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Once he finished changing his dirty clothes, a quiet knocking sound could be heard.

“Enter.”

Judiel opened the door and entered, then bowed her head.

“Explain the situation.”

“Yes. While we were tending the garden with my lady, Raden Zieghart’s butler, Merkin, visited us. He said he had sent a letter saying that they would visit us today and asked us about the preparation…”

She reported what happened without missing a single detail, from Merkin to Raden.

“…And Sir Raon arrived as Sir Raden was about to trample on Madam Helen.”

Judiel bowed as she finished speaking.

“I see.”

Raon nodded. Her description wasn’t much different from what he expected.

“By the way, Sir Raon.”

Judiel raised her head and called Raon’s name.

“What’s up?”

“It’s a bit awkward for me to say this, but Sir Raon shouldn’t have interfered today. Raden and his father, Balder Zieghart, are people who don’t consider the consequences.”

Her expression was as stiff as tree bark.

“I’m sure they are going to attack the annex building and Sir Raon using various methods. Even though Raden offended us first, they are members of the direct line, and we are collaterals. It’s perfectly obvious whose side the house is going to take.

“……”

Raon didn’t open his mouth and watched Judiel until she finished speaking.

“If you think I’m overstepping my bounds…”

“I don’t.”

Raon shook his head.

“I’m grateful to you.”

“Pardon?”

“You tried taking Raden’s kick instead of Helen and my mother.”

Judiel was sticking right next to Sylvia and Helen when Raden raised his foot, shoving her body into it.

She was trying to get kicked instead of the others. Even Judiel herself didn’t think she would do that.

“That was unintentional…”

Judiel blushed and lowered her head. Losing to affection as a spy was such a laughable thing to do.

‘But…’

The people in the annex building were the only ones that had treated her as a human being, despite being Zieghart’s smallest and most persecuted place. It couldn’t be helped that she felt affection towards them, even though she was still afraid of Raon.

“You are right. It would’ve been best to not yield to his provocation, but it already happened. I have my plans against him, so don’t worry about it.”

“…Understood.”

Since Raon said she didn’t need to worry, she felt like her upset stomach was eased entirely.

That was how much trust his voice filled her with. However, she was still worried about something.

‘This is troublesome.’

It seemed she took more of a liking to the annex building’s residents than she thought.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Gather information about Raden and Balder. Things like their personalities and their achievements so far.”

“Understood.”

She bowed her head then left the room.

“Hmm.”

Raon licked his lips, looking at the closed door.

‘That was unexpected.’

Judiel’s emotions towards Raon were those of fear and doubt, yet she was fond of the people in the annex building. It looked like even she wasn’t sure about her emotions.

It looked like he could easily obtain her sincerity if he kept looking after her in the annex building.

However, he felt a bit guilty about continuing to lie to her after witnessing her trying to protect Sylvia and Helen.

“But that’s not important right now.”

Raon raised his clenched fist. He wasn’t actually planning to confront Raden in the beginning.

Since he had already expected it to happen, he had planned to grasp the situation first, then crush him with words.

However, his mind went blank when Sylvia and Helen were about to be struck, and that bastard’s face was the only thing that entered his sight.

‘Wrath…’

That was right.

He couldn’t control his emotion, boiling with an unbearable wrath.

The funny part was that he remained calmer than ever concerning the fight. It was a mysterious emotion in various ways.

“A strange mixture of wrath and reason.”

You are well aware of it.

Wrath burst from the bracelet with an excited voice.

“Was that your doing, after all?”

What are you talking about?

“I’m talking about when I couldn’t control my wrath.”

No, no. That was your fault.

Wrath grinned from inside the cold flame.

“What?”

It was the effect of the wrath that you have accepted before.

“But I’m usually…”

Do you usually go crazy with anger?

“Of course not.”

The same goes for the King of Essence’s emotions. It’s usually calm, yet it will pierce into you and try to control you the moment you get angry.

“Damn it…”

Raon bit his lip. The trade with that self-proclaimed king was more dangerous than he thought. He resolved to never accept his emotion again.

Do you think that is possible?

Wrath smiled, realizing his thought.

Humans are weak in various ways. And the same goes for you, who the King of Essence deems somewhat special.

“What are you trying to say?”

You aren’t going to make any request despite, having a god who can grant your wish right next to you, huh? How laughable. You are going to ask the King of Essence for a trade, whether it is for your own sake or for the others, and eventually…

He smiled without finishing his sentence, but Raon could make a guess.

“I will never give my body to you.”

The King of Essence can already see the future where you offer your body on your own accord. It’s already too late.

“Haa…”

Raon exhaled and used the ‘Ring of Fire’. The feeling of refreshing water running through his veins cleared his mind.

It was more dangerous to get emotional than taking on Wrath’s attacks. He needed to keep his cool no matter what.

Hmph.

Raon calmed his emotions with ‘Ring of Fire’ and Wrath returned to the bracelet, murmuring that it was no fun.

‘The ‘Ring of Fire’ really is important.’

What he needed to defend himself against Wrath wasn’t a sword or a spear, but the ‘Ring of Fire’. It was necessary to level it up as quickly as possible.

Raon cultivated the ‘Ring of Fire’ overnight, and a knocking sound could be heard once again.

“This is the information on Balder and Raden that you requested.”

As Raon opened the door, Judiel handed over a thin stack of documents. Considering the ink on it was still not dried, it seemed she had written it personally.

“Good job.”

“Yes. I’ll be leaving, then…”

Judiel bowed and left.

Raon checked her documents from the beginning to the end in one sitting.

‘This is quite…’

Raon exclaimed.

The document was made on the spot, yet it was well organized. All the information he currently needed, including Raden and Balder’s personalities and temperaments, were all written down.

“That’s pretty useful.”

It looked like he could use her as an informant if she couldn’t be a double agent anymore.

Raon read the documents over and over while rotating the ‘Ring of Fire’.

The night passed as such, and once the sun rose a third knock sounded on his door.

When he opened the door, he found Sylvia with wavering eyes and Glenn’s butler, Roenn.

“R-Raon.”

“Young master, please excuse me so early in the morning.”

Roenn bowed with an unusually cold expression.

“The head of house has summoned the young master.”

* * *

* * *

Raon went to the lord’s manor, leaving Sylvia—who was persistently trying to follow him—behind.

“Young master.”

Roenn turned when he was in front of the steps to the lord’s manor. His eyes were filled with curiosity as he looked at him.

“You must be aware of the reason that the head of house has summoned you. Aren’t you anxious?”

“I’m aware of the reason, naturally. However, I’m not really anxious.”

Raon shook his head with composed eyes.

“I see.”

Roenn smiled lightly and entered the lord’s manor. It might have been his imagination, but he looked satisfied with his answer.

As he entered the lord’s manor behind Roenn, a heavy atmosphere weighed down on him. It felt like gravity had grown twice as strong in that place.

Raon breathed slowly, just like when he was meditating. The heaviness pressuring his shoulders subsided slightly.

The swordsmen and servants looked at him with indescribable gazes, but Raon proudly stood in front of the audience chamber.

“They are also in there, on top of the head of house. Are you ready?”

Raon nodded plainly at Roenn’s question.

“I’m opening the door.”

He signaled the guard with his gaze, and the audience chamber’s door started to open.

There were three people under the radiant lighting of the audience chamber.

Glenn Zieghart was sitting at the throne on the platform, exuding an overwhelming pressure. And the two men standing under him were Raden Zieghart and his father, Balder Zieghart.

Unlike Raden, Balder had a thick body with wide shoulders. Raon wouldn’t have thought of them as father and son if he didn’t know their names. However, he had the same nasty eyes as his son.

Raden was glaring at him as if he wanted to kill him, and Balder frowned as if he was looking at an insect.

“Greeting my lord.”

Raon ignored their gazes, walking up to the center and kneeling.

“Rise.”

“Yes.”

Strength almost left his legs upon hearing his icy voice, but he grit his teeth and stood up.

He stepped back to stand in the same line as Balder and Raden, then looked up at Glenn.

“I heard an unsavory event happened yesterday.”

He raised his chin from the hand it had been resting on, looking down on everyone with indifferent eyes.

“My lord! I will explain!”

Raden stepped forward and knelt.

“Go ahead.”

“Yes!”

Upon receiving Glenn’s permission, Raden looked back at Raon and grinned.

“Upon returning to the house after a long time, I noticed news about Raon was spread everywhere. Since I had never spoken to him before despite having seen him a few times, I sent a letter to the annex building beforehand. I went to the annex building at the designated date, but they hadn’t made any preparations. Instead, their garden was in a complete mess—as if they wanted to throw away their guest.”

Raden wrinkled his nose as if he felt really mortified from the experience.

“I felt bitter and raised my voice a little, and the annex building’s maids immediately started nitpicking my behavior. Raon appeared when the voices started getting louder, and immediately swung his sword at me without saying anything. It wasn’t a diversion or a threat—he really was trying to kill me. I kept defending while controlling my strength, but his sword was aimed at my throat until the very end.”

Raden’s voice sounded realistic enough to make people believe that he was the victim.

“Raon Zieghart.”

Glenn hadn’t changed in the slightest, despite hearing Raden’s emotional voice. He called Raon with the exact same voice as before.

“Yes.”

“Is that true?”

“No.”

Raon shook his head with composed eyes.

“There’s not a single truth from the beginning to the end. Especially the part about him controlling his strength—it’s laughable. The sight of him turning red to shout at me still lingers before my eyes.”

“Ugh! You damn bastard!”

Raden grabbed his shoulder, but Raon didn’t look back.

“Young master Raden.”

Roenn’s eyes, as he stood back on the left side, grew as threatening as a blade.

“Did you perhaps forget whose presence you are standing in?”

“Keuh!”

Raden swallowed and took his hand off Raon’s shoulder.

“If the two peoples’ testimonies are different, then I shall call the witness that saw everything.”

Glenn flicked his finger, looking at Raden and Raon. A black shape came down in front of Raon with a thud.

“Rakael from the Heavenly Blade division is greeting my lord!”

“Report what happened yesterday.”

“Yes!”

The Heavenly Blade swordsman that introduced himself as Rakael was the man who had blocked Raon’s sword the day before. He stood up after nodding, then started speaking.

“Young master Raden said he sent a letter beforehand, but such a letter had never arrived at the annex building. Lady Sylvia was tending the garden like always along with her maids…”

Raon narrowed his eyes. Rakael was telling him the truth without a single lie, despite his expectations.

“Raden Zieghart.”

Glenn frowned after hearing the whole story from Rakael.

“Ah! Yes, yes!”

Raden trembled and rammed his head against the ground.

“It’s quite different from what you said.”

“Th-that’s…”

“Father.”

As Raden trembled, unable to say anything, Balder—who had just been watching until then—frowned and stepped forward.

“That’s not the important part right now. The biggest problem of this incident is the fact that a collateral swung his sword at a member of the direct line. This endangers the house’s hierarchy itself!”

“Th-that’s right! He tried to kill me with his sword!”

Raden nodded violently upon finding an opening.

“That’s true. A collateral’s attack against a member of the direct line isn’t just a matter of bad manners. However.”

Glenn nodded and stood up from the throne. His presence exploded like a giant’s stretching.

“What do you think the difference between direct line and collateral is?”

“Pardon? Th-that’s…”

“It\'s the responsibility. Zieghart’s direct line has to bear the responsibility as the true master of the house.”

The entire lord’s manor started trembling at the yellow energy flowing out from his shoulders.

“You must remember that you are Zieghart’s master in every single action and every single word you speak. It’s the same even when you want to tease or degrade a collateral. If that’s your intention, you have to thoroughly trample upon them until the very end. However, you had your life threatened by a collateral, and a child younger than you on top of that.”

“Th-that’s not true. Raon’s head would’ve already been separated from his body if that was my intention!”

“Shame on you! You shall shut your mouth if you were saved by others twice in a row.”

“Keuh…”

Facing Glenn’s freezing gaze as it gave him goosebumps, Raden grit his teeth.

“Raon Zieghart.”

“Yes.”

“You don’t seem to realize your own position either. You are a collateral, which means you need to be careful about your behavior. Swinging your sword at a member of the direct line with a swordsman’s qualification is the same as a dog biting its owner. If you received unfair treatment, you should’ve informed the main building instead of trying to solve it by yourself.”

“I apologize.”

Raon closed his eyes and lowered his head.

“Since there was a problem with both of you, I’m going to punish each of you accordingly.”

“Father! You can’t just punish him! You shouldn’t let him live. He is going to bare his fangs against the direct line one day! You need to execute him immediately!”

Balder Zieghart stepped forward once again. He raised his voice, pointing his finger at Raon.

“Silence.”

“If you overlook this incident, the structure between the direct line and collateral will collapse and the house’s reputation will be…”

“Balder, I told you to shut your mouth.”

“Keuh!”

Facing Glenn’s voice crushing the space, it looked like Balder’s huge body was squashed for a moment.

“My lord.”

In the midst of the atmosphere squeezing his heart, Raon raised his head to look at Glenn. He lowered his head and called his name.

“What is it?”

“I will accept any punishment you deem fit. However, I still have something to do before that.”

“Something to do?”

“Yes. Raden Zieghart insulted my mother and used violence against the maids. I still haven’t made him pay for that.”

“You crazy bastard! The same goes for me! I still remember you swinging your sword with those rabid red eyes! I\'ll definitely cut your head off!”

“Raon Zieghart, Raden Zieghart.”

Glenn called Raon and Raden’s names with serious eyes. Crushing pressure was emanating from his entire body.

“I just told you to know your place.”

“Th-that’s the reason why.”

Raon grit his teeth and straighten his back.

“The head of house referred to this place as the swordsman\'s ground. I think a warrior should prove his worth with his sword.”

Raon’s determined voice resounded throughout the lord’s manor.

“I request a Sword Duel!”