Episode 655.

“Ugh….”

Raon sat up, his fingertips shaking.

“What’s the big deal?”

The young cat asked. No, Merlin meowed, landing on his shoulder.

-Ma’am, you are right!

Rath nodded coldly.

-To be surprised by a mere madwoman is a disgrace to the king’s name!

“Hey, wipe your spit.

Raon glared at Rath, who was drooling profusely.

-Cough!

Rath wiped the drool off his forearm and crawled over to the bracelet.

-See, the Bone King is a bit tired now and will rest.

Are you running away?

-Fleeing, there’s nothing you can’t say to this furious lord, he’s just tired!

He shook his head and slipped back into his ice flower bracelet.

“How long have you been here?”

Raon leaned back against a tree and turned to Merlin. It didn’t seem like he’d just gotten here, judging by the way he was clawing at the Kiluan’s face and asking if he’d done a good job.

“Wrong question.”

Merlin swung a forepaw around.

“You should be asking how long I’ve been here, not how long we’ve been together!”

“Well, then….”

“Yes, I’ve been with you since the beginning!”

She laughed, saying that they had been together since she returned to the clan.

“Ugh….”

-Hic!

I groaned in disbelief, but then I heard Rath’s scream from inside the ice flower bracelet. I honestly wanted to scream myself.

“Even as a Grandmaster, you can’t even catch me….

That animal possession thing was a scam of a scam.

“Actually, I wanted to rip that inspiration’s throat out, but I thought it would distract you, so I held back.”

Merlin said regretfully and lifted a forepaw. Sharp claws protruded from its cotton-bat-like forepaws.

“Okay. Thanks….”

Raon swallowed dryly at the sight of the sharpened claws. He was glad that Merlin seemed to be growing a little more patient.

“Ah, Dalian, that was fun.”

Merlin smiled wryly and stuck out his neck.

“I always believe in you, but I didn’t expect you to be so dominant against an Inspiration of similar power!”

“It’s not so much that, I just knew all of my opponent’s martial arts.”

“I can’t believe how many of them couldn’t use a tearjerker even if I taught them!”

She told me I did a good job and patted me on the shoulder with the pink jelly on her front paw. It wasn’t cool, but it felt strangely good.

Raon narrowed his eyes at Merlin as he rubbed her shoulder.

‘Wait….’

Merlin almost always follows me, and it occurred to me that she might have seen Derus.

“Did you happen to enter Daggerzone’s tomb?”

“I did go in.”

Merlin nodded, wondering why I was asking the obvious. I was creeped out that I’d asked.

“Except that I was immediately possessed.”

“You broke the spell?”

“Yes. It’s a strange space, and I don’t think I can enter it as an alter ego.”

She bit her lip, wishing she could have come to the main body, but she had a job to do.

“I’m so sorry, Hagumji, I should have seen that legend with my own eyes!”

Merlin raised his forepaw as if to pluck out his eyes in apology.

“Don’t do that, it’s not your body, no, not even your body!”

Raon panicked and grabbed Merlin’s hand. He thought he’d calmed down a bit, but still.

“If you say so.”

Merlin smirked and slid his hand down her thigh.

“So what happened?”

I asked curiously, figuring it had to be something pretty big for Merlin to not be able to find me.

“Hunting.”

Merlin lifted a forepaw, nonchalantly.

“Hunting?”

“Tachen has been swelling Eden’s ranks lately. My mission was to hunt a named monster.”

She nodded, as if she’d caught something pretty special.

“There’s no point in capturing it, isn’t there? It’ll take quite a while for the gemstone to be made.”

“That’s right. The materials in Eden’s helmet and mask are naturally occurring gems, but Ta Chen has developed a spell to create them artificially.”

“That’s how…?”

Raon stammered, looking at Merlin.

“Of course, they don’t have the same power as the original gemstones, and the masks and helmets they make are of inferior quality.”

Merlin twisted his lips and lowered his gaze.

“I’m afraid T’Challa could do with a few more of those.”

“And the others?”

“Same, quietly gathering strength.”

“Is it really a war?”

Raon’s eyes narrowed. If all the Oma, not just Eden, were quietly gathering strength, war seemed the only possible reason.

“Has Tacheon told you anything?”

“He gives me missions, but he doesn’t tell me his plans, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen him in person.”

“That’s….”

“Yeah. As you say, his suspicions have been heightened.”

Merlin nodded nonchalantly, as if it were no one else’s business.

“…Be careful.”

I didn’t know if it was right to tell Eden to be careful, but she had helped me so much, I couldn’t let it go.

“If you have a bad feeling, you can leave Eden now.”

“Hmph.”

“Why, why do you laugh.”

Raon leaned back to look at Merlin, who laughed in an odd way.

“It makes my heart flutter whenever you worry about me.”

Merlin laughed, his cheeks flushing red.

“Ugh….”

-Hi!

Rath’s scream erupted as my mouth dropped open in disbelief. I don’t know why I was even there if he was going to hear it.

“I’ll leave you to it then.”

Merlin waved his hand, saying he’d told them all he knew. He said goodbye, but I could tell he was being watched by another animal.

“Could you at least say something when you show up?”

“What? I told you, ‘I did good, didn’t I?”

“Not that….”

I frowned. It feels like every time I see Merlin, I’m being talked out of it. When I tried to explain again, she waved her hand.

“He’s looking for a grass called catstraw. He heard about it from a cat being raised by humans, and he wants to roll around in it because it smells so good.”

“Now, wait! What’s catstraw?”

Raon stretched out his hand, but Merlin was already gone, and the cat’s black eyes turned to him.

“Nyaa.”

The cat was very cute, with a round face and eyes and fur that stood on end like a hedgehog’s. Maybe it was because Merlin had gotten away.

“Catnip?”

“Nah.”

“What is that…?”

“Nyaa!”

The cat raised its claws as if to say, “You’re on your own.

“I see. Okay….”

With the cat in your arms, you searched Beimang Mountain. But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find any catnip. In fact, I don’t even know what cat litter is, so I don’t even know if I missed it.

Yay!

Three hours later, after receiving a series of cotton bat punches from the cat, Laon walked down Beimang Mountain to the annex.

“Master?”

Helen’s eyes widened as she looked at the young cat in her arms.

“That cat is….”

“Helen, do you happen to know what catnip is?”

“Catnip? Do you mean catnip?”

She nodded as if she knew what catnip was.

“Do you have any of that?”

“No, I don’t. I don’t think so.”

“No!”

When Helen said there wasn’t, the cat she was holding gave her another cotton ball punch. I’d been looking for catnip for nearly half a day because of the rain, and it was frustrating to see it so aggressive.

“Catnip? I’ve got it!”

Dorian’s voice came from behind me. I spun around to see him holding up his hand.

“You have it?”

“Yes. It’s a necessity!”

Dorian fumbled with the ridiculous necessity and pulled out a triangular plant with a square stem and rounded leaves.

“Come here!”

He spread cat litter on the floor, and the young kitten slipped out of my arms and scampered over to Dorian.

“Nyaa!”

“Yes, yes. You’re so sweet!”

Dorian pulled a cat toy that looked like a fishing pole out of his back pocket and played with the kitten.

The cat rolled around in the cat litter, playing with Dorian with an expression he’d never shown me before. My heart sank.

“Hey.”

Raon’s mouth twitched as he looked at Dorian.

“What?”

“I want you.”

“Eh…?”

Dorian tilted his head, not sure what he meant.

“I wish.”

Rath shook his head pathetically.

-Pathetic.

* * *

“Haa….”

Sylvia was lying on her hospital bed, sighing, when the door opened without a knock.

“Raon?”

As she sat up, smiling broadly, Arisu walked in from the open door with a hastily arranged bouquet of flowers.

“I’m sorry, he’s not a very cute boy.”

Aris laughed as she handed the bouquet to Sylvia.

“Uh, sis. No, Ms. Arisu.”

“Call me Sis.”

She shook her head with a slight frown.

“There’s no one here. No, you can call me that even if there is. If you call me that, I’ll split your head off.”

Aris bared his teeth, knowing he’d fight even if it was his father.

“Thanks.”

Sylvia smiled weakly and took the bouquet.

“How are you feeling?”

Aris glanced at Sylvia’s condition and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

“I don’t feel sick, but it’s a little frustrating to have to stay still.”

Sylvia sighed, feeling trapped.

“I must have been looking at you wrong.”

“What?”

“I thought you were just a glazed-over girl. I didn’t think you’d leave your clan to find love, and I didn’t think you’d wield a sword to the point of death like you did yesterday.”

“I heard you used your strength then, thank you.”

“I didn’t, and that’s why this happened. I didn’t do anything.”

Aris ruffled her hair as if she were pathetic.

“You handed over the Dragon Heart that made my dagger, too, and no, you didn’t just help me, you helped Raon, too.”

“Because Raon is a child who can’t help but help.”

She nodded, looking into Sylvia’s eyes, which seemed to mirror Raon’s own.

“He’s such a good boy, it’s hard to believe he was born in this broken place, Siegfried. At his age, with such strength, he cares for people, and he wears his humility on his sleeve. He’s grown up well.”

Aris smiled faintly, realizing that Raon’s strength was outweighed by his heart.

“I’m not one to envy others, but I do envy you for farming your own children.”

“I have nothing to envy, he’s your nephew.”

Sylvia laughed, hugging the bouquet.

“You’re my nephew, aren’t you, and I’m glad your mom lets you!”

Aris clenched her fists as if she were going to shove the word aunt in Raon’s mouth.

“I’m sorry.”

She smiled, then made eye contact with Sylvia again and chewed her lip.

“Sister?”

“I haven’t had the courage to see you, actually. I’ve been avoiding you, and if I’d known you’d be like this, I should have gone earlier.”

“Ah….”

Sylvia chewed her lip as she looked at Aris, who she thought only moved out of habit, but who seemed to carry a heaviness of her own.

“Sis.”

Sylvia took Aris’s hand and shook her head.

“There’s no point in faulting you for something you didn’t do, I’m happy with the way things are.”

“…Thank you.”

Aris squeezed Sylvia’s hand and stood up.

“Now that I’ve seen your face, I think I’ll go back.”

“If you go back….”

“To play pirate again, and.”

She looked out the window at the fading sun and smiled weakly.

“I’m going to try and find that awful son of a bitch I can’t reach.”

“Oh….”

“I tried not to care if he’s dead or not, but looking at Raon, I’m missing him.”

Aris waved a hand slowly.

“When we get him back, we can challenge Raon to a duel. Whoever wins gets to eat, right?”

“Okay.”

Sylvia nodded gently.

“But you should be back soon.”

Aris returned to her usual glare. She smiled coolly and nodded.

“Okay.”

* * *

Siegfried Realization.

The dais, which originally held only a throne, was piled high with books of various kinds.

“This one is too basic, this one lacks structure, and this one is too simple to be interesting.”

Glenn flipped through the books one by one, his brow furrowing in disapproval.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Remer, yawning, walked up to Roen and asked.

“I believe he’s choosing a martial arts book for Master Raon.”

Roen looked at Glenn and smiled weakly.

“A book of muhak?”

“Yes. Didn’t Master Raon create a new martial art this time, and it looks like he’s picking out a good martial art book to help him with his next creation.”

He smirked, noting that it had been a long time since he’d seen Glenn that happy.

“I can’t help but be amused.”

Cheryl nodded, her back to the pillar.

“My grandson has become a Grand Master at such a young age, and he’s got the talent of a master, who wouldn’t?”

She smiled, knowing full well how Glenn felt.

“I suppose that’s why you have all those stacks of martial arts books.”

Remer nodded, understanding now.

“Certainly, this time it was great.”

Limerick nodded, having to agree.

“I didn’t think you could deconstruct the Ten Swords in such detail to create a martial art of such excellence.”

“It’s not like that, Kirkham, I just wanted to take a look at the Martial Arts Book for the first time in a while.”

The corners of Glenn’s mouth quirked upward as he listened to Roen, Cheryl, and Limer praise Raon.

“Well, if you’re going to give it to him, you might as well give Raon a fitting martial arts book.”

“That’s right, he’ll make the best muhak no matter what he’s given, but the better the ingredients, the better the result!”

He turned his head slightly and nodded his chin. The corners of his mouth seemed to connect with his earlobes.

“As expected from my disciple!”

Remer looked at Glenn and raised a fist in the air.

“Ugh!”

Glenn’s expression hardened as he glared at Remer.

“You misspoke. He is my grandson before he is your apprentice.”

He shook his head in disbelief.

“You can’t even call him your grandson before.”

Remer smirked, wondering where such a grandfather was.

“Ugh….”

Glenn gripped the armrest of the throne and chewed his lip. He’d hit the nail on the head, but not with his usual thunderbolt.

“Besides….”

Remer shook his head, looking at the book Glenn had packed.

“If you’re going to give me an even book, it shouldn’t be after Raon’s accomplishments.”

Glenn doesn’t just give Raon gifts. He only gives him things after he’s earned them, so it would be a long time before he could give him that book.

“But this Master says I don’t have to! I give it to him if I want, I don’t give it to him if I don’t want, it’s all up to me!”

Remer shrugged with a wry smile.

“In that case, wouldn’t a master be much closer to you than a grandfather you can’t even call?”

“Yes, you….”

Glenn glared at Remer and shook his fist at him.

“Hmph….”

“Heh heh heh.”

Cheryl and Roen, who would normally have stopped Limer, remained silent.

“Well, I’m going to go give Raon a present!”

Remer waved cheerfully and ran out of the gazebo.

Puddle!

The armrests of the throne Glenn had rested his fist on crumbled into powder. His eyes flashed red.

“You son of a….”

I’ll show you what a grandfather is!

* * *

Raon left the cat with Dorian and made his way to the fifth training hall.

He strapped on his sword as he watched the swordsmen concentrate on their training.

“I wonder what they’re going to do with the martial arts.

The Huiguang Ryu was a martial art designed for Sylvia and her handmaidens, so it didn’t really fit in with the troupe.

They needed to create a new martial art that would bring out the best in the swordsmen.

‘First, it should be as practical as Huiguangliu, with a 6 attack and a 4 defense. I also need to think about harmonizing with Gwangpungjin.

It was a lot of requirements, but it wasn’t a big deal.

But the centerpiece of the martial arts, the pillars, I couldn’t find the inspiration to build.

Raon ran a hand through his wind-disheveled hair and let out a short sigh.

‘I hope it will help my cultivation as well….’

Although he had made some progress since his visit to Swordzone’s grave, he hadn’t gained much in terms of strength.

With the sword fight just around the corner, he had to think about his own development.

“What should I do then?

As Raon mulled over his options, a cool breeze descended upon him from behind.

“What are you doing?”

Remer laughed, flipping his tanned hair back. It was a good thing he’d eaten so much in this gamble.

It was a curious thing, how money could make you look like an earwig, and not having it could make you look like a beggar.

“I’ve been thinking about making a martial arts program for the clowns.”

“A martial arts school?”

“Yes. I’ve been thinking about it, but I can’t seem to find the inspiration.”

I told Remer what I had been thinking about earlier.

“Hmmm, maybe it’s because of your own growth and the martial arts of the clowns….”

Remer stroked his smooth chin and raised his gaze.

“You’ve gained the aura of the earth attribute this time, so you have all four attributes, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then it’s time to cultivate wind.”

A cool breeze swept over his eyes.

“Have you ever heard the song of the wind?”