Episode 429.

Raon walked through the centre of the realm with his fanfare. The stares of the officers lining either side of him, especially those of his immediate family, stung, but he ignored them and stood before the dais.

“Greetings, my lord!”

I knelt and bowed my head, meeting Glenn’s eyes, which held more coldness than emptiness.

“Rise.”

Glenn’s voice was heavier than usual. Judging from the chill in the air, even in the real world, something bad was going on.

“Yes!”

Raon hauled himself to his feet, following his master, Remer.

“We should see our guests first.”

Glenn’s gaze flicked across the troupe to Gumgui and Muston at the end.

Knowing he was referring to him, Gumgui stepped forward and bowed.

“It is an honour to meet you, Master of the North. I am Swordsman Rectar.”

He lowered himself, raised his glen, and bowed as a guest.

“I have heard your name often, blowing as high as the north wind. To meet the head of the Five Great Swordsman is a revelation to me.”

Glenn’s tone was as respectful as his opponent’s.

Raon frowned at the two swordsmen as they exchanged pleasantries.

“What is it?

Was he mistaken?

Surely their greetings to each other were gentle, but there was a glint in their eyes.

“It is my understanding that Duke Rectar does not visit Yuk Huang Oma unless it is for a special occasion, so can you tell me why you are here, Siegfried?”

“Um….”

Glenn’s eyes glazed over. The swordguy didn’t answer right away, but looked at Raon beside him.

“I love to travel, I roam the continent, and as I come into contact with so many people, I see so many talents, but I’ve never seen anyone like you, Swordsman Raon. Strength, mind, talent, and humanity. He doesn’t lack for anything.”

There was an uncanny kindness in his piercing eyes.

Glenn’s narrowed eyes, on the other hand, burned with an icy coldness.

“I have a pupil of my own, and while I’m pleased with his skills, I think he still leaves a lot to be desired in terms of character. I’ve come here to find out who the hell raised this monster.”

“Hmm.”

Glenn covered his mouth with his hand as he listened to the gumshoe’s praise for Raon.

‘To be praised like that by a gumshoe….’

Who is Gum Gui? A martial artist at the head of the Five Great Swords, he was said to be unstoppable even against the masters of the Sixth Huangma.

And today, his actual strength was not that different from the rumours.

“That’s what a sword spirit would say?”

“I heard he’s someone who teaches but doesn’t give praise?”

“That’s right. He was said to be cold….”

Siegfried’s officers swallowed dryly as they listened to the praise coming out of Gumkiss’s mouth.

“Hmm….”

Glenn fiddled with his sleeve with his left hand. His frozen heart melted as he heard the continent’s most famous martial artist praise his grandson with such sincerity.

“So Limerick was full of shit after all.

He had said that the sword spirit was like a real grandfather, but now it was clear that the sword spirit had followed Raon to Siegfried in order to cultivate his disciple’s character.

“Hmph, I see.”

Raon stepped forward just as Olga was about to grant permission for the visit.

“Lord Rectar has taught me and the Berserkers many things. We have all grown greatly in our accomplishments because of your daily training with us.”

Raon recited what the swordsman had done for him, as if to defend him. I felt my heart sink as I realised that he had been watching my swordsmanship every day like a pupil.

“…You watched my swordplay?”

“Yes. He didn’t teach me swordsmanship, but he gave me advice on swordplay.”

“Hmm.”

Glenn’s fingertips twitched as he listened to Raon’s words.

“He taught you, and every day?

A swordsman of Raon’s stature wouldn’t be giving strange lessons, so it was a good bet.

But then the words of Remer’s letter came back to her, and she felt a sick feeling in her stomach.

“You don’t mean to take me as a disciple, do you? A scion?

The warm feelings for Raon that had been in the ghost’s eyes since they first met seemed to be blatantly visible.

Raon smiled weakly at him, as if he trusted him.

“This is not working.

At this point, there was no way to stop the ghost from coming.

It looked like Raon’s gift would have to go and something new would have to be prepared.

“The children are indebted. Thank you.”

Glenn swallowed hard and forced himself to nod.

“No, they’re all talented kids, it’s been a pleasure.”

The swordsman smiled weakly and waved a hand.

“With help like that, I suppose I can’t refuse. I welcome the visit of Lord Rectar.”

Glenn hid the impatience in his chest as he granted Gum-Guy permission to visit.

“Thank you.”

The gumshoe bowed with Muston, then stepped back.

“Well….”

Raon scratched his temple as he watched Glenn and Gumgui make eye contact.

“Why does the atmosphere seem to have gotten cheesier?

I’m not sure why the air seems to be colder now that I’ve told you that Gumkiss helped me.

-Maybe he’s hungry.

Rath yawned overhead, seemingly unconcerned.

“Berserkers.”

Glenn turned his gaze away from the swordsman. His heavy eyes seemed to weigh down on her shoulders.

“I thought the mission was over quickly, but you’re quite late.”

“I apologise.”

Remer said nothing, so Raon bowed in his place.

“Next time, if you’re late, report that you’re late. You may be late, but you didn’t report it.”

“What? Master Danjoo said you contacted him….”

“Contact? He said he was going to Habun Castle, but he didn’t say how long it would take.”

“Ah! I forgot!”

Limer scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

“Habun Castle was surprisingly nice to eat and play in. I forgot to send you a letter.”

He muttered something about that happening in life and cleared his throat.

“…….”

The real world, with its many people, became silent.

“That fucking Danju!

I don’t know about anyone else, but you can’t say that!

Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at Glenn, a tendril sprouting from his forehead.

“Be careful next time.”

He didn’t look angry, though, and nodded low.

“Huh?”

Limerick’s eyes widened, not expecting such a reaction.

Raon looked at Glenn, who was cupping his jaw in his right fist.

“You’re not your usual self.

Glenn cleared his throat, not lashing out at Limer, not unleashing a barrage of thunderbolts at the swordsman.

“I know why you’re late, so let’s move on. Now, report to me on what the Cultists have been doing in House Aryan.”

“Yes. When we first arrived at House Aryan….”

Raon recounted the events of House Aryan, from how corrupt the leadership was and how much danger the people were exposed to, to the sudden swamp tidal wave and the battle with the Wraiths.

When he had finished recounting the events of House Aryan, silence fell over the realm.

“You captured a wraith? The wraith?”

“He’s a grandmaster!”

“I know. Even if you let your guard down, can the Crazies defeat Eden’s senior cadre?”

“On top of that, they even used a strange deception bead….”

“Strange in more ways than one.”

As the immediate cadre began to doubt, starting with Karun and Valder, the cadre were not easily convinced.

“Non-banqueting wine.”

“Yes!”

At Glenn’s call, Chad stepped forward.

“Is there any truth to what they’re saying?”

“I’ve cross-checked the non-banqueting information and it’s 100% true.”

Chad nodded emphatically, as if there was nothing to see.

“Huh!”

“A non-banquet owner admits it….”

“That means it’s real!”

“Even the Grandmasters missed the wraith ears….”

“You didn’t just miss, you hit the jackpot.”

“It’s not called a frenzy, it’s called a rabid dog, I get it.”

The executives lined up on the left and right of the room gaped in amazement. They kept whispering amongst themselves, even though Glenn was sitting right in front of them.

Many of the executives said that it was amazing and admired it, but there were many who couldn’t help but laugh.

“Dude.”

“Damn….”

“Whatever.”

Karun, Valder, and the rest of his immediate cadre flicked their ears as if they’d heard something dirty and frowned.

They gave me a cold stare, as if they couldn’t admit to anything.

Glenn raised his hand slowly, and the room fell silent as if it were a library.

“The Berserkers.”

“Yes.”

Raon nodded, speaking for himself.

“Do you know what I originally wanted for the Berserkers?”

“Relief from the corruption of House Aryan.”

He went to House Aryan and told them what he had realised.

“Then do you remember what your mission is?”

“It was to go to the Swamp of Death and determine the cause of the increase in the number of undead and solve it.”

“Is the mission I gave you different from what you solved?”

“No. They are the same.”

There were many things that happened, but in the end, the undead and the slothful cadres that surrounded the Arian family disappeared, so it was safe to say that the mission was accomplished.

“That’s right. We dumped the wastewater that was fouling House Aryan and dug a new well with clean water, so I’d say mission accomplished.”

Glenn’s eyes lowered and opened lazily.

“That’s the mission of the Cause. Unlike a structured, specific Corps mission, the Cause must gather information and make its own judgements. The Cyclones have proven themselves more than adequate for the task of the Cause with this mission. Therefore!”

He raised himself from the podium and extended his hand.

“I hereby elevate the Berserkers to the rank of Berserkers!”

“Ooohhhhh!”

“Clown, congratulations!”

“Well, that’s one more competitor.”

“I look forward to seeing you run hard!”

“I’ll be right behind you!”

Cheers and applause erupted from cadres from across the room and a small number of immediate officers. There was no sign of the ironclad officers.

“Thank you!”

Berserker bowed to Glenn and the officers in turn.

“May I speak to you for a moment?”

Raon bowed, then rose, taking a step toward the dais.

“Is it possible to change the name of the Berserkers?”

“You mean to rename the Berserkers?”

“Yes. Not the Berserkers, but the Berserkers… kerfuffle!”

I was about to continue when Buren and Marta came up behind me and poked me in the back. Other members of the Berserkers came up and pinched my thighs or arms.

“Shut up!”

“If you call me a rabid dog, I’m out! I don’t want to be called a rabid dog!”

“Go crazy alone, please!”

One by one, the Berserkers shook their heads rapidly, saying they didn’t like being called berserkers.

“I like rabid dog.”

Lunan alone muttered that he liked it.

“Hmm.”

Glenn scratched his chin and shook his head.

“You don’t get to decide on a name alone, come back to me with a proper discussion.”

“Oh, yeah….”

Raon nodded, rubbing the pinched spots.

“Names aside, what will you do about your master, will you stay?”

Glenn looked down at the fiddling Remer and frowned.

“Well….”

Raon followed Glenn’s gaze to Rimmer and drew a low, light smile.

“To be honest, our Lord is a man who exhibits many unsavoury traits. He’s lazy, loves gambling and money, and has a firm grip on the protagonist disease.”

“Eh?”

Remer’s eyes widened, as if he hadn’t expected to be swearing here, and I remembered.

As a trainee, Limer’s notebooks were filled with the strengths and weaknesses of over a hundred trainees, along with ways to improve them.

Seeing it made him the best teacher and master he still was and always would be.

“But I need you as the master of the troupe. I still have a lot to learn.”

“You’re right. I don’t like it, but he has to be the owner for our comfort!”

“I feel the same way.”

“I don’t want to change it yet.”

Raon wasn’t the only one, the other swordsmen in the clan nodded and said they wanted Rimmer to be the lord.

“I see.”

Glenn nodded, looking a little wistful.

“Since that’s what you guys want, I’ll let Remer take over as High Priestess.”

“Kyaa!”

Remer exclaimed, looking back at the clown. The corners of his mouth twitched with pleasure.

“I didn’t realise you guys liked me so much! Alright, I’ll take you to the training ground three days a week from now!”

He grinned, shouting for a spanking, but Glenn said nothing and rolled his eyes.

“Let’s move on.”

Glenn’s gaze turned back to Raon, his red eyes seeming to sparkle like constellations.

“As I said earlier, everyone in the Berserkers did more than their part in the promotion trials. If it weren’t for you, House Aryan would have been destroyed, and Eden’s involvement would have been buried in the swamp. You have done a great job, and I will reward you accordingly.”

He snapped his fingers, and a golden spark burst into the air, causing a small bookcase to rise.

“This one is ready, too.”

Roen stood beside Glenn, holding up a black silk-covered board.

“First, the leader of the First Company of Minstrels. Marta Sieghardt. Forward.”

“Yes!”

Marta bowed and stepped up to the dais.

“Your impetuosity has brought you danger, but you have been an inspiration to many. Well done.”

Glenn took the silver plaque from the board and the yellowed martial arts tome from the bookshelf and handed it to Marta.

“This is a swordsmanship that suits your personality. Examine it and learn it.”

“Thank you!”

Marta bowed her head in gratitude, then bit her tongue, her face flushed.

“One more thing for Lunan to tease.

As Raon smiled weakly, a chuckle came from the cadre.

“Marta’s cute!”

It was her father, Denier Sieghardt, Glenn’s third son. He was one of the few in the immediate family to applaud, and he simply smiled broadly at his daughter’s beauty.

“Next, Lunan Slyon.”

Glenn’s call didn’t break Lunan’s fierce gaze, and she stepped up to the podium with a calm demeanour.

“Your gentle aura seems to have eased the minds of the others, well done.”

He patted Lunan on the shoulder and held out the silver plaque and martial arts book.

“Harsh swordsmanship, contrary to your personality. It’s good to be different sometimes, and it will serve you well to learn it.”

“Thank you.”

Lunan took the silver plaque and the book of martial arts, then shook his head nonchalantly and descended the dais.

“My daughter is the prettiest!”

Lorcan Slyon bellowed, raising his fist.

“Beren Siegfried, Third Lord.”

“Yay!”

Buren replied with a roar so loud it shook the ground beneath him, then strode up to the podium.

“I’ve heard that your calmness and judgement have been a great help to the clan. I consider you to be another lieutenant, and I hope you will continue to look out for everyone.”

Glenn nodded vigorously in satisfaction, then handed Buren a silver plaque and a martial arts book.

“Thank you!”

Buren shouted, this time at the top of his lungs. He locked eyes with his father, Karun, for a moment, then made his way down the dais.

All the members of the group, starting with the captains, received the silver plaques and diplomas that Glenn had prepared for them, and descended to the foot of the podium.

“And finally, Raon Sieghardt.”

“Yes.”

Raon replied in a low voice, then stepped up to the dais.

“I have served the Berserker from beginning to end, carrying out missions and fighting wars on his behalf.”

I felt a slight stirring in my stomach, for I had heard the words good and great, but not hardship.

“It is no exaggeration to say that saving House Aryan and ultimately defeating the Wraiths was a feat, and for this new achievement, I award Raon Siegfried a golden plaque.”

At the mention of a golden plaque, the realm became noisy again.

“A gold plaque….”

“Another gold plaque?”

“How many of these are there already?”

“I don’t think it’s a gold medal.”

“No, it’s a well-deserved achievement. For capturing that wraith.”

“Yeah, well, you did something that even your masters couldn’t do.”

A few of the officers muttered something about Raon getting too many gold plaques, but no one spoke up, not even his immediate family, like Karun and Valder.

“Hmm….”

Glenn handed over the plaque, the corner of his mouth twitching as if he didn’t like something about it.

He glanced at the sword at the foot of the dais, his mouth set in a tight line. He looked as if he had made up his mind about something.

“Well….”

Raon narrowed his eyes at the bookshelf beside Glenn.

“Why didn’t you give me a martial arts book?

There were still three books on the shelf. I’m not sure why he’s not giving them to you, since you seem to have prepared them like everyone else.

“I’ll give you yours later.”

Glenn snapped his fingers and returned the books to the shelf, then shook his head. I wasn’t sure why, but he seemed to have changed his mind about rewards.

“Okay.”

Raon bowed his head and slid down the dais, knowing he’d been through this before.

Glenn stood up from the dais and surveyed the troupe and their officers.

“You may have heard of the recent rise of new powers on the continent. They are called the Xin Zhuo Ling, and they have been expanding their power through the cracks of the Yan Huang Ma.”

Despite his abruptness in speaking of the continent’s situation, everyone looked at him and listened.

“The Yixinghuangs each seek to grow their own power, while the Oma stand guard in the darkness. It’s a turbulent time, to say the least. In the future, you will most likely go out on missions and fight unexpected enemies, so think as coolly as this minstrel and judge what you should and shouldn’t do.”

“Understood!”

Glenn said, and the cadre and the clown simultaneously bowed at the instruction.

“That concludes today’s promotion ceremony.”

He waved his hand as if he had said all he had to say.

The officers exited the Alchemical Chamber first, Raon and the Berserkers the last to bow, and then left the Alchemical Chamber.

“Hey….”

Remer didn’t leave with the troupe. He rubbed his hands together and approached the dais where Glenn’s throne sat.

“Why not me, I’ve done quite well this time?”

He bragged about how he’d made a spectacular entrance and saved everyone when the wraiths tried to strangle the jester.

“I see.”

Glenn nodded gently.

“I know. You did a great job this time.”

“Yeah! If it wasn’t for me, it would’ve been Raon, freaking out, and everyone would’ve died.”

Remer nodded quickly, as if thinking, “That’s right!

“I don’t care about the gold plaque or anything, just the money.”

He made a circle with his thumb and forefinger and smirked.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got something solid for you.”

Glenn motioned for him to follow, and he left the room.

“Whoa! What is it?”

Remer smirked and winked at Roen.

“Does the sun rise in the west tomorrow?”

“Hehehe.”

Roen let out his usual chuckle with a casual expression.

“Ah, I see your lordship has come to his senses. I guess he’s realised who he needs to take care of.”

“Hehehe, let’s go.”

“Ah, I see.”

Remer nodded and followed Glenn, who led the way out of the Gazoo Hall and to the Gazoo’s private performance hall in the back.

“A training ground? Why here?”

Limerick scratched his head as he looked at the immaculately polished stage. He didn’t know why someone who was supposed to be paying him would come to a performance hall.

“This is your seat.”

Glenn flicked his wrist and pointed to the floor.

“What seat? I don’t see any money.”

Limerick looked around, gritting his teeth, but there was no silver, no coins, not even gold.

No way!

Glenn smiled coldly and snapped his fingers. There was a puff of smoke in the air, and a huge sphere of lightning flashed towards the son-in-law.

“Huh?”

Countless bolts of lightning rained down on him, unable to be dodged or blocked.

Quagmire!

There was a loud boom and explosion, and the immaculate stage was torn apart as if it had been struck by a storm.

Qi Yi Yun!

The red-haired elf, slumped in the centre of the ruined smokehouse, spewed steam from her mouth and shuddered all over.

“Moo, what a place….”

Glenn parted his lips, preparing a second stalk of lightning.

“Your spot.”