses without lenses.
"..."
"..."
Both Gotarn and Raon were silent. They both knew that this was a very clumsy act.
"Ahem! The weather was so nice that I did some reading, and time flew by."
Balder laughed as he put down the book that didn't have a single smudge on it. He tried to put on an act with his voice too, but it was too shabby.
"I greet the True Martial Palace Master."
"Yes. Welcome."
He stretched out his hand, pointing to the sofa on the right as if welcoming Raon.
"Thank you."
Raon straightened his back and sat on the sofa next to Balder.
"It's quite something for you to come looking for me."
Balder had already dropped his act and returned to his usual gruff way of speaking.
"...I'll take my leave."
Gotarn left the room, looking slightly embarrassed.
"I came because I have a favor to ask of you, Palace Master."
Raon got straight to the point as soon as he sat down.
"A favor..."
Balder nodded as if he had expected this.
"Speak up. If it's about our nephew, of course, I'll listen!"
"Well..."
Raon licked his lips. It was rather burdensome when he came on so strongly. But right now, Balder was the only person he could trust.
"I was hoping you could keep an eye on the Wise Martial Palace Master a little."
"Denier?"
Balder bluntly called his older brother Denier by name.
"Yes. As you know, Alice hasn't regained her strength yet, and I'm afraid Denier might try to use some clumsy magic."
Raon sighed, saying it seemed like Denier was trying to perform unverified healing and give Alice elixirs.
"In other words, you're saying he's acting like a quack!"
Balder compressed Raon's long explanation into the single word "quack". He believed Raon's words without a hint of doubt. He had certainly done well to come here.
"Ah, yes. He's a quack."
Raon nodded with a faint smile.
"That guy has always been like that, getting fixated on one thing and unable to see anything else. He might look like a blank slate, but he's stubborn."
Balder snorted, saying Denier only looked proper on the outside, but was ignorant on the inside.
"Y-yes. Anyway, I thought you were the only one in Zieghart who could do this, so I came to you."
Raon bowed his head, saying he was asking for a favor.
"R-really? Is that so?"
Balder's mouth corners curled up long, seeming pleased by the statement that only he could do it.
"Ahem, it's certainly possible for me, but hmm, I've been busy developing martial arts lately, so I'm not sure if I'll have time?"
He muttered that he was having trouble developing martial arts while sneaking glances at Raon.
"...When I return from my mission, I'll help you examine the martial arts you're creating."
He nodded immediately, having expected to pay this much from the beginning.
"R-really?"
Balder stood up abruptly, as if he hadn't expected such a quick answer.
"Yes, of course. I'm the one benefiting from using your busy time."
"Hmph! As expected, my nephew speaks so refreshingly! Alright! I'll watch that guy so closely I'll even know how many pieces of bread he eats!"
He shouted not to worry and patted his own back.
"Thank you. And please keep this a secret."
"A secret? Why?"
"Denier is also moving for Alice's sake, and I don't want to embarrass him."
Raon clasped his hands, saying he just wanted him to watch for any strange behavior.
"You..."
Balder glared at him with furrowed brows.
'Did he figure it out?'
To be honest, even he thought this was a rather flimsy answer, so it seemed Balder had noticed.
"Palace Master. What I mean is..."
"You're such a good kid!"
Balder vigorously patted his shoulder, saying he was kind-hearted.
"..."
Raon swallowed dry saliva as he looked at Balder, whose eyes were sparkling.
'Is this right?'
He felt like he was committing a crime even though he was getting the answers he wanted.
-Sigh...
Wrath also exhaled emptily as if dumbfounded.
-Is that really a human head?